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December Early Childhood Blog Post
Nurturing Holiday Cheer: A Guide to Helping Children Cope with Seasonal Stress
While the holiday season is often a time of joy and celebration, it can also bring about stress for both adults and children. Young children, in particular, may find the disruptions to routine, new environments, and heightened emotions overwhelming. As parents and caregivers, it's essential to support our little ones in navigating the holiday season with ease. In this blog, we'll explore practical strategies to help children cope with the holiday stress.
Create Predictable Routines:
Young children thrive on routine, and the holiday season can introduce a multitude of changes. To provide a sense of security, try to maintain as much consistency as possible. Stick to regular meal times, nap schedules, and bedtime routines. Predictability helps children feel grounded, especially during the whirlwind of holiday activities.
Limit Overstimulation:
The holidays often come with a flurry of bright lights, loud music, and crowded spaces. Recognize your child's sensory thresholds and be mindful of their exposure to overstimulating environments. Consider using noise-canceling headphones or providing a quiet space where your child can retreat when needed.
Communicate Simply and Honestly:
Explain holiday plans and activities to your child in a simple and honest manner. Use age-appropriate language and answer any questions they may have. Knowing what to expect can alleviate anxiety and help your child feel more in control of the situation.
Click HERE to continue reading more tips at our main Early Childhood Blog page.
2023 Urban Scholars Give Presentation On Community Safety Report
This summer our Urban Scholars interviewed more than 100 teens and young adults in Minneapolis to find out how they felt about community safety. This work is a part of our Child Friendly Cities Initiative that we're doing with UNICEF USA. They took the data from the interviews, analyzed it, and wrote a report. On September 18, our Urban Scholars went out into the community to present on some of their findings. Thank you, Urban Scholars, for your amazing work and making our city safer!
The Urban Scholars provided a handout at their presentation so that listeners could have some additional information. A PDF version of that handout can be downloaded below.
We Hosted Community Conversations On Community Safety With Our Early Childhood Partners
On October 5 and 10, our early childhood partners helped us host community conversations where we heard from residents about safety in Minneapolis. Some of the themes from our conversation at Joyce Preschool were about about car thefts, other items being stolen, and domestic abuse. Families also talked about how they have called police about someone trying to break in their home only to have the police come 3-4 hours later and say there is nothing they can do because the person is gone.
At LaCreche Early Childhood Center, families share horrific stories about violence. They are especially worried about youth because there is no place for them to go. There are no more community centers, roller rinks, or other places where kids can go hang out so they congregate on the streets.
We thank everyone that came and shared a piece of their lives and stories with us. These were tough, but important conversations. We're still processing the feedback, but hope to have more to say in the future.
Thank you to Joyce Preschool and LaCreche Early Childhood Center for hosting.
YCB Hosts Lunch For Ukrainian Youth
For the second year in a row we hosted a big lunch for Ukrainian youth visiting Minnesota. Gisell Ayala & Marc Woods of the Minneapolis Youth Congress spoke about the importance of youth engagement in public decision making. Thanks to our young friends for visiting and sharing some time with us!
YCB & MPLS Health Department's Presentation For Public Health & Safety Committee
On August 23, 2023, the YCB and Minneapolis Health Department presented in from of the Public Health & Safety Committee. We wanted to help the Minneapolis City Council understand what we are working on and what youth are saying around the city. You can watch our portion of the meeting at the 5:00 minute mark.
Do You Have An Open Youth Worker Job To Promote? Let Us Help!
Do you have an open job that you want to fill with the best possible candidate? One of the roles of the Minneapolis Afterschool Network is to ensure the youth work field of Minneapolis remains healthy by promoting professional development opportunities and by making sure we're all aware of important open youth work positions. We're here to help spread news about your open positions! We've now made it easier than ever with a short form that will guide you through the essential information we need. Now there is no need to contact us to have a back-and-forth! Find our new form HERE and we'll have your information in our next newsletter and social media soon. Thank you!
Youth Coordinating Board's Outreach Team Facilitates Training
In late July at the North Regional Library, our Outreach Team worked with the Minneapolis Health Department to facilitate a training. This training helped participants develop a collective orientation towards youth development, youth outreach, and youth culture. Facilitators provided tools to assist participants in fostering positive connections with youth. We thank everyone involved and for their continued work!
Resolution Passed To Honor 2023 Urban Scholars
On August 17, 2023, the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution to honor the brilliance and work of the Urban Scholars. We had 3 incredible and talented Urban Scholars work with us this summer. Their work helped us understand safety issues in Minneapolis and helped us elevate youth leadership and voice. We cannot thank our young visionaries enough! Click HERE for the full resolution.
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Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612-673-2060
Fax: 612-673-2346
