The Wakanheza Project© has been teaching individuals, agencies, businesses, and communities to use principles and strategies that prevent or deescalate stressful situations and to create more welcoming environments. 

Come early with your fire extinguisher to get the tag renewed - FREE!Doors open at 9:00 a.m.

 
When Sandy Morris's daughter was born, Sandy left a high-paid job in the public school system to open a daycare within her home community. But last summer her crumbling home may have forced her to close the child care that has become a center of community life and education.
In steps Extreme Home Makeover...
http://www.extrememakeovertjbhomes.com/712-family.html
Congratulations, Sandy and all the children and families you serve!

 
Washington, DC — Today Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced the Access to Nutritious Meals for Young Children Act of 2009 in the United States House of Representatives to update the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) by adding additional resources to pay for healthier meals and expanding the program to include more children.  Rep. Tonko’s bill is identical to legislation introduced in the Senate in November by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
“Rep. Tonko’s nutritious meals bill can decrease childhood obesity, improve child nutrition and health, enhance child development and school readiness, and reduce hunger,” said AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee. “AFSCME commends Rep. Tonko for working to improve young children’s access to healthy foods.”
Click link for more....

CACFP FCC Kids

The Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) was formed in fall of 2008
through Governor Tim Pawlenty's Executive Order. The Council's goal is
that by 2020, all Minnesota children are school-ready as they enter
kindergarten. The Council will provide recommendations to the Governor
and Minnesota Legislature toward this outcome.  The Council has 13 state
and federal charges that have been grouped into related themes and are
being addressed by four committees: Accountability, Access and Finance,
Professional Development and Early Learning Standards.

An interactive Web-based forum or bulletin board has been created to
provide an opportunity for public comment on strategies suggested by
ECAC committees that will support children in their readiness to enter
kindergarten. The Council is interested in hearing ideas and strategies
that have worked in various communities throughout Minnesota.  The
public comments and suggestions will be taken into consideration as the
committees develop their recommendations to present to the Council. 
 

One MN provider writes:
One day last week as I walked into the child care kid's play room, a young boy of 4 years of age asked me, "What is that noise?" 
I said it is the toilet filling up, I just flushed it when I went to the bathroom.  He looked at me with puzzled eyes and said "You mean you go to the bathroom, too!" 

What are the five senses?  What would we know without the expert help of the little ones? 
From Sharon Heisler, FCC provider in New Brighton, MN.
In talking to the children about our five senses, I was naming them one at a time and counting with my fingers.....  Sight.... Hearing.... Taste.....
One of the little girls pipes in and says, "I usually just call them fingers."