Dear Parent-Toddler 2 Families,

We hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break! It’s hard to believe that the end of 2022 is nearly upon us. We are so happy that you have been a part of our program this year, and we could not be more pleased with the ways in which our little group is coming together. While this time of year can be hectic to say the least, we hope that you and your family will find some quiet moments too, for reflection on the year that’s passed, but also just to enjoy one another’s company. 

When making plans for Parent-Toddler class, we think of it as an opportunity for you (or whichever trusted member of your care team) to interact with your child, when your own child can be your only focus, and a time for your child to truly have you to her/his own self. We like to think of our Monday mornings together as a time for your child to be your guide, and to offer you a glimpse into the things that they find interesting, thought provoking, and meaningful. Whether this be a long session scooping sand, constructing roadways in the gym, or just cuddling with a favorite stuffed animal, they are actively seeking out the things that resonate with them. Sharing those things with a beloved adult and receiving encouragement and positive feedback helps to make the experience even more significant. 

While the beginning of our class was just a couple of months ago, when you think back to those beginning days it is easy to realize how far all of the children have come - how successfully they have met challenges and the many discoveries they have made. Our goal is for them to feel that school is their place to be, and for them to carry this feeling with them as they progress through nursery school and beyond. Here at Park West we see children as competent individuals working hard to figure out the world around them. Parent-Toddler class is a chance to let them show you, in some measure, how they navigate in that world. With your gentle support, they are building a foundation for growing into confident learners. 

Over the next few months of our class we will continue to provide familiar activities mixed with things that may feel new and novel to your child. These will consist of different kinds of sensory materials (we hope folks have enjoyed the messy but fun shaving cream trays over the past few weeks!), new gym set-ups, slightly longer group times with new stories and songs, and more. Our aim is to provide consistency that will allow your child to continue to develop their relationship with familiar activities and materials, as well as novelty not just for its own sake, but as an opportunity to provide your child with fun and exciting new challenges which we know that they are equipped for. We sincerely hope that your family group is enjoying Parent-Toddler class as much as we are!

Just some light housekeeping… thank you so much for being prudent around phone use during class. While we framed our explanation largely around the idea of not wanting your child to feel interrupted during their playtime, we also feel that for adults, our class is a good opportunity to be engaged and present, and resist the myriad distractions we all face from all of this available technology. We greatly appreciate your cooperation with this.

Please double check and make a note of your week to bring snack - this information is available on the Parent Portal of our school website. If you are unsure of how to access this please reach out to the office for assistance. Please remember that if you miss your week it is not the end of the world, but it is our hope that making plans for which snack to bring can be a nice bonding activity between you and your child. The list of allowable snack items is also available on the website here. We will also try to do our best to be cognizant of whose turn is coming up so that we can help out with a friendly reminder.

Again, we are having such a nice time with all of you and we are so happy for everyone’s participation in the group this year. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about your child/family’s experience at school. Enjoy the rest of the year and we look forward to making more memories in 2023!

Warmly,

Kristin & Byl

Parent-Toddler 2 Facilitators