Patience, Partnership, and Holiday Cheer

Family Partnerships

As we move through this joyful season, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our families for partnering with us in the many events happening across Early Childhood. One of our favorite moments this week has been watching our Christmas tree transform into a true EC Community Christmas Tree. A symbol of how each family’s contribution, big or small, helps create something beautiful when we come together. We also loved seeing the excitement on students’ faces during the Book Fair! Their joy in choosing books and your partnership helps nurture a love of reading that will grow far beyond this week.

Reminders

As we look ahead to next week, here are a few helpful reminders:

  • No ECAs next week.
  • Kindergarten Christmas Around the World
    • Date: December 9
    • Time: 8:30–10:00
    • Location: MSR
  • Thursday, December 11: Wear your crazy Christmas sweater and enjoy festive classroom celebrations.
    • Check class newsletters for more details.
  • Friday, December 12: Early Release Day.

Parent Tip of the Week

This month’s virtue is patience, a quality we rely on when helping children build new life skills. Research shows that habits rarely form quickly; it can take many weeks and countless repetitions before a routine becomes automatic. That means children truly can’t “just know” what to do simply because we expect them to.

Using the Positive Discipline tool Take Time for Training, we can guide children step-by-step with patience and gentleness. For example, instead of saying, “Go get ready for bed,” try asking, “What do you need to do to get ready for bed?” Then practice the steps together while offering calm coaching and encouragement.

This tool becomes even more effective when supported with visual routines, especially ones using photos of your own child completing each step. When we remember that learning takes repetition—not pressure—we can replace demanding expectations with patient teaching. Over time, children gain confidence, independence, and the joy of truly mastering a skill.