I'm currently working towards my level 2 in childcare. Today I saw something which I'm not sure how I feel about it. Advice appreciated.
I saw a child who was moving up from toddlers to preschool so they would be turning about 3 years old, pour out water and pencils on to the art table and it all went all over the children's drawings, I saw a member of Staff then take a toy of them and told them very assertively they needed to help tidy up and then they would get there toy back when they help put the pencils away. The child wasnt crying but he did go very quiet and helped to tidy, i dont know if he was confused, because to him he was just exploring. But I just feel like the member of staff should have been more friendly and make it into a game, rather than tell him off? I'm not sure Am I over thinking? I just felt it was a bit harsh. Advice welcome.

I'm gonna keep posting these until/unless someone stops me. Here's the names I would use for the 1980's Rivals + a bonus at the bottom. Across the board the 80's rivals have pretty good names, but most of them don't reflect on the characters of the girls. If I had been in charge of naming them, this is what I would come up with

Sumire Saitozaki

I like her name! In Japanese flower symbolism, violets (the Japanese word for which is sumire) represent sincerity and love, which works for a girl who's main defining characteristic is that she was in love with a boy. Saitozaki isn't a real name, but I constructed it from other names. Anyways, I would write it 寿 (su) meaning long life or longevity, 海 (umi) meaning ocean, 怜 (rei) meaning clever or affection, 佐 (sa) meaning to help or aide, 糸 (ito) meaning string, 崎 (zaki) meaning cape (the geographic feature, not the clothing item). 寿 meaning long life is meant to be ironic, 佐 is to reflect how she is the tutorial for the player and thereby helps them learn the game, and 糸 made me think of the red string of fate.

Kaguya Wakaizumi

Another good name! Sumire and Kaguya's are my favorite names of the 80's rivals. Both are real names, but Kaguya I combined kanji from different spellings. I'd write it 加 (ka) meaning to add or include, 紅 (gu) meaning red, 夜 (ya) meaning night, 若 (waka) meaning youth, 泉 (izumi) meaning spring or fountain. 加 was chosen because you help add her to the rainbow girls. It's a very dumb joke but I don't care.

Moeko Rakuyona

And here's where I started changing names again. Along with reflecting their personalities, I tried to reference their canon eliminations. Moeko became Renka Moekui, written 恋 (ren) meaning love, 火 (ka) meaning fire, 燃 (mo) meaning burn or ignite, 杭 (kui) meaning stake or pile. A pretty fiery name for our fiery tomboy. I also like that I flipped her english initials

Honami Hodoshima

Best girl of 80's mode, you can't change my mind. I renamed her Yumiko Tsubutaki: 読 (yo) meaning read or understand, 子 (ko) meaning girl or child, 潰 (tsubu) meaning crush or flatten, 滝 (taki) meaning rapids or waterfall. 読 is because she's a bookworm and 潰 is because she's canonically crushed by a bookcase

Sumiko Tachibana

Not my fave rival tbh, sporty girls aren't really my thing. But I came up with Sukone Dokujima, 健 (suko) meaning healthy or strong, 音 (ne) meaning sound, 毒 (doku) meaning poison, 島 (shima) meaning island

Ritsuko Chikanari

I do like Ritsuko though, she's so obnoxious, it's great. I decided to keep her first name because there were some great kanji that I could use to construct it, so she's Ritsuko Kozai. 璃 (ri) means jewel or crystal, 月 (tsuki) means moon, 子 (ko) means girl or child, 古 (ko) means old or ancient, 財 (zai) means money. 古財 is obviously meant to reflect her old money status, and 璃 just sounds fancy to mean- like she's a precious gemstone or something

Ai Doruyashi

I wanted to keep the pun, I really did, but no Japanese surnames I could find start with doru. If you haven't noticed before, aidoru is the english word idol, which is of course Ai's goal. I ended up constructing a brand new name from a few different names to make Ai Torurai: 愛 (ai) meaning love or affection, 伊 (i) being a third person pronoun (ie, him), 都 (to) meaning capital city, 丸 (maru) meaning round or circle, 電 (rai) meaning electricity. T's and d's sound similar so we get the near pun of aitoru

Teiko Nabatasai

Second best girl, you still can't change my mind. I named her Toshino Nadaka: 聡 (sato) meaning wise or quick learner, 乃 (no) being a second person pronoun (ie, you), 名 (na) meaning family name or reputation, 高 (taka) meaning high or excellent. Since her canon elimination is lowering her reputation, I wanted her name to reference being of high reputation or standing

Komako Funakoshi

For the resident yamato nadeshiko, I wanted a name that reflected her traditional attitude. I came up with Koyori Fukuwa: 心 (kokoro) meaning heart or spirit, 和 (wa) meaning peace or harmony, 福 (fuku) meaning good fortune and 和 (wa) again. The reason 和 is in both her names is that it's a character used to represent a very fundamental part of Japanese culture. I don't think I'm the right person to explain it as I only kinda understand it, but here's a website that talks about it. But it's very common to see 和 in words related to Japan, especially old or archaic words. With Komako/Koyori being an old fashioned girl, I thought it fit to have it in both names.

Chigusa Busujima

Busu is a word for ugly, and Chigusa was bullied for having an "ugly" name, according to dev. I wanted to keep that, and I also just like her first name, so I named her Chigusa Shikocha: 千 (chi) meaning one thousand, 草 (kusa) meaning grass or weed, 醜 (shiko) meaning ugly or unattractive, 茶 (cha) meaning tea or tea ceremony

Sonoko Sakanoe

I do like her name phonetically, but the spellings don't have much to do with her character. So, Satomi Sakagari: 悟 (sato) meaning to perceive or enlightenment, 実 (mi) meaning truth, 坂 (saka) meaning hill or incline, 狩 (kari) meaning hunt or chase. Obviously as a junior detective, she needs to be perceptive, so 悟, and she's trying to discover the truth, so 実. 狩 is because she's hunting Ryoba and 坂 is because... I dunno. It's a real name that contained 狩 and that's all I was looking for, with bonus points for keeping the alliteration. I guess you could argue it references the hill with the cherry tree?

Bonus Round: Ui Tunesu

Her name is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the english word witness- wiitonesu- because she's based on the very old Witness-chan character. Ui is a real name but Tunesu isn't. In fact, tu isn't a naturally occurring sound in Japanese. I would name her Umi Tsunemi: 宇 (u) meaning space or universe, 見 (mi) meaning to see or look at, 常 (tsune) meaning always or usual, 察 (mi) meaning intuition or perception. 見察, as a bonus, is the word for witness

Looking for a nurturing environment for your little one in Bellandur? Look no further than Kids Kingdom, your premier destination for daycare, playschool, and preschool services. At Kids Kingdom, we understand the importance of providing a safe, stimulating, and engaging environment for young children to learn and grow. Our preschool in Bellandur is designed to cater to the unique needs of children in their formative years. With a focus on holistic development, we offer a comprehensive curriculum that fosters cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Our experienced educators utilize a blend of play-based learning and structured activities to ensure that each child reaches their full potential. Additionally, our daycare services provide working parents with peace of mind, knowing that their child is in a secure and supportive environment while they're away. Whether it's through creative arts, interactive games, or outdoor exploration, we strive to make every moment at Kids Kingdom a valuable learning experience for your little one. Join us at Kids Kingdom and let's embark on a journey of discovery and growth together!

Parenting is a journey full of emotions and responsibility, and if you are a parent to a newly born child, who is preparing to learn how things in the world work, it becomes a huge responsibility to make them aware of all the things. Here is where the responsibility of preschool comes in. Preschools, also known as play schools, simply mean training toddlers with basic things, before getting admitted into formal schools, which means preparing the toddlers for the future through exploring and discovering new things with them. Here we will know the basic meaning of preschool and will go further to learn more about the best play schools in India.

What is a Play School?

In this modern world, where in most houses, both of the parents are working for a better future for their children, often they miss teaching basic things to their children. That’s where the role of preschool becomes important. A playschool or preschool helps in the holistic development of your child by teaching them basic moral education, enhancing creativity among themselves, and infusing a lifetime of curiosity, creativity and self-discovery within themselves.
At Makoons Preschool, we focus on creating a journey on which they can learn something and be creative enough to create new ideas, discoveries, and more. We don’t burden them with loads of homework; but we make them identify their real selves through different types of activities.

Benefits of a Play School for Your Children

The benefits of a play school for your toddler are beyond your imagination. The first and foremost benefit that we all see is that, through play schools, your child will learn how to freely communicate about his or her feelings, will understand your feelings as well, and will learn to express themselves in the best possible way. On the other hand, through preschool, we can easily train your child for formal schooling, which is difficult to do from home, if both of the parents are working. Also, at Makoons Preschool, your child will get the opportunity to meet and learn with different toddlers of similar age with whom they will communicate and socialize, making their path easier for further schooling.

Points to Consider When Choosing the Best Play Schools in India

The most challenging thing a parent has to do is select the best premium preschool in India that provides your children with the best instruction and skills while also providing you with the best amenities.
The following are some considerations to make when choosing the best preschool in Thane: Protection: We understand the difficulties that arise when you can’t always be there for your small child while they are in a strange place. At Makoons Preschool, we provide all of our parents with CCTV access so they may watch their child every day and feel comfortable in their child’s safety.
Infrastructure: Parents should view and evaluate the facilities before bringing their child to an institution. A preschool with a variety of services can help your child develop into a creative and enthusiastic young person. Acknowledge educators: Before enrolling your children in the preschool, you must ascertain the qualifications and experience of the teachers.

Why Should You Choose Makoons for Your Child?

Makoons Preschool, being one of the premium preschool in India, is regarded as the best preschool in Thane due to its facilities. Here are some of the points listed that make Makoons Preschool one of the best play schools in India:
Food menu: We know how important nutrition is for growing children. That’s why at Makoons Preschool, the best preschool in Thane, you will get a nutritious food menu specially prepared for the proper diet and nutrition of your toddlers. Regular physical checkups: Makoons Preschool, one of the premium pre school in India, places a high priority on your toddlers’ health. We do regular checkups on your kids because we care about their health. CCTV access: In our opinion, parents should be able to observe their children at all times and be informed about their current circumstances. Consequently, Makoons Preschool, one of the best play schools in India, provides you with CCTV access so you can keep an eye on your toddler’s health. One of the unique qualities that make our preschool different from others amd the best preschool in Thane is this. Outside games: We are aware of the importance of outside play and education for your children. At Makoons Preschool, your child will gain more clarity and become more intellectual, through our outdoor games and activities.

Conclusion

It may be challenging to choose among the best and premium preschool in India, but Makoons Preschool makes you feel more at ease and hopeful about the future of your toddler. The best preschool in Thane, Makoons Preschool, does not overburden its pupils with knowledge since it recognises the importance of proper nutrition and health. We are among the best play school in India because of our stimulating games and activities that encourage your child’s creativity and intellectual growth. What are you waiting for then? It’s time to introduce Makoons Preschool to your youngster and encourage creativity!

Hey! I am currently in my senior year of college in early education k-3 and double majoring special needs K-12. I start student teaching next year (winter of 2025) and then I have another year of student teaching for special needs I am predicted to graduate in the next 2 years or less. I work as an assistant preschool teacher in a daycare and have been in many school placements at schools for my degree.
In classes we've made lists of books, need, and ideas for our classrooms. A few months ago my lead teacher at my daycare left suddenly and took lots of classroom materials with. I filled in with a few cheap pieces like some kids books I really wanted, quick and easy matching games, puzzles, and a few other things for me (my own laminator, etc). Which I plan to take when I leave.
With my student teaching coming up next winter I really don't want graduation to sneak up on me and not have anything for applying at schools or items for my first classroom wherever that may be! I have already started saving some worksheets i've laminated from classes as well as lesson plan prompts I have done (I know everyone says they never use them but just encase). I don't want to be preparing stuff that won't be used. College tends to tell education majors to basically store junk tbh...
My question is for recent graduates or current teachers what you felt was an immediate need for your first year classroom, or applying to schools? I am fortunate enough to live at home and not pay excessive amounts in tuition so I have the occasional money to spend aside with having plenty of savings and the room to store things. I work a lot next to school so I wanted to take the time this summer while I have no classes to prepare as much as I can!
Thanks!

Hello fellow indie devs, I wanted to share a low-cost tool that I used recently that might help other people in a situation I've found myself in, and that tool is Amazon's Mechanical Turk. For those that don't know, it's a service where can get nearly instant responses to surveys for ~10-15cents a response.
I came across this article after having a very hard time deciding a name for my game and I figured what the hell, so I decided to spend $40 to garner ~230 responses to a survey containing a few different game names I'd been mulling over.
My game is a 2D tower defense deckbuilder in a fantasy setting (Humans, Orcs, Undead, Elves etc). After having 5 names, I narrowed it down to these three: https://imgur.com/a/dMeXnEd

1. 43.3% - Towers of Apophenia - Apophenia is clearly a weird / hard to spell word with questionable pronunciation, but I've got a strange attraction to the name and think it is intriguing.
2. 39% - Defenders of Divinity - I like the alliteration and simplicity but worry it sounds like a gacha mobile game name.
3. 17.7% - Divine Defense - Same as #2

Based on the results of the survey, it's clear that #3 Divine Defense is out of the running, but that leaves me with a tough choice. My logical mind that has read dozens of posts on here and gamedev tells me Towers of Apophenia is a horrible choice, but I'm not fully sold on #2.
Overall results of the survey and mechanical turk:
Was the $40 worth it? It's tricky to give a firm "yes" here, because there are LOT's of bots on MTurk, and in all likely hood people are just clicking a name at random. However there is some sort of consensus based on how few responses there were to option #3. So just the fact I was able to narrow it down to two might be worth it.
Hope this helps anybody that's also having a hard time between a few game names, and if you could let me know which of my final two names you'd think sounds the best please let me know (also open to other suggestions!)

Comment this post if you Cookie Run fans play (age) rated-games.
What (age) rated-games do you play along with Cookie Run
My Pick: I play kid-rated, old CD-ROM, preschool and Steam games.
What is your pick?

How do I get my online learning platform into libraries?
Hi there fellow library enthusiasts, I am doing a bit of research here and wondering if anyone may know some answers I am looking for. I am a licensed teacher who left the school district to start a preschool out of my garage. I then went on to launch an online learning platform for 2-6 year olds. This platform has hundreds of on demand classes taught by 16 teachers (and always adding more classes and teachers) in things like reading, math, science, cooking, Spanish, yoga, art, dance, music, and more. It also has printable curriculum and interactive learning games. My library has online classes for grownups using Gale courses, but it doesn’t really have classes for kids. I have been marketing it to homeschool families, but I am thinking about trying to get it into libraries so the community can access it for free. I Won Nevada’s Early childhood educator of the year last year due, in part, to this program. I am a small, women owned business and it’s pretty much just me running things behind the scenes. I have had great success with my local preschool and want this online program to reach as many as it can, because it has been a game changer for all of my online parents. Even ones who don’t homeschool prefer to turn on one of my classes instead of YouTube or whatever else their kids were watching previously.
For anyone who has worked in libraries or has knowledge on this , how do they purchase online learning content? Does each library get its own login? Or would I sell them a certain amount of logins and people would set up their own account? My normal monthly subscription is $20/month when selling to families, but what would the pricing structure be for something like this? This is a very new idea, but I already have the platform built and running, so I’m just looking for more info on how libraries procure online learning content. I appreciate any insights, thank you!

Hi there fellow library enthusiasts, I am doing a bit of research here and wondering if anyone may know some answers I am looking for. I am a licensed teacher who left the school district to start a preschool out of my garage. I then went on to launch an online learning platform for 2-6 year olds. This platform has hundreds of on demand classes taught by 16 teachers (and always adding more classes and teachers) in things like reading, math, science, cooking, Spanish, yoga, art, dance, music, and more. It also has printable curriculum and interactive learning games. My library has online classes for grownups using Gale courses, but it doesn’t really have classes for kids. I have been marketing it to homeschool families, but I am thinking about trying to get it into libraries so the community can access it for free. I Won Nevada’s Early childhood educator of the year last year due, in part, to this program. I am a small, women owned business and it’s pretty much just me running things behind the scenes. I have had great success with my local preschool and want this online program to reach as many as it can, because it has been a game changer for all of my online parents. Even ones who don’t homeschool prefer to turn on one of my classes instead of YouTube or whatever else their kids were watching previously.
For anyone who has worked in libraries or has knowledge on this , how do they purchase online learning content? Does each library get its own login? Or would I sell them a certain amount of logins and people would set up their own account? My normal monthly subscription is $20/month when selling to families, but what would the pricing structure be for something like this? This is a very new idea, but I already have the platform built and running, so I’m just looking for more info on how libraries procure online learning content. I appreciate any insights, thank you!

Hi there fellow library enthusiasts, I am doing a bit of research here and wondering if anyone may know some answers I am looking for. I am a licensed teacher who left the school district to start a preschool out of my garage. I then went on to launch an online learning platform for 2-6 year olds. This platform has hundreds of on demand classes taught by 16 teachers (and always adding more classes and teachers) in things like reading, math, science, cooking, Spanish, yoga, art, dance, music, and more. It also has printable curriculum and interactive learning games. My library has online classes for grownups using Gale courses, but it doesn’t really have classes for kids. I have been marketing it to homeschool families, but I am thinking about trying to get it into libraries so the community can access it for free. I Won Nevada’s Early childhood educator of the year last year due, in part, to this program. I am a small, women owned business and it’s pretty much just me running things behind the scenes. I have had great success with my local preschool and want this online program to reach as many as it can, because it has been a game changer for all of my online parents. Even ones who don’t homeschool prefer to turn on one of my classes instead of YouTube or whatever else their kids were watching previously.
For anyone who has worked in libraries or has knowledge on this , how do they purchase online learning content? Does each library get its own login? Or would I sell them a certain amount of logins and people would set up their own account? My normal monthly subscription is $20/month when selling to families, but what would the pricing structure be for something like this? This is a very new idea, but I already have the platform built and running, so I’m just looking for more info on how libraries procure online learning content. I appreciate any insights, thank you!

Extremely long post, so anyone who takes time out to read this and try to help us, thank you!!!
My boyfriend and I are at a complete loss with what to do. We’ve tried so many things. Long story short my son (4) knows my boyfriend as his dad (we’ve been together 3.5 years, lived with us for 2 years. Our parenting style is the same, but both of us at our Witt’s end with how things have been. We both work full time, he goes to daycare 3/5 days a week, and is at my mother’s 2/5. Starts preschool in the fall (which he is very nervous about)
My son was always such a sweet, more serious, but very emotional, affectionate, kid. Always has used kind words. Never been the type of child to use words like hate and bad.
For the past 3-4 months things have been unbearable! Today (Mother’s Day) as an example, he told me in front of the whole family that I don’t deserve a day and he’s going to ruin it. He is constantly saying he hates babies whenever we see one in public. He tells me “I’ll do what I want to do” “I hate you” “I can do what I want”. And every time I try to ask him to clean up his toys he’ll say things like “how about this, I’ll clean my toys if you give me candy or ice cream after” and then will end up not cleaning them. His tantrums are out of this world recently. He’ll yell and scream at me, shove his face in my face, point at me and touch his finger finger to me while yelling, he rolls his eyes at me over everything, fake punch me, lightly hit me, the things he does and says I have no idea where he even is getting this from! I do tend to point, but not out of anger. I’m very big on making things clear when I talk, so I will point at toys that need to be cleaned etc. and I think that’s where he gets that but his is out of anger and and he shoves his finger into me. He doesn’t listen to anything I say ever no matter how I say it. And then after he does any of those things he usually scream (I mean SCREAM) and cry at any sort of consequence (time out, toys taken, me walking away, us trying to explain anything, etc) and then it ends up where I feel so bad about how badly he’s freaking out, hyperventilating, sobbing, etc. I sit down and really try to talk to him, where he then apologizes and turns back into my sweet boy. Hugs kisses, full apology with complete acknowledgment of what he did that was hurtful or not okay. But then he will go right back to saying hurtful, rude, awful things! And then the cycle repeats.
About home life: during the week we are very at home type people, after work we make big dinners, sit down as a family at the table everyday. Normally watch a movie or play after dinner. Bath every night, very consistent routine during the week. Weekends we are busy people, he’s included in every thing we do, if we have bonfires past “bedtime” (we don’t reallyhave bedtimes on weekends, but will let him fall asleep during whatever is going on because he doesn’t want to miss out) he is right there with us, fishing, swimming, hanging out with friends. Baseball, board games, football, our house is the get together house so his friends come over all the time on weekends, we’ll go to his friends house as well, parks, birthday parties, etc. at daycare everyone and their moms/dads talk about how sweet he is to their daughters or sons, he very popular, so sweet when we are at peoples house. But when it’s just me and his dad or people he knows really well (my family, dad’s family) he’s an entire different child. Please help!!!

This will probably get buried in MD posts, but I need ideas for a party next weekend! I’m stumped. 9 year old kid who is into dragons, nature, science-y stuff. I only have 2 rsvps, but the entire class was invited/might show up. Or nobody! Who knows?!
I hate disposable plastic crap, but I’m broke af so need favors to be inexpensive and potentially useful to us if nobody comes.
Games? I’m partial to kid-centered activities without adult interference but my introverted kid may need some structure for breaking the ice. We’re using a private preschool (where I work) because our house is under construction and I was offered the space free of charge. This place has great indoooutdoor options but I’m also needing indoor versions of activities in the event of rain.
Kid will not stand for karaoke or anything resembling a sport. There’s a cool space with fire pit and an obstacle course he likes but if there are big storms the week prior that field might be flooded.
So many variables. Kicking myself for putting it off till the week before to plan, but also was in denial of the amount of planning a simple party can take. Or was I just waiting to see if it was all left to me?

Here’s a small list of some Genshin Impact fanfics I enjoyed. They’re mostly all gen or where shipping isn’t the main focus:
Traveler-centric stories:

Sidereal: Aether and Lumine end in different places in Teyvat and journey to reunite with each other. [Ao3 Link]
You Will Find Me Friend: Aether and Lumine are shapeshifting eldritch beings. This changes things. [Ao3 Link]
Blind Aether: When Aether’s powers are sealed by the unknown god, his sight is as well. Character interactions and dynamics change. [Ao3 Link]
Make Me Your Hero (Surrender Your Crown): The Traveler is an oddball. Some people adore them. Other people fear them. [Ao3 Link]
Aether, What Are You Doing?: The Traveler is a video game protagonist. Everyone else in Teyvat is not. [Ao3 Link]

Anemo, Anemo, Alliteration: There’s a meme about Anemo vision holders having dead family and friends. The archons sure have a lot of those, don’t they? In which the Archons get anemo visions, and they’re all confused why. [Ao3 Link]
Freedom is walking to Mondstadt and asking for help: Venti, Zhongli, and Nahida sign a contract with each other after the Archon War. 500 years later, Nahida escapes the Akademiya/Sumeru and invokes it. [Ao3 Link]
Woe be the Wallet of the God of Wealth: Keqing tries to teach Zhongli how to manage money. She suffers. (Ao3 - Account required)
If a Tree Falls in a Forest: Post-Sumeru Archon quest, Nahida and Scaramouche accidentally switch bodies for a bit. [Ao3 Link]
A Human’s Resolve: Furina chooses to accept the duel rather than going to trial. The prophecy still happens, but she gets therapy afterwards. [Ao3 Link]
Past rebounds: Following the Fontaine Archon Quest, Furina gets visited by an Oceanid. Following that visit, Furina tries to visit other Oceanids. [Ao3 Link]
Tianming: Ganyu Character-Study. Plays with the idea that Ganyu was the main defender of the Liyue Harbor and silenced any enemies/detractors of Rex Lapis within the city. [Ao3 Link]
Everfrost: Liyue Archon Quest AU. Rex Lapis is dead. The Fauti are probably responsible and are attacking the Liyue Harbor. Ganyu: “Let me solo them”. [Ao3 Link]
God of Reflections: During the Sumeru Archon Quest, the Doctor chooses to attack Nahida rather than negotiate. Alhaitham temporarily takes over as Dendro Archon after Nahida is greatly injured. [Ao3 Link]
Nara Agni and the Memory of Death: Hu Tao does the Aranara quest. Hu Tao Character-Study, and an exploration into death and its meaning. [Ao3 Link]
Is This What Therapy Is?: Collei and Scaramouche get therapy together. They decide the best method is to get revenge on the Doctor. [Ao3 Link]
Spectacle for Want of Power: Arlecchino and Lyney spar each other. It’s just a simple training session and is totally not traumatizing. [Ao3 Link]
If anyone else has any stories they liked, feel free to recommend them!

My 18m/o is so strong-willed and brave and clever, she's so funny and so much cooler than me, but damn. Can someone tell her that actually somethings she can just be chill about? 😂
When do they stop putting EVERYTHING in their mouths? I was expecting it to start slowing down by now, but no end in sight.
I really want to encourage her independence, concentration and problem solving when we're in new situations, for example, let her have a bit of distance from me at the park, let her really explore things and nature, look at stuff, but I just cannot be not hovering over her.
Same with in cafes or other peoples houses, or at the shops, because she just seeks out and tries to eat the most DISGUSTING stuff.
I know putting things in temheir mouths at this age is still normal, but I was a nanny then a preschool teacher and I don't remember any of the kids I looked after being like this. And my daughter refuses to be redirected to a toy or any "yes" things.
Oh, old cigarette? YES. Little mystery crumbs? Please. Someone elses shoes? Obviously. Severed bird wing in the park? "ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY, I've never wanted anything more in my mouth!"
Now we're really getting into tantrums over things like this and it's hard. You know, I want to give her options and let her figure things out but there are lines of "that's just absolutely no", but obviously she disagrees. I try and say "no that's not for our mouth" without turing it into a game, then try and say something like "we can leave that and go play over here", or "you can't have that but you can have this", then lastly, "if you can't leave it we will move" and then I'll scoop her up.
But I spend all of our outings, all of our time out and about dealing with this and it's becoming harder and harder to find it fun.
So give me some commiserations, hope, encouragement, advice, whatever. 🙃

In the heart of Escondido, Leaps and Bounds School stands out as a nurturing environment dedicated to fostering early childhood development through innovative approaches, including decision-making games and activities. This article delves into the significance of decision-making skills in preschoolers and how Leaps and Bounds School empowers young learners to become confident, independent thinkers.

The Importance of Decision-Making for Kids

Decision-making is a fundamental skill that lays the groundwork for success in various aspects of life. For preschoolers, learning to make decisions builds confidence, enhances problem-solving abilities, and promotes autonomy. By introducing decision-making activities early, children develop crucial cognitive and social-emotional skills that will serve them well.

Leaps and Bounds School: Nurturing Young Minds

Leaps and Bounds School is committed to providing a holistic educational experience that prioritises the development of essential life skills, including decision-making. Through a blend of structured curriculum and interactive play, the school empowers children to explore, experiment, and make choices in a supportive and stimulating environment.

Critical Components of Decision-Making Games

1. Problem-Solving Challenges: Leaps and Bounds School incorporates age-appropriate problem-solving challenges into daily activities. These challenges encourage children to think critically, analyse situations, and generate solutions.
2. Role-Playing Scenarios: Role-playing games allow children to step into different roles and make decisions based on various perspectives. This fosters empathy, creativity, and adaptability.
3. Group Discussions: Group discussions allow children to express their opinions, listen to others, and collectively make decisions. This promotes communication skills and collaborative problem-solving.
4. Real-Life Simulations: Simulated real-life scenarios, such as setting up a pretend store or restaurant, enable children to practice decision-making in practical contexts. They learn to prioritise, manage resources, and navigate social interactions.

Benefits of Decision-Making Games

1. Enhanced Cognitive Skills: Decision-making games stimulate critical thinking, reasoning, and analytical skills, essential for academic success and lifelong learning.
2. Confidence Building: When children are encouraged to make decisions and see their choices' positive outcomes, they develop confidence and self-esteem.
3. Resilience and Adaptability: Making decisions involves facing challenges and learning from mistakes. Children become more resilient and adaptable as they navigate different scenarios.
4. Empowerment and Independence: Making decisions empowers children to take ownership of their choices and actions, fostering a sense of independence and responsibility.

Leaps and Bounds School Programs

Leaps and Bounds School offers a range of programs designed to promote decision-making skills and overall development:

1. Preschool Program: The preschool escondido curriculum at Leaps and Bounds School integrates decision-making activities into thematic units, hands-on projects, and imaginative play.
2. Interactive Learning: Children engage in interactive learning experiences encouraging exploration, curiosity, and independent thinking.
3. Outdoor Education: Outdoor play and nature exploration provide spontaneous decision-making and problem-solving opportunities in natural settings.
4. Social-Emotional Development: Decision-making games also support social-emotional development by teaching children to consider the feelings and perspectives of others.

Parent Involvement and Support

At Leaps and Bounds School, parents are valued partners in their child's education. The school encourages open communication and provides resources to support decision-making skills at home:

1. Family Engagement Events: Regular family events and workshops offer parents insights into their child's development and provide strategies for nurturing decision-making skills outside school.
2. Home Activities: Suggestions for decision making for kids that families can do together reinforce learning and promote family bonding.
3. Parent Education: Leaps and Bounds School offers resources and workshops on child development topics, including decision-making, to empower parents in supporting their child's growth.

Preparing Children for Future Success

In conclusion, Leaps and Bounds School recognises the importance of decision-making skills in shaping children's future success. By integrating decision-making games and activities into the curriculum, the school equips young learners with the tools they need to navigate a complex and dynamic world with confidence and resilience. Through thoughtful guidance, interactive experiences, and a supportive community, Leaps and Bounds School empowers children in Escondido to become independent thinkers and problem solvers prepared to embrace life's challenges and opportunities. Enrol your child today to embark on a journey of discovery and growth at Leaps and Bounds School, where every decision leads to new possibilities!

TLDR: My (13M) son is absolutely bombing school due to a total lack of effort. I think I should let him fail but I'm not sure if I can bring myself to do that even though it's the most natural consequence. He's cyber and I could bring him to passing if I did the work myself, paid someone to monitor him all day, or devoted all my time outside of work and chores into policing him into doing his work but I'm not sure I have it in me.
Most of the post is just me in my feelings tbh. I am really struggling here.
I feel like it is time to let my son (13) fail. But mom guilt and shame are really preventing me from doing so.
If he passes the school year it will only be if I literally do his work for him.
Backstory is he opted to go cyber this year. We had a positive experience during covid and he did very well. Needed no guidance other than being woken up in the morning. I work from home so thought cyber would work out well again.
Definitely not.
While I do work from home, my job is high stress and fast paced. I really shouldn't be distracted or step away, but I do, repeatedly, all day, every day, to wake him, and make sure he's doing his school work and yet it is still not being done.
He doesn't care. He has only passed the first three marking periods because of nights I sat beside him for hours after work and policed him doing his work or did it for him. I know I will get a lot of hate for it, but yes, I have done work for him. He is allowed multiple test attempts and to submit work until the end of the marking period. At the end of the marking period I have been retaking tests to get him just above passing. I can bring him from 40's and 50's to passing (his school 60's are passing) in all subjects in about a week, it's literally that easy. There's no reason he couldn't do it himself, he could literally google answers for majority of his classes as multiple choice tests count for the bulk of his grades!
I know the only way he will pass this year is if I do the same this marking period, or if I police him after work every day. His grades are literally teens and 20s right now but I know I could get them passing. But honestly, it is just not fair for myself. I already work 50 hours a week, I get off work at 5 and immediately make dinner and clean up, I spend at least one day every weekend deep cleaning and handling chores like laundry. I'm freaking tired. I should not need to tack on 2-3 hours a night of strong arming him into doing school work that he is totally capable of doing himself. To get him to do it, and I have, I will literally have to sit beside him, open the assignment, and watch him do it. Take the computer back, open the next assignment, and watch him do it and repeat. I just don't know if I have it in me.
It's not like I've just let it go. I've put so much of my own time into helping him with his work or doing it with him. My sister is unemployed and I've paid her hundreds to come over and help him stay on task at times. I got a security camera so I can at least check to make sure he's awake while I'm working. I've spent months nagging, begging, pleading, and punishing. There have been consquences. He hasn't been allowed video games for months, the wifi has been turned off to all of his systems (he's still allowed text and talk on his phone because with him being home schooled I don't want to isolate him entirely), we literally cancelled an entire disney trip because of this and behavioral issues that have come up (that's a whole other story and I think they are due to our relationship deteriorating and him being mad about all his consequences) I'm just...I don't know what to do anymore. He's been in therapy since preschool (when diagnosed with autism, he's very high functioning he struggles socially and with certain sensory needs, even at 13 he has preferred toys he stims with that are a need, but we've literally never had behavioral issues before now) he's seen a doctor about his wanting to sleep all the time. I feel like I've done everything I could possibly do he just doesn't care.
When I have paid my sister to come over it does make a difference but I'm also like...why should I? Honestly though. Why should I spent my money on helping him pass when he doesn't care. He doesn't even TRY. If he was trying, but failing due to intellect or lack of understanding I wouldn't be upset at all. He knows he can ask for help and has in the beginning of the year. It's the total and completed lack of effort that makes me sick. His tests are timed, IF he actually takes the tests, I will open the tests and see he spent less than 2 minutes on the entire test. He just clicks the multiple choices without reading them, and leaves the open ended stuff blank. I will check on him throughout the day and find him doing school work all day long consistently and feel good about things, only to check the end of the week and see not a single assignment has been submitted. He will pretend to do school work for hours and just click around. That almost feels like more work, and more boring, than just doing something?! Literally anything?! He's doing less then the bare minimum.
I hate what this has done to our relationship with each other as well and frankly, my relationship with myself is even suffering. I guess I just need someone, other than my husband, to tell me I should let him fail. I've always tried to embrace natural consequences and failing would definitely be that... but I also feel like when we as parents can help our children we should, obviously. I can help him get through the year so to just say I give up go ahead and fail feels wrong, especially when we're so close to the end of the school year now.

No matter what name is chosen, people will not be happy. Some people will always hate it, while for others, their passion will grow with the team. You'll never please 100% of people 100% of the time.
A lot of people are failing to realize is that a sports brand is not just a cool t-shirt and hat. It's an experience that ties communities and people together. It creates a common language that builds bonds.
What's in a name? Can we just slap any ole' name on there and call it a day?
Let's look at the Jazz. For years we have heard "why don't we switch the name?" It doesn't have anything to do with Utah. It's true, we aren't know for our amazing street musicians. Nothing about it screams Utah. However, after 40 years, the Jazz brand has permeated Utah culture. Native Utahns grew up going to Jazz games. We grew up experiencing the culture around their success. It had such an effect that if you grew up in the 90's/00's you probably remember everything with the 'ZZ' ending. The name created ripples across Utah.
My guess though, if we got an expansion NBA team today, there wouldn't be a single person considering the name 'Jazz.'
I think this shows two things - first, you can create a brand that has a passionate following out of any name. It's about the experience surrounding the team, which will grow over time. Talented creatives will amplify that experience, regardless of name. Second, how people's identity changes based off the team is as important as the name is.
--
Before you downvote and bring the pitchforks, hear me out. Name selection can open up different levels of opportunity. Think of each name having a DnD stat sheet of pros and cons.
The name that is chosen should allow the greatest potential of an expanded brand language. Not just one stat maxed out. Again, this isn't about t-shirts and hats, it's about the marketing opportunities, the tie-ins, the arena experience, and the ability to keep people coming back.
The first consideration is the ability to create an expanded brand language. Let's look at the Golden Knights. They tap into the zeitgeist of Las Vegas and medieval lore. They use terms like, "Knight of the realm." The fonts they use invoke medieval heraldry. In the arena, they talk about the kings court, 'knight time' etc. A lot of their branding uses motifs of gold, royalty, and gambling. Cards and coins are used as texture elements, and everything is pretty gaudy - but it works. It feels like Vegas. Plus, People. Eat. This. Shit. Up.
The Avalanche use mountains, snow, and ice as their motifs. Everything fits into the snowy, blizzard, cold theme very well. It's not as expanded as Vegas, but it still has a unique theme. Overall their branding was to fit into the Colorado professional sports sphere.
Then you have the Sharks. What do they have? Sharks. Not much more to it than that.
We need a name that taps into a part of Utah's zeitgeist. We need something that feels uniquely Utah (that is inclusive to non-relgious folk) that doesn't feel like we are trying too hard. Do we need it to be as gaudy as Vegas? No, but we also don't want to hit the same note every year like the Sharks.
--
Next, let's talk about fitting a name within the sphere of the NHL. We need to consider how to fit the brand as a piece into the NHL puzzle. Our name needs to feel like it belongs - and not just a one-off. I think that is why the name Kraken was so widely panned when first launched. It just didn't feel like it fit as an NHL name.
I categorized NHL names into 6 different origins.
Historical/culture is based off of something related to the region, while the 'other' category was decided by ownership based off preference (note that Blackhawks was owners choice but was historically related to his WWII squadron, but ultimately after the Blackhawk tribe).
You can see that the three top categories would be historical/cultural, and tied in second are animals and elemental based names.
Ultimately, I believe that it would be better for our team to be historical/culturally significant to Utah, or animal based, due to our other Rocky Mountain counterpart already filling the elemental space with the Avalanche.
I would also argue that mythical creatures, while appearing in the list at 2 exist, would still feel out of place as a whole. Plus, unless we are talking Bear Lake Monster, we don't have much of a connection to a certain choice that seem to be topping a lot of lists.
--
What would my choices be?
In no particular order, Outlaws, Mammoths (plural since each animal team is also plural) and Raptors. Each of them tie into Utah in a unique way that doesn't feel forced. The branding opportunities outside of merch feel like they would fit into Utah well.
Outlaws lean into the wild west motif quite nicely, separating us from Colorado. Utah was quite properly the wild west in the early 20th century. Plus, there is an whole expandable vernacular that can be used. Until lacrosse starts making as much money as the NHL, no one will stop to think twice about considering their feelings.
Mammoths are great because you can also use mammoth as an adjective. They feel stoic and sturdy. There are opportunities around the ice age and eons. We have found mammoths in Utah, including a near-complete one near Huntington North reservoir.
Raptors would have been great, but didn't make the short list. Similar reasons as Mammoths. I think because the Toronto Raptors, this name was dropped from consideration (the NBA makes more than the NHL, so no whatabouts with lacrosse).
My least favorites:
Yeti. I get it, you like the sound of it. Alliteration is always an ample opportunity. Technically there are several team names that fall under the mythical creature or 'it has a ring to it' categories. The main issue is what do you do with this? It's very little do with Utah, and the branding is limited to mountains - which Avs already have a claim to with their motifs.
Blizzard - basically the same complaints. It's way too close to the Avalanche. It is just doesn't differentiate from Colorado enough for me to take it seriously.
Venom - I just don't think this one fits into the NHL sphere very well. I suppose this would go under the Elemental category. I could see the motifs being about snakes and desert, but I don't see that expanded brand language as much as other options.
--
Thanks for coming to my ted talk. I enjoyed putting this together.

No matter what name is chosen, people will not be happy. Some people will always hate it, while for others, their passion will grow with the team. You'll never please 100% of people 100% of the time.
A lot of people are failing to realize is that a sports brand is not just a cool t-shirt and hat. It's an experience that ties communities and people together. It creates a common language that builds bonds.
What's in a name? Can we just slap any ole' name on there and call it a day?
Let's look at the Jazz. For years we have heard "why don't we switch the name?" It doesn't have anything to do with Utah. It's true, we aren't know for our amazing street musicians. Nothing about it screams Utah. However, after 40 years, the Jazz brand has permeated Utah culture. Native Utahns grew up going to Jazz games. We grew up experiencing the culture around their success. It had such an effect that if you grew up in the 90's/00's you probably remember everything with the 'ZZ' ending. The name created ripples across Utah.
My guess though, if we got an expansion NBA team today, there wouldn't be a single person considering the name 'Jazz.'
I think this shows two things - first, you can create a brand that has a passionate following out of any name. It's about the experience surrounding the team, which will grow over time. Talented creatives will amplify that experience, regardless of name. Second, how people's identity changes based off the team is as important as the name is.

Before you downvote and bring the pitchforks, hear me out. Name selection can open up different levels of opportunity. Think of each name having a DnD stat sheet of pros and cons.
The name that is chosen should allow the greatest potential of an expanded brand language. Not just one stat maxed out. Again, this isn't about t-shirts and hats, it's about the marketing opportunities, the tie-ins, the arena experience, and the ability to keep people coming back.
The first consideration is the ability to create an expanded brand language. Let's look at the Golden Knights. They tap into the zeitgeist of Las Vegas and medieval lore. They use terms like, "Knight of the realm." The fonts they use invoke medieval heraldry. In the arena, they talk about the kings court, 'knight time' etc. A lot of their branding uses motifs of gold, royalty, and gambling. Cards and coins are used as texture elements, and everything is pretty gaudy - but it works. It feels like Vegas. Plus, People. Eat. This. Shit. Up.
The Avalanche use mountains, snow, and ice as their motifs. Everything fits into the snowy, blizzard, cold theme very well. It's not as expanded as Vegas, but it still has a unique theme. Overall their branding was to fit into the Colorado professional sports sphere.
Then you have the Sharks. What do they have? Sharks. Not much more to it than that.
We need a name that taps into a part of Utah's zeitgeist. We need something that feels uniquely Utah (that is inclusive to non-relgious folk) that doesn't feel like we are trying too hard. Do we need it to be as gaudy as Vegas? No, but we also don't want to hit the same note every year like the Sharks.

Next, let's talk about fitting a name within the sphere of the NHL. We need to consider how to fit the brand as a piece into the NHL puzzle. Our name needs to feel like it belongs - and not just a one-off. I think that is why the name Kraken was so widely panned when first launched. It just didn't feel like it fit as an NHL name.
I categorized NHL names into 6 different origins.
Historical/culture is based off of something related to the region, while the 'other' category was decided by ownership based off preference (note that Blackhawks was owners choice but was historically related to his WWII squadron, but ultimately after the Blackhawk tribe).
You can see that the three top categories would be historical/cultural, and tied in second are animals and elemental based names.
Ultimately, I believe that it would be better for our team to be historical/culturally significant to Utah, or animal based, due to our other Rocky Mountain counterpart already filling the elemental space with the Avalanche.
I would also argue that mythical creatures, while appearing in the list at 2 exist, would still feel out of place as a whole. Plus, unless we are talking Bear Lake Monster, we don't have much of a connection to a certain choice that seem to be topping a lot of lists.

What would my choices be?
In no particular order, Outlaws, Mammoths (plural since each animal team is also plural) and Raptors. Each of them tie into Utah in a unique way that doesn't feel forced. The branding opportunities outside of merch feel like they would fit into Utah well.
Outlaws lean into the wild west motif quite nicely, separating us from Colorado. Utah was quite properly the wild west in the early 20th century. Plus, there is an whole expandable vernacular that can be used. Until lacrosse starts making as much money as the NHL, no one will stop to think twice about considering their feelings.
Mammoths are great because you can also use mammoth as an adjective. They feel stoic and sturdy. There are opportunities around the ice age and eons. We have found mammoths in Utah, including a near-complete one near Huntington North reservoir.
Raptors would have been great, but didn't make the short list. Similar reasons as Mammoths. I think because the Toronto Raptors, this name was dropped from consideration (the NBA makes more than the NHL, so no whatabouts with lacrosse).
My least favorites:
Yeti. I get it, you like the sound of it. Alliteration is always an ample opportunity. Technically there are several team names that fall under the mythical creature or 'it has a ring to it' categories. The main issue is what do you do with this? It's very little do with Utah, and the branding is limited to mountains - which Avs already have a claim to with their motifs.
Blizzard - basically the same complaints. It's way too close to the Avalanche. It is just doesn't differentiate from Colorado enough for me to take it seriously.
Venom - I just don't think this one fits into the NHL sphere very well. I suppose this would go under the Elemental category. I could see the motifs being about snakes and desert, but I don't see that expanded brand language as much as other options.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk. I enjoyed putting this together.