A message from Mireille

By Mireille

Welcome to the new and improved Little Wonders website! We are almost 2 months into our fall 2016 school year and our tech team led by Jessica Yang has been very hard at work. We are all very grateful for their expertise, time and creativity at getting this website launched so quickly. 

Little Wonders is an amazing community of parents, all of which help to run this school. Our awesome tech team has taken on the task of revamping our website so all our current families along with those looking in to Little Wonders will enjoy an easy to use, mobile friendly, and easily accessible website.

For those of you checking us out we hope you enjoy the sight and can get all the information you need. Little Wonders does have spaces for children who were 3 months to 3 years as of September 1st, 2016 so please do think about joining our community. Check out the class information and the class schedule to see where you and your child might fit best.  

Our staff and board have chosen the theme, “Keeping Families Connected” and we are well underway with building our classroom communities and connecting families as well as facilitating discussions that will help keep your own family units well connected. 

This parenting journey is filled with amazing adventures along with bumps in the road and challenging detours and we are so grateful to be here to support you all. 

Parenthood is a life-changing process that continues throughout a lifetime. This travel through parenthood not only shapes our children’s lives but also redefines ours. My hope is that we take advantage of all the opportunities at Little Wonders to openly discuss experiences, joys, and concerns. There certainly is a bond of common understanding experienced by parents who are going through similar stages of parenthood. I hope your time here can be both tremendously supportive as well as helpfully enlightening as you navigate this most important journey.

With our new website in place we hope to facilitate many more conversations that will help support and keep you all connected.

Good Eggs - $20 Off Groceries + 10% to Little Wonders

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UPDATE! Thank you LW families for earning our school $140 in just the first week of our Good Eggs promotion. Keep shopping!

Good Eggs is offering Little Wonders families a discount AND the opportunity to give back 10% to the school October-December!

All you need to do is . . . 
1. Order your groceries at goodeggs.com 
2. For $20 of FREE groceries on your next order AND automatic enrollment in the fundraiser enter the code LITTLEWONDERS at checkout
3. Enjoy your delicious groceries and support Little Wonders by continuing to shop through December.

More about Good Eggs: 
Good Eggs is an online market that's making it easy for busy families to eat well at home by curating a marketplace full of the best local, organic produce, sustainable meat and fish, and delicious grocery staples. Order your groceries today on our site or iOS app, and they'll be on your doorstep tomorrow. It's that simple.

Brand New Website

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Our new website is live! Check out Mireille's introductory blog post as well as some fun posts about Fall activities to do with your Little Wonders! Also, our WonderWords newsletter is now a blog format. The password for the login-required pages is Wonders16.

This has been a tremendous undertaking with active participation from many many members of the Little Wonders community. A big thank you to the Little Wonders 2016-2017 Technology Team for their time and dedication to turn this project around in a short 7 weeks!

Curt Watt -- Thank you for the heavy lifting on the techie side with our DNS transfer to Google Domains, troubleshooting the domain connection issue, and working thru the cut over. Without you we couldn't have flipped the switch. Qi Zhang -- Thank you for all of the web site and web page development. Our Development team will have you to thank for the cash that rolls in! Brian Foley -- Thank you for kicking us off on the information architecture design, the creation of the global footer and your responsiveness throughout this build and deployment process. Your insights on accessibility and your championing the user's perspective have been invaluable. You gave us the kick in the pants to get this complete before November's giving Tuesday! Amy Connors -- Thank you for your deep and detailed knowledge around how Little Wonders ticks and SO much more. We couldn't have gotten this far this quickly without your active engagement and experience. 

Ika Muljadi -- Thank you for your help on consolidating and slimming down the FAQs. Ling Zheng -- Our new site analytics and performance are in your hands. Jessica Yang -- Technology Director who lead this team to delivery.

We also want to thank the following individuals for their contributions and support to this project: 

Mireille McKee - Thank you for ongoing support of me personally throughout this process. I really appreciated your attendance and participation ensuring the content is accurate and clear. 

Stacey Klausner - Thank you for your support and for giving the technology team the freedom to run with this project!  Lisa Mumbach - Thank you for the design, style guide and beautiful color palette to play with.  Eva Kam - Thank you for the banking info so that we can start making money thru the new site through the sale of physical goods.  Susan Kuo & Lisa Warren - Thank you for setting up the Amazon Associates account as well as the other digital promotions so that we can start getting some money contributed for our community's purchases. Jeanne Rodriguez & Stephanie Zheng - Thank you for your detailed review and feedback on the website content and usability during our final week. The feedback you provided have been excellent and we have integrated it into the final production.

The Preschool Decision - Thursday, 7:30

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Although we are just beginning our school year, those of you with older children are already thinking about next year! In order to ease your minds and help you navigate the preschool decision, Teacher Mireille will present an optional class on just that, “The Preschool Decision,” on Thursday November 10th, (note date change) 7:30-9:30 in the Youth Room. The class will cover important factors in making your decision as well as names of a few different types of programs in our area. This evening will also include time for parents to share what they have observed and learned while doing their research as well as time for questions and answers. The goal of the evening is to help parents feel more informed, confident and relaxed when approaching this decision.

Halloween Party

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Special thanks to our FABULOUS Halloween Co-Chairs, Tina Truong and Lisa Morse, and their Halloween committee team. We'd also like to thank Margot du Manoir and the Halloween Food and Beverage Team. This was an incredible team effort and together they managed to pull off an EXCELLENT event! Mina Fisher and Susan Kuo once again at the helm helped to coordinate not only a fun event but some very successful fundraising.

A VERY special shout out to Tina's dad, Bill Pastorelli, who was very instrumental in the transport of all Halloween Supplies both from our storage unit to the school as well as from the school back to storage. His help was incredibly valuable and we are very grateful!

We also want to acknowledge all the behind the scenes work done by our treasurer team, payments and invoice team. There has been a great deal of time and work that most don't see but that we could not function without and are grateful to you all...Amy Connors,Rose Yeun, Amy Radovich, Eva Kam, Ava Campos,Stacy Oswalt and Tatiyana Akers.

Check out photos from the Halloween party by following this link. You will be redirected to Shutterfly and can access the photos. See the announcements email for passwords. You are welcome to download and share the images. If you print any photos on Shutterfly Little Wonders will receive 10% of your purchase as a fundraising donation

This year's families were voted MOST CREATIVE by the staff and we appreciate YOUR efforts and generosity. THANK YOU!

This Week's Announcements

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Stomach Bugs Are Going Around San Mateo County

Please be mindful of our health policy. Keep children at home if they are exhibiting signs of illness for the first 4 days of a new symptom. This does include diarrhea. San Mateo County has a number of stomach bugs reported and we hope to keep our kids and school healthy! Also a reminder that the best way to stay healthy is to wash our hands. PLEASE wash your hands and your children's upon arrival each time you come to Little Wonders. It is also recommended to wash on your way out, leaving germs here and not in your child's mouth or eyes as they get tired and put fingers in their mouth or rub their eyes. WE appreciate your cooperation.

PLEASE COMMUNICATE TO YOUR TEACHER IF YOUR CHILD GETS SICK WITHIN 24 HOURSOF HAVING BEEN IN CLASS

We do need to know if your child comes down with a contagious illness within 24 hours of having been at LW. As we have mentioned before, we are all very contagious before we exhibit signs of being sick. So often a seemingly healthy child goes home and spikes a fever or develops a rash or diarrhea PLEASE let your teacher know of this so we can notify the class to be on watch. We do not mention names, simply just advise the class, that they may have been exposed. Thank YOU!

All School Meeting

Come to Kloss Hall at 6:15 p.m. so that you can peruse stations hosted by past and current Little Wonders families who are sharing their products and services at the Parent-to-Parent Networking event. Little Wonders' business meeting will begin promptly at 7:45 p.m. Immediately following will be our keynote speaker Kiran Gaind, Modern Parent Coach. At the end of the evening there will be fabulous door prizes, including some exciting pay to play opportunities. Please alert your teacher if you are not able to attend this required evening as there will be a makeup option.

Bento Boxes
Refreshments and light snacks will be provided at this All School Meeting, but preorder your Gao Poang dinner bento box now for $12. All orders must be placed by this Monday (10/17). Bento boxes will be available at the meeting by 6:15. Many thanks to Gau Poang!

Get your Little Wonders T-Shirts for $10
Little Wonder t-shirts will be available for purchase at the meeting in sizes 2t to 5t. This is guaranteed to be this fall's best fashion statement when you head out with your little wonder to Beresford or Washington Parks. All the cool toddlers will be rocking these shirts! Shirts may also be purchased online after the meeting.

Pop a Balloon, Win a Prize! 
We will be having a fun Balloon Pop game, where you can purchase a balloon for $10, $20 or $40. Each balloon will have a prize worth at least that same amount (usually more.) Prizes include restaurant gift cards, Cal Academy passes, and lots more for you and the kiddos.

Tea Collection - School Days Ends This Wednesday

Last call for Tea Collection School Days! Shop TeaSchoolDays.com and use our special code, SDF16LITTLEWONDERS for 15% off your purchase and free shipping! Little Wonders gets 15% back from all the purchases made with this promo code. Be sure to use and share our code now - School Days ends this Wednesday (10/19)!

Photo Sessions With Sheila - Starting Thursday

Little Wonders is thrilled to offer portrait sessions for your children or family with alumni parent and professional photographer, Shelia Krakow. Capture gorgeous images of this precious time, just in time for the holidays – use the photos for your holiday cards and great photo gifts. 50% of all proceeds will directly benefit Little Wonders!

Fees are just $20 per individual sitting (payable to Sheila), and both digital files and professional quality prints and products will be available for purchase in November through Zenfolio. Sign up to bring children or to do a family portrait during the week of October 20th through 28th. Be sure to read the instructions on the signup sheet.

Cooking For and With Children

Teacher Suzanne’s “Cooking For and with Children” is scheduled for Monday, October 24th in the Youth Room right above the Little Wonders classroom. Come join Teacher Suzanne for a fun, interactive evening and learn some new recipes and how to include your child in the kitchen. Watch your inbox for an Evite with additional details.

Little Wonders Annual Halloween Party - 10/29

Plan to attend our annual Halloween Party on Saturday October 29th in Kloss Hall and out on the grass on Tilton Ave. The younger children, Baby Play, AM and PM2 classes will gather at 9:30-11:00 AM and the PM classes, Evening class and Alumni Class at 11:30-1:00 PM . We welcome siblings and everyone to come in costume. Please no masks as they can scare our children. Come prepared for LOTS of fun!!!

Scholastic Book Orders Due

Take advantage of low prices on great toddler books. Ordering online is a convenient new way for you to place your Book Club orders! You pay by credit card, so there’s no need to submit payment to Little Wonders. You can order any time right up until the due date, and you’ll receive an e-mail confirmation of your order. The site is private and secure. *If you’ve ordered in the past, you’ll notice Scholastic’s log-in has changed. 
Here’s how it works: 
· SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. At the site, if you don’t get routed immediately to the Parent page, you will need to click on the “Parent” button on the home page. On the Parent page, register for your own username and password if you haven't done so already. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code (GKC39). This code ensures that your order is sent to Little Wonders. 
· SELECT the books you’d like to order from over 500 titles... and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts. 
· SUBMIT your order online by Friday, Nov 4. Books will be delivered directly to LW by Thanksgiving break.

Schedule Change - Preschool Decision Class 11/10

We have had to move the Preschool Decision Class up one week. It will be held on Thursday November 10th instead of the 17th. Please mark your calendars.

On Our Calendars

Thurs, Oct 20, 6:15-9:15 p.m. – Mandatory All School Meeting
Mon, Oct 24, 7:30-9:30 p.m. - "Healthy Nutrition and Cooking Tips with Young Children" presented by Teacher Suzanne
Sat, Oct 29, 9:30-11:00 a.m. / 11:30-1:00 p.m. - Halloween Party
Fri, Nov 4, 6:00-7:30 p.m. - Monday PM Pajama Night
Fri, Nov 4 - Scholastic Book Orders Due
Sat, Nov 5, 1:00-3:00 p.m. - Friday PM School Wash
Thurs, Nov 10 - Preschool Decision Class

Fall Scavenger Hunt & Craft Activities

Fall is officially here; the air is getting crisper and days are getting shorter which provides the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy these nice afternoons.  My son loves being outside all the time, so I am always on the hunt for new fun things to do to spice up our activates.  I recently did a historical scavenger hunt while on a business trip in NYC and had so much fun, which inspired me to think about fun ways to do a toddler based scavenger hunt.

One quick search on Pinterest and I found tons of fun ideas, but I came across the idea of a Fall nature scavenger hunt which sounded so fun and easy and perfect for Toddlers.  All you need is your favorite park or trail and a few key items:

✓    Printed Checklist
✓    Clipboard & Crayon- Optional but makes the checklist experience fun
✓    Bag to collect items from list

FALL SCAVENGER HUNT CHECKLIST

To take the idea one step further, you can use your fun nature items for art and craft activities like:

Making a Fall Sensory Bin  I love this example with adding the leaves, pine cones, acorns and festive popcorn kernels.  You could even through in some small pumpkins or squashes for extra fun.  Would recommend this for older toddlers, and perhaps replacing popcorn kernels with sand for younger ones who may be tempted to try and eat the kernels.

Make A Fall Wreath  Use your scavenger hunt items along with some standard craft items (tissue paper, felt, glue) to set up a fall wreath making station!  My son is obsessed with gluing, I am excited to try this one at home with him.

Painting with Nature  This one might get a bit messy, but it looks like a lot of fun.  Simply use your nature items as paint brushes.  All you need is paper, paint and an open space to get messy!

Have fun exploring and crafting with your little wonder!

Halloween for Little Pumpkins

By Elizabeth Euresti

Halloween can be one of the most fun nights of the year for boos and ghouls of all ages. Once our kids are old enough to eat candy (in moderation, and at parental discretion), trick-or-treating can be a fun choice. But what about early on, when candy poses a choking hazard and walking is still a BIG DEAL (or a future aspiration)? Here are some ideas for making Halloween a great experience for our littlest pumpkins:

1.    Little Wonders Halloween Party

Celebrate Halloween early with Little Wonders! Our annual Halloween Party is on Saturday October 29th in Kloss Hall and out on the grass on Tilton Ave. The younger children (Baby Play, AM and PM2 classes) will gather at 9:30-11:00 AM, and the older children (PM classes, Evening class and Alumni Class) will take over at 11:30-1:00 PM. Siblings are welcome, and everyone is invited to come in costume. (Please no masks.) Come prepared for LOTS of fun!!!

2.    Hand Out Treats as a Family

Just because your little one isn’t ready to trawl the neighborhood for candy doesn’t mean that s/he can’t participate in the trick-or-treat ritual! Let your little pumpkin help you greet neighborhood children at your own front door so that s/he sees what to expect on a future Halloween. Depending on dexterity and interest, your child may be able to help you actually hand out the treats if you explain and demonstrate how to pick them up and put them in the trick-or-treaters’ bags. (Please only try this with treats that will not pose a choking hazard to your child.) Even if your child is not interested in handing out treats, s/he will most likely be intrigued by the continuous stream of strange characters that come to your door. Feel free to use this as an opportunity to describe the colors and characteristics of the Halloween costumes, and to model positive interactions with trick-or-treaters.  

If you decide to stay in and hand out goodies, here are a few non-candy treat ideas to have handy for the “under 3” crowd:

●    Playdough (ages 2+)
●    Miniature pumpkins
●    Pumpkin puree or pumpkin baby puffs (in pouches)
●    Toddler-friendly cracker pre-packaged snack packs
●    Fabric/felt Halloween shapes (bats, pumpkins, ghosts, etc.) 
●    Sensory balls in Halloween colors
●    Shakers in Halloween colors
●    Large Halloween stickers 

3. Have a Halloween Playdate

You’re certainly not alone in trying to figure out the best way to enjoy Halloween with a little one this year. So why plan to celebrate alone? Call up your other baby friends from Little Wonders, your local Mother’s Club, story time at the library, or wherever, and set up a playdate on Halloween! Costumes or no costumes, it’s your choice. Personally, I’ll take any excuse to dress up my kiddo (and myself), serve pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING, and search Pinterest for age-appropriate Halloween crafts and games (which I will then almost certainly forget to offer to my guests - oh well). 

4. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Want to avoid the trick-or-treat scene entirely? Take your little one to a pumpkin patch! There are something like a bajillion of them between San Mateo and Half Moon Bay (no, really). Be prepared for such fun activities as hayrides, pumpkin picking, and corn mazes! A list of some of the local choices is available here. Call to check that your targeted patch is open on Halloween before making the trek. 

5. “Practice” Trick-or-Treat

OK, maybe your baby/toddler isn’t ready for candy just yet...but you love this holiday, and by golly you have earned a couple of chocolate bars and the chance to dress up as Ghostbusters and walk around your neighborhood with pride. Why not strike a compromise? Bust out your favorite baby carrier, stroller, outside toddler shoes, or some combination thereof, and introduce your little pumpkin to the in’s and out’s of trick-or-treating -- gradually. 

●    Try to scope out your neighborhood in advance so that you avoid any houses with particularly scary decorations.
●    Plan to go out early and come home early. Arrange for a babysitter if the adults want to go back out after your little pumpkin’s bedtime.
●    Make sure your little pumpkin is safe. If s/he can walk, make sure s/he is both VISIBLE (glow tape or other light source on his or her costume) and SEEN by you or your co-Ghostbuster at all times. There is no substitute for close proximity and vigilance when you are surrounded by a fleet of similarly dressed superheroes, princesses, and vampires.
●    Model good trick-or-treat etiquette for your little novice! Pay attention to your neighbors’ treat distribution tactics -- is this a “choose your two pieces” house, or “I am handing you one piece of candy” house? Try to avoid showing disappointment at receiving a treat that you dislike - consider stating who does like that type of treat, and how much you will enjoy sharing it. (Try also to avoid eating any of your haul until you have returned home and checked all of the packaging for safety concerns.) Say “trick-or-treat,” “thank you,” and “happy Halloween!” clearly and often. Your little sponge will be doing the same in no time.
    

 

This Week's Announcements

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Mandatory All School Meeting - October 20, 6:15 - 9:15

Save the date and arrange the babysitters! Come to Kloss Hall at 6:15 p.m. to peruse stations hosted by past and current Little Wonders families who are sharing their products and services at the Parent-to-Parent Networking event. Refreshments and prizes provided. Please alert your teacher if you are not able to attend this required evening as there will be a makeup option.

Development News

We have so many fun opportunities coming for you to support YOUR school!

Tea Collection School Days starts next Wednesday October 12. Shop TeaSchoolDays.com and use our special code, SDF16LITTLEWONDERS to shop all the adorable Tea Collection apparel! You get 15% off your purchase and free shipping; Little Wonders gets 15% back from all the purchases made with our promo code. Be sure to share that code!

The All School Meeting is coming up very soon-- October 20th. We have several ways to support your school there as well! We will be ordering Bento Box style dinners (including a vegetarian option) from Gau Poang for you to enjoy at the meeting. Bento Boxes are $12 and will be available only by pre-order. Place your order and pay now. All orders must be placed by Monday, October 17th. Many thanks to Gau Poang!

Pop a balloon, win a prize! We will be having a fun Balloon Pop game at the All School Meeting this year. Families can purchase a balloon for $10, $25 or $50. Each balloon will have a prize worth that same amount or more. Prizes include restaurant gift cards, Cal Academy passes, and more. We will also have some fun pay to plays you can sign up for.

During the Parent to Parent Networking time, plan on stopping by the development table. We have exciting opportunities for you to partner with your school! We will be your one-stop shop for Little Wonder T-Shirts, which you know will be this fall's best fashion statement when you head out with your little to Beresford or Washington Parks. All the cool toddlers will be rocking these shirts! We will also be offering some exciting pay to play opportunities. Stay tuned for more information!

Photography Time

Our class placemat photographers will be in the classroom over the next few weeks taking candids and headshots of the children for our placemat! All that is required of our families is their presence and their smiles.

Our Professional Portrait Sessions with Sheila Krakow are also coming up mid October. Watch for sign-up information coming soon! This is a great opportunity to get beautiful images for holiday card photos at a very reasonable price, while supporting Little Wonders.

Mark Your Calendars!

Back by popular demand…Teacher Suzanne’s “Cooking For and with Children” is scheduled for Monday October 24th from 7:30-9:30 in the Youth Room right above the Little Wonders classroom. Come join Teacher Suzanne and others for a fun, interactive evening and learn some new recipes and how to include your child in the kitchen. Watch for your evite.

Thank You Thursday PM for a Clean School!

Many thanks to the Thursday PM for the school wash last Saturday, Oct 1. We truly appreciate your participation, care and attention to detail. Our next school wash will be hosted by the Friday PM class on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 1:00-3:00pm.

Little Woners Annual Halloween Party

Plan to attend our annual Halloween Party on Saturday October 29th in Kloss Hall and out on the grass on Tilton Ave. The younger children, Baby Play, AM and PM2 classes will gather at 9:30-11:00 AM and the PM classes, Evening class and Alumni Class at 11:30-1:00 PM . We welcome siblings and everyone to come in costume. Please no masks as they can scare our children. Come prepared for LOTS of fun!!!

On Our Calendars

Tues, Oct 11, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. - Board Meeting
Thurs, Oct 13, 6:45-9:00 p.m. – CPR Class @ Little Wonders
Fri, October 14, 6:00-7:30 p.m. – Wed PM Pajama Night @ Little Wonders
Thurs, Oct 20, 6:15-9:15 p.m. – Mandatory All School Meeting
Mon, Oct 24, 7:30-9:30 p.m. - Optional Parent Education Evening: "Healthy Nutrition and Cooking Tips with Young Children" presented by Teacher Suzanne @ Little Wonders
Sat, Oct 29, 9:30-11:00 a.m. / 11:30-1:00 p.m. - Halloween Party

Defining Your Village

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By Henry Hansen, Little Wonders Dad & San Mateo City Council Rep.

You have heard it said, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This ancient African proverb has been famously used by school teachers, politicians, spiritual leaders, and parents. But what does it mean? For starters, it implies that it requires more than two parents to equip a child with the competence, character, and self-sufficiency required for a child to grow into a human being who can meet his or her own needs and contribute to society. It also suggests that we are wired to live in communities and that intergenerational relationships within and outside the family are needed for productive child-rearing. Raising a child is a communal effort.

Meal time at Little Wonders.

Meal time at Little Wonders.

Clinical psychologist, Anna Nedelisky Zeman, who spoke at the Little Wonders All School Meeting in October, asked the school’s parents a more provocative question: what does your village look like? This initial inquiry stimulated thought, but to deepen the conversation she further asked: have you ever considered the vastness of your village and that your dentist, pediatrician, and other professionals are a part of your village and contribute to your child’s well-being? Her simple yet challenging questions stimulated thought and discussion among the parents as we shared our responses in pairs.

Dr. Zeman’s presentation developed an awareness among us parents. The responses showed two things: that our village is vast and that this is good news. As I partnered-up with one of the other parents to reflect on our responses to Zeman’s discussion starter, several things came to mind. For one, my au pair is a definitive part of my children’s village. Her involvement in my and my wife’s three children’s lives (ages four, two, and eight months), is vital in the shaping of our children’s character and in forming their competence and self-sufficiency. Other members of our children’s village include our church family. The members of our church spend a considerable amount of time with our children in Sunday School and weekly dinners. The friends we have developed here span four generations. A person’s faith community (whether it is a church, temple, or mosque) is a definitive aspect of their village. A final dimension of my wife’s and my village is being a member of Little Wonders. I have been a Little Wonders dad for four years and have found that, not only do the remarkable parents of our program influence my children, but they also impact me as we share together the joys and challenges of parenting.

As I reflected on Zeman’s question, it was evident that my village is full-to-overflowing and I am grateful to have further developed this awareness of our need for this village as my wife and I raise our children. First, what does your village look like? Consider first your immediate family and the interactions your children have with them. Think outside your home to extended family and their level of investment in cultivating meaningful relationships with your children. How about the community outside your family: teachers, coaches, parents of your child’s peers, and spiritual leaders and members of your faith community (if that applies)? And finally, what network are you a part of for receiving medical and dental care for your children: dentists, pediatricians, and so on? Take a moment to list the members of your child’s or children’s village. 

Secondly, what are your criteria for choosing the environments and people with whom you wish to raise your children? This is a question that delves into the values we desire to instill in our kids. Is your village reflective of the type of people you wish for your children to become? The character we would like to see formed in our kids will be created, in large part, by the circles of influence of which they are a part. For my wife and me, we desire that our children grow to be grateful people. We look toward surrounding them with models that help them develop an awareness toward the abundance they have and how it is something for which they can be thankful, even generous. Other values might include love of self, personal relationships, and trying your best. Finally, does the way you invest your children’s time demonstrate the values your family holds and the type of village with which you wish to surround them? This gets down to brass tacks because time is one of the greatest commodities we possess. When we apply our time to something, we are making a statement about our values. Wisdom would suggest that values and time ought to be congruent with one another and that the village with which we surround ourselves should also be reflective of that.

As we make resolutions for ourselves this year, consider your village, who is in it, and what values most define it. Making resolutions to invest more deeply in the relationships that shape our children’s lives is worth it and will reap long-term dividends. If there is something missing from your village, consider what that might be and how to fill the gap. Whatever it is you decide about your village, know that it is ultimately good news that it is not incumbent upon you to do all the child-rearing. A village surrounds us and we can establish the values and criteria that will most readily define what that looks like.