Is it actually possible that we are into mid February already. Where did January go? The children seem to have only just gone back to school after Christmas. Granted, they had an extended holiday this year thanks to the Snow, but even so, the time since then seems to have flown by at warp speed. It’s all a blur. Even the children seem not to have noticed the passing of the last few weeks and are surprised and delighted that they are due another break from school!
At Chuckies, we always celebrate the children’s school holidays & breaks by offering a free kids breakfast in the morning and a free kids tea in the afternoon. Over the years we have received very positive feedback for this service as it offers parents the opportunity to get out and about with kids without having to think about whether they have eaten or not. In fact, when the school bell is not calling, mealtimes tend to become a ‘grazing all day’ event which translates into a cleaning all day event too.
So this mid-term, whatever your plan, why not start or finish the day at Chuckies. Relax & enjoy that elusive ‘5 minutes peace’ to catch up on a good book (which we have plenty of on our Book Exchange table) or meet some friends for a chat while the kids burn up plenty energy in the play area. And because all our equipment is specifically designed to encourage child development through play, the added advantage is that the kids are still learning and they don’t even realise it!!!
Wishing you and your family a very pleasant mid-term break.
February 9, 2010
Mid-Term School Break
November 3, 2009
Daniel isn’t talking
This book, written by Marti Leimbach is now available at our Book Exchange. It is the story of a family struggling to deal with a diagnosis of Autism and is a moving account of the depth of a mothers love. It is a story that anyone who is raising a child with Autism can relate to and it is clear that the Author was drawing on personal experience when writing this book. It is a powerful and touching story and I can highly recommend it.
September 14, 2009
Sunshine Smile
There is something special about sunshine at this time of the year. Ok, we can lament the lost Summer days of rain that dominated the kids school holidays, but surely it is better to be going out to school with the sun shining than wrapping them up in coats and hats. There will be plenty time for that.So, while the Sun is shining and the kids are in school, forget the housework, the laundry and the other 500 things you have to do and give yourself a 30 minute break from EVERYTHING and that means turning off the mobile too. Grab a tea or a coffee and go outside. Find a seat, a box a turned upside down flower pot, anything you can sit on and turn your face to the sun. Relax and enjoy the most cost effective spa treatment there is. Do it today and let Mother Nature give you her very special gift. A Sunshine Smile!
July 22, 2009
Can food additives cause children to behave badly?
Countless studies have concluded that food additives can have an adverse reaction in children who have a sensitivity to artificial chemicals in food. Children who are easy to manage and well behaved can suffer a personality change following ingestion of a cocktail of additives that are found in everyday treats as well as in our normal weekly food shop.
I am not an expert in this area so my opinions are purely based on my experience of raising a child who certainly has a high sensitivity to food additives. While all additives used in foods are approved (otherwise they would not be allowed to use them) I strongly believe that insufficient testing has been completed on the combination of consuming multiple additives. I also believe that they build up in the system as it is practically impossible to avoid them completely.
If plain solid additive free food is not eaten regularly to in some way counterbalance, the result is a child who really has very little control over his/her behaviour and all the books, advise, cajoling and negotiating will get a parent/carer absolutely nowhere until their digestive system has processed it.
Perhaps the next time you are tempted to judge a screaming, kicking child in a supermarket or wherever, try not to automatically assume that they are simply being difficult out of choice, it may well have been something they ate!
Articles that may be of interest:
12 Food Additives to Avoid by Jean Weiss for MSN Health & Fitness
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100204508
Food Additives
http://www.vhi.ie/hfiles/hf-465p.jsp
July 13, 2009
Leaning new skills can be fun!
Did you know that testing your skills on the Rodeo Bull is an excellent way of improving your balance? It is not easy to do. To get up on it requires you to bounce a few times to gain height and then to co-ordinate a jump so that you will land on the bull’s back.
At Chuckies, our aim is to keep you on the Rodeo Bull as it moves so as to build confidence and we will only go at a speed that the child is comfortable at. Once you start moving, it’s like the thrill of the rollercoaster, it’s scary but it’s fun.
Kids are concentrating so hard on shifting their weight, their legs and their arms in order to stay on, that it isn’t until the bull stops that they allow themselves that beaming smile of satisfaction. It’s quite an achievement and who would have thought that leaning a new skill could be such fun!!
July 8, 2009
Play and Learn
Play is the most important thing a young child can do. It is vital to a child’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development. It is a powerful learning vehicle and centrally important to a child’s healthy development. It exercises the brain as well as the body.
Energetic Play can help combat obesity and helps a hyperactive child to expel their excess energy and express themselves. Play helps a child to make friends and to learn about interacting with other children. The value of Play cannot be underestimated.
At Chuckies, we have chosen play equipment which is designed to enhance the play experience for children of all abilities because real Play, imaginative play, takes place in a child’s mind, we simply provide the platform to allow them to get on with the business of being a child.
