Manager's Message

Dear Parents,

Welcome to our March newsletter, we hope your children are enjoying being a part of Sunny Meadows family. Sunny Meadows nursery is your child's second home where they spend a big part of their day, we would be glad to offer you more help with potty trainings. We would advise you to start potty training at home if your child has reached 2,5 years, please inform us to start the potty training here as well. We would always like to offer potty training help specially with children who will be joining school so soon. On this month's newsletter you will find a topic about potty training.

As a nursery our first concern is the children's health, please update us with any changes in your child's allergy status specially if they has just completed their first year.

If any of your child's belongings has been missing, please contact the administration to have a look on our lost and found items.

We are always thankful for your cooperation and support, you've been always giving us your feedback and suggestions to improve the childrens' lives at Sunny Meadows Nurseries.

Here are some photos for January from both Khalifa & Al Rayyana branches.

Potty Training Tips From Real Parents

1. Make sure your child is really ready. If your child isn’t really ready for potty training, you could       be looking at months of frustration for you and him.                                                                           Here are some signs to show if your child is ready,

• The child doesn't like wet or dirty diaper and shows interest in seeing others using the toilet.
• The child and diapers are staying dry longer and hides when filling their diaper.
• The child is able to take off and pull on clothing.

2. Put the potty in the bathroom early. Introducing the potty early on, by having it in the                   bathroom before potty training even begins, will help the child be familiar with it.

3. Get on a schedule right away. Creating a potty training schedule and sticking to it from the             beginning can make a huge difference in your potty training process.

4. Use a sticker chart to allow your child to track going to the potty!

    A rewards chart can be a great way to encourage your child during the potty training process.         From stickers to candy and even toys, playdates and screen time, there are several potty               training rewards that might motivate your child.

5. Don’t shout or stress, be patient. Potty training can be stressful, be sure to add plenty of humor into your training to relieve stress.

6. Cheer on your kids while they’re using the potty. Make up a fun song to sing, there are lots of         potty training songs on YouTube. Reading together short stories may also help make it more enjoyable and  easy for your child to relax.

7. Praise your child. Make them feel SO proud, give them more attention and positive strength.

8. Pooping on the potty can be scary. If your child is afraid of pooping on the potty, try not to let       them get constipated. This might mean letting them wear a diaper to poop for a while.

9. Don’t be afraid to leave the house. Leaving the house while potty training can feel scary. But         have no fear and start with small, short trips and build your way up to public restrooms.

10. Remember that nighttime potty training is different than daytime potty training.

     Potty training at night happens in weeks, months (or even years) after your child is potty                trained during the day.

Montessori Activities at Home

Here are some simple Montessori activities for your children to get them busy at home.

Ideas for a Healthy Snack

No-Bake Cereal Bars

Ingredients (Make 8 bars)

• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 3 cups toasted oat cereal 
• 1 cup yogurt chips (save ½ cup for melting)
• ½ cup unsalted toasted almonds, chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix honey with peanut butter. Microwave for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds,         or until melted.
2. In a large bowl, combine oat cereal, ½ of the yogurt chips (save the other half for later),                 chopped almonds, and dried cranberries or raisins.
3. Pour the melted honey mixture into the bowl and stir until well mixed.
4. Pour into an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper, and gently flatten the mixture evenly       around the pan.
5. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until the mixture has hardened enough to cut it into 8 pieces.
6. Melt the other half of the yogurt chips in the microwave for 15 seconds. 
7. Dip the bottom of the bars in the melted yogurt chips and place on a piece of parchment               paper. Freeze for another 15 minutes.
8. Wrap each bar in parchment paper & store in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 3 months. 

Tips From the Nurse

Treatments for a sore throat

As the weather is getting cold, here are some tips that can often help soothe a sore throat:

• Take  Ibuprofen or Paracetamol – paracetamol is better for children and for people who can't            take ibuprofen (note that children under 16 should never take aspirin).
• Drink plenty of cool or warm fluids, and avoid very hot drinks.
• Eat cool, soft foods.
• Avoid smoking infront of the children and smoky places.
• Gargle with a homemade mouthwash of warm, salty water.
• Suck lozenges, hard sweets, ice cubes or ice lollies – but don't give young children anything            small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking.
• A humidifier is a great way to increase the humidity in your room. The machine slowly adds            moisture to your room, and when you breathe in the humid air, you’ll help relieve dryness.            Over time, this relief will ease the discomfort in your throat. 
• Antibiotics aren't usually prescribed for a sore throat, even if it's caused by a bacterial                    infection, as they're unlikely to make you feel better any quicker and they can have                        unpleasant side effects.            

Birthday Corner