September 30, 2011
Warm Greetings to all of our Ebenezer Farm Families,
September’s marvelous journey took us to …..
* hiking in the rain, and in more rain, and in sunshine with humidity, and fall mosquitoes.
*playing in the stream and in our “mud” kitchen, creating dams and roads and ditches.
* studying the names of many trees that tower above us.
* hunting for the rare (rare in our woods) Black Birch to taste the minty inner bark, and to the Oak to make oak whistles, to the Maple to fly helicopter seeds, to the Beech to eat the sweet nuts, and to the Birch to get ‘treasure map’ paper.
* the kitchen table, preparing and eating freshly baked wheat rolls, warm soft pretzels, apple cake, pumpkin bread, p/b oatmeal cookies, just picked carrots, peppers, radishes and kohlrabi and hummus.
*the craft table, where we traced leaves on construction paper and practiced lines and circles. Cutting out circles to make bear shapes. Recognizing or writing our own names, and gluing beans into place.
* making new friends.
* singing Circle songs of bears and trees and frisky squirrels and apples way up high in the apple tree.
* listening to stories of bears with Goldilocks, and bears with blueberries, and big bears with little mice, and apple trees and Johnny Appleseed.
* important work using heavy clippers to clean up trails; carrying buckets of water; digging deep holes in sand, feeding rabbits; dragging branches, moving rocks, polishing apples, helping each other with dressing and undressing, finding boots, carrying lunch boxes, cleaning up toys and building forts.
* exploring Lightning Rock, the Flood Control Reservoir, Checkerberry Woods, Autumn Woods and Laurel Woods, the Cliffs and lots of trails… usually with a half a dozen goats tagging along.
* learning fire safety and practicing fire drills.
All of the children are continuing to learn about listening to what the other children and teachers are saying to them and respecting what others want. They are learning to dress for the weather and how to smoothly transition into new activities even when they don’t want to. They are practicing their best manners during play times and meal times. They are growing stronger and more coordinated, and their experiences play a vitally important role in the permanent wiring of their young brains.
Everything your child is doing at Ebenezer Farm is a learning experience! And of course, everything they do at home is a learning experience! Your children are like little absorbing, growing, developing sponges! There is no going back. The things we say, the way we say it, the values we have; whatever we expose them to, they are SOAKING IT ALL IN! Consider that thought. Are their schedules crazy? That’s JUNK! Are their bodies being filled with lots of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fat, preservatives, MSG? JUNK! Are their innocent little minds being exposed to JUNK TV or JUNK music? Your precious children are eager, excited, wondering little beings and the world is a marvelous place, full of good things. You are their protectors and their guardians, it’s up to you to provide goodness that will nurture them and strengthen them for the days to come. Don’t allow them to be filled up on JUNK. That reminds me of the preschool song that we sing, (which was concocted from a couple of sources, as you may recognize).
“The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as Kings. How marvelous, how wonderful! And my song shall ever be, how marvelous, how wonderful! I’m just as happy as a King!”
A very important part of children’s development includes unstructured play time. Not unsafe or unsupervised, but ungoverned by adults; Time when they are able to work out their concerns in life, because they certainly have many. They need time and space to express and organize and negotiate – whether they play alone or with others. In this time, they will work out solutions, process, express and consider. If their lives are too busy and their brains are too overwhelmed, it can be very difficult to get to the place of depth in heart and thought where they can truly work on their concerns. See our blog posting of a couple of videos speaking on these issues. These are crucial needs for today’s children.
When the elementary and middle school lets out, the older school children return to us. They bust out of the school bus with terrific enthusiasm! The first thing we insist on is that they wash their hands, rinsing those school germs away! Then they enjoy a prepared snack, dress for the outdoors and head into the fields and forest where they are able to burn off pent up energy and be favorably blessed by the tranquility that the outdoors offers. Though they may be required to be part of a group, we do try to allow them their own space, which is especially needed after long hours of focusing on school work with their peers. The school children are genuinely kind in helping the younger children in various ways while they are together. They assist the little ones with clothing and footwear, activities, minor injuries and countless other needs. The younger children look forward to the arrival of their older friends each day.
Closings:
1. Mascenic School is closed on October 7th for teacher training. Ebenezer Farm is open. If your child will need extra hours with us, you must reserve this time, so that we can have the appropriate number of staff available and also so that we can plan accordingly. Payment is due for reserved hours, even if you change the plan at the last minute.
2. Mascenic is also closed on Columbus Day October 10th.
Ebenezer Farm is also closed on that day. Regular weekly payment is still due.
A few reminders:
As the weather turns cooler, be sure that your children have warm layers including gloves/mittens and hats. Families who have been with us awhile know one of our favorite mottos is,
“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”
We will continue to have the children wear their waterproof play pants right up until we switch to snow pants. The time has come though, for you to take out or find high quality winter gear in your consignment shops or reputable stores. It is worth every penny to provide the best items that keep your children warm and dry through the fall and winter months.
All children must be signed in and out each day. Please take time to check for pertinent notices that may be posted on a separate clipboard in on that same table.
Please do not allow your children to bring toys from home. The short of it is, that it’s better that way.
Thank you all for your cooperation with our new “no cubby” plan. It is working out beautifully for us, so hopefully you’ve all adjusted well.
We also greatly appreciate your patience or willingness to come find us, when pickup time arrives and your children are off on an adventure. We try to time it right, but as we all know, things do not always go as planned, especially with so many children and the many spontaneous discoveries we come upon.
Communication is extremely important to us, and we are always happy to discuss how things are going with your child. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns at all. You may leave a message on the phone or send an email to GraceCaleb@comcast.net. There’s also Facebook for those who like. Then there is the blog. Grace will dare to announce that once again she will attempt to keep the blog up to date. Perhaps if she eliminates her perfectionist tendencies, she can just straightforwardly give the info and all will be clear and sufficient. It would be an encouragement if parents check it and become “followers” of the blog to hold her accountable! www.Ebenezer-Farm.blogspot.com
Thank you for entrusting your children to our care, we are extremely grateful and blessed!
Savor this beautiful Season,
Caleb, Grace and the Fabulous Staff of Ebenezer Farm
