Important Parent Information
Potty Training
In our two and three year old classroom, many of the children that are not already potty-trained are becoming interested in using the toilet both at home and at school. I would like to support your efforts in toilet training your child to the best of my ability. I have found it very effective to use a timer in the classroom. The timer is set every thirty minutes. The child receives a washable stamp on their hand for being cooperative after being asked to try to use the bathroom. If the child uses the toilet, they receive a sticker on their potty chart after they flush and wash. While stamps and stickers have proven to be effective for me, if the system you use at home includes small treats (such as an M&M or a fruit snack) and you would prefer to remain consistent with that method at school, I am more than willing to try that given that you provide said treats. Most importantly, remember to communicate with me as often as possible about your child’s progress at home and which methods you have found to be useful. Please also note that even after your child is accident-free and in underwear, you will still be asked to provide Pull-Ups/diapers for nap time until your child is consistently waking up dry for several weeks.
Lunches and Snacks
We all love lunch time! Here are a few guidelines that you can follow to ensure that it runs smoothly:
Adult-sized water bottles have proven to be a little challenging for the children to handle and generally result in spills over lunches and other children. Miniature water bottles or sippy cups are a good alternative, and the children also have access to a drinking fountain within our classroom. Please also try to remember that warm-up items should take one minute or less to prepare in the microwave.
“Toys from Home” Policy
When addressing this issue, I have found that the best route is to leave personal toys at home. There is opportunity for toys to be lost or broken at school, which can be upsetting to the child. Personal toys also tend to be distracting and can potentially be disruptive to the learning process. However, if your child insists on bringing a toy with them to Pee Wee, I ask that you limit them to just one. Any toys that are brought to school run the risk of being lost, so please remember to write your child’s name or initials somewhere on their belongings. Thank you!