Is the Summer really at it's end? We had such fun the past few months. Playing, singing and dancing our days away.

September is the beginning of a new school year and that means back to group lessons and following the schedule.
Research shows that children do much better when they know what to expect and when. It helps them learn the concept of “time” As always Infants are fed and nap according to their individual needs and as they grow & develop are eased into a schedule. The new Schedule is at the end of this post.
WELCOME
We say hello to Emily Rose. Emily is going to be coming to HGCP beginning Sept. 9th. She brings her mommy Erica and Daddy Joe... Emily is the niece of “Tommy” who many of you know through pictures that I have in my kitchen. Tommy had touched my heart when he was enrolled here during my first year of private child care and for a couple of years after. He recently graduated from High School. His mom and I have kept in touch all of these years & I keep adding his picture to our Wall of Fame!
Emily’s mom Erica was in Day Care when I worked for Lackawanna County. That tells you that I have been "at this" for quite some time... I am very pleased & honored to welcome this family “back Home” to Our Child Care Family!

“Boz “ If you hear your child mention the name Boz or Gracie and Drew these are not new students here at HGCP :-) However they are a part of our time spent here. BOZ (the big green bear) will be ONE of the ways that the children will be learning about Jesus & Christian values. Your children will be learning many important concepts utilizing this Series.

Kindermusik As always - the children enrolled at HGCP enjoy the
Kindermusik Classes at no additional charge (except for the small cost of At Home Materials)
In addition Families that are enrolled at HGCP receive a discount on the evening or Saturday KM classes offered here.

Look for more Sign Language activities this year as we focus on more Vocabulary words, learn new songs, & stories and create special projects.

There are a limited amount of Full Time and Part Time openings available.
Day Care Opens 7:30 AM
Part Time openings ages 2-5 8:30- 11:00 Mon- - Wed. Fri. or Mon-Friday

New Fall Schedule
Morning Session 8:30 – 11:30
Breakfast – 8:00 Circle time
Calendar, Weather, Lesson .
Music & Movement
Lesson Follow Up Activity ,Outside Activity or Dramatic Play
Lunch - 11:30 – 12:00

Afternoon Session 12:30- 3:30PM
Free Play – (Fine Motor Activities)& Story Time
Quiet Time 1:00 –2:30
Snack - 2:45
Dismissal – 3:00-3:30

Where did April go?

Can there really only be one week left in April are we really entering the 5th month of the "New Year" already?
Although the Parent newsletter and your weekly notes give you some idea of what the children have been doing I want to tell you a little more about this month’s life lesson that they are learning.
The children have been busy learning about the environment around them. In the -- on the -- under the ground to quote a verse from our Kindermusik theme this month "Down on the Ground" Talking about GOD'S CREATION. Our featured story is the Listening Walk the children were encouraged not only to listen while on a walk but listen to the sounds at home, at play, and during Quiet Time
Each sound that they hear is a gift from GOD. Listening is a learned skill but Hearing - is a gift from GOD. I was so blessed to not only be born with my hearing but to be born of Deaf Parents where I needed to learn the skill of listening. I believe that I "listen" more than someone who were born to parents that have the sense of hearing. I enjoy going for Listening walks especially around Lake Scranton. I have not been physically able to do that in a long long time but I am confident that I will again. Each sound that I experience actually brings tears to my eyes that God used me to help my parents communicate in our society. As a child & a young adult I did not appreciate the gift as much as I do today. Now that both of them are gone, I use the gift to teach others the beautiful language that my Parents used all of their lives. The world was not so kind to them as it is now. There are laws and adaptive equipment that help the Deaf. Television that was once a silent box with fast moving programs can now be viewed and read. NOT an easy task still but brings much more meaning to the programs. Communication to a neighbor or a friend or relative no longer means that you have to wait to see the person or have someone make the call for you. You can do so by typing a TTY message or email. My parents did not have that luxury however they did have 4 children that were gifted with speech and hearing. We did our best to make they journey through life a little easier but looking back I wonder if I knew what I know now – did I do enough. Fortunately they both knew that they did not need their sense of hearing to communicate with Our Lord. They did that on a daily basis.
Today I am asking – are we using our GIFTS that our Heavenly Father gave us to the best of our ability? Are we reaching beyond our comfort zone to go the extra step to do his work? Are we using HIS gifts for good and not for selfish reasons. I pray that we all are doing what the Father asks of us. I believe that teaching the children sign language here at HGCP is a small part of my work here. If I can make a small impact on one or more of these tiny little lives -- who knows what GREAT work for the Deaf Culture that they can do one day? Or in the Hearing world as a person who has learned to "Listen" to the best of his or her ability.
Today take some time to sit in a quiet place – and listen for his voice. “Hear” what it is that he puts on your heart.