🌱Happy Thanksgiving🦃

In this newsletter, you will get....

• Parenting Tips

• Spotlight on Resources

Parenting Tips

• Prepare in Advance
  Talk with your child ahead of time about what to expect. Explain who will be there, what activities might happen, and how the day will unfold.

• Stick to Routines When Possible
  Try to maintain your child’s regular nap, snack, and meal times to avoid overtiredness or hunger-related meltdowns. If adjustments are needed, plan quiet time or a small snack to tide them over.

• Pack a “Thanksgiving Toolkit”
  Bring along a small bag of comfort items, like a favorite toy, book, or blanket, to provide familiarity in an unfamiliar setting. Include activities to keep them entertained during slow moments.

• Encourage Involvement
  Give your child a small “job” to do during the day, like setting napkins on the table, helping stir ingredients, or handing out name cards.

• Set Realistic Expectations
  Remember that kids may not have the same stamina or social tolerance as adults. Plan for breaks, let them step away if they need quiet time, and know that some behaviors (like shyness or restlessness) are normal and okay.

• Model Gratitude and Flexibility
  Show your child how to embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving by expressing gratitude, staying patient when things don’t go as planned, and finding joy in the little moments.

Activity of the Week

Gratitude Handprint Turkey

Materials Needed:

• Paper or cardstock

• Washable paint

• Paintbrushes

• Black marker or pen

Instructions:

1. Make the Turkey Body

   • Paint your child’s palm and thumb brown.

   • Paint each of their fingers a different color: red, orange, yellow, and green to represent the turkey's feathers.

2. Create the Handprint

   • Press your child’s painted hand onto the paper or cardstock, spreading the fingers slightly to create the turkey’s feathers. Gently press down and then lift their hand straight up.

3. Add Details

   • Once the paint dries, use a black marker to draw an eye and legs on the turkey. Add an orange beak and a red wattle below the thumb (the turkey’s head).

4. Write Gratitude Messages

   • Around each feather (the painted fingers), ask your child to name something they’re grateful for. Write their answers along the painted finger edges or in the blank spaces around the turkey.

Optional Variation: Create one for each family member, asking everyone to share their gratitude. Combine the handprints into a "Gratitude Turkey Family" collage for a heartwarming holiday display.