Here we are off to the start of another year – 2012! It’s the time of year that we all think about New Years resolutions. A New Years resolution is when one resolves or makes a decision to make a change in their life. The
significance of New Years resolutions that set them apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings – to start the year off right! Unfortunately, statistics show that 25%
of people fail in their resolutions within the first week. Why is that?
Well, I completed my first New Years resolution: I just completed the first 2012 Karen’s column – Yeah! Lets hope I can continue this good nature for the next few months. Here is a New Years Resolution that anyone can keep: Resolve not to make any more New Year resolutions! Now wasn’t that easy? By setting more realistic goals and not limiting yourself to a “do or die” all-out assault, you may find that the finish line isn’t so far away. Or as the Rolling Stones put it, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.”
The big block buster holidays are over. But, January has no shortage of neat and unique holidays to brighten up those cold winter days.
January 1st: New Year’s Day; the first ball was dropped at Time Square in New York City in 1908.
Speaking of New York City, three management staff, four employees and myself will be traveling to an Early Childhood Conference in New York City April 18th – 21st.
Kristy Grimes, Coleen Wedig, Bobby Cowie and Heidi Bouck were selected to travel to “The Big Apple” and return to share useful information with the staff and interesting and diverse learning techniques with all of your children. Familiar faces Renae, Mary Beth, Jerry and myself will be accompanying the four lucky employees to the expose. It should be a memorable time with the benefit of an educational experience!
January 16th: Martin Luther King’s Birthday; We will be open on this National holiday!
January 17th at Johnston and January 18th at ABP: Simple Suppers – Please join us for Tacos, Chips and Salsa.
January 25th: We are declaring today Opposite day! Pull out the song “Opposites Attract” by Paula Abdul! It will be a fun wacky occasion.
January 26th: Australia Day; we will be having “Heaps” of fun learning about Australia. All you mums and dads (mom and dads) wait till your “ankle biter” (child) comes home talking like a true Aussie.
We look forward to seeing all of you soon and hope that this year is better than the last!
- Karen Glenn, Owner
Posted on January 16 2012 by Karen.
The new school year is upon us! We are all off to a great start at both centers.
We had a few kinks in the system on week one, but soon figured out everyone’s personalities, thoughts and ideas and we are back on track. Aurora Business Park started in our newly remodeled building a few weeks ago. We are so excited to be out of the temp space. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed the small quarters, concrete floors, and using a break room as our kitchen! We appreciated the opportunity for all of us to get to know each other. Regardless, we are now happy to be here at 4401 114th Street in a completed building.
As many of you know there has been a lot of drama in the local child care industry. With two centers closing, many families have been left without quality childcare. We were able to assist a few families at Aurora Business Park Generation Next. We welcome all our new families to Generation Next.
So let’s talk Preschool, shall we? What, you may ask, is a preschool? Well according to Wikipedia, Preschool or Infant education “is a provision of education before the commencement of statutory and obligatory education, usually between the ages of zero and five, depending on the jurisdiction.” Wow! I bet you didn’t know how serious this “preschool stuff” really is, did you? “Playing” all day is a lot of work and I’ll bet you had no idea how important a toy is in preschool? What is a “toy”, really? A toy is any object that can be used for play. Many toys are designed to serve as toys in itself, but general goods produced for other purposes can also be used. For instance, a small child may pick up a household item and “fly” it through the air as to pretend to be an airplane. Toys, and play in general, are important when it comes to growing up and learning about the work around us. The use of toys and play to discover their identity, help their bodies grow strong, learn cause and effect, explore relationships, and practice skills they will need as adults. Toys enhance cognitive behavior and stimulate creativity. They aid in the development of physical and mental skills which are necessary later in life. So, with this all being said, you choose the perfect place for your child to attend preschool and play with toys! That’s all the knowledge I will drop on you for this newsletter. The test will soon follow…
So many events are quickly approaching for the fall at Generation Next. The Seniors have already visited the Apple Orchard. They enjoyed riding the big yellow school bus and picking apples. And of course, a trip to the orchard wouldn’t be complete without partaking in a few samples. It was a long ride back to the center and a few of the budding Johnny Appleseeds’ had to even take a quick cat nap…
Simple Suppers is back on the calendar. Please join us, free of charge, for a Simple Supper. We serve the families of Generation Next from 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm. This is a great time for parents to meet other parents and just generally “chill out” while enjoying a meal on the house. Each center has a different date for the Simple Supper, so please check the “Upcoming Events” portion of our home page or just inquire at your center.
A big “Thank You!” to all the grandparents who were able to come out and read to our students. Young children are fascinated with guests in the building and what child doesn’t love having a grandma and grandpa around?
October is a busy time of year and the weather will be changing sooner than we would all like to imagine. Please remember that clothing will need to be adjusted often as we all adapt to the ever changing Iowa weather. So please plan accordingly and remember that layers are our friend.
The costume parade will be on October 28th. Children are welcome to bring in their simple, non frightening costume. Please no props or weapons! Weather permitting, we will hold the parade outside. If the weather is not cooperating, we will be parading in the center. The parade will take place at Johnston around 9:30 am and at Aurora Business Park at 10:30 am.
So to wrap up this month’s letter, I would like to thank all of our returning families and our returning employees. Without you all, we wouldn’t be where we are now. And I’d like to say a big “Welcome!” to all our new families and employees. Welcome, that is, to this crazy, never dull, wonderful place called Generation Next!
-Karen Glenn, Owner
Posted on September 20 2011 by Karen.
Happy 2010 everyone! I hope you all had a safe and cheerful New Year’s Eve. If you really think about it, we have some weird traditions surrounding the New Year. Take New Year’s resolutions for example. Every year about 45% of us make at least one resolution. And, I’m convinced, most “resolutioners” go into these commitments with good intentions. But we all know what they say about good intentions, don’t we? Research shows that a full 25% of those who make a New Year’s resolution abandon the effort in the FIRST WEEK! I don’t know why that surprises me. I’ve given up on lots of resolutions sooner than one week. One year, I gave up my resolution before I made it! Some people call it weak-willed; I call it being efficient.
So with those statistics in mind, I propose something new, something different for this New Year. This year, I propose we make resolutions we can actually keep. If you resolve to lose 15 pounds, the scale will tell the tale of your success and more likely than not, your failure. Don’t do that to yourself. A better resolution is to buy bigger pants when the old ones are too tight. It’s simple, it’s easy and you get new clothes out of the deal. Get the idea? Resolve to arrive 15 minutes late to work every morning or resolve to burn at least one batch of brownies this year. See what I mean? Those are resolutions we can actually KEEP. Start the New Year off right and get to work on keeping your new resolutions. What’s my resolution, you ask? I resolve to miss the deadline for this column each and every time. And that’s a resolution I can keep for sure!
The past couple months of 2009 were packed with activities at Generation Next. Obviously the big event during this time of year is centered on a certain something that is round, red and is all about giving. Of course I’m talking about “Eat a Red Apple Day” celebrated on December 1st! At only 65 calories the apple packs a nutritional punch being chock full of vitamins and antioxidants… Okay, I’m actually talking about Santa but we could all benefit from the occasional apple. The jolly old elf came in and read a story to all the Generation Nexters. And he also brought some reindeer food for everyone. As it turns out, those reindeer eat pretty darn good!
As you all know, the weather has been a major story line here in central Iowa. We’ve broken records for the most snowfall in the month of December. Along with that snow, of course, came the inevitable closing of the center. We know it sometimes isn’t convenient for everyone but the most important factor for us is the safety of everyone involved: staff, parents and, of course, the kids. So I would like to thank everyone for your understanding and cooperation while we get through this unpredictable winter weather season.
Our annual New Year’s at Noon celebration was another huge success. The kids tooted their own horns and wore several hats during the day. But the most exciting part came at straight up noon when it rained balloons in the PIT. And you want to know the best part? This is our second year in a row without losing a single kid in all those balloons! Pretty good, huh?
The management and staff would like to send a big “Thank You!” for all the gifts. It was very thoughtful and very appreciated. Also, we would like to announce the big winners of the snazzy little trikes we raffled off last month. The Dobbs family won the Iowa State (boo!) trike and the Schneider family won the WAY cool University of Iowa Hawkeyes (yay!) trike! Seriously, congratulations to both of the winning families. Enjoy!
And since I am sticking to my New Year’s resolution (see above), I successfully missed the first few things happening in January. New Year’s day, for instance, we were closed but I think you all know that by now. Also, I was supposed to give you advance notice of Happy Bear’s visit on January 5th but I missed that too. Oh, and walking tacos for Simple Suppers on January 13th came and went with no notice. Sorry. But there’s still plenty of stuff going on at Generation Next in February!
The Chinese New Year for 2010 begins February 14th. And 2010 is the year of the Tiger. For Tiger’s sake, I hope 2010 is better than 2009… We’re also looking forward to President’s Day (2/15), Ground Hog Day (2/2) and, of course, Valentine’s Day (2/14).
And speaking of Valentine’s Day, we’ll have our Valentine’s celebration a few days early on February 12th. We’ll do our best to keep all those little sweethearts in line!
And then we’ll be moving Mardi Gras north a few hundred miles and celebrating it here at Generation Next on February 16th. There will be mask, beads and we might be able to talk Mr. G into being the Grand Marshall of an impromptu parade!
And the biggest day on the sports calendar of course is Superbowl Sunday. Since we’re not here on Sundays, we’ll be celebrating Superbowl Friday on February 5th! So make sure you bundle all those little football fans up in their favorite team attire. We’ll be doing a little indoor tailgating with hot dogs, chips and dip and a relish tray.
I hope everyone has a happy and prosperous 2010. Stay safe on those slippery Iowa roads, stay warm during this crazy weather and thanks for reading!
Posted on January 26 2010 by Karen.
Well, this year we have successfully survived 1/3 of our holiday season with Thanksgiving Day behind us and Christmas and New Year’s still ahead. But before we put Thanksgiving in the rearview, I thought I’d share some facts about the day of thanksgiving.
46 million. No, that is not the number of calories Jerry consumed at our Thanksgiving Day dinner (close though). It is, however, the number of turkeys that wound up on a table all over the United States this past November 26th. Now that is a lot of turkey legs! 92 million to be exact…
2. Number of balloons that were “stabbed and stomped” by New York police officers in 1997 due to high winds at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. One was the Pink Panther and the other was…Barney. How many of you would like to have been one of those police officers taking down ole Barney? Be honest… That’s what I thought!
1934. The first year professional football was played on Thanksgiving Day when the Detroit Lions hosted the Chicago Bears. And, I’ll bet you didn’t know this was also the Lions’ last victory. Yep, they’re 0-and-1,113…or something like that.
And a quick “did you know” for you… I’m sure you’re all aware of the Presidential pardon granted to one lucky turkey each year before Thanksgiving. But did you know there are actually two turkeys that are spared the dinner table each year? Sure enough, one is the turkey that the President ultimately pardons and the other is his “backup” in case the presidential turkey “can’t fulfill his duties”. It’s true; I’m not making this up. It seems this happened just last year in 2008 when presidential turkey “Pecan” fell ill and backup bird “Pumpkin” was brought in at the last moment to be pardoned by then President Bush. I guess one could argue that the “fill-in fowl” has more responsibilities than our Vice President does… Don’t believe me? Quick, name one thing VP’s Quayle, Gore and Cheney accomplished while in office? And, no, misspelling potato, “inventing” the internet and shooting your friend in the face do not count as accomplishments… What’s VP Biden been up to I wonder?
“What has that crazy crew at Generation Next been up to since last we spoke?”, I’m sure is what you’re thinking. We haven’t been sitting around, twiddling our thumbs and waiting for you to ask us what we’ve been up to I can assure you that. Where to start… Oh, how about this miracle of small miracles. On November 24th, we hosted a formal luncheon for all the Seniors. A plated lunch was served in the grand ballroom of “Chez Finley” (aka, the lunch room). The attendees of this soiree were clad in their finest dresses and shirts and ties. The tables were decorated and draped with the finest of table linens. And in a culmination of the etiquette and table manners we had practiced all month, they all behaved…admirably. I know, I know it’s hard to believe but they did. All hands were kept to themselves and a minimal number of elbows touched the table. Well done, Seniors!
Also, waaaay back in October our “Fall Parade” went through without a hitch. Okay, there might have been 2 or 3 hitches but since we’re dealing with a bunch of rascals, I’d say that’s pretty good! Along with the parade was the Super-Duper Pumpkin Decorating Contest. There were some unbelievable pumpkins but in the end “Team Management” won the prize. Actually, the whole group won the prize since there was a secret little promise made that if Karen and Mary Beth won, then the whole building got a pizza party! Surprise, surprise, we won!
In November the group here at Generation Next celebrated Finley’s 2nd birthday with a big bash that included cake, ice cream, clowns, fireworks and elephants… Okay, maybe we didn’t have all that stuff but we did have cake and a good time!
December 18th is a big, big day for us here at Generation Next. First and foremost, Santa is coming. You heard me right; the jolly old elf will be here live and in person. He’ll be visiting all the good boys and girls (and some that are borderline), reading a story and handing out some reindeer food (Blitzen and company get mighty hungry hauling Santa around the globe). So make sure to keep all the little ones on the straight and narrow for a few more weeks; or at least until Santa comes.
The 18th of December is also the day we give away a couple of trikes to a couple of very lucky Generation Nexters. Here’s the deal. Instead of “adopting a family” for the holidays we collect personal items (think toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, etc…) and cleaning supplies for the less fortunate and then we give them to charities to hand out as needed. All you need to do to get a shot at one of the trikes is to donate an item and “VOILA!”, you’re registered. Oh, did I mention one of the trikes is a “Hawkeyes” ride and the other is a “Cyclones” festooned little pedaler? They’re both pretty cool…although the Hawkeyes’ is just a tad bit cooler!
The 18th is also the staff holiday party which means the building will be closing a little early that day so everyone can get ready for the big event. This year it will be held at Prairie Meadows but before you start practicing your Texas Hold ‘Em skills, it will be a non-gambling event. And that is a good thing because Mr. G is a terrible gambler…
December also holds in store the window decorating contest. Each room will decorate the window to their room and the best, most creative artwork will win a fantastic prize and they will even get their room mentioned right here in this newsletter. Now that is the kind of spontaneous publicity that can really make somebody!
Also coming up in December is the “New Years at Noon” celebration. There’ll be horns, noise makers (no, not the kids; honest-to-goodness noise makers from the store), hats and a big balloon drop in the PIT at straight-up noon on December 31st! Hopefully we don’t lose any kids amongst all those balloons.
And in the “for-your-information” department this month, Simple Suppers is gone but definitely not forgotten. Actually, it’s not even really gone; it’s just temporarily on hold until after all the craziness of the holidays is behind us. We’ll fire up the Simple Supper machine after the first of the year.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Bundle up those kids as the weather gets colder and have a truly wonderful Christmas and a happy (and safe) New Year!
Posted on December 1 2009 by Jerry.
Autumn must be the most spectacular of all the seasons. Spring garners a lot of fanfare for it is the time of rebirth and renewal. And who doesn’t like summer with its warm weather, swimming and family vacations. But autumn…that’s when the magic happens. Autumn is nature’s multi-colored farewell. If there is one trip I want to take before I leave this place, it’s a drive up the east coast of the United States to drink in the foliage as the colors change. Well, I’m not doing anything right now. How about it? Are you in?
We’ll start our trip off in Boston on a crisp, clear autumn morning. As we climb into the candy red convertible we rented the day before we notice there isn’t a cloud in the sky; it’s going to be a great trip. We’re cruisin’ now; we’re staying off the interstate and sliding through towns like North Cohasset and Humarock. We catch a glimpse of the Atlantic as we roll into Plymouth, Massachusetts just in time for lunch. After a quick bite at a little sandwich joint that’s as old as the pilgrims, we’re back in the ragtop for the short hop down to Hyannis. We arrive just in time to catch the last ferry of the day to Martha’s Vineyard to stay the night. Up at dawn’s first light and we’re the first persons aboard the ferry. Back in the convertible before 10 AM and we’re rollin’ over to Newport, Rhode Island with the top down and wind in our hair. It’s a little chilly but the fleece jacket I pulled on that morning is doing its job. After Newport, it’s over to Connecticut, back up to Massachusetts and into the Berkshire Mountains. We’ll spend a night or two here but we mustn’t linger too long for Vermont and New Hampshire await. Once there, time seems to slow down along with the car. It’s calm and serene. The tree canopy is ablaze with autumn colors. Did you see that? A cardinal, and then another, just flew out of that bush. After a few days of driving through the tree lined roads, we motor along the rocky coast of Maine into Portland. I can almost taste the lobster as we pull into the parking lot of Portland Lobster Company for dinner that evening. The next morning we’re out ahead of the crowd, beating feet down through Kennebunkport and back into Boston, for I need to get back home. I’ve got a business to run…
Last month we had a South of the Border Simple Supper with terrific tacos. Most Simple Suppers go off like clockwork but this one, well, this one had some issues. The King family. Good family, good kids…except for this night. One of the King kids spilled a drink…on purpose. So Mom put the kid in timeout and set about cleaning up the mess. And then the kids did the unthinkable: they “nana, booboo’d” their own mom! So outside they went and into the rocks where they were to stand and wait for their Mother, along with a stern talking to. Well, then they started throwing those rocks. I think mom was at her wits end but it was funny to watch because they are such good boys! And then the Templeman tykes took off with their mom’s keys! And I think she’s still looking for them… About this same time, the Schick boys went nuclear and melted down because they thought they had missed Simple Suppers! Don’t worry guys, we always have plenty of food for everyone and it’s never a party until the Schick siblings arrive.
Oh, and just a mention that over the long Labor Day weekend Renee Murray up and went on vacation down to sunny, scenic Texas without us…and was promptly stung by a jellyfish. I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere… She’s on the mend and we think she’s going to pull through.
Boy, do we have LOTS of stuff happening in the next few months. We’re busier than a foxhound at a fire hydrant convention. October 12th is Columbus Day and there might, just might, be a small prize for the child dressed in the most historically accurate Christopher Columbus costume. Halloween, of course, is October 31st but we’ll celebrating it a bit early here at Generation Next. On Wednesday, October 28th we’ll be having a “Trick or Trunk” party. There will be a costume parade in the parking lot, pumpkins decorated by each class and a car trunk full of treats. See where I’m going with that? Also, the October Simple Supper will be breakfast foods. Who doesn’t love waffles, pancakes and sausage for dinner? It’s like Christmas in July but with syrup! And the week of October 11th is Fire Prevention Week. The Johnston Fire Department will be coming out to the center that week. But with all of our fire drills over the past couple of years, we might be able to teach THEM a thing or two!
And right around the corner in November is Thanksgiving on the 26th and the busiest shopping day of the year on the 27th. Generation Next will be closed both days for turkey eating, football watching and Christmas gift buying. And if your child will be gone over the holidays, pop into the office and give us a “heads up”. November 1st is the end of Daylight Savings so don’t forget to “fall back”. And who can forget one of the biggest birthday celebrations of the year: Mickey Mouse turns 81 on November 18th. Quick, who can name the first film Mickey starred in? Stop by the office and let’s see who knows their Mickey trivia… Picture day at Generation Next is coming up on November 3rd for the Nursery – Freshman and November 4th for Sophomores – Seniors, so make sure to dress everyone in their finest duds!
Just a couple more things to mention before I hit the send button on this edition of Karen’s Corner. Just a reminder to make sure everyone is washing those hands. With flu season upon us we can never be too careful. With all the CitriCide Disinfectant we’re going through, we might just buy some stock in that company!
On a side note, we would like to remind everyone that “static cling” season is upon us. So please remember to check all baby blankets to ensure no lingerie or underwear are clinging where lingerie and underwear should not be clinging. (All names have been eliminated to protect the guilty!)
The staff Generation Next Club will be selling Butter Braids again this year. So make sure to buy plenty. They’re oh-so scrumptious AND the money goes to sending the staff to offsite continuing education conferences.
And finally, the biggest news of all. Finley and Generation Next will turn 2 this November 11th. To help Finley celebrate, we will have a PIT party, sing happy birthday, eat birthday cake, blow out the candles and have a generally fun time! Oh, and as part of the celebration, the kids can bring one wrapped book to the classroom. Each child will exchange books with a friend and all the books will remain in the classroom.
Thanks for reading and have a good fall! I mean, have a good autumn. You didn’t think I wanted you to fall down did you? No, not me…
Posted on October 16 2009 by Jerry.
