To help families with young children adjust to the current situation brought on by the public health emergency, DC Child Care Connections developed a system to provide useful information and resources to help with at-home learning, maintaining mental health and other important early childhood topics.
We have worked with community partners to identify a series of daily resources and activities from nationally-recognized organizations that families can use to keep children engaged and to continue the learning process. All resources are developmentally appropriate for the ages specified and are aligned to the DC Early Learning Standards.
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Tough Talks: Approaching Challenging Conversations with Young Children
From difficult family events to pressing social issues, children are often exposed to a breadth of challenging topics from a very early age. Whatever the difficult subject may be, families are often the first responders to provide support to children as they make sense of the issue. Approaching conversations about difficult topics may seem daunting to many adults charged with caring for young children. Families can find advice for sensitive discussions below:
- Take time to prepare for the conversation. Experts from the American Psychological Association recommend that families prepare for difficult conversations beforehand. Rehearsing key points, identifying the ideal time to have the discussion and finding out what children already know about the situation can help families effectively guide the conversation.
- Engage with children in an age-appropriate manner. According to child development experts at Pennsylvania State University, age and stage of child’s development are two important considerations for families planning for a conversation. Families should use simple terms to describe difficult concepts and break down complex issues to their simplest form. Examples of ways to modify language to meet children where they are developmentally can be found below.
- Reassure children of their safety. Common Sense Media, an organization that reviews and provides content ratings for media, emphasizes the importance of communicating safety to children verbally and through gestures (such as a comforting hug) when engaging in difficult conversations. Assuring children that adults are actively working to handle the situation at hand may provide additional feelings of security.
Resource Highlights
- The Washington Posts’ Tips for Talking about Tough Subjects provides families with seven concrete tips for approaching tough conversations with young children.
- National Public Radio’s (NPR) Life Kit for Difficult Conversations provides families with a collection of short podcasts that provide tips on tackling difficult conversations with children.
- Sesame Street in Communities: Talking with Children provides families video and print resources with strategies for approaching uncomfortable conversations with children.
DC Child Care Connections’ Family Connections Workshops
Workshop: Money Matters
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
During this session, participants will learn strategies to balance and build a family budget. Participants will explore ways to eliminate debt, calculate monthly expenses, compare expenses to income, lower monthly costs and be more mindful about spending. By the end of the session, participants will be able to build a budget that works for their family.
World Breastfeeding Week
Strong Start, DC’s early intervention program, and DC Public Library are hosting a series of free workshops on developmental milestones for infants and toddlers. Workshop details can be found below:
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually in more than 120 countries from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7. This week-long celebration is a recognition of the benefits of breastfeeding for children, families and communities. Families can learn more about this global celebration below.
Let’s Read Together!
Read with your child throughout the day, each day during the week.
- Save the Day by Dani Neiley and Chris Jones
- Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd and Nneka Myers
- Crying is Like the Rain by Heather Hawk Feinberg and Chamisa Kellogg
- Rescue and Jessica by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes
- My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf and Ashley Barron
Week of August 1, 2022
- Music and Movement Monday: Work on letter identification while enjoying a game that is sure to keep kids moving.
- Tasty Tuesday: Enjoy a refreshing smoothie made with nutritious ingredients.
- Wellness Wednesday: Get physically active with fun games that use household items.
- Textured Thursday: Create a colorful collage heart craft.
- Family Fun Friday: Explore the National Zoo as a family.
Week of August 8, 2022
- Music and Movement Monday: Get active with animal inspired movements.
- Tasty Tuesday: Create a tasty crispy rice treat at home.
- Wellness Wednesday: Learn about essential healthy habits for children.
- Textured Thursday: Craft a decorative butterfly using coffee filters.
- Family Fun Friday: Discover tips to creating quality family time at home.
District of Columbia Youth Meals Program
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education is pleased to announce the summer DC Youth Meals Program. Through Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, all youth 18 and younger can stop by one of more than 100 open meal sites across the District and eat a no-cost breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack!
Meals are distributed Monday-Saturday, and there’s no application or ID required. To find a DC Youth Meals summer site near you call 1-866-348-6479, text Comida or Food to 304-304, or visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids. Be on the lookout for meals at DC farmers markets, Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) pools, Beat the Streets and neighborhood site locations.
Promote the program: Make sure your friends, family and community know about the summer DC Youth Meals Program and where to find a meal site. Click below for more information.
Get Back on Track with Vaccinations
Vaccines are required for school and child care! Has your child received their routine childhood vaccinations yet? Mobile units are now available to ensure that your kid stays on track. Visit to pre-register for your appointment today.
Questions About Your Child’s Development?
Strong Start is DC’s early intervention program, offering free services for children under the age of 3 with developmental delays or disabilities. Strong Start provides therapeutic and other services for DC infants and toddlers and their families. Strong Start is currently offering and delivering services to children and their families through in-person visits; a combination of in-person and telehealth visits; or completely through telehealth visits.
If you have questions about your child’s development, call Strong Start today at (202) 727-3665.
Submit a Strong Start Referral Now!
Product Recall Alerts
- Konges Sløjd Baby Mirror Activity Toys have been recalled due to laceration hazard.
- Monti Kids Toy Box with Bins have been recalled due to choking hazard.
We are here to help! If you need support in navigating these resources or help planning experiences for your children, please contact one of our team members today. Please contact us at DC Child Care Connections (202) 829-2500.
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