Best of Parenting 2023

Best of Parenting 2023

Dec 28, 2016

10 Tips for Keeping Children Safe in Winter

 Even though it doesn't feel like it now...colder temperatures are on their way. When temperatures drop, children need extra attention to stay warm, safe and healthy.  Young children are less likely to recognize when they are cold and more likely to lose body heat quickly due to their small size.  Here are some tips to protect children when the thermometer dips.


1.  Think Layers.  Put several layers of clothing on your child and make sure their head, neck and hands are covered.  Dress babies and young children in one more layer than an adult would wear.

2.  Beware of Clothing Hazards.  Scarves and hood strings can strangle smaller children so use other clothing to keep them warm.

3.  Check In on Warmth.  Tell children to come inside if they get wet or they're cold. 

4.  Use Sunscreen.  Children and adults can still get sunburned in the winter.  Sun can reflect on snow so apply sunscreen.

5.  Install Alarms.  More household fires happen during the winter to make sure you have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home.

6.  Get Equipped.  Children should always wear helmets when snoboarding, skiing, sledding or playing ice hockey.  Any sports equipment should be professionally fitted.

7.  Teach Technique.  It takes time to master fun winter activities like sledding, so make sure children know how to do the activity safely.

8.  Prevent Nosebleeds.  If your child suffers from minor winter nosebleeds, use a cold air humidifier in their room.  Saline nose drops can help keep their nose moist.

9.  Keep Them Hydrated.  In drier winter air kids lose more water through their breath.  Keep them drinking and try giving them warm drinks and warm soup.

10.  Watch for Danger Signs.  Signs of frostbite are pale, grey or blistered skin on fingers, ears, nose, and toes.  If you think your child has frostbite bring the child indoors and put the affected area in warm (not hot) water.  Signs of hypothermia are shivering, slurred speech, and unusual clumsiness.  If you think your child has hypothermia, call 9-1-1- immediately.




Dec 22, 2016

Happy Holidays from AoCS

Wishing everyone happy holidays!  Please remember The Academy is closed Friday, December 23rd and Monday, December 26th for the Christmas holiday.  We are also closed Monday, January 2nd for the New Year holiday.  We are looking forward to great 2017 full of laughter, fun and learning.


Dec 14, 2016

Merry Christmas!

The children have worked so hard on their annual Christmas programs.  We've practiced for weeks and it paid off.  The children did such a great job!  We were so proud of them and their teachers.  It definitely got everyone in the Christmas spirit.  Happy holidays from our school family to yours. 












#GivetoGatlinburg

Thank you to all of our families who donated so many supplies to those in need from the recent fires that affected our neighbors to the east.  We are so excited to get these items where they need to go.  What generous families we have here at AoCS. 


Dec 13, 2016

Surprise Visit

Our students were happily surprised when Olaf came to visit today.  They walked into school and found him walking the hallways and visiting in classes.  He came as a special guest to our Winter Wonderland Breakfast.  Thanks, Olaf, for visiting our school today and bringing so many smiles to our children's faces.
















Dec 2, 2016

Winter Car Seat Safety

 There are deaths reported every year where children have been ejected from their car seats because they were wearing their bulky winter coat.

How does this accident happen? Experts say when the coat compresses, it leaves too much room between a child's body and the straps in their seat.

Janet Brooks, child advocacy manager at Primary Children’s Hospital, said there’s an easy way to check if a child’s coat is too big to wear under their harness.

-place them in the car seat with their winter coat on and tighten the harness the best you can
-undo the harness and take your child out and leave the harness exactly as it was
 -take their coat off and place them back in the car seat and fasten the harness to see how loose the harness really is

Below are a few suggestions on how to keep children safe and warm in their car seat:
-Put their coats on backward
-Cover the child with a blanket once they are strapped in their seat
-Put a lightweight sweatshirt on them

Let's have a happy and safe holiday season!



Dec 1, 2016

Learning is Serious Business

We take learning pretty serious around here...even though we learn through play.  Check out this adorable picture of Ms. Francene and her hands-on learning experience she provided for her Preschool One kids.  They were discovering opposites by exploring hard and soft marbles.


Superheroes have SUPERvision

We host a staff meeting once a month. It's a great time to bond, socialize, and stay up-to-date on the latest childcare trends and advancements.  We also use it as a time to refresh on policies and procedures.  Our last meeting focused on our number one priority...supervision.  We put a superhero pin on it because our teachers are SUPER in our sight.  And superheroes have SUPERvision.  It was such a fun night!  Check out our group of super teachers below.