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Country Kids 11:45 AM 04-02-2018
For our STARS program we are to have childcare family activities several times a year. I literally could do something each month (many ideas in my head) but by the end of the week I'm tired and done. I don't want to do anything on Saturdays at my house and inconvenience my family and evenings are also really hard after working 11 hours and then trying to set everything back up for everyone to return in like 30 min. Also, to have like 30 people in my house is almost not possible.

Does anyone else do activities with their families after hours and during the weekend? I did a Christmas lunch Party two Christmas's ago (on a Friday) and was so exhausted afterwards. Did a back to school night this September and was going 100 miles an hour trying to do everything plus stay on top of kids that parents couldn't seem to handle.

Like I said, I have the ideas but just hard after hours and weekends to do this. Also, when I don't want to go to all the trouble and expense for just one or two families to show up.
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Unregistered 12:17 PM 04-02-2018
My family inclusion activities begin an hour before care closes and run for two hours. Then I have some clean-up time, but still have used minimal after-hours time.
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Blackcat31 12:32 PM 04-02-2018
Our QRIS program has a family involvement aspect too but none of it requires providers to do anything after hours or on weekends.

We do things such as "take home" activity packs where family's can take a backpack home that is filled with ideas and supplies (usually relating to one theme or topic) and do these activities as a family and then they share their experiences afterwards. They can do this by writing something, taking pictures or video to share or just talking about it during circle time.

We can also meet this requirement by inviting parents into the classroom for certain things (art/craft helper for the day, story or book reader etc).

We are also required to do assessments twice yearly and conferencing with parents about these assessments also counts as family involvement.
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Cat Herder 01:07 PM 04-02-2018
Mine does the same as BC's mostly. They also recommend milestone, behavior management tips or health and safety themed parent cafe's for family engagement points.

You can also make up points elsewhere if needed.
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hwichlaz 01:16 PM 04-02-2018
Muffins for Moms in May, Donuts for Dad’s in June.
October pumpkin patch field trip, families are invited to help...I get about 50% participation for each event.

Is quarterly enough?
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Josiegirl 03:17 PM 04-02-2018
Can you search for local people to come in and speak in your program, inviting dcps to attend? People such as veterinarians, dental hygienists, someone from an animal shelter, fire station, someone to speak on recycling, bicycle safety, cooking, someone to share a little bit about a different country they were from, etc.? Would that type of thing count? It'd be during hours and wouldn't require much prep.

Invite dcps for a pizza lunch and let dcks wait on them.

I know it can be extremely stressful and exhausting, especially when you do it outside of dc hours. But then trying to get everything ready during dc hours can be just as bad.

What about doing some kind of fund-raising for a local cause. Organize a yard sale with all proceeds going towards that cause. Enlist parents' help and donations. Some people are only too glad to get rid of extra stuff without having a yard sale of their own. You could hold it for some Saturday a.m. and maybe parents can sign up for 30-60 minute shifts to help. Doesn't have to be an all-day thing.
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LittleScholars 09:31 AM 04-03-2018
I also do Muffins for Mom and Donuts for Dad, and open 15 minutes early for that and run it for 30 minutes. It is perfect and I don't use much of my own time. Parents get to take a cute kid-made breakfast and coffee to go, or they can chat and munch here.

I did a Thanksgiving lunch pot luck this year. It was insane, but everyone had fun and then we were off for a little break. I had a strict cut-off time, and parents were more than happy to head out once it ended. Parents were already in vacation-mode at that point, so they didn't mind skipping out of work for an hour.

I arranged caroling at a local nursing home around Christmas, and all families came. It was really cute and parents were all responsible for their own little ones. We did that on a Saturday. If this weather ever gets warmer, I plan to schedule a park play date, in which all parents will be responsible for their children. I particularly don't mind doing these sorts of activities because I'm not responsible for children and my own kiddo enjoys doing these things. If that wasn't the case I wouldn't do weekend get-togethers.
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Tags:family engagement, points, qris, stars, stars program
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