This past year has brought many challenges, but distance learning is definitely one of the biggest obstacles parents have faced. Two early childhood educators saw a need and created a resource to help fill the gaps. Joey School is a preschool subscription service that gives parents all the resources they need to teach their children at home.
Designed for children ages three to six, these subscription boxes have everything inside you need to guide your child through Joey School’s exciting and thematic hands-on curriculum.
When you subscribe to Joey Box you will receive 12 months of preschool learning delivered right to your doorstep. What could be easier?
Each box includes 30+ monthly activities and a featured monthly book. If you subscribe to the service, the first box also comes equipped with a supply pack which is then replenished in December, March, June and September.
According to their blog, Ms. KT and Ms. Melanie said, “At Joey School, we understand the importance of early childhood education and its impact on the academic success of children long-term. We are here to support you and your child and provide a positive preschool experience within the walls of your own home.”
A Joey School subscription costs $99/month with a $150/month option for siblings. You also have the opportunity to order one box to try out the service. Additional supply packs cost $10.
This Saves Lives, a snack brand on a mission to end severe acute malnutrition in children, has created a special limited-edition #BeTheOne Essentials Kit in partnership with STATE Bags. The kit, which includes one Lorimer Fanny Pack, one box of This Saves Lives’ Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bars, one face mask and two branded pins, is now available for purchase online for $105. Each purchase will help save the lives of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition worldwide, while also providing virtual tutoring to children in underfunded neighborhoods across the United States.
The impact of COVID-19 on children worldwide is incredibly substantial. Every 11 seconds, a child dies due to severe acute malnutrition, and this number has more than doubled as a result of the pandemic. In addition, low-income and high-risk children in underfunded neighborhoods across the United States are struggling in school due to a lack of available resources. The partnership between This Saves Lives and STATE Bags was established to increase awareness around the significant needs of children throughout the world and inspire consumers to get involved in making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
“New Year’s resolutions are typically long-forgotten by February, so we’re making it our mission this year to help people make a resolution they can actually keep,” said Todd Grinnell, co-founder of This Saves Lives and actor. “We created #BeTheOne to help encourage consumers to ‘Be the One’ to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most in 2021. We’re honored that STATE Bags, a mission-driven brand with values closely aligned with ours, has partnered with us to not only offer an exciting limited-edition bundle with our combined best-selling products, but to really increase awareness of the considerable needs of children around the world and how consumers can help.”
“The impact This Saves Lives is making by providing life-saving nutrition to children in need is truly inspiring, and it’s a mission we knew we had to support,” said Jacqueline Tatelman, co-founder of STATE Bags. “We’re passionate about helping children in the ways they need it most, from offering free 1 on 1 tutoring for kids struggling to keep up during COVID-19 to donating fully-packed backpacks at our signature bag drop rallies, it made sense to combine our efforts to make a larger impact together in 2021.”
“It’s incredibly heartbreaking to see the impact the pandemic is having on children throughout the world. Kids are dying of severe acute malnutrition at an even higher rate due to COVID-19,” said Kristen Bell, This Saves Lives co-founder and actor. “I’m so happy This Saves Lives has partnered with STATE Bags for the #BeTheOne campaign which helps combat injustices in our country and worldwide.”
There’s nothing like a warm meal delivered to your doorstep, especially in times of need. Lasagna Love is a national grassroots movement of kindness and support that connects neighbors through homemade meal delivery.
The idea came about in the spring when Rhiannon Menn began delivering homemade lasagnas to families in her community who were struggling when the pandemic hit.
In just under eight months, Lasagna Love has spread across 47 states in America (including major metros: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, New York, San Diego and San Francisco), delivered over 8,000 meals and is supported by 4,000+ “Lasagna Mamas” and “Lasagna Papas.”
“To accomplish these milestones in such a short window of time is a huge testament to the impact of Lasagna Love,” said Menn. “We are reaching more families at a time when food insecurity is skyrocketing and with non-profit status, now have the ability to gain additional funding through employer matching, Amazon Smile, and countless other avenues. All of this has been achieved organically along with personal passion from our volunteers who share a profound desire to give with purpose. Lasagna Love is highlighting a level of overlooked humanity that crosses every boundary.”
Lasagna Love came about from a desire to help others without expectation of gratitude or reciprocation. Menn said, “Kindness has a network effect, which in turn, strengthens our communities. If we’re able to shift our perspective, to give grace and see possibility instead of focusing on what we’ve lost or what we wish we had…the entire fabric of our being is changed. Lasagna Love volunteers are setting a renewed tone around giving without judgement or divisiveness. Their generosity of spirit is seeding a behavior shift with neighbors focusing on the needs of community members without qualification, and empowering others to ask for help without fear of being deemed undeserving.”
It’s easy to become a Lasagna “Mama” or “Papa” and there is no commitment or expectation for giving. Signups and donations can be managed directly from Lasagna Love’s website.
Lasagna Love isn’t exclusively focused on delivering home-cooked meals. It aims to normalize asking for help which is something that doesn’t always come easily. “The more frequently we message that it’s OK to ask for help, the more likely we are to shift the narrative around asking when we need it,” said Menn.
To establish additional funding to support meal deliveries to families in need, the Lasagna Love online store features Lasagna Love-branded merchandise including aprons, hats, face masks, onesies, stickers and car signs.
“Our volunteers are embracing a reality of zero judgement, open heart, and giving without any expectation of appreciation,” said Menn. “When our volunteers deliver a meal, it doesn’t just have an impact in that moment. What we’ve learned over time is that recipient families are often inspired to pay it forward and help those around them when they can. Some are even inspired to become Lasagna Mamas and Papas themselves.”
To join the Lasagna Love movement, donate, or to purchase Lasagna Love-branded merchandise, visit www.lasagnalove.org.
Families living in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh are receiving critically needed early education resources. Sesame Workshop unveiled its first Rohingya Muppets as part of its Play to Learn Humanitarian Program. The new characters, Noor and Aziz, are 6-year-old twins that love to learn and play using their creativity and imagination.
The new Muppet characters will be featured in groundbreaking Rohingya-language educational media as part of the Play to Learn program in partnership with BRAC, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and New York University’s Global TIES for Children. Made possible by the LEGO Foundation this program aims to support children and families affected by the Rohingya Refugee crisis. The Cox Baxar refugee camp is home to more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees who fled conflict in neighboring Myanmar. More than half are children.
“Noor and Aziz are at the heart of our efforts to bring early education and learning through play to children and caregivers affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, who have been impacted tremendously by the dual crises of displacement and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sherrie Westin, President of Social Impact, Sesame Workshop. “These are two very special Sesame Muppets—for most Rohingya children, Noor and Aziz will be the very first characters in media who look and sound like them. Rooted in the rich Rohingya culture and informed by extensive research and input from Rohingya families, Noor and Aziz will bring the transformative power of playful learning to families at a time when it’s needed more than ever before.”
Noor Yasmin, known as Noor for short, is a 6-year-old Rohingya girl who loves to learn and play. She lives in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp with her twin brother, Aziz, and their family. Noor loves to make up fun and funny new rules for the games she plays with her friends and family. She is deeply curious about how the world works and uses play to help her understand her world. Her passion for asking questions and finding answers often inspires her and Aziz to try new ways of playing (and learning). She’s a confident girl who believes that there is no problem too big for her to try to solve.
Aziz, Noor’s brother, is a playful 6-year-old Rohingya boy. Aziz is a natural performer and storyteller; he loves to use his imagination to create and act out stories about kings, queens, and animals. His creativity sometimes distracts him from accomplishing a task, but Noor and friends help him focus. He enjoys assisting others with tasks like household chores and values the importance of helping his family and friends. He relies on his sister for support, laughter – and finding new ways to play.
The two new characters, along with familiar Sesame Street friends like Elmo and Elmo’s dad, Louie, will be featured in new video segments on social-emotional learning, math, science, and health and safety. In every segment, the duo will engage in a learning activity centered around the five characteristics of playful experiences that help children learn best—experiences that are joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, iterative, and socially interactive. In partnership with BRAC, video segments will be shared through BRAC’s Humanitarian Play Labs and additional direct services. Facilitator trainings, storybooks, and printed educational resources will accompany the new video segments and be integrated into BRAC and IRC’s direct services in the coming year.
“Investing in learning through play is even more crucial now, where thousands of children affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, now face the additional unforeseen challenges posed by the global pandemic. Noor and Aziz not only share similar experiences with many of the children who find themselves in this crisis, they will also help these young children to overcome trauma and stress, and build resilience, while engaging in fun play-based learning activities,” said Sarah Bouchie, Chief Impact Officer at the LEGO Foundation. “Learning through play also helps children to develop the holistic skills, including creativity and social-emotional skills, which are vital to survive and thrive in this rapidly changing world.”
In addition to supporting families affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis, both in displaced and Bangladeshi host communities, Play to Learn is also reaching children affected by the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan and Lebanon as part of Sesame Workshop and the IRC’s Ahlan Simsim program. In both Bangladesh and the Middle East, Play to Learn combines educational media with direct services reaching families in their homes, community centers, and play spaces to infuse children’s daily lives with playful learning opportunities that are essential to their healthy development and empower them to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. By designing program approaches and educational content that can be adapted for different contexts around the world, Play to Learn is laying the foundation to transform how the world supports children in humanitarian crises, wherever they may be, for generations to come.
This holiday season will look dramatically different for many children and families. Sesame Workshop and Viatris Inc. are launching new resources to support the social and emotional needs of families across generations around the world during the pandemic. This new global resource will reach families on six continents.
Today’s release of materials on SesameStreet.org/caring in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Portuguese is designed to help young children talk through and name big feelings like stress and fear, encourage positive caregiving strategies and routines, and help families find ways to celebrate together when far apart.
“We know children and families everywhere are struggling as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Together with Viatris, we are offering families strategies to cope with today’s challenges and foster emotional wellbeing long into the future,” said Sherrie Westin, President of Social Impact and Philanthropy, Sesame Workshop. “As we head into the holidays with so many routines upended, we want to help children and their caregivers manage big feelings and spend quality time with each other, even when apart.”
“Our work with Sesame Workshop stems from our mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life,” said Lara Ramsburg, Head of Corporate Affairs for Viatris. “From young children to parents, grandparents, and other caregivers, we hope these new resources will be of value to anyone who has experienced the emotional impact of the pandemic on their families. As we begin our journey as Viatris, we’re committed to supporting social impact initiatives and partnerships that have the potential to have a lasting, positive impact on patients, families and communities worldwide. We’re pleased to collaborate with Sesame Workshop, who has a long history of making a difference in the lives of children around the world.”
Viatris, a new kind of global healthcare company, is committed to doing its part in support of public health needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the generous support to make these new resources possible, Viatris will share the resources with its global workforce of approximately 45,000.
The resources launched today as part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which was created in response to the uncertainty facing families during the COVID-19 pandemic and has reached families in more than 100 countries and 41 languages. http://SesameStreet.org/caring is regularly updated to meet the needs of families as the situation evolves, with resources designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home and staying physically and mentally healthy. Resources will also be distributed through a wide range of national and community providers as part of Sesame Street in Communities, Sesame Workshop’s program to support children and families.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
Featured photo: Sesame Street In Communities via YouTube
TIME, TIME for Kids and Nickelodeon have finally announced the winner of the 2020 Kid of the Year and 15-year-old scientist and innovator Gitanjali Rao from Colorado has taken home the prize. The multi-platform initiative has set out to recognize young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities, and Rao is no exception.
She and other top finalists will be honored during the Kid of the Year TV special hosted by Trevor Noah on Fri. Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The special will be aired on Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons and will feature guests stars such as Kristen Bell, Simone Biles, Billie Eilish, Rob Gronkowski, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Hemsworth, Ken Jeong, Angelina Jolie and Malala Yousafzai.
photo: TIME
Rao sat down with Angelina Jolie in an interview to discuss her work with technology. “I don’t look like your typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that it’s an older, usually white man as a scientist…. My goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the world’s problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, it’s not easy when you don’t see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message that anybody can do it. If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it.”
The top five Kid of the Year honorees will receive a cash prize and will serve as a Kid Reporter for TIME for Kids at a Nickelodeon event. You can find more information about the program atKidoftheYear2020.com, and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the Dec. 14 issue of TIME featuring Gitanjali Rao on newsstands this Fri., Dec. 4.
In a year that’s been like no other, Nickelodeon is celebrating families in its first ever Blue’s Clues & You! “Blue Friday.” In partnership with nonprofit organization BabyBaby, Nickelodeon will make a donation to the organization to help support kids and families in need on Fri. Nov. 20.
Baby2Baby provides children aged 0 to 12 who are living in poverty with diapers, clothing and basic necessities. During the pandemic, the organization has provided over 40 million essential items to vulnerable children across the country impacted by Covid-19.
photo: Nickelodeon
The network will also premier all-new Blue’s Clues & You! including “Blue’s Big Baking Show” on Nov. 20 and “Blue’s Night Before Christmas” on Dec. 4. Beginning Dec. 8, this episode will be available for viewing on Noggin, along with a holiday hub of 50 pieces of holiday-themed shorts, full-length episodes of hit series PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, Peppa Pig, games, play-along videos and e-books.
“Self-care” As Mothers, we hear this phrase a lot, oftentimes with a joke about drinking excessive amounts of wine, or actually being able to enjoy a warm cup of coffee; both are examples of coping, but not really self-care. Self-care goes beyond just how we cope; it is a multi-faceted way of taking care of our many needs as mothers, women, and as human beings. I think it is helpful to look at self-care across several different arenas..
I encourage you to brainstorm what each of these categories means to you. I’ve jotted down my understanding of these categories to help get you started:
Physical: Taking care of your body by seeing medical providers regularly, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, fueling your body with a variety of nourishing foods (yes, that also means enjoying foods like pizza and chocolate in moderation).
Spiritual: Meditating, participating in a religious organization, volunteering, practicing gratitude, and journaling are all great ways to take care of your spiritual self.
Emotional: Making time to have without the kids (and sometimes your partner), saying “no” to what does not serve you, setting boundaries, and addressing stress as it pops up in your life.
Financial: A less well-known category of self-care, but an extremely important one. If you don’t have enough money to pay your bills – or if you spend recklessly – you will end up having a lot of stress. Financial self-care can be having a budget, paying bills on time, saving money, and overall having a good idea of your finances.
Environmental: Our immediate physical surroundings can have a big impact on how we feel. This involves having a system to keep some sense of order in your home, cleaning, and asking for help when you need it.
Psychological: Your mental health is impacted by all of these areas, but also needs to be treated as a separate entity. Social supports such as friends, Mom groups, empathic family members, and therapists are all examples of taking care of yourself psychologically.
What self-care is not: overspending, drinking alcohol/using substances, over-exercising, restricting/binging on food, not speaking up about stressors, not asking for help.
My biggest recommendation for self-care is recognizing that it is an ongoing journey, it is unique to each individual, and it is important to be flexible as you change over time. I’ve linked my favorite self-care items that span across all of these categories.
1
Mama Affirmation Cards
Inspirational Affirmation Cards for Mommas
$17.95
When I am struggling to feel capable as a Mother, these affirmation cards can quickly remind me of abilities, strength, and validate different emotions I am experiencing. Emotional self-care.
Because the Spa is expensive and not all of our partner's want to give us back massages. This Shiatsu massager can go deep with it's kneading massage and also provides heat to all those sore spots. I know I tend to carry all of my tension in my shoulders and feel so much better when I relieve them. Perfect for your physical self-care!
Scents that will help ground you on the craziest of days
$17.99
Research has shown that aromatherapy both can help relax the mind and sometimes even stimulate it when we are struggling. Scent is a powerful sense and we can help ease our stress levels and re-focus with essential oils we apply or diffuse at home.
Since cleaning is something that I loathe and put off, this downloadable chore checklist helps me feel like I can tackle cleaning. There is something so rewarding about having a list ready-to-do that I just have to check-off as I complete tasks.
Another way to experience a spa night at home, this kit includes my favorite brand of aromatherapy masks for your face, hands, feet, and even special ones for under your eyes. Plus they are all safer beauty products!
Nickelodeon, TIME and TIME for Kids announced the top 20 finalists for the first-ever Kid of the Year honor. This new initiative will recognize extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities. The top five honorees from the list will be featured in a television special hosted by Trevor Noah.
The Kid of the Year TV special will introduce the top five honorees ahead of the ultimate Kid of the Year being named, and feature guest stars from entertainment, sports and pop culture to help surprise them and celebrate their work. Celebrity guests scheduled to make appearances throughout the special include Kristen Bell, Simone Biles, Brie Larson, Zachary Levi and Russell Westbrook, among others.
The special will simulcast across Nickelodeon, CBS Television Network, TeenNick and Nicktoons on Sat., Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). One kid will be chosen as Kid of the Year and will be featured on a cover of TIME with a companion story in TIME for Kids.
Each of the five Kid of the Year honorees will receive a cash prize and have the opportunity to serve as a Kid Reporter for TIME for Kids with exclusive access to a Nickelodeon event. For additional information about the initiative, visit KidoftheYear2020.com.
We are seven months into the pandemic and caregivers continue to be impacted by the increasing challenges of juggling work and family commitments. Recent labor statistics show that nearly 80% of the 1.1 million workers who dropped out of the workforce in September were women, and that number may continue to grow. A new study by Fidelity Investments finds that nearly 4-in-10 working women (39%) are actively considering leaving the workforce or reducing their hours due to increased remote schooling and caregiving responsibilities.
“As more women and caregivers nationwide find themselves contemplating stepping away from their career or reducing hours at work, Fidelity is here to support them,” said Kathleen Murphy, president of personal investing at Fidelity Investments. “From providing financial planning support in the workplace, to working with women one-on-one to evaluate options to keep savings goals on track, to helping Fidelity’s own associates navigate these work and family challenges, we’re here to help.”
The study also found an increase in financial engagement among women since the onset of the pandemic. While women were already building good planning and savings habits, many have amped up those efforts in the last six months.
Fidelity is collaborating with thousands of companies across the country to roll out Women Talk Money, a new program to help more women get financially engaged and connect with the guidance they need to address these pressing work and life decisions.
Photo courtesy of Fidelity Investments
“Women and caregivers are being challenged like never before and are looking to become more informed and better prepared as they make financial choices for today and the future,” said Lorna Kapusta, head of women investors at Fidelity. “Women Talk Money delves into why women need to think differently about financial planning, how life choices may affect the growth of savings and future financial security, and how to create a financial road map to help reach individual goals and accommodate expected and unexpected detours along the way.”
The program’s flagship six-part video series provides an overview of the key factors that affect women differently and can have a significant impact on their financial futures. Each 10-minute segment is reinforced with a ‘What You Need to Know’ Resource Guide with key takeaways and actionable next steps to apply to personal planning.