January 2010 is fast approaching and that means Free Preschool Places on the ECCE Scheme for those lucky enough to have enrolled on time.  Call us today on 045 893017 and have a chat about the scheme.  Don't lose out because you've left it til the last minute.  This is a great opportunity for you and your child.  See you soon!

It's that time again with kids starting and returning to school.  Don't fret and stress about afterschool care and unreliable collections!  Come and chat to us about our afterschool service.  Buses run between Clane schools and the creche - details available upon request.

Reasonably priced afterschool care in our ever more expensive country. Before and after school €70 per week.   After school only €45 per week.

Contact us for a chat and a viewing 045 893017

We are delighted to announce our excellent and affordable After School Service.  Activities, arts'n crafts, play and homework supervision. 

€70 per week for Before and Afterschool.

€45 per week for Afterschool only.

A local bus company runs between the schools in Clane and the creche - details upon request. 

We are currently enrolling for our Summer camp which runs through July and August.  There is a choice of two sessions; 9.30am - 12.30pm or 2.30pm - 5.30pm.  The cost of 70 euros per week.

We are also taking bookings for September.  Full time, part time and Montessori spaces available.  Call us with your requirements and we will do our best to facilitate you.

Phone 045 893017

I came across this recently and thought it smacked of common sense and could be extremely helpful to all you parents:

10 Behavior Principles Parents Need To Know

Most behaviors…
 

1. Are learned. Some behaviors may be influenced by biological factors, but most are learned. For instance, the shy kid can learn social skills to become more confident in groups; the aggressive kid can learn anger management skills; the impulsive kid can learn skills and techniques to stop and think before he acts.
2. Can be changed. Most behaviors can be changed by using proven research-based techniques.
3. Need intervention. Don't expect your kid to change on his own. His behavior will most likely only get worse without your intervention. Also, don't think poor behavior is “just a fad that he'll outgrow.” You're just providing more time for your kid's bad behavior to become a habit. And then it will be even tougher to change.
4. Take time to change. Behavior change takes time. Don't think your thirty-minute Saturday night lecture to make more than a dent in your kid's behavior on Sunday. Give you and your kid time. Remember, new behavior habits generally take a minimum of 21-days of repetition.
5. Require commitment. Long-term commitment is necessary for any meaningful and permanent change. There's no getting around it: parenting is tough work.
6. Must have a substitute. No behavior will change permanently unless you teach your kid another behavior to replace it. Think about it: if you tell your kid to stop doing one behavior, what will he do instead? Without a substitute behavior, chances are he'll revert to using the old misbehavior.
7. Require a good example. Behaviors are learned best by seeing it done right. So make sure your behaviors or examples you provide are ones that you want your kid to emulate. I call that the “Boomerang Effect”: what you throw out to your kid is like a boomerang that comes back to hit you in the face.
8. Demand practice. Behavior change requires practice. You'd never tell a kid to go out to throw a pass at a game by just handing him a football when the game is just starting. You would first have helped him practice for weeks before that. The same is true for learning any new behavior, so practice, practice, practice until he can do the new behavior on his own.
9. Benefit from encouragement. Encourage every step along the way. The willingness to try, the first efforts and small successes, the recoveries from setbacks to the maximum amount of improvement. Behavior change is hard and deserves to be encouraged, acknowledged and celebrated.
10. Are never too late to change. Even if the problem has been going on a long time, don't despair. Help is on the way.

The kids had great fun in the week leading up to Easter what with chat about the Easter bunny, creating Easter bunny card works of art and surprise Easter eggs for everyone in the audience (thanks Kitty!).  Our montessori teacher, Liesa, had a well deserved week off and we hope she did lots of fun stuff. 

The rest of the gang, Kate, Mary R, Danielle, Lorraine, Maureen and Norrie were here working their usual magic and I'd just like to say a big 'thanks' to all of them for making Longtown Creche the special place it is.

Please bear with us as we update our website. We will soon add pictures and (a little later) a short movie featuring Longtown Creche…just to give you a better idea of how lovely our little creche is!!  Thanks for your patience.