Thursday, April 16, 2015 is the day for on-time registration for  the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond, as well as the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George and Sussex.

It’s important to register by the registration on April 16 so you don’t miss any important information, teachers can be well prepared for your child in the classroom and school can prepare with enough staff and materials for a great start to the new school year.

Registering your first kindergartner? Get started now.
There’s quite a bit of paperwork involved and you may need a little time to get everything together.
Here’s your Kindergarten Checklist (Download and print one here):

-Child’s official, certified birth certificate

-Child’s Social Security card

-Proof of address

-School Entrance Health Form

-Photo ID for parent of legal guardian

Get more information plus contact information and registration times and locations at Smart Beginnings.

Don’t forget!
 Download & Print our Kindergarten Registration Quick Guide Here

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On his first day of Kindergarten, my oldest happily skipped down the steps of the bus and told us about his adventures on his first day of school. And then, he casually asked, “Mommy, what is the F-word?” I gasped. After I had regrouped, I told him that was a word that we didn’t use. Although he insisted on knowing what it meant, of course, I didn’t tell him. I went to bed that night feeling jaded about society and how we can’t protect our children from hearing inappropriate words, seeing graphic images, or whatever else I hadn’t even had a chance to worry about yet.

A few weeks later, my son came home after school and solemnly said, “Tell me the truth, Mommy. Is a weasel a fart?” I answered yes. With an injured look on his face, he accused, “I didn’t know that! You could have TOLD me! Everyone knew but me!”

You see, it had all started so innocently. When my oldest was in daycare as a baby, our daycare provider called passing gas a “weasel”. It originated from “Pop, goes the weasel”.  Anyhow, somehow the name of this bodily function stuck in our family. It was a handy term, since nobody else knew what it meant. In a house where I am outnumbered by males and testosterone runs high, the word was used as defined in number three below. Although the origins of this word in our household designate it as a noun, over time, it also came to be used as a verb as demonstrated below. And, let me tell you, hilarity ensues when weasels happen (although I am the only one not laughing).

wea·sel

ˈwēzəl/

1. noun
   
   • a small, slender, carnivorous mammal related to, but generally smaller than, the stoat.

2. informal
   
   • a deceitful or treacherous person.
   • flatulence, passing gas, fart.
     
3. verb
   
   • achieve something by use of cunning or deceit.
     “she suspects me of trying to weasel my way into his affections”
   • passed gas, farted “I accidentally weaseled”

As my boys are growing up faster than I can sometimes handle, it seems as if my oldest is leading the way. He led the way by telling me a few years ago that he wanted to go into the men’s restroom and no longer felt comfortable going into the ladies’ room with me. I am not sure when it happened, but he loathes the word “potty” and now emphatically calls it the “restroom”. Both of my boys reassure me that they will always call me “Mommy” (seriously?).

Are there words in your household that you don’t use any more because they are considered too “babyish”? If so, what are they and was it your idea to stop using these words or your child’s idea?

The school year is coming up, and everyone wants to get off to the right start, but you may be overlooking an important exam in addition to your child’s back to school physical.

We contacted Dr. Inna Marcus, M.D. at the Virginia Eye Institute to tell us a little bit about the importance of getting an eye exam before starting school and a little bit of what to expect at your appointment.

Why are eye exams important before entering school?
It is important to identify vision problems before entering school for two reasons. The first is that poor vision can interfere with learning. Secondly, visual development occurs in early childhood and is completed in early adolescence. Visual development that is interrupted causes amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye. Amblyopia can be due to a need for glasses, the eyes are not aligned or something blocking vision like a cataract. Amblyopia responds best to treatment before age eight. Children with amblyopia who are diagnosed at an early age, preferably before starting school, have the best chance of improving their vision and having normal vision in both eyes throughout life.

How often and at what age should children get eye exams?
Screening for eye problems begins in the newborn nursery when children are screened by the the pediatrician for abnormalities caused by structural problems. This type of screening continues at well visits until age three when the visual acuity can be tested by having the child read an eye chart. Screenings should continue yearly throughout childhood. Any child who fails a screening, has suspected structural or eye movement problems, has medical problems associated with eye problems or has a family history of eye disease should be referred to an eye doctor for a complete exam.

What can parents and kids expect from a routine eye exam?
A complete eye exam, sometimes called a routine eye exam, has five components.
1. Comprehensive history about any eye problems, medical problems and family history of eye problems.
2. Testing the visual acuity with an age appropriate method (ie. matching for younger children and lines of letters for older children).
3. Evaluation of depth perception and muscle balance including tracking and the ability of the eyes to work together.
4. Structural exam of the pupils, eye surface and inner structures including the lens, optic nerve and retina. The pupil must be dilated with special eye drops to allow the doctor to see the inner eye structures. This part of the exam can identify important problems like cataracts, retinoblastoma, coats disease and optic nerve problems.
5. Refraction which is the measurement of the glasses prescription which reveals the ability of the eye to focus light and project a clear image on the retina. Nearsightedness, astigmatism and high farsightedness make the vision  blurry. Children should have the refraction done after dilation which relaxes the the eye. Before dilation the lens, which is very flexible in children, can flex to focus light and give a false refraction. This can result in a glasses prescription that can cause eye strain and headaches.

What are some signs of a vision problem that parents should look out for?
Most children show no signs of vision problems which is why screening is very important. Some signs of eye problems include eye drifting or crossing, squinting, and tilting or turning the face to look at things.

Virginia Eye Institute has 10 offices throughout Central Virginia and services areas including Richmond, Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Prince George, Petersburg, and New Kent.
VEI provides treatment for an entire range of ophthalmic needs, including cataract surgery, retinal disorders, glaucoma care, corneal disorders, pediatric eye care and adult strabismus, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, LASIK and refractive surgery, neuro-ophthalmology, optometry, as well as optical shops for glasses or customized contact lenses

Get 30% discount off eyeglasses, sunglasses & accessories and 10% off contact lenses at VEI with the Richmondmom.com Savvy Saver app (or just print off the page and bring it in!)

Dr. Inna Marcus, M.D. specializes in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus, including amblyopia, ocular motility disorders, pediatric cataracts and glaucoma.  She received her Doctorate of Medicine from New York University following her undergraduate studies at Columbia University.  Dr. Marcus completed her ophthalmology residency at Yale University, and she completed her fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at Duke University. She is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Ophtalmology, and the American Association for Pediatric Ophtalmology and Strabismus.

Virginia Eye Institute is a Sponsor of Richmondmom.com

This daunting rite of passage is exactly why Christine Bronstein, daughter of Borders Books co-founder Louis Borders, penned Stewie Boomstein Starts School;  a new book for both kids and their parents to help ease the transition into kindergarten.

From the Publisher:

Stewie Boomstein is a loud, comical, and sometimes cranky child, who has a big problem: he had a very bad first day of school! His entire family (including the pets) works together to solve Stewie’s problem. The next day, Stewie has a very good day at school. This illustrated book includes an interview with two well-regarded child psychologists who give simple tips and practical advice to parents on smoothing their children’s transition into school.

Divided into two parts, Stewie Boomstein Starts School starts with an engaging illustrated story for kids ages 3-6.  The second portion of the book is geared toward parents with concrete tips on what parents can do to help their kids from child and education specialists.

Stewie Boomstein Starts School is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com

Seaborn is one of more than 12,000 children who are in kindergarten this year in the Richmond region. Her mother, Dianne Seaborn, registered her on kindergarten registration day last April so the school could prepare for her child. But, more than 4,000 families in the area registered their children late and many children missed the first day of school.

Children who are five years old by September 30 can start kindergarten in the fall. But first they need to be registered. Thursday, April 10, is regional kindergarten registration day for 15 local school divisions: the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond, as well as the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King William, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George and Sussex.

Registration is held at every elementary school in the area. See times for registration and information for their specific school district.

“It’s really important that parents register their child on April 10,” said Jacque Hale, Director of Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond at United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg. “If parents wait until the summer, then it’s a scramble – both to gather the paperwork and to make sure the child has the necessary skills to be successful in school.”

At registration, schools will identify any missing paperwork, provide information about summer activities or other chances to visit the school. Even if parents don’t have all of the paperwork, they should still come registration. The school will guide parents to resources to help complete the process.

“The office staff was there to greet us and help us get through the many forms that are needed for registration,” said Seaborn, who says her daughter loved seeing the “big” cafeteria on registration day.

Families should bring the child’s certified original birth certificate, the child’s social security number, proof of address, the school entrance health form and a photo ID of the parent or legal guardian. Families are encouraged to still come to registration if they are missing a form because the school can offer resources to complete the process.

Mary Alex Seaborn on her first day of school.

Hale encourages parents to register on time so schools can hire the appropriate number of teachers and prepare for space and materials, while allowing teachers to prepare individually for each child.

“Children love seeing their name on their cubby on the first day of school and their name on the bulletin board. These things really matter to the child and sets them on the right path to succeed in school,” added Hale, who’s excited about her daughter starting kindergarten in Chesterfield County this fall.

Smart Beginnings recommends parents, grandparents and caregivers start preparing their children for kindergarten long before the child reaches the classroom. In the Richmond region, 1 in 7 children enters kindergarten already behind in language and literacy skills. They offer these tips for

families to practice with their children:
• Write their name
• Read and look at books every day
• Practice counting real objects
• Find and name letters of the alphabet everywhere you go
• Show respect and use good manners
• Follow directions and listen to others

“Parents, including expectant parents, need to know they are the first and most important teachers for their children,” said Hale. Seaborn says she started preparing her daughter for kindergarten early by reading books with her, visiting children’s museums and exploring parks.

“I also really emphasized how exciting Kindergarten would be. All children have a wide range of emotions and I didn’t want her to feel nervous or anxious about going,” she said.

“On the first day of school, Mary Alex couldn’t have been more excited! She was so ready to start her day and ride the bus. She was eager to meet new friends and eat lunch in the ‘big’ cafeteria. I was emotional about letting her go, but I was so excited for her at the same time.”

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Here’s a message about kindergarten registration from Maya Smart:

Click here to view the embedded video.

For more information about kindergarten registration and what to bring on April 10, parents can dial the phone number “2-1-1” or visit www.readychildren.net to find information specific to their school division. 2-1-1 connects to United Way’s Information and Referral Center with free information on available health and human services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It’s unfortunate that September is only 30 days long because by October 1^st I will have gone back to my old ways, neglecting paperwork and hitting the snooze button for as long as possible.  But for those blissful 30 days, I am at my best.

But this year, I find myself vacillating between unbridled excitement and bittersweet sadness.  This year I am sending another child off to Kindergarten.  My middle child, my sweet, huggable, gullible, teddy-bear-with-its-heart-on-its sleeve middle child, is leaving the nest.  And I’m not really ready for it.  Part of me wants to do cartwheels all the way to the bus stop and part of me wants to keep her tucked safely at home with me.  In my mind she’s still that little girl who would ask me to paint her “thingers” and “tonynails”.  In my mind she’s still that sweet little girl who would grab my face, look me earnestly in the eyes and say, “Mom, you’re the first mom I ever saw.”

But something happened this summer and all of a sudden she’s memorizing Taylor Swift lyrics and obsessing about clothes and watching Harry Potter movies.  How did this happen?

And so, on this rainy first day of school, I watched with pride and excitement and reluctance as my newly minted Kindergartner shed her snoopy pajamas, put on her carefully selected first day of school outfit, donned her rain coat and spanking new backpack, and stepped out onto the porch… where she promptly fell down the front steps.  She immediately began to cry, and for a split second I was convinced we had made the wrong decision.  She obviously needed to be shielded from the big bad world!  (And seriously, why does this kid constantly fall down? It’s a common theme in our house.)  But I knew what had to be done.  We gathered around her, pulled her up, wiped her tears, and tickled her until she laughed.  Then we walked to the bus stop to put our two big elementary school kids on the bus.

As is so often the case with parenting, I feel torn in two directions.  I want to help her grow up, but I also want to keep her little forever.   And so, while I’m as psyched as the next mom that we can close the door on another successful (but exhausting) summer, I’m also reluctant to let it go.