Meet the Child Care Council Staff

Introducing Shelly S.

Belinda @ Kids Matter

As we continue on our journey to introduce the CCC staff, I would like to point out that the CCC staff is spread out over Kentucky providing child care assistance to all counties. We don’t often meet staff from other regions face to face. So, I feel it necessary to point out that these interviews are often first meetings and we, the Blog Squad, feel lucky to have the honor of meeting all these fantastic people.  We hope you enjoy meeting the staff just as much as we do!

This week we bring you, Shelly, an Eligibility Specialist with the CCC for two years serving the counties of: Estill, Lee, Owsley, Powell, and Wolfe. She said that she loves her job because she is, “… providing the resources to enable people to have a better life”. Shelly is a hard worker and considers her life as, “great”. She loves spending time relaxing at home with her husband of 19 1/2 years, Lonnie, and their two children, Alyssa (13) and Bryson (7).  She considers her husband her rock and said, “He is always there and knows what I need to hear, whether it is good or bad”. As a proud mother, Shelly says her children are her greatest accomplishment in life and that, “No matter what happens at the end of the day they are always there and I am very proud of them”. Someday, hopefully in the near future, Shelly would like to spend her dream vacation in Hawaii with her loving husband and her two precious children sitting on the beach watching the waves, pound into the shore.

She is an avid sports fan; her favorite players are her children. She is also a proud member of the Big Blue Nation, “Go Wildcats”. When asked if she had a motto or saying from which she draws daily motivation, she replied, “We can do all things through Christ”. Also, helping her to relax and stay focused is her love of country music, which she listens to as much as possible. It’s always nice to ask questions that bring back fond memories. Once you reach parenthood, you can always count on looking back at your childhood days for a smile. I asked Shelly if she could go back and thank one of her elementary teachers, who it would be. Her answer, “I’d give my thank you to my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rogers”.

These interviews are about getting to know the person behind the desk. I learned from Shelly that she is a kind, caring, giving person who puts others’ feelings before her own. I asked if she could change the world, where she would start. She replied, “… by teaching everyone that we are all the same. We need to love everyone. We need to focus on the greater good and not our own selfish needs.” I think that is a great place to start. Don’t you?

Got a Picky Eater?

Got a Picky Eater?

Lisa Smartt (Guest blogger) @ Kids Matter

I can’t help you with algebra. I can’t analyze your 401K or explain why your geraniums mysteriously died last year. But if you have a baby or a toddler, I might be able to save you a lot of trouble in the future.

More and more American children won’t eat this or won’t eat that. We have a lot of company so, over the years, I’ve heard it all. “He only eats this kind of cheese.” “She won’t eat meat or bread or vegetables or fruit. She mostly eats cereal or peanut butter.” “Junior doesn’t eat cornbread. Do you have any Wonder bread?”

I love you enough to tell you what nobody else is willing to tell you, friend. Being a picky eater is, well, kind of rude and annoying. So, if you’re a new parent, you definitely want to avoid pickiness with your own children. I’m not saying the method I propose is fool-proof. But neither of our boys have ever been picky eaters. They eat a wide variety of all kinds of foods, including beans and cornbread, salads, quiche, and casseroles. If you invite them to your house for dinner, they will eat what you cook, unless you’re cooking road kill. On second thought, they’re teenagers and would probably eat road kill just so they could tell all their friends they did.

If you're looking for a solution to picky eating at your house, my first suggestion is for the adults. Commit to not complaining about food. Ever. Picky parents naturally raise picky kids. Don’t constantly discuss things you like or don’t like. Be thankful for what you have. Be thankful you’re not going hungry. Pickiness displays a lack of gratitude…in both children and adults.

As soon as your child graduates from baby food, you can joyfully expect them to eat what you eat at mealtimes. I can’t emphasize this enough. Are you having beans and cornbread? So are they. Are you having ham and potato casserole and boiled carrots? So are they. You may need to dice the table food but you don’t need to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a toddler, hoping they might “learn” to eat real food later. No. This is the time to learn.

With that said, I would recommend you never make a child eat. Ever. Please don’t make food a “power issue” in your home. Food is an enjoyable way to sustain life. It’s not the opportunity for a power grab. Mealtimes should be as pleasant as possible. If a child isn’t hungry, that’s fine. Healthy children will not starve themselves. They will eat when they’re hungry. But every family member must sit at the table with the rest of us. And we’re not going to fix an alternate meal. Don’t let children snack several hours before supper and they tend to come to the table hungry and ready to eat what you have prepared.

I know that pickiness regarding food is not the biggest issue families face right now. I get that. But I do think it’s a sign that prosperity has gotten the best of us. We’re spoiled. We whine. But we can do better. We can learn to be thankful. And we can pass that thankfulness down to our children. It will be a gift to them and their future.

Lisa Smartt writes a weekly newspaper column from her home on the outskirts of Dresden, Tennessee.  She is the author of three funny fiction books in the Doug and Carlie series and "The Smartt View:  Life, Love, and Cluttered Closets."  She can be contacted through her website, www.lisasmartt.com.

Early Childhood Education Scholarship

Early Childhood Education Scholarship

Blog Squad @ Kids Matter

The Child Care Council of Kentucky and KIDS MATTER® are pleased to announce two scholarships ($500 each) to students in the field of Early Childhood Education. 

One scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in college in the state of Kentucky and the other scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a college outside the state of Kentucky. 

Applications are currently OPEN.

Applications will be accepted through January 18th, 2014.

Applications are available HERE.

Winners will be notified via phone or email.

KIDS MATTER® promotes education as one of its key components. 

Previous Winners: 

2012 KY - Jamie Hobbs, Other State - August Kummerfeldt (WA)

2011 KY - Marie Noble, Other State - No entries

2010 KY - Erin Wheatley, Other State - Melinda Emge (MO.)

Kids Matter® Invest Early, Invest Often