Welcome!
Network Child Care Services (Network) is proud to deliver to your inbox, the Organization’s March Newsletter! Please enjoy a few moments to review the brief articles and noteworthy celebrations for all families, staff, and affiliated home child care providers. We truly hope you enjoy these quick highlights as we focus on one of Network’s Child Care Services’ Child Care Centres as well as other events of interest for the month of March!
Connecting with Network’s Jubilee Child Care Centre
Network’s Jubilee Child Care Centre is uniquely situated in a neighborhood apartment complex in Toronto’s York/South Weston Municipal Ward. This welcoming Centre provides care for sixty-two children from infants to preschool. The dedicated and friendly staff create an environment for all families which truly emulates a “second home” setting, as educators and staff have not only received care at the Centre as children but have returned to provide education and early learning experiences to the Centre’s children who are currently in care.
In meeting with Francesca Santoro, Jubilee’s Centre Supervisor, she describes this location as a setting where parents partner with the Centre’s educators and staff, to offer a culturally holistic enriched early learning experience. Network continues to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the forefront of all program delivery and certainly this site is no exception.
The Centre is regularly visited by its esteemed parent storyteller Andreen, who brings literacy to life, as she actively engages groups of children to delight in an auditory journey, rich with detailed imagery. Many families relish this unique “home within a home” Centre which has not only permitted children to learn and thrive but welcomes them back to continue to make a difference!
Mark Your Calendars – These Dates Are Noteworthy!
March 1
March 1st is Employee Appreciation Day!
Network Child Care Services would like to wish all of its employees a very celebratory day in thanking them for their dedication and commitment to young children and families. This special day has been recognized in Canada since 1995.
March 8
March 8th is International Women’s Day!
Pull out the purple on this important day which recognizes women worldwide. The movement towards establishing this day began in the early 1900’s, but it wasn’t until 1975 that the United Nations officially chose to mark this day for women everywhere. While gender parity is far from being attained in many regions of the world, the hope remains that this will also be achieved some day.
March 10
March 10th is the first day of Ramadan!
The month-long observance of Ramadan will be celebrated with prayer and introspection. Network Child Care Services would like to wish all families who are celebrating a happy “Ramadan Mubarak”.
March 10
March 10th is Daylight Saving Time!
Get ready to set your clocks forward by one hour as we enter Daylight Savings Time at 3:00 a.m. This time change will hopefully launch all of us further into spring!
March 17
March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day!
Add more colour to your life on this day by wearing lucky green! This secular event, which has its origins in Ireland, is now celebrated in approximately 200 countries worldwide. Green is the theme, as wearing green is believed to have special protective powers against leprechauns! These “wee folk” are considered very sneaky, as they like to pinch people, particularly those who are not wearing green. In fact, it is understood that wearing green gives you a certain level of leprechaun immunity.
March 19
March 19th is the first day of Spring!
Get ready to rejoice at 11:06 p.m. as the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the season of spring! This season change, which is referred to as the spring or vernal equinox, is a scientific measure of light versus darkness, being considered in “equal” portions, within the 24-hour time period.
March 20
March 20th is the International Day of Happiness!
This celebration began in 2012, as a proclamation by the United Nations. This year’s theme is the positive message of: “Happier Together”. Recognizing happiness and well-being refocuses the need to ensure that we continue to care for each other and protect our collective mental health. Canada continues to remain in the top fifteen countries on the “World’s happiest countries” ranking.
March 21
March 21st is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination!
The United Nations has marked this special day after adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 76 years ago. The World continues to struggle with achieving equity, inclusion, and acceptance of diversity in all global environments.
March 23
March 23rd is Earth Hour!
Get ready to go dark on Saturday evening between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The World will be celebrating Earth Hour which was first launched in March 2007. While it is only a sixty-minute period of time, this global movement has sparked real change by illuminating the need to pay greater attention to reducing our carbon footprint on the planet.
March 28-31
March 28th to 31st is the celebration of Easter!
This event usually has a somber introduction on Thursday which is traditionally called “Maundy Thursday” followed by “Good Friday” culminating in a more uplifting observance on “Easter Sunday”. Spring weaves its way into this celebratory event as Easter eggs abound, marking this seasonal time of year in which birds usually lay their eggs. The presence of Easter rabbits is more of a mystery, as there are several theories as to why these particular mammals are involved, but colourful bunnies are recognized worldwide as the traditional symbol of this celebration. Network Child Care Services wishes all of its staff, affiliated home child care providers and families who are celebrating a very “Happy Easter”.
Look Out for Numbers 3, 6, and Even the Number 7!
While you are reflecting comfortably in the twilight during Earth Hour on March 30th, it might be a great thought to consider what the numbers 3, 6, and 7 have in common, as these numbers are potentially toxic! Plastic toys which have permeated our child care landscapes for the past several years have carried these numbers in small, printed triangles. They are tiny and at times elusive, however, the toxins which they represent are even more microscopic.
The number 3 in the small triangle is an indicator that the plastic toy has polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in its composition. This is a thermoplastic which is used in the production of the toy or plastic item which contains dangerous chemical additives including phthalates, lead, cadmium and other “organotins” which are considered toxic. The number 6 denotes the chemical polystyrene, while the “lucky” number 7 remains the most “exotic” of them all as it simply groups chemicals under the classification of “other”. The term “other” could include chemicals such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) or bisphenol A (BPA) as well as other everyday phthalates.
The toys or plastic materials with these toxic numbers are not recyclable and are often tossed into landfills where over time, these chemicals slowly leach into the soil. More shockingly, these toys may also be handled by children who understandably also may choose to taste them through the natural exploration of the items in their environment.
These chemicals have been linked to a variety of potentially cancer-causing agents which thankfully have also come to the attention of Health Canada in recent years.
After Earth Hour has been celebrated, perhaps a quick look into your child’s or children’s toy collection might be illuminating.
References:
www.calendarr.com
www.un.org
www.cccf.fcsge.ca
www.plasticactioncentre.ca
www.canada.ca
Canadian Institute of Child Health, November 1998.