Parent & Community Corner
At Little Lights, we believe supporting children also means supporting the families and community around them.
Our Parent & Community Corner is a growing collection of helpful information, trusted resources, and practical tips for parents, caregivers, educators, and our community. From healthy sleep and family routines to child development, behavior, school readiness, nutrition, safety, and more, we’ll continue adding new topics each month.
You don’t have to be enrolled at Little Lights to use these resources — they’re here for everyone.
Check back each month to see what’s new! ✨
Family Mealtime
Did you know that eating together as a family has lasting benefits for your child? Even if it’s only a few nights a week, sitting down for a meal together can strengthen bonds and build trust.
Family mealtimes can also promote communication skills, healthy eating habits, positive social emotional development, better academic performance and stronger emotional connections. Give it a try! Put all those screens away, sit down for a meal together and engage in conversation! Share fun things from your day, ask intentional questions, include everyone at the table and ENJOY!
Check out some of these articles for more ideas:
Screen Time & Young Children
Screens are part of everyday life, but balance is important. Young children learn best through play, movement, conversation, reading, and hands-on experiences.
Healthy screen habits can support better sleep, behavior, learning, and family connection. Choosing quality content, setting screen-free times, and encouraging other activities can help children build a healthy relationship with technology.
Maintaining Routines at Home
Routines not only benefit adults, they can also benefit children and play a vital role in their development. Having a set routine can allow children to feel safe, secure, and in control of their environment. Through the consistency of a routine, children gain a sense of comfort in their world and can prevent undesirable behaviors.
When making a routine for home feel free to include your child. Give your child simple choices such as what story you will read before bed or what snack they pack for lunch. This will help them be excited for the day and give them a sense of control. Be sure to be:
Flexible if needed. Not every routine will be followed every day. Leaving room for flexibility allows children to expect changes in life.
Keep it simple.
Keep each morning/evening as similar as possible. Be consistent.
“There is no perfect routine for every family. Each household is different and your routine will be based on many factors – number of children, number of caregivers, whether parents work and if they have flexible hours. Your routine is all about finding what works for your family.” Dr. Natalie Escalante