It's November, can you believe it? This year has flown by more than most I feel, I was just talking to another parent on the board the other day and mentioned how I feel like this year went:  January January March March March March JulAuguSeptember October November....
The fact that time is going so quickly is the only constant this year. It's harder than ever to bring your kids new experiences and still just as important.  It's hard on adults to be isolated, why wouldn't it be difficult for kids to. There was a period over the summer for about a week or so where I could not figure out why my daughter insisted on repeating, verbatim, what happened on Blippi, Odd Squad, or Princess Sophia.  She then resorted to repeating conversations she had....with me....to me.  It didn't matter that I would tell her "I know I was there. The whole time!" She was excited and wanted to tell SOMEONE. . I resorted to letting my kids send video messages on Snap Polo Gram to friends and family. They are dying to talk to someone, someone other than mom who they spent all day with.  I finally called a few Children's Corner moms, who I knew come school year would be in our bubble, and practically begged them to hang out. A few of them said yes. Another year, another reason to be thankful for this school. I am so thankful I'm involved so I get to know kids and parents. I'm so thankful I have a network of people I can call when the world gets real and try to make it normal. I am thankful for my time here as it draws to a close this year.  It has been an experience better than I would have anticipated and I am most thankful for the teachers.  The teachers who have made such an impression on my girls. It made them put their shoes on so they can go say hello when they were riding in a cart. An impression so big they correct themselves sometimes because they know the lessons by heart. And an impression so deep that even when they cannot remember the teacher's name, they are still missed. 

I was born and raised in Bloomington.  I have many great friends but no family, everyone in my family moved away for their jobs.  When I was a new mom I worked, for the first 2 years before I quit to stay home. When I first decided to stay home, it was a little lonely.  Most of the moms already had groups, playdates, and activities the had set up. I was trying to jump into already established schedules.  
We joined the Children’s Corner family last year, Lilian right away made a lot of great friends.  We felt included in so much and through volunteering in the classroom I got to know the students and through them the parents. 
December of last year when I sat down to listen to the Christmas songs sung by the kids, I had a feeling of belonging.  Not only had Lilian made some great friends but I was also starting to make friends as well.
When you don’t have a family nearby you build your own.  Today I still talk to and visit with several of the moms, both with and without our kids.  They invite me to mom Christmas parties, kids birthday parties, and to spend the holidays with them.  This Christmas I will be thankful for the family Children’s corner has helped me forge as I get together with the family I have made and spend the holidays with them.  Family is what you make it and Children’s Corner has help to give me a wonderful family
Happy Holidays to Friends and Family both near and far, both born and made!

Cheers!

by Rose Smith.   Rose was our Facilities Chair last year and is our current Membership Chair

As I sit here trying to write my first blog ever, I’m reminded about the month of November. The month of being thankful!   There are so many things to be thankful of and one thing that tops my list are my children. They have taught me so many things.  Some were easy lessons and some perhaps were harder ones. I think how different my life would be without them. See if I didn’t have them I wouldn’t have you.  I wouldn’t have Children’s Corner. I wouldn’t have the all the wonderful smiles from you and your children each morning as I walk into Children’s Corner. I wouldn’t have the teachers as positive role models not only my children, but also for myself.  I wouldn’t have some of the best friendships that I’ve ever had, if I didn’t have my children pulling me to preschool, play dates, and beyond.  

Each evening at dinner time I usually ask them what was most memorable about their day, this month I will ask them what they were thankful for that day.  I can already see my older daughter rolling her eyes at my questions, but I can’t wait to hear what comes out of her mouth! The innocent honesty of children always amazes me.

My career as a professional blogger will most likely start and end with these small paragraphs, but I will forever be thankful for my children, their teachers, their friends, their friends’ parents, and Children’s Corner.  

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by Tiffany Oren, current president of Children's Corner. 

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing".  This is one of my favorite quotes (probably because I am a preschool teacher and passionate about PLAY!)  I feel so blessed to have found my way into teaching at Children's Corner. Each and everyday is something new and different. Teaching preschool was not something that I planned on doing but  here I am playing - every day for over a decade.  Each new group of 3 and 4 year olds teaches me how to see the world differently, how to better use my imagination and how to let the children take the lead in THEIR play!