Reading books with your children has been shown to have many benefits. It can support cognitive development, improve language skills, and it is a great opportunity to bond with your child. Here are some current book favorites from members of the SMPC board. 

Three Little Engines by Bob McKinnon

“When ‘I think I can’ isn’t enough and understanding the challenges others face” - Adara Citron, President

We are Little Feminist Celebrations by Brook Sitgraves Turner

“It shows kids and families celebrating all sorts of different celebrations. It’s part of a board book series that focuses on highlighting and celebrating diversity” - Laura DeKelaita, Preschool Fair Coordinator

Chika Chika Boom Boomby Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

“Crowd favorite is definitely singing the alphabet song at the end” - Jamie Giloni, Events

Goodnight Goodnight Construction Siteby Sherry Duskey Rinker

“A fun book about trucks getting ready for bed after a long hard day of work” - Celia Hamdamov, Events

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

“I didn’t grow up with books that showed people who look like me, and it was incredibly meaningful to have my toddler point at the main character and say, ‘that’s me!’” - Linda Hui, Blog Editor

Eating the Alphabetby Lois Ehlert

“Has beautiful illustrations of fruits and veg for every letter. Broadens their awareness of all the options available - radicchio, artichoke, as well as the usual bananas and oranges” - Erin Livingston, Playgroups Coordinator

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

“Shows to try food they might like” - Karolina Trofimov, Social Media

• Fantastical Flowers - Gilroy, May 1-31
• Veterinary Hospital Tours at the Oakland Zoo - Oakland, May 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
• Ruth Bancroft Garden Workshop Wednesday - Walnut Creek, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
• We Players Presents Adventures with Alice - San Francisco, May 4, 5, 11, 18,19
• Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails Exhibit - San Jose, May 3-14
• Family Ping Pong Star Wars Night - Burlingame, May 5
• Cinco de Mayo Festival – San Francisco, May 5
• The Wind in the Willows by PYT – Mountain View, May 5, 6
• The Jungle Book by Playful People – San Jose, May 5-7
• Japantown Children's Day Festival - San Francisco, May 6
• MADSADGLAD at the San Francisco Symphony - San Francisco, May 6
• Home Depot Kids Workshop - Foster City, May 6 
• "All the Little Things" - EcoCenter Family Event - Palo Alto, May 6
• Hillside Festival – El Cerrito, May 6-7
• Bay Area Book Festival - Berkley, May 6-7
• Habitot Mobile Museum - Oakland, May 6
• Giraffes Can’t Dance - Berkley, May 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
• San Jose Giants Fireworks – San Jose, May 5, 12
• Cinderella – San Jose, May 5-14
• Music for Families – San Francisco, May 6
• MakeArt Family Day – San Francisco, May 6
• Art Festival at Jack London Square – Alameda, May 6
• Storytime with Youth Science Institute – Los Gatos, May 6
• Words in the Wild Storytime – Oakland, May 6
• Character Tea Party – Hayward, May 6
• Urban Ed Academy SMART+ Saturday Program – San Francisco, May 6, 13, 20,
• Planetarium Shows for Kids – Cupertino, May 6, 13
• Big Bird's Adventure: One World, One Sky - Cupertino, May 6,13
• Pollinator Hike – Walnut Creek, May 7
• Family Day at Marin MOCA – Novato, May 7
• Woofstock at Marin Humane Society – Novato, May 7
• Free First Sunday at NUMU – Los Gatos, May 7
• Robin Hood by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, May 11-14
• Stanford Pow Wow – Stanford, March 12-14
• Natural Science Days at Gilroy Gardens - Gilroy, May 12,19,26
• Brunch for the Wild Bunch at the Oakland Zoo - Oakland, May 13
• Blankets and Blockbusters – San Francisco, May 13
• Scout-O-Rama – San Jose, May 13
• Blankets & Blockbusters: A Mother’s Day Celebration - San Francisco, May 13
• Mother’s Day Tea Making Workshop – Oakland, May 13-14
• Kids Art Classes at Magical Bridge Playground - Redwood City, May 13,27
• Second Saturday at Gamble Garden - Palo Alto, May 13
• 30th Taiwanese American Cultural Festival - San Francisco, May 13
• Mother’s Day Brunch – Felton, May 14
• Marine Science Sunday – Sausalito, May 14, 28
• Contra Costa County Fair – Antioch, May 18-21
• UniverSoul Circus – Oakland, May 18-June 4
• Family Nature Walk - Los Altos, May 20
• Ronald McDonald Oakland House Opening & Community Block Party – Oakland, May 20
• Kids Night at the Museum – Santa Rosa, May 20
• Tinkerfest – Oakland, May 20
• Science Safari at Alum Rock Park – San Jose, May 20
• Sleeping Beauty by New Ballet – San Jose, May 20, 21
• Sunday Streets: Bayview – San Francisco, May 21
• Into The Woods at Mountain Playhouse – Mill Valley, May 21-June 18
• Becoming Robinhood – Berkeley, May 26-July 2
• Jurassic Quest - San Jose, May 26 - 29
• San Francisco Amateur Astronomers’ Star Parties – San Francisco, May 27
• 32nd Bay Area KidFest - Concord, May 27-29
• San Ramon Art & Wind Festival – San Ramon, May 28, 29
• 48th Annual Muir Beach Volunteer Firemen’s Barbecue – Muir Beach, May 29

Happy National Library Week! The theme for this year is “There’s More to the Story.” Our libraries don’t just have books, music, and movies for us to check out. Our libraries bring the community together through story times, classes, and lectures. In addition to free online access to newspapers and streaming films, the San Mateo Public Libraries offer the following free resources (some not available at all branches):

• Museum passes through Discover and Go

• 6 months of access to premium features of the Calm app

• Bicycle check-out (Book-a-Bike, must be 18 years or older)

• Printing time with 3D printers

• Use of laser cutters (must be 13 years or older)

• Use of virtual reality (VR) headsets (must be 13 years or older)

• Sewing machines (must be 18 years or older)

• Memory Labs, where you can digitize photos, VHS tapes, audio cassettes, etc

Some branches have Maker Spaces with different types of equipment available for you to use.

All of this is available for free, as long as you have a library card!

• Easter Bunny Photo H’Ops - San Mateo, April 1-2 and April 6-8
• Big Truck Day - Los Gatos, April 1
• OMG Family Festival – Milpitas, April 1
• Fun Run at the Boardwalk – Santa Cruz, April 1
• Easter Celebration at Jack London Square – Oakland, April 1
• Fun on the Farm – San Ramon, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• Free Telescope Viewing at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, April 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, 22, 28, 29
• Planetarium Shows for Kids – Cupertino, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• SF Chocolate Salon - San Francisco, April 2
• Holi Festival of Colors – Cupertino, April 2
• The Physics Show – Los Altos Hills, April 3
• Bright Horizons at San Mateo Open House - San Mateo, April 5
• Barnyard Friends - San Mateo, April 6
• Science Safari at Vasona Park – Los Gatos, April 8
• Storytime with Youth Science Institute – Los Gatos, April 8
• Urban Ed Academy SMART+ Saturday Program – San Francisco, April 8, 15, 22
• Eggstraordinary Easter Egg Hunt – Felton, April 8, 9
• Penguins and Pajamas Sleepover – San Francisco, April 14
• Habitot Mobile Children’s Museum – San Leandro, April 15
• Art for All Family Day – Stanford, April 16
• Pop Up Bug Museum - San Mateo, April 22
• Earth Day Celebration - Oakland, April 22
• Science Safari at Alum Rock Park – San Jose, April 22
• Love Our Earth Festival – Atherton, April 22
• Earth Day – Milpitas, April 22
• Kids Carnival at Hiller Aviation – San Carlos, April 23
• School House Rock Live – San Jose, April 27-30
• Into the Woods – Palo Alto, April 27-May 14
• Anne of Green Gables – April 28 & 29
• Kids Day - Santa Cruz, April 29
• San Francisco Kings Day, Dutch Festival – San Francisco, April 29
• The Princess and the Frog – Palo Alto, April 29, 30
• Dream Machines – Half Moon Bay, April 30
• Plant Sale & Craft Fair - San Mateo, April 30
• Israel@75 Bay Area Community Festival - San Mateo, April 30  

• First Friday Nights at Curiodyssey – San Mateo, March 3
• Telescope Viewing at Chabot Space & Science Center – Oakland, March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25
• 2023 Magical Creatures - Anywhere. March 4 - April 30
• Flower Bulb Day - San Francisco (Union Square), March 4
• Storytime with Youth Science Institute – Los Gatos, March 4
• Family Nature Walks - Foothills Nature Preserve - Los Altos Hills, March 4
• Holi Festival – Milpitas, March 4
• Kid Makers: Trailblazing Women – Redwood City, March 4
• Science Festival – San Francisco, March 4
• Habitot Mobile Children’s Museum – Berkeley, March 4
• Urban Ed Academy SMART+ Saturday Program – San Francisco, March 4, 11, 18
• Science Safari at Sanborn Park – Saratoga, March 4, 11
• Planetarium Shows for Kids – Cupertino, March 4, 11, 18, 25
• Penguins and Pajamas Sleepover – San Francisco, March 4, 17
• Open Cockpit Day – Oakland, March 5
• Free First Sunday at NUMU – Los Gatos. March 5
• Snow White by Fantasy Forum – Walnut Creek, March 9-12
• Royal Ball - Burlingame, March 10
• Seussical by Pied Piper Players – San Mateo, March 10-19
• St. Patrick’s Day Parade – San Francisco, March 11
• The Lightning Thief by PYT – Mountain View, March 11-19
• Flying Leprechaun Skydive! – San Carlos, March 12
• Marine Science Sunday – Sausalito, March 12, 26
• Sowing Wonder - San Jose, March 15-29
• Monarch Migration – Walnut Creek, March 16
• PJCC Community Playdate - Foster City, March 19
• Music for Families – San Francisco, March 18
• CarrierCon on the USS Hornet – Alameda, March 18
• The Day You Begin – San Francisco, March 18, 19
• One Grain of Rice by Palo Alto Children’s Theater – Palo Alto, March 18, 19
• Straw Rocket Workshop - San Carlos, March 19 
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – Mountain View, March 24, 25
• Boardwalk Fun Run – Santa Cruz, March 25
• Pollinator Hike – Walnut Creek, March 26

• Purchasing a home for the first time can be an exciting but overwhelming experience, especially in the Bay Area where the real estate market is known to be competitive and expensive. The good news is that the local market today is a lot more buyer friendly and presents good opportunities for families who are looking to buy a new home. Home prices are down from last spring. In our San Mateo County, single family homes’ median sales price is 21% lower in January compared to a year ago. The mortgage rates also have started to improve since last November. With lower rates, your ability to buy your gem home greatly improves. And we will see more homes becoming available for sale as the Spring season starts. That means right now is a sweet spot if you’re in a good position to buy.

  Here are some tips for first-time homebuyers in the Bay Area:

• 1.    Get your finances in order: Before you start house hunting, it’s essential to get your finances in order. You’ll need to have a good credit score, stable income, and a clear understanding of what you can afford. Work with a lender to get pre-approved for a mortgage and get a clear understanding of the costs involved in buying a home, such as closing costs, property taxes, and homeowner insurance.

• 2.    Start saving for a down payment: Start saving as early as possible to ensure you have enough money for the down payment, closing costs, and other expenses associated with homeownership. There are first-time home buyer assistance programs available, and you can purchase home with less than 20% down payment.

• 3.    Determine your priorities: Do you want a spacious backyard, a pool, or a convenient location close to your workplace? Before you start house hunting, make a list of your must-haves, your wants, and your deal-breakers. This will help you focus your search and make it easier to find the right home for you.

• 4.    Work with a real estate agent: A good real estate agent can help you navigate the competitive Bay Area real estate market, find the right home, and negotiate the best deal. They have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is a database of homes for sale that only real estate agents can access. A good agent will also be able to help you understand the various neighborhoods in the Bay Area and find the one that’s right for you.

• 5.    Be prepared for a competitive market: The Bay Area is a competitive market, and homes can sell quickly. Be prepared to act fast when you find the right home. Be ready with a pre-approval letter, proof of funds for the down payment, and a contingency plan if the deal falls through.

• 6.    Don't be afraid to make an offer: In the Bay Area, many homes can be sold above the asking price, and it's not uncommon for homes to receive multiple offers. Don’t be afraid to make an offer, even if it’s above the asking price. Just be sure to work with your real estate agent to determine a fair offer that takes into account the current market conditions and the value of the home.

In conclusion, buying a home in the Bay Area can be a challenging and complex process, but with the right resources, preparation, and support, it is possible to become a homeowner in this sought-after region. To help you take advantage of the current market, I am kicking off a workshop series on homeownership and real estate investment with a group of experts. RSVP to our next workshop in San Mateo and you will automatically receive notifications of the related expert sessions and their recordings. Can you think of anyone who may also be looking for their gem home? Do share this invitation with your friends. And let us help you reach your homeownership dreams!

Empathy is the ability to understand someone else’s emotions and imagining what they might be thinking or feeling. It is a very complex skill to develop. Having empathy means that a child can do the following things:  

• Understand that they are their own person  
• Understand that others can think and feel differently  
• Recognize feelings that people can have: happiness, sadness, anger, etc  
• Are able to imagine how someone might feel in a particular situation  
• Can imagine what response would be comforting and appropriate  

What You Can Do to Help Toddlers Develop Empathy  

• Empathize with your child: For example, “Are you feeling scared of that dog? He is barking loud. That can be scary. I can hold your hand until he walks away.”  
• Talk about others’ feelings: For example, “Joe is sad because you took his toy. Please give him back his toy and you can choose another toy to play with.”  
• Suggest how they can show empathy: “Ashley is sad because she got a booboo. Let’s get her some ice for her booboo.”  
• Read books about feelings: Some suggestions include:  
• • Find Out About Feelings by Pat-a-Cake  
  • Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang  
  • Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton  
  • My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems  
  • The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas  
• Be a role model: When you interact with others in a kind and caring way, your child learns from your example  
• Validate your child’s difficult emotions: When our child feels sad or angry, we often rush to try and fix it right away. While this comes from an instinct to protect our children from pain, these feelings are a part of life that children need to learn to cope with. Identifying and validating these feelings helps children learn how to handle them. It can also help children learn how to empathize with others who are feeling these emotions.  
• Use pretend play: For example, you may have your child’s toy hippo say he doesn’t want to share with his friend, the cow. Ask your child: How do you think the cow feels? What should we tell the hippo?  
• Think through the use of “I’m sorry:”We often insist our children say “I’m sorry” as a way for them to take responsibility for their actions. But many young children don’t fully understand what “I’m sorry” means. While it may feel right to have them apologize, it doesn’t necessarily help them learn empathy. It may be more helpful to help children focus on the other person’s feelings and what actions we can take to comfort them.  
• Be patient: Developing empathy takes time! It’s a complex skill and will continue to develop across your child’s life.  

Adapted from “How to Help Your Child Develop Empathy.” 

Hello, Parents!

I am so excited for this next year of San Mateo Parents Club. The Board is in transition as board members who have served many, many terms step away and a new group of parents are taking on these exciting roles. This Club has been lucky to have such dedicated board members, many of whom have been on the Board for 5+ years! This includes outgoing President Rachel Kammeyer, Vice President Kathleen Lam, Membership Coordinator Christelle Hurstel, and Webmaster Stella Hwang. We are indebted to them and many others.

My name is Adara Citron and I’m stepping in as the next President. I have two children, Evan (age 4) and Mara (age 2), live in San Mateo, and work full time as a health policy analyst. I have been a member of SMPC since 2019, took on the role of Playgroups Leader for the Kuddly Koalas playgroup (now merged with Baby Sharks) in 2020, and joined the Board in 2021 as Playgroups Coordinator. In this role, I also started the Parent Pairings program and am happy to be passing those roles on to Erin Livingston. I’m looking forward to this new challenge as President!

Caption: From left, Mara, Josh, Evan, and Adara (taken during the fall photo fundraiser!)

One of the best parts of being in SMPC and on the Board is getting to know so many families in our community. My husband often teases me because one of my missions in my adult life has been to find my community, wherever I am living. When we moved back home to the Bay Area in 2016, one of my first activities was to find adult friends. Sadly, that really didn’t happen for me until I had my older son and met many other amazing parents through prenatal care and SMPC. But now, I go to as many SMPC events as possible, attend the book clubs, and run into people wherever I go in San Mateo. I love that another parent will walk up to my family at Barnes and Nobles to say “hi”, even when I’m not there!

If you’re interested in getting more involved in the Club, please reach out to me! We have a great group of 15 board members so far, but the more people who join, the more we are able to spread around the tasks. If you have one hour per month to share with us, we would be ever so grateful for the assistance. A list of open positions is on our website, including roles of Vice President (aka my right hand person – gotta love the team work!), blog co-editor, membership, fundraising (2-3 events per year), community service coordinator, and preschool fair committee member. There is also never a bad time to join the Board. If you’re too busy now but have more time in a few months, let me know.

Caption: From left, Michelle Carothers, Adara Citron, and Jamie Caplan Giloni (two returning events board members)

Lastly, I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to those of you joining from Foster City Parents Club. While we’re sad FCPC is dissolving, we are ecstatic to have more community members in our ranks.  I would especially love for parents from Foster City to join our Board, helping to ensure this is a welcoming and accessible community for all.

I am looking forward to getting to know so many of you over the next year! Don’t be a stranger if you see me around!

Warmly,

Adara

Our annual Preschool Fair is Saturday January 22 from 2-4pm at the Foster City Recreation Center. Thanks to Parents Place for their support of our annual Preschool Fair and for this helpful list of questions for parents looking to choose the best preschool fit for their family.

Physical Environment

• Does the classroom have a variety of developmental, age-appropriate play materials?
• Are shelves crowded, or can children clearly see and choose materials?
• Are there tables or rug space for playing with materials?
• Does the classroom look warm, inviting, clean, and well-cared for?
• Are there adequate space and time for group and individual activities?
• Are the indoor and outdoor play areas big enough for the number of children enrolled?
• Is there a variety of outdoor play options? (including activities such as gardening, biking, sand, pets, big blocks, painting, water play?) Is there shade?

Interpersonal Environment

• Are you and your child warmly welcomed?
• Do the children look happy, calm, and engaged? Does the teacher appear to be as well?
• Is the environment calm enough that the teacher can observe or participate as needed?
• Do teachers respect and support children’s differing learning styles and temperaments?
• Do children feel safe with one another? How are peer conflicts handled?
• Are teachers using positive forms of redirection and discipline?
• Are the adults good models for behavior and healthy attitudes? Are there a lot of ‘no’s?
• Do staff members share the children’s daily experiences with parents? How?

Activities

• Is there a balance of indoor and outdoor play?
• Are children free to choose their activities?
• Is there a variety of basic visual art media and opportunities for dramatic play?
• Is musical play encouraged? Singing, dancing, instruments?
• Is language stimulation varied? (reading books, indoor/outdoor games)?
• Is there a quiet, cozy spot for calm play?
• Are age-appropriate self-help skills encouraged?
• Are children encouraged (not forced) to participate in circle time?
• Do teachers have time to read a story to the group and one-on-one daily?

Schedule

• Do teachers adapt the schedule to meet children’s needs (more time for art if children are engaged; more outdoor time if needed to work off excess energy)?
• Are there long periods of time for uninterrupted play and free choice of activities?
• How are transitions between activities handled? Do teachers allow enough time to transition, and how do they support children who need extra help?

Staff Concerns

• Is there a high turnover of teachers? What motivates teachers to stay in this early care environment (ongoing professional development, a supportive administration, etc.)?
• Is the staff knowledgeable about early childhood development and the correlation between play and learning?
• How much experience, education, and training are required to teach at the school?

Thank you to Parents Place for providing this evaluation checklist.