Sunday Morning Shout Out

Driving around doing errands the other day, I was reminded that Administrative Assistant Day is coming up next week. While I have nothing against administrative assistants, it got me thinking about my own holiday I am starting. It’s called “ Happy Mad Dash Parenting Day”

“Happy Mad Dash Parenting Day” has its origins, well, in your parents. Perhaps you first learned about it as you were, unbeknownst to you, driving your own parents’ mad dash. Maybe you first noticed the sweat beads on their foreheads as a young child asking for the umpteenth glass of water before bed. Or, perhaps you first spotted a slight parental twitch when you went on a sleep-over and decided to come home at 11pm at night. No … I know, it was the strange way your mother grit her teeth every time you came home excited to do an end of term project. Could it be that it was due in two days and half of your grade was based on your project?

Mad dash parenting seems more the normal then the exception for most parents at least at certain times. Sweat beads, slight parental twitch, and grated teeth at the moment, we are trying  to negotiate a dance class and two separate baseball practices for our daughters tomorrow night.  There is also a birthday party to be had this weekend. (Don’t these things sound good when we are considering them months earlier? So break out the , EMERGENCY CHOCOLATE! This is a signature food of this special holiday. Give me instant energy and yum! Top that with a cup of strong java, the official drink of this holiday. Who needs sleep with this holiday  favorite?  Make sure you wear your festive attire! Any old thing laying around will do. Don’t worry about that button you missed on your shirt! It’s not a look of disheveled you are sporting, but one of festivity that connotes you’re really participating well in the mad dash. It mixes nicely with the sweat beads, twitch, and grated teeth anyways.

So when you see a fellow mad-dasher, remember that this is all just a state of mind. You can give them a “happy mad dash parenting,” card, some chocolate, coffee, or just a big bear hug in sympathy.  Someday soon the children will be grown and we will be bystanders watching our own children, with their children, doing the mad dash. Walk anyone?

 

Can the Turkey Teach Anything?

Ah, Thanksgiving. Food, family, fun, and…education. Well, you probably figured out by now that this would have something to do with learning. Thanksgiving may be one of my favorite holidays, but it also offers a lot of opportunities for kids to make great memories as well as practice important skills.

Measuring

Measure up the educational benefits of Thanksgiving! (Image Credit:http://www.kitchendaily.com)

As soon as your child develops fine motor skills, he’s ready to start measuring! While younger children should simply be handed the proper cup or spoon, older kids can be instructed to find the correct size for themselves. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, try making your child find the right combination of cups to make a certain measurement rather than just handing them the 3/4 cup measurement. Have them find as many combinations as possible! This can be an easy, real-world introduction to fractions, and why they’re important!

Finding Recipes

Your family probably has some old stand-bys for Thanksgiving, but there’s always room for new traditions. Help your child find a new family classic by locating a recipe he’d like to try making. Put him in charge (with lots of support), and follow the process from start to finish. Give him a budget to work with, take him shopping, and then let it cook!

Social Interactions

Knowing how to successfully interact with people is a huge part of growing up. Practice polite dinner conversation by having your child lead the “I’m thankful for…” conversation. While kid’s tables may be convenient, it also may be more beneficial to have kids sit with the adults. Rather than excluding children from conversations, let them be part of it. That doesn’t mean you have to spend all night talking about Legos and school, but part of growing up also means knowing how to respectfully listen to others having a conversation you may not be a part of or even understand!

Planning

How many chairs are needed at the table? How many plates, napkins, forks, spoons…you get the picture. Have your child practice some basic counting and party planning skills by helping with the preparations.

Games

In the after-turkey daze, pull out some board games for family entertainment. A few personal family favorites include Jenga, Apples to Apples, and Scrabble! If you’re feeling more motivated, try making up some games of your own. Ever heard of pin the feather on the turkey?

History

The history of Thanksgiving is also a time to reflect on colonization in America. Rather than reinforcing the Pilgrim/Indian story, try a new approach that appreciates the themes of Thanksgiving (gratitude, friends and family) but also addresses issues in its mythological origins. For tips on how to do this effectively, try this excellent EducationWorld article.

What are some other tips you have for making Thanksgiving educational?

We here at TutorDoctor WNY wish you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving!

Developing the Love of Writing

We all know how important it is to be a good writer in life.  How do we get our children on the right path of becoming good writers? We need to make writing fun! Whether it is a new hobby, sport, or school, kids love things when they are fun.

There are many things we can do to encourage a joy of writing in young children. It helps to make writing activities a normal part of their regular routine. When you are doing your grocery list, ask them to write down some healthy snacks and a few treats they would like to buy in the grocery store. In turn, they will have their own list to help you shop at the store, which then lends itself to separate math, science, and nutrition lessons.

Get them writing by having lots of paper on hand for book making, letter writing, and thank you notes.  I don’t know about you, but when the paper or cards are pretty, I am even more in the mood to write a letter or a thank you. How about a pen pal? When I was young, it was the height of excitement getting a letter, let alone a letter from around the world, from a girl my own age. Well-known children’s magazines like “Highlights” sometimes feature a section for free pen pals for children. There are other many other online resources.   Journal writing is another great way to get children writing. Not only is it a place to practice writing skills, but also it is a wonderful outlet for your child’s feelings.

Like anything else, it helps your child do something when they see you do it. If you regularly write thank you cards or journal, they may too. When it is normal for you, it is normal for them.

Sunday Morning Shout Out

It is not just the holidays that are around the corner. If your child has not had her parent/teacher conference, it is probably coming up soon. As a parent, I am always a little unsure of myself going into situations like these ones. I am afraid I am forgetting some major points to take up with the teacher.

“Nickelodeon Parents Connect” website features a great site called: “12 Questions to Ask at Your Parent-Teacher Conference” www.parentsconnect.com/parentingtips/parent_teacher_conference.html. These questions range the gamut from:  your child’s school performance; parental/school expectations; and assessments to homework related ones; your child’s unique learning style and its fit in the classroom; how to ask for extra support if it is needed; and your child’s classroom engagement with the teacher and peers.

From my experience, I suggest you do ask your child’s teacher any other question that comes to mind. Try to jot down your questions in advance and take these with you to the meeting. There is nothing like getting there and thinking you will remember to ask about something, and then forgetting about it. Remember you are there to be your child’s best advocate and to make sure your child’s school experience is everything it can be.

Being prepared for this 10-20 minute meeting is important in assisting your child’s growth, learning and development. Be confident in that you know your child well and use the external perspective of your child’s teacher to help you meet any needs that are not being met in the school setting. In the same sense, you are there to promote good practices that are already occurring and see how you can maintain your child’s quality work at both school and home. Also know that you can ask for other meetings with the teacher in addition to this ‘teacher conference’. To me, keeping in contact with the teacher is part of my responsibility as a parents to assist in the development of my children. Remember that the school and teacher can not do it alone!