School Holiday Survival Guide
The school holidays are a great time for the kids, all those weeks of fun and games, no school, getting up late??but not for their parents! Summer vacation time can be just as much like hard work as the rest of the year. Trying to keep the kids entertained for six whole weeks can seem like a daunting task, so here are ten top tips to help you survive the summer holidays. 1. A little planning goes along way. You don't have to time everything to the minute, but a plan of the next week's events will at least mean you make sure you have the food for the picnic on the right day. 2. Don't over-schedule your children's time. Remember they need to rest, relax and recuperate so that they are ready to go back to school in September. 3. If you need to buy any items of school uniform, stationary, books or sports equipment, get it done in the first two weeks. If you don't there will be nothing left in your child's size and you won't have enough time to sew in the name tapes. 4. Try to balance each week's activities ? too many long, exciting days at theme parks in one week will leave everyone exhausted and the poor parents penniless. Alternate trips to big attractions with quiet days at home or free activities such as walks in the park, the countryside or go to a play area if the kids are younger. 5. Try not to sign them up to too many camps and holiday clubs. They actually want and need to spend time with you. 6. Involve the children in your routine and remember that your life has to go on. The shopping still has to be done; the laundry will not hop in the washing machine then hang itself out to dry. It is easy to spend so much time amusing the children that you end up trying to do the housework in the evening. Schedule your work as well. 7. Even lazy days at home benefit from a little planning. You may want to involve the kids in cooking or a big art and craft session, but if things finish sooner than you hoped it helps to have a surprise DVD or a new game stashed away ? rent them or swap with a friend to keep it affordable. 8. Stay safe ? stock up on sunscreen, insect repellent, band aids and prescription drugs. 9. Do the boring stuff like taking the kids to the dentist or the optician. So much easier than trying to book an appointment after school. 10. Late nights and long lie-ins may be a big part of the summer break, but start to get them and you back into a routine a week before they return to school. It will make it much easier for you all when the new term begins. Good luck for the summer, and do have fun! Jacqui O'Brien is the editor of eParenting.co.uk, the online parenting magazine with fun and advice for parents, webguides, information, kids shopping, free printable colouring pictures and free educational software to download. Visit eParenting at http://www.eparenting.co.uk
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Public Schools Can Cripple Your Childrens Ability To Read
For many adults, reading a book or newspaper seems effortless. Yet reading effortlessly comes from constant use of basic skills learned at an early age. Once children learn these basic skills, they can eventually read complex books like War and Peace.
Picky Eater Kid Nutritional Guidelines
Although many children are picky eaters at some stage in their lives, the experts say not to worry. Unless you are feeding him or her chips and cookies three times each day, these children will most likely meet their weekly nutritional quotas.
Teaching Respect And Values In Todays Society
The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer spoke
these words:
Defrazzle with Hug Therapy
"Hugging is healthy: it helps the body's immunity system, it keeps you healthier, it cures depression, it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant side effects, and hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug"
Mommy, I Can?t Sleep! Sleep Disturbance in Children
"Just turn the lights off and go to sleep"
The Theme from MASH - Suicide is Not Painless
The Theme from MASH
Children are People, Not Machines
When growing up, my father frequently reminded me to "pay attention to the details." That saying became very real to me in the area of parenting. While raising children, the details make great differences in development.
Lets Protect Our Children
There are software programs that you can purchase to keep your children from accessing undesirable websites. There are two good ones, Cyber Patrol and Net Nanny.
Words of Wisdom for Single Parents
The cost of being a parent and raising a child in todays world is constantly increasing. The risk of your child becoming involved in problem behaviour is also greater. Parents must work together as a team to ensure the brightest future for their children. But what if there is no team. No other person to rely upon. This is what millions of single parents deal with everyday. But it is not only the parent who sees this as a gloomy situation. Children are quite often left thinking that they are the reason for a separation or divorce. It is the child who must attend father and son day at school without a dad. They have to grow up with all the stigma attached to coming from a "broken home". These are just a few of the many potential problems that a single parents household are faced with. This article is aimed at providing single parents with some strategies for raising a good child despite what other people may say.
Why Consistency Is The Key To Raising Well-behaved Kids
Being consistent when children are less than perfect can make you feel dreadful. However consistency is one of the most important elements in the relationship with your children, but it is the one most frequently overlooked.
Career Education: Does Not Mean the 6 Year College Plan
Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average college student takes 5.3 years to earn a 4-year Bachelor's degree. Other data included that college retention is mediocre at best with a national average around 50%. In Indiana, research reveals that for every 100 ninth grade students, only 21 will graduate with a bachelor's degree within 6 years. Read more about this disturbing trend and a viable solution at www.processspecialist.com/youth.htm
7 Ways to Know Your Child
How well do you really know your child?
How to Stop Bad Behavior Before it Starts
Coping with a child's bad behavior, perhaps more than any other aspect of parenting, can cause stress, family disfunction, and a general loss of harmony in your home. Over time, negative behavior cycles can become ingrained in a family's way of interacting with each other 1. Be a Benevolent DictatorIn today's times it is tempting to think of our family as a small Democracy, giving equal weight to the wants and needs of every member. Families schedule meetings to discuss rules. Negotiation is a skill learned even before tying shoes. Rules apply only if children choose to obey them. Giving children lots of choices seems to be of paramount importance. Parents who operate these types of Democracies think that they are showing their children love and respect. In fact, what these parents are showing their children is that they don't have the fortitude to do what is right.
What About ADHD Teens and Driving?
This is one of the most common questions asked of me by parents of teenagers who have ADHD.
How Public Schools Assault Parents Values
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking drugs, premarital sex, insulting your parents, pornography, irresponsibility, or getting pregnant in junior high school? Not according to the values taught to children in many public schools today.
Play the Ball, Not the Man!
As parents and teachers, sometimes we want to praise, at other times we need to rebuke. Either way, how do we put our point across with maximum effectiveness?
If your child is being bullied - 20 top tips for parents
Keith is now in the fourth grade and he dislikes school. For a fourthgrader, this does not sound right. The reason Keith dislikes school thoughdoes not have anything to do with academics. Keith is being bullied beforeschool, at school, and on the school bus. Who can blame him for not wantingto go into that environment? The basic definition of bullying is when someone keeps doing or sayingthings to have power over another person. Bullying involves crossing intoone's space without permission. Isn't bullying just something that happens to all children and we're justmaking a fuss over this? The children will get over it, right? Shouldn't wetell Keith to grow up and handle it? Wrong. Bullying happens to far too many
children and adults shouldn't be ignoring it. WHAT CAN A PARENT DO? If Keith is being bullied and he is not reporting it to his parents thenthere are some very important questions to address.· Why wouldn't he tell his parents?· What message have Keith's parents sent to him about bullies?· Does Keith's parents have a history of dismissing what he says?· Possibly Keith's parents have had a habit of getting too involved insolving his problems. Tips for parents:· Encourage your child to report any bullying incidents to you.· Validate your child's feelings. It is normal for your child to feelhurt, sad, and angry.· Ask your child how he/she has tried to stop the bullying. Askingquestions is a wonderful way to have your child do the thinking.· Ask how is he/she going to solve this. We want the child to do thethinking before we jump in. See how many options he can come up with.· Coach your child in alternatives. Ideally the best solution is having your
child solve this without anyone interfering. Most of the time unfortunately,
this isn't possible. Share these strategies: avoidance is often an excellentstrategy, playing in a different place, play a different game, stay near asupervisor, look for new friends, join social activities outside of school.· Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure they are aware of what isgoing on.· Encourage your child to seek help from other school personnel.· Volunteer to help supervise activities at school.· Do not ignore your child's reports. Ignoring them sends the wrongmessage.· Do not confront the bully or the bullies' family.· Teach your child how to defend him or herself.· Teach self-respect.· Give numerous positive comments to your child.· Avoid labeling or name-calling.· Let your child know it is okay to express their anger. There arepositive and negative ways to express anger, we want to teach and model thepositive ways.· Let your children stand up to you now and then. It makes it morelikely they will stand up to a bully.· Stress the importance of body language.· Teach your child to use 'I' statements.· Teach positive self-talk.· Teach how to use humor, 'out crazy' them. For example, if the bullysays to Keith, "Hey, boy you're ugly." Keith can respond in a coupledifferent ways:"Thanks for sharing""Yes, I know, I always have been""Yes, today's lunch was disgusting" then walk away. There is many other aspects of bullying to look at: Why your child is the victim, whypeople bully, what you child can do if he/she is bullied, signs your child is beingbullied, what the schools should be doing, handling the school bus issues. Allof these are addressed in The Shameful Epidemic, How to protect your child from bullies and school violence.Visit www.stoppingschoolviolence.com to learn what is possible. There are solutions.
Communication Mistakes Parents Often Make - And Easy Ways To Correct Them
As parents, we love our children and want to do the best for them. At times, however, the pressures of living every day create stress and distractions for all of us. We can easily fall into communication habits that are not effective, especially when we need to discipline our children or teenagers, or to talk with them about sensitive issues.
Are You Meeting ALL Your Childs Basic Needs?
This may come as a surprise, but many parents are unaware ofthe full extent of their child's basic needs.
Partnering With Your Daycare or Preschool
For the most positive daycare experience for your child, partner with your childcare center and make a personal investment beyond the monthly tuition. You can build your partnership with your daycare by volunteering your time, contributing goods or services, or donating money.
If your child is in daycare full-time, he is spending 40 ? 60 hours at your daycare facility with his childcare providers. You owe it to your child to help make the center the best it can be for him.
Beautification Day. Schedule a few hours on a Saturday morning for a group of parents to come into the center and give it a really thorough spring cleaning where you tackle involved chores like painting walls, repairing bookcases, decorating classrooms, scrubbing cubbies.
Fundraising. You can support your center's fundraising efforts by asking for goods, services or monetary donations. Ask friends and family to partake in fundraising auction events with you ? spirited bidding in a live auction is a lively way to spend a Saturday evening with friends while benefiting a good cause.
Participation. Spending an hour or two in the classroom a week reading stories, engaging in dramatic play or just lending a helping hand are all time well spent and greatly appreciated by the daycare center.
If your schedule is too tight to accommodate volunteering at school, think creatively about other ways you can contribute ? do you have a skill, talent or connection that can potential benefit the school in some way. It may be an activity that seems inconsequential in your normal course of business but would be invaluable to your daycare center.
Here are some examples to get you started:
Investment Banking. Most centers have an emergency fund they must keep for unexpected facility maintenance or other unplanned expenses. Suggest the best short term investment vehicles for them.
Tax Accountant. Offer to review their current tax preparation forms or evaluate their tax planning process.
Medical Expertise. Conduct a 30 minute seminar or write a column in the newsletter about common childhood ailments, healthy eating or sleeping practices.
Educational Background. Suggest weekend learning activities or offer to conduct a 30 minute special event for one of the older classrooms.
Music. Entertain the kids with an impromptu concert or offer to entertain at the center's annual fundraising event.
Legal. Offer to review contracts or agreements the school is considering. Offer to review the current application portfolio and identify policies or additional waivers or agreements that should be included.
Sales. Create a bonus plan for the teaching staff that takes into account length of employment and special recognitions.
Marketing. Review the centers brochures, ads and marketing plans. Make recommendations for how to best sell the centers services, help develop creative materials and negotiate print rates with vendors.
Facilities. Offer to inspect the daycare facilities and make maintenance repairs or negotiate with preferred vendors for discounted rates.
|
