My boys are right into Lego right now. I think it is a fantastic toy most of the time. It's creative, it's constructive, it's brilliant in its simplicity. It also has a lot of small pieces. Small pieces that hurt when you step in them. Small pieces that no matter much you try to contain them to just one part of the house migrate to pretty much everywhere.
We've tried various ways of organizing the Lego. In our last place our boys shared a room. We bought one of those Ikea 9 drawer sets to store their Lego in. That worked pretty well. The Lego for the most part was sorted by colour, so the task of looking for the pieces that were needed went pretty well. In the place that we've just moved into our boys have their own rooms; therefore, the Lego has been split into 2 making it a lot more mixed up. I don't know about you, but I go buggy eyed helping my kids build things looking for just that one specific piece needed.
The other thing about our Lego is that my kids were gifted a huge amount of it (mixed with some Mega Bloks sets) from our nephew who is now grown. I thought that was fantastic. I thought that would be all the Lego they ever needed. Apparently, I was wrong. Lego has gotten more complicated than that. When I was a kid my brother and I had a box of Lego to share from which we built whatever we thought of. Now, most Lego is sold in sets. So there are specific things that they want to build, for which you need specific pieces that you can only get in these sets. So all of their spending money and saving money has been going towards buying Lego sets. And the Lego sets are great and neat and cool and all that. Then they get destroyed and mixed up and you just know that the day is coming when one of them says, "Mom, I want to build the fire truck, or, the Police Station" and then you find yourself digging through piles of mixed up Lego looking for that one piece that you can't find, never mind the instruction booklet for it. I have solved the second problem. Lego has very kindly posted instructions of all their building sets on their website, as long as I remember to download them to my laptop, we're good to go. (you can find that handy tool here). My boys also figured out that their cousin's Lego is made up of sets. So one bored evening I set out searching for the sets. (I know I'm a glutton for punishment) and surprised myself by finding a few of them. Some were Mega Bloks sets (Mega Bloks is a Canadian version of Lego that costs a little bit less) and Mega Bloks also has building instructions on their website (Here).
The other part of having Lego is where to store all the creations without them becoming destroyed. Because you know with kids all their creations are extremely important to them. And toddler little sisters just don't understand that concept really.
As I get all this off my chest it's really just part of the preparation for what lies ahead. I've been promising my oldest that we would have a Lego day once I was finished setting up our new home and before he goes back to school. I'm about 1 day away from that (maybe 2), so wish me well that I don't go crazy, digging through all of that Lego!
Showing posts with label school age children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school age children. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Snow Day!
I know I'm a great one for the day after you need it ideas! But of course yesterday was a snow day around here, and most other parts of the US and Canada. It's the first snow day school day off this year for my son this year and he was ecstatic! I thought I would make it the best possible snow day that a kid would want to enjoy. Here's what we did.
I let him (and his 3 year old brother) stay in their PJ's and watch the Family Channel for most of the morning. This is a huge treat for my 6 year old. He normally doesn't watch TV during the week and has a time limit on weekends (unless we are watching a movie). We built a big living room fort using chairs, blankets and pillows. They brought in a few of their favorite stuffed animals too.
Once they were dressed for the day, we got out the mini-sticks and had a bit of hallway hockey on the go. They love this. It's one of their favorite things to do. (the great thing with their mini-sticks is that they use foam pucks - their baby sister likes to chew on them while they play)
For lunch as a treat, I let them eat in their fort. We're pretty strict about keeping food at the table around here, so they really enjoyed this. They loved it even more when I made them a big bowl of popcorn to share too. We popped popcorn and drank hot chocolate for our afternoon movie, Mary Poppins. This was the first time I've showed this movie to my kids. It was a bit long for my 3 year old, but they both laughed hysterically at Bert's antics and Mary Poppin's magic. My 6 year old loved it.
Once the movie was over, the wicked wind had stopped, so I bundled them up and sent them out to enjoy the fresh snow. There is so much to do in a pile of fresh snow. They started making a snow fort, but then got distracted to become archaeologists searching for long, lost treasure. They finished it up with a small snowball fight before coming in.
After they were superheroes, they decided to become wrestlers. It was about this time I approached my husband and suggested that maybe since the snow had died down he could take them out for a car ride and pick up some supper. A much nicer alternative to the brother violence I could foresee happening. So that's what they did. They went on a burger run while I made fries at home and tidied up a bit.
Once home, we had our burgers, got the kids into jammies and brought out their story books. They happily settled into their beds that night, tuckered out and dreaming of another snow day.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
School Lunch Ideas - Mid-year successes
I started off this school year seeking to find interesting school lunches for my first grader. It's a double challenge as it has to meet the school parameters of being nut-free, healthy, filling and litter-free (or close to as possible). I have a stash of small plastic containers and aluminum water bottles to assist with the litter-free part. Our school is known as a green school and is famous for it's 'boomerang lunches' weeks where everything that goes to school comes back. My son is also not a big fan of traditional sandwiches (he loves peanut butter and banana, but you can't send peanut butter to school).
Here are some lunches that my son loves
Mains
hummus and pita
bagel with cream cheese
pizza pinwheels (recipe here)
cracker sandwiches (Ritz with cheese whiz or cream cheese)
meat roll ups, cheese and crackers (rolled up lunch meat slices, usually turkey)
meatloaf sandwich (slice of leftover meatloaf in two slices of bread)
leftover cold pizza
pizza sticks (recipe below)
English Muffins with cream cheese and jam
English Muffins with pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese
ham and cheese muffin
tomato soup in a thermos
spaghetti in a thermos
macaroni and cheese in a thermos
Sides
yogurt
apple slices
banana
clementine
other seasonal fruit
applesauce
veggies and dip
goldfish crackers
dried fruit snacks (eg: fruit to go)
raisins and cheerios mix
popcorn
muffin
granola bars (watch for nut content)
banana bread
zucchini loaf
Drink
orange juice
apple juice
fruit plus veggies juice
water
I make a point to stay away from chips, cookies and candy for school lunches. I like to pick a good mix that represents each area of Canada's Food Guide so that my son gets fueled up for the rest of the day.
What ideas have worked for you this year?
Pizza Sticks
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp instant yeast
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup flour (approx.)
2/3 cup chopped pepperoni
2 tbsp margarine (melted)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Place oven rack in centre position. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Stir the first 5 ingredients together in the bowl. Pour in the olive oil and hot water. Stir until the flour is combined. Work the second amount of flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed and a bit of the chopped pepperoni, until all the pepperoni is mixed into the dough. Invert the bowl over the dough. Let the dough rest 10 minutes. Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rows about 1 inch wide with the knife on the cutting board. Cut crosswise into 5 inch long sticks. Lay each stick on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Cover with the tea towel. Let rise in the oven, with the door closed and the oven light on, for 30 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the oven on to 375*. Combine the melted margarine and garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush the sticks with the margarine mixture. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Makes 18-20 sticks.
Recipe from Company's Coming - Kids Cook! 3 in 1 cookbook collection (After-school Snacks section)
Friday, December 10, 2010
Christmas Concerts
I've been on both sides of the school concert scene as a parent and as the school music teacher. There are a few things to keep in mind when going to these events that can make the school concert experience enjoyable for all.
1. Stay in your seats and keep the aisles clear. Kids are ushered up and down those aisles to get on and off the stage, they need the space. There's nothing to make a concert slow down than constantly having to move people out of the aisles.
2. Stay seated and out of the way of others. Yes, your little darling is precious, but so are the 20 other little darlings up there, their parents want a good view too.
3. Plan to take the time off work for the whole concert. All the kids in the school have worked hard for this performance. There is nothing more distracting than parents coming in and out of the gym. The worst I ever saw it was a packed house at one school I directed. For the first 2 acts (the kindergarten and grade one students). By the time the school choir was on to close the show there were only a handful of people left in the audience. One of my students was in tears because there was no one there to hear them sing. Most school concerts are under an hour. I know you really want to hear your own kids, but you wouldn't go to a professional performance for the first act only would you?
4. If you can't be there for your child, find someone who can. I can't begin to tell you how many students have been so upset letting me know that no one will be watching them. I always tell them that I will be there for them, but it isn't the same thing is it?
5. Invite the immediate family and keep it at that. Most of us have camcorders (even built into our phones now) to show off later on. Think about how big your school gym or auditorium is and how many kids are in the school. Is is really fair to other parents looking for seats if you have both parents, siblings, grandparents from both sides, plus Aunt Gladys and your neighbor across the street who just adores little Johnny? Yes, these people love your child. Why not video instead and have a movie premier at your house the following weekend?
6. Keep little siblings restrained. You may think it's cute to have your 2 year old climb onto the stage, no one else does. If you think your little one won't stay in their seat/in their stroller/on your lap here's a perfect time to cash in a babysitting favor.
7. Show good audience manners by not chatting once the performance in underway. That includes in between acts when the MC's are announcing and during acts that are not your own children.
Reading this over, I know a lot of it sounds like ridiculous common sense. This is just my insight to real parent behaviours I've seen over the years, repeatedly, really and truly. I hope everyone enjoys their time at their school concerts this year. The kids have worked hard and love having you there!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Mean Little Girls
This morning I was chatting with a friend of mine who shared that she was concerned about some of the social stuff going on with her daughter at school. I said, "She's in 3rd grade right?", "Yes" - "Let me guess, friendship fighting, best friends one day, worst enemies the next" , "Exactly". Yep, that's 3rd grade girls alright.
How did I know? I don't have a 3rd grade daughter yet (that's 8 years away), but I've been a teacher for a long time. I've mostly taught in elementary schools and I've observed the change. Some girls start a little bit earlier, but I find grade 3 is a real peek time for this kind of behavior. Girls who were so sweet to each other at the end of second grade come back in 3rd with a whole new attitude. It's like there is a whole new social awareness happening. The way I see it, is that when kids were a little bit younger they accepted the attitude of everybody in my class is my friend. Now that they have grown up a little bit they are experimenting socially. They realize that there is a little more to friendship than just being in the same class, or going to the same ballet lessons. They are becoming more self-aware. They are trying out and finding out who they are. They see that they have some say in who they socialize with. It doesn't always come out in a great way. In fact a lot of the time it's just plain mean.
This is the age where it's not uncommon for a girl to come up to me (a teacher) on the play yard at school and say, "Michaela won't play with me", or, "Ashley won't leave us alone". Honestly, you can't make kids like each other. You also can't make kids play together. What you can do is teach them to be kind to each other.
These kinds of behaviors are normal, but need to be curbed as it becomes a type of bullying that is known as relational bullying. When your daughter first experiences it (either as the aggressor, or, the receiver) it is an opportunity (and an important one) to teach her about bullying. Yes, it really is bullying, it's just not the blatant physical bullying that we often associate with bullying. It is just as destructive and hurtful. And it is more common with girls than with boys. It does carry on to their teenage years (well depicted in the 2004 movie Mean Girls).
Some girls are more compliant, people pleasers, longing to be liked, have a friend and fit in. They will be more succeptable to being bossed around, being told by someone that they aren't friends with them anymore, or that they don't have the right kind of shirt/bracelet/fill in the blank to be part of a club. These kids need to be taught how to look for a good friend. A true friend is someone who you can trust (not who tells your secrets), will listen (not take over the conversation), who will respect you, who will be empathetic and loyal.
Then there are the more aggressive little girls. These are the ones more likely to be in charge, or fight to be in charge. They are more dominant and make more decisions about their free time/play time. Many girls fight for this power position. What these little girls need to be taught is how to look at life from someone else's perspective. They need to be taught feeling words. They need to have their energies guided towards leadership in a more positive role, perhaps on a sports team. They need to have opportunities to lead, as well as learn to step back and be led.
It's not easy. It's not easy to be that little girl. It's not easy to parent that little girl. It is an important time in your daughter's life. This kind of relational bullying is something that will continue on for years in her life, but you can help her deal with it today and learn how to deal with it in the future. To learn more about girls and relational bullying, I recommend the book, Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. It is the book that inspired the movie Mean Girls. It is a highly recommended read for parents of girls. It will bring you back to your own childhood when that 6th grade sleepover turned into the nightmare you've tried to forget, opening those memories and giving you a tool to help your daughter through these years.
How did I know? I don't have a 3rd grade daughter yet (that's 8 years away), but I've been a teacher for a long time. I've mostly taught in elementary schools and I've observed the change. Some girls start a little bit earlier, but I find grade 3 is a real peek time for this kind of behavior. Girls who were so sweet to each other at the end of second grade come back in 3rd with a whole new attitude. It's like there is a whole new social awareness happening. The way I see it, is that when kids were a little bit younger they accepted the attitude of everybody in my class is my friend. Now that they have grown up a little bit they are experimenting socially. They realize that there is a little more to friendship than just being in the same class, or going to the same ballet lessons. They are becoming more self-aware. They are trying out and finding out who they are. They see that they have some say in who they socialize with. It doesn't always come out in a great way. In fact a lot of the time it's just plain mean.
This is the age where it's not uncommon for a girl to come up to me (a teacher) on the play yard at school and say, "Michaela won't play with me", or, "Ashley won't leave us alone". Honestly, you can't make kids like each other. You also can't make kids play together. What you can do is teach them to be kind to each other.
These kinds of behaviors are normal, but need to be curbed as it becomes a type of bullying that is known as relational bullying. When your daughter first experiences it (either as the aggressor, or, the receiver) it is an opportunity (and an important one) to teach her about bullying. Yes, it really is bullying, it's just not the blatant physical bullying that we often associate with bullying. It is just as destructive and hurtful. And it is more common with girls than with boys. It does carry on to their teenage years (well depicted in the 2004 movie Mean Girls).
Some girls are more compliant, people pleasers, longing to be liked, have a friend and fit in. They will be more succeptable to being bossed around, being told by someone that they aren't friends with them anymore, or that they don't have the right kind of shirt/bracelet/fill in the blank to be part of a club. These kids need to be taught how to look for a good friend. A true friend is someone who you can trust (not who tells your secrets), will listen (not take over the conversation), who will respect you, who will be empathetic and loyal.
Then there are the more aggressive little girls. These are the ones more likely to be in charge, or fight to be in charge. They are more dominant and make more decisions about their free time/play time. Many girls fight for this power position. What these little girls need to be taught is how to look at life from someone else's perspective. They need to be taught feeling words. They need to have their energies guided towards leadership in a more positive role, perhaps on a sports team. They need to have opportunities to lead, as well as learn to step back and be led.
It's not easy. It's not easy to be that little girl. It's not easy to parent that little girl. It is an important time in your daughter's life. This kind of relational bullying is something that will continue on for years in her life, but you can help her deal with it today and learn how to deal with it in the future. To learn more about girls and relational bullying, I recommend the book, Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. It is the book that inspired the movie Mean Girls. It is a highly recommended read for parents of girls. It will bring you back to your own childhood when that 6th grade sleepover turned into the nightmare you've tried to forget, opening those memories and giving you a tool to help your daughter through these years.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sharing a little childhood
I've been having a proud mom moment these days. Those who know me know I'm a voracious reader. My dream job when I was 9 was to become a children's librarian. (I didn't, I'm a teacher). We all have something in our childhood past that we want to share with our kids. For me, that's Disneyland (we haven't gone yet) and certain books. I know, books. I have such fond memories of books. Not picture books, but kid novels. I've been looking forward to the day when one of my kids would share a love of these books with me, and it's happening!
My oldest child is 6. He too loves books. This past summer we read through our first chapter book together (James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl). He loved it. He wanted to read Stuart Little next as he loved that movie, but we have yet to find a copy. So I put off getting another chapter book as he settled into grade one and this year's hockey season. Then a couple of weeks ago I went looking for books for my kids at the library with my younger son and daughter while the older one was at school. My eyes fell onto the shelf where the Beverly Cleary books are. Beverly Cleary! Was it possible? Could one of my kids be ready to share in a love of Beverly Cleary? I picked Ribsy, the tale of Henry Huggins dog who gets lost at the shopping mall and has all sorts of adventures trying to get back home. The verdict? He loved it. We would read half a chapter or a chapter a night before bed. Finally he said to me, Mom, I just want to keep reading, so we spent a good hour on the couch as I finished reading the book to him. And he wants more. He was so excited when I told him that there was a whole series of Henry Huggins books. This week we brought another one home (Henry Huggins, the first in the series). It's funny because I didn't think about Beverly Cleary to share with my sons, I had the Ramona books in mind to share with my daughter when she got big enough. I've discovered that the Henry Huggins books were the first written by Beverly Cleary who was a librarian at the time she wrote them. The boys at her library were looking for books about boys like them so Henry Huggins was her response. The first one was published in 1950 and they hold up well.
So there's my mom moment of the week. Sharing books of my childhood with my son. What kinds of things are you looking forward to sharing with your kids?
My oldest child is 6. He too loves books. This past summer we read through our first chapter book together (James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl). He loved it. He wanted to read Stuart Little next as he loved that movie, but we have yet to find a copy. So I put off getting another chapter book as he settled into grade one and this year's hockey season. Then a couple of weeks ago I went looking for books for my kids at the library with my younger son and daughter while the older one was at school. My eyes fell onto the shelf where the Beverly Cleary books are. Beverly Cleary! Was it possible? Could one of my kids be ready to share in a love of Beverly Cleary? I picked Ribsy, the tale of Henry Huggins dog who gets lost at the shopping mall and has all sorts of adventures trying to get back home. The verdict? He loved it. We would read half a chapter or a chapter a night before bed. Finally he said to me, Mom, I just want to keep reading, so we spent a good hour on the couch as I finished reading the book to him. And he wants more. He was so excited when I told him that there was a whole series of Henry Huggins books. This week we brought another one home (Henry Huggins, the first in the series). It's funny because I didn't think about Beverly Cleary to share with my sons, I had the Ramona books in mind to share with my daughter when she got big enough. I've discovered that the Henry Huggins books were the first written by Beverly Cleary who was a librarian at the time she wrote them. The boys at her library were looking for books about boys like them so Henry Huggins was her response. The first one was published in 1950 and they hold up well.
So there's my mom moment of the week. Sharing books of my childhood with my son. What kinds of things are you looking forward to sharing with your kids?
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Homework Help
Now that we are a couple months into the school year chances are your child is facing the daily task of homework. I'm both a parent and a teacher so I've worked this angle on both sides. Here's my take on homework and some tips for success.
Homework comes in differnt forms
1. Daily Reading - most teachers will have some sort of reading program in place. The benefits of daily reading practice, reading for pleasure and reading with parents are huge. Some reading programs are simply to read books and log them. Others have a more detailed plan, such as reading journals to fill in.
2. Extra practice - this is where your child's teacher sends home some work that reflects what they have been learning in school, reinforcing what has been taught
3. Work that wasn't finished in class time - this is where your child needs to compete work that should have been completed in class
4. Projects - any sort of bigger, ongoing work related to a concept in school. These projects usually require some research time and may or may not involve your child getting together with another child to complete work together.
5. Family homework - these are tasks related to what your child is doing in school that gives you and your child opportunity to work together
6. Spelling words - usually sent home on a Monday and tested on a Friday. These words will be commonly misspelled words or words related to a topic of study.
How much homework to expect?
The general rule of thumb regarding homework is about 10 minutes a night per grade. For example 30 minutes for a student in grade three. This is not an exact science. Some children will fly through certain tasks. You know your child best. My son will take no time at all to work through a math sheet, but balks at printing practice. It shouldn't take him as long to do as it does and wouldn't if he didn't fuss about it so much.
If it seems like your child is getting a lot of homework for his age see if you can find out why. If they are getting a lot of work not finished at school sent home there is usually a reason. Is your child talking or daydreaming instead of working? Do they understand the work set in front of them? Talk to your child's teacher to see what is going on. Most teachers have a homework philosophy. Ask for an appointment and see what is going on and how to make a plan together for best success.
Setting up a home plan
Routine and schedules are so important for your children. What kind of routine do you have at home? How are you supporting your child's learning? What kind of work space do your children have? Have you built time in your day for homework?
Here's what our routine currently looks like. I know that on Mondays we have hockey in the evening and Wednesdays we go to a community dinner at my husband's college. This means that afternoons before supper are the best time for homework. We never do homework immediately after school. I know that my son has had a long day at school already and needs a break. We spend a good half hour to an hour at the school yard playground to play. Once we are home, my kids have a snack. Then it's time for homework. My son unpacks his backpack with me there. We read his planner together and check his homework folder. He works at his homework at the kitchen table. This way I'm close by (making supper) for any help he needs. It is also a flat working space. Practice reading (for reading journals) we do together on the couch (although reading logs we do at bedtime). For his spelling words we have gotten into a routine of me randomly quizzing him whenever throughout the week (in the car, after supper, at bedtime, whenever). Repeated practice works.
Home plans are also great for supporting school projects. If you see a class project has been assigned, then help your child plan out when it will be worked on. (The night before it is due is not the time). Teaching them how to plan out larger tasks and breaking them down will help them later in life. That could be for when they have large essays in college, have a work project at work, or even getting their taxes done.
Supporting homework, not doing homework
Teachers know when parents do their child's homework. It's pretty obvious to us. You can guide them through it if they are stuck, but it really doesn't benefit your child if you do it for them. They also know when parents don't take the time to help their child. You can help your child simply by setting up a homework routine and making sure it gets done. If getting homework done is a big production (an exasperating fuss) that's when you need to come up with a plan. Homework isn't going to go away. I added 'homework without a fuss' to my son's sticker reward chart. That's what works for him. What works for you child? Is there a deeper issue going on? Are they having difficulty for a reason beyond that they don't want to do it? That would be a reason to sit down with your child's teacher to discuss. Remember that the best meetings with your child's teacher are going to happen when you set up a time and go in with an attitude to work together to help your child.
But my child doesn't have any homework!
There are three reasons for this:
1. your child is not bringing it home on purpose (aka - they don't want to do it)
2. your child is disorganized
3. your child's teacher has a no-homework program
If the answer is #1 - find out why they don't want to do it and help them as best you can to get it done
If the answer is #2 - then you need to look at teaching your child some organizational strategies, or, find out if there is a deeper issue in terms of organization. Most classrooms have student planners in which they are to write down their homework or any important information that needs to be communicated at home. Do they have the proper books that they need to get a job done? Are they bringing everything home that they need to? Do notices and assignments frequently get lost? Maybe they need a folder to put every important paper into.
If they answer is #3 - this is a new model that some schools and teachers are trying out. The only homework assigned is class work not done and reading at home.
Homework can be a daunting task if you aren't prepared for it. It is even more daunting if you and your partner work full time, and/or have your children in full time extra-curricular activities. It shouldn't be so overwhelming it can't be done. Look at how your family spends their time. I'm a big believer in the following things happening every day:
-outside play for at least half an hour (longer is better)
-family meal time (sitting down at the table together)
-setting routines for daily tasks (making beds, brushing teeth, making and eating meals, bath time, bed time...and homework)
-reading time
Other things are better in moderation
-extra curricular activities
-screen time (TV, Computer, Video Games)
Your child is going to have many, many teachers in their lifetime. All of them will have their own philosophy in regards to homework. Some will be big believers in repetition and mastery, others will be believers in the no homework philosophy. Whichever kind of teacher (or teachers) your child has this year, you can be prepared and organized to help your child achieve success.
Homework comes in differnt forms
1. Daily Reading - most teachers will have some sort of reading program in place. The benefits of daily reading practice, reading for pleasure and reading with parents are huge. Some reading programs are simply to read books and log them. Others have a more detailed plan, such as reading journals to fill in.
2. Extra practice - this is where your child's teacher sends home some work that reflects what they have been learning in school, reinforcing what has been taught
3. Work that wasn't finished in class time - this is where your child needs to compete work that should have been completed in class
4. Projects - any sort of bigger, ongoing work related to a concept in school. These projects usually require some research time and may or may not involve your child getting together with another child to complete work together.
5. Family homework - these are tasks related to what your child is doing in school that gives you and your child opportunity to work together
6. Spelling words - usually sent home on a Monday and tested on a Friday. These words will be commonly misspelled words or words related to a topic of study.
How much homework to expect?
The general rule of thumb regarding homework is about 10 minutes a night per grade. For example 30 minutes for a student in grade three. This is not an exact science. Some children will fly through certain tasks. You know your child best. My son will take no time at all to work through a math sheet, but balks at printing practice. It shouldn't take him as long to do as it does and wouldn't if he didn't fuss about it so much.
If it seems like your child is getting a lot of homework for his age see if you can find out why. If they are getting a lot of work not finished at school sent home there is usually a reason. Is your child talking or daydreaming instead of working? Do they understand the work set in front of them? Talk to your child's teacher to see what is going on. Most teachers have a homework philosophy. Ask for an appointment and see what is going on and how to make a plan together for best success.
Setting up a home plan
Routine and schedules are so important for your children. What kind of routine do you have at home? How are you supporting your child's learning? What kind of work space do your children have? Have you built time in your day for homework?
Here's what our routine currently looks like. I know that on Mondays we have hockey in the evening and Wednesdays we go to a community dinner at my husband's college. This means that afternoons before supper are the best time for homework. We never do homework immediately after school. I know that my son has had a long day at school already and needs a break. We spend a good half hour to an hour at the school yard playground to play. Once we are home, my kids have a snack. Then it's time for homework. My son unpacks his backpack with me there. We read his planner together and check his homework folder. He works at his homework at the kitchen table. This way I'm close by (making supper) for any help he needs. It is also a flat working space. Practice reading (for reading journals) we do together on the couch (although reading logs we do at bedtime). For his spelling words we have gotten into a routine of me randomly quizzing him whenever throughout the week (in the car, after supper, at bedtime, whenever). Repeated practice works.
Home plans are also great for supporting school projects. If you see a class project has been assigned, then help your child plan out when it will be worked on. (The night before it is due is not the time). Teaching them how to plan out larger tasks and breaking them down will help them later in life. That could be for when they have large essays in college, have a work project at work, or even getting their taxes done.
Supporting homework, not doing homework
Teachers know when parents do their child's homework. It's pretty obvious to us. You can guide them through it if they are stuck, but it really doesn't benefit your child if you do it for them. They also know when parents don't take the time to help their child. You can help your child simply by setting up a homework routine and making sure it gets done. If getting homework done is a big production (an exasperating fuss) that's when you need to come up with a plan. Homework isn't going to go away. I added 'homework without a fuss' to my son's sticker reward chart. That's what works for him. What works for you child? Is there a deeper issue going on? Are they having difficulty for a reason beyond that they don't want to do it? That would be a reason to sit down with your child's teacher to discuss. Remember that the best meetings with your child's teacher are going to happen when you set up a time and go in with an attitude to work together to help your child.
But my child doesn't have any homework!
There are three reasons for this:
1. your child is not bringing it home on purpose (aka - they don't want to do it)
2. your child is disorganized
3. your child's teacher has a no-homework program
If the answer is #1 - find out why they don't want to do it and help them as best you can to get it done
If the answer is #2 - then you need to look at teaching your child some organizational strategies, or, find out if there is a deeper issue in terms of organization. Most classrooms have student planners in which they are to write down their homework or any important information that needs to be communicated at home. Do they have the proper books that they need to get a job done? Are they bringing everything home that they need to? Do notices and assignments frequently get lost? Maybe they need a folder to put every important paper into.
If they answer is #3 - this is a new model that some schools and teachers are trying out. The only homework assigned is class work not done and reading at home.
Homework can be a daunting task if you aren't prepared for it. It is even more daunting if you and your partner work full time, and/or have your children in full time extra-curricular activities. It shouldn't be so overwhelming it can't be done. Look at how your family spends their time. I'm a big believer in the following things happening every day:
-outside play for at least half an hour (longer is better)
-family meal time (sitting down at the table together)
-setting routines for daily tasks (making beds, brushing teeth, making and eating meals, bath time, bed time...and homework)
-reading time
Other things are better in moderation
-extra curricular activities
-screen time (TV, Computer, Video Games)
Your child is going to have many, many teachers in their lifetime. All of them will have their own philosophy in regards to homework. Some will be big believers in repetition and mastery, others will be believers in the no homework philosophy. Whichever kind of teacher (or teachers) your child has this year, you can be prepared and organized to help your child achieve success.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Trading Toys
This is an aspect to parenting I didn't see coming. My 6 year old son and his classmates trading toys out on the school yard. You see, we don't let him bring toys to school. Then one day as we were walking home I knew something was up. It was the little secret smile he had on his face, combined with his hand in his pocket.
"What's in your pocket?" I asked.
"You know there's something in my pocket?" He's amazed at my Supermom capabilities.
"Yep"
"This, J. gave it to me" and he holds up a Bakugan.
"Mmmhmmm"
"And I'm going to give him my Obi-Wan ship because I don't play with it that much anymore." (the Obi-Wan ship is a small McDonald's toy, not a big deal)
"Are you sure you don't want it anymore?"
"yep"
"and it's okay with J's mom that he give this Bakugan to you?"
"I think so"
"well, if you are sure, then I guess it's okay"
And it was for about a week or so. Then he decided he wanted to trade back. J happily accepted the Bakugan, but can't seem to find the Obi-Wan ship. Oh well, I chalk it down to learning experience for my son.
So where do you toe the line? I didn't mind the ship because it was a 'free' toy. But what about other things? I'm really not big on this whole trading business. Is is just a way to learn about the real world? Or is it a way for your kids to get taken advantage of? From teaching I know the problems trading can create. Friendship fights, theft, distraction from their school work are just a few reasons why schools have banned popular trading items (Pokemon cards and Silly Bands are some recent examples of banned at school items). Most schools discourage bringing toys of any kind as they are susceptible to being broken, lost or stolen. For now, I've left it with my son that his toys are for sharing, but not trading. He seems to agree that this is a good idea...for now,
"What's in your pocket?" I asked.
"You know there's something in my pocket?" He's amazed at my Supermom capabilities.
"Yep"
"This, J. gave it to me" and he holds up a Bakugan.
"Mmmhmmm"
"And I'm going to give him my Obi-Wan ship because I don't play with it that much anymore." (the Obi-Wan ship is a small McDonald's toy, not a big deal)
"Are you sure you don't want it anymore?"
"yep"
"and it's okay with J's mom that he give this Bakugan to you?"
"I think so"
"well, if you are sure, then I guess it's okay"
And it was for about a week or so. Then he decided he wanted to trade back. J happily accepted the Bakugan, but can't seem to find the Obi-Wan ship. Oh well, I chalk it down to learning experience for my son.
So where do you toe the line? I didn't mind the ship because it was a 'free' toy. But what about other things? I'm really not big on this whole trading business. Is is just a way to learn about the real world? Or is it a way for your kids to get taken advantage of? From teaching I know the problems trading can create. Friendship fights, theft, distraction from their school work are just a few reasons why schools have banned popular trading items (Pokemon cards and Silly Bands are some recent examples of banned at school items). Most schools discourage bringing toys of any kind as they are susceptible to being broken, lost or stolen. For now, I've left it with my son that his toys are for sharing, but not trading. He seems to agree that this is a good idea...for now,
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Not Feeling So Clever
Hello, friends. You will have to excuse my serious absence from this place, but I haven't been feeling particularly clever lately. Moving three small children across the country and trying to adjust to a new place, plus trying to go back to work, get one in school, and find some sort of childcare for the other two is kicking my butt. I feel overwhelmed, exhausted and at the end of my rope. I have not been a parenting star these last three months.
There has been way too much tv watching, yelling, finger waggling and bribing, and not nearly enough routine, calm and consistent consequences, positive reinforcement and personal attention. Part of the problem is just trying to keep the kids quiet so we still have tenants above and below us at the end of their leases. Part of it is trying to keep the kids calm while we spend time organizing and building and sorting. Part of it is the erratic schedule of appointments with government offices and substitute teaching on random days and passing kids back and forth around us. And part, of course, is the inevitable greif our children are experiencing as they miss their friends, their school, their church, their babysitters, their yard, their freedom and their sense of security. Comments like, "The sky is still blue, Mom" and "I made friends at my last school because I thought I would be there forever. I don't want to make friends again." are common these days.
In the midst of all this chaos I don't feel up to the challenge of giving any of you advice or thoughts on parenting. When my kids are screaming at me in the mall, hitting kids at the park with sticks and awake arguing in their room (located below our upstairs tenants' room) at 4am, or punching each other in the back seat while I try to drive down the highway in busy traffic, I feel pretty lame and out of control.
The thing is, though, that my goal has never before been to control my kids. It has always been to guide them and shape their innate personalities and gifts. I have always tried to show them the consequences of their behavior and help them to find positive outlets for their energy and frustration and excitement. But when you are trying to stop them from disturbing others' and keep them within the new, different limits imposed on them by living in close quarters in a big city, you really do feel like you want to control them.
So, today, I have a few questions for you, friends. I'm okay with the baby age, its the older ones, especially the six year old, who are really frustrating me. Here goes:
-if you live in the city, or in community, what are your limits on noise, jumping, screaming, etc for you kids? How do you impose those limits?
- how and when does your child do their homework (30 min or so a night, after a full day of school) and get them to bed on time?
- how do you teach them to be kind to one another?
- how do you help them to be considerate of siblings and neighbours?
- how much "give" do you give when they are adapting to new situations or otherwise stressed out? How do you do that when you are stressed out yourself and trying to figure out the new rules yourself?
There has been way too much tv watching, yelling, finger waggling and bribing, and not nearly enough routine, calm and consistent consequences, positive reinforcement and personal attention. Part of the problem is just trying to keep the kids quiet so we still have tenants above and below us at the end of their leases. Part of it is trying to keep the kids calm while we spend time organizing and building and sorting. Part of it is the erratic schedule of appointments with government offices and substitute teaching on random days and passing kids back and forth around us. And part, of course, is the inevitable greif our children are experiencing as they miss their friends, their school, their church, their babysitters, their yard, their freedom and their sense of security. Comments like, "The sky is still blue, Mom" and "I made friends at my last school because I thought I would be there forever. I don't want to make friends again." are common these days.
In the midst of all this chaos I don't feel up to the challenge of giving any of you advice or thoughts on parenting. When my kids are screaming at me in the mall, hitting kids at the park with sticks and awake arguing in their room (located below our upstairs tenants' room) at 4am, or punching each other in the back seat while I try to drive down the highway in busy traffic, I feel pretty lame and out of control.
The thing is, though, that my goal has never before been to control my kids. It has always been to guide them and shape their innate personalities and gifts. I have always tried to show them the consequences of their behavior and help them to find positive outlets for their energy and frustration and excitement. But when you are trying to stop them from disturbing others' and keep them within the new, different limits imposed on them by living in close quarters in a big city, you really do feel like you want to control them.
So, today, I have a few questions for you, friends. I'm okay with the baby age, its the older ones, especially the six year old, who are really frustrating me. Here goes:
-if you live in the city, or in community, what are your limits on noise, jumping, screaming, etc for you kids? How do you impose those limits?
- how and when does your child do their homework (30 min or so a night, after a full day of school) and get them to bed on time?
- how do you teach them to be kind to one another?
- how do you help them to be considerate of siblings and neighbours?
- how much "give" do you give when they are adapting to new situations or otherwise stressed out? How do you do that when you are stressed out yourself and trying to figure out the new rules yourself?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
School Lunch Ideas - Pizza Pinwheels
2 1/4 cups Biscuit mix
1/2 cup water
7 1/2 oz can pizza sauce
2 sliced green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped pepperoni
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Preheat oven to 400*. Stir the biscuit mix and water in a medium bowl until the dough forms a ball. Turn dough onto a counter that has been dusted with flour or biscuit mix. Kneed the dough 20 times. Roll out to a 12 x 12 inch square.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 6 ingredients. Spread over the dough leaving an inch space all around the edges. Roll up the dough from one side to the other (like a jelly roll). Pinch the edges to seal. Cut into 12 1 inch slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Back for 12 minutes.
Friday, September 10, 2010
School Lunch Ideas - Week 1 in review
Monday - no school
Tuesday -hummus and pita bread
-sliced strawberries
-vanilla yogurt
-dried fruit snacks
-orange juice
Wednesday - sliced beef hot dog wieners with ketchup dip
- watermelon
- raspberry yogurt
- goldfish crackers
- dried fruit snacks
- orange juice
Thursday - macaroni and cheese (in thermos)
- apple/berry sauce
- strawberry yogurt
-goldfish crackers
- dried fruit snacks
- orange juice
Friday -spaghetti (in thermos)
- apple slices
-vanilla yogurt
- zucchini bread
- dried fruit snacks
- orange juice
How was your first week back at school for lunches?
Monday, September 6, 2010
School Lunch Ideas - Day 1
-no peanut butter
-nut free
-able to eat in a short period of time
-stay fresh for a few hours out of the fridge
-be interesting enough for my son to eat
-something that doesn't need heating up
-be healthy
The problem with the school lunches for me is the main course part of the lunch. I'm not a fan of the everything comes in a package kind of lunch. I know how much salt and preservatives are in those. The only kind of sandwich my son really loves is peanut butter and banana. Great for home, banned from school. He doesn't really like lunch meats (though he will eat one of those sandwiches once in a while) so the traditional sandwich takes a backseat. At home we eat a lot of hot lunches, grilled cheese, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, macaroni, mini pizzas, etc. Some of those I know I can make and heat and send in a thermos (provided the thermos doesn't leak everywhere).
I know I'm not the only mom struggling for good solutions here. I'd love to hear what other moms have come up with. As we find winning lunches, I'll post them on this blog, hoping to help inspire some of the rest of you. I'd love to hear what winning lunches you have in the comments section too!
Day 1 Lunch
-hummus and pita bread
-sliced strawberries
-vanilla yogurt
-dried fruit snacks
-orange juice
Thursday, May 13, 2010
"It's Tide Fresh"
"Mom, are our clothes Tide Fresh?" is what my near 6 year old asked me the other day. Pardon me? Tide Fresh? What the heck does he know about Tide Fresh? "Well you know Mom, most other detergents are made up of mostly water, Tide has more cleaners in it".
Oh, right, I forgot, my child has now crossed to the dark side, TV with advertising in it. Up until about this past Christmas the only TV my kids viewed was pre-school TV. In Canada pre-school TV has very strict rules in advertising. There is very little to no direct advertising (unless you count all the toy tie in products). Then my son turned 5 and a half (the and a half being extremely important) and decided that Spider-man would be the one show a day he was choosing to watch. Spider-man airs on Teletoon. Teletoon has advertising. So we now hear about cool toys, which toy is available in a Happy Meal, and apparently laundry detergents. I can see why the CRTC decided to outlaw preschool TV advertising, but now what do I do with my school aged child? Yes, I know it's yet another teaching opportunity, just one I was hoping to avoid for a little while longer. (For the record, we use Kirkland laundry soap, the Costco brand. And yes, we did tell our son this and explain why we buy it).
Oh, right, I forgot, my child has now crossed to the dark side, TV with advertising in it. Up until about this past Christmas the only TV my kids viewed was pre-school TV. In Canada pre-school TV has very strict rules in advertising. There is very little to no direct advertising (unless you count all the toy tie in products). Then my son turned 5 and a half (the and a half being extremely important) and decided that Spider-man would be the one show a day he was choosing to watch. Spider-man airs on Teletoon. Teletoon has advertising. So we now hear about cool toys, which toy is available in a Happy Meal, and apparently laundry detergents. I can see why the CRTC decided to outlaw preschool TV advertising, but now what do I do with my school aged child? Yes, I know it's yet another teaching opportunity, just one I was hoping to avoid for a little while longer. (For the record, we use Kirkland laundry soap, the Costco brand. And yes, we did tell our son this and explain why we buy it).
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Incredible Growing Baby and the Clothes that go with it
We recently moved from a small Canadian city to a big one, a very big one. We also just had our third baby, our first girl. Ah yes a girl. An invitation to all things cute and pink. I was out shopping the other day and I just happened to walk by the baby section of the Bay. Okay really, I'm loving being able to look at the little girl clothes, previously I could only do so when shopping for my niece. It's very rare that people do a double take in real life, but I really did have one of those double take moments. There was a plain pink outfit. Soft fleece pants and a matching shirt. The price was $70. That's right $70! Oh and yes, the shirt happened to have a little tiny logo of a polo player. Yes, I was looking at Ralph Lauren's baby layette collection. Now, if people want to spend $70 just to have that little logo on their baby I guess that's up to them. Personally, I think it's more than slightly ridiculous (no offense Ralph). As I said, this is my third baby. Babies, especially small babies, wear their clothing for no more than a few months. And let's not forget, "spit happens", so does baby poop. Diaper explosions are no secret among the mom community (the whole reason I'm a big fan of Shout). I know that I can spend a lot less money on something pretty much identical (minus the polo player logo). Maybe that's where I'm showing my colours of "hello, I am clearly not from the big city".
Big city living does have some shopping for baby advantages though. I have rediscovered the beauty that is an outlet mall. My sister in law is the expert at finding absolutely beautiful, quality clothing for her children (and mine) without spending a lot of money. She cued me back into some of this. I did a little googling and found a Children's Place outlet about half an hour from home. I took my kids in to have a look. I found a lovely long sleeved shirt for my daughter for $2.99, jeans for my 3 year old for $5.99 and pants for my 5 year old for $12.99. Both boys also got sunglasses for $4 and $5 respectively. I know it's not Ralph Lauren, but it is quality clothing for less.
I'm also a big fan of the Joe line (sold at Loblaw's/Superstores across the country). They are cute, well made clothes that don't cost a fortune.
Please Mum is also a big favorite of mine, they have the most incredible sales and when they do, look out! I love finding a good deal.
Let's face it, kids grow fast. They get clothes good and dirty as well. The average family needs to be able to find a good deal when dressing their kids. I would rather shop with the sales and get the quality that I like than cheaping out and buying clothes that aren't as great for the same price. I've made that mistake too. Bought clothes that had a great price but not a great quality, only to have them fall apart in the wash (you'll end up spending more money overall if you do that).
And yes, I do keep clothes my children have grown out of to save it for the next child growing up into that size. There's nothing wrong with hand me downs when you are budgeting (another good reason to find quality).
Where do you find your deals? How do you keep your kids well dressed while staying on budget? I'd love to know where the other deals are! Also, here's your moment to brag about a good deal...what was the best deal you remember finding?
*None of the above companies are giving me anything to endorse their clothes on my blog, but I'd love it if they would :o)
Big city living does have some shopping for baby advantages though. I have rediscovered the beauty that is an outlet mall. My sister in law is the expert at finding absolutely beautiful, quality clothing for her children (and mine) without spending a lot of money. She cued me back into some of this. I did a little googling and found a Children's Place outlet about half an hour from home. I took my kids in to have a look. I found a lovely long sleeved shirt for my daughter for $2.99, jeans for my 3 year old for $5.99 and pants for my 5 year old for $12.99. Both boys also got sunglasses for $4 and $5 respectively. I know it's not Ralph Lauren, but it is quality clothing for less.
I'm also a big fan of the Joe line (sold at Loblaw's/Superstores across the country). They are cute, well made clothes that don't cost a fortune.
Please Mum is also a big favorite of mine, they have the most incredible sales and when they do, look out! I love finding a good deal.
Let's face it, kids grow fast. They get clothes good and dirty as well. The average family needs to be able to find a good deal when dressing their kids. I would rather shop with the sales and get the quality that I like than cheaping out and buying clothes that aren't as great for the same price. I've made that mistake too. Bought clothes that had a great price but not a great quality, only to have them fall apart in the wash (you'll end up spending more money overall if you do that).
And yes, I do keep clothes my children have grown out of to save it for the next child growing up into that size. There's nothing wrong with hand me downs when you are budgeting (another good reason to find quality).
Where do you find your deals? How do you keep your kids well dressed while staying on budget? I'd love to know where the other deals are! Also, here's your moment to brag about a good deal...what was the best deal you remember finding?
*None of the above companies are giving me anything to endorse their clothes on my blog, but I'd love it if they would :o)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Is this supposed to be funny?
As I was teaching today I was reminded of something I really, really can't stand. Not just one, but many students wear shirts to school with a negative message on them. Now, I get that they are supposed to be humorous, but I just don't see how these shirts and messages strengthen the family and build up the child. Here's some real life examples I've seen.
"If I see it and like it, you buy it - any questions?"
"Sister for sale cheap"
"My parents are clever, but not as clever as me"
"Spoiled Brat"
"If you don't like my attitude then stop talking to me"
"I'm not trying to be difficult, it comes naturally"
As we live in a society where we complain about loss of family values, I just wonder what messages we are sending to our children. When we buy clothing like this we (their parents) are saying it's okay to have attitude, it's okay to be negative about your sibling, it's okay to be in charge of your own parents.
Think about messages you've seen on shirts. Do your own kids have clothing like this? Why? I'm curious. What kind of child do you want your child to be? Are we just buying into the message that kids have attitude so we'll just go with it? Or, are we striving for something else? The kids we raise are our future adults. They are decision makers. It is our responsibility to bring them up the best we can to help them become the best they can. The next time you are looking at graphic tees for your kids why not get one like one of these? (also ones I've really seen):
"Awesome"
"Smile"
"Dream Big"
"If I see it and like it, you buy it - any questions?"
"Sister for sale cheap"
"My parents are clever, but not as clever as me"
"Spoiled Brat"
"If you don't like my attitude then stop talking to me"
"I'm not trying to be difficult, it comes naturally"
As we live in a society where we complain about loss of family values, I just wonder what messages we are sending to our children. When we buy clothing like this we (their parents) are saying it's okay to have attitude, it's okay to be negative about your sibling, it's okay to be in charge of your own parents.
Think about messages you've seen on shirts. Do your own kids have clothing like this? Why? I'm curious. What kind of child do you want your child to be? Are we just buying into the message that kids have attitude so we'll just go with it? Or, are we striving for something else? The kids we raise are our future adults. They are decision makers. It is our responsibility to bring them up the best we can to help them become the best they can. The next time you are looking at graphic tees for your kids why not get one like one of these? (also ones I've really seen):
"Awesome"
"Smile"
"Dream Big"
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