Part 3 in a 3 part series...
What happens when your kids come home from school? Do you expect homework to be completed right away? Can they have a snack? What about play time? It is important to realize each child is different and some schedules that work for one of your children may not be the best for the other.
Children do need some quiet time and down time after school. Completing homework has to be done and you will need to decide when it works for you, your after school schedule and your child(ren). Keep this a routine so that your kids will know the expectation. Also, monitor any anxiety around your after school schedule. This will help you determine what will work best. Home work should always be done in a suitable place in your home. A desk or table with a well lit area is good. Keep the outside distractions to a minimum. You should plan to supervise, encourage and praise. This is a great place to make learning creative – make sure you and your child are having fun in this process. Laughing and finding new ways to learn difficult concepts can be fun for everyone in the family. If someone is struggling with something, make a game up to play at the dinner table and have everyone participate regardless of their age. It is easier than you think to scale down an older concept or build a younger concept up. This will engage each other in this journey together.
Organization will take time and looks different each school year as your child(ren) grow. Remember that they have to start with a clean slate each year and sometimes that means parents have to be a bit more flexible in creating a new routine. Make sure that you do not over schedule your kids in after school activities. 1-2 is plenty. Let them be kids. And make sure you do not over schedule yourself in school activities and meetings. Your child(ren) need you more during the school year. And finally, everyone in the house must get a good night’s sleep so work on that night time routine and make sure that your kids are getting 8-12 hours if possible. Research shows that even through high school kids need a good night’s rest so that their brain can re-set for the next day.
In closing, remember you do not have to be super-mom or super-dad. Your child(ren) need to know that and they need to see that you have difficulties as well. This is natural and helps them understand their own feelings. It is ok to say no to your kids and to outside commitments. Keep yourself healthy, get a good night’s rest and know that if something did not get done today, there is always tomorrow.
We are building strong minds and creative imaginations. This takes a life time to achieve.
Blessings to each of you this school year!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time for Routine and Organization
Part 2 of a 3 part series...
Now that the kids are in school think about what will happen in your day. Whether you are a stay at home mom, dad or work full time the school year changes the dynamics of any schedule. Make sure the tasks of carpools, bus schedules, after school clubs and other important dates are on a master calendar. A suggestion is to keep a master calendar in the kitchen somewhere or in a very visible spot where everyone in the family can see it. If you are talking about multiple schedules then think about color coding your kids so that they will know what they have coming. If your children are younger, try making a picture calendar to give them information at their level of understanding and this way they feel like part of the master plan as well.
Make sure that you have had the opportunity to visit the school with your child(ren). Most schools have an ice cream social or back to school night. It is important for your child to see that you are interested in their education and also let the teacher know you will be working along side of them during the school year in making sure your child is successful. If your child is new to the school, make sure you help them find places like the bathroom, the office, the lunchroom. Although, they get a tour when school starts this will help with any anxiety around the start of school. Even returning students may have nervous feelings about their new class. If your child is bigger, then empower them by having them show you around the school and where their class is located. They will feel at ease if they have a question or concern by being put in a more responsible place. How many of us have heard this statement over and over…”Mom, I know.”
It is important that you stay on top of what your child is eating for lunch and snacks throughout the day. Healthy choices begin at a young age and stay with kids throughout adolescence into adulthood. Set the example early. Find out if the school lunches being served are balanced and if your child will actually even eat them. Otherwise, send a balanced lunch. A snack should not be a sugary one and should provide enough substance to carry them through the day. A piece of fruit, a granola bar, cheese and crackers, etc. are all good examples. Always send a water bottle with your child. Most schools allow them and would rather the kids have easy access to water. This will cut down on the amount of times the children will ask to go and get a drink as well and
make more time for learning.
Part 3 ... After School
Now that the kids are in school think about what will happen in your day. Whether you are a stay at home mom, dad or work full time the school year changes the dynamics of any schedule. Make sure the tasks of carpools, bus schedules, after school clubs and other important dates are on a master calendar. A suggestion is to keep a master calendar in the kitchen somewhere or in a very visible spot where everyone in the family can see it. If you are talking about multiple schedules then think about color coding your kids so that they will know what they have coming. If your children are younger, try making a picture calendar to give them information at their level of understanding and this way they feel like part of the master plan as well.
Make sure that you have had the opportunity to visit the school with your child(ren). Most schools have an ice cream social or back to school night. It is important for your child to see that you are interested in their education and also let the teacher know you will be working along side of them during the school year in making sure your child is successful. If your child is new to the school, make sure you help them find places like the bathroom, the office, the lunchroom. Although, they get a tour when school starts this will help with any anxiety around the start of school. Even returning students may have nervous feelings about their new class. If your child is bigger, then empower them by having them show you around the school and where their class is located. They will feel at ease if they have a question or concern by being put in a more responsible place. How many of us have heard this statement over and over…”Mom, I know.”
It is important that you stay on top of what your child is eating for lunch and snacks throughout the day. Healthy choices begin at a young age and stay with kids throughout adolescence into adulthood. Set the example early. Find out if the school lunches being served are balanced and if your child will actually even eat them. Otherwise, send a balanced lunch. A snack should not be a sugary one and should provide enough substance to carry them through the day. A piece of fruit, a granola bar, cheese and crackers, etc. are all good examples. Always send a water bottle with your child. Most schools allow them and would rather the kids have easy access to water. This will cut down on the amount of times the children will ask to go and get a drink as well and
make more time for learning.
Part 3 ... After School
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Time for Routine and Organization
Part 1 of a 3 part series...
It is that time again; time to get ready to return to school. Those long days of summer are nearing an end and soon everyone will return to a more routine schedule. That schedule can seem endless filled with school days, homework, after school clubs, sports, dance, carpool, meetings and leaving everyone looking forward to the weekend! Now is the time to set everyone up in the house to be more organized and have some daily expected routines.
Sounds wonderful! Now, where do we begin? A great way to begin is to shop for your school supplies online. kids klutter (www.kidsklutter.com) is a way to have your supplies taken care of keeping your sanity and taking the headache out of shopping at several stores. Since school is ready to begin, you may have already shopped for your supplies and realized it was not an easy task and was expensive…Well, next year think of us and we can help you get those supplies easier. So, now you have the school supplies and your children are ready to go!
Now what? How do I get my kids back into the school routine? A great place to start is with a family meeting. A meeting around a meal is always fun and communication happens naturally. Talk about the start of school, discuss concerns and build your kids up about the new adventure of meeting the teacher, new friends and seeing old faces as well. Acknowledge any fears they may have and let them know you are going to be there to help them get a good start. Also, talk about goals for the school year from each family member and write them down. Make sure you refer to those goals whenever possible to keep the kids on track. Let the family be involved in the daily routine and expectations you may have as parents. Talk about what things must be done and how the family will help one another get those things completed. This is also a good place to discuss safety, especially if your children are taking the bus or walking to school. Stranger danger awareness cannot start too early. There are many resources on this subject – check out your library for information and help your kids understand the importance of being safe at all times.
Agreeing to have a morning ritual is important since that is the first place everyone will feel successful in beginning the day with the feeling of accomplishment that will carry each of you. Wake-up times, getting ready, morning jobs and eating a healthy breakfast are all things that need to happen regularly so make them a part of the daily routine. Make sure all homework and backpacks are done and packed the night before and are kept in the same spot for easy pick up the following morning on the way out the door. Having the kids get their clothes and shoes ready the night before is a time saver in the morning and can be a part of their nighttime routine.
These are all steps in getting you and your kids organized ongoing.
Part 2 ... Back to School
It is that time again; time to get ready to return to school. Those long days of summer are nearing an end and soon everyone will return to a more routine schedule. That schedule can seem endless filled with school days, homework, after school clubs, sports, dance, carpool, meetings and leaving everyone looking forward to the weekend! Now is the time to set everyone up in the house to be more organized and have some daily expected routines.
Sounds wonderful! Now, where do we begin? A great way to begin is to shop for your school supplies online. kids klutter (www.kidsklutter.com) is a way to have your supplies taken care of keeping your sanity and taking the headache out of shopping at several stores. Since school is ready to begin, you may have already shopped for your supplies and realized it was not an easy task and was expensive…Well, next year think of us and we can help you get those supplies easier. So, now you have the school supplies and your children are ready to go!
Now what? How do I get my kids back into the school routine? A great place to start is with a family meeting. A meeting around a meal is always fun and communication happens naturally. Talk about the start of school, discuss concerns and build your kids up about the new adventure of meeting the teacher, new friends and seeing old faces as well. Acknowledge any fears they may have and let them know you are going to be there to help them get a good start. Also, talk about goals for the school year from each family member and write them down. Make sure you refer to those goals whenever possible to keep the kids on track. Let the family be involved in the daily routine and expectations you may have as parents. Talk about what things must be done and how the family will help one another get those things completed. This is also a good place to discuss safety, especially if your children are taking the bus or walking to school. Stranger danger awareness cannot start too early. There are many resources on this subject – check out your library for information and help your kids understand the importance of being safe at all times.
Agreeing to have a morning ritual is important since that is the first place everyone will feel successful in beginning the day with the feeling of accomplishment that will carry each of you. Wake-up times, getting ready, morning jobs and eating a healthy breakfast are all things that need to happen regularly so make them a part of the daily routine. Make sure all homework and backpacks are done and packed the night before and are kept in the same spot for easy pick up the following morning on the way out the door. Having the kids get their clothes and shoes ready the night before is a time saver in the morning and can be a part of their nighttime routine.
These are all steps in getting you and your kids organized ongoing.
Part 2 ... Back to School
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Summer Organization
By Deb Morgans
Time to get your kids organized for summer and keep your sanity
Are your kids getting tired and ready for summer? Those last few weeks of school can be the most difficult. Knowing that your children need some down time is a good thing but getting them ready for summer can be frustrating. We can help.
First of all, it is important to clean up this past school year. As the school days come to an end, a good tip is to find a place at the beginning of the year where you can collect school papers, reports and other things from your child’s schoolwork. I use a bin or a shelf for each of my children and just put everything in there as the year progresses. I usually do not throw anything away until I clean it out at the end of the year because I always find that my child needs something they have forgotten to turn in at a later time. At the end of the school year, I go through the papers and take a sample of every subject along with some art work and special reports. I put them in a folder and write the school year on the front and file it in a memories box for my child to look at later. Or, ask your child to help you pick out the things you both would like to keep. This helps give them closure on the year and is a way to build them up about their success they just finished. It is a good way to see progress over the years and you have an automatic portfolio of your child’s work! My children love to go back through those memories on a rainy or snowy day.
Then comes getting ready for summer; I find the summer the most difficult for children.
The first few weeks are always great. They play, they hand around, day events are planned but then all of a sudden we, as parents, cannot wait for school to begin again. They start to get bored or seem unglued at times. I started realizing that what they need is some sort of summer routine. All children do best when they know what is coming. That is why they can be so successful in school. Routine is the key. Of course, we do not want to routine them out during the summer, BUT it is important for them to have some sort of schedule or balance in their summer days. Too much of any one thing as they say is not good. So, make sure your days are balanced with outside activities, reading, a short amount of TV, games and events that engage their minds and bodies.
And, if your child was struggling in a subject during the school year, integrate some basic skills in their day as summer moves on. There are plenty of ways to keep a child’s skills up in the summer without making it feel like school. Visiting the library is a great example and most of them have a summer reading program that will work toward a reward. And there are many skill books in our bookstores that will help children keep up. Just have a time where your child will complete a few pages each day or every other day. Other examples of keeping children engaged are letting them help plan mid-day meals, shop for the items and prepare them also. Cooking is a great skill and children love to eat.
In closing, remember that they need to be outside in the sunlight daily so don’t forget the sunscreen. Outside chores are a good way to engage the video game child. And one final note…we tend to let them have a “whatever” time you want to stay up till attitude in the summer; however, that really works against our children and their ability to self regulate when they are too tired. So, some days are good to say ok but it is better to try to stick to a routine time even if it is just a little later then the school year. You will find that your child has a much better time making positive decisions during the day, interacting with other children and feeling good about themselves. And, you will find that you feel better yourself!
Blessings to you and your family for a fun, safe and healthy summer!
Time to get your kids organized for summer and keep your sanity
Are your kids getting tired and ready for summer? Those last few weeks of school can be the most difficult. Knowing that your children need some down time is a good thing but getting them ready for summer can be frustrating. We can help.
First of all, it is important to clean up this past school year. As the school days come to an end, a good tip is to find a place at the beginning of the year where you can collect school papers, reports and other things from your child’s schoolwork. I use a bin or a shelf for each of my children and just put everything in there as the year progresses. I usually do not throw anything away until I clean it out at the end of the year because I always find that my child needs something they have forgotten to turn in at a later time. At the end of the school year, I go through the papers and take a sample of every subject along with some art work and special reports. I put them in a folder and write the school year on the front and file it in a memories box for my child to look at later. Or, ask your child to help you pick out the things you both would like to keep. This helps give them closure on the year and is a way to build them up about their success they just finished. It is a good way to see progress over the years and you have an automatic portfolio of your child’s work! My children love to go back through those memories on a rainy or snowy day.
Then comes getting ready for summer; I find the summer the most difficult for children.
The first few weeks are always great. They play, they hand around, day events are planned but then all of a sudden we, as parents, cannot wait for school to begin again. They start to get bored or seem unglued at times. I started realizing that what they need is some sort of summer routine. All children do best when they know what is coming. That is why they can be so successful in school. Routine is the key. Of course, we do not want to routine them out during the summer, BUT it is important for them to have some sort of schedule or balance in their summer days. Too much of any one thing as they say is not good. So, make sure your days are balanced with outside activities, reading, a short amount of TV, games and events that engage their minds and bodies.
And, if your child was struggling in a subject during the school year, integrate some basic skills in their day as summer moves on. There are plenty of ways to keep a child’s skills up in the summer without making it feel like school. Visiting the library is a great example and most of them have a summer reading program that will work toward a reward. And there are many skill books in our bookstores that will help children keep up. Just have a time where your child will complete a few pages each day or every other day. Other examples of keeping children engaged are letting them help plan mid-day meals, shop for the items and prepare them also. Cooking is a great skill and children love to eat.
In closing, remember that they need to be outside in the sunlight daily so don’t forget the sunscreen. Outside chores are a good way to engage the video game child. And one final note…we tend to let them have a “whatever” time you want to stay up till attitude in the summer; however, that really works against our children and their ability to self regulate when they are too tired. So, some days are good to say ok but it is better to try to stick to a routine time even if it is just a little later then the school year. You will find that your child has a much better time making positive decisions during the day, interacting with other children and feeling good about themselves. And, you will find that you feel better yourself!
Blessings to you and your family for a fun, safe and healthy summer!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
A New Day!
Welcome one and all!
This is our first blog entry and so I thought that a small sample of what we will be sharing here going forward would be nice.
kids klutter is committed to helping parents and teachers find new and innovative ways to help children to become better organizers. We believe that "children who are well-organized experience a greater level of self confidence and usually become more successful". This is one way that we can help at providing some tools or resources to help you create that successful organizer in your children and get them off to the right start.
It is somewhat fitting that we as educators and adults could always use a refresher course in these areas as well! Just as I am going through the process of writing this and a few other ideas down, my three kids are combing the house for the mailbox keys as we have misplaced them! You must love the irony!
This is our first blog entry and so I thought that a small sample of what we will be sharing here going forward would be nice.
kids klutter is committed to helping parents and teachers find new and innovative ways to help children to become better organizers. We believe that "children who are well-organized experience a greater level of self confidence and usually become more successful". This is one way that we can help at providing some tools or resources to help you create that successful organizer in your children and get them off to the right start.
It is somewhat fitting that we as educators and adults could always use a refresher course in these areas as well! Just as I am going through the process of writing this and a few other ideas down, my three kids are combing the house for the mailbox keys as we have misplaced them! You must love the irony!
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