Prepare your back to school essentials well in time

It’s August, summer is finally coming to an end and the new school year is right around the corner. Time for  parents and students all over the country to start their back to school preparations. Whether your children look forward to this event or they dread the regimented school days ahead, one thing is for sure – back to school entails another big transition. Help your kids cope with the biggest adjustments and make those first weeks of school easier for them with the following tips:

Start talking about the upcoming school year

Before summer break ends, find opportunities to talk to your child about the upcoming school year. Instead of allowing them to dwell on the post-holiday blues, get them excited about going back to school. Think of the things your child will love about school. It could be spending time  with friends, having time to play with other kids, or about a subject they are interested in? Highlight these topics during your conversation so that they’ll have something to look forward to.

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Being a full-time working parent is not easy. There are a lot of things and responsibilities to handle – waking up the kids in the morning, feeding them, cleaning them up, dropping them off to school, then heading to the office to work. With everything that parents have to juggle, it’s impossible not to feel exhausted and overwhelmed. This is the exact reason why achieving  work-life balance is crucial for any family. Your ability to balance a career and personal life is what you need to survive with your sanity intact despite all the responsibilities at home and work. To help master the art of balancing work and family time, here are some tips you could use.

Change bad work habits

To make sure your work doesn’t affect your personal life, make sure to change some bad  work habits. Start with the most challenging and difficult tasks as you begin your work day. Get them done one by one so you’ll soon only have the easier ones left at  the end of the day. This way, you won’t feel rushed at quitting time. This will also help you accomplish more work during your day. Also, try hard to avoid bringing your work home. It may be better to extend your day a little longer at the office than continue working at home.

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As a parent, one of the most important decisions you will make is deciding which preschool to enroll your child  in. Choosing a preschool that will prepare your child well for lifelong learning is not easy. There are several things to consider, like  the programs and curriculum offered by the preschool. It may be confusing and nerve-wracking but don’t worry, below is a guide that can help you choose the right preschool.

Nail down the basics

When choosing a preschool, it’s  best to start with the basics. Ask yourself these  questions How far you are willing to drive when bringing and picking up your child from the preschool. Is it important for the preschool to be close to your office or your home? What programs are you looking for? Do you need your child to be in school in the morning or afternoon?

Determine your preferred curriculum

Pick a preschool that will suit your child’s needs

Each child has different and unique needs. A preschool is a good fit if it can provide your child the kind of learning environment that will meet their specific needs. Each preschool may offer a different style of curriculum. It will also help if you get familiar with each of those. Here are some of the most common styles.

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Raising kids isn’t easy…especially in a society that often seems so self-absorbed. (selfies, anyone?)

So how can parents help kids see beyond their own immediate interests and concerns?

By involving their children in opportunities to volunteer their time and energies towards helping others.

While volunteering benefits those on the receiving end – both the individuals and organizations served – it’s hard to quantify how much volunteering benefits the “giver” just as much…if not more.

When you give your child opportunities to help others through volunteering you’re also helping them learn:

Empathy

When looking for opportunities to volunteer, the closer your child can be to the end result (e.g. handing the sandwich to a homeless person not just making the sandwich) the more concrete their understanding will be of what they’re doing.

Which also leads to more engagement in the volunteering process.

Confidence

Children gain confidence when they see their own contributions make a difference in someone else’s life. Their success then encourages them to look for other ways they can contribute to their communities, building leadership skills they will take with them throughout their lives.

Cooperation

Volunteer work can teach compassion

Social situations are the best way for children to learn social skills, and volunteering is no exception.

When a diverse range of individuals meet through volunteering, they have a common goal in mind, however different people will often approach the same task in a different way, which can potentially lead to conflict.

Children who witness – and participate in – the process of deliberation among the volunteers learn how important collaboration with others is to achieve the desired end result…helping individuals in need.

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As parents, we are interested in hearing about our child’s day at school. We want to make sure that they had fun playing sports during PE, that they had someone to sit with during lunch and most importantly, that they had a great day. However, getting kids to talk about school is not that easy, especially when you use the same old approach. Many parents make the mistake of asking the generic “how was school?” question that doesn’t really give them the answer that they want to hear.

Are you struggling when it comes to getting your children to open up to you about school? Here are some tips that you might find useful.

Greet them first

Asking kids right after school isn’t the best time if you want to hear the details about their school day. This may make them feel put on the spot or intimidated. Save your questioning for later. Instead, give your kids warm greetings when they arrive home. Let them relax before you ask about school specifically. Chat about other things not related to school or think about interesting conversation starters for that kids can relate to.

Let them bring up the subject of school

Conversations are usually easier when your child is the first to bring up the subject of school. Rather than asking right away, chit-chat with your kids first and see if they will start talking about school. This way, you won’t have to force the topic, and the conversation is going to flow more naturally.

Spend a few minutes each day to connect with your kids

Make time to talk to your kids properly

Setting aside a few minutes daily for a “special time” with your children can help strengthen your connection with them. When you are bonded with your kids, it’s a lot easier for them to trust you with their thoughts and feelings. The more they trust you, the easier it will be for you to find out details about their day at school. They will feel more comfortable answering your questions and opening up to you about their experiences. It is also an excellent way for you to help your child feel that they are your highest priority, making them feel that they can count on you no matter what.

Share your day’s events

It is equally important that you share your own experiences with your kids. Talk to them about your friends, your day at work, your interests, if you had a great day, and so on. This is a perfect way to model how communication and conversation should be.

Know their daily schedule

A simple way to come up with the right questions to ask that will get your kids to share about school, is to take time to find out their school schedule. Be familiar with the activities they are scheduled to do during the week.  Try to be aware of special events or activities at school. This way, when you ask your child about these events, it will lead them into opening up to you.

Ask specific and open ended questions

Rather than asking your child what they did at school or how their school day was, ask more specific questions that will give you a more specific response. Ask open-ended questions. Be creative with your approach.  Instead, ask “what games did you play in PE today?” or “what was the most exciting classroom activity?” and so on. These questions will be interesting to your child because they will be talking about games, playing and activities. They will then be more likely to answer in length and even talk about their day.

Communicating effectively with your children may not be very easy, but you can use these tips to help you come up with the right approach. Looking for a preschool that focuses on your child’s holistic development? Please consider our Tampa preschool.