How to help your child during the final stretch...
Now that we are all well rested and recharged from Spring Break, let's finish this school year off strong!
Parents be sure to encourage your children to work hard and not rush or make careless mistakes. We have a lot left to learn and our work is continuing to get more difficult. It is all too easy to slack off with the warm weather on its way. Don't let that happen in your home! Let's have a great remainder of the year!
Here are some tips to help your children during the final stretch:
1. Maintain an evening routine: It can be tempting to let kids go to bed later as the daylight extends longer, and it begins feeling more like summer, but keeping to the same homework routine, dinner routine and bed time helps keep children in the school year mindset.
2. Enjoy the weather!
Once homework and chores are complete, be sure to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine with your child! Play tag, ride bikes, throw a baseball...have fun! We are cooped up inside school for a majority of the day and your children need to get their energy out and enjoy the beautiful weather. We spend enough time indoors at school. Be sure to play outside at home. Why not do homework out on the porch or even poolside?
3. establish a countdown
Our last day at TA is June 17 (half day). Consider doing a fun countdown of some sort so you and your child know just how many more days are left. Paper chains are fun! Tear off one paper link for each day until there are none left! Why not blow up a balloon for each day left and write on a number on it with a sharpie...pop one each day until the last day. Think advent calendar and switch it up for the last day of school. Be creative!
4. stay interested and engaged!
As it’s only natural for children to lose focus, so it is with parents. Keep asking them questions about classroom life, their friends and about upcoming end-of-year activities. Whenever possible, use the names of their friends and ask specific questions. Don’t expect them to share unsolicited information.
5. consider incentives
While it is certainly an expectation that your child works hard and always tries their best, a little incentive for a strong finish can be fun for everyone! Celebrate their hard work and effort this year. Brainstorm a fun incentive for that final report card. It doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive by any means! A trip to a favorite park or the wave pool, a Blizzard from Dairy Queen or a Slurpee from 7-11, catch a movie together, let them pick out a new book from the store...the sky is the limit. Talk to your child and create a goal to work towards.
Now that we are all well rested and recharged from Spring Break, let's finish this school year off strong!
Parents be sure to encourage your children to work hard and not rush or make careless mistakes. We have a lot left to learn and our work is continuing to get more difficult. It is all too easy to slack off with the warm weather on its way. Don't let that happen in your home! Let's have a great remainder of the year!
Here are some tips to help your children during the final stretch:
1. Maintain an evening routine: It can be tempting to let kids go to bed later as the daylight extends longer, and it begins feeling more like summer, but keeping to the same homework routine, dinner routine and bed time helps keep children in the school year mindset.
2. Enjoy the weather!
Once homework and chores are complete, be sure to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine with your child! Play tag, ride bikes, throw a baseball...have fun! We are cooped up inside school for a majority of the day and your children need to get their energy out and enjoy the beautiful weather. We spend enough time indoors at school. Be sure to play outside at home. Why not do homework out on the porch or even poolside?
3. establish a countdown
Our last day at TA is June 17 (half day). Consider doing a fun countdown of some sort so you and your child know just how many more days are left. Paper chains are fun! Tear off one paper link for each day until there are none left! Why not blow up a balloon for each day left and write on a number on it with a sharpie...pop one each day until the last day. Think advent calendar and switch it up for the last day of school. Be creative!
4. stay interested and engaged!
As it’s only natural for children to lose focus, so it is with parents. Keep asking them questions about classroom life, their friends and about upcoming end-of-year activities. Whenever possible, use the names of their friends and ask specific questions. Don’t expect them to share unsolicited information.
5. consider incentives
While it is certainly an expectation that your child works hard and always tries their best, a little incentive for a strong finish can be fun for everyone! Celebrate their hard work and effort this year. Brainstorm a fun incentive for that final report card. It doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive by any means! A trip to a favorite park or the wave pool, a Blizzard from Dairy Queen or a Slurpee from 7-11, catch a movie together, let them pick out a new book from the store...the sky is the limit. Talk to your child and create a goal to work towards.