Sunday Post: Close-Up: Simple Tips for First Day of School Anxiety

Posted on August 12, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is CLOSE-UP.

I know I’ve used this photo before…but it personifies “CLOSE-UP” perfectly.

Do you practice attached parenting? Are you a helicopter mom? Have you encouraged your child’s independence?

No matter what type of parent you are, you may be experiencing some anxiety as you send your child off for the first day of school.

Many children also have concerns about school. Will they like the teacher? Will the other kids be nice? Will they find their way around the maze of hallways and classrooms? (I get lost when I do school visits) Will they ever see you again?

Here are five simple steps that will make the transition from home to school smoother.

1. Have an upbeat, matter-of-fact, positive attitude about school.

2. If your child has not been there yet, arrange for a visit before school starts.

3. Connect with parents of other children in the class and have play dates with your child’s classmates…children feel more at ease when they see friendly faces in the classroom.

4. If you don’t have a routine in place for bedtime and getting-ready-for-the-day-in-the-morning time, put them in place now. Make it a habit to discuss plans for the next day in the evening and lay out clothes and anything else needed the night before. When school starts, your child will be used to getting things ready and you won’t have that last minute rush in the morning to find the missing shoe or backpack. Regarding bedtime, please make sure you are allowing plenty of time for your child to get ready (brush teeth, wash, lay out clothes and necessary items, story-time, etc.) and still be getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

5. Make sure your child is eating a good breakfast in the morning…when school starts, this will be even more important. My younger son loved pizza. Some children might prefer eggs and toast, cereal with fruit and milk, French toast and bacon or pancakes with fruit toppings. How about peanut butter and banana on whole wheat bread?

Many times, children who are fussy eaters become better eaters when you let them help out in the kitchen. If you are looking for some simple child-friendly recipes, Show Me How! has one hundred of them and teams each cooking activity with a picture book suggestion and a quick and easy eco-friendly arts and crafts project. You can order a copy on my website at less than 50% of the cover price. The book is available for shipment to Canadian residents also!

Studies show that the quality time you spend with your young children now has a positive impact on their school performance. This is a great opportunity to get a wonderful resource you can use on a daily basis, year after year. Show Me How is an award-winning book endorsed by parents, teachers and national organizations such as the JDRF. To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you need to be in their lives today. This is a book that makes it easy and fun to be in your children’s lives today! Don’t put it off until tomorrow!

Another thing not to put off until tomorrow: if you’d like to nominate your child’s school or other childcare facility in the Show Me How School Initiative, please don’t forget to leave a comment with the school’s name. If you don’t have young children, but know people who do, tell them about the free book their child’s school can receive!

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?

http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/

And here are some other bloggers who are doing Jake’s Sunday Post…click on a link and travel around the world:

http://p0nky.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/sunday-post-close-up/

http://blueberriejournal.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/close-up-2/

http://cyclingrandma.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/cheese-less-pesto/

http://drieskewrites.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/sunday-post-close-up/

http://bodhisattvaintraining.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/sunday-post-close-up/

http://perceptionsofareluctanthomemaker.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/jakes-sunday-post-close-up/

http://inspirationimport.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/my-mothers-eyes-close-up/

http://tracycampbellwriter.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/week-6-summer-short-sweet-challenge-have-you-been-bullied/

http://spanishpinaynanay.blogspot.com/2012/04/show-me-how-book-attached-parent-will.html

Are You Ready To Say Goodbye?

Posted on August 9, 2012 by viviankirkfield

In some districts, the school bells are already ringing. Stores are crowded with parents and children, shopping for the perfect backpack and outfit for the first day of class. Teachers are busy setting up classrooms and studying the curriculum for the new school year.

In my next few posts, I’ll been sharing thoughts about how to transition a child from home to school and how to have the healthiest school year ever.

But children are not the only ones who may be anxious about the first day of school. Many parents have concerns about their children attending school and the concerns can mushroom as the children get older. Perhaps that is why homeschooling has become a popular option in recent years. According to an article in USA Today (1/2009) based on a government survey, homeschooling increased 74% from 1999 to 2007.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-04-homeschooling_N.htm

What are some of the top fears and concerns parents may have about sending their children off to their first day of school?

The child may be bullied or hurt by other children.
The child may be made fun of because of his name, appearance, or style of speech or clothing.
The teacher may not be structured enough or may be too structured or may not understand the child or may not be attentive enough to the child.
There may be unsafe conditions at the school.
The child may be in an accident traveling to or from school whether he walks, takes the bus or is driven by the parent or another adult.
The child may hear things or be taught things that are not acceptable in the home.
The child may be afraid or too shy to speak up for herself (to ask to use the bathroom or if she needs something).
The child may not “fit” in.
The child may reveal family secrets or personal information.
The parent may miss the child.

In my next post, I’ll give some simple steps parents can take to address many of these concerns which may alleviate some of the parental anxiety associated with sending kids off to school.

THE SHOW ME HOW SCHOOL INITIATIVE IS LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS

If you know of a school or classroom that would benefit from having an award-winning resource of picture book recommendations and correlated activities that build self-esteem and develop stronger literacy skills, please leave a comment on any post in August or September.

At the end of September, we will be donating a dozen copies of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking to schools and classrooms across the country.

If you don’t want your favorite teacher to have to wait or you’d like to have a copy of your own (great for homeschooling families or parents who want quick and easy fun-filled educational activities), you can order a copy at a saving of over 50% off the cover price, right here: Amazon or My Website.

It’s not too early to be thinking of great Christmas gifts for teachers, moms, expectant parents, daycare providers, babysitters, grandparents, nannies…virtually anyone who is involved in the care and education of young children. Where can you get an eco-friendly gift that keeps on entertaining…no batteries required, powered by a child’s imagination? Only $19.95…personally inscribed (just let us know what you would like it to say) and signed by the author. Order now and avoid the last-minute Christmas rush!

School at Home or Homeschooling? (educationviews.org)
7 Benefits of Homeschooling Your Child (orueacademy.wordpress.com)
Show Me How! School Initiative Nominations Open Today! (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)

Sunday Post: Road: Which One Will You Follow?

Posted on July 29, 2012 by viviankirkfield

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is ROAD.

The Road Not Taken (1916)
by Robert Frost

“The Road Not Taken Robert Frost

1916

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Children need a parent’s guidance as they embark on the road of life.

As parents, we also need to make a choice as to which road or parenting approach we will take as we raise our children. Here are five simple tips:

Be consistent with your children…set guidelines and stick to them.
Be compassionate with your children…show them love and respect.
Teach consequences…children need to learn that for every action there is a reaction.
Communicate with your children…a two-way street of talking AND listening.
Connect with your children…participate together in all types of activities.

Speaking about participating in activities, have you ever tried creative writing with your children? It’s lots of fun and will help strengthen their literacy skills and exercise their creativity. I’m taking part in a little creative writing over at Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog. It’s called Summer Short and Sweets.

This is week four of Susanna’s challenge…if you click on the link above, you’ll see that this challenge was to take a letter of the alphabet, possibly the first letter of your name, and think of as many words (nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) that begin with that letter and then write a 50 – 100 word story. You are not supposed to peek at the detailed instructions until you choose your letter. I picked “V” since that is the first letter of my name (had I peeked, I might have chosen an easier letter)…and here is my submission:

Viscountess Vanessa Versailles, a virginal Venezuelan virtuoso with varicose veins, vigilantly clutched the valuable Venetian violin in the velvet valise and vaulted over vipers and violent voles, her out-of-gas veneered van parked in the valley behind her. Her view blurred by a veil of venomous vapors, Vanessa valiantly raced onward, vowing to validate her promise to the vacationers who were even now vacating their seats for the violinist’s Valentine’s Day performance. Is she racing in vain?

Why not give it a try…just visit Susanna’s blog and hop aboard the Summer Short and Sweets train…it will be a fun ride. Then you can adjust the challenges for your children, depending on their ages. Young kids can draw pictures to tell their story and have a parent or older sibling write the words.

What else can you do with your kids this summer? For the price of a large pizza, some breadsticks and a liter of soda (that will only last a few minutes), you can have quick and easy activities that will keep kids busy and happy and learning till school starts…and beyond! Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is the book I wish I had when my kids were growing up. Suzanne Williams, author of over 27 children’s books says, “I wish Show Me How! had existed when my own children were young.” Clinical psychologist, Jodi Harap adds, “Ms. Kirkfield presents concrete examples and helpful recommendations that are sure to give parents a newfound sense of competence and confidence in their own abilities as well.”

I want to remind everyone that the book is now available for shipment to Canadian residents…please visit my website and click on the special PayPal buttons for Canadian shipment! I’ve already mailed out two copies of the book to Canada last week…one to Bowmanville, Ontario and one to Regina, Saskatchewan.

Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?