Year-Round School: Has Its Time Come?

Posted on June 30, 2011 by viviankirkfield

I was thinking about what my next blog would be when I received a comment from Kat at education.com which sparked today’s post.

In my post on Is it Too Early to Begin Planning for the New School Year?, I referenced an article from Education.com. Kat was kind enough to respond to that and she mentioned a great and FREE program that will help kids have fun learning this summer. Here is her comment:

“Hi Vivian: Thanks for sharing our computers in preschools article! I also thought I’d let you know about our Summer Activities Challenge. For parents who want to help their kids have fun learning this summer (in part to help get ready for the next school year) it’s a great (and free!) program. Parents can sign up here: http://www.education.com/activities-challenge/. Then they just need to complete at least 5 Education.com activities before the end of July and they’ll receive a personalized Certificate of Achievement and be entered to win some great prizes including a $500 Back to School Splurge. Hope you and some of your readers will join us!”

As parents, we are always on the lookout for stuff to do with our kids…so check it out…this should be fun!

It made me think about the Summer Reading Programs at our local library back in Connecticut when our children were young…they really looked forward to participating and reading as many books as they could…how proud they each were with the certificate they received at the end of the summer! I know that the Pikes Peak Library here in Colorado Springs also has summer reading programs Library Summer Reading Program: One World, Many Stories…what a great (and FREE) on-going activity for this summer!

Two months of summer vacation is an old remnant from the days when most people were farmers and their children were needed to help during the late spring and summer…planting, harvesting and weeding. But these days, most people do NOT need their children home for two months during the summer…in fact, there are many reasons why this is an out-dated mode of planning a school year.

School-readiness is often lost during the summer vacation…children get out of the habit of the school routine and all that implies…proper bedtime, early rising, good breakfast, getting things needed in the morning laid out the night before.
Studies show that children (and adults) forget much of what they learn if it is not used on a regular basis.
Everyone needs time off and a break in the routine…but two months is much too much.

I know that the idea of year-round school is one that has been talked about for decades…and there are some private schools that may adhere to it. But most public schools still operate on the old schedule we all remember from our school days.

What are your thoughts on year-round school? Please share!

I also wanted to share some GOOD NEWS! I’m partnering with the Family Christian Bookstore in Colorado Springs and will be doing a FREE Back-to-School program for parents and their preschoolers (ages 2-5+…kindergarteners and first graders are more than welcome) on Saturday, August 6^th from 11am to 2pm. We’ll be reading a story that addresses the topic of school anxiety and then doing a simple craft project that the children will be able to take home. Parents will be able to pick up a couple of free flyers with additional activity ideas and simple tips to help insure a smooth transition from home to school. In addition, any parent who fills out the entry form will be entered to win a gift package of preschool craft supplies.

Please, please spread the word about this FREE and FUN-FILLED event for parents and children. The manager of the bookstore told me that “author” events are not usually well-attended, but I know this is a topic of great importance and relevance to parents of preschoolers…also for parents whose children are starting a NEW school or starting daycare or nursery school for the first time. If you are local to Colorado Springs, please stop in to say hello! If parents show an interest, I plan to do a monthly program with different topics and stories and crafts each month…the manager of the Family Christian Bookstore has already given me the go-ahead.

Finding activities to do with our kids, especially during the long summer when they are home, can be a challenge. I’ve continued my Jump-Into-Summer Sale on my website where you can pick up a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking for 50% off the cover price. Buy online securely with PayPal or send a check or money order to me and you will have a treasure-trove of picture book story suggestions and summaries, parenting tips, easy eco-friendly craft projects and simple child-friendly healthful recipes all geared towards LEARNING, BUILDING A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE and HAVING FUN!

Is It Too Early To Begin Planning For The New School Year?

Posted on June 25, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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I know that summer has just begun. Many of us are thinking of poolside parties and frozen pops and Fourth of July parades.

But if your child is starting school in August, or if there were problems adjusting to the classroom routine last year, it’s not too early to think about how you can insure a smooth transition from home to school. This holds true for older children as well as for those of preschool age.

What can parents do during the summer to prepare for the new school year?

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. I know that it is tempting to let young children stay up later, especially in the summer, but when school starts, it will be a difficult habit to break…and young children need more than 10 hours of sleep at night.

5. Make sure your child is eating a good breakfast in the morning…when school starts, this will be even more important. And what is a good breakfast? My younger son loved pizza for breakfast. 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 for a highly nutritious breakfast?

Do you have some super breakfast menus that your children love? Please share! We all need fresh ideas.

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 easy child-friendly recipes, Show Me How! has one hundred of them and teams each cooking activity with a picture book suggestion and an easy eco-friendly arts and crafts project. Head on over to my website to take advantage of the Jump Into Summer Special…50% off the cover price. The book makes a great gift for any parent, grandparent, expectant parent, babysitter, nanny, daycare provider, preschool teacher…and there is an additional discount if you buy two copies…only $20 per copy! You will be getting two copies for less than the cover price of one! And, if you order by June 30^th, we are including a bonus sheet of self-stick gold stars that can be used on goal charts and more!

Studies show that the quality time you spend with your young children now has a positive impact on their school performance in later years. This is a great opportunity to get a wonderful resource you can use on a daily basis, year after year. Show Me Howis 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! It is the ONLY book you will need to buy to plan educational, self-esteem building activities for your preschoolers. Don’t put it off until tomorrow!

Reading with Mom Can Boost Kindergarten Readiness (nlm.nih.gov)
Computers in Preschool: Hurting or Helping? (education.com)
Reconciling our 3c’s with the German education system (americanauslander.wordpress.com)
Bullying in Preschool: What Parents Need to Know (education.com)

Sibling Rivalry Got You Down?

Posted on May 19, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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It’s hard to share!

That goes for toys, treats and parent’s attention!

Here’s a wonderful picture book story that focuses on sibling rivalry.

NOBODY NOTICES MINERVA

Written and illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan

Poor Minerva! Her older brother and her baby sister seem to get all the attention, so Minerva decides to do some naughty things like poke her brother with a fork and pick all the leaves off her mother’s plant. Her father speaks very kindly to her and explains that she is very special to him, but that perhaps she would like to be noticed for other behaviors. Minerva helps her brother set the table and reads a story to her baby sister and, enjoying the wonderful praise she gets from her parents, Minerva resolves to be noticed for good behavior instead.

When young children exhibit negative behavior, they are usually sending out a cry for attention and help. We need to let our children know, on a daily basis, that they are loved and valued. Try not to wait until your child is misbehaving to notice what he or she is doing. Why not notice when your children have picked up toys without being asked to do so or have amused themselves for a short period of time while you were busy on the phone?

It’s not easy to be the one in the middle. It’s difficult to be the older child who has been “replaced” by a baby brother or sister. And sometimes it’s hard to be the only child. Growing up is a challenge, no matter what! And being a parent is a challenge as well. 🙂 A positive can-do, matter-of-fact attitude on your part helps create balance and harmony for the entire family.

Choosing stories from the overwhelming number at the library or bookstore can be difficult…Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking divides the 100 story titles into six chapters, each focusing on a different component of building self-esteem. This great resource is filled with simple fun-filled activities that go along with the stories…and you can pick up a copy during the Jump Into Summer Sale…50% off the cover price.