Making and Keeping Memories-School Year TIME CAPSULES

Early FAMILY FUN FRIDAY

I tried so hard to have this up yesterday. Just didn't happen. Better late than never.

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Well, our new school year has started off with a bang. The kids had a great first day of school. Both of our kids changed schools this year.

Our daughter just started first grade and is in a French Immersion Program. Half of her school day is only in French (including Math). No English will be spoken by the teacher. She already came home after the first day, spitting out French phrases and introductions. Little minds are amazing.

I can't get over how fast our lives are changing and our kids are growing. I am sure I just got married. Actually, I still feel like I am 19. But I am not. 10 years of marriage and 4 kids later, life is flying by and sometimes I don't feel like I am making time to document the growth and changes. So I am changing that.

Here is a great little family activity, perfect for the start of a new school year. It will help you keep track of your children's growth, without taking a lot of time or resources. And your kids will love it. Don't worry if school has already started. There is plenty of time and your kids will still be very willing.

SCHOOL YEAR TIME CAPSULES

The idea is to document the small things about your child that will change over the next school year. Things like height, weight, likes and dislikes, even handwriting. 

You don't need much.

A container

Rope or string or ribbon

Paper

Pens/Pencils

Camera

First...decide what you want each child to keep their capsule in. Our daughter is going to use a Mason jar, our son chose an old shoe box, our youngest is going to use a #10 can. (Even though she is not in school, she doesn't want to be left out. :)

HEIGHT

Have your child stand up against a wall and lightly mark how tall they are. THEN...take your rope/string/ribbon and stretch it the length of your measurement. Cut the string to the right height length, and put it in your time capsule. They will love getting it out at the end of the school year and seeing how tall they have grown. 

WEIGHT

Write down how much your child weights. If you don't know, don't worry, skip this one.

LIKES/DISLIKES

On a piece of paper, have your child write down the following... 

favorite color

favorite meal

favorite fruit

favorite vegetable

favorite activity

least favorite food

favorite tv show

favorite movie

favorite book

favorite subject in school

favorite friend

favorite snack

favorite shirt/pants/shoes

favorite toy

You get the point. Add your own to the list. 

(I need to learn to make printable pdf's for you and then you could print off a template. I will put it on my to-do list)

GOALS

Have your child write down 3 goals they have for this school year. At the end of the year you can see if they accomplished those goals. 

HANDWRITING

Have your child write their name. For even more fun. Have them write it on a piece of paper/chalkboard/whiteboard and then take of picture of them holding the piece of paper up. This way you will have a picture of them and see what their writing was like. It will be fun to see how their writing has changed at the end of the school year.

TRACE HANDS/FEET

Trace your children's hands. Include the tracing in the capsule. Your kids will love to see how their hands have grown. We like to include feet also. 

PICTURE

If you took a picture of your child holding up their name, then you can use that as your picture. If not, you probably took a picture the first day of school. Add a picture to the time capsule and you are set. 

Once you have everything filled out and gathered, put it in your container of choice and seal it up. We have thought about burying ours in the backyard, but that is still up for debate. just tuck them away until the end of school. 

It will be so fun to have a special START OF SUMMER PARTY next year when we open them up and see how the kids have grown and changed. 

THE ULTIMATE GOAL

We have decided that we are going to do this every year until they graduate from high school. I will keep every year in a special box and when they graduate, we will have a nice little history. Our own way of keeping a journal. And each child's can be stored in a very small container because there is nothing bulky or big about what we are storing.

Simple, fun, and memorable. It doesn't get better than that. 

How do you keep your memories?

How do you ring in the new school year?

 

He Said...She Said...Tips for back to school

Our daughters first day of Kindergarten (August 2010)

Hard to believe that the summer is coming to a close. Last night at dinner my husband commented that this has been his favorite summer ever. I might have to agree. We have taken things slow. Enjoyed our new little girl, and left all we could undone, as to not rush back into crazy family life. It has been wonderful.

School starts for the kids next Monday and I will be very sad to see them go. I love having them home. I love not having to be anywhere specific. Our two oldest will both be at school all day this year and I will have our three year old and newborn at home. It will be an adjustment, but we are ready to settle back into the routine, BLOGGING INCLUDED, thanks for your patience. :)

Last week I told the kids that we were getting back into our routine. That included bedtime. We didn't let it slide too much over the summer, but a little. We have more adjusting to do in the morning than at night. Our mornings are pretty lazy around here. It is time to start the routine and get used to it before the first day.

That is what I said...

Then, yesterday I overheard my husband telling the kids that this was the last week of summer so they could live it up. Staying up later to ride bikes, go for walks, watch a favorite show, what ever they wanted.

That is what he said....

We talked about it after he took them on a bike ride and they got in bed two hours after they were supposed to. He hit me with "they are only young once", and "soon it will be Winter and they won't be able to go outside and ride bikes at all", as well as "they will be fine, you worry to much, relax."

That is not the first time we have disagreed on something. I am sure it won't be the last. :)

Regardless of what he says...There are some key things we can do this week, to make the first week of school more successful.


1. Get YOUR good attitude ready.
If we have a good attitude, so will our children. No scoffs or scowls. No complaints about getting up early, or driving, or packing lunches. Be happy, excited, and talk about all the great things that come with school and learning. This also means keeping our emotions at bay. If your child is going to kindergarten and you are sad, try to keep your tears to private time. Even tears of joy worry children. You don't want your five your old to think they should stay home so you won't cry.


2. Turn off the TV (especially in the mornings). 
Instead, have your children color, do puzzles, write stories, play games, read or read to them, etc...This will get their brains working and concentrating again. It will also help their attention spans. In a few short days they are going to have to sit and focus and self motivate. Help them start doing that now.

3. Establish a sleeping and eating schedule. (even if your hubby disagrees.)
For the next week, be sure that bed times and wake up times, as well as meal times follow your upcoming school schedule. First, it will keep your kids rested so that the first few days are not too overwhelming. Remember, everything is more stressful when we are tired. And it will start to condition their bodies to the new times. The meal times are really important also. It you have been eating lunch at 11 all summer, but they won't eat until 12:15 when they are at school, their little bodies will be huuuungry. Feed them at the appropriate times so they are adjusted.

4. Round up the necessary school supplies.
Not only will you be ready, but kids worry about having what they need. For most kids, waiting until the last minute to pack those supplies makes them worry. Do your best to check off the supply list early this week so that your youngsters don't loose sleep over it. An added bonus...your kids won't keep asking every ten minutes when you are going to go get the school supplies because you will already have them.

5. Attend back to school night...visit the school.
This one is really important. Attend back to school night so your children can meet their teachers, see where they are sitting, and get an overall feel of how things work. While you are there, run through the library, playground, lunch room, meeting places for drop off and pick up and anything else they are curious about. Don't rush, so that you children can ask questions and get answers. They will feel much better if they know what to expect and where to go that first day.

6. Practice.
At least once, twice if you can, take a practice run. Set the alarms, get up, go through the routine, and drive to school. See how things go and trouble shoot any problems. Maybe you need to move where you put the backpacks, or it takes a little longer to drive to school than you thought. Go through the motions and help your kids understand what has to be done each morning to be on time.

7. Find out who else is in your child's class.
Here in Utah, class lists go up tomorrow. We will be looking to see if our kids know any of their class mates. If they do, great, explain that they already know someone. That will ease their mind. If they don't, and your children are worried, think about contacting a few of the children and maybe getting together at the park so they can meet and make friends. Then, on the first day, when they walk in, they will be surrounded by friends, not strangers.

8. Clear OUR schedule the first week of school.
Try to clear your schedule the first week of school so that you are available for your kids. Even if they are not going to a new school, the first week is still stressful. If possible, have a lot of down time after school where you are there to listen if they need to talk. Keep your schedule free from obligations so that you are there to help.

SO.... who's side are you on?

DO YOU LIVE IT UP THE LAST WEEK OF SUMMER

or

SETTLE IN TO YOUR ROUTINE?

Even if you live it up, I won't hold it against you. ;)

Bullying-Consider This!

Studies estimate that almost one in three American school children is either a bully or a victim and that 

160,000 children a day skip school because they fear being attacked or intimidated by other students. 

Bullying is real, it is an ongoing problem, and it will most likely happen to all our children at some point in time. 

As parents, we all worry about our children being teased, taunted, and bullied.

So what do we do...

First, we realize, that no matter what we do, OUR KIDS WILL FACE CONFRONTATION in their lives. In school, in college, in the work place, in their neighborhoods, in marriage. Confrontation is part of life. We have to prepare them for it. 

Then, we need to...

Start talking to our children young

Waiting until our kids are bullied is not a good time to start addressing the issue. Children who feel embarrassed or humiliated about being bullied are very unlikely to come home and share how they feel. Instead they will withdraw and suffer alone. Make it clear to your children that you are always there to listen, and that you know bullying can happen. Use situations and find ways to bring up the subject and discuss it when they are young. 

Listen to our children

When our kids try and talk to us, we have to listen. They will drop little hints when there are bullying problems. It is easy to miss the cues when we are not really listening to what is being said. When our kids talk to us, we need to put everything else aside and really be in the moment to listen. 

Role Play

Give your children different scenarios and teach them how to handle them. "What do you do if...?" Go through each situation and teach them what to say and do. It will empower them, and when they are faced with the bully they wont be as intimidated because they will have had experience and practiced what to do.

Teach Conflict Resolution

We have to teach our children how to deal with conflict and confrontation. Teach them to manage their anger, communicate, and listen. Teach them how to compromise and be patient. This is done through everyday life situations and role play. As conflict happens in your home, between siblings, use it to teach. We also must be good examples of conflict resolution in our own adult lives. 

Give them a hobby, interest, sport, talent, where they can excel.

We should involve our children in healthy activities where they find success. Something they like, that challenges them and where they can excel. Whether it is sports, a hobby or an interest. These activities will boost their self confidence. They teach children how to solve problems, deal with others and speak their minds. 

Research teaches us that helping your children build their self confidence is one of the best defenses against bullying.  

Teach Empathy

As parents, we need to model kind, gentle behavior for our children. They learn by watching us. Be sure that the other adults and kids that are around our children demonstrate empathy as well. We need to teach  our kids to try to understand other's points of view and to feel compassion towards others. If we are always raising our voices, showing impatience, and arguing, they will do the same. 

Let kids work things out on their own.

As parents we can be very quick to step in and stop the arguing and disagreements between our children. We decide who we think is entitled to "winning" and then go about our business, happy with ourselves because the arguing and disagreeing has stopped. We need to let our children work out their own disagreements. If we will sit back and watch, they will almost always be able to solve their own problems. These family situations are the perfect place for them to practice working through conflict when dealing with others. 

Don't dismiss verbal abuse.

Just because the bullying is verbal, doesn't mean it hurts any less. Verbal bullying leads to the same negative effects as physical bullying. High levels of emotional distress, loneliness, lower self esteem, depression and anxiety. Acknowledge your children's complaints and concerns.

When is it okay to teach our children to fight?

Teach that it is never okay to fight. For the most part, nothing good comes of fighting. Fighting is not the answer. 

That said, we need to teach our children that they stand up for themselves in self defense. They should know that if they need to defend themselves because they are being, or going to be physically attacked, then they defend themselves. And, that if they do have to fight in self defense, that you will understand. They need to know that they always defend themselves if/when things turn physical. 

Get Dad involved.

Involved dads make a huge difference in the confidence of their children. Dads need to not only model strength and confidence, but sympathy and empathy. If there is not a dad that fills this role for your children, seek out a strong male role model who can help. 

Parents can do so much to help their children deal with bullying and not become bullies. Start early with your preparations. 

HAS YOUR CHILD BEEN BULLIED?
WERE YOU EVER BULLIED AS A CHILD? AS AN ADULT?

Before the School Bell Rings

Whether your kids head out the door to school every day, or you home school, this new year is about to begin. Preparations in our house are in full force.

• We have started getting back on a schedule. During the summer we tend to be a little more lenient with bed times. No longer, we have started getting our kids to bed at a "school friendly hour." The best way to make the adjustment is to put your kids to bed 15-20 minutes earlier every few days until you are back on track. If they have been going to bed at 8, put them to bed at 7:40 tomorrow. Then in two days put them to bed at 7:20, etc... Its okay if they don't go to bed immediately. Quietly resting in bed will work also. By the time school starts they will be ready to go. 

• The same goes for getting up. This applies to us and our kids. If you want to simplify your family's school mornings, get up before your kids. This way you don't have to rush and you can give your kids your full attention. Remember, getting everyone out the door with ease sets the tone for the rest of the day. 

Start getting your kids up for school hours now so the early morning wont come as a shock to their young systems.

• Whether you have kept up with reading and school work over the summer or not, start reviewing. Give your children a head start by refreshing their memories.  Spend a few minutes each day doing school work over the next two weeks. Simple things like math problems, writing ABC"s and reading will get their minds moving again. It will also help them adjust to siting in their seats and concentrating on a task. 

• Spend an hour in your kids closet. Don't get caught off guard. Make sure their jeans still fit before the first day of school. Plus you will save money by not buying things they don't need. 
• Make sure your kids know their address and phone number. Once school starts they are not by our side 24/7. You hope they never have to use them but you never know.

We recently did away with our home phone so our kids are learning two new cell phone numbers. Plus, Utah now makes you dial the area code, so we have 10 numbers to memorize, not just 7.

Tomorrow we are going to make these great phone number bracelets to help them learn and remember. We are going to make 2 and put our address on one also. Not only will it be a fun craft, but we will be learning as we go. You can get the supplies at your local craft store. ***Just to clarify, the plan is to wear the bracelets around the house, not actually to school. Especially the address bracelet.***

We have also been singing our phone number. I pulled out the oldest cassette tape you have ever seen tonight. "The Safety Kids." Did you ever listen to them? My brother and I used to sing The Safety Kids songs for hours. Sad to admit, but I can still sing all of them. 

They have the perfect phone number song. I found it on YouTube for you. Sound familiar?

The start of the school year can be a big adjustment. Make it easier by settling into your routine early.

THINK THE BRACELET WILL WORK?

DO YOU REMEMBER THE SAFETY KIDS?