GenParenting

Parenting resources for all who love and care for children

Helping Your Child Relax for Test Taking

Helping Your Child Relax for Test Taking

Test taking is a stressful and unpleasant activity for most anyone. For a child who may not have experienced test taking before, what are some practical ways to help them relax?

Tips for Preparation

  1. Practice a growth mindset with your children. Help them realize that test taking is a measurement of growth from one academic year to the next. For more details about growth mindset, check out the work by Carol Dweck.
  2. Get a good night’s rest. There’s lots of brain research which shows that the mind gets rejuvenated with rest. Make sure your kids get plenty of REM sleep leading up to the test. They’ll wake up well rested and in a good mood. Starting with a positive attitude is half the battle!
  3. Eat a healthy breakfast. The brain is a well-oiled thinking machine and needs nutrients to help it run efficiently. Have your kids eat a hearty breakfast that will help sustain energy and brain power throughout the morning.

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How Parents Can Support Their Children’s School Successes

How Parents Can Support Their Children’s School Successes

Providing students and staff with challenging opportunities can bolster their confidence. This can improve their desire to excel when they experience success.

Writing a Novel

Our middle school’s teachers have dedicated themselves to promoting literacy in all subject areas this year because many of our students are not reading and writing at grade level. Our 7th grade teachers decided to have their students participate in the NaNoWriMo National Novel Writing Month last November.

Each 7th grade student wrote an 8,000-word novel about a personal experience, hope, or dream by completing the following steps:

  1. Research a topic.
  2. Outline the novel’s fictional or non-fictional contents.
  3. Write the novel in 30 days.
  4. Peer review and self-edit through feedback.
  5. Use the Hemingway software application for writing feedback.
  6. Professionally assemble the novel.
  7. Learn how to sell a self-published book at a local book fair.

Many students were surprised that they could complete the assignment. They also began pursuing more writing challenges that allowed them to be creative. [Read more…]

Overcoming Holiday Brain Drain

Overcoming Holiday Brain Drain

Presents have been unwrapped, leftovers have been eaten, decorations have been put away…You have survived another hectic holiday season! So what’s going on with the kids? Have you noticed that the kids are cranky during and especially after the holidays? Are their brains now a mush and are they dreading the return to school?

The reality is that the holiday season is a major emotional roller coaster, especially for kids. Think about all the excitement and anticipation that kids have experienced during this time– writing a hopeful letter (fingers and toes crossed!) to Santa with their wish list, on-the-go activities like Christmas tree shopping and decorating the home, ice skating and drinking hot chocolate. Of course, there’s holiday shopping, attending traditional winter performances or recitals, watching new-release movies…not to mention the waiting and waiting for Christmas Day to open presents and the anticipation (or dread) of family get-togethers and holiday feasts!

And then everything comes to an abrupt halt.

What if the solution to overcoming holiday brain drain is moderation? Pacing your activities so that kids don’t crash from an emotional high would be a great way to overcome holiday brain drain. Here are some examples: [Read more…]

How to Handle Social Challenges

How to Handle Social Challenges

I was painfully shy as kid. I cried every morning when my mom dropped me off at school during the first week of kindergarten. I cried when her face wasn’t the first one I saw when school let out for the day. In fact, I was so leery of social interaction that I sat in my teacher’s lap that year for school pictures! Thankfully, my parents have helped me through my timidity and I’ve come a long way from since I was in kindergarten! Here are a few lessons I have taught my own kids to help guide them through different social challenges. [Read more…]

Manage School Days for Your Kids

Manage School Days for Your Kids

School is in session. The days are growing shorter. Afterschool programs fill our days. We bring our children home from school after full days of school, work, socialization, sports, and errands. When we arrive home, all of us are tired. How can we respond to family stress when the kids are fighting, dinner needs to be made, homework needs be completed, and we must prepare for the next day of school?

Strategies

Listed below are five key strategies to simplify your kids’ school days:

  1. Model stress management behavior. Our children learn how to respond to stress from us. When we take a deep breath, reflect, and choose our words carefully, our children can learn from our healthy actions. Most of us cannot detach from stress quickly. Thus, we fall into the trap of evening family chaos. When we conduct ourselves calmly and respectfully, our family will be happier during the nightly routines.
  2. Dinner strategies that support a relaxed evening. When families arrive home from a busy day, most are looking for a break. The kids want to play or watch television. The parents want to change into their cozy clothes and just relax. The preschoolers demand their hugs and quality time with their parents. How can we unwind and adequately prepare dinner with so many demands? Some families preplan their dinners for the week and eat leftovers every other day. Some make simple meals on alternate nights while others occasionally grab prepared food at the store. Whatever strategy you choose, plan ahead to minimize conflict and maximize quality time with your family.
  3. Set evening routines to reduce stress. Regardless of how well you plan for nighttime needs, it is important for families to consider the best time for their children to complete homework. Some families love to get up early, eat breakfast, and review spelling words and math facts in the morning. Some children work best on their homework after outside play and a nutritious afternoon snack. Others work on homework while dinner is being prepared for the family. Parents should be flexible in helping their children organize homework schedules. Some children are ready to learn after an afternoon activity, while others like to finish homework early so that they can have free time in the evening.
  4. Balance each school day. As the demands of the school year increase, your children may tire earlier in the day and may need guidance on how to manage their schedules. Some children love to binge watch television. Others need lots of outside time to run and stretch their muscles. Many are very social and want daily play dates with friends. We must help our children structure their day to allow sufficient time for rest, eating, relaxation, homework, and socialization. We too, will be learning as we help our children adjust their days so that they are rested, happy, and enthusiastic about their next school day.
  5. Get help when needed. As we juggle our work schedules, family responsibilities, and the nurturing of our children’s development, we may need to find added support. Many parents try to manage demanding schedules by themselves, which can be overwhelming and exhausting. Children can thrive with support shared by family, neighbors, and afterschool friends. A child friendly schedule for working parents requires flexibility and creativity. We should use support networks to simplify our days and provide our children with loving, stimulating, and nurturing care. When the childcare and carpool schedules meet our needs, the household functions more smoothly. However, alternative plans should be identified to account for sickness, changed schedules, and childcare adjustments.

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