Get Your Kids Organized for School Success!

There are so many virtues of being organized but how does organization lead to school success for your kids? Here’s the connection: first, being organized helps your child to establish good habits. Completing household tasks efficiently will help your child to feel confident and accomplished. Second, once good habits are established, stress is reduced. Without distractions, your child is free to concentrate on her academic studies. So what does that look like in my household?

Set Clothes Out the Night Before

It’s frustrating for kids to find clothes to wear when they are groggy in the morning. To avoid struggles, I have my kids choose their outfits the night before and set them out at a designated location. This may be at the foot of the bed, on the chair at their desk, or even hanging on hooks in the bathroom.

Use an Alarm Clock to Wake the Kids Up

I used to go into the kids’ bedroom each morning to wake them up by softly saying their name while rubbing their backs. And what did I get for my efforts but whining, complaining children who would accuse me of waking them up from a pleasant dream! A simple alarm clock solved that problem. Now my kids wake up on time and have to get out of bed to turn the alarm clock off. The alarm clock is merely doing its job and mommy is no longer the bad guy. That’s a “win” for Mom!

Prep the Backpack

The backpack is essential for my kids. At the beginning of the day, they go to school wearing a light jacket and place their homework folder and lunch bag inside the backpack. As the day proceeds, the jacket inevitably comes off, lunch is eaten and the bag emptied, and new homework is distributed. Where is all this stuff supposed to go? A backpack is a great way to ensure they have a place to put their belongings while at school so everything is sure to make its way home at the end of the day.

Stock Up on School Supplies

When it comes time for my kids to do their homework, I make sure all their school supplies are stocked and in a central location, whether that be at their own desk or a shared work space. Look for Back-To-School clearance sales or pick up basics at bargain stores. Give your kids the opportunity to say they are ready to complete their homework and learn something new!

Once these basic routines are mastered, your kids will be well on their way to success! What other routines and procedures do you practice at home? Please share!

Wishing you success!

Jaime

Copyright (c) 2017 by GenParenting

Raising Culturally Sensitive Children

The current political climate in our country continues to challenge families with how to teach their children about cultural sensitivity. Some children love having friends with different backgrounds and cultures. Others have little exposure playing with diverse populations of children. Still, other children are from families who are afraid of (or do not wish to interact with) other ethnic groups or cultures.

10 Considerations

Parents often ask us how they can raise culturally sensitive children. Summarized below are 10 considerations for parents wishing to raise children with empathy and respect for cultures other than their own:

1. Parents can model acceptance and appreciation by becoming friends with families from other cultures.
2. Parents should seek out social networks with interests common their children. These networks can be found by participating in team sports, performing arts, and through hobbies or clubs.
3. By sharing common interests with diverse community members, our children can become comfortable playing and working with people from cultures other than their own.
4. Parents must ensure that the groups they form or join are inclusive of all cultures, religions, and ages.
5. When families become active in community services for people in need, their children have the opportunity to develop empathy for those who are less fortunate.
6. Church communities can invite leaders of other faiths to speak to their congregations as part of an interfaith activities program.
7. Suburban schools can partner with inner city schools to share resources, community activities, and field trips. These partnerships can raise children’s social and cultural awareness of their community.
8. As various cultural communities form networks, they can learn that they share many similar values and needs because they are all human beings.
9. When talking with a friend or colleague who expresses elitist or cultural superiority, it is important to remind them that you are not comfortable with specific remarks. It is vital to set a clear expectation that all cultures are to be treated with respect.
10. When inviting a child from another culture to your home for dinner, it is helpful to provide a meal that is traditional to your culture. This will allow them to share a cultural experience with your family.

Respecting Different Cultures

As we consciously help our children become accepting of people from different cultures, our children will become “richer” human beings who have a sense of connection to people throughout the world.

Warm wishes,

Joyce

Copyright © 2018 by GenParenting

Recording Observations in Science Notebooks

When I hike with my grandchildren, they make many observations along the way. They may watch a slug moving on a leaf, or worms slither around as they lift up a rock. They generate questions about the plants and animals they see. Often this leads to conversations that generate lots of ideas to explain what they have observed. It is valuable to record these observations and these comments in science notebooks.

Start Young

Recording observations can start with very young children by encouraging them to draw what they have seen. If children cannot yet write, they can dictate to parents or grandparents, who can then label the drawings. They may also record the children’s questions or observations next to the drawings.

Little by little, children will want to write for themselves. At first, they may write one letter or a series of letters they hear when they say name of the object they are depicting. This inventive writing should be encouraged. It is a vital step in the development of writing. Eventually, as their phonemic awareness increases and their phonics develops, children will fill in the missing letters and increase their written comments.

Academic Connection

In school, children will be asked to record their scientific observations as early as in kindergarten. The Next Generation Science Standards, adopted by the Sate of California in 2013, emphasize the expectation that kindergarteners will make observations to look for patterns in nature. It couples this standard with the English Language Arts standard about participating in research and writing projects.

We want to encourage children to think like scientists – to be observant; to put words to their thinking; and to record their thinking. We, as parents and grandparents, can encourage this process as we spend time in nature with them.

With love and affection,

Rosemarie

Copyright © 2018 by GenParenting

Nature Walk

The dew drops were still glistening on the leaves as my grandnephew and I began our nature walk one early morning in Edgewood Park. We decided to take a trail through a wooded area that led uphill to a grassy meadow and beautiful rolling hills.

Learning about Wildlife

My six-year-old companion was very curious as we came to each kiosk situated along the trail. He asked me to read about the plant or animal described along with its photo. We would look for the plants depicted as we continued on the  trail. Eventually he began to recognize and name the ferns, moss, lichen, and the various shrubs and trees we saw.

My grandnephew was also excited to know about the animals and insects that surrounded us. We read about the deer, raccoons, and other small animals we might see in the forest, as well as the snakes we might see in the grasslands. We talked about how the park had many habitats for many plants and animals. This was their home. We needed to be respectful of them as we visited this beautiful park.

Nature Walks Can Happen Everywhere

I’ve taken nature walks with my children and grandchildren in many settings. A neighborhood walk can turn into a nature walk as well as a walk to the local park. Plant and animal habitats surround us in front yards, in trees along the route, and in our neighborhood parks. Children can explore the habitats of plants, insects and birds in any of these settings. We expand the world for our children as they realize that plant and animal habitats surround us, whether we are near or far away from home.

Enjoy nature with your little ones, every chance you get.

With love and affection,

Rosemarie

Copyright © 2018 by GenParenting

Heroes Among Us Reading Activity

Looking to find an inspiring hero? You can always find a hero in a good book! Within its captivating pages, read about the life of someone who overcame obstacles, or fought for their rights, or had the integrity to do the right thing even though they may be the odd one out. Consider some of these stories or suggest some of your favorites in the comments below.

Suggested stories or books on “heroes” may include:

After reading the poem or any of the books listed above, you can answer the comprehension questions and submit a comment to GenParenting.com comments.

The Mighty Sequoia

By Jaime Koo

Come, my daughter. Come and hear.

Your mother’s mother, the mighty sequoia

Has a story of grandeur supremely clear.

Winds howled, rain poured, lightning struck severe.

Against all odds and likelihood of survival, she flourished.

Her will to grow and to give life, nature would never interfere.

Come, my Son. come, my dear.

Your father’s father, the mighty sequoia

Has a story of gentleness most sincere.

Broken spirits found strength in his listening ear.

Under his bountiful branches, he bestowed solace and shelter.

His compassionate, comfortable breeze wiped away each tear.

Come, my child, come never fear.

You are the mighty sequoia

A hero with the grit to persevere.

Now and again, the trial of a great fire will come near.

Smoke will blur your vision, flames will threaten to devour.

Stand tall. You are much stronger than you appear.

Come, my child, come never fear.

In the face of adversity,

In the spirit of the people,

In the fury of the fire,

You are the legacy of the mighty sequoia,

A hero with the grit to persevere.

Ask your children the following questions after reading the poem or another selected book:

• Did you enjoy this story? Why or why not?
• What was the difficulty that the main character was facing? How would you have reacted in that situation?
• Imagine how this story might be different if it were set in a different culture or time?
• Do you know anyone in real life who reminds you of a character in this story?
• What are some character traits that you like about the main character in the story? What did they do to demonstrate that trait?
• What are some things you can do this week to help others?
• Does this story remind you of any other stories you’ve read? What is similar?

Listed below are relevant California Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy that support elementary school learners:

• Kindergarten – With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
• Grade 1 – Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
• Grade 2 – Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
• Grade 3 – Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
• Grade 4 – Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• Grade 5 – Compare and contrast stories in the same genre on their approaches to similar themes and topics.