Celebrating Summer with Dad from Afar

Summer play and camps are being cancelled. My grandson, Kenji, does not know when he will be able to see his father again because he works and lives in Thailand. This country has struggled with similar challenges in managing the coronavirus like the United States. Parents have been working from home since April. Many of the businesses have been closed and community members must wear face masks when they go out in public. Travel to the United States and abroad is radically restricted.

Adjusted Summer Activities

When considering these challenges, Kenji will participate in the following adjusted summer activities:

Ongoing Zoom Karate classes
No swimming lessons
More distance learning activities, Lego play, and outdoor walks
Cultural virtual activities that include performing arts

Online Options

As the summer activities expand for all our children, my grandson looks forward to sharing his summer adventures with his dad online. He will also have more opportunities to visit with friends online and while social distancing. Many happy explorations with your and your families this summer.

Warm regards,

Joyce

Learn About Marine Biology and Science Through Zonk Picture Books

David Hoobler is an artist and author of three Zonk picture books that highlight Zonk, the tortoise, and his many adventures in the ocean when encountering various sea creatures and eco systems. David has used his personal marine biology research and experiences when observing the Sonoran Desert, Baja, and the gulf of California. David also links these books into educational marine biology and science presentations at school and in the community.

Children Learn

Through these events, David has learned that:

Children are very engaged when reading a rich story in color.
Students learn respect for their environment through the various creatures in each book.
All are able to related to the various characters in their daily interactions with each other.

A YouTube Book Reading

These richly illustrated water colored books have been read to students and children in various different settings at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1xaPUGfVOM&feature=youtu.be. David also helped children explore sea life and nature as illustrated in the artwork included in this blog. Kids become inspired to write stories about Zonk ad his sea life friends.

Learn More About David’s Books

For more information about how you and purchase these inspirational stories, please see the ad on this page or contact David at www.Zonktheturtle.com.

Writing in Community

Social distancing does not mean being stuck at home in isolation! In fact, we have plenty of ways to reach out and connect with others. Some have used this time to contact family and friends through video calls. Some may have even taken a walk through their neighborhood for some fresh air, chatting with neighbors safely at a distance from the sidewalk! Even though we enjoy the immediacy of connecting with those with whom we are familiar, let’s do some good, old fashioned writing activities and connect with members of the community with whom we might not have considered.

Here’s a week’s worth of ideas you can do with your kids:

Write letters to members of the military, thanking them for their service.
Post a thank you sign on your mailbox to appreciate your mail carrier.
Write cards or letters to residents living in a senior center. Everyone loves snail mail!
Post a thank you note at your front door to appreciate your delivery person.
Write an email to your local, state, or federal government representative.
Hand-deliver spring or summer themed letters and stickers to cheer up younger neighborhood children.
Compose a poem and use chalk to write on the sidewalk as inspiration for passers-by.

Wishing you all the best,

Jaime

How to Stay Sane While Distance Learning with your Children

How to Stay Sane While Distance Learning with Your Children

Many of California’s students have already completed at least four weeks of distance learning assignments. Some students were sent home with workbooks and packets of papers to complete. Others were given computers and online accounts. And still others waited while their schools posted weekly assignments online. I have observed various teachers as they have struggled to learn how to conduct teaching online overnight. The victories are many and the students are thriving. I am fortunate that I am able to tutor students with their parents on reading and writing assignments.

These are best practices when guiding your children in their learning:

Make if fun. If your child is rebelling about learning, schedule one hour each day for a formalized learning lesson and the rest of learning can be accomplished with playful activities. These may include performing art projects, physical fitness, home repairs, balancing checkbooks, organizing photo pictures, and cooking. Older children can play school with younger children and teach the siblings all that they know.
Don’t stress. The most important gift you can give your child is your sanity. Make sure to take care of yourself first and exercise daily, eat well, and sleep regularly.
Keep a schedule. Most parents try to get school work completed each morning after their children get dressed, eat breakfast, and complete their chores. Then afternoons are free for playful and learning activities. When parents work full time, they may schedule the learning hour for their lunch break.
Get everyone outside each day regardless of the weather. When families shelter in place for weeks, it is important to get outside, feel the sun, gaze at the blue sky, and feel the rain, sleet, or snow.
Take a break from being plugged into electronics. All of us are spending hours on the phone, watching television, and working on computers when sheltering in place. It is important to enjoy the quiet and our families when only physically isolating from others.
Keep smiling and laughing. This cannot be overemphasized as this is the best medicine that we can offer ourselves and families each day. At first, we were sending funny online stories and photos to each other. Now we are relishing the daily stories. Today, my daughter sent me a picture of how her four-year-old daughter trimmed her lovely head of hair with the caption that the scissors are now on lockdown.
Our children will thrive when learning at home. As our kids become more relaxed with using a computer, they will be more comfortable with completing the mandatory online testing. Most students I tutor are very proficient at following assignments when not distracted and not feeling overwhelmed when using the computer.
Treasure the celebrations. Although distance learning assignments and social distancing as families are challenging, we are still being creative with celebrations. We stood several feet away from our grandson and daughter as they opened their birthday presents. Each participant was given a yummy lollipop as part of our celebration. Easter and Passover events are being shared online through Zoom. Churches are capturing their sermons through video presentations and CDs.
Keep the faith as this too shall pass. Although it may feel like a lifetime before things return to normal, we will all achieve a new normal. We will still need each other and give back to others. We will still enjoy our freedoms, work hard, and play harder. And we will all cherish the love of family members and friends.
There will be a new normal. As we process and adapt to the many changes in our lives, we are teaching our children how to become adaptable, resilient, and capable of learning and changing careers as new needs emerge and our lives evolve. When talking with friends, I am excited about the many new teaching skills I am learning when working with students and their families. Students are excited to work with me alongside a parent. And I am excited to focus on trying many new learning strategies when having the time to have the children process their learning style and successes.

Happy home learning!

Mary Ann

Supporting Your Child’s Schedule for Distance Learning

It’s worth acknowledging here that our world has changed drastically since sheltering in place due to COVID-19. From an education standpoint, teachers frantically raced against the clock to transition all their lessons to online distance learning, while simultaneously learning said online platform. On the home front, parents faced the new reality of spending 24/7 with their children all while trying to manage working from home. We’re in a topsy-turvy situation at best! Now that school districts across the nation have announced distance learning for the remainder of this school year, how can parents best support their children’s schedule while at home?

Adopt a Healthy Mindset

First and foremost, you are your child’s parent. You are not responsible for imparting all of the world’s content area knowledge upon your child from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Stop stressing about it! Give yourself an extra measure of grace when things aren’t perfect. Instead, focus on directing your child towards healthy learning habits at home. Make sure your kids have a suitable learning space with the correct tools to access learning online. Develop a regular schedule so they get in the routine of doing “school.” In small doses, help your kids start taking ownership of their own learning!

Manage Your Children’s Schedule

To help your children transition to being at home while still experiencing the predictability and regularity of being at school, set up some structures and boundaries while they are home. It would help to have a family meeting and set up a daily, Monday-Friday academic and activity schedule with their input. Older children may have regular classes on video conferencing platforms. It may help to create a shared family calendar online so that everyone has access to the family’s activities. This will help establish some independent “work” time for them while you may also be working from home.

Connect with Your Children

Parenting is all about connecting with your children and being an advocate for their best physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual interests. Schedule “recess” and “snack breaks” to have together throughout your day in between your conference calls. Tell “Dad” jokes and laugh together. Get up, exercise, move around, take a walk, set up simple work-out stations at home. This is good for both young and young at heart! Ask them about their progress on their academic discoveries or creative explorations. Take the opportunity to bond with your kids on a deeper level during dinner and slow down the hectic pace of life.

Wishing you all the best,

Jaime