Now that most school systems are in full swing, it’s also the the perfect time to get your student’s homeworkstation ready to go for the new school year.
Lorena Canals, maker of all natural, hypo-allergenic, functional and super stylish machine-washable rugs for bedrooms, playrooms, and beyond, offered some awesome tips for creating a great workstation for your child:
1. Create a homework routine – kids in the first through third grade perform best when they know exactly what is expected. Have a specific place for storing backpacks and times for doing homework. Use these formative years to set up good study habits. Kids will raise their performance to the bar parents set.
2. Utilize a homework notebook – track homework assignments in a notebook that goes back and forth between home and school each day. Use this notebook to communicate with your child’s teachers to address issues with homework, notes that need signed, or praises for a job well done.
3. Stock-up on Homework Essentials—when you’re out purchasing your kids’ school supplies, pick-up extras to keep at their homeworkstation/desk. Include items like pencils, highlighters, scissors, ruler, stapler, post-it notes, paper clips, colored pencils, markers, timer, loose notebook paper, and notebooks. Store supplies, aside from the paper, in Mason jars or a desk organizer.
4. Hang a White Board for Important Reminders—once kids go back to school, fall becomes a busy time with homework assignments, projects, and after school extra-curricular activities. Help your kids stay on track with a place to jot down notes with due dates. Use painters tape to create a giant calendar to post each day’s activities and homework assignments.
5. Use Magazine Files for Organizing Projects—instead of a pile of papers stacked on the kitchen table, use magazine files for organizing the important stuff. Label the files with “slips/homework to sign” or “homework to complete.” A file system helps to eliminate lost permission slips and homework. Encourage your kids to empty their backpack folders as soon as they get home and file or toss papers right away to keep the mess away.
6. Invest in a Good Chair & Lamp—help make your kids’ homework space one that is conducive to studying. This can easily be done with a simple desk, ergonomic chair, and a good lamp so your kids have plenty of light making it less of a strain on their eyes. Insure the space is free from distractions do your kids can concentrate on homework activities.
7. Add Some Colorful Artwork—if your child’s designed homework spot is decorated in their own personal style they’re more likely to spend more time there doing homework. Create a wall of empty frames that can hold a smaller piece of original art. As your child starts bring home art projects, feature them inside the frames on the wall. Switch their artwork out monthly and store old projects away. Surrounding themselves with a collection of their personal work will enhance creativity that will flow into their writing assignments too.
I have a high school senior and freshman and a middle schooler who attend schools that require parents to purchase their textbooks.
This is all new to me because I went to public schools for most of my life. The only time I had to purchase textbooks was when I was in college years ago. when I had to buy books and things were different back then. Thankfully, there are a bunch of new options.
One. RentBooks
My husband and I were faced with the quandary of having to shell out something like $160 for some books, $85 for others. The costs were adding up plus we’ve got three kids! It was getting cost-prohibitive but fortunately, you can rent textbooks now and have a host of cost-saving options that were not previously available when we were growing up.
Two. Purchase the Looseleaf Version of the Textbook
Another option, I just learned about this year is loose leaf purchases. I would think it would be a violation of US and international copyright laws to copy a book and sell the pages but not so.
Over the past few years, publishers realized they need to be flexible with their market and so have contracted with third party resellers to permit them to sell the loose leaf version of books. Hooray!
You simply purchase a binder and insert the pages and you can save over $100 dollars on a text book.
A lot of the rental books platforms also sell used books have standards and require the books to meet a minimum quality.
They describe what it means for a book to be in Fair, Good, Very Good and Excellent condition. HOWEVER, be very careful to get the correct edition. Some sites are not explicit in disclosing that it’s an old edition, the teacher’s edition or the workbook versus the text. IF the price is too low, be aware and make sure there isn’t a reason for a too ridiculously discount price. We got burned this way.
Also, if you get used books from third party re-sellers, be aware that a lot of them ship ground and therefore it could take up to three weeks for your books to arrive depending on where they’re being shipped from.
If you have the option to select among several re-sellers, pick one located closer to where you live to shorten the delivery time.
Finally, some of these outlets have few copies so it is possible that there may be overlap and the book may not be available then canceled. I mention all of this to let you know to be mindful of these factors when you go this route.
Our sons’ school offers a book swap where students moving on to the next grade can sell their books at heavily discounted prices to underclassmen.
They then get to go around to the other cars parked in the lot and purchase books they may need from older students.
A lot of schools offer this cost-saving option. You can also haggle and bargain. One mom was selling two novels for $5 each but I convinced her to give them to me for $7. It was the end of the swap so she was running out of options anyway.
Even if your school doesn’t offer one, check out nearby schools and attend theirs but make sure you are getting the correct textbook and edition. This can be tricky.
Five. Buy Digital TextBooks
Finally, a lot of teachers and professors allow students to consume the digital version of textbooks on a Nook or Kindle or another digital device.
Once a person owns a digital copy, he/he is usually licensed to download and print out pages needed for a class. Amazon’s Kindle has an entire website to e-textbooks. Enter the ISBN of the text, Title or Author and hit search!There are so many wonderful ways to save money on textbooks these days that you really have no excuse to pay full price…well unless you can afford it and your kid prefers a shiny brand new, unblemished text in the most ideal form, then go for it!
Anne Hathaway made her first red carpet appearance since announcing her pregnancy last month for the Broadway opening of Jake Gyllenhaal‘s play, Sea Wall/A Life.
The Devil Wears Prada actress showed up to the red carpet arrival in a hot pink custom Brandon Maxwell dress.
Anne revealed the news of her pregnancy on Instagram last month, showing off her baby bump and joking that it wasn’t weight gain or prosthetics for a new movie.
The Ocean’s 8 star also took the opportunity to send a positive message to those dealing with infertility issues, saying that her own experience “was not a straight line”.
Opening up further about her second pregnancy, Anne told Entertainment Tonight: “I am really happy. This is something I’ve been wanting for a while and I’m really happy it’s happening.”
Adding to the Instagram caption about her road to pregnancy not being a straight line, Anne said: “There is a one-sided narrative to this, and of course it’s wonderful that we celebrate the happy moment when it’s ready to share.”
As you prep to send the kids back to school, you may want to reassess what’s in their closet now and consolidate uneeded clothes, give away some, fold away some for younger children and basically get organized. Here are 10 tips to help you do that from a past post:
1.Take inventory: Go through the clothes that you already have for your child and see which items fit and which items don’t. Take the items that they have out grown to a resale shop or donate them to a worthy cause.
2.Assess how your child dresses: Don’t buy a bunch of dresses if you have a tomboy who doesn’t like to wear dresses. This may seem like common sense, but for some reason people love to buy pretty dresses and then they hang in the closet with the tags on them. Or they are worn once for that special occasion and that’s it.
3.Buy separates: Instead of buying a bunch of dresses you need to buy separates so that you can mix and match tops and skirts. You can also wear the tops with jeans or other pants. A dress is one outfit, but if you buy three skirts and three tops that can be mixed and matched then you can get nine outfits out of those items.
4.Buy basic colors: When buying pants or skirts think about buying basic colors, black, blue and brown. Those will go with a lot of different things you may already own. The more combinations that you can make the better off you will be.
5.Don’t buy outfits: Stores are great about putting together outfits, like pink and green striped leggings with a matching pink and green top. This is a one trick pony. You might be able to wear the top with jeans, but otherwise you can wear the pants with that one top and that’s it. Plus it’s such a bold color choice that you don’t want to repeat it in the same week.
6.Teach them to wear things more than once: The biggest thing that they can wear more than once is pajamas. There is no need to have seven pairs of pajamas. They can get up in the morning and fold them up and put them under their pillow for the next night. Having three to four pairs of pajamas should be plenty.
7.Add leggings to an outgrown dress: Do you have some dresses that are getting too short but they fit otherwise? Just add a pair of leggings and you can still get some more mileage out of those dresses.
8.Jeans, jeans, jeans: Most of the time jeans can be worn more than once in a week so teach your child to hang or fold them up after the first wearing unless they know they got a stain on them. Jeans are very versatile and can be worn dressed up with a nice shirt or sweater or worn with a T-shirt.
9.Buy basics: Buy a sweater in white so that you can take those short-sleeved dresses into Fall and Winter. Buy a white shirt that will go with anything or under any sweater to make an outfit warmer for winter. Black pants are always a good idea because they can be worn with any shirt and can be dressed up or down depending on the circumstances.
10.Take pictures and make a fashion book: Boys are especially bad about grabbing the shirt that is on the top in their drawer and wearing it over and over. For boys you might want to hang shirts so that they can all be seen. With girls, make a fashion book. Take pictures of all of the separate pieces and then mix and match them in a fashion book to show the different outfits that can be put together. Even young children can pick out an outfit and pull the pieces out of their closet and put a matching outfit together. Accessories for girls are also great to stretch a wardrobe. A great colorful scarf can be added to a basic black or brown top and you have a completely different look that how you wore it last week. Accessories are cheap and this is a good place to allow your kids to follow the trends, but not break that bank.
LeBron James is a great contender for the World’s Greatest Dad – and his Instagram Shows It
James is the GOAT on the court (we say that with apologies to MJ, Kobe, et al.)
And if you follow King James on social media, you already know he’s probably the GOAT at being a family man and a dad.
LeBron is clearly proud of his brood, and he takes every opportunity to show off his beautiful wife and three kids. We happily watch the show from the social sideline because we love seeing a role model as huge as ‘Bron being a genuinely awesome guy.
Let’s take a look at what makes LeBron and his family so charmingly special.
King of Social Media
We’re not sure how LeBron finds the time to be a social media maven considering his other obligations. Being the face of the NBA takes a lot of work. And King James enters the upcoming 2019-20 season with more pressure than ever.
Following a 2018-19 season that failed to meet the expectations of many fans, early prognostications show James and the Lakers hitting a stride when the NBA season opens in October.
The Lakers and the Clippers, co-residents at the Staples Center, sit atop the 2020 NBA Championship odds list.
Still, the Lakers star brings it on Instagram (@kingjames), Twitter (@kingjames), and Facebook (https://facebook.com/lebron). Instagram, where LeBron boasts an audience of 50.9 million followers, is the best to place to peek posts of the fam.
Much of this content is tagged with #JamesGang.
Meet the #JamesGang
Just who are the players on LeBron’s home team?
First up is Savannah, number 23’s wife since 2013. The couple met and became high school sweethearts in their hometown of Akron, Ohio, although they attended rival schools. Their first date was to Outback Steakhouse.
LeBron and Savannah have three children together – two sons, LeBron Jr. and Bryce, and a daughter, Zhuri.
Big brother LeBron Jr., better known as “Bronny” is following in his dad’s footsteps. The 14-year-old basketball prodigy already has offers to play for NCAA Division I schools.
At 12, Bryce is also a standout basketball player who some say possesses the sweetest shot in the family.
Little sister Zhuri is a vivacious young girl, and judging by ‘Bron’s Instagram, very much the apple of her dad’s eye.
Sharing the Love
So what family deets does LeBron share on Instagram? In a nutshell, plenty of feels.
His kids get shout-out posts for their birthdays. Take Bronny’s 14th b-day for example, Dad posted a selfie of the pair cheesing for the camera along with a heartfelt message to his son: “I love the young man you’ve grown into and this is just the beginning!” the post read in part.
‘Bron frequently posts photos of his wife, complete with love messages to his Queen,@mrs_savannahrj. He might be a b-ball superstar and household name, but Savannah is obviously the rock of the James family. She sets the rules for the kids while juggling her own career as a businesswoman and philanthropist.
Then there are the posts of the boys’ playing basketball. It seems Lebron is always hanging around to capture the special moments in practice or games. A recent video clip showed Bronny coming very close to smashing a breakaway slam dunk. Dad is clearly getting excited for the day when Junior is throwing down dunks on the regular – expect an epic post proclaiming the official arrival of the heir to the family business.
Dad even fills in on occasion as the coach of Bronny’s teams. Imagine being on the opposing side and confidently entering the gym only to find King James commanding the competition!
So does LeBron drink his morning coffee from an uber-cheesy World’s Greatest Dad mug? We don’t know. But the four-time NBA MVP has earned the right to if he so chooses.
We look forward to many more years of #JamesGang success and many more feels coming our way on the ‘Gram.
Few things tug at a parent’s heartstrings like the cries and pleas of a child in the throes of a separation anxiety attack; still, they are a normal (if distressing) part of childhood development. With proper coping strategies and plenty of love, the worst of your child’s anxieties can be managed until he’s older, at which point most children tend to outgrow their fears of being separated from a parent or familiar adult.
Managing your child’s separation anxiety and helping her to cope with the necessary but painful routine of parting is a matter of being patient, for the most part.
Keeping your composure and maintaining a grip on your patience is absolutely necessary in order for you to successfully employ other management techniques.
Establish a Goodbye Ritual – Sharing a special goodbye ritual with your little one is both comforting and reassuring to her, letting her know that staying at school, daycare, or under the care of a nanny is a new part of her routine. Because structure and repetition are so important to young children, establishing a ritual that accompanies every separation can help normalize that separation, making it less stressful for her over time.
Stay Calm – Kids react to the emotional state of a parent or loved one, so allowing yourself to become overly emotional or anxious in her presence is likely to only exacerbate the anxiety and fear that she’s already feeling. Maintain your composure as best you can, saving the emotional moments for a time when you’re out of her sight.
Don’t Hover or Linger – While it might seem that your hysterical child will never calm down after you leave, childcare providers will almost always reassure you that their emotional state will improve dramatically once you’re gone. Lingering around and hovering over her will only prolong the process, stretching out both her suffering and your own.
Speak with Caregivers and Teachers – Experienced childcare providers and preschool or kindergarten teachers are well-versed in reassuring both hysterical children and their concerned parents, so don’t hesitate to speak with them about how your child is adjusting. When normal separation anxiety is particularly difficult for a child to shake, or persists after a significant adjustment period, these people are your best allies in combating your little one’s fears and helping her learn to cope with separation in a calm, healthy way.
Resist the Temptation to Sneak Away – It can be very tempting to wait until your child is distracted and slip quietly from the room, but this may not be the most productive method of dealing with her separation anxiety. Looking up to find you inexplicably gone, without any sort of a goodbye, can lead to a panic that she’s been abandoned or, at the very least, to feel that she can’t always trust that you’ll be where you should be.
Communicate With Your Child – You can help prepare your child for preschool, kindergarten, or childcare by talking about the upcoming change, practicing separation on a small scale, and answering any questions that she has. These methods can be very effective in preventing the worst of her anxiety before it starts, and maintaining that open line of communication as she adjusts to her new environment and has new experiences is vital.
Be Firm and Consistent – Don’t waver or bring your child home after a particularly bad outburst, as it sends the message that a tantrum will yield the desired result of either leaving daycare or school with you or sending your nanny home, rather than being separated. Focus on maintaining a firm but gentle demeanor, and a strong grip on your resolve.
Know When Separation Anxiety Indicates Something More Serious – While separation anxiety is a very natural, normal part of growing up for many children, there are times when it could indicate something more serious. If a previously happy, well-adjusted child begins to regress and show signs of anxiety again, or if existing anxiety is severe and does not lessen with time, you should contact your pediatrician or medical provider for advice.
Today has been quite a tumultuous one in the United States with not one, not two, but three different active shooter emergencies.
I wrote this intro a year ago yet one year later, it applies again as the US has been mired by 3 back-to-back active shooters in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, OH in the past week so I’m sharing yet again, this post about how to prep your child to survive an active shooter situation…again.
It’s pretty sad and scary because no longer can we be assured that we can avoid the type of places that these incidents occur at because there is not typical target any longer.
We may have heard the story of the little girl who survived the Sandy Hook shooter by pretending she was dead and staying still. Most kids are not prepared for such a situation and wouldn’t necessarily be that quick on their feet to think like that. It then leads us to the inevitable. We have to prepare our children for surviving an active shooter situation.
Here are some basic pieces of advice, adapted from instructions and policies created by the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) Training Institute
What is an Active Shooter?
An active shooter emergency involves one or more persons, using a firearm, engaging in a random or systematic shooting spree. The vast majority of shootings in this country are over in a matter of minutes, involve persons known to one another, and are confined to a particular area.
An Active Shooting incident does not follow this template. It may last for minutes or hours, range over a large and constantly changing area, and threaten everyone within close proximity of the shooter(s).
Do You Get any Warning?
Persons may or may not receive advance warning of an active shooter. A witness, personal observation or the sound of gunshots may be the only alert you receive, leaving little time to react.
What Does an Active Shooter Emergency Sound Like?
The sound of gunshots, unlike special effects in movies and television, may sound muffled and make a “pop, pop, pop” noise. It is reasonable to assume that a series of such noises are gunshots and you should begin to take necessary precautions.
What’s Wrong With the Traditional “Shelter In Place” Process Police Use?
Traditional response to this type of incident has been to shelter in place and wait for the police to arrive. While this type of response is not wrong, case studies of several active shooter incidents have shown there may be instances where it is not possible or a secure location has been breached, resulting in an increase in casualties.
What is a Good Alternative for Pre schools and Day Care Centers?
The “ALICE” response plan has been identified to assist you in your response should this type of incident occur.
Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers come with unique factors and questions in dealing with this type of emergency. Building layout and features, the high number of younger children, and the consideration of possibly having only the option of “Lockdown” in some areas presents issues outside of normal protocols.
The staff should become skillful and think in terms of “when…then…” for an alert mindset.
Why Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers Present a Problem
Unlike most buildings, Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers usually only have one identifiable entrance for the public, but have several egress points for those in the building to escape in case of emergency. These points usually lead to playground areas that are fenced in order to keep children from wandering from the premise.
Consideration should be given to these fenced areas being gated and easily opened by staff to exit. Whether in an Active Shooter Emergency or Fire, the ability to move large numbers of staff and children away from the premise should be paramount. Once away from the building, the issue becomes one of keeping the children together and moving them to a safe haven. This location should be planned out and drilled into the children in much the same way we evacuate for fire drills. Campus Safety Has an Excellent Plan for administrators of schools and day care centers you can download HERE!
What should You or Your child do in an Active Shooter Situation to Survive?
What follows is a simple, example of an ALICE for Pre-Schools/ Day Care Centers.
ALICE
“ALICE” is an acronym for 5 steps you can utilize in order to increase your chances of surviving a surprise attack by an Active Shooter. It is important to remember that the “ALICE” response does not follow a set of actions you “shall, must, will” do when confronted with an Active Shooter. Your survival and the survival of the children are paramount in this situation. Deal with known information and don’t worry about unknowns. You may use only 1 or 2 parts of the response plan or you may have to utilize all 5. In this type of incident, your perception is the reality and you will be deciding what the appropriate action is for you to take.
Alert- Can be anything.
Gunfire
Witness
PA Announcement
Phone alert
Lockdown- This is a semi-secure starting point from which to make survival decisions. If you decide to not evacuate, barricade to secure the room.
Lock the door using all securing mechanisms.
Cover any windows in the door if possible
Tie down the door, if possible, using belts, purse straps, shoe laces, zip ties etc.
Barricade the door with anything available (desks, chairs, rolling cabinets, etc.)
Look for alternate escape routes (windows, other doors)
Call 911
Move out of the doorway in case gunfire comes through it
Move children to the safest location in the room
Silence or place cell phones on vibrate
Once secured, do not open the door for anyone. Police will enter the room when the situation is over.
Gather weapons (coffee cups, chairs, books, pens, etc.) and mentally prepare to defend yourself or others.
Put yourself in position to surprise the active shooter should they enter the room.
Inform- Using any means necessary to pass on real time information.
Given in plain language.
Can be derived from 911 calls, video surveillance, etc.
Who, what, where, when and how information
Can be used by people in the area or who may come into it to make common sense decisions
Can be given by “Flash Alerts”, PA Announcements or Police Radio speakers
Information is a two-way street, if you have information share it with the police dispatch or the office
Counter- This is the use of simple, proactive techniques should you be confronted by the Active Shooter.
Anything can be a distraction device
Throws things at the shooters head to disrupt their aim
Give children the command to act (disruption tactics) or move
Create as much noise as possible
Attack in a group (swarm) if possible
Grab the shooters limbs and head and take them to the ground and hold them there
Fight dirty-bite, kick, scratch, gouge eyes, etc.
Run around the room and create chaos
If you have control of the shooter call 911 and tell the police where you are and listen to their commands when officers arrive on scene.
Commit to your actions, this is the last resort.
Evacuate- Remove yourself and the children from the danger zone as quickly as possible.
Decide if you can safely evacuate
Assist children in moving to secure rally points away from the building
Run in a zigzag pattern as fast as you can if alone
Do not stop running until you are far away from the area
Bring something to throw with you in case you would encounter the Active Shooter
Consider the distance to the ground if you go out a window. 3 floors up is considered the survivable drop zone.
Break out windows and attempt to quickly clear glass from the frame
Consider using belts, clothing or other items as an improvised rope to shorten the distance you would fall
Hang by your hands from the window ledge to shorten your drop
Attempt to drop into shrubs, mulch or grass to lessen the chance of injury
Do not attempt to drive from the area
Once at the rally point move children to most secure position possible and account for all the children in your care
Secondary Issues
Anyone may call 911 should they perceive a threat. Don’t worry if it turns out to be no issue, error on the side of caution.
Responding Police will have their weapons drawn and ready for use. They do not know exactly who the shooter is and will probably point weapons at you. Just remain calm and follow any directions they may give you. You may be asked questions, patted down, and given orders to exit certain ways.
Responding Police are there to stop the Active Shooter as soon as possible. They will bypass injured people and will not help you escape. Only after the shooter is stopped will they begin to provide other assistance.
If you come into possession of a weapon, do NOT, carry or brandish it! Police may think you are the Active Shooter. If possible, put it in a trashcan and carry it with you. If you come across Police, calmly tell them what you are carrying and why. Follow their commands.
Be prepared to provide first aid. Think outside the box. Tampons and feminine napkins can be used to stop blood loss. Shoes laces and belts can be used to secure tourniquets. Weighted shoes can be tied around a person’s head to immobilize it. Remember it may be several hours to secure an entire building and safely move an injured person. The actions you take immediately to treat injuries may save their life. Equip rooms with “GO Buckets” containing water, bandages, medications, zip ties, kitty litter to absorb moisture in the bucket should it be utilized as a toilet, etc.
If you are in lockdown for a long period of time, give consideration to issues such as bathroom use, keeping people calm, games, books, etc.
Pre-select Rally Points away from the building and practice with the staff and children moving to these locations. Make sure that the locations you are evacuating to know why and where to place you should an emergency occur. Involve local Law Enforcement in this planning.
Consider setting up classrooms and offices to make it harder for an Active Shooter to enter and acquire targets. Remember, posters and signs on windows, while welcoming, may obstruct your view of people entering the location.
These measures are meant to provide you with the knowledge and skills you may need to make decisions for your safety and the safety of the children. There are no mandates on how to survive, you are empowered to make decisions and won’t be second guessed.
What Can Parents do To Prepare for Non School Active Shooter Situations?
A book from the Alice Institute called “I’m Not Scared, I’m prepared” ($8.55) tells the story of a teacher who has to tell her students what to do if a “dangerous someone” is in their school. Because we live in the world we live in, a book like this is needed for educators and parents so that their children are prepared for surviving a possible attack. It teaches the concepts taught in the training school for all children in a non-fearful way. Children learn things like:
Listen to the teacher and the announcements
There are ways to help the teacher barricade the door
There may be a time to go to a rally point with or without the teacher
I am a member of several travel groups on Facebook and one thing that stands out to me are the elaborate photo shoots that many people arrange during their vacations.
A common photo is the flying dress photo in Santorini, Greece or on the beaches of Anquilla or Miami.
Many couples also arrange with local photographers on travel for quick photo shoots and not always for a formal occasion like an engagement.
For example, when a central Florida bride I read about named Jessica got engaged to her boyfriend Ryan, she wanted to return to Miami where here parents used to take her and her siblings to as a child. She went with Localgrapher because it seemed like they had a better understanding of what made Miami so special to me.
The same could be said of remote maternity shoots. It is best to take the time to find a photographer or team that knows the area where you’re going to be shooting in, as it will alleviate the stress of finding unique spaces in the town or city.
The Localgrapher option is cool because it has close to 1,000 local photographers in its network at over 600 destinations around the world that consumers can select from depending on their needs.
They come rated so it saves the stress and anxiety over not knowing if the quality is going to be okay. We usually trust the opinions and experiences of those who have used a service provider before and took the time to pen a good review.
I know I’m grateful for that.
The tide has turned when DIY or at home photography was sufficient to bring a vacation, event, engagement, announcement or baby arrival experience to life.
In the advent of social media and ‘The Gram, photography sessions are more accessible for more people and being opted into as the only solution for capturing those moments.
As many children go back to school this month, several struggle in class, lose assignment sheets and notes, miss assignments and forget to bring home books needed to complete homework if he or she is not organized. There are tremendous benefits to teaching children executive functioning skills. These are the type of skills top or mid level execs use to succeed in work but certainly can apply to kids as well.
Organization and focus are key qualities for many successful adults, but these skills do not come naturally to grown ups, imagine if you were taught it at a young age and grew with those skills.
Here are 5 tips to assist all parents and children:
Stash and trash– Prevent mountains of papers from accumulating by learning what to keep and what to toss. This is a very important skill, even for the most organized adults! Teach children at a young age what types of documents to keep and throw away as well as how to best organize the materials they are keeping. Your future storage bins will thank you!
Balancing work and fun – It is important to teach children that there is a time for work and a time for play, and that they are both important for a well-balanced life! Make time for studying, after school activities and dinner with the family.
Manage the day – Parents have planners, and so should children! Teach your child to use a day planner or calendar, where they can record their school work, after-school activities, social events and family time. Whether it is paper or digital, it doesn’t matter. The point is that the child learns to manage their time and sets realistic expectations for each day.
Organize assignments –Parents can help their children stay organized with color-coded folders and a desk-top storage system for their school work. Children also really enjoy label makers. Divide the folders and storage containers by subject, and teach children how to label accordingly.
Lightening the backpack without losing the work – We’ve all witnessed the tiny child with the gigantic backpack that weighs nearly as much as they do, as well as the extreme opposite of the student who shows up to class without a pen or paper. Teaching children to carry what is important for the day will help them be better prepared for class. Go over the day’s activities the night before, make a list of what classes and activities the child has and pack accordingly.
This solid advice should help parents have a basis and foundation for passing on these critical skills to their children.
Jade Roper Tolbert and husband Tanner Tolbert welcomed their second baby on Monday — and the little one’s arrival was one for the books.
“It was wild,” Jade tells PEOPLE about her son’s birth which did not go at all to plan.
In fact, their newest addition’s arrival was so quick that she didn’t have time to get to the hospital and instead welcomed the baby on the floor of her bedroom closet.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0j5li1FUhy/
“It’s surreal. I’m still having trouble processing it,” the former Bachelor star said Wednesday.
Jade, who has been married to her former Bachelor in Paradise costar Tanner for three years, (their daughter Emmy is almost two) was still around two weeks away from her due date when her water broke.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0n8YmllFnF/
“Her water actually broke at 9:16pm, as we were actually watching The Bachelorette,” Tanner, 32, tells PEOPLE.
