Dear Parents,
Welcome back! I hope that you have enjoyed some time with your family. When we last chatted, we were discussing finding that focus before the end of the quarter, or semester. Most likely you are enjoying the last few days before a return to school – some of you may be eagerly counting down the hours until your kids return. At any rate, whether you want it to happen, or not, school is coming. Soon.
So what can you do about it while it is still Winter Break? Here are a few ideas:
- Think about the first half of the year. What went well? What was difficult? Are there resources that you need that you didn’t have – and this could be anything from school supplies to lunches?
- Make a plan for the upcoming months. This is one of the hardest stretches of the school year. Often times you leave in the dark and return home in the gray. It can be downright depressing. There are a few days off – MLK Day, Presidents Day (depending on the school), but there is a long stretch of full weeks. What are some things that you can do at home to mix things up?
- Find time to exercise. The winter can be a difficult time depending on where you live. The beauty of summer and spring is that you can send the kids outside (or take them outside) and give them an opportunity to run their crazies (technical term) out. This can be difficult to do during the cold months. Look around the community – are there activities that you can get them involved in to get some exercise? Kids need to move – they, and you, will be thankful for the outlet.
- Remind them to wash their hands. Sounds silly, I know, but this is also the time of year when kids get sick. A lot. And I hate to tell you this, but your kids don’t always wash their hands. And sometimes they pick their noses. And sometimes they wipe their noses with their hands or sleeves. Gross you out? Now you know how we feel. Remind them to use tissues and to wash their hands. Hand sanitizer is nice, but nothing beats actually washing your hands with soap and water.
- Remind them to read. Your students may have gotten some pretty shiny new toys over break. Use that as leverage. Invite them, no challenge, them to read for a set period of time each day. Maybe it is in the morning. Maybe it is before bed. Maybe it is while they wait for the bus. The more they read, the better their vocabulary, the more they learn. And don’t chase away the graphic novels – if that gets them to read, let them read comics. (Disclosure: I am a slightly big fan of comics.)
- Set goals. If you set goals with your student at the beginning of the year, now is a good time to revisit them. Haven’t made them? Now is a good time. When looking at goals – grades are nice, but you don’t have to focus on those. What else can you look to improve. Maybe your goals include when/how long your student studies. How they study. Reading. Anything that helps them improve a weakness.
Hopefully those ideas are useful, and, as usual, I would love to field some questions from you. Send them to me at creed@lifeofdad.com or tweet me at @acjlist. Have a great weekend!
Creed Anthony is a father of two, husband, teacher, and writer. In addition to the pages of Life of Dad, you may find him at his two blogs: Talesfromthepoopdeck.com and BalconyDads.com, and on Twitter @acjlist.
