Five life skills your kids don’t learn at school

October 30, 2018 JayneLeave a comment

There is no “right” way to bring up children, and sometimes the more advice and opinions you hear, the tougher it can seem. Even the views of the greatest teachers and psychologists always differ to a certain extent.

Still, there is one thing on which everyone is in broad agreement: if you give your children freedom and value their individuality, they will grow up confident and happy. Another basic truth is that parents have as important a role in educating their kids as schoolteachers. With that in mind, here are five lessons that will be of value to every child, which you can help them to learn:

Independence

Before doing something for your children, step back and ask yourself whether they can do it themselves. Everyone needs freedom, but keep in mind that freedom and permissiveness are not the same thing. Let them try to do their own shoelaces, for example. Encourage, guide and most of all be patient. They will get there in the end.

Housework

Here’s a secret: Kids love to help out with things. The only reason they get lazy and reluctant is through habit if you don’t let them get in on the act from a young age. The sooner children learn to perform ordinary household chores, the more confident and self-sufficient they will be in future. Aside from that, it’s always nice to have an additional pair of hands to help with cleaning or washing up, and it’s a great time to chat without the intrusion of a TV screen or games console.

Of course, kids don’t become skilled in domestic chores overnight, and role play games are highly valuable here. Those toy kitchens and toolkits are the perfect start, and you will see how much they love preparing pretend meals or repairing their toy cars.

Choosing and analysing

Your children will ultimately live their own lives, not the ones that you or the teachers in school have in mind. Where you can make a difference is to coach them on how to make wise decisions. Provide your child with the opportunity to choose as often as possible. For example, what to wear or what colour backpack to buy.

Beyond that, get the kids involved in broader family decisions, so that they can see how to research options and make the right choice. Whether it’s booking a family holiday or choosing the right printer cartridge, there is research to be done. Using the latter example as a case in point, show them the price of cartridges on the high street, then search online for Canon MG5750 and decide which is better!

Outdoor activities

Children need to spend time in the wide world. This is where they learn to observe, see the beauty of nature and live in harmony with the world. That doesn’t mean throwing them out in the morning and hoping they come back in the evening, as some generations maintain they spent their childhoods. In truth, it’s a great opportunity for us, as parents to spend more time outside too, not to interfere, but just to be around.

Family

Practical ways to help make school transferring easier

September 25, 2018 Jayne1 Comment

Changing schools is occasionally required for children who will benefit from it. It does present a difficult situation both for parents and students. This makes your child a “new kid” amid a classroom of strangers and he’ll need to navigate a new building, catch up on new lessons, as well as make new friends.

Regardless, changing school mid-year doesn’t need to be a bad experience for kids. Oftentimes they can be simply happier in their new school environment. What you need is a little preparation and thought. Here are a couple of practical ways to help make school transferring easier.

Check out the school

Take your child to visit the school before school starts by arranging a private tour. This will allow the both of you to have a sense of what it will be like walking into the first day of class. Knowing in advance where everything is, including the library, classroom, cafeteria, and lockers are located can reduce first-day anxieties.

Young children may also benefit from visiting his class for just a bit while you stay with him, so when he attends on his own, the experience will be easier. You may also try having a meeting with your child’s teacher to make sure that a desk and any necessary supplies are already prepared before the first day. You may also inquire about any paperwork on policies or homework guidelines.

Assess the included advantages

There are always some things that could be better even though your child might love his previous school so much. Talk to your child about the advantages of going to the new school. Maybe your child has been labelled by the other kids and find it hard to break away from that. Perhaps the coursework isn’t at the right level or the teacher isn’t spending enough time explaining the homework. A new school means a new start, making those negatives a problem of the past. It’s quick for kids to just see the negatives of a situation and forget that there can be benefits as well.

Get yourself involved

See what organizations or groups exist in the neighbourhood as well as your child’s school. Connect with the school’s local Parent Teacher Association. These organisations have great resources and can inform you about the issues and events that happen at school. You may also meet other members who have kids in your child’s class, which can help them make friends faster

Seek out extracurricular activities

Joining outside programs is a fantastic way for new students to easily make new friends as well as feel accepted by their new school. It also gives students the chance to learn new skills and it is helpful for college admission as well. Local clubs outside of the school also be a nice place to make new friends.

Considering a new school for your child

If your child needs to change schools, you need to weigh your school choices. Choosing One World International School (OWIS), one of the top international schools in Singapore, is an excellent way to start off your kid’s new educational journey.

The OWIS campus is filled with adaptable learning environments that allow students to work together and to think creatively. They provide the latest technology that improves the learning process for students they encourage outdoor learning prospects that invite students to connect with the world around them.

There you have it. Make use of these practical ways to help make school transferring painless for you and your child. Best of luck!

Kids · Review

Back to School with Smiggle (review)

September 15, 2016 Jayne1 Comment

I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid if there was one thing which could make me feel better about going back to school it was new stationery, so when Smiggle got in touch and asked if we’d like some goodies for Sausage to make the back to school transition a bit nicer, of course I agreed! Her bundle arrived today to MUCH excitement. We were sent the following:

smiggle-glitter-markers

Smiggle Glitter Markers – £10

Smiggle Milkshake Carton Scented Pencil Case – £11.50

Smiggle Neon Watch – £13.50

Smiggle Scented Colour-Change Pencils – £1.50 each (£6)

Smiggle Scented Glitter Lipstick Eraser – £2

I’m not going to lie; the levels of stationery-related hysteria were at an all time high last night. Sausage spent about an hour testing out her new gear, drawing with her pencils and colouring in with her pens. I swear, she even made deliberate mistakes just so that she could use her eraser. She was sad that her class has a no-pencil case rule so she couldn’t take them in to school with her but she wore her watch and proudly showed off the touch-activated face to anyone within earshot.

From a parental point of view, all of the stuff she was sent was really high quality (and the pencil case smelled good enough to eat!). It’s probably a little more than we’d usually spend on stationery items but the unique designs means that they felt quite special compared to ‘normal’ pens and pencils. I think they’d probably make really nice gifts for kids of Sausage’s age, especially the watch which comes in various different colours. Smiggle vouchers would probably also go down really well as just the name “Smiggle” seems to instil excitement in kids (and me, if I’m being really honest; I’m a sucker for stationary).

Without wishing to use the “C” word too much, I think a lot of the smaller items like pencils and rubbers would make really nice stocking fillers at Christmas, and I believe Smiggle also does an advent calendar which I just know Sausage is going to want.

All in all we were really pleased with Sausage’s Smiggle goodies and I know we’ll be heading to the Smiggle store, next time we’re in Lakeside. Thanks to Smiggle for our stationary stash.

School

Researching Our Options with School Reviewer

September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 JayneLeave a comment

School Reviewer I’ve written here before about the potential conundrum with our school situation and with Sausage about to go into year 4, it’s becoming ever more pressing. When we moved to our little village, we gave Sausage three options. She could either quit school and be home educated, change schools to one more local to where we’re living, or stay where she is but have a bit of a commute each day. Ultimately, she decided to stay where she was and we weren’t unhappy about that as her current school is very good and was our only choice of Primary for her.

The conundrum happens when we start to factor in BB starting school in 2018, Sausage’s final year of primary. Do we send her to the same school as Sausage and tie ourselves into another 7 years of commuting a fair distance, send her to a primary closer to home and deal with very awkward school runs for a year (with both of them needing to be in different schools at the same times in the morning) or maybe even home educate BB for reception year until we know where Sausage will be going for secondary.

We recently happened upon School Reviewer, which really is a one-stop-shop for everything school related and it’s been an absolutely invaluable resource for us while we mull over this decision. They say:

School Reviewer is so much more than just a review site

It’s the only site with unique video walkthroughs to show how to score a 100% on Maths GCSE and SATs papers.
The only site with a unique Buy and Sell section specific to individual schools.
A site with a unique catchment area heat map for every state school in the UK.
A site that has discussion forums for parents on a local and national basis. A site that is recruiting tutors for free to create the biggest and most trusted tutor site for parents in the UK.
A site where you can read or write reviews about your child’s school to help other parents.
In fact, it’s the perfect choice for you and your child’s educational journey.

As well as allowing us to get a really comprehensive overview of all of the schools in our area, it’s also a fab resource for tutors, something we’re considering in the run up to the 11+. However, if a tutor is not within budget, School Reviewer also sells practice exam papers for SATs and GCSEs, with 11+ papers to be added to the site really soon. I really like the idea of being able to test Sausage at home and having access to official papers will make this so much easier. School Reviewer Buy and Sell

I think my favourite feature, however, is the buy and sell section, which School Reviewer have recently made completely free to use. You can buy and sell things which are specific to your school, allowing you to grab bargains like nearly-new school uniform, text books and other stuff for a fraction of the price. The back to school period can be ridiculously expensive so giving parents a way to save money is really positive, as well as allowing you to make a few quid off of anything that you no longer need.

All in all, I think the people behind School Reviewer are absolute geniuses. I’m not aware of any other sites which offer such a thorough overview of all things school related and I’ll be recommending it to basically anyone who will listen! Head over to the site to take a look yourself.

Kids · School

5 Ways Parents Can Help Kids Ace Their Homework

July 15, 2016 JayneLeave a comment

Pixabay

We all want to help our kids achieve their best possible results throughout school and college. And the best way a parent can get behind their kids is by helping them ace their homework. Even if you weren’t the brightest at school back in the day, there are still certain ways you can help them out. It isn’t all about sitting down with them and doing the academic stuff! So do you want to give your kids a fantastic chance in their academic career? Here are five ways you can help your kids ace their homework.

Create A Quiet Space For Them

One of the most important things you can do for your child is to give them a quiet spot where they can get on with their work without being disturbed. This will provide them with the peace and quiet that they need to concentrate. If you have a home office that you use for work, let them work at your desk when you are not there. That way, they can shut the door, so there are no distractions from elsewhere in the household. Is there is space in their bedroom? You could put a desk in there. You just need to make sure that there are no toys or electronic devices that could distract them away from their work!

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Set Up A Routine

You need to insist on a daily schedule for your child. This way, they will have an allocated time in which they should be doing their homework. There are a few benefits of a regular schedule. The best one is that it frees up time for fun stuff, like hobbies and sports. You will know when your child will work best at home. Perhaps it is as soon as they come in from school. Or maybe they need an hour or so to settle down at home before they get on with homework. Whichever you decide, you need to stick to it. Also, make sure that your child has half an hour’s break in the middle of their homework. This helps them refresh and grab a snack. But don’t let them watch TV or go on a computer – you may have a hard time getting them away from the screen!

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Don’t Be Overbearing

No matter how much you want your child to succeed at school or college, you should never be too overbearing with them. If you are very overbearing, this could have a negative effect on your child’s behaviour. They may begin to rebel and refuse to do any of their work. So whatever happens, try to stay relaxed and stay out of their hair as much as possible! Remember that we all need breaks sometimes, so don’t push your child too hard or criticise them for taking a break. It can help them clear their mind so that they can continue to work to a high standard.

Teach Them The Repercussions

Has your child called you because they forgot to take their homework book to school? Don’t give in to their wishes and take it to them. Instead, they need to understand that their actions have repercussions. Once they have been punished for forgetting their book or equipment, they will always remember to pack their bag correctly! And the same goes for not doing homework. If they don’t do an exercise, don’t constantly remind them of it. They will have to face the repercussions and be punished at school. Hopefully, this will ensure that they become more responsible and always do their homework in the future!

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Get Extra Help

If your child appears to be struggling with their homework on a regular basis, they might need some extra help. You might be tempted to try and reteach them a topic. However, this won’t be helpful for them. You might not have a full understanding of the topic, and this can only confuse them more. There are a number of steps you can take. Discuss the matter with your child’s teacher. They might go throw the subject again in class if a few pupils are struggling. Your child might also benefit from after-school study clubs. There are also some services that specialise in UK coursework writing if your child is struggling with a college assignment.

If you follow these five steps, you’ll find that homework won’t be such a big struggle in your household. By being a supportive parent, you can help your child achieve fantastic results and achieve everything they want from life!