Balancing extracurricular activities with school work

Technorati Tags: back to school

As parents it’s important to help our children and give them the best tools to succeed in life. One of these tools is knowing how to balance things that need to be done. This especially important as our children get older and want to participate in school activities. We want them to be able to do these activities but at the same time school work is important to their future and we don’t want them to neglect it. It’s possible for them to learn to balance both and be able to handle being active.

One thing that helps is to make sure that your child is only signing up for things that they can handle. Nothing is accomplished by taking on activities that they have no way to complete. This can have a serious negative affect on their self esteem when they aren’t able to complete things. It’s better to avoid problems by planning ahead and helping them to only sign up for the things that they can handle. It may seem harsh and counter productive but it’s not a bad thing to teach our children to be realistic about their abilities as they reach for the stars.

The next thing we can do is teach them how to manage their time effectively. The time to complete activities and homework has to come from somewhere and there still has to be time for things like eating and sleeping. We can facilitate time management by posting a calendar that has spots for time during the day and letting our children schedule in their activities so they know exactly where they have to be and when. We should help them but as they get older it’s important to let them do most of the scheduling themselves so that they learn responsibility that will help them later in life. Sometimes they’ll make mistakes and that’s okay also because we learn through making mistakes. It’s how we handle those mistakes and move on from them that helps us grow as people and move on in our lives.

One of the most important things that we can do to help them is to teach them how important the schoolwork is to them. It’s easy to get caught up in our activities and want to focus just on them so sometimes it’s necessary for the parent to step in and redirect focus just a little bit. As much as we would like to believe that our child is the next big sports star or chess champion it’s so rare that it actually happens that we need them to have the education as a back up. A good education is important because it give them something to use when they get older. It’s not that we should neglect activities outside of school as not being important but we have to teach them the importance of balancing both aspects of their time in school.

All of these things work together to help our children find time for both school work and activities. We’re our child biggest supporters and their first role models so it’s up to us to set these examples. This means that sometimes we have to take the initiative to talk to them about things and to step in when we see problems developing that are too big for them to handle on their own.

Calming your child fears about starting a new school

Technorati Tags: school,children education

Starting a new school year can be one of the hardest times in a child’s life. To an adult it doesn’t seem like much in the grand scheme of things but we’ve gotten older and forgotten how much fear is involved. It’s a big step going into a new school where you don’t necessarily know anyone. There are two main times when this happens to a child. The first is when then move up in grade and the new grades are housed in a different school and the second is when the family or the child moves to a completely new area and the child is starting a brand new school for the first time. Both times are stressful for the child but there are things that we as parents can do to help them get through it.

The first situation is a little bit easier to deal with because there’s a possibility that some of your child’s friends might be at the new school with them. This help make the transition into the new school a little bit easier. Sometimes they’ll even be in the same class which helps even more. If there’s more than one school for them to go to like there are in bigger areas most of the time you’ll be notified during the summer which school and class your child will be attending which gives you time to help your child adjust. Encourage them to talk to their friends and see which school they’ll be going to and if they have any classes together. This gives them a chance to start talking about any fears and gives you a chance to alleviate them. Next learn a little bit about the school and point things out to them so that they begin to see it as an adventure rather than something scary. Finally, if there’s a before school meeting with the teacher be sure to take your child. This gives them a chance to meet the person that will be teaching them for the following year and can make them feel a bit calmer about the situation.

The second instance is a little harder for a child to deal with. Not only are they going to a new school but they are in a new area and may be apprehensive about being able to find their way around. The first thing that you can do is decide how they’ll be getting to school each day. If they’ll be walking to school find out where it is and have your child help you plan a route to walk. After it’s planned have them walk it a couple of times for practice so that they feel confident about how to get there. Another way that you can help is by encouraging your child to get to know the neighborhood kids. There’s a good chance that some if not all of them will be going to the same school and meeting them will mean that your child won’t start school surrounded by strangers as there will be some familiar faces. Find out what kind of activities are available at the new school and talk about them together so that they can have something to look forward to.

Most of all just let them know that your always there to listen to their fears and concerns. No matter which of the two situations it is the simple act of listening can have a great impact on your child.

Homeschooling and college

Technorati Tags: home schooling

As children grow out of their little pants and are ready to begin their teens, many parents wonder if they should continue with the homeschooling program. They fear that colleges may not give equal opportunities to a child educated at home.

Many fears of this kind were put to rest when 2 homeschooled boys got admission into Harvard. Harvard does not require a high school diploma for gaining admission to their degree program. Many colleges are more interested in the knowledge and behavior of the homeschooled children rather than their high school diplomas. In fact, other things being similar many colleges prefer homeschoolers because of the diversity and richness they bring to their college life.

Admission requirements may vary. While some colleges require the child to appear for the SAT, others may need a general equivalency diploma. And some may not care for any tests at all. The criterion may vary depending on the college that you wish to apply to. But, college courses really do not require any high school background or special training.

It is common to come across parents who frantically try to shift out their homeschool children to high schools because they fear unavailability of college admissions. But college admissions are open to all educated individuals, regardless of whether they are educated at home or at a public school.

Disadvantages of public schooling

Technorati Tags: home schooling

When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving 'quality education'. But, are we really getting our money's worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?

Socialization is hailed as one of the greatest advantage of schools. This is the place where the child picks up the rudiments of social skills that help him survive. But in truth, a regular school-going child can interact only with his peers. He may bully younger children or fear older ones. He does not know how to behave with an adult. This is because in the school environment he interacts only with his peers. A homeschooling environment brings in a more natural social environment.

A regular school going child cannot read literature. He cannot keep silent or think in depth about any one thing. The artificial 'busy'ness imposed upon him by the school disallows quiet contemplation. Rowdy and destructive behavior, as seen among peers, is more noticeable in school-goers.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but understands very little. This is where the homeschoolers beat the regular school goers. Ultimately, homeschoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

Homeschool - Field trips

Technorati Tags: homeschool,education

If you are going over a particular subject with the family and feel that a field trip would be beneficial, then that's what you should do - go for a trip. If you are attached to a support group, you can plan to include other children too.
Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:
1) Collect the rates
2) Allowed ages
3) Special highlights
4) Size of the group
5) Timings
6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not
hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly, have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.