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School

5 Back to School Deals You Won’t Want to Miss

School just got out for summer, but back-to-school time will be here before you know it. I’ve been watching for sales on supplies I know we’ll need so I can get ahead of it and save money on school supplies. Here are some of the most recent back to school deals I’ve ordered:

back to school deals

*This post contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you.*

1. 40 Pack of BIC Mechanical Pencils

This deal on mechanical pencils is one you won’t want to miss. Stocking up on back-to-school supplies during the summer is one way to save yourself money long term.

mechanical pencil sale

2. Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks

You can’t beat this sale on glue sticks with school coming up. You’ll be the teacher’s favorite right from the start when you send your child with a 30-pack!

sale for glue sticks

3. Ticonderoga Pencils

Teachers prefer Ticonderoga pencils, and for good reason. Don’t forget to order them before it’s time to meet the teacher!

Ticonderoga pencils on sale, back to school deals

4. Fiskars Blunt Tipped Scissors

You won’t find a better deal on these scissors for kids! If you have young kids, you know you’ll need these for back to school. Even if you bought some last year, who knows where they are now, LOL.

5. Lunch Box Joke Cards

I love putting joke cards in my kids’ lunch box. You can write a personalized message on them to let your child know you’re thinking of them while they’re at school. My kids love the messages I write on the cards, and they’ve even started helping pack each others’ lunches so they can add a note themselves.

Recap: Back to School Deals

June might seem too early to think about back to school, but you’ll be glad you did. Preparing now while things are on great deals will save you time and money in August when school starts back up.

What deals are you looking at right now? Leave a comment and let us know. 🙂

Categories
Learning Parenting

Ways To Support Your Child’s Education When You Move Abroad

As a parent, you will want to help your child with their education even more when you move abroad. The move will be more for your benefit, but they will soon settle in, and it will feel like home. However, you will want to ensure they are happy and receiving the best education to benefit their future. It requires you to support your child and their education, doing what you can to make it easier for them. 

Here is how to guarantee the best education for your child when you move abroad. 

Send them to a world-class school

If you want to guarantee your child gets the best education, consider sending them to an international school known for providing the best education. Speaking to the government and locals will help you understand the best school to send your child to.

For instance, if you are moving to Bangkok for work, you will want to find an international school so your child can understand if they do not speak the local language. KIS International School is a great one to send your child to so they can gain a good education and finish with a world-class education. 

Offer learning opportunities at home to Support Your Child

Another way to support your child’s education when moving abroad is to provide them with learning opportunities from home. 

They will want to learn if you make things fun. Playing educational and interactive games with them will guarantee that they continue learning even when they’re not at school. It will further their learning and guarantee to enhance their skills.

Get them to speak to tutors for further education

Offer your child a tutor to further enhance their education when moving abroad. Asking your child to meet local tutors allows them to choose one they feel comfortable with. A tutor can assist with any subjects they find difficult.

Or, a tutor can educate your child on the local language so your child can start making friends at school.

Speak to the teachers

Although your child will interact with the teachers at their new school daily, you might lack communication. You’ll want to speak with the teachers to get to know them and learn how your child is settling in.

You might understand that your child has made friends and is learning well. Or, you might find out that your child could use extra lessons to understand the new learning style. Communicating with your child’s teachers will help you adjust their educational life to promote the best educational experience possible.

Recap: Support Your Child and Their Education

It is important to support your child with their education when you move abroad. Although you will be adjusting, too, they will find it more challenging as it wasn’t their choice. Be sure to find them the best education so they can flourish and enjoy the experience.

Categories
Learning Parenting

4 Ways to Make Homeschooling Fun and Engaging

When you first started homeschooling your kids, you vowed to make it a fun experience for everyone involved. Homeschooling is not just about giving your child the best possible education, it’s about providing them with the tools to become the best possible human being you could imagine. Making homeschooling engaging can be done through different methods. You can involve learning on the go by trying out practical tasks. When it comes to education, you always want to give your child a helping hand in the right direction, so these ideas can get you started.

Carefully Consider Your Lesson Plans

As a homeschooling parent, you still need an adequate lesson plan to help you and your child reach objectives. Carefully planning your lessons will help you feel more confident and prepared when the school day starts. It will also give your child the best possible chance for success. Learn Bright offers a whole host of age-appropriate lessons to choose from, and it will save you a lot of time too. Enjoyment is key when teaching your child from home and is a surefire way to bring a smile to their face.

Opt for Practical Tasks to Make Homeschooling Fun

Children often learn better when given practical tasks that they can see with their own eyes. Show them how to cook a delicious dinner, do their laundry, or other life skills. There are so many practical skills they can learn and enjoy simultaneously.

Get Outside

There are so many benefits that go hand in hand with learning outside, so why not give it a try? Consider outdoor activities for fun and engagement because your kids will easily remember them. Growing vegetables and cooking a delicious soup could be the ideal activity that gets your child outside while teaching them valuable life skills.

Go on Field Trips

Just because you homeschool your child doesn’t mean that you can’t leave the house every once in a while. Getting out is great for your mental health and your child’s too. Field trips are one of the most exciting parts of going to school, so try planning them into your year. Whether you take a trip to a local farm or head to an industry-specialist factory, there is much to learn.

Recap: Make Homeschooling Fun

These ideas may help you to create more fun and engaging lesson plans for your homeschooled child. You will gain many skills to show your child, so never underestimate the effectiveness of being organized.

Categories
Learning Parenting

7 Benefits Of Online Learning For Children

It’s important to give every child an equal opportunity to learn and benefit from extra learning materials outside of the classroom. It’s hard to get the help and attention a child needs when in a classroom with 20-30 other children. That’s where online learning can come in handy.

Although you don’t want to oversaturate them at home, a bit of extra work here and there can be beneficial.

There are plenty of online learning resources to take advantage of, and you should take advantage of these resources. Here are the benefits of online learning for children.

Benefits of Online Learning

It offers flexibility for additional learning

With online learning resources, you don’t need to check in at a specific time or travel. While in-person classes are helpful, it’s not always possible for everyone to do.

Offering that flexibility to parents is essential, which is why you should check here for online courses that are highly adaptable for households of all shapes and sizes. Whether you homeschool or your kids go in person, this online learning resource provides additional learning. For many families, having this flexibility gives them the opportunity and motivation to give their children more learning resources.

More cost-effective 

Children are already expensive when it comes to spending money on school uniforms, stationery, and school trips, so the added expenses of anything extra-curricular might be challenging for some parents to afford. Online courses are often very affordable and cost very little to access. Unlike extra help in person, online resources are more affordable for most families.

A variety of resources are available

With online learning, there are a variety of resources available. It might include extra study time for math, science, or English. There’s a whole catalog, depending on which sites you explore of courses and training materials to use.

This variety is essential because not every child has the same struggles with a subject. It might be that your child struggled with one area that their peers didn’t. On the other hand, their peers may have found it hard to tackle something your child understood the first time.

Improves time management and organization skills

Online learning resources can provide the child with more than just education on the topic they’re studying. These online resources will help improve their organizational skills as they handle a more intense week of school, activities, and extra learning.

Time management and organization are skills they’ll need when they start adulthood and seek the jobs they desire. While it may feel too early for them to think about their careers, building these skills should begin in childhood.

A personalized approach to learning

As a parent, you want to give your children the best opportunities regarding learning and education. With these resources, you create your timetables and can personalize the approach when providing learning materials.

Perhaps your child lacks knowledge in one subject area in particular. It means you can direct all the resources to that subject to help give them that much-needed boost.

They learn in their own time with online learning

Every child is different, and online resources help provide that extra helping hand needed to understand the topic or subject. Giving your child the opportunity to learn in their own time is essential and adds less pressure to their lives. Adult life comes with enough stress, so preventing this for as long as possible for your child is important.

It’s a great way to bond with your child

Finally, online learning resources offer an opportunity to bond with your child. You can cover these online classes together so that you’re both learning something!

Recap: Online Learning

The benefits of online learning are worth it, so make sure to utilize them this year for your child. Do you use any of these options with your child, or is there one you’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know.

Categories
Big Kid Parenting Teenager

4 Inspiring Hacks To Prep Your Kids For Exam Season

The exam season is as challenging for moms as it is for the kids. You tend to feel the pressure and pass it on to your child, and the circles move to create a vicious cycle. But you should do your bit to motivate them to give their best without worrying about the outcomes. Remember that expectations can cause anxiety, so you should be subtle and kind. You should focus on inspiring the child to create a positive environment for them. Here are some inspiring hacks to prep your kid for exam season.

How to Prep Your Kids For Exam Season

Be there during academic prep 

Even the brightest kids face roadblocks during academic preparation for the examination. Last-minute prep is often the most daunting as the child cannot seek a teacher’s guidance or discuss problems with peers. Being there for your kid is the best way to help. You can brush up your knowledge on the academic topics beforehand so that you have solutions just in time. Thankfully, you can access online resources to stay on top of the curriculum. 

Help with schedules during exam season

Besides providing support with academic topics, you can help the child to create study schedules. You must create realistic study schedules that include rest breaks and physical activity. A lack of sleep can affect academic performance, so ensure that the schedule provides for the essential eight hours. Create revision timelines in advance and write them down to keep the child on pace. 

Create a positive environment 

Nothing is more inspiring than a positive environment. Start by creating a clean and clutter-free study space with ample light and fresh air. You may not be comfortable discussing topics like how to get high school diploma because such conversations can cause stress. But you can inspire them subtly by hanging a novelty diploma on their study room wall. Display motivational quotes to add an aura of positivity. Also, place ergonomic furniture that ensures comfort despite long hours of study.  

Find solutions to anxiety 

Your child will feel anxious in the exam season, no matter how much you try to keep them inspired. Look for solutions to anxiety instead of finding ways to suppress it. You can take them for a short drive during the break. Playing a game in the backyard is a good option if your kid is an outdoor person. You can give the child a back rub and focus on good nutrition to keep anxiety at bay. 

Invest in self-care during exam season

Surprisingly, investing in self-care is a crucial part of the inspiration strategy for your child during exam season. Most kids experience a motivation dip because their parents panic under pressure. You can try meditation and deep breathing to stay relaxed. Also, tone down your expectations to avoid anxiety. Spend quality time with the child when possible, and offer help only if they need it. 

Recap: Prep Your Kids For Exam Season

Supporting your child during the exam season is tricky, but you can inspire them by embracing the right mindset. Start by ditching stress yourself and try these steps to keep the motivation going.  

Categories
Learning Parenting

4 Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe as They Go to School

Kids going back to school can be difficult and emotional for both of you. One of the emotions you may experience is fear because you’re unsure of what happens all day with your child. You might worry that something is wrong and won’t know until later. You’ll get used to it, but it’s easier knowing you did everything possible to keep your kids safe at school.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe at School

Equip Them With Knowledge

The most important thing you can do is to equip them with knowledge so that they know what they should do in a variety of emergencies. It might seem like a lot of information, but you’ll feel better knowing they know what to do.

Keep Your Kids Safe

Credit – CCO License

Get Them An ID

It is becoming increasingly common for parents to provide their children with child IDs. These can be helpful in more circumstances than you might think of, including when your child gets lost somewhere. If you are worried about that kind of event, giving an ID can help you feel less anxious. Make sure you don’t send them to school without an ID if possible – it can make a difference.

Keep In Touch With The School

You might find that it helps you to keep in touch with the school so you know how it’s going. It can help you feel some line of connection between you and your child while they are there. Of course, at some point, you will need to make sure that you overcome this urge. But, if you are worried at first, you should keep in touch with the school. They will probably be happy to oblige, and it’s a helpful way to ease yourself into your kid starting school.

Keep Your Kids Safe

Credit – CCO License

Look For Troublesome Signs

Although you should not expect the worst, you should be sure to look out as best as possible for the troublesome signs that something is wrong. It includes indications of abuse and other issues that can sometimes happen in a school setting. Looking for the signs helps you spot them early and make a difference in how you look after your child.

Keep Your Kids Safe at School

You can always be there to protect your child, although you want to be. It’s not always easy to place them in the care of the school district, but these steps can help. Preparing your child and yourself for back-to-school time can make all the difference.

Categories
How To Life Parenting

4 Good Ways To Get Involved In Your Kids’ School Activities

If you want to get involved in your kids’ school activities, there are many ways you can do so. Your child will love your involvement, and you’ll cherish the memories forever. Plus, it helps improve their school experience.

Research indicates that parents and guardians actively participating in their children’s school activities help their young ones feel safe. It also encourages them to become well-rounded students, and could even go some way to helping with the negative affects of teacher shortage on learning.

Education is a partnership between parents and the school, which explains the need for effective communication and other helpful tools to make a positive impact. Notably, 80% of US parents get involved with their children’s schools. The discussion below offers more ideas on how to do this.

How to Get Involved In Your Kids’ School Activities

1. Offer ready support for your child’s homework and school projects

No matter how academically savvy your child is, it is always helpful to provide the needed support with homework. It shows your unbridled commitment to your child’s academic life and, more importantly, your role in their lives.

The objective is not to provide answers to the questions or activities they bring home. The point is to give guidance. Your involvement may include setting up a place in the home for your children to complete school assignments.

Additionally, it helps to take note of the work they bring home. Kids observe their parents’ level of commitment to homework monitoring. Being invoved can improve their dedication to completing these assignments. Moreover, they may avoid hiding their homework, knowing you will check.

2. Be proud to wear the school’s spirit wear

Having school paraphernalia and souvenirs is a great way to get involved. It includes identifying with the educational facility during school games and other activities that parents attend. By wearing the school’s spirit wear, you demonstrate your solidarity with them. If you’re yet to have them in your size, with the school’s permission, you can order from places like 1st Place Spiritwear.

3. Attend school events

According to reports, 60% of parents planned their schedules around the school’s calendar. That way, it becomes easier to track and show up for school games, exhibitions, concerts, etc. Most schools usually take note of parents who actively participate in these activities.

Your kids are more likely to forgive you when showing up for other school programs becomes impossible. Additionally, their awareness of your active involvement with school activities reduces the chances of skipping classes. According to imprintnews.org, 50% of school kids between 9 and 13 skip classes at least once a term.

4. Volunteer for school projects

Volunteering is a common practice in many schools around the country. The objective is to encourage and attract more parents to develop cordial relationships with their kids’ schools. Currently, 60% of parents in the US have volunteered in their children’s school at least twice in the last twelve months. Admittedly, your work schedule sometimes makes it impossible to be available during school hours. However, you can ask the school for other ways to volunteer your time when you are not working.

Recap: Get Involved In Your Kids’ School Activities

It would be beneficial to demonstrate your interest in your child’s school. At some point, you might even start to enjoy your active involvement in these various school activities. If you’re still unsure how to get involved in your kids’ school activities, ask the staff what they need. There’s always some way for you to help, and you and your child will be glad you did.

Categories
Big Kid Parenting

Helping Your Child Become Comfortable In A New School Environment

Going to a new school can be tough on children. Not only do they have to make an entirely new set of friends, which doesn’t always come easy, but being the “new kid” in anything can be a tough ask. 

That’s okay, though, as everyone must be new at something at some point in their lives, and getting used to this process now is ideal. Not only that, but as with many pupils attending the Park Tudor School, you’ve placed your child in a new school for a positive set of reasons that will ultimately help them grow, develop, and thrive.

But how can we help our child soothe those initial anxieties and instead look to the future with a sense of enthusiasm? Never fear, this is more than possible, but you must be focused and soothe their understandable worries when they show. This way, they can feel reassured and then jump forward into a new experience and grasp it with both hands.

In this post, we’ll discuss how and why that’s possible; and how to go about providing it:

How to Help Your Child Become Comfortable In A New School

Visit The Open Day

Many schools will offer open house days that you should take your child to. They’ll show you the facilities, classrooms, and other areas to help you understand the school and how it operates.

You’ll see the learning resources, the technology used to deliver the best education, and displays celebrating the school’s history and experiences. Visiting the open house will also help you speak one-on-one with the teachers. There is no better way to get a true feeling for its environment. Just imagine how much this can help your child feel comfortable there.

Go Through The Reading Materials

When a child gets accepted to a new school, they usually provide reading materials. These materials help you and your child understand the requirements, from the behavioral code to advice on their lesson plans.

Going through this with your child can help them avoid worrying about it on the first day. It prevents suffering from an overwhelming amount of information they may not have been expecting. Knowing what to expect can help them thrive, feeling familiar with the place before they even get there.

Consider Any Accessibility Requirements

If your child has special accessibility requirements, discuss them with the teacher and principal before the first day. Consider asking what kind of microphones the teachers use in sync with their hearing aids or how they can carefully evacuate your child down the stairs in the event of a fire drill or an actual fire.

Knowing that the provisions are there and that they don’t have to feel “other” or “less-than” simply because they have extra needs can be a true subconscious relief for your child. It can encourage them to move forward confidently and engage with the lesson structure in front of them.

Helping Your Child Navigate a New School

With this advice, we believe you’ll be able to help your child become comfortable in many new school environments.

Categories
Parenting

Choose Your Kid’s Backpack Using These 6 Simple Tips

Shopping for back-to-school items is exciting for your kid, and one of the most important items you can buy is a backpack. Your kid’s backpack does more than hold books. They keep their snacks and any other item they own. It is crucial to involve your kid when choosing the backpack to ensure it is something they love. When they point out a bag, consider the following things to ensure it is the right one. 

How to Choose Your Kid’s Backpack

Size 

The worst mistake you will make to your kid is buying them a large bag that feels cumbersome. We advise looking for the right fit your kid will feel comfortable with rather than buying something you think they should grow into. You don’t like a big bag, so don’t buy that for your kid too. Instead, measure their size; if your kid is older, you may try it out yourself to see if it fits. 

Easy to Clean 

Your kid probably does not know how to take care of themselves. Therefore, the backpack might get dirty quickly. It will be exposed to all sorts of dirt, including spills, crumbs, mud, and much more. Therefore, look for a bag that is easy to clean. 

Quality 

Your kid will toss the bag, kick it, drag it and do all kinds of things. You want to ensure you will not run to the shop every month to buy a new bag. Therefore, insist on quality. Choose a bag with heavy material and one that the designer took some considerable time to create such as Loungefly bags . Quality bags are the best option if you want a backpack that lasts longer. 

Straps 

When buying the bag, make sure it has two straps for even weight distribution. The straps should be padded to prevent muscle strain and increase comfort. They should also be adjustable to adjust according to your kid’s size. You can also pick a backpack with a sternum strap that runs across the chest for further weight distribution. 

Weight 

There are a lot of things the kid will carry in the bag, from their personal items to lunch, a laptop, and others. So, it is easy for the bag to get easily heavy. As you consider the size, weigh the bag too. Find out what they want to carry in the bag and see if it can hold. You can also teach the child how to pack their items and discuss the items that should not go into the bag. If they have to carry heavy items, teach them how to strap the bag to prevent muscle strain. 

Additional Features for a Kid’s Backpack

One vital feature you should check is the zipper. Your child’s bag cannot be complete without a zipper, and if you buy one, you will have failed the assignment. Other features to look for include a name tag place and padded straps. Consider also stretchy side pockets for water bottles and gloves. 

Takeaways About Choosing Your Kid’s Backpack

You will come across all sorts of backpacks for kids of different sizes and shapes. Choosing the best one for your kid will not be easy. However, if you have read the points discussed above, it will be a bit easier for you. Make sure you also include the kid in the selection. 

Categories
Learning Parenting

Some of the Unexpected Challenges You’ll Face as a Homeschooling Parent

There are many good reasons to homeschool your child, and that’s why so many parents choose that option. There are also challenges that a homeschooling parent will face along the way. Don’t let these challenges stop you, though, because you can overcome them.

If you understand these challenges before you get started, it’ll be easier to deal with them. And that’s what we’ll talk about today, so read on to learn more about those challenges.

Challenges You’ll Face as a Homeschooling Parent

Having the Confidence to Go For It

One of the hardest things when it comes to the prospect of homeschooling is simply going for it. Taking that leap and making it happen is often one of the things that’s hardest. You don’t want to rush the process, but you can’t put it off forever. Having the confidence to go for it is an important step. Sometimes, you just have to go for it.

Overcoming Self-Doubt

Even when you finally take the plunge and start with your homeschooling plans, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by self-doubt. You might also be unsure of the direction you should take with your teaching. Overcoming that and focusing on doing the work and doing the best for your child is most important. When you become paralyzed by self-doubt, your child’s education suffers. Nevertheless, it’s something many homeschooling parents go through at one time or another.

Staying Organized and Keeping Records

Teaching is difficult work, and it can sometimes be hard to stay on top of everything. If you fail to organize things such as lesson planning, the job can start to overwhelm you. Keeping records of the work and tests your child completes is essential too. Tracking their performance will help you target your teaching and lessons in the future.

Creating an Adequate Curriculum

You need to have a good curriculum in place because these are not just for schools but for parents who are participating in homeschooling too. It’s a plan for the content that you’re going to teach your child in each of the different subject areas. You’ll have to put one together if you’re going to give your child the best possible learning experience. A big part of it is about ensuring all the most important topics and subject areas get covered.

Preventing Sibling Arguments

If you’re not just teaching one child at home but multiple siblings, it’s essential to keep them on track. Keeping them focused on their work rather than arguing with one another can make all the difference. Homeschooling two or three kids is harder than homeschooling one. Divide your time effectively and give each child the one-on-one time they need while also keeping them focused. It will make it possible for you to achieve the best learning outcomes for each of them.

Finding Opportunities for Socialization

One thing that kids often miss out on most when they’re learning at home is socialization. They’re not learning alongside other kids or having that time between classes to socialize with other children. It’s essential to find ways to provide those opportunities to make friends and develop their social skills. Ignoring those things can negatively impact your child long-term.

Finding the Best Learning Resources as a Homeschooling Parent

There are many great learning resources out there when it comes to educating your child in a home setting. Finding the ones that are best for your child and that you enjoy using can sometimes be tough. Just because there are many great learning resources out there doesn’t mean there aren’t also lots of bad ones. An example of a good learning resource is this force and motion vocabulary set of flash cards. It’s resources like this that will make your life easier when homeschooling your child.

Sports Provisions as a Homeschooling Parent

Schools tend to have far better sports provisions and equipment than the majority of suburban family homes. So looking for other ways to get your child involved in sports might be a good idea. It’s something you can’t replace or replicate at home, so have them join local sports teams. There are likely plenty of local options that you can embrace if you do some research into it. And again, it’s not something you can afford to overlook.

Having to Solve Every Problem Alone

The final challenge you’ll face is dealing with the daily problems of an educator. There’ll be days when your child is less willing to cooperate and work hard. And there’ll be all kinds of other unpredictable problems that you have to deal with. That’s just the nature of homeschooling your child. You’ll be more or less alone with overcoming those day-to-day problems, even if there are resources to guide you.

Final Thoughts: Homeschooling Parent

It’s not going to be a smooth or easy journey when it comes to homeschooling your child. If you want to embrace the benefits of homeschooling and you’re ready to deal with the challenges discussed above, it could be right for you and your child.