Nourish the Children is a foundation which sends Vitameal, a specific meal formulation to Africa, Asia, and China. Vitameal was specifically designed to be suitable for starving children as a highly nutritious, easily absorbed food – that also must be cooked (to kill bacteria that might be in the water). The school would have people purchase and donate bags of Vitameal which is automatically sent to the areas in needs. When you donate a product (rather than money), you know exactly how your contribution is being used.

If you want to know how this can be used as a fundraiser for your child’s school, call me 206-851-8276 or email me at robyn@thriving-child.com. check out www.howisey.millionsofmeals.com for more information on the Nourish the Children Foundation and Vitameal.

But the hurriedness of school can also bring back a routine and schedule that grounds many families and can help children feel more secure in knowing what they are doing when, and what’s around the corner. (note: parents – you have to inform your child of what is coming up, what the schedule is, what is around the corner – don’t assume they know from just overhearing you talk). It can also be a time for kids to try on a new way of being, make new friends, get in a different groove. If you see them branching out and doing something new, give them some kudos – it can be scary. Ask them what kind of support they need in this new school year. Kids who had a class full of friends last year might feel lonely or left out in a new class of kids they don’t know. Teens may have changed quite a bit over the summer – taller, more lankly, or things that can suck like acne – and might need a bit more support and confidence boosting at home. of course with teens you have to be a bit sly in how you complement them – but they’ll hear it regardless, as long as you are genuine.

okay, bye for now.

Some parents dread the return of school as the return of school problems – teachers notes and calls, visits to the principle’s office, etc. Before school starts this year, talk about some of the struggles that happened last year and what you’d like to see happen this year. Problem solve with your child about how things can go more smoothly this year. I’m not saying it’s a magic wand, but I am saying that you don’t have to believe that what happened last year will continue this year. The right combination between child and teacher can make all the difference; as well as a little growth, maturity, and development can all go a long way. Likewise, if things don’t seem to be starting out on a good foot it might be a good time to get some outside help from a therapist, tutor, or parent educator, depending on the struggle.

http://www.donorschoose.org

It can be so hard for kids to sit still in chairs. Class rooms have started using balls in place of chairs for kids to sit on. I think this is awesome!! Giving kids a way to move in a “okay” way while still concentrating and paying attention in class is what helps children thrive. I am sure it was pretty funny to watch the first couple of days in class though, when the balls were pretty novel. Hopefully a few days of frustration for the teacher then smoothed out to better focus and attention overall.

Rick Nevin, an economist, tracked SAT scores over the last 50 years along with the prevalence of lead in our environment (including gasoline and paint) and found a close correlation. The USA Today article notes “Over 30 years, a large body of evidence has shown that lead is a potent neurotoxin, affecting IQ, impulsivity and other factors that determine academic achievement. Nevin’s study is the first to tie lead to national SAT scores.”

It makes you think about children living in poverty and poor conditions with lead pipes, lead paint, and other possible sources of lead in their environment that could be having a negative impact on their learning and mental development. It could be a much bigger problem than just blaming teachers and parents, and pressuring kids to be good test takers.

Here’s the info from their flyer:

December 18th, 2007
6:30-8:30 p.m.
1002 E. Seneca
(Lifelong AIDS Alliance, in parking lot behind the Thriftshop)
Selecting the right school can be exciting and overwhelming- so many choices! It’s easier when you understand this process isn’t just about education- it’s about values, community and your family, too.

Develop skills and find resources to make the best choice.
This workshop will help you learn-

• Tradeoffs of private, public and home-schooling options

•  What admissions testing reveals about your child

• How to ask questions that result in a good school match

• Important steps of the application process

To Register call 206/368-9608

Pre-registration:  $35 singles – $45 couples
($45 and $55 after 12/12)
Questions? Contact lee at zenithparenting@gmail.com or call 368-9608

Taken from the book “The Social Skills Improvement System—Classwide Intervention Program” by Gresham & Elliott.

I think it’s important to remember that not all kids grasp these social skills as quickly or naturally as others. Some kids seem to just pick them up by observation, while some kids really need to be taught social skills, and be able to practice them and get feedback outside of the classroom setting.

Show this list to your school age child, talk about what each statement means, and do some role playing practicing the skills.  What does your child think about asking for help (and how do you ask for help – raising hands, etc)? How can your child stay calm with others? What does it mean to follow the steps – and what should your child do if they don’t understand the steps?

I think it’s entirely normal for kids to have anxiety and fear when coming into the school year. Especially for young ones who may not have seen peers all summer, they may feel out of place, and can have trouble picking up where they left off last year. Helping to foster peer relationships – having kids over on the weekend or participating in events with other families can help children bond with classmates and make the school day more fun (and less anxiety provoking).

What I am also noticing is kids who keep it together all day – following the rules, keeping quiet, contained – and then coming home and exploding on the family or driving them crazy. I think it’s important to try and put yourself in the position of you child and see what they are needing to do all day, and what sort of release are they gaining at home. Sometimes active children simply need to run wild once they get home – would you rather have it be at your home, or at school? With that said, you might need to help create some activities to burn off some energy, and be a bit more tolerant of a chatter box who has kept quiet all day.

On the other hand, if your child is coming home and picking on their younger sibling, or the dog, or seems to battle with you over everything – they might be feeling like they have no control over anything at school and then go overboard at home. While it’s not appropriate to kick the dog, you could help your child express some of their frustration by talking about what’s happening at school, help them see some of the areas in the school day when they do get a choice (recess? art time?) and give them some control at home – maybe they get to pick their snack and what they do for the first hour. It’s a tricky balance – give your child praise for keeping it together at school, give them an appropriate outlet to unwind, and maintain that mean or abusive behavior is not okay.

more to come…