Back To School Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Getting on Track with Sharpie and Paper Mate #SpreadJoy #Giveaway

Paula — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:04:34 +0000

I have partnered with YMC and Sharpie/Paper Mate and have received compensation for this post. All opinions in the post are my own. Getting on track for the school year is especially important when the kids hit junior high and high school. Every year is important, but it seems like time is starting to run out when your kids hit high school. Grades, volunteering, extracurriculars – are all incredibly important for college and university admission. This year it’s crucial the kids have everything they need to stay on task. Sharpie and Paper Mate offer tools that make getting on track and staying on track easy. Getting on Track with Team Payton and Ainsley My daughters are now 13 and 16. They’ll be entering grade 8 and grade 11 respectively, and my husband and I want to make sure they have every edge possible for the coming school year. Our kids both have IEPs, individual education plans, and some unique learning challenges. Fall is a stressful whirlwind of making sure their new teachers understand their needs from the start. I will be honest sometimes I struggle with Fall. It’s not my happy place. The summer months can be busy with camps and jobs, but the Fall months, well those can be chaotic if you don’t have a plan and the right tools to stay ahead of all the back to school demands. Starting the DAY school goes back we have an incredibly hectic schedule filled with acting, martial arts, and horseback riding. Not to mention homework and then of course travel commitments and skiing! My oldest daughter, Payton struggles with organization and planning and anxiety too. She’s starting to show progress, but my husband and I want to support that progress with a simple way to keep her on track. That’s why we’re using Sharpie and Ink Joy products to colour code her agenda, as well as the family calendar. The colour code system has worked for us in the past for chore charts when the kids were small, so we have high hopes for this. My youngest daughter Ainsley struggles with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder), and she can become easily overwhelmed. Both my girls are creative and very artistic, so we’re hoping that using both the Sharpie markers and the Paper Mate InkJoy products will help them in a few ways. By allowing both to use different colours to add an artistic flair to work I hope Ainsley adds a bit more fun to learning. Homework is a chore for her. I need her to look forward to writing and putting pen to paper. Of course organizing is a big deal. This year we have also added a whiteboard and hope to add a pinboard to the girl’s bedrooms so they can jot down reminders, important dates and even inspirational quotes. Getting on Track Made Easier with Sharpie and Paper Mate There’s a reason we’re using Sharpie and Paper Mate products to help get our kids on track and keep them organized. They’ve been a staple of back to school for as long as I can remember. From the old days of their ball point pens to their vast array of products available today, Sharpie and Paper Mate have been keeping kids on track for decades. Now Paper Mate has something to help make getting on track even easier – InkJoy Gel Pens. InkJoy Gel Pens from Paper Mate spread joy, not smears, with vivid gel ink that dries 3 times faster vs the leading gel pen for reduced smearing. Reduced smearing is important for Ainsley, my left-handed girl. She smears all her work when printing. It’s not intentional, but she often smudges work and can lose points for that on projects, so these will solve that issue for good. They come in 14 different colours to choose from so my daughters’ notes will be bright and fun and easy to keep track of. They also come fully wrapped in a comfort grip for easy writing over a long period of time. SO important for my youngest whose hand fatigues easily. Writing can be frustrating for her when her hand tires, so anything that makes the grip less stiff is gold. Right before she left for camp I gave her these so she can get used to them. Also it helps Ainsley to ease into school if she has fun tools to use. These InkJoy Gel Pens are bright and cheery and new. Have to love that! [tweetthis]Enter now for a chance to win $315 ARV of tools to help get kids on track for #BTS #giveaways #spreadjoy [/tweetthis] My husband and I are also using Sharpie permanent markers to help our daughters stay on track. The original pen style permanent marker, Sharpie permanent markers in fine and ultra fine come in a variety of colours to make our daughters’ marking unique and keep it from wiping away. Sharpie Fine comes in 37 assorted colours, and Sharpie Ultra Fine comes in 25 assorted colours so there’s always a new way to personalize. I told Payton to pick a colour for each task. Red is Back to School. Light green is martial arts night and pink pastel is babysitting. Green is her youth acting troupe. Get on Track with Sharpie and Paper Mate at Walmart Getting on track is easy with Sharpie and Paper Mate, and they’re both affordable and available at Walmart. You can find Sharpie Permanent Markers and Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens at Walmart either online or in-store. They’re a great way to make getting on track for the school year easier and fun. Sharpie and PaperMate Back to School Giveaway

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Kid-Friendly Internet with KidsWifi #Giveaway

Paula — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 19:05:31 +0000

Creating a Kid-friendly space to use the internet is something most parents are after. The web is a great place full of knowledge, creativity, and new ideas. It can also be a dark place filled with vulgar language, images, and videos. The worst part is that it’s so easy to quickly jump from something benign to something your kids can’t unsee. All it takes is a search for one thing, a click, and suddenly, kid-friendly internet becomes a scary space filling our children’s minds with images and questions that we weren’t prepared to answer just yet. Keeping the Internet Kid-Friendly Of course, safety comes in the form of filtering out unwanted content for the kids, but it also takes on another form. Protecting the kids by setting limits and creating balance. Right now, my tween daughter is online waaaayyyy too much. That is worrisome. It’s like her iPod is hardwired into her brain sometimes. In my opinion, being connected to the internet so much sometimes keeps her from connecting to the world around her, so I have to protect her from herself, as well as what’s lurking out there. [tweetthis]Enter now to win Kids WIFI gadget, KIWI. Keep them safe when searching the Internet. #KIWIKIDS #Giveaway[/tweetthis] I’ve recently been using a device called KidsWifi which helps me to keep my children’s internet experience safe and controlled, and I love it. With this device, I filter out unwanted content and control when and how much internet access my children have. It’s made the internet much less of a headache for me, and my kids have been pretty good about it. So it’s a win all the way around! Kid-Friendly Internet with KidsWifi KidsWifi is an easy to use, easy to set up plug-and-play solution for kid-friendly internet usage. It blocks adult content, gambling, illegal downloads, shifty websites, identity trackers, and more. Basically, it blocks any and everything I don’t want my kids seeing and/or doing. In addition, the parental dashboard allows me to set bedtimes, remotely pause internet access, and view recent websites. My girls are 12 and 15. It’s harder and harder to say put the iPod away it’s 9:30, or put the iPod down we are eating dinner and No Electronics at the table. Words, and verbal warnings are sometimes not enough to generate a response from a distracted tween. Frankly my biggest challenge here with the younger one is Netflix. She loves a few shows on Netflix and gets so into watching them on her devices that she literally can’t stop watching. Now, I can help her to stop with KIWI. I’m in control of my children’s internet, and these days, that’s a good thing! ALSO: KIWI KidsWIFI gadget has two different levels of filters so you can program it to be safe for younger children, or children who are a bit older, as mine are. My own business wifi is sluggish and can be stressed when the kid’s friends are over and we are all using the same wifi connection, so KIWI KIDSWIFI solves that issue too. You can add several devices at a time. My youngest and her friends are using it right now exclusively when they browse in our home. This is a Canadian company built in Waterloo, my old stomping ground, so that makes me happy. I’m glad to say that my daughter’s internet usage has been curbed a bit, with minimal wailing and gnashing of teeth. In fact, she’s been interacting with the entire family a lot more. I also feel good knowing that my younger daughter is protected from accidentally surfing into some of the murkier waters of the internet. ENTER NOW TO WIN Kid-Friendly INTERNET: If you’re interested in keeping the internet kid-friendly, I encourage you to give KidsWifi a try. It’s extremely simple to set up. Watch the video and my daughter will tell you a bit more about it. I received one of these gadgets for purposes of this post and I also have one to gift to a lucky reader. This sells for a very affordable $99 and is really compact and cute. My opinion is all my own and it is always truthful. RIGHT NOW YOU CAN GET A $20 discount off the price tag of a device use the code THRIFTYMOMMA and save!! (offer ended October 1st.) Enter for a chance to win below. You must have a Canadian mailing address to enter. Good luck!! Entry-Form

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Printable Fill In The Blank Teacher Notes for Back to School #BTS

Paula — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 11:12:28 +0000

It’s almost time for back to school, which also sadly means it will soon be time for school colds, and flu bugs and doctor’s appointments. This year, I’m prepared with these handy printable Fill in the Blank Teacher Notes and you can be too. These are ideal for those occasions when you have a sudden appointment in the middle of the school day. One of the first ever blogger conferences I attended featured a sponsor with the cutest pre-printed teacher notes. In fact, they were such a hit that I used them all year round. They simplified my job as a Mom. I attached a pre-printed note like these ones below and folded it into an envelope with a cheque that stated clearly this money is for the Scholastic Books Order, or this money is for the Lunch Order. The teachers knew immediately what the money was meant for and I received many comments on how cute the notes were that year. The teacher notes were a wonderful communication tool for me and for the teachers too. Let’s face it, communication between school and home can be challenging sometimes. Use these to stay connected and organized too. One of my amazing helpers here made these cute little Teacher Notes to simplify your life this school year. I hope they are helpful. So far, I know we have a dentist appointment in September, and a specialist in October, so we will be using these notes as well. They are perfect for grade school and preschool too. Remember to read up on your school’s policies regarding lateness and who can sign the child in and out of school and what is required to do so. These teacher notes are intended to help give your child’s teacher a heads up, and that should help your child too. Are you ready for back to school or not? I have a cute Back to School printable the kids might enjoy as well. Oh and don’t forget the back to school crafts that can get them in the mood as well. [tweetthis]Download these cute, printable, fill in the blank teacher notes for your own use this year #BTS[/tweetthis] Back to School Teacher Notes: To print this page out right click the above page or click on this PDF link below. The PDF link in my experience tends to be clearer. Notes For Teachers 2 ps-2

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Stylish Stationery and Quirky School Gifts #LoveHallmarkCA

Paula — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 11:55:29 +0000

We all know Hallmark for cards and fun singing seasonal toys. But did you know that Hallmark has stylish stationery too? It’s true. This year Hallmark’s beautiful back to school stationery and one of a kind gifts have captured my imagination. This year these adorable Toe of a Kind socks showed up here and the kids flipped. UNI-Kitty is hilarious and so fun for my tween starting back to high school next week. And the Game On Toe of a Kind socks are super cute for my Pokemon and Minecraft loving tween. These couldn’t have been better suited to my girls. Ever since the Peanuts Movie came out my youngest has been captivated by Peanuts drawings and comics and characters. So she and I both lit up when we spied these fun glasses. Linus and Charlie Brown decorate the set of glasses that retails in store for $24.95. You can collect all of the characters and buy a couple of different sets. Pretty stationery and journals and agendas rule the day though at Hallmark this time of year. I am enamoured with my pretty Hallmark Clipboard with tablet ($9.95 – the tablet is an 80 page set of paper) and there’s a gorgeous little matching floral journal shown above in picture ($11.95). This is some of the prettiest stationery I have ever had. I love that it matches. This pattern also is repeated in a small catchall glass dish that is perfect for tiny objects like watches, pens, keys and cell phones when you come in after a long day. So Darn Happy journal has been claimed by my youngest daughter who likes the sentiment and the canvas/burlap look of the binding. The leopard print journal is going to my teen and she might also land the French Bulldog agenda. So cute and dogs are her thing. Prettiest Stationery For Back to School Chic and pretty planners are available in abundance this year and you can find one to fit any teacher, or student’s style. I am thrilled to have a really beautiful and fun 2017 agenda. And it matches several of the pieces in the back to school in style lineup. I am a Hallmark Canada ambassador and as such I receive perks. This is my honest opinion.

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On Fleek Fashion Angels Back to School Style #BTS

Paula — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 15:05:56 +0000

One of our favourite tween fashion brands has always been Fashion Angels. We love their adorable cosmetics, and hair accessories. We can’t get enough of their fun back to school stationery and supplies too. Fashion Angels makes adorable tween back to school accessories for your Fab girls. The last couple weeks of summer can be a frenzy of back to school shopping but this year we lucked out. Fashion Angels Style Lab produces the cutest accessories and they sent us some of their latest tween fashion products. Ainsley was thrilled with this LED Style Lab Unicorn watch for back to school. It is fun, fashionable and functional. That is being saved for the first week of school, as are the most adorable eraser rings. LOVE those. BLING BLING. IF you like it then you should have put an eraser ring on it. Smelly Jelly markers are perfect for any tween back to school pencil case. Who doesn’t love scented things? And speaking of scented back to school accessories… My youngest daughter has been asking to dye her hair for weeks. But it made no sense to me to dye it before going away to camp. It also made no sense to dye hair and then hop in our swimming pool and have it wash out in the water. But these awesome Fashion Angels Rainbow Unicorn Sparkle Scented Hair Mists were perfect! The name alone makes me happy. We also received a Fashion Portfolio colouring sketch book, which went with one of the girls to camp this year and was appreciated, because that bus ride was a doozy. It lasted for more than a few hours and there’s still plenty of creative drawing and colouring left to do during bus rides home from school. The sketch books and journals are perfect for the traveling we do too. We also enjoy the cosmetics and crafts line from Fashion Angels. For back to school this year we love the canvas journals with fun sayings like – Be a Cupcake in a World full of Muffins and PERFECT is BORING. Perfect is Boring journal is PERFECTION for my tween and teen. FYI pretty much any of this stuff could go with a tween to camp and they’d be in heaven. Plus they’d be the hit of the cabin if they shared these great crafts and fashion accessories. That’s @sharkainsleyschuck testing out the @fashionangelsent back to school rainbow unicorn sparkle hair temporary scented hair colour kit. Blue hair right now. Smells good and washes out. Perfect for #bts fashion. #hair #fashion #tweens #happy #family #kids #love #beauty #fun #instafun A photo posted by Paula Schuck (@inkscrblr) on Aug 9, 2016 at 10:16am PDT Back to School Tween Fashion is On Fleek With Fashion Angels You can find Fashion Angels products in some tween fashion stores such as Justice. Or you can buy them on line. Follow Fashion Angels on Facebook and Instagram too. They have some fun giveaways on their social sites. We received a shipment of Fashion Angels products for back to school time here at Thrifty Momma’s Tips. We love these because they are fun, fashionable and affordable. The opinions on this blog are truthful.

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School Routine – Getting Back into the Habit for Back to School

Paula — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 11:58:13 +0000

A school routine is so important for children when they’re up at at ’em every day to learn. It’s hard for a child to fully absorb anything if they’re tired, and we all know how much children need structure. Chances are, structure has been in short supply over the summer, and that’s okay. It’s the summer, after all. However, as school approaches, it’s best to start getting the kids – even the older ones – back into a school routine, so they’re prepared when school starts. School Routine – Ways to Get Back Into the Groove As school approaches, getting back into the groove becomes more and more important, especially if you don’t want to deal with whining kids who don’t want to go to bed at school bed time and who don’t want to get up in the morning when they should. Getting back into the swing of school things a couple of weeks before hand can save you a huge headache when school actually begins. Back to School Bedtime A couple of weeks before school starts, get your children back to school ready by getting them back on their sleep schedule. Whatever that time may be, make sure your kids are in bed with their lights – AND devices – off and ready to sleep. This will get their bodies back into the school routine sleep schedule they need to be on. Device Cutoff And speaking of bedtime and devices, begin instituting your school year device cutoff time as well. The kids will grumble a little, but not nearly as much as they will if you take away their tablet or phone on the designated time the first day of school. Give them a week or two to adjust to the new old cutoff time. Regular Chore System Back to school means a back to school routine in a lot of different departments, including chores. During the summer, kids are free to do their chores pretty much anytime they feel like it. With school looming, that’s about to change. They’ll have the afternoons and the mornings – if they’re up early enough – to do their chores, and that’s it. Get them back into the back to school swing of things by having them begin doing their chores at their normal school day times a week or two before school starts. Tighten Up Dinnertime During the summer, a lot of families get loose with the family schedule. Once back to school time rolls around, that schedule needs to be on point. A couple of weeks before school, start having dinner at the regular time, and pull back a little on the late movie nights and the like so that you can implement the bed time, device cutoff, and chore time school routine tips I just listed. Supplies It may seem like a no-brainer to put back to school supplies on a back to school routine list, but you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve had to rush to my local store last minute. Actually, if you’re a parent, you would TOTALLY believe that. Make sure your kids give you a list of what supplies they need for the year, and if you have access to a teacher’s email, shoot them an email asking. In my experience, you can never fully rely on your kids for this type of thing. 😉 School Routine is Better When You Get it Started Earlier Back to school means a good back to school routine, and that always works out better when you start it a little before school begins. Getting back into a regular school routine a couple of weeks before school begins is the best way to allow your kids to get back into the groove of things with a minimum of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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Building an Inclusive Classroom With Microsoft

Paula — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 10:52:19 +0000

Technology has the power to make lives better. The right technology can help us break down barriers, stay in our homes longer, or tackle health challenges head on. In schools, technology has incredible potential to help build ability, to help every child transcend barriers to education and achieve a bright future. Microsoft Canada is working to help every teacher embrace technology and build an inclusive classroom. My daughters are amazing girls with many strengths and a few challenges. They both fall squarely within the 3.2% of Canadian children aged 5 to 14 affected by a limitation related to learning. That statistic comes from the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey by Statistics Canada. We know kids like mine with special needs are at risk in the classroom. But with technology, and with the support of educators and policy makers, partnering with brands like Microsoft Canada, we can help to build an inclusive classroom that enables all students to make the grade and feel confident while learning. Falling Into The Gap With my computer and my smartphone I run a consulting business that allows me to be available to my family at home. I have Crohn’s Disease and my kids both have unique needs and challenges pertaining to learning. It is imperative that I have a flexible workplace. I get called often by the school, or by my children from school. Or I should say, I used to get called a lot. Before we had any technology or IEP’s (individual education plan) I was called a dozen times a week. Teachers and support staff didn’t know how to support my younger daughter when she acted out because she couldn’t understand a lesson, or when she failed to comprehend the unwritten nuances of socially acceptable behaviour in school culture. She was not having a good day, they’d say. Come and get her. That happened at least once a week. It was hard on all of us and my daughter’s confidence was eroding slowly. When my other daughter was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, and a math learning disability, I would get calls from her having anxiety attacks in school. Nobody knew how to manage them, or how to help her. Sometimes I talked her through them by phone and reminded her to do her breathing or positive self talk. Sometimes I had to also pick her up. Both of my girls missed a lot of school. It was heartbreaking. In theory, each of my girls was in an inclusive classroom. In reality, their programs, and classes had a long way to go. There was a big gap and my kids kept falling into it. When You Know Better, You Do Better Fast forward to this year. Both my girls are gadget girls. Both often use technology in school to help them overcome challenges. We first recognized that my older daughter could use technology to help her when she was about 12. That was the year we bought her a tablet to use at school, to take pictures of homework assignments and keep a schedule of when assignments were due. That simple action, with supportive technology, helped her to get through that grade. This year in grade nine at high school she is confident, engaged and she really enjoys learning again. There are no anxiety attacks at school. She gets great grades and has as much support as is necessary to help her succeed. The difference is dramatic. My younger daughter, who just turned 12, uses speech to text software at school to help when she is unable to write or type on a computer. Now that I know all of the features available on a Microsoft Surface I have a goal of getting her one for individual use in her classroom. The built in audio app on a Microsoft Surface would work well for her. There are school resource computers she uses daily. Both of the girls use Microsoft One Note and Office products frequently. Powerpoint is in the rotation too. [tweetthis]These Microsoft tools are helping to build an inclusive classroom.[/tweetthis] I know there are still many ways we can do better for my daughter and for all the kids who learn differently at school. We have work to do to close this gap for all our children, but progress is happening. The World Health Organization’s World Report on Disability estimates the number of children under 14 living with disabilities ranges between 93 and 150 million. Whether the disabilities range from vision, hearing, mobility, dexterity, language or learning impairments – children need access to assistive technology during their learning years. In fact 87% of Canadian teachers agree that technology has the potential to empower personalized learning, according to the study Parents and Teachers on Education. The study, commissioned by Microsoft Canada, also revealed nearly 9 in 10 teachers agree that technology has the potential to cater to student special education needs. However, only 60% and 65% respectively agree that this is being used effectively right now. I agree with that because I see this gap as a parent. We can all do a better job supporting students with special needs in the classroom. Microsoft Canada is doing their part to make sure students with special needs have access to technology in education. Microsoft Canada believes in empowering teachers with free tools and specialized training to help empower the inclusive classroom. Teachers across the country, like Elizabeth MacArthur, from Nashwaasksis Memorial School in Fredericton, New Brunswick, are embracing technology in the classroom to “level the playing field” for all students. Elizabeth and her colleagues have seen significant improvement in student learning outcomes since introducing Surface tablets in the classroom. “Trying to meet all their needs at the same time is proving to be a challenge, not just for me but many teachers in the profession,” says Elizabeth MacArthur, who is a grade 3 teacher at the school. Elizabeth has watched as struggling learners discover a new sense of self-esteem and self-confidence with their Surface + OneNote solution. Children who had difficulties communicating with paper and pencil are able to record their thoughts through the built-in audio recorder. With more students actively engaged using technology, the school has also seen a reduction in behavioural problems. That is a great outcome for any school. Tablets help with a wide range of learning styles. Without the technology teachers like Elizabeth MacArthur indicate that students are being left behind. That can’t happen. We have the ability to do better and to build every child’s strengths and change their future. When we know better we can do better. Free Microsoft Workshops to Help Build an Inclusive Classroom Now, teachers and other educators who want to learn how to better use technology to build an inclusive classroom, can attend free workshops put on by Microsoft across Canada. Educators interested in learning how built in accessibility features in Windows and Windows-based applications like Office and OneNote can be used to create personalized learning are invited to attend a free Accessibility Workshop. Sessions are being hosted at locations across Canada in April and May. Visit microsoft.ca/accessibilityworkshop to find an upcoming event near you. [tweetthis]Learn how you can take part in a Microsoft workshop for educators to help build an inclusive classroom. #specialneeds[/tweetthis] This post has been sponsored by Microsoft and as such I was compensated. Education and technology and building an inclusive classroom is an issue that speaks to my heart as a parent. Stay tuned next week to see how seven educators across Canada are using assistive technology to improve the lives of students.

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Back to School Maze Printable #BTS

Paula — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 03:01:27 +0000

Back to school means back to the bus stop for a lot of people. Are your kids bused or do they walk? We’ve had great luck with school bus drivers so far at this new school. So that’s one thing I don’t mind, or fret over. Our driver was such a lovely man this past year that he called our house a couple of times to make sure my kids had arrived home safely. He was a real keeper. I can only hope we get the same great luck here this coming school year. I’ve been sharing some simple printables for kids here on the blog this month, because it’s a great way to get your kids interested in the idea of going back to school. Any little thing can help sometimes. This back to school maze printable was made for you and it’s free to download. Don’t forget to visit my free printables Pinterest board. Download the image above by right clicking and saving and then printing it out. Or just click through to the PDF link below which makes a better image actually. So are you ready to go back to school yet or not? maze paula

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Back to School Word Search #BTS

Paula — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 02:54:28 +0000

Now I know some of us are torn about back to school and whether it’s a good thing or not. I mean on the one hand summer is ending and the weather is about to take a dive into single digits in the future again. That makes this Mom want to cry. But, on the other hand, the kids will get to see their friends again and that should make them happy. At least I hope that makes them happy. Then there’s the return to a typical routine – Fall brings a different rhythm to life – that’s for sure. What side of the fence do you fall on? Are you happy they go back to school or sad that summer is over? Are you a bit of both? Anyways, as you know I enjoy sharing free printables here from time to time. So today I am sending you a back to school word search. You can right click the image above and save it and print it out for your little person to do – perhaps that will help get them in the mood for the first day of school. OR you can click on the PDF link below which says WSPAULA. That’s typically a better, clearer, image. No matter what side of the fence you are on – whether you want school to start already, or wish you had one more month of summer fun – you can surely appreciate a fun, free back to school word search printable. Enjoy! wspaula

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7 Steps – Preparing Your Child to be a High School Freshman

Paula — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:11:45 +0000

So it;s time to prepare your child to become a high school freshman!! Wait, what. How did that happen? Oh believe me I know all too well how slippery time is. Wasn’t she just literally hopping on the bus for that first day of kindergarten. Is it possible that kids can grow this fast? How on earth can my older daughter be ready for high school? Well, she isn’t quite yet. But she’s going to be with these 7 Steps to Preparing Your Child to be a High School Freshman. Okay so just yesterday you walked your son or daughter to the area school and dropped them off for their very first day of kindergarten. Then you went to work or had a coffee and tended to your other kids, or your business and went about your day. You signed a few forms and watched them walk down the street on their own shortly thereafter. Then you drove them to birthday parties and playdates and then their first dance. You took pictures and family vacations and then one morning suddenly you hear them saying “Hey Mom I am filling out my courses for high school,” and you are stupefied. How did this happen? High school? Is she ready? Are you ready? Preparing Your Child to be a High School Freshman Transitioning from junior high to high school can be daunting for many kids. In many cases it means going into a bigger school with more classes and more kids. So what can you do to prepare your child for the coming high school freshman year? Let’s talk a bit about that. [tweetthis]Is your child starting high school this year? You might want to read this…[/tweetthis] High School Freshman Prep We all remember being a high school freshman, walking into those doors for the first day of high school. It can be a terrifying proposition. What will the classes be like? Will I make friends? It’s so big! It’s also so new and so exciting! These are all things that probably ran through most of our minds when we first started high school. We can help ease the stress of being a high school freshman on our kids by making sure they’re prepared. [tweetthis]How can you help ease the transition to high school for your child?[/tweetthis] Visit the School If your school will allow it – and many do – take your child to the high school they’ll be attending and take a tour. Walk the halls and get a feel for the layout of the school as well as room placement. Knowing where your child is going will help relieve some of his or her stress. At least they’ll know they won’t get lost. Some schools now offer a day or even a weekend the year before high school entry so your child can go and see what the school has to offer. In fact we did a parent’s night at the high school our daughter is about to attend. We found out about it from our current school in grade eight. At this particular high school there is a sleepover weekend to get the kids excited. We just got back from a cruise a day or two before my daughter went to sleep in the gym of her further high school. When we picked her up from that event she was stoked about high school. They had done experiments in the science lab and get to know you exercises and she was so enthusiastic about attending that she didn’t stop talking about the new high school for several weeks after. Find out if your high school offers any of these activities. [tweetthis]Visiting the school can help go a long way towards easing first day of high school anxiety.[/tweetthis] Get the Study Habits in Order I’m sure you’ve all been doing this for years anyway, but it never hurts to have a refresher on how to properly study. One of the most stressful parts of being a high school freshman is the transition into a learning environment where excuses don’t carry weight. That includes not studying properly. There are many guides on the market that lay out the most effective ways to study. This can give your child a big leg up when they first enter high school. Consider doing a bit of academic work disguised as fun during the summer so that September is not a massive shock. Run a family book club in summer and have everyone read the same book and discuss what they thought about it. Maybe have everyone draw a picture of a character or scene from the book. That will keep you talking and thinking and creating instead of lazing about all summer long. [tweetthis]Keep learning all summer long.[/tweetthis] Remind Them that You’re There for Them I know. This is easier said than done when it comes to teenagers. If you can get that point across to your child, it’s a huge win, though. Try explaining to them that you went through the same trials as a high school freshman as they will. If you have one, recount a particularly embarrassing or stressful freshman experience that you had. Let them know you understand first hand what they’ll be going through. That’s a big key in getting them to open up to you about their high school freshman problems. Stay Connected – Get Them a Cell Phone or iPad The teen years are challenging in several ways. I made sure my daughter got a cell phone (one of my older ones) and a small cell plan so she can reach me any time starting in grade eight. That’s been challenging at times like these crazy teenage cell phone drama times I wrote about this year. Or this time I followed that up with a sequel post about cell phone bills. BUT it provides peace of mind for both of us. I also remind my kids they can call me anytime. Each of my girls has a gadget of some sort that she can use to contact me if ever the situation at school seems impossible to manage on their own. [tweetthis]Get them involved in back to school shopping to help get excited about school.[/tweetthis] A Little Swag Doesn’t Hurt I’m no advocate for being a brand snob, but it will make your child feel so much better on their first day as a high school freshman if they walk into the school feeling stylish. Don’t go overboard. You don’t want you child to turn into one of those kids obsessed with brands. However, it’s nice for them to be decked out in some nice, trendy clothes on their first day of school. Comfort is important to my kids so I make sure they are involved in choosing clothing that is soft enough and not too tight etc. One of the schools gave my daughter a small carryall bag and a beanie hat with their logo on it. These are small branded items but they helped her to feel part of the school before she even got there. Remind Your Child To Find at Least One Safe Adult They Trust My kids need to feel safe wherever they are and sometimes that is really challenging so we attempt to connect with someone in an adult role early on. As luck would have it this year a former neighbour of mine went to school with a teacher at my daughter’s prospective new high school. We bumped into her and talked to her about Payton starting high school when we were skiing in March. So there’s at least one person already who she knows and could find at the new high school if ever she needs help. Attend any August Transition Events Like High School Here I Come Our school board does something called high school here I come. Although in August school might be the last thing you want to think about, it makes sense to do this to help ease the transition. The school board here in my city offers a one week entry program in August where enrolled grade nines entering the school can come for several days to a week to find out where their locker is, who their friends are close by and where the rooms are located. It all helps. Surviving Being a High School Freshman Your child can do it with your help. There’s nothing that will take away all the stress of being a high school freshman, but if you approach it the right way, you can reduce the strain. Being a high school freshman should be fun, not stressful. If your child struggles at all with transitions, or needs extra support feeling safe then follow some of these tips and they should help.

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