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Posts tagged under Books. Show all posts.
What’s for Dinner, Mom?
“What’s for dinner, Mom?” Something nasty you’re going to hate.
Is there any question more hated by moms than this? In my house, with four voices (five if you count my husband and eliminate the ‘Mom’ tag) constantly calling this out to me on a seemingly well-timed rotation from the minute they walk through the front door, I have narrowed my response to the following (learned through trial and error):
- “Chicken, vegetable and potato”. (I mean, really, what else is there?) To which they respond:
- Again?
- The gross kind of chicken?
- Can I just eat my leftover lunch?
- What’s a potato?
“Leftover Buffet!” Their return volley:
- Is it that gross chicken again?
- Is there ketchup?
- ‘Leftover’ does not tell me anything, MOTHER.
- Can I go to Liam’s house? His Mom’s a good cook.
“I just got in. What do you think we should have?” (Why, oh why did I ever go there…)
- Something good for a change.
- Pizza. But not the gross kind YOU make.
- Why did you ask him? Why don’t I get to pick? (Whack) He sucks! MOM!
- You always ask that and then you always get to pick anyway. It’s not fair.
- “Something nasty and you’re going to hate it.” (Really there can be no response to this as they all agree.)
So I’ve learned that, once again, as with Parent/Teacher interviews, just don’t ask the questions you really don’t want the answers to. Now what the hell should I make for dinner tonight? Oops, just did it again.
More on this topic — Parenting Solutions,
More on this Age & Stage — School Age, Preschool,
Put the ‘Home’ Back in ‘Homework’
After a long hot summer, it can be tough to get kids back into a routine and focused on homework. But homework is a key part of your child’s education, and it’s important that they not only complete it, but also understand what they’ve learned.
Studies show that children’s achievements in school improve with increased parent involvement in education. So get involved in your kids’ schoolwork—you might even learn something new too!
ABC Life Literacy Canada offers 10 tips on how to make homework part of your daily routine:
- Develop a daily routine by setting aside a specific time each day/evening for homework.
- Provide a quiet, well-lit place with basic school supplies.
- Understand your child’s style of learning—this will help you develop a personalized homework plan for your child.
- It’s not uncommon for kids to get overwhelmed with big assignments or projects. Help them break the project down into smaller steps. Work on pieces throughout the week and do the hard parts on the weekend.
- Talk with your child’s teacher and be aware of their method of teaching. Help your child by using familiar terms and examples.
- Don’t reserve learning to homework hour. Make learning a part of daily life.
- If your child gets frustrated or distracted with their homework, allow them to take a short break. If this frustration continues, talk with your child’s teacher to determine if a tutor might be needed.
- To reinforce comprehension and memory skills, take 10 minutes to talk about the stories you’ve read together.
- Show your child that the skills they are learning relate to real life. If your child is learning math, for example, balance your cheque book or have them count out change for you.
- Teach your child to be independent. Offer to help them with difficult homework challenges, but then let them complete the remainder on their own.
For other family literacy tips and activities, visit FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.
More on this topic — Parenting Solutions,
More on this Age & Stage — School Age,
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