Preventing Summer Brain Drain

Summer fun means that studying goes right out the window. Studies show that kids can lose up to three months of learning over the typical summer vacation. In fact, math skills suffer the most loss over summer vacation. How do you help to protect your kids from summer brain drain?

Here are a few steps you can take to keep the loss of learning to a minimum.

Frequent trips to the local library – the more children have access to new and interesting books the more they will pick them up and read them. Your local library can also keep kids active in learning through free educational events and activities. So pack up the car and take the kids to the local library.

Some libraries and community centers offer educational camps where children can stretch their math, science and reading muscles. So try substituting an educational camp in place of a sports camp.

Try to concentrate on math – it’s hard to keep children interested in math so jazz it up. For younger children try board games or card games like go fish. These can keep basic counting, subtraction and addition skills sharp over the summer.

Take a Summer Trip Centered

On Education - Virginia has so many educational and historical areas. Williamsburg offers an excellent opportunity to have fun while learning about our country's rich history. Ask your child to read about colonial times before they go to Williamsburg to make the experience even better. Take a day trip to Washington DC. With so many museums, you’ll really be flexing your child’s science, math, reading and history muscles.

Take an active role in preventing summer brain drain and your children will thank you for the summer fun and through better grades this fall.

Managing Your Toddler's 5 a.m. Wakeup Call

It’s the weekend and your toddler has decided to wake up before 6am. What is a parent to do? Do you keep them up later at night? This article offers some great suggestions on how to deal with you early riser. Click here to read the article. 

Keeping the kids hydrated

With summer vacation starting and the temperatures rising, your kids will be spending more time outdoors. It’s very important to make certain they do not get dehydrated.

In general, kids are even more susceptible to dehydration than adults. This is mainly because children don't cool down as efficiently. Here are some precautions you can take to make summer more fun and safe and to help avoid dehydration.

Proper Fluid Intake

• Preparing Before They Play – As a general rule, children should be taking in about 5 ounces of fluids for every 20 minutes of strenuous play.
• Keep Them Hydrated During The Day – The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children drink six glasses of water on an average day.

Now you’re probably asking yourself what drinks provide the best hydration.

Water

• All natural
• No additives or sugar
• Best for routine hydration

Sports Drinks

• Great tasting
• More appealing to children
• Can increase the amount of fluids children will take in
• Can be high in carbohydrates and calories
• Replace electrolytes lost through sweating
• Limit their use to strenuous play and sporting events

Popsicles

·         Great tasting

·         Cool

·         High water content

·         Great alternative for hydration particularly with smaller children

Heat Exhaustion: If your child shows signs of heat exhaustion (fever, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness), get them medical attention as soon as possible.

Teaching Your Child About Strangers

Every parent's fear is how your child will deal with strangers when you are not around.  You don’t want them to think everyone is bad, but you also don’t want them to be overly friendly to people they don’t know.  This article gives some great advice on how to teach your kids about strangers.  Click here to read the whole article.

Water Play

With temperatures and humidity on the rise, many of us are looking for ways to keep the kids cool and entertained. There are so many things your child can learn through experimenting with water at home.

Here are some items you will need:

- different size pots and pans

- containers of different sizes and shapes

- funnel

- scoops (use big plastic serving spoons)

- wine corks (they float)

- a small water toy or an empty shampoo bottle

- tongs (try to find ones covered with plastic or rubber as the metal ones can be quite sharp)

Obviously, water is going to get messy with all the splashing, otherwise it wouldn't be so much fun! Choose a play area carefully where you can easily see and supervise the children. During warm weather days setting up outside makes cleanup easy.

Work on your child’s coordination skills:

• fish floating objects out with a scoop, tongs, or fingers
• count floating objects when they are place them into a container
• fill up and squirt water with a shampoo bottle

Work on your child’s color and observation skills

• use containers and funnels to move the water to different containers.
• add food coloring to the water and learn about colors while you are playing. Mix colors to make it even more interesting.
• play wash the dishes to learn about household chores
• give dolls a bath and wash their hair to discuss cleanliness

So go on, start splashing.

Spark A Family Tradition This Father’s Day

Father’s Day is this weekend. We found some examples of Father’s Day traditions you can start with your family. Click here to read the whole article

Potty Training Part 2

Last week we talked about the signs of potty training readiness. If your little one is ready to start learning how to use the potty, these tips may help:

• Build extra time into your busy schedule for frequent trips to bathroom both at home and when you’re out.

• Don't make your child sit on the toilet against his or her will.

• Look for the signs they are getting ready to poop. Here are a few examples: faces turn red, grunting and squatting.

• What time of day do they usually need to go to the bathroom? Be aware of the time and look for other signs so you can rush them to the bathroom. Right after a meal is a natural time for the body to evacuate, so you may want to pay particularly close attention.

• Establish a routine. Have your child try when they wake up, after every meal, before bedtime and anytime they ask. And don’t get frustrated if nothing happens. It’s more about establishing the routine.

• Lead by example. Have your child watch you or a sibling in the bathroom.

• Remove poop  from your child's diaper and put it in the toilet  to show your them that poop goes in the potty.

Remember to reward your child. Stickers, treats or character underpants works well as an incentive. Try to keep positive in all aspects of potty training.

Teaching Kids To Learn From Failure

No one wants to see their child fail at something but you need to remember that kids can learn from failure. This article gives some great tips to help your child along this bumpy road. Click here to read more.

Potty Training

Yes, that's right, June is National Potty Training Awareness Month, as if we need more incentive to potty train our children. So in honor of the momentous occasion, we are going to talk about potty training and give some advice for success.

First, it’s important to recognize that there is no magic solution for potty training. It’s a trial and error process. The second fact to remember is that it’s not fashionable for teenagers to walk around in diapers so chances are you’ll be successful.

That said, there are proven potty training strategies that have worked for parents over the years.

1. Wait until your child’s ready for potty training. Parents sometimes rush into potty training because the idea of no diapers is appealing to your budget. Your child must be mentally and physically prepared to learn to use a bathroom, otherwise the process will be frustrating for both of you.

Here are some signs that your child is ready to begin:

* Curiosity about the toilet

* Recognize and tell you they have to pee

• Keep a diaper dry for two hours or more

• Physically sitting on and then get off the potty

• Pulling down diapers, or throwing away training pants or underpants

• Curiosity about wearing underpants

2. Make sure you have the proper training aids.

• A small portable potty – maybe even keep one in the car for emergencies.

• Floating objects can be placed in the toilet to peak your child’s interest.

• Pull-up diapers

3. Buy clothing that’s easy to put on and take off. This will help avoid your child wetting their pants because they took too long to get their clothes off. Slip on pants are the easiest and, of course, skirts and dresses make it easy for girls.

Each child learns differently it’s true in school and it’s just as true with potty training. Be patient, be positive and be prepared! Next week we will offer some more tips to help with potty training.