Tips On Managing Stress

According to the May 2010 Good Housekeeping issue, for those crazed, heart-racing moments, breathing deeply for a minute or so can lower your stress level. But to decrease overall anxiety and boost confidence, practice daily for 15 to 20 minutes (start with 10 and work your way up). Health experts at Harvard suggest three different methods; use whichever feels most comfortable to you.

1. Simple Break - Take a normal breath followed by a slow, deep breath, letting the air come in through your nose to fill your lower belly. Now breathe out through your mouth or nose. Alternate normal and deep breaths.

2. Hand on Belly - Put one hand just below your belly button and breathe deeply. Feel your hand rise about an inch each time you inhale and fall about an inch when you exhale.

3. Multisystem- Close your eyes. Imagine that each inhale washes relaxation into your body and each exhale carries tension away. To reinforce the effect, as you inhale say (to yourself), "Breathing in peace and calm" and as you exhale say, "Breathing out tension and anxiety."

Teach your children less stress techniques. It might help them in stressful situations to have breathing techniques to incorporate so they can learn to bring down their stress levels.

Read A-Loud to Your Child: Part 2

Yesterday, I gave you ten examples of what a parent or teacher should do when reading aloud to children. Today, I will give examples of what not to do according to The Read-Aloud Handbook, by J. Trealease.

Don't

1. Don't read aloud too fast.
2. Don't read aloud books children can read independently. Instead talk about the book.
3. Don't read aloud books or stories you don't enjoy. You child will know.
4. Don't read aloud books or stories that exceed the child's emotional development.
5. Don't continue reading a book you don't like or the child doesn't like. Admit it, and choose another.
6. Don't impose your interpretation and preferences on your child.
7. Don't confuse quantity with quality.
8. Don't use reading aloud as a reward or punishment. Make it a tradition or habit.

Read A-Loud to Your Child: Part 1

When teachers read aloud to their children, they often begin with a brief introduction and discussion of the book or text to be read aloud. You can do the same thing at home. Reading-aloud helps your child focus and know what to expect and look for during the story or poem. Below are some suggestions while reading aloud to your child based on The New Read-Aloud Handbook, by J. Trealease:

Do's

1. Do begin reading to children as early in their lives as they can support to sit and listen.

2. Do use rhymes, raps, songs chants, poetry, and pictures to stimulate their oral language.

3. Do read aloud to children at least 10-15 minutes daily, more often if possible.

4. Do set aside a time for daily reading aloud at home.

5. Do read picture books to children of all ages, but also gradually move to reading longer books without pictures was well.

6. Do vary the topics and types of books you read-aloud.

7. Do read aloud books to your child that stretch their intellectual and oral development.

8. Do read aloud with expression and enthusiasm.

9. Do add another dimension to reading something, such as using hand movements, puppets, or dressing up in costume.

10. Do carry a book with you at all times t o model your love for books and reading.

What To Do If Your Child Has Trouble With A Teacher

Before you rush into a battle with a teacher or administrator, it is important to get the facts. Yes, some teachers are harsh, but it is also true that sometimes kids don't always tell the whole truth or sometimes stretch the truth. Here are a few tips to help with dealing with this problem:

1. Cool off and investigate the facts. Remember you were not there to witness the incident and there are two sides to every story.

2. Tell your child how you expect them to react to any problem with an adult. They must be respectful. If there is a punishment, let the child deal with the consequences of their behavior.

3. If there are still problems and it does not seem to be getting better, make an appointment to meet and talk with the teacher.

4. Go in with the attitude of wanting to understand what is going on and wanting to help with a solution. Kids can and often do exaggerate and manipulate their parents.

5. You should leave the meeting feeling like you understand what is going on and there should be a resolution or plan in place so the problem doesn't continue.

6. If you are not satisfied with the meeting results with the teacher, make an appointment with the principal. Make sure you bring all the facts and have handled it calmly and correctly.

Tip #76: Get community and business leaders to become partners with your child's school

If you or someone you know has connections in the community business, ask them to support or adopt your child's school. That brings us to tip #76.

Tip #76: Get community and business leaders to become partners with your child's school.

Businesses can send mentors, supplies, technical support, and monetary support. It is tax deductible to contribute to most educational institutions. Make sure you school stays in contact with your local congressmen and government representatives and let them know the needs of the school. Your school board representative should also be familar with the needs and accomplishment of the school. All of this is important because the community needs to know the wonderful things going on at your school.

Questions to ask and things to do:

1. If you are having a special event, invite the superientendent, school board members, and any other local businesses to participate and enjoy the event.

2. If there are needs at the school, go to local businesses, civic groups, places of worship, and let them know your needs.

3. Get a group of parents and students that are interested in approaching community partners and let them work toward getting them involved with the schools yearly goals.

4. Let the children lead out in approaching local businesses and community leaders because it is very hard for most people to say "no" to children. Make sure they are well prepared for the meeting and can speak intelligenily about the school's request for partnership or assistance.

Tip #75: Get to Know the School Principal

According to New Visions for Public Schools an effective school has a principal who leads the instructional program and expects excellence from the staff, parents, and students. It has a school wide focus on student achievement; support for improving the school environment, teaching and learning; and effective cooperation among school leaders, teachers, parents, students, and partners in the community. This brings us to tip #75.

Tip #75: The principal and other school leaders inspire commitment from everyone to fulfill the vision of the school among all members of the school community so every child receives the "Best Education Possible".

Parents make sure you teach your child to be respectful of persons in authority. First make sure they respect and listen to you. Then they need to understand how to approach, respond, and listen to other adults. It will make life easier for you and your child throughout life if this lesson is mastered before entering school. There is no way a child will be respectful if the parent does not model respect. Speak positively in front of your children about the school, principal, and teachers. Then the child will model that positive behavior.

Questions or Things to Do:

1. Is there an "Open Door" policy at your child's school? An example would be that parents are welcome to come to the school and volunteer, make appointments to meet with the principal or teachers, and feel comfortable to make suggestions. It is important for parents to understand that they are at the school to be a positive partner. Make sure you make appointments and never get in a group of parents that are not trying to make positive change.

2. Do you feel a sense of control and calm when you first enter the building. The building should be clean and pleasant. Quality student work should be displayed and the atmosphere should be pleasant with a sense of control.

3. Is the principal visible and involved with the students. It is nice to see students speak, shake the hand, or converse with the principal. Make sure your child is respectful and knows how to talk to adults. It will make all the difference in the school experience if the child is controlled and respectful.

4. Can the principal discuss the curriculum and is well aware of student achievement and assessment data? This is important because the principal should drive the curriculum and be knowledgeable of what is going on in each classroom. The principal will know what should be the next objectives for improvement of the overall school goals.

5. Does the principal communicate well with parents, teachers, staff, and students. An effective principal can communicate and inspire everyone to reach school-wide goals.

6. Does the principal participate in after-school functions and support all school programs? The principal should be visible at as many sports, academic competitions, plays, PTA meetings, board meetings, and fundraisers.

7. The principal must have a vision for where the school is heading, and is able to get teachers, staff, parents, students, and community partners to buy into the vision and is the driving force in making that vision a reality. They must be able to lead, listen, influence, and implement an aggressive curriculum, and has high expectations for everyone. They must be able to take assessment data and lead their staff in the direction of improvement and make sure every child's needs are being met. The principal is the leader of the school and should be respected.

For more information on effective school go to http://www.newvisions.org/

Walk This Way

According to an article in the December issue of Parents magazine, each year 51,000 child pedestrians are injured. Kids are especially vulnerable because they move quickly and impulsively and they aren't good at judging an oncoming car's speed or distance, interpreting road signs, or spotting vehicles in their peripheral vision, says a new report from American Academy of Pediatrics. One study found that a third of parents allow their kindergartners to cross the street alone. Below are traffic-safety tips to keep in mind:

1. Cross the streets with kids under 10. (except in limited situations such as watching him cross a residential street). Use your judgment with older kids.

2. Be a stickler for traffic rules.

3. Work with your child's school to start a program that escorts kids.

4. Prevent back-overs by walking all the way around your car to check for children before getting in.

5. Don't let kids play in an alley, a driveway, or an unfenced front yard.

6. Talk to your city council about speed bumps or speed-limit signs.