Happy Summer Learning!

While June 21st was the National Day of Summer Learning, education should be a priority for our families on an on-going basis!  The National Summer Learning Council has some great tips for engaging brains during those long (and often lazy) days of summer!

1. The "write" stuff: encourage your kids to keep a journal about the books they are reading, their favorite summer events or activities, and the new friends they have made.

2. Do it together: volunteer in your community and bring your children along.  Whether it is cleaning up a local park or collecting supplies for an animal shelter, volunteering with your children will turn them into future volunteers.

3. Encourage creativity: Have your child write a poem, draw a picture, create a sidewalk chalk masterpiece or create a comic.  Just encouraging them to use their brain may be the boost they need.

4. Try something new: sign your child up to run a race, play an instrument or attend a new camp in the community.  Summer is the perfect time to stretch their routine and comfort zone.

5. Take advantage of free and low-cost local activities: from fairs to free lunch, summer activities occur in all communities and most are free or of little cost!

Happy Summer and remember to KEEP learning!

Fathering is an Important Job

Happy Fathers Day from Building Healthy Families and the folks at Baby Zone with this great article about the importance of Dads!

Good fathering is hard work, but the most important kind of work men can do. The consistent and frequent presence of a father makes a powerful difference in the development and socialization of a child.  Be prepared, Dad, because your stamina will be tested. Your child seems to have boundless energy—physically, intellectually, socially—and you'll be challenged to keep up. It's an important time for you to establish a healthy pattern of involvement in your child's life.  When you are involved with your son or daughter, you send a clear message to your child: I want to be your father. I am interested in you. I enjoy being with you. You and I have a relationship that is important to me.

Benefits of Dad Involvement

Children who grow up with fathers who stay involved in their lives enjoy all kinds of benefits:

• better school performance
• less trouble with the law
• better jobs and careers
• better relationships with others
• higher self-esteem

Being an involved father supports the development of your kids. Children become just as attached to their fathers as their mothers. Attachment provides a life-long relationship providing a secure base in the world.

Dads and Play

Fathers play differently with children, using more physical and vigorous play activities. Fathers use more physical contact and spend a larger proportion of time playing (40 percent vs. 25 percent for mothers).  Mothers almost automatically join at the child's level of play, often allowing the child to direct the play activity. In contrast, fathers are more likely to position themselves as the leader. Fathers encourage teamwork and stimulate children to experiment with new games, to learn new skills, to compete, and to push the limits of their knowledge and abilities. Children need both types of play interaction: a chance to direct and the opportunity to be challenged.

So Happy Father's Day to all those amazing fathers out there...and remember just how important you are in the life of your child!

A Smashing Good Time

Trying to beat the heat and find a great activity for your kids?!?!  Get them outside and active with this simple and inexpensive water balloon pinata! 

Materials
Balloons
Water
Heavy string or fishing line

How To
1.  Fill as many balloons as you would like with water!  Hint: The more full the balloon, the easier to pop!

2. Tie off balloons and add a piece of fishing line or heavy string.

3. Hang the balloons from a jungle gym, monkey bars or even branches from a nearby tree.

4. Form a line making sure kids are safe!  Have 1 child at a time hit the balloons with a bat to see if they can make them pop!  For added fun, try blindfolding the batter!

5. Be ready to be the most popular parent on the block!

7 Tips for Summer Reading

School may be out for the summer, but if you want your kids to be in teachers' good books come fall, don't forget about summer reading.  Children should be reading summer-long in order to maintain their skills and gain a love of reading. Try the following tips from PBS Reading Experts:

1. Pick a program: In order to keep kids motivated and on track, Ernst suggests participating in a summer reading program.  Most local libraries have engaging, interactive reading programs with positive reinforcements to keep kids reading!

2. Time it right: Children in lower grades should be reading 20 to 30 minutes a day and part of that time can include a parent or caregiver reading to a child, experts say. Children in the upper grades should be reading 30 minutes to one hour a day.

3. Quiet down: To facilitate reading, give kids a quiet place to relax and read.  Keep the space free from TV and other distractions so they can have uninterrupted reading time.

4. Mix things up: Provide children with reading material in a variety of genres. Elementary-aged children should be reading fiction and non-fiction books that cover a range of genres, like science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. 

5. Many materials: Summer reading should include reading material of all lengths, from chapter books to short stories to magazines. There are times when you want to read something short so you pick up a magazine to read.  Kids should have the same things available for them.

6. Talk about it: Take time talk to kids about what they're reading and about what you're reading, too. If the parents are talking about books they are reading, then the kids see reading as being worthwhile. Let your children see you reading and enjoying it, and they're more likely to want to read, too.

7. Write it down: There is a strong reciprocity between reading and writing.  Children should be given opportunities to write, whether it be email or letters to grandparents or friends, so their writing skills continue to grow along with their reading skills.

Hanging Bird Feeder Craft

Feeding and watching bird is a simple and exciting way to connect your kids to nature.  This homemade project from www.formulamom.com not only helps develop observation and science skills, but uses recycled materials and is easy enough for children of all ages to complete!

What you’ll need:

• bird seed
• canister or paper roll
• peanut butter
• string/twine
• sharp pointed tool

What you do:
1. Remove paper from canister to expose the cardboard. Remove lid and discard. Using sharp-pointed tool, poke a hole in the bottom of the canister.

2. Cut about a yard of twine and string twine through canister. Tie off at the top.

3. Set out the peanut butter and seeds so that it’s easy for your child to assemble the bird feeder. Grab a plastic knife or spreader for the peanut butter and place the bird seed into a container or on a paper plate.

4. Let your child spread the peanut butter all over the canister sides. Be careful not to get covered in peanut butter by holding onto the inside of the canister on the open top.

5. Once the peanut butter is covering all of the canister, roll the canister into the seed. Place your (or your child’s) hand into the container to apply pressure. This will maximize the amount of seed that adheres to the canister.

6. Hang the bird feeder up on a sturdy hook or post and wait for some feathered friends!

YOU are Your Child's Best Role Model

Parents are the biggest influence in their children’s lives. Children are always observing their parents’ actions and words. As a parent, you have an opportunity and the responsibility to be a role model for your child. Here are 6 ways to have a positive effect on your child:

1. Reading and success in school. Children do better in school when parents read to them often. Show your child that reading is important to you by having reading materials around your home. If your child sees you reading regularly, it shows you think reading is important.

2. Parental involvement. Be involved in your child’s school. Children have better academic performance when parents are connected to their children’s school in meaningful ways and know their parents and teachers have regular contact with each other.

3. Getting along with others. Children develop good social skills when parents spend time with them. Set guidelines for behavior and supervise your child when he plays.

4. Self-esteem. Spending time with your child helps him build self-esteem.

5. Behavior. Behavior is affected by circumstances at home. A supportive, loving family will provide an atmosphere that promotes positive behaviors.

6. Stability. Children who are exposed to extremely stressful situations can have physical symptoms related to both social and emotional issues. Provide your child with your time and emotional support. A stable family is crucial for your child’s healthy development.

Celebrate Parent Education Week

May 19th- 25th is National Parent Education Week!  Being a parent is a 24-hour-a-day job, and it’s normal for parents to feel overwhelmed sometimes. When we’re busy taking care of others, one of the first things we neglect is taking care of ourselves. Happier and less stressed moms are linked to a healthier and happier family overall.
When we’re over-stressed, our children also become stressed. Remember, time spent taking care of yourself is not selfish. Taking care of yourself helps you be a better parent. If you think stress may be affecting the way you treat your children, or if you just want some extra support, try some of the following suggestions:

Carve out personal time, cut back on your load of responsibilities, and incorporate activities that bring passion and happiness into your life. Ask yourself what you want out of life, and don’t go by what other people say or think.

Talk to someone. Tell a friend, healthcare provider, counselor or leader in your faith community how you feel. Or, join a support group for parents.

Get babysitting when you need a break. Some parents trade babysitting with another family, so each parent gets a break.

Reach out to other parents. You may find parents with children the same ages as yours at a local
playground, your church, or your child’s daycare or school.

Talk to your child’s school. Teachers and school counselors often can point you to other places or resources that can help.

Take a class for parents. You can always learn new skills to care for your children. Classes for
parents on discipline, school success or child development can help you build on what you already know about raising a happy, healthy child.