June, 2007
Help Your Child be Generous with Time, Possessions &
Talent
Encourage Your Child to Read - Start a Summer Book
Club
Keep Your Child Learning Math This Summer
A Word From the
Director
Kids don’t have much trouble understanding
what it means to share—one child takes a turn, then the other does. But
generosity can be tougher because it involves sharing things that have
value or are meaningful.
One way to help your
child think about how he could be more generous is by focusing on three
issues: time, possessions and talent.
On a large sheet of paper, write these three words.
Now have your child
brainstorm. What are some ways he could share his possessions? (He could
donate outgrown clothing or toys to others. He could save part of his
allowance and give it to a cause he supports.)
Next, think about
how he could use his time helping someone else. Does an older neighbor
need help with yard work or small chores? Finally, think about how he
could share his talents. He might visit a senior center to sing or read to
a young child.
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If children don’t practice their reading
over the summer, they’ll start school next fall with rusty skills. A
summer book club is one way to keep your child reading when he isn’t in
class. It’s also a great way for you to get more involved in your child’s
reading life.
* Talk to parents of
three or four other children. See if they’d like to join you in a summer
reading club. At the first meeting, let the kids choose a cool name and
suggest books they’d like to read.
* Ask their teacher
for ideas, too. Don’t worry too much if the children don’t choose “great”
books—the important thing is to keep them reading. There are lots of
online book lists of books kids will love.
* Decide on the
first book and the date of your next meeting. Be sure someone brings a
snack.
* Assign one family to come up with questions to discuss. (Look online if
you’re stumped—many publishers now have book group questions for popular
books.)
* Be sure parents
read the book, too!
Parents say these
clubs are both fun and educational. Everyone reads and talks about good
books. Enjoy your summer club. You may even want to continue next fall.
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A break from school shouldn’t
mean a break from learning. Research shows that school-aged children
can lose two-and-a-half months in math proficiency over the summer.
That’s because they don’t use the skills they’ve learned during the school
year.
Try these ideas to keep your child’s math learning
on track this summer:
J
Have your child keep a record of mileage, price of gas per gallon and
other travel expenses on a trip.
J
Plan a menu with your child. Go to the grocery store. Let her
help you compare products to find the best deal by dividing the cost of
products by their weight.
J
Have your child measure weight and volume of recipe
ingredients. Also have her divide dishes into equal portions.
J
Help your child develop a budget and a savings plan for her
allowance. How long will it take to save $25?
J
Hold a weekly game night. Play concentration or children’s
Scrabble® to enhance thinking skills, addition and vocabulary.
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Greetings from PCN
Summer
already? It doesn’t seem possible, but the calendar can’t be wrong.
While the season is more relaxed and easygoing, it can still be
challenging for parents and students. Even if your family’s schedule
changes, your expectations and standards should remain the same whatever
the season. Be sure to talk over your rules and consequences with your
kids, no matter how old they are or how many times they’ve heard it all
before. Reinforce the message that underage drinking and drug use are
both illegal and unhealthy. When kids are out of school, Internet use,
cell phone texting and video game playing tend to increase. Keep
monitoring your children’s activities and companions. Above all, remember
to treasure family moments. The seasons seem to pass all too fast.
Remember to visit this website often for summer activity ideas and
parenting information. Enjoy the summer!
Darcy Jensen and the PCN Board
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