Being a Pro Active Parent

By: Peg Chauncey Cramer  M.A.

“NO! It’s MINE , MINE, MINE! ” Sound familiar?

Young children are great at expressing to everyone; at home, the grocery store, or heaven forbid the toy store, to know that they want to be in control. Actually, as parents we know they really are in control. Young children have an innate ability to know just the right moment to push our buttons to demand ownership of a thing, or ‘express’ what they want.  NOW! Been there done that!  Instead, Empower Your Child.

So what is a parent to do?  Be Proactive!  Be Consistent!  Be An Example!

1.Model:  Model sharing in front of your child. This exercise doesn’t have to be fancy. Just find something to share and share it.  Ideas: a.) Split a favorite food like a cookie, an apple, or a sandwich and share it with your child. b.) When watching TV share a comforter, a comfy chair, pillows, or even decide on a TV show everyone wants to watch. c.) Go to the public library pick out some books and have your child pick out some books. Find the book, “Peter’s Chair” by Ezra Jack Keats.  It is about a little boy who doesn’t want to share with his new little sister.
It really doesn’t matter what you do, it is what you say and how you say it that actually counts. “This is my favorite cookie, do you want to share it with me?” “ I wanted to watch my favorite show, but let’s share the TV and watch something together.” “ The library owns all of these books, but they want to share them with us, so we need to take good care of them and bring them back so other children can share them too.” The more you do it and say it, the more your child will begin to think and know that sharing is just what people do.

2.Make something together and give it away:
Idea: Make a Leaf or Flower Pressed Window Hanging.
Materials needed: Pressed leaves or flowers.
Waxed Paper
2 Kitchen or hand towels
Iron
What to do: * Discuss with your child that you think it would be nice to make
something to share with Grandma, a friend or neighbor that has
been  kind to your family. Maybe state something that maybe they
have shared (like tomatoes) or has done something nice for your child.
Ask your child,
“You are going to make a pretty thing. Who are you going to share it
with?”
*Go for a walk with your child and collect some pretty leaves or
flowers. The more colorful the better.
* Lay the towel on the counter (you will iron on it)

* Have your child arrange the pressed flowers between two  pieces of waxed paper on top of one of the towels.
* Place the other towel on top of the waxed paper that you
iron hot iron
*Let cool for about 2 minutes and help your child cut it into a cloud shape about    2       inches from the leaves.
* Put the Window Hanging against the window to let the light shine
through it .
What to say:  Before and during the activity keep reiterating that this is a
special thing you two are making to SHARE with a friend. Then
before you hang your creation on the window, say to your child
“ _______  will really like this pretty thing won’t she?”
*Together, take it to the recipient. (If your child says they want to keep
what you both have made, tell him/her that this one is to share with
________and you both can make another one to keep.)

When at the library, look for the book, “Peter’s Chair” by Ezra Jack Keats. It is about a little boy who does not want to share with his little baby sister.

Being proactive with example, consistency and love, your child will learn sharing is for   everyone. With your guidance, step by step your child will learn to share with others and feel  empowered.

Be An Important Part of Your Child’s Education

By: Peg Chauncey Cramer M.A.

Becoming involved in your child’s education pays off in many ways. Parent involvement strengthens schools and shows children that you value learning. Research shows that students whose parents are involved in their education are more likely to earn higher grades, score better on standardized tests, and attend college.
What’s more, you’ll benefit directly by taking an active role. You’ll meet other parents and quickly learn the ins and outs of your child’s school. Read on for some ways to become active and make a difference in your child’s education.
1.    Start now. Introduce yourself to your child’s teacher. You don’t have to wait until parent-teacher conferences to get to know your kindergartner’s teacher. Sometime during the first week or so of school, find a moment to say a quick hello. Or send a handwritten note or a personal email. Ask the teacher whether there is anything she needs. Find out how the teacher prefers to be contacted. This will set a positive tone for the year.
2.    Help out in the classroom. Most kindergarten teachers welcome help from enthusiastic parents. What you do in the classroom will depend on what the teacher needs. It may include preparing materials for lessons and art projects, reading to students, or making copies of worksheets. If you’re unable to commit to a regular schedule, let your child’s teacher know that you still would like to help out with special projects.
3.    Become a room parent. Many kindergarten teachers assign one or two parents to plan class parties and other special activities and to coordinate communication between the teacher and the parents. Being a room parent is generally a yearlong assignment, so make sure you can commit to it. It’s a great way to get to know the teacher!
4.    Volunteer from home. If you can’t make it into the classroom during the day, let the teacher know you’d like to help out in other ways. You could make phone calls to other parents in the evening, help prepare materials for lessons, and more. Bringing your volunteer ethic home shows your child that school is important. It will also help strengthen your connection with the teacher.
5.    Be a special guest. Visit your child’s classroom to share something special about yourself, such as your occupation, your cultural background, or an interesting hobby. Your child will be proud to let everyone know you’re her parent!
6.    Learn about your child’s school. Read the school handbook to learn about school policies. Stay informed by reading school and parent-teacher group newsletters. If the school has a website, check it regularly for updates and information.
7.    Reach out to other parents. Look for opportunities to get to know the parents of your child’s classmates. Volunteer to chaperone field trips. Attend class parties and assemblies. Don’t be shy about introducing yourself, and be sure to exchange phone numbers and email addresses. The other parents will be an invaluable support system during the first year of school and beyond.
8.    Attend school events. Make it a point to go to assemblies, open houses, art shows, and other schoolwide events, even ones your child isn’t directly involved with. School events are a great place to meet staff members and other parents, and going together will help your child feel more at home in his new school.
9.    Talk with your child about school. When your child comes home from school, ask specific questions to draw her out. Instead of saying “How was your day?” ask “What was the best thing that happened today at school?” and “Tell me one new thing that you learned today in kindergarten.”
10.    Show him that school matters. Praise your child’s efforts. Show him how wonderful his schoolwork is by posting artwork and school papers on the refrigerator for everyone to see. Communicate the idea, in both words and actions, that school is important.
11.    Join the PTO or PTA. Your school parent group is a terrific way to learn about your child’s school. You’ll forge lasting connections with the parents you meet, and you’ll have a role in making your child’s school a fun and exciting place to learn.