Category: Uncategorized
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It’s that time of the year when we switch from our lazy summer days to routine, school and homework. It’s usually a switch that can cause some stress for both you and your child. But, with a little bit of preparation and the right attitude, it doesn’t have to be so difficult.
Having a little anxiety about going back to school is normal. Our children are facing a lot of newness, including new teachers, classmates and lots of academic challenges. The anticipation of the new school year may cause sleepless nights for some kids. I know my child has a lot of anxiety right before the first day of school. She is often sick to her stomach and unable to sleep. As much as my heart breaks for her, I have to put on a strong front and say “I know you can do it. Change is difficult but I know once you get to school you will feel better. You’re going to have a great day and make lots of new friends!’”
I think our attitude has a strong influence on how our children view the beginning of school. They pick up on our feelings, react to them, and often magnify them. You have to have faith that they’ll be able to get through the changes, even if it’s hard. Let them know that everyone feels a little nervous going into the classroom. Maybe share some stories about how you were nervous but by the end of the day you made a new friend and felt great about seeing some old ones. I tell my daughter that somewhere in her class is a child who is waiting to be her friend. It helps set a positive expectation about the school year, and it helps her notice and be ready to respond to friendly overtures.
Here are some ways I prepare my child for the start of school.
1) Create Routines
I establish a daily routines at home at the start of the school year to help her adjust. I create a checklist to help my child get organized and stay on schedule. I think it helps ease anxiety with rushing to get out the door. I plan on having a laminated checklist that hangs on the refrigerator and reads Make your bed. Eat breakfast. Get dressed. Brush teeth. Get backpack. She will check off each item before she heads out the door. This will help her feel in charge and make her feel that getting ready is her responsibility. For the afternoon, I plan on scheduling a routine for homework, snacks, and extracurricular activities. My sister has a great idea of always having my child help create the schedule as a way to get her to buy into it.
2) Establish Fun Traditions
If your excited for school to begin, your kids will follow your lead. Maybe do something fun every year that can help ring in the new school year and it can become your family tradition. My daughter likes to dine at a fancy restaurant the night before the first day of school. We sit around and talk about what she looks forward to and what her concerns are for the upcoming year. We also always take a picture of her with her new backpack at the front steps before she heads out on her first day. The whole backpack buying is also a big deal for her. I make sure she picks something she loves and we prepare all her school supplies and label things together.
Once school starts, I try to follow my child’s lead. She tends to keep a lot of things to herself and doesn’t like me to question her too much. Of course, I want to know every detail of her day but I don’t push her. I let her relax and then talk later. Sometimes she tells me bits and pieces of her day. Sometimes she doesn’t share much at all. Either way, it’s fine, as long as she seems calm and somewhat happy, I assume the start of the school is going well.
One of the most precious gifts we can give our children is our confidence that they will find their way. And they will.
I hope your children have a great start to their school year!
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When I think of you, I remember that cherub faced little boy with the big blue eyes. At every family gathering you were full of life and mischief. The apple of your parents eyes, the youngest of the brothers Clark. Too young for death to take you. My heart breaks for your parents, your brothers, your loved ones. We will always remember and love you, each in our own way with our own memories. You have forever taken a piece of our hearts. You will forever be in our hearts.
Rest in peace little Stephen.
Just wait a while, turn your back and remember what you have forgotten. Try to find if you’ve lost, apologize if you’ve hurt, forgive if you’ve been hurt. Because life is too short.- Shams Tabrizi
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I’ve been contemplating whether or not I should blog about the unrest in the Middle East. It seems so insignificant to call it an “unrest”. Children are being killed in this horrific situation. I want this blog to be about positive topics but I really feel it should also be about my authentic feelings. Right now, the situation in Gaza has my full attention, so I feel compelled to blog about it.The way I feel about this situation is encompassed in one paragraph in a recent New Yorker article by Rashid Khalidi. “In this surreal, upside-down vision of the world, it almost seems as if it is the Israelis who are occupied by the Palestinians, and not the other way around. In this skewed universe, the inmates of an open-air prison are besieging a nuclear-armed power with one of the most sophisticated militaries in the world.”
Most of the people from Palestine are Muslim and in Israel they are mostly Jewish. I often ask myself why all the hatred? Are they fighting about whose God is bigger and better? Obviously not, it’s all about power, greed and ignorance. Nevertheless religion seems to have a big part in this situation. People are going back and forth insulting each other and taking sides. I have friends from all walks of life with various religious beliefs. We manage to live peacefully with each other and even celebrate our differences.
Getting back to religion, what does it mean to be a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian? What is the purpose of religion? These are some of the questions I ask myself, especially during this time of turmoil. I’ve thought a lot about how I see God. My thoughts have never been to judge who believes in what religion. I think about the miracle that is in this life. I think that it is a privilege to be who I am. I see God in everything. I choose to open the door to spirituality, to see God in all that is beautiful. The more I allow myself to keep my heart open, the more I tend to run into what I need to know. If I want something in my life books fall off the shelf on that topic. It’s as if God is telling me what I need to do. I try to follow my bliss, to do what makes me feel good. I know that being of service of some kind brings me peace and happiness.
I see humanity as a part of me. If I catch myself judging someone of a different background, race or religion I try to feel the connection I have with them and not focus at our differences. I think of all I have and feel grateful. I literally write a grateful list every day. I try to be present to everything in my life. I give my full attention. I try to bring passion to everything I do. I try to be accepting of people and inclusive. I try to see myself in other people’s situation. This is why it’s so difficult for me to see what is happening in Gaza. I wonder if those bombs would be thrown if we could just picture our children, our loved ones, ourselves in the receiving end. I think not.
Maybe if we think of everyone as a collective ONE there would be less war, less hatred and less INHUMANITY.
John Lennon sings,
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world…You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one.IMAGINE.
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Summer is here and kids are looking to dress light and comfortable. Here are two little girls that are doing exactly that! My daughter Sophia’s BFF Brooklyn is wearing a great little tank dress with white, light pink and dark pink ruffles on the skirt. She has a sweet little pink flower as an accent on the top portion of the dress. Sophia has paired a patriotic tank with the appropriate jean shorts for an all American look. Notice that I mention that it’s an “appropriate” pair of jean shorts.
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I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend lately. Lots of young girls and some young women are donning very short shorts. They are so short and tight that nothing is left to the imagination. The first couple of times I noticed this look I thought it was random….but it seems to be a trend that is being sported by the average girl. You can spot them at the malls, on the streets of every neighborhood and even at schools. This is a trend I would love to squash! The feminist in me is outraged that once again fashion designers are objectifying women! That being said I don’t understand how these teenage girls are walking out of their homes in little sexy hot pants! Why are their parents allowing them to dress this way? What does it say about our society when little girls are dressed so provocatively? How does it make them feel about themselves? It scares me when scantly clad girls in music videos and celebrities like Miley Cyrus have more influence on our girls then we do. My child is very young so I’m able to make sure that she isn’t exposed to music videos but she still notices all the girls wearing these very short shorts! Call me old fashioned but little girls should dress like little girls.
Unfortunately it’s hard to find sweet little outfits for my daughter. I have to go out of my way to find clothes that are appropriate. I also avoid very trendy looks like skulls on everything and high heels. Yes, they make them for kids. I want my little girl to enjoy being young, innocent and sweet for as long as I can. I also want her to respect her body and never allow herself to be objectified.
How do you feel about the new barely there shorts? Sound off and let me know.
