Parent Newsletters - Issue 35

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 35, May 19, 2007

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. MAKING HOMEWORK FUN
3. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
4. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
5. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
6. SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of the kidsgoals.com Newsletter. Cassie and I hope that all the amazing Moms out there had a great Mother’s Day. My son made me a very special card and it really made my day. I also received a really nice bouquet of flowers from Hubby (always fitting) and a rain check for dinner out, which I am going to cash this weekend.

One of our subscribers wrote to us to let us know she really appreciates the kidsgoals site for all of the information we provide (our pleasure Sameeta) and also to request that we write an article to help her six-year-old daughter enjoy writing more. With this in mind the article for this issue is about how to make writing more fun. While writing is not everyone’s favorite activity there are ways to make it more interesting and to help stimulate creativity in your child. We hope you will find the information helpful, and enjoy the tips on how you can inspire your child to write.

Just a friendly reminder that Cassie and I have launched another competition and are offering a signed copy of Heather Forbes “100 Daily Parenting Reflections” and also a CD entitled “Loving Affirmations for Children” produced by Kidsgoals. Go to the kidsgoals website to enter. The draw deadline is June 1st.

Monicka

2. MAKING WRITING FUN FOR YOUR KIDS

As I child I loved writing. So much so that I found one of the most difficult things for me to do was to try and condense a story into a set amount of words. I had so much more I wanted to say and always felt resentful when I had to summarize my ideas and flesh out my characters in as few words as possible. Thankfully, with the article writing that I do for the kidsgoals newsletter I have since learned how to do just that.

Not all children enjoy writing and some find it frustrating to come up with a story or even a few paragraphs. Of my four children, two love to write and the other two find it very difficult to express themselves on paper. That is not to say that they are not creative in their own way, but still writing does not come easily for them. My youngest son is very good at writing and is also very artistic. He especially loves to develop story ideas around his amazing drawings.

Even if your child does not get all that excited about writing and finds it too much like “work” there are ways that you can help him tweak his imagination and learn to enjoy the writing process a lot more. Strong writing skills are essential for success in school, university, and on the job so it is imperative that your child learns the fundamentals of writing and also learns to enjoy writing in general. The bottom line is if it is fun, he will want to do it! Teachers usually concentrate on the fundamentals so it is up to you as a parent or caregiver to show your child just how much fun writing can be.

One of the most important things that you can do to help your child learn to love writing is to read to him or with him. Reading will teach your child about how we can communicate - not only with what we say, but also through the written word. Your child will learn to create written language by reading it. Talking to your child also teaches him how to communicate through his writing. Whether it is one on one or a family discussion you should try and make this a daily habit. The dinner hour is an especially good time to talk about the day and ask lots of questions to encourage dialogue.

Writing is like a muscle and the more you use it the stronger it gets so encourage your children to write as much as possible. Even really young children who have not yet learned to print can tell you about their favorite program or even make up a story. Better yet, get them to draw pictures and describe what they have drawn, and you can write it all down and read it back to them later. They will get a real kick out of seeing their invention become a "real" story. It is amazing how imaginative even toddlers can be if given the chance to express themselves.

For older children, give them written tasks like making a grocery list or helping you with thank you notes. It is important not to worry too much about spelling as you want to teach them writing for communication. The spelling will come later. Encourage them to make homemade greeting cards so they can learn to express themselves in their own creative way.

Other ways to encourage your child to write:

A diary is a good way to get your child to write on a daily basis. Make sure that he knows that his thoughts are private and no one else will read it. This will allow him to feel safe to express himself freely. Teach your child to take proper phone messages and make sure to thank him when he does.

Use crossword puzzles, Scrabble and other word games to stimulate conversation. Play games where no one says a word but everyone uses non-verbal communication to get their ideas across.

Get your child to write a short story based on his weekly spelling words. Encourage him to be as creative (silly) as he wants.

Let your child choose from a list of words and have him write freely for five or ten minutes using his chosen words such as red spiders, pink pajamas etc. Encourage him to use his imagination freely.

Encourage him to write stories about things he really likes. When he has finished the story read it back to him and tell him how much you enjoyed it.

Try and resist the urge to correct your child’s writing, let him express himself without fear of criticism.

Let your child see you writing as much as possible and share some of your work with him. When you show your child you love writing there is a greater chance he will learn to love it as much as you do.

Encourage everyone in your family to write so your child doesn’t feel singled out

Watch appropriate movies and talk about the movie when it is over.

Discuss the characters and the plot.

Make sure your child has a good place to write such as a desk or table with a smooth, flat surface and good lighting. Provide plenty of paper and a nice variety of things to write with such as pencils, pens and crayons.

Never force your child to write if he is not in the mood, you can encourage him but NEVER force him.

If you encourage non-academic writing as much as possible while still making it FUN for your child, he will learn to enjoy his class writing assignments a lot more and find writing much less intimidating.

by Monicka

3. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS

Yummy Pasta Salad

(a lighter and healthier version of the original and a quick and easy meal for a hot summer day)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb corkscrew, bowtie or other fun shaped pasta (tri colored if you can find it)
2c. or 16 oz. cooked cold ham, cubed
1 c. or 8 oz. hard cheese, cubed
1 cup or 8 oz. frozen green peas or mixed frozen peas and carrots
2 green or spring onions
2 oz. chopped parsley (optional)
3/4 c. yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. coarse grain mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until just done, about 10 to 12 minutes, throw in frozen veggies during last few minutes of cooking time.

Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Transfer to a bowl.

Cut the ham and cheese into cubes and add to pasta. Slice the onions and add to the pasta along with the parsley. Stir together the remaining ingredients and gently toss with the pasta mixture.

Serves 4.

Make a Beautiful Journal to Write In

Having something beautiful to write in will encourage kids and adults alike to enjoy writing! Here is a fun journal you can make with your child.

What you need:

A paper covered exercise book, lined
Collect some pretty leaves, seeds, flowers, feathers or other natural objects. Dry or press them.
Construction card
A short piece of string
Strong glue and clear tape
A large wooden bead

Once you have collected and dried some nice feathers, leaves etc you are ready to start.

First of all create a cover for your journal by cutting two pieces of card to about 1cm larger than your exercise book at the top, bottom and one side.

Glue the two sides of the new "cover" onto your exercise book.

Decorate your journal by sticking the natural objects onto the front of your journal in a pleasing arrangement. It's a good idea to try different arrangements in a "dry run", and make sure you are happy with your plan, before you start glueing!

Using your clear tape, make a short loop of string and stick it to the back of your journal.

On the outside edge of the front of your journal, securely glue your wooden bead. Once the glue dries hard, you can loop the string over the bead to "lock" your special journal closed.

Enjoy writing in your new journal!

4. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)

Q: The more of them you take the more you leave behind. What are they? A: Footsteps

Q: What do you get when twenty rabbits take a step backward A: A receding hare line (Get it? Hair line! ha ha!)

Q: What goes up and never comes down? A: Your age

Fun Magic Trick (My youngest son showed me this, it is really cool!!!)

* One sandwich-sized plastic bag

* One sharpened pencil

* Water

1. Fill a plastic sandwich bag up with water, twist it at the top and hold it closed with your left hand. Don't fill the bag up too full about ľ full works well.

2. Show your audience the bag of water and the sharp pencil, and have a bet with them that you can make a hole in the bag but no water will come out!

3. With right hand, slowly insert the pencil into the front of the bag. Now go ahead and push it on through to the back where it will come out. If you're feeling confident, do this over something that you really don't want to get wet - like someone's lap! - to impress your audience even more.

4. If you do it right there will be no leaks; might be a good idea to practice over the sink a few times until you get it just right. :-)

Good Luck!!!

5. WORDS OF INSPIRATION

“To write beautifully is to inscribe thoughts on paper in a flowing, imaginative way. With aspirations to intrigue and inform; it's truly an art on paper, filled with emotion and thought in a smooth, aesthetically brilliant way.” --Paul Aquasanta

“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

“When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come close to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.” --Albert Einstein

“The world is but a canvas to our imagination.” --Henry David Thoreau.

"Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise, gratifies its curiosity, and gives it an idea of which it was not before possessed.” --Joseph Addison

6. YOUR FEEDBACK

If you would like to request any topics for the newsletter for 2007, please email Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com.

Thank you, from Cassie and Monicka

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