Counting the days ‘til the start of the school year and it looks like you’re more excited and nervous than your child. Whether it’s his first year in preschool or moving up to big school, we listed down the major concerns of parents and asked for tips from teachers and experts to prepare your child, and even you as parents for the school year ahead.
"My son loves everything fried! I want to form a healthy eating habit by giving him some veggies for his baon, but I’m afraid he won’t touch it and will leave him hungry at school all day. What other alternatives can I give to make him like his food aside from the fried ones?"
-You can still have it fried but you need to change the usual meal preparation. Slicing, dicing and mincing the veggies is one way of hiding it. Try an omelet with carrots and onions, tortang talong, deep fried pizza roll, and a refreshing drink like shake with fruits tidbits.
"Since I started working, I've always left my child with her lola and ate (yaya). She doesn’t go out and mingle with children her age. Whenever we go out on play dates, she would instantly run to her lola. It’s her first year in preschool and I’m afraid that she will always look for lola when in school. Howcan she make new friends?”
-When faced with new people, environment, and situations, prepare your children with gentle coaching, and roleplaying. For example, you can visit school grounds together to become familiar with the place- because if she is, it's one less daunting obstacle to overcome. Another tip is by playing various situations using toys, and having guided questions such as- “Ano kaya gagawin ni (toy) kapag lumapit si (toy)? Ano kaya pwede niyang gawin para makapaglaro sila? Sa tingin mo, pwede kayang..? Maybe your child just needs to transition at her own pace and soon enough, she'll be running to her classmates already.
-When faced with new people, environment, and situations, prepare your children with gentle coaching, and roleplaying. For example, you can visit school grounds together to become familiar with the place- because if she is, it's one less daunting obstacle to overcome. Another tip is by playing various situations using toys, and having guided questions such as- “Ano kaya gagawin ni (toy) kapag lumapit si (toy)? Ano kaya pwede niyang gawin para makapaglaro sila? Sa tingin mo, pwede kayang..? Maybe your child just needs to transition at her own pace and soon enough, she'll be running to her classmates already.
"My child has a tendency to say “mine” to everything he holds! I worry about t when he goes to school. How do I teach him about personal belongings?”
-Labeling things as "mine" is your child's way of exercising his growing need for independence and ownership. To help him understand that not everything is his (and avoid possible future problems), you can practice at home by labeling other people's things. That some are Mommy's, Papa’s and some are his. It is important that adults model proper behavior in respecting other people's belongings. Show the correct way process of borrowing, returning, and waiting for your turn. Depending on the age, he would eventually outgrow it to become more inclusive of their peers.
-Labeling things as "mine" is your child's way of exercising his growing need for independence and ownership. To help him understand that not everything is his (and avoid possible future problems), you can practice at home by labeling other people's things. That some are Mommy's, Papa’s and some are his. It is important that adults model proper behavior in respecting other people's belongings. Show the correct way process of borrowing, returning, and waiting for your turn. Depending on the age, he would eventually outgrow it to become more inclusive of their peers.
If you’ve already planned a trip to
Singapore this summer, you may want to squeeze in your itinerary a quick trip
to the ArtScience Museum located in Marina Bay Sands. Don’t worry, it won’t take a whole day like
Universal Studios. Tip: try to go there on a weekday so that your kids won’t
have to wait in long lines and can do activities without hassle. We checked out
a permanent exhibition called Future World: Where Art Meets Science. It showcases high-tech interactive artworks
built in collaboration with teamLab, a renowned Japanese interdisplinary art collective. Future World lets you have an
interactive discovery in Nature, Town, Park and
Space. I won’t give you a whole tour of the place, just those that we enjoyed the
most from the stations.
When I started homeschooling my child and opened a tutorial center, I first thought of renovating a small space at home to serve as our study area. Aside from that, I listed down the materials I'll be needing for the activities and which art materials that will most likely take a big part in our lessons. Again, I’m not fond of purchasing items that are found in bookstores so as much as I can, I try to research on local products which are actually good and within my set budget. That’s when I found out about Ma’am & Moms.
My art set picks- toddler brushes, foam paint brushes and tempera paint
Since I’m homeschooling a toddler, I made sure to use non-toxic and washable paint which can be easily removed afterwards. It is important that we let our kids get messy from time to time. Controlling them while doing art works is a no-no. It’s best to let them choose and mix colors. I even let her paint on our glass doors and let her wipe excess paint on her shirt! I exposed my child to these early on and whenever she sees them she’d tell me Paint! Paint! Plus, I also like how the brushes where made, the handles are easy to hold and help kids have a better grip and control when working on their strokes.
See how vibrant the colors are!
Here are some classroom activities where we used the tempera paint. I bought them last July and a 100ml bottle goes a long way. Trust me, it’s super sulit! Which reminds me, this could be a great Christmas present for your kids and pamangkins!
- Mix ‘em with little water. Shake shake shake!
- Foil painting
- Great in canvas too!
- pattern painting- we used foam brush here
- Just like marble painting but we used pingpong balls which are bigger! Slide away!
There are many ways to enjoy painting it’s just a matter of experimenting with what you already have at home. You can use different kitchen tools, balls and other items to introduce texture and shapes! Always keep in mind to use trusted products like to ensure safety during activities. Don’t worry about the mess, what’s important is that your child learns to explore and discover what her hands can create! Enjoy!
Me with my grade 2 students from Ateneo
Hi everyone! Here's an article I wrote for Smart Parenting magazine wherein I included some tips on how to create a good tandem with your child's teacher throughout the school year. It's not to make sipsip but more on getting to know how to work with the the teacher and knowing that we, teachers, are human beings who need our own space and time after school. Hope this helps especially for parents who are about to enter the world of big school!
You have now found a school that fits your personal beliefs and has a teaching philosophy that matches yours. If it's your first time to send your little one to school, heed these tips for building a healthy relationship with your child's second mother in his second home.
From Smart Parenting's website: 5 Ways to Make Your Child's Teacher your BFF
1. Communicate
There's no better way to express your thoughts and concerns than telling the teacher directly. If you're a bit apprehensive to approach her and think she is too busy to attend to you, then a simple note or letter to be given before or after class will do.
If you are concerned about your child's grades, you might want to assess his school performance first. Avoid putting the blame on the teacher straight away. Again, it's good to communicate with her directly and to ask for her help with solving the problem. Listen to her advice, and be willing to explore all options with her, even if it means acknowledging that your child does need help.
1. Communicate
There's no better way to express your thoughts and concerns than telling the teacher directly. If you're a bit apprehensive to approach her and think she is too busy to attend to you, then a simple note or letter to be given before or after class will do.
If you are concerned about your child's grades, you might want to assess his school performance first. Avoid putting the blame on the teacher straight away. Again, it's good to communicate with her directly and to ask for her help with solving the problem. Listen to her advice, and be willing to explore all options with her, even if it means acknowledging that your child does need help.
Teacher says: "I like parents who ask even the simplest questions. It shows how involved in and concerned they are with their child's performance in school." - Carmela Maniego, grade school eacher at Xavier School, San Juan City
2. Follow up
Some parents, especially those who are quite busy with work, tend to rely on the teachers too much. They let them decide even when it comes to personal matters, such as what food to buy for lunch. Remember, you still have the responsibility to constantly check up on your child after school hours. Check his homework, and note upcoming school events, such as a play, for example, where he plays a lead role. You don't want your child feeling left out just because you were too busy with your meeting the day before. If you really can't prepare something for, say, a potluck Linggo ng Wika celebration, then let the teacher know right away so she could make the necessary adjustments.
Some parents, especially those who are quite busy with work, tend to rely on the teachers too much. They let them decide even when it comes to personal matters, such as what food to buy for lunch. Remember, you still have the responsibility to constantly check up on your child after school hours. Check his homework, and note upcoming school events, such as a play, for example, where he plays a lead role. You don't want your child feeling left out just because you were too busy with your meeting the day before. If you really can't prepare something for, say, a potluck Linggo ng Wika celebration, then let the teacher know right away so she could make the necessary adjustments.
Teacher says: "I salute the parents [of my public-school students] who know how to cooperate [with their children's teacher]. Despite the lack of funds, I still see parents trying their best to bring the children to school and give them money for baon." - Loreen Eslao, volunteer teacher at Teach for the Philippines, a nonprofit organization
3. Trust your teachers
As the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover. From the orientation or the very first day of school, pay attention to the teacher's reminders, and not how she matched her outfits. Teachers are trained to work with kids -- they know much about children's behavior and how to handle it. Let the teacher work her magic.
As the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover. From the orientation or the very first day of school, pay attention to the teacher's reminders, and not how she matched her outfits. Teachers are trained to work with kids -- they know much about children's behavior and how to handle it. Let the teacher work her magic.
Teacher says: "Parents who do not pressure me are the best. They simply [trust] that I [know how to] handle their kids. Yes, I do make mistakes, but I can acknowledge them without the [need to be] judged." - Jaea Kiocho, grade school teacher at Xavier School, San Juan City
4. Know your boundaries
Teachers have personal lives, too. You may think that adding your child's teacher on Facebook is a friendly gesture, but the truth is you may be invading her personal space. Do not be too intrusive. You can still learn about her likes and dislikes (if you want to send her, say, a Christmas present) based on your child's stories. If you have school-related concerns, find the right time to approach her or send her a note.
Teachers have personal lives, too. You may think that adding your child's teacher on Facebook is a friendly gesture, but the truth is you may be invading her personal space. Do not be too intrusive. You can still learn about her likes and dislikes (if you want to send her, say, a Christmas present) based on your child's stories. If you have school-related concerns, find the right time to approach her or send her a note.
Teacher says: "Some parents expect me to be available at all times, even after school hours. In my case, I don't reply to inquiries after 10 p.m. I also need to attend to my own personal needs." - Vicka Siddayao, kinder teacher, University of the Philippines Integrated School, Quezon City
5. Relax
When parents get too involved in their child's school performance, this may lead to a competitive attitude towards other parents and even other students. Relax -- your child is in school to learn and also to make friends. Let him do what he needs to do, and everything else will follow.
When parents get too involved in their child's school performance, this may lead to a competitive attitude towards other parents and even other students. Relax -- your child is in school to learn and also to make friends. Let him do what he needs to do, and everything else will follow.
Teacher says: "The best way to help parents be more at ease with their child's education is to change their perspective. We teachers educate their child not [so he will get high] grades and [win] awards but in the hope that when he does achieve these [awards], it would be because he has acquired the skills (e.g., planning, researching, etc.) and the values (e.g., resiliency, independence, etc.) needed to get there." - Yna Mendiola, teacher at Mentari International School in Indonesia
I love it when family and friends are generous enough to give my child new toys to play with. Although I appreciate all of that, I don't usually ask for toys as presents for her birthdays or any special occasion. And whenever we're at the mall, I make sure to limit her play time inside toy stores.
Why?
Most toys available are just made for plain business purposes. They are marketing cartoon characters and not really thinking about how functional or educational their creations are. Whenever I chance upon educational toys that I would actually like to play with my child, its obviously too expensive for me. So when I was creating her set of toys, I made it a point to keep it creative without burning a hole in our wallets. These are the items that we both enjoy using when she plays at home:
As you can see, these are common objects found at home or household items. Most of them were given to her and some are staples that I use to teach my students. I go to Pinterest for activities and so far, she's been enjoying simple and not-so structured activities that we do. Of course, I still let her play with her stuffed toys and battery-operated toys but it's really important that kids also learn to appreciate and use their imagination with just the simple things that are offered to them- not too expensive, not too techy.
I don't have time for inserting activities with my child due to work- Moms, you can do this! Activities can be done in 15-30 minutes and there's no need to do it daily. Make it a special bonding weekend activity that the whole family can enjoy and learn from.
I'll be posting some of my favorite activities with my child in my upcoming posts. In the meantime, I'd love to hear the common objects you've already tried out with your children. What are your favorites so far? :)
Travels are both enjoyable and stressful. If "Im a backpacker" was your thing in the past, your travelling philosophy will definitely change once you book a flight with your child.
Yes, it is tiring to travel with a tot. But let me tell you some benefits of exposing them to a whole new world at an early age.
PROVIDES STIMULATION.
Skyscrapers, green grass, buses and trains, bright lights-- all these are absorbed by their sponge-like minds. They create meaning with what they hear, see, smell, taste and touch. Our daughter was quite busy looking at the huge crowd crossing the streets or riding the train especially during rush hour. Here in Manila, although we see them, we don't really get to experience crossing streets except in our quiet neighbourhood. We also got to try different types of food both from the streets and restos. Our child is in her picky-eater stage so sometimes we had to opt for safe bets like Mcdo. Surprisingly, their Mcdo has a different set of menu so us too were happy to try new eats!
INCREASES VOCAB.
As you go along the trip, you point at certain objects and give its names to your child. In our case when we went to Hong Kong, our daughter kept on pointing at Finding Dory posters we see in the MTR. "Dory! Dory!" She also enjoyed looking at bright lights, little children ( she even played with some), and super cars! (Oh yes, this girl got taste).
ADAPTATION.
Hong Kong is not extremely opposite to our country since we have the same humid weather and busy streets. Like us adults, we had to adapt to their culture. You have to somewhat talk like them and to move fast! We also had to be careful not to offend the people living there who were of different races and religion. Exposing your child to these differences will help her in the future become more adapt to the environment- in school and community.
BONDING TIME.
Although we're fortunate to be spending more time with our child regularly, it's still different when it's just us three and in a different country. We had to divide our tasks so our trip will run smoothly. Unlike here in Manila when most of us are used to having helping hands, we had to carefully plan out our day and make sure to bring everything not for ourselves, but for our daughter. Because of that, we became a team which made us enjoy our trip more.
Again, travelling with a tot can be tiring but just remember all those memories and even the mistakes you encountered along the way. It's a way to prepare yourself in your next family adventure. How about you, are you planning your fist trip with your child?
When choosing the right tutorial center for our children, we seek only the best. But now, we also consider convenience (thanks to traffic) but still of high quality.
At Drills- Practice and Progress, we assure you that your children will learn and develop skills that will equip them to be school-ready. No time will be wasted in traffic as it is conveniently located inside Loyola Grand Villas, Quezon City. Learning takes place just within the comforts of your village.
If you're interested in letting your child join our community, email drillsph@yahoo.com. We are excited to have you on board! :)
