FRIDAY FOLDER: august 21

First Day of School at the Fairmont Campuses

 

To view more First Day photos, visit Fairmont Flickr!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

HOW TO: teach gratitude

An important lesson while growing up is learning to demonstrate gratitude and thankfulness. In a culture of instant gratification, it is important to foster an attitude of gratitude in your child. Studies show that children who engage in grateful behavior have more energy, demonstrate enthusiasm for school, and carry more positive paradigms overall. Here are several tips and activities to engage your child in the concept of gratitude:

1. Be Intentional - Practice gratitude in your own daily life and lead by example when interacting with your spouse, children, and other adults. Modeling the type of behavior you want from your child is the best way to encourage him or her to follow your lead.

2. Be Charitable - Show your children what it feels like to be a gracious giver. Encourage your child to clean out his or her room and donate any unneeded items to a local homeless shelter or church organization. Explaining to your child the purpose behind donating items to those who really need them is a great eye-opening exercise in gracious giving.
3. Be Acknowledging - Encourage your child to acknowledge all that they have been given by frequently discussing what you’re thankful for. Stating that you are grateful for a nice meal cooked by your spouse, time spent with loved ones, money to purchase a new item for the family, etc. will plant a seed of thankfulness as your child begins to identify specific things for which to be grateful.

4. Be Responsive - Teach your child to respond appropriately to others’ kindness by encouraging him or her to frequently say “Thank you.” Keep a stash of thank-you notes at home and have your child thank others after a gift or service has been given. Grandparents will love getting a handwritten card in the mail after sending a grandchild’s birthday present. Thank-you cards are also great for teachers, coaches, etc. to demonstrate gratitude for their time and commitment. Also see FAIRMONT FIVE: Teaching Good Manners for more etiquette tips.      

Gratitude equates to a positive attitude and optimistic outlook on life. “When kids recognize that the things they own and the opportunities they have come from someone other than themselves, it helps them develop a healthy understanding of how interdependent we all are - and they may be more inclined to treat others with genuine respect,” says Huffington Post article titled 11 Tips for Instilling True Gratitude in Your Kids.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools
Image by Gratitude Habit
Videos by Greater Good Science Center, University of California - Berkeley

A to Z: twas the night before school started

The new school year begins tomorrow at Fairmont Private Schools, and hopefully your student is ready to return to the classroom! Here’s a simple checklist to ensure that you and your child are prepared for the first day of school:

1. Fill backpacks with necessary school supplies.
2. Pack a lunch or ensure that lunch money is available to the student.
3. Launder and lay out the student’s clothes for the morning.
4. Plan a hearty breakfast.
5. Ensure that your student has his or her class schedule or teacher’s name.
6. Review with your child the transportation plan for pick-up and drop-off.
7. Charge your phone or camera for First Day of School pictures and use #FairmontFirstDay when posting to social media.

Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before and wake them up with positive energy to start the day off right. Making the transition from summer vacation to a classroom setting as seamless as possible will help your child succeed early in the year!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Mysixringcircus.com

A to Z: 10 classic movies to share with your child

Need some fresh entertainment ideas for Family Night? Tired of watching cartoons? Fire up the popcorn maker and transform your living room into an old-time movie theater with these classic flicks! Each film listed below is accompanied by the MPAA rating and appropriate viewing age as determined by CommonSenseMedia.Org. Introduce your child to the timeless films that have enriched so many young hearts once upon a time:  

Wizard of Oz, 1939

Appropriate for ages 6+

Rating: G

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971

Appropriate for ages 8+

Rating: G

Swiss Family Robinson, 1960

Appropriate for ages 8+

Rating: G

The Sound of Music, 1965

Appropriate for ages 6+

Rating: G

Doctor Dolittle, 1967

Appropriate for ages 5+

Rating: G

Mary Poppins, 1964

Appropriate for ages 6+

Rating: G

Muppet Treasure Island, 1996

Appropriate for ages 6+

Rating: G

Back to the Future, 1985

Appropriate for ages 10+

Rating: PG

Hook, 1991

Appropriate for ages 8+

Rating: PG

Princess Bride, 1987

Appropriate for ages 8+

Rating: PG

Look for these films on Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, at RedBox locations, or your local library! Use Can I Stream It or Go Watch It to view streaming options and availability!

Individual parental discretion will determine which films are suitable for a family’s child.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Wikipedia, IMDB, Wikia, WonderlandAmericas, & ThemeParkTourist    

HOW TO: teach your child about money

It’s never too early to provide your child with a strong foundation of financial wisdom and guidance. Learning financial principles at a young age will set the stage for a smoother transition into adulthood. From making small purchases with his or her own money to paying for college and beyond, wise financial stewardship is an essential skill.   

The Forbes article titled “The 5 Most Important Money Lessons to Teach Your Kids” encourages parents to take advantage of teachable moments in order to advise children about personal finance. For example, include your six-to-ten year old when making purchases at the grocery store. Give him or her several dollars and allow the child to make a selection based on parameters you have given (e.g. money must be spent on fruits or vegetables, cost not exceeding the specified amount, etc.). Parents should also remain interactive while shopping with children. Talking aloud and posing questions to your child, such as “Is this item essential?” or “Should we save money by buying an off-brand item instead?,” will keep him or her engaged in the activity and foster the concept that money is finite.

A U.S. News & World Report article, “7 Ways Smart Parents Teach Their Kids About Money,” references CEO of Offers.com Steve Schaffer’s method of teaching his own children about money. When doling out weekly allowances, Schaffer deducts a quarter for “family taxes” and requires each child to put 15% of the week’s money into a savings account. The child may then choose what to do with the remaining amount, which is where a multitude of teachable moments occur organically. For instance, instead of buying the toy that your child has been begging for, encourage him or her to set a goal and save their own money for the purchase. This is a perfect situation for eliminating instant gratification and teaching goal-setting, money saving, and perseverance. As discussed in past blog post “HOW TO: Foster a Strong Work Ethic,” present opportunities for your child to earn extra money by establishing a list of chores to be completed for payment.

Another idea to consider is using a clear container instead of the classic piggy bank. This will give your children a visual reminder of their saving and purchasing goals. You can also teach the value of coupons and sales by encouraging your child to hunt for coupons in the newspaper. Also, consider limiting the amount of advertising your child is exposed to when trying to teach money-conscious values. Open a dialogue about advertisements and commercials by asking questions like “Would you spend your money on that?,” “How much do you think that item costs?,” or “Do you think we really need that item?” View past blog post “CHALK TALK: Helping Young Children be Aware of the Purpose of Advertising” for more about parenting in an ad-saturated world.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Claudio Jule, FreeImages.Com

FRIDAY FOLDER: august 7

Highlights of the Week:

Fairmont summer campers enjoy the last week of camp

Fairmont Summer Programs has concluded this year's 'Surf's Up' summer camp! During the final week of camp, students enjoyed Swim Day, knocked down pins at the bowling ally, dressed up for Superhero Day, and celebrated during on-campus parties.

Fairmont has enjoyed spending the summer with your child! To see more photos from this summer, visit Fairmont's Flickr and Facebook pages!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools 

 

HOW TO: apps that introduce kids to coding

The need for children to be “tech-savvy” is becoming more apparent as technology continues progressing at such a rapid pace. Beyond inspiring future career paths, introducing children to coding opens the window to a new way of thinking in regards to solving problems, nurturing creativity, and completing projects.

Engaging in age-appropriate computer programming also enables children to gain confidence in embracing new technology by helping them understand how technology works and the processes involved in developing it.

The following apps offer children simple and kid-friendly opportunities to become familiar with coding.

Scratch
Designed specifically for children, Scratch was created by MIT students and staff.

ScratchJr
 (iPad)
Introduces coding to children as young as five-years-old.

Tynker
(Web)
An effective tool for teaching programming.

Hopscotch
(iPad)
This is a great tool to help students without coding experience gain confidence in the basics of programming, logical thinking, and problem-solving.

Daisy the Dinosaur
(iPad)
This provides an easy introduction to programming for younger students. 

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by ibtimes