May's Tip for
Parents
From ISVI's Education Department
Summer Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe and School Ready
As we look toward the end of the 2007/08 school year, it
seems like August was last week. While we still have a lot to accomplish before
May 22, we are looking fondly toward the summer break. This is a time of
excitement for our kids, however parents may have some reservations. Some
children may be at home, in summer programs, working or in child care programs.
Below are some tips to keep our students safe and school ready through the
"lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" as the old song goes. Hope you find something
useful and have a great summer. Plans are already in the works for the 2008/09
school year!
Child Home Safety
· Leave two emergency phone contacts, including that of an at-home neighbor, if possible.
· Tell your child who they are and show them where the information is posted.
· Even the youngest child should know when and how to dial 9-1-1. Most emergency operators are experienced in dealing with young children and can comfort and reassure a young caller while help is on the way.
· Provide specific activities that can keep them safely busy while you are gone. A game, puzzle, an art project, or a scavenger hunt can provide hours of fun and keep little hands busy.
· Let your child or his sitter know if you want play to be restricted to inside or if you are comfortable with outdoor play while you are gone and what outside boundaries are in place.
· If you have a no-friend-over rule while you are gone, make that clear to your child and the sitter. You are the best judge of whether your child is old enough to handle the company of a friend without your direct supervision.
·
Before you leave, put away all matches and candles
and any other objects that curious minds might want to explore.
Your Child on Field Trips
· Find out all you can about the outing; where they are going, how they will get there, who will be with them, what they'll be doing and when they will be back.
· Instruct your child NEVER to leave his/her buddy or the group, even when making a trip to the bathroom. It has been proven that there is safety in numbers.
· Put your name and phone number in your child's pocket so that in case of an emergency he/she has the information.
· Ask your provider if they will give children a special meeting place in case they are separated from the group so you can reinforce those instructions. Otherwise, tell your child to sit down and wait for a policeman, someone else in uniform or his/her provider. She/He will be found more quickly if they remain in one place.
· Suggest that the children on the field trip all wear the same color shirts so that anyone separated from the group is easier to spot. We recently did this when we took our high school students on a field trip to a local college. It was great and our students were easy to identify.
· If your child is going to be outside such as at a pool, park or beach, make sure they have the proper attire as well as a good sun screen. Younger children can get sunburn faster than adults and often do not realize they are burning.
Child Safety When Staying With A Care Provider
· Asking your child questions like, "What did you like best about today?" paves the way for conversation about his likes and dislikes while under the provider's care, and can give you a clear picture of your child's day.
· Visit with the provider and your child together and watch their interaction to get a sense of how their personalities and communication styles go together.
· Teach your child about good touch and bad touch. Let them know what you want them to do if a situation doesn't feel right to them.
· Ask the provider for a calendar of weekly activities so your child will know what to expect each day. With a calendar, you know whether she should wear sandals or tennis shoes or if you need extra money or a towel.
Here are some tips to keep your child learning throughout the summer:
Encourage reading: Ensure your child reads at least 30
minutes a day: magazines, newspapers, books and novels alternating with
materials that pertain to the next grade's school work. Have fun discussions
with your child about what they're reading so their minds actively think
about and understand what they read.
Explore interests: Focus on subjects your child loves. If
it's computers, sign-up for computer camp or design a web page. If it's
horses, get books on horses and day trip to a horse farm.
Plan day trips to local points of interest such as a
local library, museum or historical important sites such as State Parks,
federal or State government buildings. Many provide guided tours.
Limit TV watching: Learning drops sharply for children
who watch more than two hours of TV daily. Use TV as a reward or for rainy
days. Or rent videos. Or pull the plug and declare sunny days to be TV-free.
Create a summer adventure book: In a large notebook or
scrapbook, have family members contribute diary entries on Summer 2008
Kids can add drawings, photos, postcards or souvenirs.
You'll make a wonderful keepsake for you and your children.
Many of our students have participated in
a scrap book activity during the school year. They may have tips for you!
Learn a word a day: Boost spelling skills and vocabulary
- learn a new word daily. At first, you'll find the words. Soon, your kids
will stump you by searching for harder words.
Crunch numbers: For younger children, cut fruits and
vegetables into pieces to explain fractions. For older children, do timed
mental math challenges once a week. Track scores and times and chart
progress. Courageous parents could also test their math skills.
Keep a family planner: Hang a large calendar and add activities, appointments and events daily. Develop a routine of everyone checking the planner daily to form a habit of organization in your kids.
Make learning part of a summer schedule: Along with swimming lessons, soccer, etc., enroll your child in summer learning. In two hours per week, supplemental educators such as Oxford Learning can provide lessons that are stimulating, challenging and fun - not boring or difficult.