Thursday 20 May 2021
A peak into Bea's summer wardrobe
Wednesday 19 May 2021
Top Tips for Helping Your Child with Maths
Maths isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time let’s face it. Some children find it a really stressful part of the school and it’s vital that parents help them as much as possible.
Maths can be fun and that’s the key to helping your child to cope with it even when it’s not their favourite subject. Here are some top tips for helping your child learn maths effectively without getting upset:
Make sure your child understands why maths matters
Don’t just tell a child that they should work hard at maths. Children are sensitive and need to know the real reasons behind things. A good approach is to show them real-life examples of maths at work.
At the supermarket, show them how to read prices and then help them add up on a calculator as you shop. This is more exciting than working from a book and the practical application will help the lessons sink in.
Why not bake with your child and demonstrate how to weigh and measure the ingredients for a favourite cake?
This is especially important for reluctant mathematicians! The company during work time helps children feel they are supported. And you’re there to turn to if they get stuck. Read through homework assignments and help your child to understand what is needed to succeed.
This prep school in Kent provides extra support for children who struggle with maths and that includes extra homework if needed.
All children need to hear positivity. Understanding how things work is one thing but when they don’t understand, it’s really important that you let them know that they will ‘get it in the end. If you suspect your child needs more support than you can provide, get them a tutor and let your child know that this is a positive action to take.
Talk to your child’s teacher to find out the best ways to help them effectively and remember that maths can be very challenging, so your child needs to know you’re on their side. Keep an open dialogue with school and always try to keep things fun!
*collaborated post
Monday 17 May 2021
Days Out // Banham Zoo
Saturday 15 May 2021
How to raise a science lover
For many people, science is a wonderful hobby, for others a career and the fact is that it’s a vital part of life that improves our world in many ways.
Children are innately curious and you may find that because science is so broad, there will be a part of it to please every child.
Children, from a young age like to know all they can about the world around them. They show this in their constant questions about their environment.
“Why is blue a colour?”
“Why does the rain come down?”
“Who made the sky?”
These are all genuine questions asked by children and which of course, you can answer via science. The best way to help your child with the answers to these questions is to know them yourself! So, the first thing you should do, if you are not a natural scientist, is to learn all you can yourself.
How to help my child learn more
Enjoying learning through play is a great way to approach this. Games and experiments can be combined so your child is learning about science whilst they’re playing.
For small children, water play is a great first step in science. The simple act of freezing water to turn it into ice is fascinating and children will particularly like the idea of freezing objects into blocks of ice and then watching them melt.
You can freeze plastic toys, flowers from the garden, sweets and all sorts of things which can then be admired as ice blocks! Similarly, gardening in your own garden or a container can help children to understand more about biology and botany at once.
Freedom to explore
Some home experiments are messy but that’s great for children because they mostly love to make a mess! Making slime is one example of messy science and it’s universally popular. There are lots of great tutorials online.
Allowing your child to ‘make potions’ is fun too. A selection of clear plastic containers and some ingredients such as plants, flowers, salt, the food colouring will make them feel like miniature scientists as they work out what happens when things are mixed together.
This independent school in New York believes all children are natural learners and only need to have that ability unlocked in order to achieve.
Friday 14 May 2021
Mum life // Trying to increase my milk supply and save my mental health.
Thursday 13 May 2021
The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities for Children
Extra-curricular activities are a wonderful way for children to learn and to grow in confidence. Not only teaching practical skills but also social skills, extra-curricular activities can really boost a child’s development.
When should my child begin extra-curricular activities?
You can’t start soon enough. Even when your child is a baby, fun baby classes are their first experience of extra-curricular clubs. This can grow as they do and you can seek out activities that interest them such as sports or arts-related clubs.
Finding the right fit
It’s not always a simple matter to find the right fit for your child. Some children struggle to know what they’d like to do and might try a number of activities before they land on the right one. For this reason, most clubs offer free trials so you don’t need to sign up for a whole term.
Another good option for a child who doesn’t have any special interests is Scouts, Cubs, Brownies and Girl Guides. These clubs explore so many different activities in a fun and safe environment that even the most uncertain children will enjoy them. The strong feeling of camaraderie which can come with these groups is particularly good for children who might struggle socially.
Some ideas to start with
Here are some ideas for clubs and activities which might not have occurred to you.
· Rowing clubs
· Cricket
· Rugby
· Horse riding
· Ice skating
· Gymnastics
· Dance lessons
· Chess club
· Debating
· Sailing
There are so many wonderful extra-curricular activities available today that there really is something for everyone. The best schools have extra-curricular activities included as part of their general curriculum and students can take part if they choose.
Schools like this private school in Beaconsfield really take extra-curricular activities to the next level with enough choice that students can enjoy a real variety of different activities and sports.
*collaborated post
Monday 10 May 2021
The Importance of Pastoral Care in Schools
Pastoral care is at its heart, the provision of social and emotional care for students. When a school gets it right, the students feel nurtured and safe.
Wrong and the students don’t know who to turn to in a crisis.
How to know if a school has good pastoral care
How can you work out which schools have a great pastoral care system in place?
There are a few indicators.
The presence of happy students is probably the best indicator of all. When you schedule a visit, you may have some student guides and you can ask your guide if they are happy at school and what it is about the school that makes it special.
In schools with good pastoral care, the communication lines are always open. Not only for parents and teachers but also for students with their teachers.
Children need to feel heard in order to feel safe but they also need to know who to approach if they are in trouble or feeling sad.
Clear indicators such as information about class counsellors or representatives should always be on offer.
Speak to other parents
Speak to parents of current pupils if at all possible. They will be vocal if the pastoral care is good and you can learn much from those with experience.
When children feel that they are in a safe place, they are much more likely to open up about any struggles they may be having – socially, emotionally or otherwise.
When parents keep in touch with the staff at school, they can also be part of good pastoral care. For example, informing the staff if your child is having any issues outside of school which they may not be aware of can help the staff to support your child with any problems which might arise as a result of the issues.
This independent school in Surrey places a strong emphasis on pastoral care and its students thrive as a result.
*collaborated post
Saturday 8 May 2021
Mum life // Ups and Downs
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Leading pork pie manufacturers, Pork Farms are one step closer to finding their Board Games Champion with the announcement of their semi-f...
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Ru has taken to potty training like a pro! He's had hardly any accidents and is no longer using nappies during the day. I sta...
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Over the weekend I noticed Ru had a really nasty cough. Which was worse in the evening and morning. I decided to call the doctors first...