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Sunday 17 July 2011
Friday 15 July 2011
Nursery to Reception!!
So some of you mums and dads out there will be experiencing your child or children making the transition from nursery to reception!
This will be a big change for you and your child, they will no longer be doing half days or wearing their own clothes, it is now time to get the school uniform! I couldn’t believe how expensive the uniform was, however some schools do have sales were parents swap and buy uniforms, this is a much cheaper way then buying from the school. Another way of getting the uniform is by shopping in supermarkets and getting the jumpers in the school colours, you will have to check with you school first to make sure this is okay as some schools do not allow it.
The first day I took Jack to reception I was terrified for him however Jack was the total opposite he was so excited he forgot to give me a kiss goodbye, the day went so slow but when I got him home at 3pm he was telling me all about his wonderful day which made me so much more relaxed about him starting school.
Reception is the half way point between nursery and year one, they will have the learning via play that they had in nursery and they will also be slowly introduced in to the ways of year one like structured learning. There are some targets a child should be expected to achieve by the time they leave reception class, this will provide a firm foundation for National Curriculum work in year one. Most schools give out book bags and one or two books a week for your child to learn at home, they say to try and read one book at least with your child a day. The government and schools believe that children learn best from practical experiences, and all areas of the curriculum are delivered in this way as much as possible, the curriculum for reception include, language and literacy, mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. People have asked me what can I do to help my child be ready for reception, and I tell them that you can help them by encouraging their personal development by letting them dress themselves and to tidy up books and toys after using them. Talking with your child and encouraging them to chat back to you and others can help them with their social and emotional development, encouraging them to also play co-operatively with other children will also help to. I found that if you take weekly trips to the library and get your child to choose a book to read, it would encourage them to want to read the book, along with this you are teaching them to use a library and the way you can borrow books.
My husband was brilliant at teaching Jack mathematics, when we used to get on the bus or buy things in shops he would get jack to count out the money, along with this we would do adding and subtracting games on the bus with the money and other objects. We also found a great game to play in the bath were we would pour water in to jugs and talk about the quantities of water that were in the jug.
In the reception class the children are encouraged to have a positive attitude about learning and to believe that learning is fun, once your child has started school your input and evolvement is still key in your child’s learning and development. Make sure you have a good relationship with the teachers and if you have any concerns don’t be worried to ask, this is your child’s education and that’s what matters. In order for your child to get the best education I believe that schools and parents need to work together to promote the right approach to learning, to do this we need to encourage high self esteem, confidence, fun and enjoyment, the “can do” and “have a go” approach, a positive attitude and high expectations.
When it comes to writing it is all to do with hand-eye-co-ordination and fine motor skills, there are many ways to develop this for example by tracing letters and following the dots to making letters and words. As their confidence rises and their interest develops they will go from letters to words, there are a few ways to encourage your child at home to learn how to write. You can do this by writing while they play, writing with them, show examples of writing and get them to copy, you should always use lower case letters as you would normally.
At the end of the year you will receive an end of year report and this will show your child’s progress which has been continually monitored throughout the year, after you have received the report there are chances to speak to the teachers about any worries you may have to discuss.
I hope this has been some help to mums and dads out there, and if you have any more questions please comment in the comment box below. If you do enjoy what I write then please press on the follow button on the left side of my blog and all you need to do is sign in using your email address and you will be prompted of any new blogs.
Thank you for reading and have a lovely evening.
This will be a big change for you and your child, they will no longer be doing half days or wearing their own clothes, it is now time to get the school uniform! I couldn’t believe how expensive the uniform was, however some schools do have sales were parents swap and buy uniforms, this is a much cheaper way then buying from the school. Another way of getting the uniform is by shopping in supermarkets and getting the jumpers in the school colours, you will have to check with you school first to make sure this is okay as some schools do not allow it.
The first day I took Jack to reception I was terrified for him however Jack was the total opposite he was so excited he forgot to give me a kiss goodbye, the day went so slow but when I got him home at 3pm he was telling me all about his wonderful day which made me so much more relaxed about him starting school.
Reception is the half way point between nursery and year one, they will have the learning via play that they had in nursery and they will also be slowly introduced in to the ways of year one like structured learning. There are some targets a child should be expected to achieve by the time they leave reception class, this will provide a firm foundation for National Curriculum work in year one. Most schools give out book bags and one or two books a week for your child to learn at home, they say to try and read one book at least with your child a day. The government and schools believe that children learn best from practical experiences, and all areas of the curriculum are delivered in this way as much as possible, the curriculum for reception include, language and literacy, mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. People have asked me what can I do to help my child be ready for reception, and I tell them that you can help them by encouraging their personal development by letting them dress themselves and to tidy up books and toys after using them. Talking with your child and encouraging them to chat back to you and others can help them with their social and emotional development, encouraging them to also play co-operatively with other children will also help to. I found that if you take weekly trips to the library and get your child to choose a book to read, it would encourage them to want to read the book, along with this you are teaching them to use a library and the way you can borrow books.
My husband was brilliant at teaching Jack mathematics, when we used to get on the bus or buy things in shops he would get jack to count out the money, along with this we would do adding and subtracting games on the bus with the money and other objects. We also found a great game to play in the bath were we would pour water in to jugs and talk about the quantities of water that were in the jug.
In the reception class the children are encouraged to have a positive attitude about learning and to believe that learning is fun, once your child has started school your input and evolvement is still key in your child’s learning and development. Make sure you have a good relationship with the teachers and if you have any concerns don’t be worried to ask, this is your child’s education and that’s what matters. In order for your child to get the best education I believe that schools and parents need to work together to promote the right approach to learning, to do this we need to encourage high self esteem, confidence, fun and enjoyment, the “can do” and “have a go” approach, a positive attitude and high expectations.
When it comes to writing it is all to do with hand-eye-co-ordination and fine motor skills, there are many ways to develop this for example by tracing letters and following the dots to making letters and words. As their confidence rises and their interest develops they will go from letters to words, there are a few ways to encourage your child at home to learn how to write. You can do this by writing while they play, writing with them, show examples of writing and get them to copy, you should always use lower case letters as you would normally.
At the end of the year you will receive an end of year report and this will show your child’s progress which has been continually monitored throughout the year, after you have received the report there are chances to speak to the teachers about any worries you may have to discuss.
I hope this has been some help to mums and dads out there, and if you have any more questions please comment in the comment box below. If you do enjoy what I write then please press on the follow button on the left side of my blog and all you need to do is sign in using your email address and you will be prompted of any new blogs.
Thank you for reading and have a lovely evening.
Monday 11 July 2011
Terrible Twos!
Toddlers get too much bad press on terrible twos and threes, however most of the time they are kind and brilliant children. Toddlers are full of love and laughter, however their difficult moments like tantrums while out shopping, in the supermarket and eating out.
I was blessed with my first child as he experienced no terrible twos and was a very laid back child however my second child like most other children is experiencing these challenging times, so these are my tips to tantrums.
If you keep positive and concentrate on the good times and the fun side of your child's life, you will help lift yours and your child's spirits, happy adults make even happier children. Enjoy activities with them whenever you can like at the playground in the garden or even just watching a little bit of television together.
Tantrums are set off by things like frustration, hunger, tiredness, being refused somethings, wanting attention or even being told "no". Or it could be that your child's emotions have boiled over, an over whelming feeling of frustration and anger that they cannot control. If your child is not yet able to speak their emotions like my middle son, you will usually get tantrums when he cannot tell you what he wants or needs and this annoys him, so much he lashes out and you long for the day he can talk and tell you.
There are ways to avoid and deal with tantrums, to start you need to set a good example when ever a tantrum arises you need to be calm, If the child sees and feels you loosing control it will be harder for them to control their own feelings. Give lots of praise and look for the warning signs of a tantrum this way you will be able to divert their attention elsewhere, some tantrums you may just need to walk away and let the child cool down however if the tantrum is in full flow this probably would not work. (Experts say not to use the time out step or naughty step on children under the age of 18 months)
Once a tantrum has blown over don't go on about it, cuddle and make up!
Supermarket tips to avoiding tantrums, keep the trip as short as possible be organised and have a list of what you need and if you can have everything in order for example fruit and veg, frozen, fresh, ect, ect. Take a distraction like a toy or a book, snacks and a drink are handy too. Always let your child help give them the tea bags to put in the trolley, if they are older and walking along side you ask them to go and get the cereal for you, however never let them out of your sight. If a tantrum does arise stay calm and come down to their level, tell them that this behavior is not good and if this does not stop them leave the shop and sit them down on a quiet bench until they have calmed down. Taking them to a quiet place were they cannot be distracted can help them a lot, this also helps in restaurants too. If you are worried about this happening half way through a shop, don't as a security guard or staff member at the front of the store are usually very understanding and will keep hold of your shopping while you are outside calming your child down.
Other than this enjoy these times as they will be over before you know it, and then you will have the Teens to deal with!
Happy Evening to you all. x
I was blessed with my first child as he experienced no terrible twos and was a very laid back child however my second child like most other children is experiencing these challenging times, so these are my tips to tantrums.
If you keep positive and concentrate on the good times and the fun side of your child's life, you will help lift yours and your child's spirits, happy adults make even happier children. Enjoy activities with them whenever you can like at the playground in the garden or even just watching a little bit of television together.
Tantrums are set off by things like frustration, hunger, tiredness, being refused somethings, wanting attention or even being told "no". Or it could be that your child's emotions have boiled over, an over whelming feeling of frustration and anger that they cannot control. If your child is not yet able to speak their emotions like my middle son, you will usually get tantrums when he cannot tell you what he wants or needs and this annoys him, so much he lashes out and you long for the day he can talk and tell you.
There are ways to avoid and deal with tantrums, to start you need to set a good example when ever a tantrum arises you need to be calm, If the child sees and feels you loosing control it will be harder for them to control their own feelings. Give lots of praise and look for the warning signs of a tantrum this way you will be able to divert their attention elsewhere, some tantrums you may just need to walk away and let the child cool down however if the tantrum is in full flow this probably would not work. (Experts say not to use the time out step or naughty step on children under the age of 18 months)
Once a tantrum has blown over don't go on about it, cuddle and make up!
Supermarket tips to avoiding tantrums, keep the trip as short as possible be organised and have a list of what you need and if you can have everything in order for example fruit and veg, frozen, fresh, ect, ect. Take a distraction like a toy or a book, snacks and a drink are handy too. Always let your child help give them the tea bags to put in the trolley, if they are older and walking along side you ask them to go and get the cereal for you, however never let them out of your sight. If a tantrum does arise stay calm and come down to their level, tell them that this behavior is not good and if this does not stop them leave the shop and sit them down on a quiet bench until they have calmed down. Taking them to a quiet place were they cannot be distracted can help them a lot, this also helps in restaurants too. If you are worried about this happening half way through a shop, don't as a security guard or staff member at the front of the store are usually very understanding and will keep hold of your shopping while you are outside calming your child down.
Other than this enjoy these times as they will be over before you know it, and then you will have the Teens to deal with!
Happy Evening to you all. x
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