Do you find yourself spending more time hustling your children out the front door than you spend enjoying your time together at home? You are not alone. In today’s world, there are so many worthy causes pressing for our time that it becomes very easy to over-commit ourselves with responsibilities and activities. However, when we over schedule ourselves and our children we are not teaching them how to recognize their own limits and prioritize their time.

The Benefits of Scheduling Less

• You will have more time to spend one-on-one time with your children.
• You can spend more time providing your family with a fresh, homemade dinner. You can eat it while sitting down at the table together rather than grabbing a quick sandwich as you load up the car.
• You will have more time to perform better at the responsibilities you choose to keep.
• Downtime. A popular buzz word today, but it is true. We all need time to sit down, relax and enjoy some time doing something that lifts our spirits and rejuvenates our souls.

Think of other benefits unique to your family and write them down so you’ll remember just why you need to say no to one more activity.

Reduce Your Outside Commitments

While it is important to complete the task or responsibility you committed to doing, you can excuse yourself. Any respectable organization will admire and respect your decision to put your family first. Recognize your limitations, decide what you can still do and excuse yourself from the responsibilities that you can not fit into your new schedule. You do not have to explain further than “My family needs more of my time.” You may provide a more in depth explanation if you want, but do not feel obligated to do so. If your schedule later opens up and you want to return, you can do that, too.

Involve Your Children

Involve your children as you learn to schedule less. Talk to them about your reasons for excusing yourself from various activities. Role play with them to help all of you to grow more comfortable with saying no to new responsibilities and activities when they do not fit in your schedules. When your child comes to you with another activity she wants to do, walk her through the steps of determining what will have to go if she takes on a new activity. Also, take a look at what it will require from you to help him keep his commitment.

Send the Right Message

Each time you put your family ahead of outside obligations, you are telling your children that they are very important people in your life. That knowledge will go a long way in helping them to feel confident and secure in your love and create a bond between you that will help you all through the rough times that do come from time to time in parenting. As you help your children to learn how to recognize they abilities & limitations, problem solve, prioritize their time and put family first, you are helping them to become a healthy and successful adults.

Photo credit: ppdigital @ morgueFile

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For many reasons, a parent may feel overwhelmed or exhausted when parenting in general. The same is especially true when the parent is also the full-time teacher. In an ideal world, we would have ample time and energy each day to prepare and implement teach moments, take of the day-to-day parenting, clean the house, get to extra-curricular activities and sports, etc. We would wake each more with a full night’s sleep feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Undoubtedly, this is not the world where you or I live.

The real world is where the neighbor’s dog barks all night, the kids fight through the entire science experiment, a relative or friend drops in unannounced, or the car breaks down on the way to a field trip. Something is bound to go wrong, distract us or simply disable us for the time being.

Just like adults, kids get burned out, too. They have bad days, sleepless nights, worries and frustrations that wear them down. A unit study that was exciting three weeks ago is not even remotely interesting now. Living in close proximity and spending all day, every day together can cause even the closest of siblings to get on each others nerves.

Tips to Recover from Burnout

Often, parents will catch sight of the fact that they or their children are on the road to burnout and take action to avoid it. When that does not happen, here are some tips to help your family to get back on the right path.

• Talk to your support person. If you do not already have someone in your life who supports your homeschooling efforts, you need to find and establish a trusted friend or family member who knows your goals and reasons for homeschooling and understands that you are simply overwhelmed and exhausted.
• Evaluate what you have been doing and determine if a change is necessary. If it is working, keep at it. If not, find a way to modify it or replace it.
• Ask your children what they believe is working and not working. Their answers may inspire you.
• Evaluate your family’s health. Are you drinking enough water? Taking your vitamins? Eating right? Exercising enough?
• Go to bed early for 2-3 nights in a row. That means the kids, too. Everyone go to bed at the same time.
• Take a day off. Declare a pajama day, go to the beach just to enjoy it, read a book together simply because it’s a great book, go for a walk. Whatever you do, do it to relax, not to educate.
• If you truly must get your school work accomplished, do it somewhere new. Try the library, park, airport, beach, your lawn, a friend’s house, anywhere.

Self-Evaluation

Once life is relatively stable again, evaluate how you got so far into burnout mode. Have you been using the tips for avoiding burnout? Has there been a stressful life event? Have you been taking enough holidays or field trips to break up the day-to-day routine? Are you trying to cram too much into your schedule? Or a lesson plan? Whatever it is that contributed to your feeling so overburdened, you need to find a way to resolve it or you’ll be right back where you started.

Rough times are inevitable. It’s a part of life and it affects our homeschooling efforts. Remember to slow down once in a while and enjoy the journey.

Photo credit: kakisky @ morgueFile

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Before planning any classroom activity, remember to discuss your plans with your child’s teacher and educate yourself about school policies regarding classroom events. Once you have done so, here are some tips for party success.

Attention Grabber

Plan something quick and interesting at the age and developmental level of the students in the class. This can be a story, a song, telling jokes, asking questions, etc. The point is to engage the students and get their attention.

Craft

Unless you will have one adult for every 2-3 children, plan a craft where the students can complete at least 90% of the project independently. Keep in mind that very young children (i.e. preschool, kindergarten) are not likely to cut independently and are still learning how to glue.

Some of my favorite craft websites:

• Crafts for Kids @ BellaOnline
• Kinder Art
• Arts & Crafts @ Family Fun
• Enchanted Learning (fee based)

Game or Activity

Have a game or activity planned to overlap the latter part of the craft for the students to play as they finish up their projects. Keep the the game going until most or all have completed the craft and are ready to move on to the next activity.

Treat

Depending on how much time you have planned for the party, you can either provide a ready-made treat or you can plan for a treat the students can make themselves. Again, remember to keep in mind the developmental level of the students when planning a make-your-own treat activity. Easy clean up is a plus, too.

Wrap Up

Briefly draw a close to the fun. What you choose to do depends on the reason for your party and the activities you chose. You might have each student show off his/her craft, sing a song, reiterate the point(s) you wanted to make, etc.

Helpful Tips

As you plan the party schedule, remember to add in set-up and clean-up times. Try to have as many parents as possible arrive early and stay after. Perhaps have half come early for set up, and half arrive on time and plan to remain after for clean up

The age of the students, the size of the class, and the level of difficulty in the activities all determine the number of adults needed for the party. Generally, a class of 25 children will need at least 3-4 adults in attendance. If this is not possible, go with the number of volunteers you have and plan accordingly.

Photo Credit: Guillermo Ossa

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Planning a party for your child’s classroom requires some time, preparation, and delegating to other parents. Here are some steps to get you one your way to a successful party.

Gather Contact Information

It is essential that you plan ahead for this step so as to give the families enough time to return the information your request. My children’s school does not allow the office or teachers to hand out contact information–understandably for privacy and safety–so we need to contact the parents through a letter sent home through the students. Here is a sample letter you can copy and paste into your favorite word processor and customize according to your needs:

[date here]

Dear Families:

My name is [your name here]. I am the [your classroom role here, i.e. room parent] for [teacher's name here] classroom and mom to [child(ren)'s name(s) here]. I would like to compile a list of parent/guardian’s names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses so I can get in contact with you when school and classroom events are happening. These numbers and addresses will not be shared with anyone but [list people who will receive information, i.e. classroom parents and/or your school's volunteer coordinators].

Please send this back to school with your child or call [your home and/or cell number here] or e-mail me at [your e-mail address here] with the following information:

Child’s Name:

Your Name:

Relationship to Child:

Phone Number(s):

E-mail:

The best way to contact you:

We are having [classroom event/activity here] on [date here] at [time here]. Are you able to help with this activity?

_____ Yes

_____ No

May I contact you for school events in addition to classroom activities?

_____ Yes

_____ No

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

[your written signature here]

[your typed name here]

Notify the Teacher

If you have not done so already, let the teacher know you want to plan an activity, event or party. Be aware that some schools have policies regarding parties so ask him for that information. Request feedback from the teacher as to her ideas and preferences for the event then respect them. Find out how much time she has planned for your activity. When you know what activities you want to do with the students, share your ideas and plans with the teacher.

Children with Special Needs/Diets

Be aware of and sensitive toward children who may have special needs and those children who may simply be developing behind than her peers. If food will be involved in the activity, obtain a list of foods to avoid in your child’s classroom.

Delegate

Plan ahead so you can delegate to the parents who volunteer to help. Give parents ample time to prepare then call 2-3 days before the event to follow up on their progress. If they are unable to fulfill their commitment, you then have a day or two to find back up. Ask the parents arrive at least 20 minutes early for the event. This is will allow a buffer for late arrivals and give you time to run over the agenda and instructions.

Plan Time for Clean Up

Remember that any activity that involves a craft and/or food will require clean up after the party ends. Plan that into your schedule.

Send a Thank You Note

Within a week of the party, sent out thank you notes to all the parents who volunteered in any way. Even if you are an assigned room parent and organizing events and activities is part of your role, a thank you note to the teacher is also a very kind gesture.

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Preschoolers with autism experience the world in a different way than other students. They need different kinds of attention and learn differently than other preschoolers. Preschoolers with autism may fall anywhere on the autistic spectrum and can vary in symptoms and severity. Symptoms may begin at birth or may not be seen until 18 months of age or later. Parents are usually the first to notice symptoms but teachers may see signs that indicate further testing is required.

Causes of Autism

The cause of autism is unknown but it is suspected that genetics play a large role. Families with one autistic child are more likely to have another that falls on the autistic spectrum.  An infection within the first three months of pregnancy, such as rubella, may place a child at higher risk for developing autism.  There is also evidence that a traumatic event may trigger autism. It is known that autism affects more boys than girls. Many parents suspect that a reaction to childhood vaccinations is the reason for their child developing autism, however studies have not been able to prove any correlation between the two.

Signs of Autism in Preschoolers

The symptoms of autism are generally seen before the age of 3, but milder cases of autism may not be discovered until later. With early intervention, many preschoolers with autism are able to be integrated into a regular classroom by the time they are in kindergarten. The earlier that autism is diagnosed, the easier it is to modify or reverse the symptoms of autism.

Early autism warning signs generally include problems interacting with other preschoolers and adults. Verbal and nonverbal communication is very difficult for a preschooler with autism. They may refuse eye contact, speak later than other children or talk in the third person. Studies have shown that autistic preschoolers do not understand the correlation between facial expressions and emotion. A face that looks sad does not register any differently in their brain than a face that looks happy. This may partially explain why they struggle to feel empathy for other people.

Many preschoolers with autism are very sensitive to sensory stimulation such as touch or sound. Situations that involve other children can be overwhelming for autistic preschoolers. A very structured and predictable environment will be most conducive to learning.

Any variation in the routine can cause an autistic preschooler extreme stress. Autistic preschoolers may show repetitive behavior such as rocking or head banging. Many preschoolers with autism seem to have a reduced sensitivity to pain and do not appear to feel damage that they inflict to themselves.

Autism in the Preschool Classroom

Preschool classrooms that serve autistic preschoolers should have a small student-teacher ratio. Autistic preschoolers require more individualized attention and will learn best working one-on-one with a teacher who is trained to work with autistic preschoolers. Curriculum should focus on understanding and using language skills. Social interactions should be encouraged as much as possible in a non-threatening way. Preschoolers with autism may have problems with imaginative activity. Educational activities should be concrete in nature and geared towards the preschoolers individual needs.

Becky, a mother of two children who fall on the autistic spectrum says “My boys both went to a developmental preschool. It is funded by the state just like a regular school is. You get services through the school district like OT(occupational therapy) and SLP (speech). It is only for a couple of hours a day for four days and the 5th day is usually where the teacher plans for the week or has meetings. I like it because they get services and they work with the kids with whatever is on their IEP and they are with other kids that have a variety of disabilities.”

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

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Parents of preschool children often worry about what the right preschool choice is for their child. Some preschool programs accept preschoolers as young as 2 ½ while others require that your preschooler be at least 4 years old and potty trained. There are home based preschool programs, center based preschool programs, home school preschool options, and preschool programs through university or high school teaching programs. What is the best choice to make for your preschooler?

Best Age to Start Formal Preschool Education

Center based preschool programs are the most common. These preschool programs sometimes offer extended day preschool for working parents and other services that may fit your daily schedule. Center based preschool programs are a good choice for an active and outgoing preschooler. Preschoolers who have had previous experience being away from their parents or caregiver will do well here. The environment is usually highly structured and very engaging for preschoolers with short attention spans. Some Universities and High Schools offer preschool education programs as part of their own child development programs. These vary in quality and you will want to do some research before picking one. If a University has an excellent child development program chances are their preschool education program is quite good and may be cheaper than other options.

Home based preschool programs are harder to find because they may not advertise as much as some of the center based programs. You can determine which home based preschool programs offer high quality educational programs by talking to other parents of preschoolers in your area. They can share their personal experiences and opinions of the preschool program. Home based preschool programs are able to offer much more individual attention because of their flexible routines and smaller class sizes. Many home based preschool teachers have degrees in child development and experience teaching preschool in various settings. Home based preschool programs are an excellent choice for preschoolers who are hesitant about being away from their parents and may not have had previous experience being on their own.

Home schooling is a realistic option for many parents of preschoolers. Parents of preschoolers may feel more comfortable teaching their preschooler at home than placing them in an outside preschool education program. Parents who may not be comfortable homeschooling their child as they move into elementary school and beyond may feel differently about homeschooling a preschooler. There are many resources online and at your local teacher store to help you develop your own curriculum. Some places can send you completely developed curriculum at a reasonable price. Homeschooling may work best for you if you cannot afford a formal education program or if you simply do not have the time to take your preschooler to a weekly preschool program. Homeschool preschool is a wonderful way to spend some quality time with your preschooler. Since a quality preschool education program incorporates a lot of play into it, you and your preschooler will enjoy the time that you have together.

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For preschoolers who are used to having a structured schedule, summer time can be a bit confusing. Older siblings are out of school, preschool is out for the summer, and mom and dad’s routine may change as well. Many parents worry that the relaxed atmosphere of summer will set their preschooler back educationally. The wonderful thing about parenting a preschooler is that if provided with the right environment and materials, preschoolers are always looking for ways to learn.

Providing an enriching environment for your preschooler is easier than you may think. Simple play activities can teach your preschooler so many wonderful things that will continue to prepare them for preschool and kindergarten. These simple preschool activities will keep your preschoolers mind active and help them to continue to learn and develop the way that they need to.

Preschool Arts and Crafts

Preschool Music and Movement

Preschool Pretend Play

Providing your preschooler with a rich learning environment does not have to be complicated or expensive. All preschoolers need to succeed and have fun is a caring parent and a little bit of imagination.

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Many preschoolers struggle with separation anxiety when they are dropped off at preschool. Preschool is often one of the first experiences that preschoolers have away from their parents or primary caregiver. Some preschoolers will scream or cry when they are dropped off at preschool. This could go on for weeks without any improvement. It does not mean that your preschooler is not enjoying preschool, although it is something to watch if it does not improve over time. It is very common for your preschooler to experience some separation anxiety when you leave.

Be Confident

If your preschooler is nervous about being left at preschool, it is important for you to show that you are confident that you are leaving them in a safe place. If you are nervous about leaving your preschooler they will sense it and your anxiety will heighten their fear. If you need to, give yourself a few minutes to regroup before leaving the house. Cry about your baby growing up, stress about leaving them somewhere else, do whatever it is you need to do, but do not do it in front of your preschooler.

Smile and greet your preschooler’s new teacher with confidence and show your preschooler that you trust that they will be cared for and protected while you are gone. When you hug your preschooler goodbye make sure that you are not locking them in a death grip. Give them a gentle hug and a smile.

Be Consistent

Be Prepared for Relapses

Separation anxiety is not limited to the beginning of the school year. Any change in a preschoolers life such as a new sibling, a move, or stress at home, can trigger a new string of difficult preschool drop offs. Relapses are not likely to last as long as they did at first but they can be frustration when you have already been through it. Follow the same technique that you did the first time and eventually your preschooler will regain their confidence.

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Many preschoolers are nervous about the prospect of attending an early childhood program away from their normal caregiver. Even if your preschoolers has been in daycare or has experience in other social settings, they may be anxious about the idea of going to preschool in a new setting.

A little preparation and encouragement before preschool starts can alleviate a lot of the first day jitters.

Meet the Preschool Teacher

Many preschool teachers hold an open house before the start of the normal preschool program. This is an excellent way for your preschooler to become familiar with the preschool environment and get to know their new preschool teacher. If your preschool teacher does not offer this, call and ask if you can stop by for a short visit with your preschooler a few weeks before preschool starts. Visiting the preschool can help your preschooler start to feel excited and calm many of their fears of the unknown.

Make a Pretend Preschool at Home

Pretend play is a wonderful way for preschoolers to get used to new ideas and deal with the stress they may be feeling about starting preschool. Set up a small craft area at a desk in your home and let your preschooler pretend to be the preschool teacher. Explain to your preschooler the types of things that they may do at preschool such as circle time, arts and crafts, math and science activities, and story time. Help your preschooler to gather together dolls or stuffed animals to use as preschool students and practice singing songs with them.Reverse the rolls and let your preschooler go to school while you pretend to be the preschool teacher. Do a short circle time with your preschooler and a fun preschool activity.

Enforce Rules at Home

Preschoolers that are not used to having rules at home often struggle when they are suddenly required to follow classroom rules at preschool. If your preschooler is not used to having rules explain to them that they will have a few simple rules that they will have to follow at preschool. Prepare your preschooler for this experience by making a few home rules and listing them on a piece of paper. Make them simple and easy to remember. The rules at preschool are likely to be common sense rules and easy for preschoolers to understand. Use positive language such as “We are nice to each other” as opposed to “Don’t be mean.”

Read The Kissing Hand

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a wonderful book to prepare your preschooler to go to preschool. The Kissing Hand is a story about little Chester Raccoon being afraid to go to school. His mother tells him all the wonderful things he will learn at school and helps him to realize how much fun he is going to have. Chester’s mother gives him a beautiful gift before he starts school so that he will always remember that he has someone who loves him and will be with him even when he is away at school. This classic tale helps preschoolers to recognize that they can take their parent’s love with them and that when preschool is over for the day they will be picked up by someone who loves them.

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Preschoolers are an unpredictable bunch. You never quite know what they are going to throw at you. Chances are, if you have a child attending a preschool program, at some point you are going to face a difficult drop off. Even preschoolers who typically enjoy going to preschool and who are generally confident in social situations can occasionally go through a phase where they struggle at preschool drop offs.

Consider the Cause

Preschoolers often exhibit unusual behavior during times when they are stressed or experiencing a lot of change in their lives. If your preschooler suddenly becomes upset at preschool drop offs try and determine whether an outside event in their life is causing them stress that could be to blame for their anxiety. The cause could be as complex as a parent’s divorce or a new baby in the family or as simple as needing additional sleep due to a growth spurt. Try talking to your preschooler to determine what he feels is most stressful in his life at the time. Preschoolers can be very insightful if given the chance to voice their feelings.

If the cause of your preschooler’s anxiety is not obvious, try talking to your child’s preschool teacher to determine if there has been a change in the classroom dynamics. Preschool teachers often see a different side to your preschooler than you see at home and maybe be able to fill you in on any problems that may have come up while your preschooler is at school.

Be Consistent at Drop Off Time

Most of the time, phases of difficult drop offs are not caused by your preschooler being unhappy at preschool. Chances are it is just a phase that your preschooler is going through and will likely pass with time. If problems at drop off go on for a long period of time you may want to consider whether or not your preschooler is happy in their current preschool program, the majority of difficult drop offs do not indicate a problem at preschool.

As a parent, it is important to show your preschooler that you trust that they will be safe and happy while they are at preschool. Beconfident when dropping your preschooler off at school. Give your preschooler a quick hug and kiss and be clear about when they can expect you to come back and get them. Since preschoolers do not have a firm grasp of the passage of time, it is helpful to tell your preschooler “After you have snack, and do a craft project I will come back to get you”. It is tempting to stay with your preschooler until they are completely comfortable staying at preschool on their own but that will only encourage your preschooler to act up at future drop offs in order to get you to stay.

Be an Observant Parent

As a parent, you know your preschooler best. You can determine whether you feel your preschooler is genuinely upset or trying to
manipulate your emotions to get what they want. Everyone has a bad day sometimes and your preschooler is no different. If your preschooler is usually calm at drop off time it will stand out more if they become upset. Encourage your preschooler to verbalize their needs. He may tell you that he is tired that day or needs to spend some time with you. Sometimes your preschooler may simply want to tell you what they are feeling and then they will happily go to preschool. Other times your preschooler may need a day off to deal with whatever stresses are bothering them.

Be careful about letting your preschooler miss too many days of school in a row. Preschoolers are creatures of habit and they may become anxious about returning to preschool after being away for too long. Holidays or illnesses that last several days can be enough to disrupt your preschoolers schedule and make them anxious when returning to preschool.

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