Dearest Families,
We wish you a beautiful and restful Midterm Holiday! The K2 pod has been humming and bustling with activity and learning since the start of the year, and we know our students and their teachers are looking forward to some quality family time and rest time. This is a perfect opportunity to support your child with their passions at home, whether that be art, sports, music, engineering, or any of the strong passions young kids have.
Here are a few tips for managing your relationship with your kids to ensure everyone’s best emotional well being during longer breaks (and always): taken from an article I wrote for Sassy Mama Singapore, May 2020.
1. Work on Family Harmony:
– Set aside at least 15 minutes each day with EACH child. Try to make it the same time every day so your child can look forward to it! What a great way to build a connection and for you to learn about each other. Take their lead, they will love it.
– Try to keep your interactions as positive as possible. Be specific about the behavior you want to see. Young children need clear expectations. An example would be, “Please pick up your blocks and put them in this basket” as opposed to “Clean up your toys.” Then, celebrate the behavior (not your child). This might sound like, “Wow, you worked so hard cleaning up your blocks,” as opposed to, “Good job, such a good boy!”
– Allow each family member to take turns and choose a special whole family activity to do together daily.
– Set aside at least 15 minutes each day with EACH child. Try to make it the same time every day so your child can look forward to it! What a great way to build a connection and for you to learn about each other. Take their lead, they will love it.
– Try to keep your interactions as positive as possible. Be specific about the behavior you want to see. Young children need clear expectations. An example would be, “Please pick up your blocks and put them in this basket” as opposed to “Clean up your toys.” Then, celebrate the behavior (not your child). This might sound like, “Wow, you worked so hard cleaning up your blocks,” as opposed to, “Good job, such a good boy!”
– Allow each family member to take turns and choose a special whole family activity to do together daily.
2. Structure up:
– Schedule a flexible but consistent daily routine for everybody in your family. Post it visually so your little ones can see it and know what to expect. This helps them feel less uncertain, more secure, and increases harmonious behavior.
– Make sure that you schedule movement and exercise every day. Any chance possible outdoor play is the way to go and there are plenty of wonderful kids PE and yoga activities on YouTube that engage all of our sensory systems!
3. Take care of yourself:
– This is a stressful time for everybody and a parent’s two most important jobs are connecting with their child and taking care of themselves (so they can extend that care!).
– Make a list of healthy activities you like to do (write them down as a reminder), and make time for yourself every day. You deserve it!
– Share the load; make sure you schedule time on and off with your child(ren) with another adult in the house.
– Remember you are your child’s absolute favorite person in the whole entire world…you are exactly what they need and you have what it takes!
– Schedule a flexible but consistent daily routine for everybody in your family. Post it visually so your little ones can see it and know what to expect. This helps them feel less uncertain, more secure, and increases harmonious behavior.
– Make sure that you schedule movement and exercise every day. Any chance possible outdoor play is the way to go and there are plenty of wonderful kids PE and yoga activities on YouTube that engage all of our sensory systems!
3. Take care of yourself:
– This is a stressful time for everybody and a parent’s two most important jobs are connecting with their child and taking care of themselves (so they can extend that care!).
– Make a list of healthy activities you like to do (write them down as a reminder), and make time for yourself every day. You deserve it!
– Share the load; make sure you schedule time on and off with your child(ren) with another adult in the house.
– Remember you are your child’s absolute favorite person in the whole entire world…you are exactly what they need and you have what it takes!
Wishing you a wonderful mid term break,
K2 Team
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