First Week of School

Guest Blogger 

By Kenna McHugh

For the past week or so, I have been doing everything in my power to have a smooth transition from ending summer vacation as my kids start the new school year. All of it is challenging, but getting through this first week feels like an enormous achievement, and I give myself a jumping high-five.

We’ve made it through those endless shopping trips to purchase school supplies, “What we have to go to back to Target, again!”

Learn more about The Moms Code and visit us on Facebook 

Let’s face it, the first week of school is stressful for both me and my kids. There are totally different schedules and schools to keep track of. There’s paperwork, permission ships, and syllabuses to read and sign. I am one of those parents who actually reads everything before I sign it. “What does this mean…’the Science teacher may request your child to remove his or her contact lens’?”  “I don’t know. I am not removing my contacts for anybody,” answers my sixteen-year-old daughter.  “Why do I read this stuff?” I ask myself.

So, the ritual begins where I need to make sound judgments and not rash decisions about what the teachers and the schools are or are not doing. Clearly, my daughter doesn’t want me to be a Mama Drama. She jumps to her feet, “Oh please, no emails. Don’t worry about it mom. I am sure it is just a safety precaution.”

“Mom is sending emails already?” asks my son.

“No, I am not sending any emails, yet. I am just trying to understand these syllabuses. They get more and more complicated each year.”

Proud parents just like you appreciate multi-cultural education for your children.  The Moms Code author Eileen Wacker has also written a children's book series.

Now, my son is bringing home syllabuses from his P.E. and Art teachers. He is only in fifth grade. I have so many things to keep track of like donations for art supplies and volunteer hours at P.E. testing. Not to mention each school has different holidays and bell schedules. Then, there is the idea that other moms somewhere and somehow are managing all this quite well.

So this year I am taking a different approach. I am throwing in the towel. I am stepping back a bit and trusting the schools, teachers, and my kids more, and so far, it is working.

Just a week, but this time I will do my best not to make waves or butt heads with their guidelines and teaching methods.  Still, I will keep my ear to those classes I have concerns about, like the English teacher who spews psycho-mumbo-jumbo as a learning method and has a neurotic daughter, who is 18 and is still a sophomore in high school.

I am not emailing. I am letting my daughter deal with it. “Don’t send an email mom. I want to stay on good terms with her, so if I ever need it, she’ll bump up my grade.”

I need to stop harping on myself and being overly concerned about my children’s education. They are both bright, well-mannered kids with high GPAs.  I need to concentrate on the good work they are doing because the results are two very awesome kids who are learning to be more independent each year as they grow into responsible adults.

Moms, Let's Choose People Over Sweaters

Written by Eileen Wacker

As all our kids go back to their fall routines, a mom’s life gets complicated. My routine is a combination of my four children’s calendars loaded on my shoulders. The final result is always a modernist work of art. In other words- messy, confusing to those who view it, and something other moms know is a thing of beauty. I’ve chased down the right club teams for my kids, the right voice and piano teachers, a tutor to get ready for standardized tests, and more. I’m fighting the good fight about electronic usage and dress code with my kids. In short, I’m riding a wave of peak chaos that unfolds with every school year.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

This is why I’m vulnerable right now. I’ve done all I can to get a good schedule in place for my kids, and, for better or worse, it’s done. Now my challenge is to get the kids to own it and stay on it.

Other moms could help me out by observing a few ground rules that are in line with the mom’s code (a bro code for moms).

#1) People over sweaters and shopping bags. At the school events, if we could hold ‘saving seats’ to a minimum, things would go a lot more smoothly. Why can’t I sit in the seat? I don’t think there are any sweater rights groups that would protest this bold new move. And please don’t bring tripods to every event to tape your child.

#2) If you put it out there, you have to share. When my kids were little and had play dates, I would tell them, “If there are a few special things you don’t want anyone else to play with, we can leave them in the closet. Everything else gets shared.” Moms, please don’t brag excessively about your super awesome, wonderful, and up-until-now secret schedule. I can’t change mine and I was perfectly happy with it until you told me about the fabulous tutors/coaches/etc. you found BUT they don’t want you to give out their information. Of course they don’t want to expand their business base! Come on moms! If you talk about it, you should share.

Learn more about The Moms Code.  Like The Moms Code on Facebook  Follow The Moms Code on Twitter.  Find on Instagram.

#3) No measuring please. It would really helpful if the classrooms on back-to-school night did not contain reading stars and leveled multiplication charts hung on every wall. Then the inevitable question, “My daughter Emily went to an accelerated math camp this summer and she really needs to be working above grade level. I’m sure other kids are in this same situation.” Not mine. I wish we could stick with art on the walls. I can handle it if my child is not the best artist. I can even crack a joke. But with academics, my eyes drift over and I look at where my child is stacking up. It’s like a parent report!

I love when my kids are back in school but let’s try to keep the competition reasonable. I promise to do my best.

Teacher Asks Her 1st Graders to Complete Well-Known Proverbs and the Results Are Hysterical and Surprisingly Insightful

Often children can be full of surprises when it comes to how witty and insightful they are. And when a first grade teacher asks her 26 students to make a list of well-known proverbs, their insightful nature really shows! She presented her class with a list of incomplete, well-known proverbs and asks them to finish the second half on their own- and the results are awesome, hilarious, and surprisingly insightful! As you read these, keep in mind that they were written by 6 and 7 year olds!

1. Strike while the: bug is close

2. It’s always darkest before: Daylight Savings Time

3. Never underestimate the power of: Termites

4. You can lead a horse to water but: How?

5. Don’t bite the hand that: Looks dirty

6. No news is: Impossible.

7. A miss is as good as a: Mr.

8. You can’t teach an old dog new: Math

9. If you lie down with dogs you’ll: Stink in the morning

10. Love all, trust: Me.

11. The pen is mightier than the: Pigs

12. An idle mind is: The best way to relax.

13. Where there is smoke there’s: Pollution

14. Happy the bride who: Gets all the presents

15. Two’s company, three’s: The Musketeers

16. Don’t put off till tomorrow what: You put on to go to bed

17. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry: And you’ll have to blow your nose.

18. There are none so blind as: Stevie Wonder

19. Children should be seen and not: Spanked and grounded

20. At first if you don’t succeed: Get new batteries

21. You get out of something only what you: See in the picture on the box

22. When the blind lead the blind: Get out of the way

23. A bird in the hand: Is going to poop on you

24. Better late than: Pregnant

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Encouraging Your Child to Develop Thinking Skills

An advanced, critical thinker is willing to challenge others ideas as well as their own. As parents, we often mistake childhood as a time to follow orders, directions or guidance but the key to thinking, intelligence and educational success for your child may be in questioning what they know, what you know and what they read. You should encourage your child to challenge knowledge and entertain the possibility of being wrong. They need to be comfortable scrutinizing their own thoughts. The search for the truth (the positive side of challenging) is one that can be developed at a young age. The best way to encourage challenges to thinking is by reading to your child and asking them to make predictions about the text. As you read more of the story have your child correct their predictions. This is a gentle way of getting your child to recognize the mistakes in their thinking. It also encourages them to correct their mistakes. Reading helps children challenge what they know. You should also encourage questions as you read to your child. This activates their critical thinking skills. Challenging doesn’t have to be adversarial. It can be understated, cerebral and rewarding for your child and for you.

Great Tips to help a Child Learn to Read

Teaching a child to read and write is not an easy feat. A great way to facilitate fluency is to get kids reading. Here are some tips for teachers and parents to encourage reading.

Tips for Teachers and Parents:

One way to get kids reading is to talk to them. Frequent communication with kids gets them hooked on words. Talking to kids guarantees great language skills.

Read to children. Make sure that you carve out a time each day to read to your kids. Being read to is a pleasure and it will ensure that kids find joy in reading.

Make sure you read books you love and tell your kids how much you love them. If you derive pleasure from a book chances are that a kid will as well.

Marvel over words. Do you have a favorite word? Is there a word you like to use often? Share your favorite words with kids. This will encourage them to become fascinated with language.

Don’t forget the library. Make library dates with your kids. Teach them that books are to be respected and cherished.

Want a great book to share with your child? Try the Fujimini Island Adventure Series to give the timeless gift of reading for your child.

Is your Child a good Learner?

Different cultures feel happy and respected when they are represented as wonderful characters in children’s stories. They feel comfortable reading about people that are like them – that celebrate the same holidays, eat similar food in a similar way and relate to the environment of the story. It is important for parents to have choices. Schools require a lot of reading by young, emerging readers. When a child is very young, they have to learn to read… when they are older they have to read to learn. So it is very important to develop children who love to read – this will result in better learners. So use the reading opportunity to develop a positive relationship with your child and read stories with as much diversity as possible.