5 Ways I'm Preparing My Kids For Back-To-School!

School hasn't started for us yet. It starts Sept 2nd ( we get out at the end of June and always go back in Sept ) None of my kids are excited to go back so it's been a bit of a struggle. While Jordan is bordering on being SUPER EXCITED and SUPER NERVOUS for starting grade 6, having a locker etc the others? Couldn't care less and want to stay home.

 So here are some of the tricks I've been trying these last 2 weeks before school starts up...

New hair cuts for school!

5. Shop for back to school - the only reason they get excited for back to school items is because I get them involved and let them basically pick everything out themselves!

4. Let them Choose hair styles and Cuts - I took them last week to get their hair done and let them Choose what they wanted. Jordan chose a small trim, Kyla wanted bangs, Jayden's was a wee bit short but suits him and Ava couldn't exactly get much done because her hair is soooo curly and crazy, but she got her bangs cut and a good trim!

3. Get them back on an earlier schedule with our back to school bedtime routine. During the school year if we have good bedtimes we bring back our Family Movie Nights on the weekends with treats of their choice. So we've started this again, this past weekend we had our first back to school movie night. Kids got to pick their treats & stay up later. We get to do these every weekend when we have smooth bedtimes during the week, which can sometimes be EXTREMELY hard especially after a summer of somewhat later, scattered bedtimes. (much different than our week night family movie nights, which they too love during the summer!)

2. Discuss all the fun, good things that happened the previous year - they've had a rough go with schools. Hoping with the coming of a new principal in September in this school they've been in since March will be the little change they need to make it better. Discussing it all and reminding them how we deal with issues appropriately seems to help re-assure them things will be just fine!

1. New year, new grades, new duds, new friends, how exciting? The last thing I'm doing is encouraging and trying to make going back to school as fun and stress free as possible. I remember how nervous I always was, and how much stress it put on me. So I'm trying as best I can, and as much as I can to alleviate that for them and make the most of this exciting, nerve wrecking and probably scary time!

Do you have any tips? If your kids are just starting school, veterans or long out of school what helped prepare your kids for the big day?

We Are Who Our Kids See...

 I've wanted to write something like this for quite some time but I haven't really had the chance to sit down and write out exactly what I wanted to. Yesterday was Pink Shirt Day in support of anti-bullying. Something that is very near and dear to my heart. So what better time to write this than now?

While we didn't have proper official Pink Shirt Day t-shirts myself and my 2 girls wore Pink in support of the day.

As a mother of six children, four of which are in school I can tell you bullying is a HUGE issue. Huge. I didn't realize it until moving to such a big city, but even before that my son who at the time was only 4 years old was harassed by 2 boys who lived at the end of our old street.

Now that my kids are older and in school I've come to realize just how big of an issue bullying really is. It's pretty bad. 

Last year we even had to contact our Mayor and our local MPP - the bullying in the school was so bad for my oldest, and nothing was really done about it until we did reach out to the Mayor's office and our local MPP. Which to me it should never be that bad where you'd have to go so high up but it seems if you aren't getting anywhere with the school, or school board that is the way to go.

My kids aren't perfect, who is? But my kids don't go to school everyday looking for a fight. Looking to find someone to pick on, or abuse. My kids used to enjoy school, they'd talk about it all the time, lay their outfits out for the next day in their rooms and even help me make their lunches. Not so much anymore. They still love school and are eager to go, but some days they couldn't care less and it's not because of the fact it's school, it's for the simple fact a lot of these kids they go to school with aren't very nice.

I've been watching. I've been noticing a big trend at our school. The kids that seem to give other kids the most problems? Their parents are no better. Walking around with attitudes, like they are the best, they nor their kids can't do any wrong. It's those types of people who need to step back and take a look at what is going on because as parents we need to realize we are who our kids see. We are. 

Sure, our kids are their own person, have their own bodies and minds but who do you think their greatest example is? I know for certain my girls look up to me more than anyone else on this Earth. I know the second I mention something about my hair, or my shirt - they are going to automatically agree and think the same about my hair or my shirt.

I see the way some of these kids talk to other parents and even teachers and I'm in complete shock. The one kid last year who was a major thorn in our sides who used to pick on my oldest (because after I found out he was smoking pot at the age of TEN and stealing I told my son he couldn't be around him anymore the kid decided he would bully Jordan) - would skip school, swear at teachers which I didn't see until well after we told Jordan he had to stay away and his mother? Couldn't care less about what he was doing. This was obvious when I had to contact her a few times and she basically told me "Well he said he didn't do it" it's crazy. If the police came to my door ever regarding my kids you better believe things would be changing, and at ten? That's just unacceptable.

I think a lot of the bullying stems from home life. These kids have to learn it from somewhere. Happy, well adjusted, loved, kids with involved parent's don't usually have to deal with kids who are picking on other kids, putting their hands on other kids or calling names. It's usually the ones who are struggling -- Do you ever pay attention to those around you while you are picking up or dropping off your kids?

Here's a challenge: Next time take some extra time to just watch and take it all in. It's interesting what you can see and learn from people just by simply standing by watching in the pick up drop off line.

It's most definitely eye opening, and I'm for sure always on guard now. My kids know not to pick on other kids, to help out another child if they see one being picked on, and they also know not to let anyone touch them or make them feel bad about themselves. I make sure to talk to them all the time about who they are, who we are as a family, how much we love and adore them, how amazing they are inside and out. That's important. And even though all it takes it one other child to say one negative thing to your kid to have all of which you've built up come crashing down - it's important to do it anyways, so that when picking up the pieces they've already been told and know and just need to hear it that one more time. Kids are so young, naive, tender, sweet and innocent. Even those that are having issues. It's our jobs as parents to lift our kids up and make them know the good in the world, believe there is good in the world and to not let silly little things like kids who don't know right from wrong bring them down. After all we are preparing them for life, for the world..... it's a scary, scary thing.

You only live once, you only raise these children once. Make it count, because every little thing affects them. Deeply.

No One Will Think Any Less Of You..

It's no secret I don't like winter. I don't really like Summer all that much either. It's either too cold, or too hot in these seasons and I just don't like. But Spring and Fall? Those are my seasons. I'd give anything right now to have Spring come a bit early, I'm so over the ice and cold!

Living in Canada it's to be expected. We have seasons, we have snow and cold. Yes, All fine and good. But last night after a day of a decent snow fall it was pouring rain with some lovely Thunder and Lightning! Which I've never seen in my life during the winter, at least not that I can remember so that was truly something to see!

But - It made for an interesting morning this morning. My husband worked until 230a last night so I decided I'd walk the kids to school this morning, it was all ice. Sheer ice. How dangerous. Every single one of my kids fell on our walk and I even slipped, but managed to get my balance before slamming into the ice. Sadly, it wasn't the case for another lady. We were crossing the road near the school when she was walking behind us, and Jayden was walking beside me with her son who is in his class all of a sudden we heard a big crash, and a scream. I turned around and Jordan had already taken off behind me to get to her side and I was right behind him. The poor lady had fallen on a  huge thick patch of ice and hit her face on the ice. Her phone, mitts and bag were all around her on the sidewalk. People walking past, and even stepping over her things.

I asked if she was okay, but she didn't respond. I asked again as I saw her face was already red and she was holding onto her forehead. She didn't respond. I looked up and asked the little boy if he could see if she was alright, but he just stood there in shock.

Jordan reached down and grabbed her hand and began to help her up, I grabbed onto her other arm when all she could manage to say was "Thank You"

We figured out she didn't speak any English, so that would explain not even understanding me. She thanked us twice and we walked closely near her to the school. When we arrived the VP was outside helping people on the sidewalk, I told him he may want to just check if shes okay because she fell and hit her head. He thanked me and helped her inside the school. 

I dropped the kids off, and walked Jayden down to his class. On my way out I walked past the office where I saw her sitting, crying with ice on her head. Outside the VP thanked me again and urged me to please be careful walking home, he said he hadn't seen it this bad in a while.

 I made it home safely, only slipping once but again not falling. The school called to thank me for my help, and to let me know they went up to Jordan's class to thank him as well as not many people anymore help others out. They told me she was ok, refused any medical help beyond ice but did have a very big bump on her forehead so they advised her family to keep watch.

I couldn't believe the amount of people who just kept walking by her, and even walking over her and her items on the sidewalk. It's okay to stop and help if someone falls or is hurt. No one will think any less of you... I do understand everyone was rushing to get to where they needed to be, but as human beings the right thing to do would be stop and help. I'm just glad my amazing son was there to help, and that I taught him enough to know what to do instead of walking past, or even worse over top of someone clearly needing help.

I don't think I'm too surprised though, I've lost a lot of faith in humans lately. So sad.

Inexpensive Teachers Gifts!!

While sometimes the office administration can be a bit lacking, I absolutely adore 3/4 of my kids teachers. One of which I did happen to give this address to at parent/teacher interviews when discussing her class blog - but I doubt she reads! And it's not that I don't like the other teacher, I just don't know that teacher very well so I can't really say either way. I do know all my kids teachers are very good for and with my kids, and are great teachers! So we had to do something small for them for Christmas!

All that being said, I can't afford to go crazy on Christmas gifts for teachers this year. I have 6 kids and a husband to buy for, so I did what a lot of others do and I searched Pinterest.

Pinterest has a ton of ideas, cost effective homemade ideas which I love. I find it's more personal as apposed to a store bought box of chocolates or a gift card for Tim Hortons, which I have given in the past and learned so did a lot of other parents.

So this is what I chose to do... A mug, 2 packets of hot chocolate, a chocolate mint and a chocolate spoon!

It isn't much. But the kids loved it, and it's a nice little treat. The mug we didn't buy Christmasy on purpose, we figure they can use this one all year 'round! We had to get the ECE in Jay's class something too which I completely forgot until last night when Jay said "What about Mrs A?" ahhh, so of course she got the small gift card for Timmys. But this was just much nicer to me than a gift card for the teachers that I find are extraordinary this year (Mrs A is pretty fabulous too!). I'm really, really happy with them and I'm already planning much better gifts for the end of the school year - thanks pinterest for that too! I wrapped them up, and sent them with the kids this am.

 

Not too much, but not without thought either. 

The kids were thrilled to give them to their teachers so I do hope they enjoy them. Do you send gifts with your kids if you have any? I think even the smallest thing would be nice receive. Although, I'm more of a giver and get much more joy out of giving than receiving!