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The first year in junior high or middle school is a big jump from elementary.   Now your child/teenager has to write their last name and be sure they put it on everything they turn in!  Wow seems easy, but for some kids it’s a new habit they must form.

Getting some students to use a planner or organizer is a far-fetched dream.  If your child/teenager isn’t as self motivated or as organized as you would like, here some ideas you can take to keep your child/teenager on task.

• Look at the student progress report 3 times per week.  This way if an assignment is missing, they know to look in the “no name basket” or talk to the teacher about the assignment before too much time passes.
• If you know about a deadline for a reading assignment or a large project, mark it on your calendar and continuously check to see how far along your child/teenager is to keep them on task.
• No computer or television until homework is completed each night.
• Use weekend downtime to catch up on reading, musical instrument practice, etc.
• If you child’s grade is below what is acceptable to you, talk to your child and/or the teacher about extra credit assignments or about other ways to get the grade up.
• Create a folder or a location where you keep each class syllabus.  Review each syllabus and create a schedule with the student.  Question your child any items on the syllabus that you are unsure about.  If you don’t have the syllabus, email the teacher to obtain one.
• Email teachers with any questions or concerns.  They are usually quick to respond.  Build a relationship with your student’s teachers.
• Incentivize your child for getting good grades.  Incentive ideas: 

1. Money for each A or B
2. Remove a few chores
3. Go on a short trip
4. Have a friends gathering
5. Have a special day out with you
6. Choose an item your child wants and buy it when they receive the grades agreed upon

These ideas are working for me.  If you have some ideas you would like to share with other’s please leave a comment.    

Link to older emomsblog post:  Study Habit Ideas 

Healthy Snacks

Since the kids are home for the summer and you have more meals to plan, I thought I would share a website that may make your planning a bit easier.  The website is www.raisingcreativechildren.com and on this website you will find 5 weekly menus.  The menus are healthy and they include snacks.  MENU LINK

You may want to browse the website because there is a lot of good information focusing on children, ages 2-6.  You can find a list of the all the posts under the Articles tab.

Enjoy the menus; I know I do!

When you are going camping, especially in a remote area, you want to be sure you don’t forget anything. I’ve compiled a list that I hope will be useful for everyone. If there is an item you don’t need or wouldn’t normally bring, just cross it off. I have tried to categorize the items on the list to make packing easier.

□ First aid kit
□ Bug spray
□ Sun block
□ Chap stick
□ Hats
□ Sunglasses

□ Map
□ Compass
□ Flashlight
□ Knife
□ Waterproof fire starter
□ Whistle
□ Axe
□ Shovel
□ Bungee cords

□ Toothbrushes
□ Toothpaste
□ Antibacterial hand gel or wipes
□ Towel/washcloth
□ Soap
□ Reading glasses
□ Medications
□ Brush and hair ties

□ Food
□ Drinking Water
□ Ice
□ Energy food for hikes
□ Water for dishes and washing up
□ Utensils
□ Can opener
□ Cups
□ Plates
□ Paper towels
□ Cookware

□ Camera
□ Binoculars
□ Walkie Talkies

□ Warm clothing
□ Cool clothing
□ Proper footwear
□ Bathing suit
□ Back pack
□ Camel back

□ Tent
□ Sleeping bags
□ Chairs
□ Sunshade
□ Porta-potty
□ Toilet paper

Click here for the PRINTABLE CAMPING PACKING LIST:

Camping Packing List PDF format

This list is not intended to be complete for what you may need for your trip. It’s just a guide to get started and help make packing a bit easier. Remember to secure your items well if you plan to drive on rough roads.

Have a fun and safe camping trip!

Top Brand Outdoor Clothing for Kids ON SALE now from UpsideOver.com

In the summer when it is hot and your kids are bored, water is always a fun and cooling activity.

What if you could entice your kids to “play in the water” doing activities that actually help you?

Here are 6 activities that you can benefit from and the kids are having fun doing them:

1.   Wash your car

2.   Wash their bike

3.   Wash windows with a squeegee (they love the squeegee)

4.   Water the flowers by hand

5.   Soaking the dry spots on lawn with the hose

6.   Bathe the dog

Here are 4 more fun activities the kids will enjoy:

1.   Running through the sprinkler

2.   Squirting guns or bottles

3.   Water Balloon Toss

4.   Jumping on the trampoline while water sprays on them (as long as they are not high jumpers)

Have a fun and wet summer!

In conjunction with the Kids Summer Planner, I have put together a list free things to do in the summer with your kids.  You can fill your summer with fun activities without breaking the bank.

Here are the free things to do with your kids in the summer:

Local library activities

Free park concerts

City events, check the local city website for their calendar of events

Visit a pet store

Some local museums and zoos have a free day

Tour your local city buildings (fire, police, and capitol)

Tour a local college campus

Help your kids start a collection of rocks, seashells, uniquely shaped twigs or sticks, or leaves and flowers that can be pressed

Go rock hounding

Go on a hike

Go on a bike ride

Go fishing

Go to the lake or beach to swim

Have a picnic

Camp in your back yard

Stargaze (look for constellations and satellites)

Start a book club for neighborhood friends to meet weekly

Exchange movies with neighbors and have movies nights or matinees

Allow late nighters with friends

Please let me know if there are any free fun activities that I have left off this list so I can share them with other readers. 

Thanks for visiting emomsblog!

Are you ready for summer?  Have you made any plans to keep your children productive and occupied for the summer?

School is almost out and I want to share what I have created.  This is a summer planner that works on a system of earning tickets.  It helps you structure the summer through chores and rewards.  Use this system to schedule reading, learning activities, and chores.  Then offer the incentives and rewards your children can work toward and look forward to.

I have created a blank calendar specifically for your chore chart.  Your children can look at the calendar to see what incentives they are working toward and on what date you will be able to provide the incentive they have earned.  Placing an exact date on the calendar for the incentive is your option.  You choose the chores, the incentives and how many tickets they must earn to receive that incentive.  Here is an example of a chart that is filled in.   Sample Summer Planner

You can print up the blank templates and fill them out by hand or if you prefer you can fill then out on the computer.  I am providing everything in PDF and Word format, including the tickets so you can make changes to the standard version if you prefer.

At the end of each day have your children total the tickets they have earned and you hand them out.  Then they may redeem the tickets for the incentives you have chosen.

Ideas for incentives:

• Amusement park
• Kids Choice
• Swimming
• Zoo
• Park
• Bike Ride
• Picnic
• Sporting event
• Play date
• Sleep over
• Candy bar or treat
• New swim suit or other item

Ideas for activities to earn tickets:

• Learning activities
• Read 30 minutes
• Write an essay on a subject (use the computer for research)
            Camping – Camping safety
            Swimming – Swimming safety
            The purpose for helmets
            Saving money
            Fishing – How to fish
• Complete an extra credit assignment
            www.kidzone.ws   Pre-K through 5^th grade, printable worksheets
            www.superteacherworksheets.com   1st-4^th grade, printable worksheets
            www.softschools.com Pre-K through Middle School, online learning  
            www.mathworksheetsworld.com  K-12th grade, create your own worksheets with the worksheet maker – free!

Healthy activities

• 1 hour of energetic activity
• Spend less than 1 hour on computer playing games (extra credit and research time doesn’t count)
• Spend less than 1 hour watching tv
• Eat fruits and vegetables
• Try a new food
• Behavioral activities
• Play nicely with siblings all week
• Good behavior all week
• Be helpful when asked without complaining
• Chores
• Make bed
• Vacuum
• Clean room
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Set table    
• Help with dinner
• Take out the trash
• Feed and water animals
• Water the plants
• Yard work
• Family vacations/camping trips are no points but maybe $ for tickets to spend on the retreat.

tickets Word format          tickets pdf format

June 2010 Calendar (word format)  June 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

 July 2010 Calendar (word format)  July 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

 August 2010 Calendar (word format)  August 2010 Calendar (pdf format)

I am really excited about this program and there was great success in 2009 for those that used the system.  I am implementing it again for my children this summer.  Please email me at shanna@emomsblog.com or place a comment below if you can help me improve the program.  I would love some suggestions and feedback.

Is your boy working toward his Eagle Scout rank?  Do you have a way to track his progress?  What is the plan to get him there?

There are so many activities that need to take place.  Getting organized is very important.  One leader shared a wonderful and simple plan with me thus I want to share this plan with you.

1. Go to www.meritbadge.org
2. Under the Boy Scouting section, click on Merit Badges (worksheets)
3. You will find a list of merit badges half way down that page.  The merit badges in bold are required badges.   You will record 12 required badges.   Note: There are 5 bolded that you can only pick 2 from, swimming OR hiking OR cycling and emergency preparedness OR lifesaving (see Eagle Scout Rank Requirements section that explains this)
4. Then pick 9 optional merit badges activities that your son would like to earn.
5. Use a three ring binder and create a separate page for each merit badge.  On these pages you can document you son’s progress.  i.e.  As your son completes a hike, write down the date, place and miles.  This website also provides worksheets that you can print out for each merit badge.  The worksheets give you all the requirements and guidance to obtain a specific merit badge.

There are certain merit badges that need prior approval from the scout master, so once you set up your binder, you can mark those merit badges and have them approved all at once. 

If you have any ideas you would like to share, please send me an email at shanna@emomsblog.com or place a comment.

Electronic Book

The Kindle 2 is an amazing handheld device that downloads books (over 260,000 titles available), newspapers and blogs via 3G wireless.  It is just over 1/3 inch thick, about as thick as a magazine.  You may choose to read what you download but you also have the option of having it read to you.  There are no monthly or service fees and many new releases and best sellers are only $9.99.  That’s a bargain.   Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

Here are some very basic ideas that may help improve your child’s study habits.

1. Have a specific place to study, away from distractions such as the television and other family members who are not studying.
2. Study time should be when your child is most conducive to learning, not when they are hurried and excited for another activity and definitely not when they are tired.
3. Try not to let your child procrastinate on assignments or required reading time.
4. Get involved.

I found a great webpage on homework tips and study skills. It is a quick reference, full of ideas, because of the bullet point format. If you scroll down you will see a checklist for the parent regarding homework. www.acrnetwork.org/parents/homeworktips.htm (America’s Career Resource Network)