Tag: child education

5 Ways to Help Your Child in Elementary School

We tend not to think about it that way, but starting at an elementary school like brilla college prep elementary school is a huge transition for children. They go from a nursing environment to a place where the expectations are higher. At the same time, they are introduced to new rules, rules that were not there before. Continue reading 5 Ways to Help Your Child in Elementary School

Want To Make The Library Fun? Here Are 5 Ideas To Help You Along The Way

Encouraging reading in our children is something that plenty of parents want to do. For some that is easy, their kids love reading and think of heading to the library as a fun treat. For others, the idea of picking up a book isn’t one that they like, and heading to the library is the last choice on their list.

The thing is, the library is a great place to go. There are literally endless supplies of books there that your child can pick from and not only this, but there are also often events that are designed to help children to want to read more.

This means, that if you can encourage them to enjoy a library trip or two, then you should. With this in mind, we have put together 5 ideas that you can try out to see if you can make a trip to the library that little bit more stimulating for your child.

  • Make sure that they understand more about the library

 Kids are funny creatures, sometimes the best way to generate some feelings of excitement in them is to make sure they know what they should be getting excited about. Chances are, they might not know what makes libraries such an awesome place to go. If they don’t then tell them all about it. Let them know that there are going to be a whole host of books that they can choose from and it will be great fun finding them.

2) Get them a book bag that is just for the library

 If you want to encourage your child to bring some books home with them from the library, then it makes sense to get them their own, special, library bag. This bag will not only need to appeal to them, but it needs to be strong and durable too. After all, books can be heavy!

3) Let them get out there and find their own way around

 If you have never gone to the library before, then you may find that your little one sees it as a fascinating place that they want to explore. Whilst it is important to explain the rules of the library such as no running around and trying to stay quiet, it is also good to let your kids get out and explore their way around. Let them check out every shelf and all the books. Libraries are used to this, and it is a great way for you both to get used to this new place.

4) Loan out some books

 The end goal of going to the library has to be loaning out some books. So, if your kid wants to try one out, even if you don’t think that they will like it, then give it a go. You may end up bringing it back within a few days, but at least they have tried out the library and there is a good chance that the will want to go again.

Up and down the country libraries are closing. This means that there has never been a better time to encourage your child to love the library. After all, the only way that they can be saved is if more and more families choose to use them!

5) Libraries are increasing looking for new ideas to attract a younger audience.  Some libraries are now including ‘making spaces’. These are areas where children can learn and make things that may relate to books that they might wish to borrow.  Many libraries also hold ‘young artist’ or ‘young photographer’ exhibitions, which your child can get involved with.

Parenting Tips On How To Raise A Smart Child

Kids are not simply born smart by winning a genetic lottery. This quality is more of a learned behavior and the ongoing process of unlocking the full creative and intellectual potential. The key to this goal lies in the childhood, a crucial stage in the development of any individual, when the brain grows rapidly and soaks in the tremendous amount of stimuli. So, if you want to raise a smart kid, you have to embrace a proactive, holistic approach.

Loving care

First off, notice that education needs to start in the crib. Therefore, enable your child to have a head start by giving it attention, love, and care. Many parents overlook the fact that toddlers and infants eagerly respond to sounds, shapes, language, colors, and gestures. Hence, it is highly advisable to talk, read, sing, and play with the child as much as possible.

Playing it smart

In general, playing is one of the best and certainly most engaging ways to learn. It spurs the development of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual skills that come in handy later in academic and professional life. Playing with other children is particularly beneficial as it facilitates the much-needed exchange of emotions, ideas, and impressions.

Early Learning

Even though your baby can’t understand words yet, it’s still important to start activities like reading to them. And, when they are old enough, enrolling them in school is a great step too. Simply search for keywords like “toddler or infant school near me in Philadelphia” or similar terms for your location online. Look for the best schools with excellent facilities and enroll them. A good school can not only provide a healthy environment for growth and learning but can also increase the chances of your child developing an interest in reading and performing well academically. Also, use number games and rhythm and try to boost three-dimensional awareness. Young kids seem to have the capacity to learn a lot of new things and concepts. This would prove to be the perfect opportunity for parents to enroll their children in different programs. For example, if your kid appears to be showing an interest in technology around the age of 5-6 years, then you could maybe sign them up on online platforms similar to NovoJolt, which offers free coding classes for kids.

Art of life

Art is an integral part of our life and enables us to ignite the creativity. Moreover, science has confirmed that music, for instance, has the power to improve memory, motivation, learning capacity, and imagination. Painting and writing bring forth similar benefits, so make the tools such as paper and paint available to children. On the other hand, limit the passive TV viewing, which impedes reading habits.

Video games

As for video games, do not rule them out just yet. A growing body of research shows that kid-friendly and educational games are an incredible learning tool and let children get familiar with concepts like math, letters, music, phonics, etc. In the process, they also boost hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills. Of course, games can also prepare them to navigate the high-tech world of tomorrow with winds in their sails.

Harboring academic success

Once the kids enter school, new challenges arise. Parents have a profound influence on their grades, mostly via the aforementioned reading. But, it is fine if they cannot provide support every step of the way. Do not hesitate to hire a tuition teacher hire a tuition teacher in case you are not confident in your own knowledge. This professional help may be the push your child needs to become an A student.

Parenting lessons

Parenting styles differ but, some things should remain the same. In a nutshell, you have to set the right example and empower the child to follow it. Avoid coddling and spoiling the young mind. Do not praise the kid just for being smart and steer away from extensive micromanaging. Acknowledge hard work and ensure that praise and rewards are not the only incentives for persistence.

Fostering good habits

Finally, bear in mind that you have to help the kid build healthy habits. Firstly, you need to know which type of food to give it. A protein-rich diet, for example, improves alertness, attention, and cognitive skills. Secondly, pay attention to how much it sleeps because this affects everything from the overall mood to school grades. Besides, wholesome nutrition and ample sleep are paramount to overall health, longevity, and well-being.

Parenting done right

A parent plays a pivotal role in a child’s life by supporting early childhood development and actively nurturing the young mind. So, get it involved in open-ended and free-flowing activities to awaken natural curiosity and love for exploration. Do not force the child into a certain mold and schedule. Expose it to the vibrant world of music, games, literature, and arts. That way, you should be able to make your kid excited about learning at all levels and for good.

How To Save Money On Your Student Energy Bills

Taking on the responsibility of moving into your own house and having to pay rent and bills is quite the challenge for many students. A huge portion of student budget goes towards paying for energy, broadband and other household utilities. The majority of student households, however, take it as a given that they are obliged to pay the prices for bills that come with the house.

Students can nevertheless, save themselves from paying all these separate bills by choosing to live in shared accommodation or maybe a hostel. Some hostels (like the one found at quadatyork.ca) tend to provide all the facilities a student would need, that too at a much more affordable price than hiring an entire apartment.

However, if renting a house seems to be a more feasible option for you, you might need to know that there is not one single price for your energy bills, or for your broadband. You are legally entitled to switch you energy and broadband provider, regardless of your landlord’s permission. So, what does this all mean and how do you switch? Read this guide and you’ll soon be completely clued up.

When you move in

Upon entering your new house or apartment, it is important to get things switched over as soon as possible to ensure that you aren’t overpaying on any of your bills. Additionally, look if any repair work is required, which you can discuss with your landlord and get them done. Repairs like plumbing or HVAC could be necessary since they can reduce your water and electricity bills to a great extent. You can look for AC repair services to get the ducts cleaned and the compressor repaired to lessen the energy consumption.

As for broadband and electricity plans, if you have a decent landlord, you may find that they have already switched you over to a cheaper fixed deal. However, the chances are that you have the most expensive tariff your provider has to offer by default. Hence, it is essential to find out what deals you are currently on and start thinking about which deals you can replace them with.

To find out who supplies your gas and electricity, you can ask your landlord, as they are most likely to have the relevant information. However, if they do not, there are two numbers that you can call to quickly find out. To find out who supplies your electricity, you need to call the ‘Distribution Network Operator’ (DNO) for your region. To find out who supplies your gas, you need to call your ‘Gas Distributor’.

Find your DNO & Gas Distributor

The majority of landlords will allow you to set up your own broadband deal for the year. With the majority of broadband companies taking advantage of the student living situation, there’s a variety of offers on the market that are targeted entirely towards student houses. If, however, your landlord already has you on an internet deal when you arrive, you can find out which company that is by asking directly to your landlord (if they know) or using whoismyip.org .

Gas & electricity

Once you have discovered who supplies you currently, you can use a comparison tool like Selectra or USwitch. These will ask you for your personal information (just one person for now), postcode, current tariff, and perhaps a couple of other basic questions. Once you have done this, you could see various offers available for you in order of price, the cheapest at the top.

Now, before you jump in and choose the cheapest and forget about it, you need to remember that a lot of these have fixed contract terms, usually one or two years. Obviously, the majority of students only stay in a house for 12 months, so a two or three year contract isn’t going to be much use to you, or is it?

If you see a contract that has a rather large contract term that extends past your tenancy, you should make sure that you have agreed with your landlord that you are ok to proceed, as once you have left, you need to make sure that you are not at all responsible any subsequent bills. If you are ok to proceed, then you can choose any tariff that you wish, most likely the cheapest. However, if you do not have the permission, you will have to make sure that you choose a contract that coincides with the termination of your tenancy.

Broadband

Just like your energy bills, you will have to make sure that your new contract coincides with your tenancy, as if, like your energy bills, you cancel early, you will likely be subject to a termination fee that can be upwards of 60.

The three most popular broadband providers in the 2016/17 academic year were Sky, BT and Virgin Media, all of which providing value for money in relation to standard providers. One of the main benefits of using a student-focused tariff, is that depending on how long you are staying in your house for, you can vary your contract term to suit your requirements.

In order to actually switch your broadband, you can use any of the standard comparison engines such as Go Compare and Money Supermarket or you can go directly to the company websites and seek out the student deals. You will probably find yourself pestered on campus by student ambassadors, but don’t be so quick to disregard their offers, you may find them to be pretty cheap when you get an idea of how much things cost.

Home Fitness 101

Motivation? Check. Gym clothes? Check. Time for gym? Sorry but no. It is hard – you either have to work late, or you have your kids to take care of, or the nearest gym is just too far away. Maybe you find gym membership too expensive. Whatever the reason is, know that when there’s a will, there’s a way. In this case, the way is working out at home and while working out at home what better to do than watch some sports, for example, Major League Baseball which is a great sport from America that around the world doesn’t get as much love but shows a tremendous amount of fitness and dedication to play. Continue reading Home Fitness 101

Home Security: The ABCs of a Safe Home

Selling a home was never a piece of cake. However, in today’s market of high standards and very high demands, this becomes almost impossible unless you do everything in your power to meet those standard requirements. If you’re thinking about selling your home, make sure to do your research first, and find out about all the tips and tricks you can use to your advantage. Maybe some renovations are needed, and instead of breaking the bank with professionals, consider getting yourself some power tools and fix some things yourself. Check out this list of sanders to discover the best ones around. Continue reading Home Security: The ABCs of a Safe Home

Building a House: the Ultimate Checklist

Building a home is usually a long and complicated project. People shouldn’t go into it without proper planning and budgeting. If you approach the construction process systematically and with a few contingencies, you could save yourself a lot of money and stress. Continue reading Building a House: the Ultimate Checklist

Modernize Your Home: 4 Inspirational Interior Design Projects

Have you recently realized that your home is missing something to look fabulous? If it’s been a couple of years since you’ve dedicated your time to decorating the living space, it probably lacks some modernization and up to date accents to jazz it up a bit. With the new trends popping out from various sides, it’s never been easier to make your home look modern yet feel cosy and welcoming. Continue reading Modernize Your Home: 4 Inspirational Interior Design Projects

5 Ways to Create Your Home Office

Although there are many reasons people decide to work from home, spending more time with their family is probably the biggest one. Now, whether your home office is a separate room for business purposes only, or a nook with a desk – you deserve the best from it. Job itself is hard, why would you make it even harder? Here are some of the best tips on how to create a nice, yet practical home work space. Continue reading 5 Ways to Create Your Home Office