by Jamie Born | Jan 6, 2018 | Do It
Let’s be honest, homework time can be a struggle. Homework is often the source of frustration for both kids and parents, but there are homework strategies that can alleviate some of this stress. Below are six tips to make homework more manageable at home and study habits stronger at school.
Designate a distraction-free area as the “homework zone.”
First things first, you need a proper place to complete homework. Creating a distraction-free study environment can help your child stay focused when completing schoolwork. It can also help you keep track of all the necessary materials your kids need for projects, preventing late night runs to the store for glue sticks and markers.
Don’t do it all at once.
Breaking daunting tasks into smaller steps makes them much more manageable. If you know your child is responsible for learning 20 spelling words each week, plan on mastering five words a day rather than trying to tackle them all at once. Come Friday, your child will be ready to take the test without feeling overwhelmed. For weekly homework assignments, designate a day for each subject. Monday is math day. Tuesday is reading.
Take handwritten notes during lessons.
In our ever-increasing electronic world, some schools have moved to 1:1 initiatives that grant all students access to a personal, school-issued device. While there are many benefits to all students having access to technology, students who handwrite their notes tend to process the ideas more thoroughly, leading to higher quality learning. Handwriting notes during class will make it easier to complete the homework out of class.
Set mini-deadlines.
Major unit project due in a few weeks? Sit down with a calendar and set some deadlines to keep your student on task. Not only does it ensure he will have plenty of time to complete the project, but it will give him a sense of accomplishment throughout the process. Using a calendar or checklist to keep track of all homework is a great study habit to practice from an early age.
Use flashcards.
A tried and true method going back decades, for material requiring rote memorization flashcards are still one of the most effective resources. Research shows that writing down information helps you retain it longer than just reading it. Because of this, the physical act of creating flashcards helps students learn the material more thoroughly. If your student is more likely to study using a phone or tablet, there are free sites where you can create your own flashcards or search pre-made study sets. Quizlet and StudyStack are two great options.
Make a game out of it and study on the go.
There are an endless number of educational apps you can download to your devices to help your student study skills on the go. Most of these apps function as games, making studying fun. There are apps to practice handwriting skills, math, vocabulary acquisition, problem-solving and more! The better your student is at these skills, the easier it is to complete homework testing those skills.
by Jamie Born | Feb 2, 2017 | Make It
Tired of the same PB&J every day for lunch? Try out some of our favorite non-sandwich, healthy lunch ideas your kids will absolutely love. Feeling inspired by the Bento Box
lunch, many of these recipes include smaller portions than a traditional sandwich, so you have more space in the lunch bag for complimentary, healthy snacks.
Don’t forget to check out 13 adorable ways to make your kids’ lunches special.
Kids Lunch Ideas That Aren’t Sandwiches
1. Pizza Pinwheels
Who doesn’t love pizza? This pizza pinwheel recipe is so easy to make and create perfectly pop-able, perfectly delicious lunches! The best part is everyone loves cold pizza, so you can make these as a side for dinner and throw the leftovers into the lunchbox for the next day. Pro tip: sneak in some veggies!
2. Chicken Salad served with Crackers
Now this is just as delicious for an adult snack as it is for a kids lunch, so be sure to make extra! This chicken salad recipe throws in cranberries, apples, and pecans making is just sweet enough to keep kids interested.
3. Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs
Oh yes, now you can send your kids off to school with mini bacon cheeseburger skewers! Can you say “most popular kid in class”? Because that’s exactly what’s about to happen.
4. Homemade Lunchables (Tacos, Cheeseburgers, Pizza!)
Lunchables are AMAZING, but often not the healthiest option to send with your kids to school (even if they do beg for them daily). So why not satisfy their cravings and add in additional fruits and veggies with DIY Lunchables?
5. Ham and Cheese Roll Ups
When you’re trying to pack lunches, get kids out the door, and get ready yourself, easy is key. These Ham and Cheese roll-ups are the perfect quick alternative to your daily sandwiches.
6. Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad
The best thing about pasta salad? It’s a make it and save it for later kind of food. Which makes it perfect for kids’ lunches if you can find a pasta salad they’ll actually eat. Ta-da! This kid-friendly pasta salad will have them asking for more!
7. Sandwich Kabobs
Who doesn’t like food on a stick? These lunch kabobs are a great way to get out of that PB&J habit, but they’re also a fun activity you can do together! Prep lunch the night before and give your munchkins some hands-on training in building their own lunches. Try all 6 easy lunch kabob options!
8. Energy Bites
Healthy snacking, tiny balls of deliciousness? Yep, that’s what we got right here. The most brilliant way to get your kids to eat healthy is to disguise the healthy stuff as junk food. They’ll be begging you for their favorite flavor of these energy bites!
9. Nutella and Banana Sushi
An easy sweet treat for your kids that is packed with flavor and fun to eat! This snack is great because instead of one big treat, they get a few tiny ones and it make it seem like they’re getting the better deal. If they ask for more, you can always say “but you already had 9!” Give the Nutella and Banana Sushi a try this weekend!
10. Taco Pop Tarts
Okay, we know that tacos and Pop-Tarts are two delicious foods separately, but together? Even better! Hear us out. This Taco Pop Tart recipe makes one of the messier foods you love preparing into a delicious little hand-held pocket. It’s why we love Hot Pockets, isn’t it?
11. Quinoa Taco Bowl
Is the whole family cutting back on the carbs but still looking to get that taco fix? Send the kiddos off with a little container of this Quinoa Taco Bowl for a healthier alternative to everyone’s favorite dish!
lemontreedwelling.com
12. Chicken Ranch Wrap
Simple and quick are our favorite keywords! This quick and easy Ranch Chicken Wrap recipe is just what you need on busy mornings. Whip it up, wrap it up, and round them up – you’re out the door.
13. French Toast Roll-Ups
Delicious and dunkable are two traits your kids love! These French Toast Roll-ups are great for breakfast on the go or an afternoon snack.
There you have it! A whole collection of brand new lunch time recipes to try that will help keep you sane and your kids satisfied. If you’re not the best at planning on the fly (we definitely aren’t), make sure to download our meal planner printable and throw some of these options in there while they’re fresh in your mind!
Did we miss some of your favorite options? Tell us in the comments!
by Jamie Born | Nov 14, 2016 | Love It
Most parents want what’s best for their children, but there’s a fine line between healthy parent involvement and being a helicopter parent. Parent involvement in early childhood education has a dramatic impact on a child’s success. Now that the school year is in full swing, here are five ways you can support your child’s teacher without becoming “that parent.”
1. Introduce yourself
One parent resource most schools provide is a back-to-school night. This is a great time to introduce yourself to the teacher face-to-face. This is by no means the time to launch into a conversation about your child’s strengths and weaknesses as a student, but a quick meet and greet gives you the opportunity to put a face to a name, and it sends a clear message to the teacher that you care about your child’s learning experience. If you can’t make it to the open house, send a quick introductory email.
2. Talk to your child about what he is learning in school
By making it a habit at home to talk about what your child is learning at school, you are reinforcing both the value of education and the lessons from that day. Ask your child to teach you the material or explain why he thinks it’s important. Research confirms we retain information more thoroughly and for a longer period of time when we have to explain it to someone else.
3. Get all the information before jumping to conclusions
It is inevitable your child will face challenges at school, whether it be with a peer, the content of a class or with the teacher. It is also natural to want to protect your child and defend him at all costs. Unfortunately, sometimes kids don’t always tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth when in these situations. There’s nothing wrong with emailing the teacher, but make sure you do it when you are clear-minded and calm. Nobody benefits from an emotionally charged accusation.
4. Be proactive
Teachers can best support your student when they have all the necessary information. If your child has a severe allergy or an academic accommodation, you probably filled out paperwork sharing that information. However, it is important to keep the teacher updated if there are changes throughout the school year. It is also important to inform teachers in advance if your child will be missing school due to vacations, appointments, etc. And don’t be shy to contact the teacher if your child is struggling with academic material. The teacher can offer activities or exercises to practice at home to strengthen these areas.
5. Say thank you
In most schools, teachers serve in loco parentis. This means teachers act on behalf of the student as a parent, including caring for him or her socially and emotionally in addition to educating the student academically. That’s quite a challenging mission! A quick email, phone call or handwritten thank you card goes a long way. If you like a lesson the teacher shared or your child really enjoys going to school or the teacher went out of his or her way to follow up with your child, say thank you. In an often thankless profession, a genuine acknowledgment from parents and students can support a teacher more than you know.
by Jamie Born | Nov 14, 2016 | Make It
Whether it’s your first time hosting Thanksgiving dinner or you’ve just never mastered the art of baking, below are some Thanksgiving desserts that are sure to impress! From dips to a DIY candy apple buffet, there’s something for everyone.
Pumpkin Fluff Dip
kraftrecipes.com
Easy Apple Crisp
tastesbetterfromscratch.com
Pecan Pie Bars
Photo and recipe via justataste.com
Apple Pie Bites
Photo and recipe via theblondcook.com.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
ohsweetbasil.com
Pretzel Turtle Bites
Photo and recipe via gracedfullittlehoneybee.com
Inside Out S’mores
Photo and recipe via tablespoon.com
Fall Harvest Popcorn
Photo and recipe via twosisterscrafting.com
Pumpkin Spice Puppy Chow
Photo and recipe via sallysbakingaddiction.com
Candy Apple Bar
Photo and recipe via creativekids.com
Like our Thanksgiving desserts? Don’t forget to check out our list of Thanksgiving Side Dishes for People Who Can’t Cook!
by Jamie Born | Nov 14, 2016 | Make It
Here are 13 creative ideas to jazz up your kids’ lunch boxes this school year:
- Go old school and write them a personalized note on a napkin. A few encouraging words are sure to brighten their day.
- Use cookie cutters to shape sandwiches into hearts, stars
or even dinosaurs
! There are cookie cutters for just about any shape.
- Decorate a plain brown paper bag with a kid-friendly joke of the day.
- Shop for a special lunchbox your kids get to pick out themselves. We love Skip Hop’s Owl Lunch Bag
.
- Be inspired by bento box
style lunches. Include a variety of snacks rather than one main dish. Finger foods are more fun to eat. If you can work in a dip, even better! There are tons of bento box lunch ideas to get you started.
- Decorate and entertain your kiddo with animal themed pick forks
to use for finger foods. These work great in a bento lunch box.
- Take your kids grocery shopping and let them pick out one special treat each week. This can even be a homemade treat they help you make.
- Pack a sticker. Kids love stickers and you can buy them in bulk sticker rolls
.
- Surprise them with an indulgent entree every few weeks—fluffernutter sandwiches, anyone?
- Theme their lunches. A picnic themed lunch could include ants on a log, a juice box and a gingham napkin. You could pack a mummy dog, dirt pie with gummy worms and roasted pumpkin seeds for a spooky Halloween theme.
- Pack a riddle of the week, each day including one clue to help solve the riddle.
- Give them more than just sandwiches every day! Get some great ideas for non-sandwich lunches here.
- Include deconstructed meals à la lunchables. Let’s be honest, most of the appeal of lunachables was being able to build your own cracker sandwiches!
lunch, many of these recipes include smaller portions than a traditional sandwich, so you have more space in the lunch bag for complimentary, healthy snacks.
or even 
! There are cookie cutters for just about any shape.
.
style lunches. Include a variety of snacks rather than one main dish. Finger foods are more fun to eat. If you can work in a dip, even better! There are tons of 
to use for finger foods. These work great in a bento lunch box.
.
