{photo by Kate Bischoff}
So, new SLOCA parents, how was your first week? It’s nice to have this short break right off the bat to get your bearings, isn’t it?
We want to help our new families adjust and find their rhythm. And who better to ask for tips than those who have been doing this for awhile? So we hung around The Den last week after school and asked a few of our veteran parents what advice they would have for new SLOCA parents. Here are the comments we gathered – we hope you will be encouraged and find these ideas helpful. (Returning families, you’ll probably agree with and appreciate these too!):
• Remember that everyone here was new at some point, and felt the exact same way.
• Ask questions! Questions are good! There is a definite learning curve here. Stay after at drop off or pick up and don’t be afraid to ask some of the other parents questions as you get to know them. Parents are a great resource! If a fellow parent can’t answer your questions, ask you classroom liaison, or your teacher.
• Print and read your grids ahead of time! Get your books and materials ready the weekend or night before, so you aren’t caught unprepared.
• Be completely present with your kids on your home days. Don’t let the phone or email distract you and pull you away. It helps to keep your phone and computer in another room during school hours. (This is a tough one but it does make such a difference!)
• If you have multiple kids and are having a hard time fitting in all the reading on home days, consider reading some of the history or literature the night before. And/or ask another parent or family member to do some of the reading.
• Classical music playing in the morning sets a peaceful tone for the day.
• One parent likes to start the math lesson in the morning while her child is eating breakfast.
• With multiple kids (or older kids) it does help to start the day earlier rather than later.
• When your kids take a break, make sure YOU get a break. (At least some of the time!) Sit down, put your feel up, have a cup of tea, read a few pages of a novel… When we are at home it’s tempting to work on the laundry, do a load of dishes, pick up the house, etc. Yes, these things need to be done, but mom needs a break too!
• One idea for breaks: send the kids outside to play with a timer, set for 10 or 15 minutes, and have an easy snack ready on the table for when they come in (because mom needs a break too – no elaborate snacks!). Eating after playing (instead of before) will hopefully lure them back inside. And then while they are eating, start reading the literature or history.
• Remember that “the days are long, but the years are short” and this is absolutely the best way you can be spending your long days with your little (and not so little) ones. Smile often, hold them close, snuggle while you read to them, and soak in all the wonders that will happen this year.
Returning parents, remember what it felt like when you were new to SLOCA? Be sure to reach out and say hi to our new families. And we all benefit from talking to each other – invite a fellow parent out for coffee and a chat some time!
What would you add to this list? Leave a comment with your words of advice and encouragement for new families:
