Finding a Balance With After School Activities

How much is too much?

Many parents feel that it is important for children to participate in after school activities. Certainly, sports, gymnastics, music and language classes do serve to create a well-rounded child, but over scheduling our children can become an issue. We as parents may be hard-pressed to find a balance between home life, school life and after school activities. Helene Goldnadel says that we want our children to have fun and be creative outside of school, but we also must step back and give them room to grow and to breathe. How do we decide how much is too much?

In Kindergarten, even if your child has attended preschool, he is just getting into the routine of "real school". In many districts, kindergarten is becoming more and more academic and structured, emphasizing reading and writing over playing and socializing. In additional, if the kindergarten is full day, then your little one is ready to cut loose at the end of the day. Keep it simple. Perhaps a swimming class on Saturday mornings or one day during the week, or an art or music class. You may even choose not to enroll your child in after school activities at all, choosing instead to let him "hang loose" in the after school hours.

By the time your child reaches first grade, she has gotten into the "swing" of the school schedule and has matured. The concentration level has improved slightly and she may be less antsy after school is over. Who likes sitting at a desk for six hours anyway? Either way, let your little one have a healthy outlet with a playground visit or a play date with a classmate. Give her this time to romp and have a good time as well as expend some energy. Physical activity is the best as it allows for growing bones and stretching muscles to do their thing. Personally, I would not recommend competitive sports - children need this time to grow and become comfortable with themselves and the physicality of their bodies.

Second grade is the grade to watch! By this time, your child is astute enough to observe what's going on with his peers and can make an informed decision on his favorite after school activities. The best thing for parents to do is to ask what the child wants to do and follow along; allow for experimentation and exploration. Although the child may begin musical lessons at this time, it is not recommended that you purchase an instrument unless absolutely necessary. Above all, still allow your child some time to just relax and be himself.

Your third grader is much more social. She is interested in friends and at this time may be able to handle team sports. Sports help develop motor skills and the beginning of learning about teams and good sportsmanship. In addition, the artist in your little one may make itself known; painting, drawing and other art classes may be in order. Again, allow your child to explore the areas in which s/he is interested and don't look for too much commitment. Always remember to schedule in quiet time and family activities.

The fourth grader is an interesting little person. He's not quite primary, but not yet upper elementary. This is a transition period for a lot of children. Involve your child in activities that will help boost the confidence. By doing this, he will be able to combat some of the peer pressure that may come into play at this time. At the same time, however, ensure that you are scheduling enough time for concentration on homework and if extra help is needed, take advantage of tutoring services that are available.

Your fifth grader is now growing up a bit - moving into the upper elementary aspect of her academic career. Her social life is also beginning to move to the forefront. Channel that desire to be with others into community service - teach your child that it's nice to do for others! Remember that homework and family time comes first; be sure to schedule for both.

Middle school is a real turning point for many students. Keep television to a minimum and keep up the good habits that have been formed thus far. Hopefully, the middle school and/or the community have activities such as the chess club, math club, Girl/Boy Scouts, 4-H and the like. Keep up with the team sports, if the child is willing.

As the parent, you always have the last word. Your child's activities and how long s/he participates in these activities outside the home is up to you to decide. Each child is different, so there are no set rules: what is good for one child may or may not be good for another. Take the time to communicate with your child to fully understand how he or she really feels about the amount of activities - watch for burnout and adjust accordingly. Above all, encourage your child to have fun!

Reasons by Helene Goldnadel to Enroll Your Child in a Preschool

Many parents often wonder about whether they should send their child to preschool or wait until the child is old enough and enroll him directly to kindergarten. There are conflicting opinions out there about enrolling a child in preschool as well as about waiting till kindergarten. However, at the end of the day what matters is that you do what is the best for your child. You need to decide based on what works for you.

Here are a few reasons by Helene Goldnadel a life coach, why must consider enrolling your child in a preschool:

• When children stay at home, it can be tough to keep them on a schedule. You might be able to set up an eating and napping routine, in other areas the child is free to do as he pleases. You might find it tough to make him learn alphabets, identify color, learn the numbers, etc. He might be more interested in playing with his toys. At preschool, the teachers make sure that children play and learn at the same time. Since the children see others their age doing the same thing, they are more likely to follow suite. Your child will be ready for kindergarten once he joins preschool. He will have a structured schedule for lots of learning, games, and fun.
• Children learn to interact in a social environment when they join preschool. They get to play with other children and learn to express themselves in front of others. This is vital for their overall development since children are more likely to throw tantrums at home to get things their way. At their preschools, they have to wait for their turn to speak and express themselves well in front of their classmates and teachers to get attention.
• No matter how much you teach your children at home, a preschool can prepare them better for kindergarten. At preschool, your children would have learnt how to make friends and how to play in a group. When he joins kindergarten, he will not feel out of place and straightaway go on to make friends and have a good time. Learning will also not feel like a chore since he is already used to a structured schedule.
• Children learn to take care of themselves and be more independent when they join preschool. They also get to participate in extra-curricular activities and games with their friends. If you do not enroll your child in a preschool, even with plenty of play dates with other children, you will not be able to accomplish what the trained teachers and structured preschool schedule can for the overall development of your child.

Environment of a Play School for Kids Explained by Helene Goldnadel

Being a parent is the best feeling in the world for anybody. But with the feeling of love and care of being a parent comes the responsibility of the right upbringing of a child. The choices of the parents reflect the child's future. Thus, a parent is ought to make the best choice for their child in order to make his future shining and bright. As soon as a child is old enough to be sent to school, parents' worries increase. The biggest concern of any parent is to choose the best play school for their little one. It is really important for a parent to choose the right preschool for their kid because it builds a firm foundation for the child and benefits him in the future.

Many parents ponder over the fact whether it's even necessary to send their kids to a play school or not. Although it's just a personal decision of the parent himself but it is absolutely necessary for a parent to send their child to a good nursery school to shape his future beautifully.

Preschools help the child to learn various new things such as letters, numbers, shapes and other such basic information. At this stage, a child gets to learn so much that it would be an unwise decision for a parent to skip this stage of schooling. Thus, when it comes to choosing a play school for their child, a parent must make his decision taking all the facts into consideration. The most important thing to be thought while choosing a play school for a child is to choose the environment which suits the child perfectly.

The environment of the preschool is the most important factor because it has the deepest impact upon the child. The school environment should be child friendly and the interiors of the school must be colorful and attractive. The play school acts as a guiding force for the children and nurtures them with love and care. It helps to inculcate discipline, good habits and manners in the child. When a child goes to a nursery school, he learns to adjust with a new people and discovers a whole new environment. He enters an absolutely new dimension in his life.

Although at first the child takes a little time to adjust in his new surroundings but eventually it becomes a second home for him. As a child spends a good part of his day in the nursery school, he starts adopting the things he learns there. Thus, a preschool's environment must be designed in such a way as to provide maximum learning experience to the child. It's the duty of the teachers of the school to convey a sense of comfort to the children so that they feel the warmth and love. This would further encourage them to participate in the activities of the school.

Some important tips by Helene Goldnadel a life coach that must be kept in mind by the parents while choosing the right preschool for their child are:

• A parent must enquire about the educational environment of the school before enrolling their child in the school. Also, things such as sports and physical education must be inquired about.
• Also take into consideration the previous records of the school.
• One must look into the curriculum style and pattern of the school.
• The brand value and the background of the school should also be taken into consideration.
• Choose a school which best suits your child's choices and interests.
• The school premises must be attractive and appealing so that the child loves to go to school again and again.
• There must be a well-designed curriculum which suits the needs of the children.
• The school teachers and other staff must be cooperative and caring towards the children.

If these requirements are taken into consideration, then a parent would definitely choose the best kindergarten school for their child. It would definitely provide long-term benefits to the child and give him a brighter future. Thus, the parents of every little kid must plan well in advance to choose the right play school for their kid.

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Helene Goldnadel Tips to Raise Your Child Into a Wonderful Human Being

Martin Luther King once stated, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." This is so very true because it is very challenging to raise a happy, healthy child. The more challenging it can become it is also one of the most rewarding experiences ever. All of us have that push inside us to raise our kids the right way but when it comes to practicality we fail. What is the reason behind this failure and what are the ways in which we can achieve our goal? Helene Goldnadel a life coach discusses more about them in detail here.

The foremost problem is that we lack focus when it comes to parenting and we tend to follow the age old techniques which our elders followed to raise a child. Did you know that this is one area in social science that has been researched the most? The secret of good parenting is to provide an environment filled with kindness, acceptance and empathy where the flow should be in such a way that the own consequences of a child's behavior should do the teaching. Wrong parenting can sometimes take away the chances of a child to make his or her own decisions in life. The first step is to prioritize parenting and set an example for yourself for each and every single behavior of yours influences your child because he is learning from you. One thing that you need to remember is that you can never spoil a child by showing too much love. It only happens when love is misplaced with other feelings such as leniency, lowered expectations or by giving your child material possessions.

Children are capable of absorbing information just like sponges. Everything goes into them. It is left to us to control what's moral and what is immoral from going into their minds. Punishments are necessary but they have to solve the purpose. Children should understand the true meaning of punishments and why they are punished. You have to learn the art of punishing children with love. One has to be involved in parenting and it means prioritizing what you need to do. You should be able to sacrifice what you actually want to do in order for the child to do what she needs to. Develop the practice of reading to your child because if will help the child to develop an interest for reading later. Learn to communicate to children using character. They will never know what is right or wrong if you don't implement it yourself.

It is very easy for us to give long lectures and talk to our children. But we should know that listening is the toughest part of a conversation and active listening is an art in itself. We need to develop a ear to what they like to do and what they don't. It will be of great use in shaping up their character. One of the most dying traditions in America is the family dinner. This is one occasion where we get to pass on our values to our children. They will also learn discipline and manners while dining together. Family mealtime should be used as a time to communicate good values and ideas to children. We should also teach our children how to be safe and never try to raise them in a sterile atmosphere. In today's world security providers such as the ADT Home Security system make sure that all home security needs are met. Nevertheless it is our duty to teach them to be vigilant. Finally never reduce character education to your child to mere words but set an example yourself and always remember, " Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

Educational Games To Make Studies Fun for Your Child

When we talk about education, we often get serious about it. It is all about studying, focusing and concentrating on the child attending school, doing homework or classes.

Helene Goldnadel is of the view that little do we realise that it is not easy for a child to become so serious during the best age of his/her life. Isn’t it frustrating when your boss overloads you with work right when you want a break? That’s exactly how frustrating it is for your child not to play and study instead. As the famous saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

But there is something to sort out this dilemma – that would keep both you and your child happy. While you want your child to have fun and succeed at the same time, your child needs to have fun while learning maths and science too. What can be better than introducing Games for kids while learning! Yes, we are looking at educational games that teach your child while letting it have fun at the same time too.

You can find such educational games online which makes it easily accessible if you have a computer or laptop at home. The online educational games for kids are an amazing way to build the required skills that your child needs to excel. These games for kids teach mathematics, language, science, environment, computers etc. with fun and ease. It is a rewarding experience after all as he enjoys crossing levels using his mental abilities and learning along the way too. Educational games for kids can be the best option for children who are preschoolers to middle school.

These games for kids often include categories like math games, facts, word games, language games, science rhymes, nature games, music, logic, geography and history quiz among others which gives your child an opportunity to select different subjects as and when he/she likes. In fact, there are some websites that will also bring out the artistic streak in your child by allowing it to color drawings online. Wile, everything has gone electronic today, you sure can make optimum use of it by giving your child the opportunity to play educational games.

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