ML Interest Tag: kids-feel

Easy Ways to Stay Connected to Grandparents from a Distance

by Amber Guetebier

Not able to make that multigenerational family vacation happen this year? With COVID 19 on the rise and travel restrictions and recommendations changing daily, it’s no surprise to anyone that our elderly grandparent population may be most at risk. That doesn’t change the fact that kids will be disappointed. Here are some ways to help kids stay connected to their grandparents and other relatives when travel isn’t possible.

Create a Video Montage

Tribute

Grandparents won't miss out on a thing when you use a service like Tribute.co to capture daily special moments. The platform is now being offered for free, and is a simple way to stay connected to loved ones from afar. Invite other family to submit videos through Tribute, then arrange the clips and add effects using the simple tools. When you're done, you'll get a high quality video to send to grandparents in jiffy.

Video Calls

Grandy

From subscription services like Grandy, designed to help grandparents use technology to stay connected to their grandchildren, or the popular Amazon Echo or Facebook Portal, or just Skype, adding video to calls can help kids feel more connected to the person on the other end of the line. Grandparents can make silly faces, see artwork or read bedtime stories. 

For babies and toddlers, consider meal time or snack time to make a video call. Wiggle worms tend to sit still while they’re eating, plus they are occupied and strapped in.

For older kids, prepare a couple of things they want to show and tell with grandparents. A few good jokes, an accomplishment at school.

Routine can be helpful. Having a set scheduled time to talk to G&G is great for some kids, as it gives them something to look forward to, but it’s not a necessity. Sometimes spontaneous calls are the most fun.

The calls don’t always have to be about the weather or school. You can use the time for “lessons” if your grandparent wants to show your kiddos how to bake, build, play piano or draw. 

Play "I spy" with the grandparents. Or 20 questions. 

Know when to wrap it up. If you’ve got a toddler this will be more obvious. For older kids, setting a time limit can help keep them engaged during the call. 

Remind grandparents that there is sometimes a video delay and remind kids that grandparents might need a repeat or louder volume. 

If the grandparents can’t do video calls for whatever reason, much of the above can apply to a phone call, i.e. telling jokes, reading stories, recalling something that happened that day in school. It’s always good to bear in mind that an abstract disembodied voice won't hold a toddler’s attention for very long, so prep the grandparents to tell a story or similar. 

Create a community online.

parent apps
Tinybeans

The Tinybeans app is an easy and safe way to have a social network that is completely private and super easy to use. You can add grandparents to the account, they download the app, and can easily see any images you share. You can also print photo books and gifts in a snap via Chatbooks. 

Play a game online that is kid and grandparent friendly, like Scrabble, Words with Friends or something similar where you take turns either in real time or at your own pace. Bonus if there’s a place for the Grands to leave little messages via chat. 

Have the grands record themselves reading a book or buy a recordable book and have one of the grandparents (or both!) record it. 

Cards & Letters

Ylanite Koppens via Pexels

f your kiddos can make little cards and notes, sending something along for a special occasion or even just because, helps kids think about their grandparents in a positive way. Did your kid do their first masterpiece in colored pencil? Make a photocopy and drop it in an envelope. Kids don’t have to create custom art each time. Just sending something that shows progress and a child’s world view can be something to share (or talk about on the next video chat). 

Start a story together. Have your parents start a paragraph or two of a story and mail it to your child. Your kids can add the next two paragraphs, and send back. 

Send postcards from your hometown. It doesn’t always have to be a letter or package. Sometimes dropping a postcard from your favorite park or a place your kiddo loves with just a short-sweet note is a fast and easy way to let people know you care. Buy the pre-stamped kind or load up on postcards stamps to make it even easier to be spontaneous with your correspondence. Try Postcardly for taking it from online to in-hand.

—Amber Guetebier

featured image: iStock

 

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Research Reveals the Truth about Why “Smart” Kids Cheat

By Amy Webb

When I was in graduate school I worked as a teaching assistant for various professors in the department. This job entailed the usual responsibilities—grading papers, helping students with assignments and the like.

One particular semester I was an assistant for one of the senior members of the faculty in a child development class. Most of the students that semester were sophomores in our department and so they had limited experience with the academic journal articles they were expected to read and analyze.

As I helped guide discussion during class, I noticed this one particular student: She seemed as though she actually read the articles and was fairly eager to participate in the discussion. Having her in class was a nice change from my past experience with students who were often apathetic and didn’t read the material. As I sat down to grade the first round of student essays I was not surprised to find that her paper was one of the better-written ones. Analyzing and interpreting scholarly research was not an easy task for these students and many were at a complete loss. Unlike her classmates, she seemed to have a good understanding of the assignment.

When the next assignment came around I again saw that her paper was well-written. Then I read closer and I realized that some of the text seemed familiar. I went back to our journal articles and compared the text. I realized then that she had plagiarized whole paragraphs of the journal text in her article. No wonder I thought it was so well-written. Even worse was the fact that the article which she had plagiarized was written by our own professor of the class.

What’s Going On: Why Kids Cheat

I went on to work as a teaching assistant for several years and caught other incidents of plagiarism. There’s nothing like some cheating college students to question the future of the well-being of our country. But this particular student’s story stuck with me. Why would a student who seemed so intelligent and engaged bother to cheat? She seemed to have strong skills and be reading at least portions of the texts, why not take the time to do the assignment correctly?

What the Research Says

A recent study of young children actually may help inform our understanding of the science of why kids cheat—and children’s behavior in general. This study considered how the type of praise that kids receive might influence whether or not they cheat. We don’t often think of this, but sometimes we praise kids for their intelligence (e.g., “you’re so smart) and other times we raise them for their performance or effort on the task (e.g., “you worked so hard on that project”). 

The results showed that kids who are praised for intelligence are more likely to cheat on a later task, compared to those praised for performance.

Why Would the Type of Praise Matter?

Well, it seems that praising intelligence sets up a mindset in which kids feel that this is some innate part of their personality—“you are smart.” Whereas praising effort sets up a mindset in which effort is always possible so changing the outcome is probable. As many of you probably know, this distinction is known as a “fixed” versus “growth” mindset.

Much research has already considered the difference between fixed and growth mindsets, but few other studies have looked particularly at cheating. In this case, it seems that kids who think that are innately “smart” feel they have a reputation to protect, so they are more inclined to cheat to maintain this. In contrast, kids who are praised for effort understand their hard work is what produces the good grade or high score, and thus do not feel this same pressure to maintain a reputation for intelligence.

So was the girl in my class a case of too much “intelligence” praise? Well, we will never know for sure, but it does make you wonder if the pressure to seem “smart” overwhelmed her in a new situation where the expectations were higher than she was accustomed to in high school. The lesson it seems is that no matter how brilliant we think our children are, it’s perhaps better to praise them for their hard work and effort. 

How To Praise Your Children’s Performance—Instead of Their Intelligence 

  1. For younger kids, try to promote positive self-talk. Kids will often say things like, “I’m just dumb, I will never learn this.” Offer them language or little mantras to replace this negative talk with positive self-talk. In our house, we say, “everything takes practice.” Another good option is focusing on the word “yet,“ as in, “I haven’t mastered this skill yet.”
  2. For older kids, discuss famous failures who had to keep persisting over and over again until they were successful: Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison are great examples.
  3. Bring in examples from your own life. Did you experience a time when you thought you’d never succeed at something but kept persisting? Recall a time when your hard work really paid off. Your kids will probably love these stories and it’s great bonding time too.

   

Amy is a scholar turned stay-at-home mom of two young boys. When she's not stepping on Legos, she writes at The Thoughtful Parent. With this blog she brings child development research into the lives of parents in the trenches of child-rearing.

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5 Tips to End Morning Meltdowns

By Ruthi Davis

Dear Confessional,

I am not a morning person at all. It’s actually really bad. Let me take you through a brief history of my wake ups. As a kid, I used to iron grip my covers over my face to shut out the sunlight, because it was so warm and cozy under those sheets. I battled the repeat attempts to wake up until I was on the verge of serious lateness. My dad used to try and “peel” me out of bed and literally drag me into the bathroom because I gave him “dead legs” and refused to walk. I would hold onto doorframes just to prove my point that I preferred to be in bed, not getting ready for school. He even tried waking me up with wet cotton ball drips in my ear and on my face to wake me up, which just pissed me off—nothing worked well.

Over time, he avoided the fights all together and wouldn’t utter a word. He would quietly remove the covers, slide my feet to the edge of the bed (as I continued sleeping, of course), sit me up, drag me into the bathroom (with a quick grab of the doorway for dramatic effect), prop me up against the sink, turn on the light, and close the door. Done. Yes, I did sleep while sitting up on the toilet for a bit, but I eventually managed to get myself to school on time.

So naturally, one would only expect that my children would avoid the morning routine like the plague. I do have to give them credit, though, because they are much better than I—thank goodness!

I have been through most of the school morning drama by now, with children ranging from 3- to 10-years old. Yes, I am fully aware that the pre-teen years don’t even come close. Believe me, I’m starting to see it already. Anyway, I digress…

Since I am queen of the anti-morning routine and master of the snooze button, I decided to find a way to wake up the kiddos without a fight or a fuss. As determined as I am, I did find a few—and of course, I will share.

Meaningful call-to-action

The call-to-action is your most important driving force. What I mean is that a quick wake up with a smile is virtually impossible, UNLESS, there is a really good reason. Creativity, my friends, creativity!

Here are my top five tips:

1. When in doubt, play it out. Such an enormous request from your tired little ones must be worth it. One option is to wake them up with a fun game that has a time limit. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT pit the kids against each other, or you will end up with a morning rivalry that will send you running for another cup of coffee and some chocolate before breakfast. Make it an individual game for all.

Here’s one: Walk into the room, turn on the lights, and ask your little ones to get out of bed and line up on the floor in front of you in the best statue of an animal, Disney character, or anything else. Close your eyes and tell them you will count to whatever number you choose (change it every day for variety), and then guess their pose when you open your eyes. Sounds silly, but it works every time. Kids unbelievably run out of bed and start their day with laughter and a smile, especially if there are multiple siblings. Over time, the results may nearly always have something to do with pooping, farting, or butts—but they ultimately get out of bed for a laugh.

2. Eye on the prize. You could also make a time limit to get fully dressed for a small reward of your choice (i.e., an activity, chance to play outside before leaving for school, or even a tiny morning treat). You know your kids, so do what works. Help him/her win, but do the time limit thing again that is secretly stretchable. After a while, they will do this to see if they meet the time, and your reward can disappear.

3. Guess what?! A third idea is to simply wake up with humor and a secret. This works especially well with the older kids. Walk into the room with an exciting anecdote about anything (i.e., something you remember, something that happened, or your faux pas from the other day).  Waking up can be serious business and can turn ugly quick— so remember to tread lightly, my friend!

The next goal is to get your child out of the snuggly sleeping position with a mention, “Oh, I have something really [fill it in—important, funny, silly, scary, etc.] to tell you. First, you need to sit up and I’ll give you a hint. You’ll really want to hear this!” After your hint, complete the story only when the child visibly starts getting ready. Then find anything to tell them, but make it worth it. Curiosity gets them every time, especially when you change it up and make it fun and interesting.

4. Always wear your best smile. Last—and most important—no matter what you do, fight your anxious urge to speed up the morning and rush your kids out of bed in haste. This is the biggest time drainer and ultimately a timeliness death trap! Code red on the “get out of bed now, we’re late” talk. The struggle, resistance, annoyance, and sloth-like behavior will only result and cast a dark cloud on your morning, beware! Remember, no matter what: stay light, funny, playful, positive, and thankful for their considerate pace.

5. Star awards. If you plan on turning your peaceful and punctual morning into the new mainstay, make sure to praise, praise, praise! After the morning hustle at home, give your child a verbal or tangible “Star Award” (i.e., waking up with a smile, getting dressed quickly, no whining, eating a good breakfast, cleaning up after eating, sharing with siblings, helpfulness). These positive acknowledgements, as part of your morning routine, not only demonstrate your appreciation for even the smallest positive behavior, but also help to build self-esteem that your child will continue seeking. This routine also serves to start a positive day, no matter how the morning transpired. I typically do this during the car ride to school. Start off with an announcement and clues about the child, and then reveal his/her name at the end. We all celebrate top effort with a round of applause, and my kids feel so proud. At the end, they even make sure to include me in an award announcement too.

So that’s it. Adjust those top five strategies as you need, and you will experience a happier, more peaceful, and timely morning with your kiddos. I hope this helps ease your morning hustle and flips those wake-up frowns upside down. Until next time…

With Love,

Ruthi

Ruthi Davis is a the Founder of Ruth Davis Consulting LLC with over two decades of success in advertising/marketing, media/publicity, business development, client relations, and organizational optimization for a variety of clients. Ruthi is a proud mom and influencer in the parenting and family market as founder of the Superfly Supermom brand.

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How to Raise an Emotionally Resilient Kid

By Jacquelyn Oldham

Photo: The Little Gym

There’s no doubt that emotional health is equally as important as physical health. For parents, raising a child with a healthy emotional well-being is an immense responsibility. Studies show that as many as 1 in 10 children and young people are affected by mental health challenges. Because of this, it’s important that parents strive to educate their children about mental health and focus on efforts to help their children become emotionally resilient.

Emotional resilience can benefit children in many ways; not only will children have a higher sense of confidence and self-esteem, but they will also easily bounce back from failure, conquer challenges, and reach their true potential. While this can seem like a colossal undertaking, these 5 tips can help parents raise an emotionally healthy child:

1. Focus on Feelings

It’s important to teach your child at a very young age (think infancy) to express their feelings. Whether your child is angry, sad, happy, excited or scared, it’s important to acknowledge what emotions your child is feeling. Once identified, you can teach them the skills needed to cope and deal with that feeling. Show real interest in your child’s feelings and help them express and manage their emotions in a healthy way.

2. Let Them Make Mistakes

While not always fun, mistakes help children learn. It’s important to teach your child that it’s ok to make mistakes. It’s ok to fail. It’s ok to be wrong. Teaching your child that mistakes are ok, and encouraged, can help them develop a healthy relationship with failure and teach them how to deal with shortcomings in a positive way.

3. Let Them Make Decisions

Not only will allowing your child to make some of their own (age-appropriate) decisions help foster their independence, it will also help them deal with the consequences or rewards of their own actions.

4. Nurture Them

There is no such thing as too much love! Caring, nurturing, and loving on your child is a BIG way to help them feel emotionally secure and will also help them grow into loving adults.

 

5. Lead by Example and Take Care of Your Own Emotional Well-Being

Parents need to practice what they preach. By taking care of your own emotional health you can, in turn, help your child grow into an emotionally healthy little person.

As Director of Curriculum & Training at The Little Gym International and a mother myself, it’s important for me to explore new ways to instill confidence and resilience in my own children and the ones that come through our program. These pieces of advice are to help kids feel emotionally empowered to take on new challenges and know that they don’t have to be the best as long as they are trying their best.

Experienced Director in Curriculum and Training with a demonstrated history of working in the entertainment, education, health wellness and fitness industry. Skilled in nonprofit organizations, event planning, customer service, franchising, entrepreneurship, coaching and sales. 

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Parents, Watch for These Signs of Stress at Back-to-School Time

By Dr. Bradley Nelson

Kids are getting ready to head back to school, and many are feeling stressed. They may feel pressure to make good grades or feel anxious over social pressures such as dealing with bullies or making new friends.

Common signs of back-to-school stress include crying, headaches, and expressing fears about social situations or failing grades. Some stress is normal and to be expected. However, chronic stress can have lasting effects on children as they grow, studies show.

When kids exhibit ongoing dread, fear, or worry, it can indicate an underlying emotional issue—what I call “Trapped Emotions.” Trapped Emotions are unresolved emotional energies from negative life experiences that can affect a person’s health, happiness and ability to learn.

For instance, one of the most common emotions kids feel when it comes to heading back to school after summer break is anxiousness. This is quite normal; however, if a child expresses persistent and ongoing dread or worry as the start of school approaches, it may be a sign the child has a Trapped Emotion related to some trouble they have experienced.

Children can develop Trapped Emotions from events at school and family situations, or they can pick up on the emotions and stresses of others around them. Trapped Emotions can have an effect on children’s behavior, family relationships, performance in school, and health.

Some signs a child may be experiencing stress due to Trapped Emotions include:

  • A child who is normally happy and eager to learn grows angry, disobedient, and distant.
  • A child continually expresses dread about the start of school but refuses or is unable to explain why he or she is feeling this way.
  • Frequent complaints about stomachaches, trouble sleeping, and disinterest in activities that the child once enjoyed.

Children who have stressful and difficult lives are prone to having Trapped Emotions. But any child can have Trapped Emotions, no matter how much love they receive or how favorable their home environment may be.

Parents can help their children overcome stress related to Trapped Emotions by learning to identify and resolve this emotional baggage or energy. The Emotion Code™ provides simple ways parents can help their kids:

  • Determine if a Trapped Emotion is present.
  • Identify the emotion.
  • Release each Trapped Emotion and verify that it is gone.

To help adults and children identify and release Trapped Emotions, we developed a formalized process that involves asking a series of questions and getting the answers from the subconscious mind through muscle testing, a simple form of biofeedback.

Muscle testing enables us to tap into the subconscious mind. Answers are determined by measuring minor changes in resistance to pressure on a subject’s arm. Using flow charts from The Emotion Code™ we ask questions to determine if a Trapped Emotion is present, identify the emotion, and ultimately release it.

Another technique we use for identifying Trapped Emotions is the “sway test.” The person using this method stands still, with feet slightly apart and eyes closed and attempts to remain motionless. The practitioner then goes through phrases and questions organized in the flow charts. We can detect and identify Trapped Emotions by the motion of the subject’s body swaying forward or backward in response to these questions.

Parents can use these very simple and non-invasive techniques to help determine if their child has one or several Trapped Emotions, and to permanently release these unwanted feelings. Free instructions are available at www.emotioncodegift.com.

Helping kids identify and release potential Trapped Emotions can improve their overall happiness and ability to learn. Getting rid of emotional baggage can help kids shift out of fear of starting school or a new grade, stop worrying about upsetting incidents from the past, and be more relaxed, confident, and happy in the year to come.

 

Dr. Bradley Nelson
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Veteran holistic physician and author of The Emotion Code, Dr. Bradley Nelson is an expert in the emerging fields of Bioenergetic Medicine and Energy Psychology. He has certified thousands of practitioners worldwide in helping people overcome unresolved anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness and other negative emotions and the physical symptoms associated them.

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New Children’s Book “Why?” Is a Charming Tale Curious Kids Will Treasure

by Beth Shea
Partner Content

The books young readers love the most contain heartfelt stories and characters they can relate to. The new children’s book Why?, written and illustrated by two-time Caldecott and Geisel Honoree Laura Vaccaro Seeger, has all the makings of your family’s new favorite read. It poignantly celebrates kids’ inherent curiosity to discover more about the world via a sweet friendship between a Rabbit and a Bear. Read on to learn why Why? is poised to become an instant classic you’ll want to add to your permanent collection.

Reading Between the Lines

Why? follows the friendship between Rabbit and Bear through spring, summer and fall. While the seasons around them change, their bond remains a comforting constant in a world full of uncertainty. Written in an engaging question and answer format, Rabbit plays the role of an inquisitive child while Bear acts as the wise, patient sage responding to Rabbit’s endless stream of inquiries.

Bear provides an explanation for everything that puzzles Rabbit––and even when Bear ultimately can’t give an answer, he gently tells Rabbit, “I don’t know why. Sometimes I just don’t know why!” (Much like we as parents have to honestly tell our own kids sometimes).

Why? empowers kids to be confidently curious like Rabbit, while inviting them to figure out the answers to Rabbit’s questions as they read the book. This, the author believes, encourages independent thought and informed decision-making, while also holding space for the questions that don’t have immediate answers and realizing that gradual discovery is part of life’s process.

5 More Reasons Your Kid Will Love Why?

 

1. Curious kids will relate to the story and get to live vicariously through Rabbit, the mouthpiece for their internal voice. Rabbit has an unquenchable yearning to learn more about “why” things are as they are. Rabbit’s constant inquiring will make kids feel more comfortable with this aspect of their nature, while encouraging them to always ask questions.

2. Subtle lessons about nature and science are interwoven in Bear’s answers, making this story appealing to kids’ desire to gain helpful knowledge alongside Rabbit.

3. Bear’s example of steadfast calm provides a safe haven in which kids will want to reside during bedtime stories.

4. The delightful watercolor illustrations that bring Bear and Rabbit to life are at once soothing and whimsical. Kids will feel drawn into the story as they see each animal’s expressive personality unfold in myriad ways on every page.

5. The book’s simple text enables kids to use Why? as a learning tool to practice solo reading.

Learn more about Why? and buy yours here.

––Beth Shea

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Old Navy’s New Kid-Created Collection Benefits Boys & Girls Clubs

by Erica Loop

Old Navy recently unveiled its first-ever kid-designed collection, and bonus––it benefits Boys and Girls Clubs across the country!

The Old Navy x BGCA ONward! Capsule Collection includes tees featuring drawings made by 8 to 12-year-old Boys and Girls Club members. The perfect for back-to-school picks all include empowering messages—so your kiddo can make a statement without saying a word.

The tees, which are available in stores and online at oldnavy.com, include phrases such as “I Am the Future, “Kind Heart” and “I Am Unstoppable.” Not only can your child feel the empowerment these tees bring, but buying the special collection helps your family do good. Sarah Holme, Executive Vice President of Design, Old Navy, said, in a press release, “At Old Navy, we believe that people give style power, so we worked closely with kids from Boys and Girls Clubs to develop empowering designs that will help kids feel and look their best as they start the new school year.”

Holme also added, “The designs that these kids created represent the hopes and dreams of the next generation, and we’re so inspired by the future they want to create.”

In celebration of the collection, Old Navy and 12-year-old rapper Alaya High (Lay Lay) created a tee-inspired video. According to Old Navy, “In the video, Lay Lay’s rap encourages students to be unstoppable on the first day of school, outfitted in tees from the ONward! capsule collection.”

Between Aug. 1 and 14, Old Navy will donate $50,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs and match customer donations up to $300,000 total. Check out the collection (which starts at $9.99) here!

—Erica Loop

Photos: Courtesy of Old Navy

 

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How a Summertime Routine Will Benefit Your Kids

By Jacquelyn Oldham

Photo: The Little Gym

Your child’s favorite time of year is finally here, SUMMER! School is out, and so is the ease of your family’s regular schedule. Say goodbye to your school year routine which likely includes strict wake up and bedtimes, extracurricular activities, and homework. While the end of the school year isn’t all that bad, there’s a chance a lenient summer break schedule can mess with your family’s all-around mental health and well-being. Keep your family’s summer streamlined, and fun (and preserve your sanity along the way) with these summer break survival tips!

Keep a Consistent Routine

A child’s schedule typically consists of some type of routine; a morning routine, bedtime routine, and the routine of going to school, camps, or extracurricular activities in your area. Routines can help kids feel more secure, allowing them to have expectations about what’s to come. They also help to create a sense of responsibility and allows for an easier transition once it’s time to go back to school.

Eat Up!

Review the USDA’s healthy eating approach, MyPlate, with your children and help them create their own meal plans for the week. Work with them to choose from MyPlate and create  meals that meet all of the major food groups. Children who are involved in the creation of their meals are more likely to eat and enjoy, their meals (we’re looking at you, picky eaters!).

Let Them Catch Their zzzz’s

A good night’s sleep not only helps your kids feel refreshed but will also help them feel more alert. So, it’s important that sleep patterns don’t change too much in the summer. If they do have a little more time to play when the sun is out, remember to only extend bedtime by 30-minutes, so they don’t have a hard time adjusting when back-to-school time rolls around.

Map it Out

Create a calendar and map out activities for each day, week, and month of summer vacation. Include things like road trips, camping days, activities and outings, pool parties, and even down time. This way, your children can look at the calendar and anticipate what fun summer activities are coming up. Bonus: it will help keep mom and dad in check too!

By incorporating these snippets of advice into a child’s summer schedule, parents can guarantee that they won’t have to start from scratch once the school year begins.

Experienced Director in Curriculum and Training with a demonstrated history of working in the entertainment, education, health wellness and fitness industry. Skilled in nonprofit organizations, event planning, customer service, franchising, entrepreneurship, coaching and sales. 

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At This High School, Helping Your Community Earns You P.E. Credit

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Doing heavy yard work can burn up to 600 calories per hour, but at one high school doing yard work can earn students credit for P.E. in addition to helping the elderly and disabled.

At the Alternative Learning Center in Dubuque, Iowa students can earn school credit in physical education outside the school yard and in their neighbors’ yards. During the last two weeks of the school year the students have the option to do yard work for people in the local community who are elderly or disabled.

“The students and I and other students come out and help them. Could be raking leaves, pulling weeds, cutting grass, cleaning gutters. Just depends on what they need,” Alternative Learning Center teacher Tim Hitzler explained to KWWL News.

Not only are the kids getting outdoors doing a physical activity, they are also learning about the importance of giving back and helping those in need. And, of course, the community benefits as well thanks to their hardwork. That’s a real win-win.

“What they really like is helping people. They really like giving back to people and meeting the person. We get to give back to the community, but the kids feel a sense of accomplishment too,” Hitzler said.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Lukas via Pexels

 

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Passover the Fun: 5 Easy Ways to Get Kids Involved

by Leah R. Singer

Getting the littles involved in religious celebrations is always a great idea (and easier said than done!). Lucky for you, Passover is one of the most kid-friendly Jewish holidays of the year. With its emphasis on jumping frogs and searching for buried treasure (that is, matzo), this celebration of freedom is a great way to get everyone participating. Read on to discover five ways to get little ones around and enjoying the seder table.

1. Make an Elijah’s cup. Elijah the Prophet is an important part of Passover, and it’s customary to leave a glass of wine on the table for his arrival. Kiddos can be part of this tradition by creating his cup. They can get crafty with multi-colored yarn and beads, or simply buy a plastic cup and grab some permanent markers. Then fill it with wine (or grape juice) and wait for Elijah.

Photo: Judaica.com

2. Put kids in charge of the Passover plagues. The ten plagues are an integral part of the Passover story (blood, frogs, darkness, beasts, etc.). Before Passover begins, put a “goodie bag” together with items that represent each of the different plagues. Dollar stores are a great way to find inexpensive items for each plague. Finger puppets are also a great alternative. During this portion of the seder, have the kids take over by explaining each plague and demonstrating it with the toys from the bag. If you have multiple kids attending, consider making a “plague bag” for each kiddo.

Photo: Epicurious

3. Make a matzo house. Who said December is the only time to construct an edible house? Chances are you’ll be buying matzo for your seder anyway. So don’t let the leftover crackers go to waste. Have kids create a Passover house out of matzo and decorate it with Passover candy. Then place them on your seder table as decorations.

4. Don’t forget the afikomen hunt. Kids love to search for the afikomen (dessert matzo) during the seder. How about making it more involved by creating clues or a treasure map leading to the afikomen. Offer a prize for the kid who finds the treasure, as well as little gifts for all the kids who participate. And parents: while the kids are hunting, use this time of the seder to go back to the adult Haggadah.

5. Create your own seder plate and haggadah. Nothing makes kids feel more involved in their Passover celebration than seeing their personal creations on the  on the seder table. Spend some time before the holiday creating a seder plate. There are so many ways to create a plate. You can buy an inexpensive glass plate and have kids decorate it with paint markers, or even use items such as LEGO or painted rocks (check out all the great ideas here). While the adults read from the traditional Haggadah, keep the kiddos entertained with their own booklet filled with Passover coloring pages and worksheets. Bonus tip: Have them create their own cover!

How do you involve your kids in the Passover festivities?

— Leah R. Singer (photos too, unless otherwise noted)

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