Some schools have not yet changed their academic calendars; they are still following the old schedule of classes which start in June and end in March or early part of April.
Many colleges and universities in our country changed the academic calendars to make it synchronized with other schools in other countries particularly in Asia. So their their classes start in August and ends in May or June.
Since classes in elementary schools will end this first week of April, parents should have plans on what their children can do during the school vacation. This will prevent children from getting bored during the two-months vacation.
Enrolling Children to Acquire More Skills
Parents should enroll their children in activities offered by some organizations; these are usually free. There are those offering arts, martial arts, sports,playing musical instruments and other hobbies.
Children can enjoy and learn a lot from it. Aside from the new skills, children would appreciate socialization or interaction with other children at a different setting, different from the usual classroom setting.
Engaging children in such activities can help develop their interest, as well as keep them away from gadgets which steal a lot of their time. Instead of playing with friends, they tend to be couch potatoes sitting in front of the computer or whatever electronic gadget they have. It is bad for their health and for their social being.
They can use the new acquired skills later in life. If they learned how to play musical instruments, then they can use it in school where they can join the music club or the school band or chorale. If they learn some crafts, they can develop it and earn from it. If they learn sports like swimming, volleyball,among others, they can join the school varsity team when regular classes start.
There are so many ways to keep children busy during school breaks. Parents should guide them and find out what fields their children wanted and would excel. It is good to help them find their niche, nurture their potentials which they can use later in life.
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True, if such activities are encouraged in the children they will teach them a sense of discipline and time management. Once they know how to value their time they will see to it that they do not waste time as it is limited. There are so many activities to choose from if one would want to. For doing all this the parents should not have spoilt the children and inculcated bad habits like addiction to online games, mobiles lazing around etc.
This has to be taught since a young age as if one catches them young then this habit will come to them like how a fish would swim in water once it is born. These will also turn out to be life skills as should some child unable to read or study and be able to complete higher studies plan b is always ready as these children will be doing what they like.
You are correct, children must be taught time management with the guidance of their parents. They can use the skills they would learn later in their lives.
It is so true that schools changed the calendar of activities like in our university the final exam is set April first week.Last Christmas I initiated pigments painting with the kids at home That was a was a very exciting activity making the children at home my nephews busy. You are right, that way kids can acquire earlier skills and talents.
So your school has not changed the academic calendar? Some colleges have it from August to May the following year. It is nice to know you taught your nephews about pigment painting during their Christmas break. It could be fun.
Activities are so good for children, it keeps them busy and occupied. On summer vacations, my children are active 247. My daughter gets enrolled in gymnastics and my son in football. Its not just about fun loving activities, like the parks and all, but get skilled in what you like doing. You may even find these puzzle books or word search good for these kids, it helps with their vocab. I do not give room to just tvs, games etc alone, but get busy.
That's very good; you are one of those very responsible parents who aim to bring out the best in their children. Engaging them in sports like what you are doing will help them develop a career when they mature.
I am amazed at your reply. It's good for a blog post. Thanks anyway, you had elaborated enough on what to do to help develop children; to give them additional skills and to hone their potentials.
Very good post. At the same time we can think about their leadership developeent skills.
While leadership skills can come naturally, children learn lessons along the way that significantly impacts them later in life. The right words at the right time can make all the difference.
Here are few great tips to help you instill the right skills in the future leaders in your life.
1. Set a good example.
As a leader, you realize the importance of setting a good example for your team. This is even truer of your role as a parent. By allowing your children to see how well you balance your business and personal roles, you’ll teach them accountability through effective leadership.
2. Encourage team activities.
Early on, identify your children’s interests and encourage their participation in group activities. Whether it’s joining a scouting troop, participating in sports or joining the school band, children learn valuable lessons about teamwork through these activities.
Related: To Raise a Well-Adjusted Adult, Teach Your Kid Early About the Value of Reputation
3. Emphasize perseverance.
The best leaders learn to handle failure as gracefully as they handle success. It’s important to expose future leaders to disappointment rather than protecting them from it. Children need to learn to handle the loss and move forward when the other team wins or someone else is elected class president.
4. Build negotiation skills.
Every good leader knows the art of compromise. Instead of giving your children a firm “yes” or “no” to a request, make an offer and allow them to counter that offer by offering solid points. Teach them negotiation skills like never giving up something without asking for something else in return.
5. Hone decision-making abilities.
Children should learn how to make good decisions as early in life as possible. Because children become overwhelmed by too many choices, narrow down the options to two or three, whether a child is deciding on afternoon activities or a movie to watch. My wife Kristy says "Teach your children to weigh the pros and cons of each option in order to make the most informed decision possible. This will help them to make correct decisions in everyday life."
6. Practice confident communication.
When you go to a restaurant, do you place orders for your children? You can actually turn a simple dinner into a confidence-building exercise by having your children speak directly to servers. Allowing them to order and speak directly to servers will help them gain confidence in themselves and be able to communicate what they need.
7. Encourage work.
Often children are eager to begin working in some capacity. If your child wants to set up a lemonade stand, support them and encourage it. Once your children are old enough, they can take on work opportunities like babysitting and mowing neighborhood yards, provided you live in a safe neighborhood. These early jobs can be essential to building leadership skills in children.
8. Enroll in summer camp.
Summer camp is filled with opportunities to participate in team-building activities. Once youth reach a certain age, they may even be asked to help counselors. While many camps require counselors to be 18, a regular camp attendee may be able to land a spot assisting counselors, where they’ll be tasked with leading groups of younger children.
9. Have family game night.
Instead of spending an evening staring at your respective screens, consider an evening of board games instead. A family game night not only provides a unique way to spend time together, it helps children learn to be a good sport, play by the rules, and think strategically.
10. Teach project planning skills.
As a family, you likely have many planned events, from family vacations to visiting relatives. As you prepare, don’t leave children out of the planning process. Treat each event as though it were a business project, holding brainstorming sessions and delegating smaller tasks to your young family members.
11. Use vision boards.
One fun way to teach children goal-setting is through the use of vision boards. They’ll have fun cutting out pictures and arranging them on a board, and in the process they will learn how to visualize what they want to achieve.
12. Avoid jumping in.
When your child works on a project or activity, it can be tempting to jump in and help, especially if you see your child struggling. Instead, consider stepping back and letting your children work through it themselves. After the fact, you can review the obstacles and challenges that emerged during the task and ask for ideas on how things could have been done differently.
13. Find a mentor.
As great an example as you are to your children, a mentor can be invaluable. A trusted friend or family member can be a great mentor, especially if that person is accomplished in an area in which your child expresses interest. There are also organizations that can supply screened members as mentors.
14. Encourage reading.
Studies have shown the benefits of reading for fun in childhood, with children who read having greater intellectual progress in a variety of subjects. Young readers tend to learn more about the world, even when the reading is of a frivolous nature.
15. Reward optimistic thinking.
The fact that optimism is connected to success should not be lost on your family. Reward optimism, especially when that optimism is connected to attempting to reach a goal.
Financial expert Miranda Marquit teaches that "to teach your children money management you need to allow them to make mistakes. Have them make a list of what they want, then help them to prioritize what on the list is more important and have them save for it." This will teach them valuable lessons that will help them throughout their whole life. It will also help them know what they can and can't afford.
In small ways, today’s leaders can prepare younger generations for their future as business leaders. Each of these suggestions will not only create better leaders, but can help children perform better in school and develop better personal relationships throughout life.