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Learning Together Joyfully: August – The Sunday of Summer

Welcome back educators, parents, care-givers and grandparents. August is a time to celebrate – a good summer, garden harvests and – even the behaviour of ants. It is also important to make time to support children in preparation for the start of school. As a new virus variant looms, many of us, including our children, may experience additional anxiety. Hopefully our children will also be filled with excitement as they look forward to the upcoming year of learning and to seeing their friends and teachers. There are many ways to support children to develop strategies to manage anxiety such as reestablishing routines that include regular bedtimes as well as routine chores consistently completed around the home. These are important so children are reminded of timing and so the experience of making transitions is undertaken and reemphasized. The school day is filled with transitions as children move from one activity to the next. Children are better prepared for school when they have had some practice at home. Included are many ideas to support your efforts in preparing for school — what you do today with your child can determine what their day will be like tomorrow in the classroom. Remember that you can build confidence in your child about starting school when you: listen to their concerns; acknowledge and empathize with their fears; comfort and support their range of emotions; help them problem-solve; and remind them of their past successes. 

1.  Read together 📚 

Back to school anxiety? Calm those fears, take this list along to locate the following titles at your public library or bookstore, and then cuddle, read and laugh together. If your child is anxious, laugh! Laughter releases the body’s natural feel-good chemicals dopamine and endorphins into the body. Dopamine plays a vital role in how happy we feel while endorphins are powerful stress fighters. When you laugh, physical changes take place in the body lessening anxiety, and stimulating the heart, lungs and muscles. How good is that for all of us?  

  • The Sunday Blues by Neal Layton. Say goodbye to back to school worries! This gently funny tale about overcoming back-to-school anxiety is perfect for anyone who finds going back to school worrisome.
  • How to Be Kind in Kindergarten by D J Steinberg. This book in verse guides children on how to be kind either by sharing their umbrella with a friend, taking turns on the swings or inviting someone to join in a game. All kind ways to launch into the new and exciting world of kindergarten.
  • Back-to-School Rules by Laurie Friedman, Now that school’s back in session see what trouble—and tips—Percy has in mind in this humorous tongue-in-cheek book that kids will love. Percy has ten simple rules – such as no spitballs or running in the halls or bouncing off the ceiling! 
  • Back to School, Weird Kids Rule!; Miss Child Has Gone Wild!; and Ms. Krup Cracks Me Up by Dan Gutman. This set of 3 books gets kids reading and settling into the excitement of going back to school. These stories range from a zookeeper to a museum tour guide proving that fun doesn’t have to end when the summer does. 
  • What to do when you worry too much: A kid’s guide to overcoming anxiety by Dawn Huebner guides 6 – 12 year old children and parents through several techniques for those who experience anxiety. Humorous illustrations make the concepts and interactive strategies easy to understand, with clear how-to steps that encourage children to develop skills to reduce their anxiety. Engaging, encouraging, and easy to follow, this book educates, motivates, and empowers children to work towards change. It also includes a note to parents by psychologist and author Dawn Huebner, PhD. Highly Recommended! 
  • Back to School: A Global Journey by Maya Ajmera invites children to share the exciting experience of learning with kids just like themselves all over the world. Whether they take a school bus, a boat, or a rickshaw to get there, most kids from all nations are curious to learn and go to school every day.
  • The Secret Life of Squirrels; Back to School! by Nancy Rose. This back-to-school story comes to life with photographs of real wild squirrels in handcrafted, homemade miniature school settings as friends help the teacher get prepared for school to begin.
  • Back to Dog-Gone School by Amy Schmidt. From the bus stop to the last bell, this photographic early reader of  school-themed poems is sure to delight dog lovers and those anxious about going back to school.
  • Back to School, Mallory by Laurie Friedman. Summer is over and eight-year-old Mallory McDonald has to go back to — a new school with all new kids. To make matters worse, her mom is going too – as the new music teacher! Will Mallory learn to navigate new friendships while being in the same school as her Mom?
  • It’s Back to School We Go!; First Day Stories From Around the World by Ellen Jackson. This book shares that the first day of school is an event that brings mixed emotions to children everywhere. Children from eleven different countries share their experience of their first day back at school with their account enhanced by a fact box that something about their culture. Children can compare and contrast the experiences of children from different parts of the world and realize how much they all have in common.

Share some stories with favorite characters and how they cope with back-to-school jitters…

  • Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School by Herman Parish. Amelia Bedelia’s school daze antics will make kids giggle and erase any back-to-school nervousness. Poor Mill Wilson! Pull back the flaps to peek at Amelia Bedelia’s school day.
  • Back to School for Rotten Ralph by Jack Gantos. Summer is over and Sarah can’t wait to start school and make some new friends other than her rotten cat, Ralph. But Ralph wants to be Sarah’s only friend, so when Sarah boards the school bus, he disguises himself as a student, follows her to class, and starts his scheme of sabotage. 
  • Arthur’s Back to School Day by Lillian Hoban. It’s the first day back at school for Arthur and Violet and all of their friends and they experience a day full of many fun-filled surprises. 
  • Back to School with Mr. Men Little Miss by Adam Hargreaves. Prepare your child to get ready to go back to school with the Mr. Men and Little Misses in this fun story! This story will reassure children as they contemplate everything they will be expected to do, including writing and solving math problems.

How do you re-establish earlier bedtimes as summer ends and school is a few weeks away…read on…

  • The Froggies Do NOT Want to Sleep by Adam Gustavson. For every kid who ever came up with an outlandish excuse for why it can’t be bedtime yet, these froggies’ antics will delight and entertain. Why go to bed when you can play the accordion, dance underwater ballet, and hold burping contests with strange alien lifeforms? 
  • Arlo; The Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep by Catherine Rayner. Arlo the lion is exhausted but he just can’t drop off to sleep, no matter what he tries. It’s too hot, too cold, too loud or too quiet, and his wriggly family aren’t helping either! Thankfully Owl, his new friend, has some good ideas to help him fall asleep.
  • Feeling Sleepy; Drift Off to Sleep With Your Animal Friends by Andrea Pinnington. Based on popular relaxation techniques, enjoying the book together is a simple but effective way to encourage the little ones to drop off to sleep. The book features a group of 6 attractive animals doing natural things, related to healthy bedtime activities that provides a stress-free end of the day for children and their parents.
  • Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book by Dr. Seuss. Catch a case of the yawns as you and your child read about a very small bug and a very big yawn that spreads and spreads. Meanwhile, the Audio-Telly-o-Tally-o Count adds up every sleeping creature from the country of Keck to the Castle of Krupp. This book is a perfect bedtime story that will have reluctant sleepers snoring!
Breakthrough Counselling on Twitter: "Helpful checklist for behaviours commonly seen with anxiety… "

READ ALOUDS:

Click on the links below as reading and discussing them together may provide you opportunities to acknowledge and calm your child’s fears and back-to-school worries.

  • Mae’s First Day of School by Kate Berube (5:50 mins.) As Mae’s first day of school approaches, her anxiety builds, but then she meets Rosie and Ms. Pearl, who are equally nervous. This reassuring narrative shows kids the power of expressing fears and conquering them with support from others.
  • The I’m Not Scared Book by Todd Parr (2:42 mins.) Several typical childhood fears, including fear of the dark, dogs, starting school, and getting lost, are illustrated in this book that encourages kids to address and think through their fears to a solution.
  • Noni Is Nervous by Heather Hartt-Sussman (5:45 mins) Noni is nervous about lots of things, but she is particularly anxious about her first day of school. This picture book about managing fears will comfort children who are contemplating a new experience.
  • First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg (4:14 mins.) Mr. Hartwell tries to convince a nervous Sarah to come out from under her covers and attend her first day of school. When she overcomes her fear and arrives at school, readers realize that Sarah Jane Hartwell is the new teacher. Kids will appreciate the turnabout joke and be reassured that they are not alone in their first-day jitters.
  • When My Worries Get Too Big: A Relaxation Book for Children Who Live with Anxiety  (6:16 mins.) read by the author Kari Dunn Buron is written to help children, parents, and teachers understand and recognize anxiety experienced by children and offers some suggestions about what can be done.

Still hearing complaints about being bored – read an article with some suggested boredom busters, or the following are a couple of good reads to stimulate a discussion with your child.

  • Bored Claude  by Jill Newton.  Claude the shark is feeling gloomy. His friends are all very busy but Claude is definitely not interested in what they want to do. It’s boring. Back in his cave, Claude has a brilliant idea for something he can do to contribute and be a helpful friend. 
  • I’M BORED is read by the author Michael Ian Black, with an art demonstration on how to draw emotions by the illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi.This book is about a little girl who thinks she couldn’t possibly be more bored, until she stumbles upon a potato who turns the tables on her by declaring that children are boring. This girl sets out to show the unimpressed potato all the amazing things kids can do. 

SINGING:

Several of the following songs about doing chores, teach children how to do tasks they will need throughout their lives – like doing laundry and dishes!. Skills associated with chores also benefit children in the classroom as they learn how to work together and be a contributing team member. Routines associated with bedtime, bath time, or circle time at school provide structure and ground children. For younger kids, songs can be especially effective tools to help implement routines and ease transitions. When expectations are clear from the outset and when some choice is possible (e.g. set the table or clear the table) whether at home or in the classroom, children feel more secure and invested in the process. (Caroline Mendel, Child Mind Institute.) 

2. Create together: Observing, Drawing and Constructing 🧩

  • Studying, Drawing and Constructing – all about ANTS. There is much to be learned from ants’ behaviour as they take on individual responsibilities and make significant contributions as a member of a team. Summertime is a great time for children to study the gazillions of ants that have been invading our parks, driveways, yards, gardens, pots BUT hopefully not your kitchen! Encourage your child to find some ants around the sidewalk, driveway or under rocks or logs and construct an ant farm (2:46 mins.) Share 10 Cool Facts About Ants and then watch a BBC video about ants! 
  • Read the National Geographic ANTS book together.(7:23 mins.) followed up by some word searches – medium or harder.
  • Studying ants is a great way to involve children in authentic and memorable Science activities! 
  • What to assist Canadian scientists? Download the AntNupTracker App to assist researchers build a database of the queen’s nuptial flights so they may link flight timing and environmental change. 

3. Explore together 🌍

Since most of us are not venturing too far from our homes, the following are ideas to organize for your child to do outdoors around your home and local community.

4. Engage and Interact: 👭

We are all creatures of habit and making change or transitioning takes more energy. Children may feel anxious or fearful and find it difficult to make transitions when asked to change their attention to different activities or places. Being asked to stop one thing and start another is a very common trigger for problem behavior, especially for children who have emotional or developmental challenges.

5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about preparations for back to school and Learning 💭

SLEEP and ROUTINES

  • Parents can benefit from using these sleep guidelines for children as a target while recognizing that a healthy amount of sleep may vary among children or from day to day.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a Statement of Endorsement supporting these guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (AASM).  Source: Perathi S., Brooks L, D’Ambrosio, et.al. 2016 May. 

ENDORPHINS and ANXIETY

  • Understanding the power of endorphins is important as they have many positive effects in our children’s health and well-being. Benefits include: reduced depression and anxiety; improved self-esteem; regulation or modulation of appetite; an enhanced immune response; and reduced pain. Read about ways to increase your natural production of endorphins including laughter! Look for ways to engage your family in humorous activities whether by reading funny books or engaging family members to play silly jokes on one another.
  • Educators can support their students using a variety of anxiety-reducing strategies 
ttps://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-endorphins-5025072

Upcoming Blog: GRATITUDE – September, 2021