Tips for tackling summer homework

Tips for tackling summer homework
By: Marissa Anteby

Here's my quick advice on common questions people have about their kids and summer regiments.

Question 1 - "Every summer my children's school sends home these summer reading list and workbooks to be done during the vacation. I feel like it ruins MY summer because I'm constantly nagging to get it done, which doesn't usually happen until the last week anyway. I wish I could just ditch the homework and let them have a relaxing break. What should I do?"

I know it isn't always easy, but most things can be accomplished if we break them down in to more manageable components. Use a 'divide and conquer' approach when it comes to getting your kids to do their summer assignments. It's imperative that you involve your kids in the planning stage of devising a schedule, so they feel connected to the process and learn to take responsibility for getting the tasks completed. Sit down with your kids individually and let them mark a calendar with the homework that needs to get done on specific days. For example, if your 3rd grader has 1 book to be read and 100 pages in a Math workbook, he/she may opt to read 1 chapter on Saturdays, and do 3 pages of Math on Tuesdays and Thursdays. As the work gets done, have the child check it off on the calendar. You can review the calendar together each Tuesday (or whatever day works for you,) to make sure everything is on track.

As for implementation, the warmer weather works in your favor. Kids are more apt to be physically active in the summer, running around outside and playing sports. A study conducted by Prof. Tomporowski at The University of Georgia showed that cardiovascular exercise has a long lasting positive effect on children's brains. Chemicals released during vigorous exercise promote learning and even aid in brain functioning. You may want to save money on a tutor and hire a kid-friendly exercise instructor who will wind down each session with a focusing meditation!

Question 2- "My 12 year old daughter seems to get along with her classmates during the school year but each summer I worry that she's not "social" enough. I don't want to put pressure on her, but shouldn't she be hanging out with her friends after camp?"

Answer:
Kids pick up on our cues even when we don't verbalize them. So, she probably has a sense of your anxiousness about her maintaining friendships over the summer. Therefore, you are wise in not wanting to make a big deal about this. Encourage her to get involved in a group activity or an organized sport. Dr. Gould of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University says, "Kids learn things in sports that they won’t learn anywhere else, such as working hard, coping with challenges, learning to focus, and figuring out how to work with other kids."

You can bring the friends to your daughter by having a fun exercise class at your house. Hire a fitness instructor to lead the group in something new to all of them, so your daughter can feel successful at mastering a new skill with her friends. They can try something like Boot Camp, Power Yoga, or Pool Pilates. I suggest these types of classes because unlike group dance that is taught to the whole group, there is flexibility in these formats to include partner exercises where the instructor pairs up the girls. With the Yoga type classes there's even time for interactive talks on how to be good to yourself and others. This will assist in developing and fostering positive relationships.

Question 3- "My pediatrician recommended Yoga therapy to help reduce my son's symptoms of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder/ ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.) I've heard this recommendation before, but I don't understand how my kid is going to sit still for Yoga?"

Answer: Well, your child doesn't have to sit still... problem solved! During a Yoga session the teacher will assess the child's needs and meet him where he is on his attention spectrum. Meaning, it's ok to squirm and giggle, the more Yoga he practices, the less likely he will be to interrupt himself. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, after Yoga, body movements of attention deficit disorder children become more synchronized, their tempers better controlled; heart and pulse rates and blood circulation more regularized. In addition to all those physical benefits, children become calm, were able to relax the pace of their hectic lifestyles and spend some time in introspection and quiet contemplation. Their attention spans actually increased with the help of regular Yoga exercise.

Summer is a great time to start a Yoga regimen. The lack of school work frees kids up to add more leisure activities in to their lives. They'll go back to school with solid techniques and coping skills for dealing with the normal stressors of sitting in a classroom all day.

marissa@embodyinc.com
www.embodyinc.com