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Author Archive for: jentwistle

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I Already Passed Kindergarten

Every September I take some time to write letters to the teachers my children will have for the upcoming year.  I have found this to be an effective way to help the teacher get to know my child more quickly, and to understand who they are beyond their informal and scripted report card from the year before.

In this letter I describe my child – what they are like as a student and a person, and what they do and don’t do well.  But beyond this, I also explain the culture of our family when it comes to homework.  I remember when my daughter was in kindergarten she didn’t finish a homework assignment.  I got a note home from the teacher highlighting this.  It was written to me.  I responded with: “I already passed kindergarten, please hold my child responsible for not meeting her classroom expectations”.   I have enough to do.  I have to parent them, keep them safe, plan for the present and future, make sure they get along with their siblings, ensure they become responsible and respectful adults, have clean clothes, food to eat.  I really don’t need to do their homework.

My children know my philosophy on schoolwork.  This is for them, not me.  It is up to them to know what is due and when, and to ask for help if they need it.  They are not to cram and ask for things the night before.  Bedtime is bedtime, not to be extended because of homework procrastination.  When I help them this is in the form of assisting them to organize the work, break it into manageable chunks, showing them simple ways to understand the content, and asking them if they feel this will meet the expectations of the classroom.

I expect teachers to hold my children accountable for completing their assignments.  If this means no recess, extra homework, a failing grade, trip to the principal’s office, so be it.  I trust the school system and the measures they have in place to educate my children – if I didn’t, I would pursue other options.  Learning, like working, involves responsibility, commitment, accountability, organization, planning and time-management.  Kindergarten and beyond is the perfect place to accumulate these skills, as I feel the true value of school is not in the content, but in learning how to learn, be around others, and manage the expectations of someone in charge.

In Kindergarten my girls had to participate in a car rally.  The task was simple – make a car, and parade around the school in a foot race, holding the car around your waist.  One kid arrived with a car made of wood.  It had working lights, mirrors, and tires that rotated on a functional axle.  He couldn’t even lift it.  I wonder if his dad failed the assignment.   

 

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Back to School Doesn’t Have to be Stressful

No matter your age, whether you are starting school for the first time, returning to the same school, moving up to middle or high school, moving away to university or going back to school after years in the workforce, the words “Back to school” can bring on both excitement and anxiety.  Many feel excited for the opportunities and experiences that may come, however, many also feel frightened and anxious over what lies ahead.  The specific anxieties may differ depending on the age of the student or the specific situation, however, how you as a parent or caregiver helps and supports the student through them is extremely important.  The following article published by Global News discusses the best strategies for calming anxious minds and making “back to school” as pleasant as possible!

 

Global News: Back-to-school is back-to-stress for some kids; coping techniques can help

 

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Mean Lady at the Bus Stop

Yup, that is me.  That mom at the bus stop that, while waiting for my kids to board the bus, ends up supervising and “parenting” the other kids that are not behaving.  I remember a few years back I was waiting for the bus with my daughter.  There were several kids waiting with us, and a few parents.  Three boys were first in line, standing on the curb.  They were pushing, shoving and playing around as boys do, each time falling or running onto the road.  I told them to stop what they were doing, stand in line properly and patiently wait for the bus.  My neighbor called me a meanie.

 

I am happy to be a meanie when it comes to safety, especially with children.  Part of this is the curse of working in auto insurance.  I know if one of these boys gets hit by a passing car, this could be life threatening or at the least, life altering.  I also know the driver of that car will likely suffer life-long mental anguish knowing they inadvertently harmed a child – even if this was not their fault.  Also, my child, and the other children at the bus stop that would witness such an accident would never be the same.  They could have nightmares, flashbacks, and suffer from traffic anxiety, an aversion to riding the bus, or attending school.  Lastly, from a personal liability perspective, I can’t help thinking that if children are being unsafe, and get injured, and this is witnessed by a responsible adult who did not try to prevent it, that adult could be held partially responsible.  Either way, the outcome is bad for all involved.

 

Transportation by bus is one of the safest ways to get children to and from school.  According to transport Canada, only .3 percent of personal injury or death from collisions involved school buses.  Of the 142 deaths involving a school bus over the last 10 years, only 5 have involved passengers of the bus with the rest being drivers, pedestrians, cyclists or other motorists (http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp2436-rs200702-menu-133.htm).  Therefore, children are more unsafe around buses than they are in buses.  In fact, riding the bus is safer than walking or getting a ride in a regular vehicle.  What becomes key then is helping children to understand pedestrian safety, the rules for getting on an off a bus, and waiting at the bus stop.

 

It is back to school time.  We all need to remember that children are both careless and carefree.  Children are not expected to understand and process the dangers of traffic until age 10 and beyond, and as such, as responsible adults and parents we need to help them understand all aspects of bus safety and, if needed, be “meanies” when monitoring their behavior – even if they don’t belong to us.

 

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E-Cigarettes: Can This Technology Help You Quit?

Electronic cigarettes have become a popular replacement for traditional cigarettes and are helping many “quit” smoking (at least traditionally).  However, because they are relatively new to the market, research is still being compiled on whether or not they are safer than regular cigarettes, and if they are even effectively helping people quit.  Currently in Canada, e-cigarettes are not government approved and have not been recognized as safe by Health Canada.  It is said the sale of e-cigarettes will outweigh the sale of normal cigarettes by the end of the decade.  The following article from The Toronto Star discusses the popularity of e-cigarettes and the arguments from supporters and those who aren’t so sure.  What’s your opinion?

 

CBC News: Are e-cigarettes safe to puff?