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Now that the summer break has officially begun, we can be sure that kids all over the nation are having a good time and spending their days with playdates with friends, family outings, and bike rides in the park. While this downtime is undoubtedly vital to help kids recover and unwind after a demanding school year, it’s also important to start reintroducing some routine and mental stimulation as the break progresses.

This is due to the fact that youngsters who take extended breaks from school and study may need additional assistance to get back into the swing of things and may not be prepared when the new school year rolls around. Making sure kids continue their academic pursuits during the summer may result in them being more assured, prepared, and capable of taking on new subjects when they return to school. Learning should be embraced and made to be fun, don’t let children feel like it is a chore or something they only do at school.

Discover the offerings at your school 

To keep yourself informed, find out about the programs available at your school or surrounding schools. If you inform children about these chances more frequently than through a newsletter or leaflet placed in their backpack, they are significantly more likely to take advantage of them. Participating in school-sponsored activities also gives you the chance to socialize with other pupils who go to the same school.

Use parks, museums, and other places

This summer, there are a lot of organizations and facilities across the nation that are jam-packed with activities, which increases the opportunities for exploration. The classroom is not the only place where people learn. Children’s enrichment can be greatly benefited by visiting museums, parks, aquariums, zoos, and historical sites in their own town. Encourage your children and family to spend a few days this summer exploring new places and expanding their knowledge.

Continually read! 

It doesn’t matter if they’re inside on a dreary day or outside basking in the gorgeous summer weather. They might be reading books they purchased at a store, borrowing them from the neighborhood library, or simply keeping them on a shelf at home. Whatever it may look like, reading is the key. Setting up a summer reading challenge for the kids and awarding rewards for reading a certain number of books during the summer is a tried-and-true tactic.

Schedule Learning Time 

Get a workbook or activity book for kids at their level and allow them a particular amount of time each day to work on it to encourage them to continue studying throughout the summer. Online resources like handouts and creative activity suggestions are also available. The youngsters will be prepared for success when they return to school if they only practice for a short period of time each day—10 or 15 minutes—during the summer.

Make a summer journal

Free-form writing aids a child’s vocabulary growth, mental development, and ability to express their emotions. They can keep a journal of their daily activities, interactions with others, new knowledge gained, etc. The diary will serve as a lovely memento for them and be filled with memories. 

Send postcards to relatives and friends

If you plan to travel, you might recommend that they jot down their adventures on postcards to give to family and friends back home. This indicates that they are still working on their grammar, spelling, and writing.

The planning of their pocket money 

Every day, even in the most basic tasks like keeping track of time or counting changes, we use our mathematical abilities. Encourage your child to manage their own pocket money so that they may plan their week’s worth of activities and set aside money for them.

Playing board games 

Scrabble and Monopoly are two enjoyable and instructive board games. They will be especially helpful on those rainy days because they will give you hours of brain-stimulating entertainment and a little healthy competition. While playing chess can help kids develop strategy, playing card games can assist kids improve their number and counting skills. The majority of board games, like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit, which are great for the whole family and typically include math or general knowledge, will help you focus. 

If your youngster uses technology, make sure they’re playing entertaining but educational video games rather than going on Facebook. There are many options, like Neuronation, Bitesize, and instructional apps that you can download.

Get outside and have fun 

This engagement strategy during the summer requires nothing more than getting outside. But here are some cost-free and simple ways to spice things up: 

• Take a nature stroll and gather any intriguing items you come across. 
• Play sports in the park with other youngsters. 
• Conduct scientific experiments. (Hello STEM experiments using Coca-Cola and Mentos!) 

Even more, things can be done at home, like: 

• In your backyard, erect a tent for camping. 
• In your yard, have a scavenger hunt. 

For all of us, especially children, play is crucial to learning. Allow them to play, run, and explore outside. Why not teach older children and teenagers how to plant and cultivate some fruits and vegetables? This teaches students all they need to know about planting as well as the growing process, including how much water is required and how much direct sunlight the seeds need. Nature may be found everywhere when you are outside, including in the form of flowers, plants, birds, insects, and other animals.

Combining writing and movies 

Movies and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly, let’s face it. There are occasions when you might want to add a bit extra thought to your movie time. Giving kids their own movie review sheet might help with this. These sheets can be made into a summer booklet, and you can ask youngsters to rate and review a few movies. This keeps the movie entertaining throughout the summer, as well as the writing practice.

Sign up your kid for a summer program

Enrolling your child in a summer program or camp is one easy method to keep her busy over the summer. There will be camps in almost every city, ranging from coding and robotics to equestrian riding and outdoor hiking. 

Additionally, there are many choices available, ranging from week-by-week themed camps to full-day camps. Some even provide day-by-day options to prevent you from making a lengthy commitment (or spending too much).

Encourage your child’s interests

Has your child expressed a hobby or interest? To foster his intrinsic desire and love of learning, foster this passion. Borrow books on these topics, such as those related to autos, bridges, and clouds. Does he have a fascination with the universe? Bring him along on one of your “field trips,” perhaps to the planetarium. 

Anything they talk about or can’t stop playing with is one of his passions. If you can’t get him off the toy train tracks, take him to the train museum. If he enjoys reading about animals, take him to the zoo.

Be active physically 

Get your child exercising for at least 60 minutes every day now that school is out. It’s simple to stay indoors all day or to do nothing at all. Find them some exercises to get them moving. Their mental acuity is enhanced by exercise, and she feels happier and healthier as a result. If it is raining or they need more focus you can try some youtube videos which have free and fun workouts for kids. 

This can be as easy as playing music, engaging in a game of chase, or taking her to a park where she can play. Of course, summer also means lots of beach time and swimming pool splashing. This summer, the physical activities will be a great brain enhancer.

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It’s amazing watching your special needs child grow, though you can sometimes feel frustrated and overwhelmed. This isn’t surprising, considering it takes time, resources, and effort to address a kid’s needs. You, however, must remember to care for yourself as it’s much harder to care for a child if you’re burned out. Here are some tips that can help you achieve some much-needed self-care.

Dad of Divas is the blog of Chris Lewis. For more information, please visit his website or contact him today!

Complete a Self-Assessment

Regularly take a moment to assess your mental and physical well-being. Think about how much energy you have on average. Are you tired most days or just occasionally? Additionally, ask yourself the following questions:

• How well does your child sleep?
• Do you fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night?
• Are you happy in your marriage/relationship?
• Does your child have behavioral issues?
• Do you feel your parenting is effective?

You’ll gain perspective on the degree of your physical and mental exhaustion based on your responses.

If you’re tired, are not sleeping well, or having marital issues due to taking care of your special needs child, it might be time to focus on your own needs a bit. It could also help you feel refreshed and rethink your current parenting techniques.

Consequences of Inadequate Self-Care

If you don’t take care of yourself, you could become burned out. This might reflect on how well you parent. Additionally, when you don’t sleep enough, Calendar notes that you’re prone to getting sick, and your risk for chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, rises.

Inadequate self-care may also lead to you overstressing your support system, which may result in people deserting you when you need them most. Plus, not taking time for yourself could contribute to chronic anxiety or depression.

Create a Wellness-Promoting Environment  

Take steps to make your home a calming environment that encourages wellness for both you and your child’s sake. While it seems minuscule, add a few plants throughout your home. Ambius explains that plants reduce indoor air pollution and decrease carbon dioxide levels. Plus, plants can improve your mood and reduce anxiety. In addition, spend some time decluttering your home, which can lower your anxiety.

Your Health Matters

Make sure you take time to eat a well-balanced diet and hydrate yourself properly. While it may take time out of your schedule, focus on getting regular exercise. By making your health a priority, you can prevent health problems that could interfere with your ability to parent.

If you’ve noticed issues with anxiety or depression becoming more prevalent in your life, you may have questions about finding anti depression meds and using them to treat your symptoms. Your schedule may be full to the point that it is difficult to get an appointment with your doctor’s office, but a more convenient solution can be to meet with a licensed physician via a telehealth platform. You can make a convenient appointment online and meet from the comfort and privacy of home, and if a prescription is necessary, one can be sent to your local pharmacy.

Your Goals Matter 

Think about yourself and what you want to accomplish besides raising your child. You can consider starting a business. No matter what type of business you choose, forming a limited liability company can save you time and hassle and possibly save you money on your taxes. You can register a business by using a formation service.

Once your business is legally established, you can work on marketing materials and make a custom logo online. Instead of paying for a designer’s services, you can customize images, text, and colors from a template until you have a logo you like. Then you can download it to use for free!

On the other hand, if your current job has lost its allure and burnout or lack of interest is driving you to look at other career options, it may make sense to switch jobs. You could improve your career prospects by going back to school. Fortunately, earning a degree online in your free time is possible. You can even earn a bachelor’s degree at a pace that works for you. Just make sure the school is accredited.

Time for You Is Also Time for Your Child

When you take time for yourself, you can recharge and better take care of your special needs child. You’ll feel less tired and stressed and more able to focus on them.

Many parents working from home will say that keeping their kids entertained (and off their mobiles or tablets) is probably the most challenging part of it all. However, there are things you can do to keep them busy; all you need is a little bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, and you’re sure to keep them entertained for hours on end. Here’s how:

Board games

Given that there are so many different board games to choose from, you’re sure to find one that will match the educational experience you are looking to get out of it. From numbers to problem-solving to clue finding, board games are a great way to keep your children entertained while still testing their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Cooking and baking

Teaching your child to cook or bake is one of the most beneficial activities you could ever teach them because it will be a life skill they can take into adulthood. Furthermore, it is fun for parents and children to bond by experimenting with different recipes as you eagerly await the outcome. Also, your child can learn numerical and word-building skills regarding measurements and proportions.

Crafting and coloring-in

Coloring-in is a past-time that never gets old for children and even adults alike. Coloring-in is especially fun for younger children, as it enhances their fine motor skills and helps them even to concentrate better. On the other hand, older children may enjoy the art of crafting more as they get to create beautiful works of art that they can be proud of.

DIY science experiments

Few things in life captivate a child’s attention more than a science experiment that could go wrong at any second. Moreover, it’s a highly educational experience that can teach your child to be self-reliant, resourceful, and creative while learning the basics of science, which can even aid them in their regular schooling.

Acting out a play

Most children enjoy activities that involve make-believe elements, so if your kids are interested in stories and storytelling and love to dress up, then acting out a play or story could be a great activity to keep them engaged and entertained as they test out their drama skills. It is also an excellent activity for creativity that can help improve their social skills.

Helping them to make the most of the day

Teaching your child how to keep themselves entertained will also be an invaluable lesson because you aren’t always going to be around to keep them entertained when they are bored. Here, it’s about encouraging them to use their initiative and creative skills to create something without having to rely solely on technology. Therefore, you should allocate certain times in the day for educational activities that involve the computer or tablet when you cannot get involved in the other types of indoor activities yourself because you’re busy working. This way, they will look forward to it more and give you the space you need to concentrate on your work.

So from an indoor perspective, there is plenty for your children to do that doesn’t have to be boring. Moreover, it’s often the simple activities that work well at keeping kids entertained, just as they did in decades gone by.

Are you a dad surrounded by divas and feeling outnumbered? Visit the Dad of Divas website and let Chris Lewis provide you with food for thought on how to regain control of your kingdom!

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