How To Prevent Lost Items and Improve Organization With Name Labels for Kids

The daily chaos of school and extracurricular activities can turn any parent into a detective, constantly on the lookout for lost items. From backpacks to water bottles, kids have a knack for misplacing their belongings, causing frustration for both parents and little ones. In this whirlwind of confusion, high-quality name labels emerge as the unsung heroes, ensuring that lost items find their way back home and promoting a sense of organization in the midst of chaos. 

Preventing Lost Items

Every parent has experienced the sinking feeling of realizing their child has lost something valuable. It might be a favorite jacket, a school textbook, or a cherished toy. Apart from the financial burden of replacing these items, the emotional toll on both the parent and the child can be significant. Lost items can cause stress, disrupt routines, and lead to a sense of disorganization, especially during the busy school days.

High-Quality Name Labels

High-quality name labels act as tiny beacons of hope in the world of lost items. These labels, often made from durable materials like waterproof vinyl or iron-on fabric, are designed to withstand the wear and tear of a child’s daily activities. Unlike generic labels or markers that fade away after a few washes, high-quality name labels stay intact, ensuring that your child's belongings are easily identifiable.

Preventing Mix-ups and Confusion

In school settings, where multiple children might have similar items, high-quality name labels play a crucial role in preventing mix-ups and confusion. A well-labeled lunchbox or a backpack stands a much better chance of finding its way back to its rightful owner. This not only saves parents from constantly replenishing lost items but also teaches children a sense of responsibility for their belongings. 

Promoting Independence

When children know that their items are clearly labeled, they gain a sense of independence. They can confidently identify their own belongings, which is especially important in school environments where personal responsibility is encouraged. This independence not only boosts their self-esteem but also instills a sense of organization and orderliness from an early age.

Customization and Personalization

High-quality name labels, including innovative options like name stamps for clothes, provide an invaluable solution to the age-old problem of lost items. In the whirlwind of childhood activities, these labels emerge as unsung heroes, offering parents a sense of peace and assurance. The beauty of these labels lies not just in their durability and functionality but also in the myriad ways they can be customized to suit a child's unique preferences.

Cost-Effective Solutions

While high-quality name labels might seem like a small investment, they are incredibly cost-effective in the long run. Consider the cumulative cost of replacing lost items throughout a school year. From clothing to stationery, these expenses can add up significantly. High-quality name labels drastically reduce the frequency of these replacements, saving parents both money and the hassle of constantly replacing lost items.

In the whirlwind of childhood activities, high-quality name labels offer parents a sense of peace. The knowledge that their child's belongings are clearly marked and easily identifiable provides reassurance. It's a small but powerful tool that promotes organization, independence, and responsibility in children while saving parents from the frustrations of lost items. Investing in high-quality name labels is not just about preventing lost items; it's about instilling valuable life skills and fostering a sense of orderliness that will benefit children throughout their lives. So, equip your child's belongings with these tiny yet transformative labels and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a well-organized, labeled life.

5 Tips For Instilling the Love for Learning Early On

We as parents have an all-encompassing role in instilling the love for learning early for our children. From getting them motivated in finishing their homework, participate better at school to learning to love any form of study, it’s all about proper conditioning and the right balance of encouragement and rewards.

Life requires us to learn new skills and gain knowledge, and it’s up to us to raise children that are ready for this challenge. Because learning starts when we’re children, it’s also the best time to foster a love of learning. Here are a couple of ways to help our kids love learning.

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Identify any learning barrier and plan ways to overcome them. It’s hard to love something when you struggle with it. Be vigilant about signs of issues that could impact your child’s ability to learn at school and taint their enjoyment of learning.

Issues could be social, emotional, or potential learning disorders. While teachers are on the lookout for these, kids sometimes hide it by overcompensating.

If you believe there’s a problem, talk to your child in a comfortable, safe environment. See if you can find any suggestions for stress or avoidance about a particular subject or activity. Questions to ask include asking what their favorite and least favorite part of the school is and why/why not, what are the hardest things they did and why.

Help them engage. Education experts believe that under-performance in school can be caused by a lack of engagement. There’s a plethora of strategies and reforms in place to improve classroom engagement, but parents have the starting reins to work on this lack of engagement at home.

Start by regularly asking your kids what they learned at school. This will help them be proud of their newfound knowledge. Many kids also relish the opportunity to teach something to their parents. This will also encourage them to think more critically about their learning in school, and to learn better. Your questions will need to be age-appropriate.

Make learning enjoyable. Check out your child’s curriculum, textbooks, and homework. There are many examples, but you should be able to find examples to use for activities. If you’re reading this during the current COVID-19 pandemic, then you’ll have plenty of time to revisit and try out more activities.

Assess your child’s curriculum, textbooks, or homework. It can be as simple as counting games, getting them to spell words from their favorite books. For older kids, assist them to discover their passions and interests.

Remove the pressure. We’ve all been there. Academics do put pressure on kids. This includes grades, peers, and parent approval. Giving them a hard time or punishing them for poor results can backfire and make them dread the learning process.

So instead of punishing poor performance, offer support both emotionally and academically. Allow them to be free to express their disappointments without fear of your judgment.  Speak with them, listen well, and collaborate to find ways to help them improve and enjoy school.

Choose the right learning institute. The kind of school where you enroll your child will serve as a beacon in developing many aspects of his or her character, which is why choosing an appropriate one is of paramount importance.

Some curriculum is better than others when it comes to the learner. For instance, expat children and those with international connections should prefer international schools. Consider schools that offer inquiry-based programs like GMP Montessori which not only fosters the development of cognitive, expressive and motor skills but also induces a sense of social responsibility, cultural awareness and environmental consciousness - all key components of GIIS's holistic pedagogy.

Encouragement during this stage must come from you. You need to walk the talk. The values you teach should also be present in you because your kids innately look to you not just for support, but for inspiration as well.

These tips can help to make the school what it needs to be for children — a fun, secure location, where they can learn about the world, themselves, and find out who and what they want to be.

The Top Six Apps & Resources For Home Schooled Students

We are in the final stretch of finishing of fifth grade, and our fourth year of virtual school. It has worked so well for us, and William feels ready for the next chapter: middle school. I am trying not to panic over the fact that the workload with be much heavier and harder. Fifth grade was a tough one. I am not ashamed to admit that I have to Google things all the time, because I simply do not always know the answers or solutions to problems, especially in math.

Over the last couple of years, I have found some life-saving extremely helpful apps and sites that have been a vital part on my side of things. Even if you don't home school or do virtual school, homework help is essential for all parents.

Here are some of my go-to sites for Math:

Hack Math is so good when you need to check over answers. I love that you can type in complicated math problems, and in most cases, find the solution.

Photomath is an app that you have to download on your smartphone. This app is especially helpful since they have a feature where you can use your camera to scan a math problem. The app solves the problem and gives step-by-step explanations. I tend to use Photomath so I can learn different ways to solve a problem. If you don't have this app on your phone, go get it now! Of course, it's free.

Math Antics is another great resource that offers videos for all levels of math. William has this one bookmarked on his computer and uses it frequently.

For Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies:

Quizlet has really been so good for all of the subjects outside of Math. If you Google a specific question and add the word Quizlet on the end, it will give you all the information you need. It works so well when you need a study guide for a specific unit, especially for Social Studies and Science.

Kiddle is a must-have for kids to do safe searches.

Khan Academy is one of our favorites for practicing and studying. The videos are a good way to have your student see a problem being done step-by-step. You can watch a video as many times as you need until you really understand.

Aside from the sites and apps listed above, we have found that Minecraft has been the secret weapon to help with improved keyboarding skills. It isn't always easy for elementary aged students to type out a paper in a short time. With Minecraft, we find that William is so engaged in the game that he doesn't realize how much typing he does.

If you have any useful resources that help with homework, feel free to leave a comment. Thank you so much for stopping by today!

September 27th Is Math Storytelling Day

Monday, September 25th is Math Storytelling Day and here are some great short stories to share with your kids. These are courtesy of the Numbers Lady, Dr. Rebecca Klemm. You can check out her site here. 

Thanks for stopping by today!

We Are Officially Back-To-School

School is officially back in session around these parts. William is entering his third year of home education. He is well prepared for 4th grade and so far he has picked up where he left off. I admit I did not really push him super hard to do school work all summer long. We both really needed a break and now we're ready to get back to learning. 

I have to adjust my schedule a little bit to accommodate his lessons, especially after having three months off. I enjoyed my non-schedule all summer long. It's back to business and I will be sure to update with William's progress and share any resources I come across that can help others.

Are your kids back to school yet? Wishing all parents and students a fabulous 2017-18 school year. Thanks for stopping by today!

#TBT The Early Years Of Learning

I stumbled across a video this morning that warmed my heart and brought me to tears at the same time. I used to teach William some reading and math basics at home before he was kindergarten age. Who knew he would end up being home schooled. He is in his second semester of third grade, and it looks like he will make high honors again like in the first semester. It's hard to believe that this little munchkin boy will be turning 9 this weekend!

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Homeschool Updates

We are a couple months into our second year of school from home and so far, everything is going smoothly. Third grade is certainly very different from second grade. The work load has been a lot more and it can been very tiring some days. I find myself telling William to go take a break while I do the same. I am lucky to have a child who almost never complains and is easy to work with. We have a flexible routine that has been working well for us. 

I make certain every couple weeks to ask William how he is doing and if he misses going to traditional school. He always responds with how much he loves home school and never wants to return to public school. This makes me happy to know that he is genuinely happy and feeling like this was a good choice for him. 

One of his new favorite things to do is to go outside and read while he watches the birds and dogs play. Hey, anything that encourages him to read works for me! As a matter of fact, his reading has improved tremendously and we are working on being more animated when reading out loud. He still has his stubborn boy moments, but he understands that he has no choice with getting his work done. He takes pride in checking off assignments as he completes them, and loves tracking his grades.

A lot has changed for me as a homemaker. A huge chunk of my day is dedicated to William's schooling, so keeping a super neat and tidy home just isn't a priority like it used to be. I try to get things done throughout the day, but don't beat myself up if I don't get to it all. I make time for myself each day just to do whatever I want, whether it's watching my favorite show on HGTV or taking a nap. I have learned the importance of self-care and refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about it. Do I have bad days where I feel like I'm failing? YES. Yes, I do. Thankfully those aren't too often.

William continues to go to his karate classes and swimming. It's funny how much more social he is since doing school from home. He is not shy at all and will chat with anyone who will listen. We still get a lot of people when we are out and about during school hours ask him why he's not in school. He proudly tells them, "I'm home-schooled!". Of course, some people are still very shocked by that and tell me I must be a "saint". I simply laugh it off and realize I too thought the same of parents who home-schooled their kids.

Right about now I am SO happy that I'm not on Facebook trying to push school fundraisers on any of my friends. Yep, don't miss any of that! Overall, we are very happy with school and plan to continue all the way to high school. If you have ever considered homeschooling your child, I suggest you try it out to see if it works for your family. You definitely won't know unless you try. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

13 Reasons Why Home School Works For Us

We are wrapping up our first (almost) full year of virtual (home) school with William. I have to say, if you have ever questioned if you should do it for your child, you should give it a shot. It has been the best decision we could have made and plan to continue all the way through high school. I got to thinking about how much we don't miss public school. Even William shudders at the thought of ever going back. I came up with a list of reasons why our choice to home school works best for us.

1. No being on PTO or PTA. No meetings, no stress about school activities, and no planning school activities or fundraisers. Yes, NO FUNDRAISERS! 
2. No volunteering. Although I really enjoyed it, sometimes you become the default parent who ends up helping with EVERYthing. This leads to a severe case of burnout. 
3. Your kid doesn't get invited to 29,452 birthday parties. That's money saved. 
4. No car pick-up/drop-off line. I have been able to get back a good hour+ into my life each day. It also saved on gas from sitting in the cold with the heater on or the heat with the AC on. Again, money saved. 
5. We have recess any time we want and as often we would like. P.E. is not longer a once or twice a week activity. It's daily. 
6. No dress code. We can do school in pajamas or anything for that matter. 
7. No outside influences. 
8. Freedom to go on field trips or travel any time we want. School can be done anywhere as long as we have a wifi connection. 
9. No distractions! This is a big one for us. William could easily slip away into dreamland if he gets bored. Being at home allows me to bring him back to focus easily. 
10. No stress. This has been the most stress-free school year we have ever had. William is having a positive school experience that goes according to his learning style and pace. 
11. I get to know all of the details of assignments. Being hands-on allows me as his teacher/learning coach to really understand what he needs to learn. This makes it easier for me to teach lessons and for him to really learn and retain information. 
12. Time. Having time is priceless. We can do our work on our own time. This makes life easier when it comes to scheduling doctor or dental appointments or travel planning. 
13. William has become very social! Yes, a child who learns from home can be extremely social. If you give him the time of day, he will chat you up for hours. 

William got to meet and chat with our county Sheriff, Leon Lott. Sheriff Lott was quite impressed with William's ability to speak confidently. 

Honestly, I could go on even more about how great homeschooling is for us. I never thought it was something I would be capable of doing for my child, but here I am! William will finish second grade with straight A's. This makes us know we are doing the right thing that is working for him. He is having a great school experience and has a thirst for learning. His favorite subjects are math and social studies. He is a history geek. We plan to do some enrichment activities over the summer to get him prepared for third grade. Thanks for reading and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. 

Get ready for back-to-school with Fiskars #ad

As we near the end of July, it's time to start preparing for back-to-school. This means clothing, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. My kids have always enjoyed buying school supplies even if they aren't overly enthusiastic about going back to long school days and homework. I'm a big believer in buying quality school supplies and don't mind paying a little more for items that will last longer. Fiskars school scissors have been the only brand I have purchased since the pre-school days. My youngest child had the training scissors that were so important in helping his little hands master how to cut paper. 

Fiskars makes sizes and varieties for all different needs. I love the fun bold colors they now make. The quality is the same that it has always been. I don't think my kids have ever broken a pair of Fiskars scissors before. They are just that durable.

I love the non-stick blades. They give a clean cut. 

Fiskars is currently running a giveaway on their Facebook page to win a set of Kids Scissors for the entire class! Parents or teachers can enter. Wouldn't you want your kids' class to have high-quality scissors that will last all year long? It took me less than a minute to enter.

I can't believe how many different types of cutting implements they make. I have my eye on some of the mixed-media and fabric shears. I may have to treat myself! Yes, I get excited over cutting tools! Oh and you crafting mamas would drool over the selection. You can find the Fiskars brand at many retailers nationwide and of course you will see all the kids' scissors in the back-to-school section. Now that I think about it, a new sharp pair of scissors might be a nice thing to give my little one's teacher as a gift. Check out the Fiskars website and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

I received products samples from Fiskars in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Wordless Wednesday- What Happiness Looks Like

This photo was taken at a recent field trip to the zoo with William's kindergarten class.

Wordless Wednesday- William's 'Pete the Cat' Pumpkin Book Report Project

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday {Scholastic Book Fair Fun}

Big sister assisted little brother with his Scholastic Book Fair purchase. 

Kindergarten class photo and updates

It has been a while since I have posted about my family. I have been utilizing my time wisely. It has been amazing having a good portion of the day to myself and I make every minute count. A lot of people assume I have all of this "extra time" with everyone at school and work. The truth is, I have been working harder and time seems to slip away each day. By the time I think I am making a dent in my to-do list, school pick-up time creeps up and my day goes into the next phase of busyness. I always wish I could have about 2 more hours each afternoon. 

William has been loving school. He leaps out of bed each morning without me having to wake him up and he is always very enthusiastic about it being a school day. It has gotten to a point that he arrives to the car in the afternoon in tears. He cries because he is not ready for the school day to end. Here I was thinking that it would be a long and hectic day for him. I was so wrong! 

They took school pictures a few weeks ago and although I am not a fan of them, his came out so cute! I can't believe he smiled nicely. I have the hardest time these days getting him to cooperate for photos. I volunteered on picture day and it was fun getting back into the swing of being involved in elementary school. William's class is the absolute sweetest. The class consists of 6 boys and 14 girls. It is so cute seeing William with his friends and it was a long time coming. His teacher says that he has a lot of friends and everyone enjoys being around him. We are so glad that he has no issues adjusting socially. He loves being around the other kids and has really gotten into the whole school routine. Around school he is known as having the best smile. It's wonderful having such a happy and content kid. His sisters were the same way.

I am thrilled that I am the classroom mom. I love helping out with anything I can. I really look forward to all of the fun activities, field trips and connecting with other parents this school year. It feels like the time is already going by so quickly.

How is the school year going so far for your children?

Kindergarten update: William loves school!

We are into our second week of the school year and so far, so good! William walked into the school last week with the biggest smile on his face and was full of excitement to be in big boy's school. We were lucky to have met his teacher and teaching assistant a couple weeks before school at kindergarten camp. I really think the camp was a great benefit to help break him into being in school. He goes to bed without argument and wakes up on his own. It's nice to have a 5 year old boy wake up each morning fully rested and excited to start his day. We have a very simple routine in the morning and he has already gotten into the groove of things. We walk him into school each morning and let him lead us to his classroom. He knows how to get there but being a curious little boy, he gets a little sidetracked sometimes. Daddy insists that he needs to prove he can get to his class on his own before he is allowed to go into the school by himself. I don't have a problem with that. It's nice walking into the school each morning and seeing all of the warm smiles and welcoming good morning greetings from the staff and other parents.

I have gotten positive feedback from his teacher and look forward to keeping close communication throughout the school year. We are so lucky to have such wonderful educators. Of course I have signed up to volunteer to help out with pretty much everything! I did so much when the girls were in elementary school and got to see what an asset parental participation is to not only the student, but also to the teacher and other students. My first volunteer job will be picture day next week and I am really looking forward to it! It's a good way for me to get to know some of William's classmates.

When I pick William up each afternoon, I ask him what the best part of his day was. He always starts off with, "We went to the playground two times!". He hasn't learned all of his classmates' names quite yet, but knows his main teachers and some of the related arts teacher's names. He just loves P.E.. His coach is the same one that his sisters had throughout the elementary years. It has been wonderful seeing a lot of familiar faces at the same school I spent countless hours in. We feel like William is going to thrive in kindergarten and the rest of his elementary school career. Oh, by the way, I did NOT cry on the first day of school! I didn't even have any anxiety or fear. I guess I feel like he is right where he belongs. I look forward to sharing more about his kindergarten adventures. Thanks for reading!

Wordless Wednesday First day of kindergarten

Smart tips to get your little one prepped for kindergarten

Tomorrow marks the first day of August and this means back-to-school month for many of us. Being a stay-at-home mom to a rising kindergarten student means getting my little one ready for a whole new world. Since William has never attended pre-school or been enrolled in any programs that are in a group setting, it will be a big adjustment phase for him (and me). It also dawned on me that there are plenty of things he is not used to besides being around other kids. I have been trying to remember the kindergarten days when the girls were in it. One thing that really stuck out to me was the use of hand sanitizer. Being at home most of the time, there has been no need for it. I purchased a bottle and have been teaching William why he will have to use it in school. Of course, I have had to be harder on him with potty practices. He still has never been into a public restroom on his own so I am still VERY a bit nervous about that one. 

Another important thing is his sleep schedule. We started putting him to bed at 8:00 each night and wake him up about 6:45. He had such a tough time getting up this morning so I think we will move his bedtime starting next week to 7:30. A lot of kids don't get enough sleep at night so we want to make sure to not interrupt his sleep schedule as much as we can, even on weekends. Once he wakes up in the morning, we go through the full morning routine of washing, brushing, breakfast and getting dressed. So far so good. 

I recall when the girls were in kindergarten, that they had lunch as early as 10:30 AM. What I do is prepare Will's lunch early in the morning between getting him fed and dressed. I pack his lunchbox as I would for school so he can get in the habit of opening it, eating/drinking and packing up in a short time. When they are that young it can take longer to get situated and they have a very limited time to eat. It's funny, I make him line up like they would at school and he calls me "teacher". It has been going very well and I feel confident that he will make it through lunchtime with ease.

Each morning I have specific practice worksheets, coloring pages and other things that are kindergarten-based to get his mind focused on academics. I even teach him how to raise his hand and not speak until I acknowledge him. It has been really good having his big sisters at home to help out with training him for school.  I have him enrolled in "kinderbee" camp from August 6-8 for him to be screened for placement as well as for him to get a chance to preview what big boy school is like.

He officially starts kindergarten on August 21st. William is so enthusiastic about school and we are all so excited for him.

I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. I tell myself that each day :)

Getting prepared for kindergarten

I can't believe the time is closing in on us. William starts kindergarten next month and he is so excited. He does still have some days where he tells me he thinks he will just stay home with me forever and I tell him he has to be a big boy. To say that I have been emotional is an understatement! The whole family has been pitching in to help William get prepared for going to school. Daddy has been working on reading and memory and the girls help with coloring, writing and organization. Together, all of the little things are helping to build William into being more independent and well-prepared for school.

Since William still have some issues with eating certain foods that the average kid would eat, I invested in a hot food jar for his lunch. I ordered all Spider-man themed lunchbox stuff from Amazon . I also ordered a small sized back pack from L.L.Bean with his name embroidered. I received a lot of recommendations about the brand. I love that they never charge you for shipping and stand behind their products 100%.

When William tried his back pack on for the first time, we all thought we were going to cry! I have him pack small items and take it with us each time we go anywhere in the car. I figured since he has not had the need for one before now, he needs practice with it. The same goes with his lunch items. Each day I will pack his lunch and he will get the hang of using his lunchbox and food jar. All we can do is encourage him as much as possible. It will be a big transition for all of us!

Getting ready for kindergarten

The time has come. It was 5 years in the making. Kindergarten registration is here. Today kicked off the start of Expanded Choice applications in our School District. If you want your child in either a Magnet program or to attend a school you are not zoned for, you must complete an online application. Although we live so close the the elementary school that I would like William to attend, we are not zoned for it. I had to fill out Choice applications back when the girls were Will's age. We want him to go to the same school his sisters went to. Me and my husband laugh at how we are starting all over again!

William is so excited and seems ready for school. I know he will do well socially but I still have my mom worries. With William being the last baby, he has been very babied and I take full responsibility for that. I can't help wanting to do everything for him. He's my baby! I know that I have learn to let go. I have to let him become more independent. I think about things like; will he be able to wipe his nose properly if he sneezes? Will he be able to clean his bottom properly if he goes to the bathroom? Will he eat his lunch? I have so many things going through my head! I have vowed to work diligently with him to get him well prepared for kindergarten. I guess all I can do is know that it will all work out. I was frantic when the girls were starting school too. It sure will be strange when he is gone all day and I will be home with just the dog. I know myself though, I will do what I did with the girls. I will volunteer every single day a few times a week. I am looking forward to all the fun things involved in kindergarten :)