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All parents want the best for their children, particularly where their education is concerned. The better they do in school, the more successful they are likely to be in the future. The question is – how do we keep our children motivated? I have teamed up with an independent school in Harrow to share some advice.

Focus on the Journey, Not the Destination

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If you focus on your child’s grades and reprimand them when they score poorly, they will feel stressed and demotivated. It will be far more beneficial for them if you focus on the learning journey, rather than the end results. So, next time you see your child working hard on a piece of homework, praise them for their efforts. If they get a bad grade on a test, remind them that you are proud of them for trying their best, no matter what the outcome.

Help Your Child Set Achievable Goals

If your child has a huge school project that they need to complete, help them break it down into smaller chunks so that it feels less overwhelming. If they’ve been asked to read a book, encourage them to take it one chapter at a time. By helping them make their goals feel more achievable, they will be less likely to procrastinate. 

Create a Welcoming Study Environment

Make sure your child has somewhere tidy and quiet to complete any learning tasks. Provide them with snacks during homework sessions and ensure they have all of the necessary equipment. The idea is to make learning easier for them so that they feel more motivated. 

Make Learning Fun

Show your child that learning doesn’t have to be boring by finding fun activities to do at home. Perhaps you could spend some time outdoors to learn about nature or create your own science experiments. Board games can be educational too. Scrabble, for instance, is great for helping children with their vocabulary. 

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The better children are at managing their emotions, the more likely they will be to overcome certain challenges. If they are confident in their problem solving and coping abilities, they will be able to channel any negative emotions in a more positive way. So, how can parents help their children manage their emotions? Here are some tips from a private nursery in Hertfordshire.

Label Emotions

If you notice that your child seems to be behaving in a certain way, talk to them about how they are feeling. Teach them different ways to describe how they’re feeling. For example, if they are struggling with their homework and it’s affecting their mood, say something like “I can see that you are getting a bit frustrated with this so why don’t I help you?”. 

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As well as giving a name to your child’s emotions, you could do the same for characters on the TV or in a book you read together. Take a minute to ask your child how that character might be feeling and why, as well as what they could potentially do to feel better.

The more they understand their emotions, the easier it will be for them to come up with a coping strategy. They will also become better at anticipated certain emotional reactions to different experiences and will be able to prepare for them in advance. 

Teach Coping Mechanisms

Your child needs to learn that there’s nothing wrong with feeling a certain way, it’s how they react that’s the main thing. For example, just because they’re angry it doesn’t mean they can lash out in a violent way. With this in mind, you should try and teach your child various coping mechanisms.

Next time you can see your child getting angry, don’t react with anger yourself. Instead, encourage them to take a time-out. Suggest that they should go into another room for a breather so that they can calm down. If your child doesn’t know what to do when they are angry or upset, they are more likely to become aggressive or attention-seeking. 

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By exploring STEM related activities with your child from an early age, you will give them a head start from an academic perspective. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and refers to all subjects that fall under that umbrella. There are lots of ways you can incorporate these topics into your everyday activities, to help your child with their overall learning. Here are some tips from a private school in Notting Hill.

Board Games

Believe it or not, as well as being great fun, board games are also great for a child’s academic development. Monopoly, for example, is great for teaching children basic numeracy skills, as it requires the player to perform various sums. 

Money Management

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Next time you’re out shopping, ask your child to calculate how much money you’ll need at the till, and how much change you should receive if you pay with a note. This will help them with their maths skills and show them how important it is in daily life.

Outdoor Play

Exploring nature is a fantastic way to introduce your child to STEM. Take a walk through the woods and talk to your child about the different trees and plants, and what types of animals and bugs might be living there. Plant some seeds in the garden and teach your child what’s involved in keeping them alive. Build a bird feeder or a bug hotel to welcome wildlife into your garden. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the great outdoors. 

Cars

Next time you’re topping up your car oil or windscreen wash, get your child to come and have a look at the car. Show them the engage and talk to them about what makes the car work. You could even take it one step further and talk to them about where petrol comes from and why electric vehicles are becoming more popular. 

Water Play

For younger children, water play is a great STEM learning activity. Next time your child has a bath, take along various items that they can drop into the water. Ask them if they know whether or not the item will sink, float, or become soggy in the water. 

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How to make reading fun for your child

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With World Book Day just around the corner, there’s no better time to embark on a new adventure, discover new worlds, and make new friends as you turn pages with your little one. Whilst reading can offer escapism, creativity and knowledge, we understand that sometimes reading can feel like a chore, especially when your little one is still learning, asking questions and stumbling over words.

If you think about it, though, this is all part of the fun, as you soak up knowledge and stories together, you never know where the next page will take you. If you’re looking for ways to spark creativity or to enjoy the magic of books with your child, read on. 

Reading nook/hideaway

First, how about creating a special space that’s dedicated to all the new lands that are waiting to be discovered. You could make a little cosy reading nook or hideaway with lots of cushions, blankets, fairy lights, and of course – a selection of books. Your little one could hide away in their quiet corner and draw, nap, read, or just escape. There’ll be no better place to enjoy the book they select from the £1 voucher offered from their school or nursery to encourage World Book Day reading.

Use puppets or act out the story

Another way to immerse your child into their reading, is for you to grab some of their toys, use puppets or even yourself to act out what they are saying. That way, as they concentrate on the words, the story is coming to life in front of them. They’ll be so swept up in narrating what’s going on, that they won’t be thinking about how hard they might be finding the reading itself. 

Change where you read – go on adventures

Reading on the sofa or sat at the table is fun and all, but if your child is easily distracted or not quite hooked on the story yet, you could go out and make it immersive. If it’s a winter book, why not get wrapped up and sit in the garden, or in the dark with a torch at Halloween, or you could even visit locations that are similar to those in the book, like reading Paddington at Paddington station, perhaps.

Rate the books 

Children love sharing their opinions, so why not make it a part of reading. You could do a simple thumbs up or thumbs down system after every chapter, or rate books with star stickers. Not only will this help you to find books that your child is more likely to enjoy, but you could also ask them how they would’ve finished the book – allowing them to explore their creativity and let their imagination and storytelling skills run wild. 

Make reading a reward 

There’s nothing that makes kids want to do something less than if it feels like something they have to do. It’s easy to say “no TV until you read a chapter”, in an attempt to encourage your little one to pick up a book, but giving them books as gifts or rewards will enforce the thought that reading is something fun and desirable. If a child picks up a book by themselves, they are far more likely to enjoy it. 

Leave them wanting more 

It’s been known that when reading aloud, stopping at an exciting part and reading it to yourself, can encourage a child to want to pick up the book and find out what happens for themselves. Why not try this and see if your little one tries to find out the rest of the story on their own, or even asks for you to read it? 

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Booking a holiday during these COVID and changing visa times inevitably requires paying attention to border rules and entry requirements. If you find out if you are eligible to travel before you go back or visit the UK, you can ensure to enter the island seamlessly. Mostly those of the destination country you intend to travel to.

But it’s also important to remember that there are rules on getting back into your own country. UK citizens returning from a holiday abroad are subject to the same rules as international visitors. 

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As far as COVID is concerned, you need to know what is required of you in terms of testing, vaccination certificates, health declaration forms etc when travelling in both directions. What complicates matters further for UK residents is that there are different rules in place for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The rules for England, for example, have recently changed. The government says the changes are intended to make travel into England a little easier. There is, however, still a lot you need to know. Here are answers to some of the key questions you might have.

What are the rules on returning to England if I am fully vaccinated?

The key change with the rules in England is that fully vaccinated travellers entering the country are no longer required to take a COVID test before departure. This also applies to anyone under the age of 18 (under fives are exempt from tests anyway).

People who have had their two main vaccine jabs do, however, have to book to take a test within 48 hours of arrival in England. Proof of having a test booked in advance must be presented at border control.

The test can be either a PCR test or a lateral flow test. If you test positive, you will have to self-isolate at home for seven days.

Everyone entering England also has to fill in a passenger locator form before they arrive in the UK. 

What are the rules if I am not fully vaccinated?

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Anyone who is not fully vaccinated still has to take a COVID test within 48 hours of setting off for the UK. You also have to pre-book not one but two tests when you arrive – one for day two and one for day eight after your arrival. These have to be PCR tests, not lateral flow tests. 

Regardless of the result of the test you take before departure, you are required to isolate for 10 days pending the results of the two subsequent tests. This can be cut if you opt for the paid-for Test to Release scheme, which involves taking an earlier PCR test on day five (and getting a positive result, of course). But you still have to book the day two and day eight tests prior to departure to be allowed back into the country.

Do I have to pay for the tests?

Yes. All testing for travellers entering the UK has to be paid for privately. This includes lateral flow tests for fully vaccinated people. Free NHS tests cannot be used for travel purposes. 

That further underlines the importance of planning in advance, especially while there are shortages of lateral flow tests due to such high demand. 

The only exception to having to pay for tests is if you get a positive result on a day two lateral flow test. If that happens, you will be offered a complimentary PCR test to confirm the result.

Can I claim these costs on travel insurance?

No. Travel insurance will not cover you for the cost of tests you need to take to get back into the country. Insurance is designed for unforeseen expenses arising from loss, theft, damage, illness etc. COVID tests are now unfortunately one of those travel expenses we cannot avoid, like a taxi to the airport or local tourist taxes.

One thing travel insurance could help you with is this. If you are not fully vaccinated and your pre-departure test comes out positive, you will be forced to quarantine in situ and miss your flight home. That will mean paying for approved accommodation for isolating, another flight home, meals etc.

It’s not a standard part of travel insurance, but some policies will cover you for COVID-related delays or extensions. If you are planning on travelling and are not fully vaccinated, it is worth shopping around for a comprehensive policy with COVID-related extensions included, just in case that pre-departure test turns out positive.  

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There is nothing quite as fun as a family holiday. Getting the kids packed up and ready to get out of the house takes time and it’s still parenting that you do elsewhere, but getting everyone out into the sticks is a good way to ensure that you can make memories! Taking your kids out into the countryside gets them out of their usual routines, it gets them the chance to make some messes and make some changes. It also ensures that you get out of your routine, too.

Whether you are taking the time to configure a new Land Rover so that you have a countryside car when you go, or you are heading on public transport to a local campsite, getting the kids to sleep outside and learning how nature will work is one of the best things that you can do this year. Below, we’ve got all of the reasons that you need to help you to understand why you should take your kids out to the sticks for a change!

1. There’s time to bond as a family. When you are all out in the mud and getting messy, you’re all going to learn to work together without technology to guide you along the way. Sleeping in a tent is one of the most fun ways that you can learn to bond and share stories, tell secrets and just get your kids the chance to get away from screen time and the confines of the house. You can cook together, set up a tent together and then create ways to have fun!
   

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2. You’ll all experience some nature. Whether you are in the city or by the beach, in the country or a small town, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being in the countryside. You will be into nature in a way that you won’t find at home, and you can get the chance to show your kids different plants, different flowers and even different animals. They get the chance to breathe a different air, and that really does matter. The best bit? With less light pollution, you will be able to see stars, too!
3. They will learn so much. You can have fun with map reading, compass navigation and tree climbing. You can teach the kids to light a campfire, to dig a hole for the toilet and you can really get them involved in local fishing, too! Without the computer screens, they’ll learn hands-on skills that will be a life changer for your children. 
4. There are no interruptions. You won’t have the chance to be distracted by work, the screens, the rest of the world because all you will be doing is concentrating on spending time with the kids and in nature. When you’re camping in the woods, you will spend time soaking in the surroundings, watching the stars and appreciating the stillness.

Being in the countryside, you’ll feel like you can pause and appreciate the company of your kids and your family. 

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A dinner party can be a really fun way to host your loved ones, show off your cooking skills, or just enjoy an adult’s evening in without the kids. However, hosting a dinner party can be stressful. Make it a stress-free experience with these tips.

Decide When And Who

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If you’re not used to hosting dinner parties, four to six guests is a good place to start. If you aren’t used to cooking for a lot of people, more than that will be overwhelming and stressful. Start small and invite close friends, who won’t care if you burn things. 

A dinner party is a more intimate affair than a regular party, so invite friends who already know each other, and then add a couple of other people who you feel sure will get on with the other guest. You could also choose to invite a group of couples. 

Invite your guests about a month ahead of the date you plan to have the dinner party. Offer a range of possible dates so you can find a date that works for everybody, or least most of the people you want to ask. Three or four weeks in advance is enough time for people to rearrange their schedule if they need to, but so far in advance that they will have forgotten about your dinner party by the time the date rolls around. Friday and Saturdays are usually the best nights to host. Any other night can be difficult to fit around work schedules, or could be less fun when everyone has to worry about getting up for the work in the morning. 

Be Strategic With Your Menu Planning

If you want to host a dinner party so you can showcase your culinary skills, then the main focus should of course be on the food. If that isn’t the point of your dinner party, then you still need to serve food, but you don’t need to put as much pressure on yourself to turn out a gourmet feast. You could instead make some simple small bites, serve them as tapas, and have a more relaxing evening. 

It’s a good idea to cook meals that you have made before, so you don’t get any nasty surprises on the day. Choose recipes that seem fancy, but are easy to make. If you can, prep your dessert a couple of days before. There are lots of make-ahead desserts that will still wow your guests, but give you one less thing to do on the day. 

Try to time your cooking so you’re not stuck in the kitchen all night. The more you can do before your guests arrive, the better, so you can actually enjoy the company of the friends that you invited. 

Provide Plenty Of Drinks

There are lots of guides on the internet to help you pair wine with food, or you can head to your local off-licence and ask for some advice on what to offer with your menu. 

Have some beer or cider on hand too, and perhaps some liquor, so you have something to offer those who don’t like wine. Make sure you have some non-alcoholic options too, for any guests who are driving or who just don’t want to drink alcohol for any reason. 

If your guests offer to bring alcohol, accept their offer. They’re likely to bring something they like, so you have one less thing to worry about when you’re prepping your dinner party. 

Prepare In Advance

There are kinds of preparation you need to do before your dinner party; food prep, house prep, and mental prep. 

For preparing the food, make a list of the ingredients you will need based on your finalized menu. Give yourself plenty of time for a couple of trips to the store (in case you forget something the first time), and one day for preparing the food. If you know you are going to be busy the week of your dinner party, book a grocery delivery online to save some more time. 

Another option to make more time is to send your spouse or roommate to the store to pick supplies, while you clean the house or vice versa. 

Don’t forget house prep too. You don’t need to deep clean every room, but make sure that any rooms your guests will be in, like the lounge, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom, are all clean and ready for them. Make the spaces feel inviting with details like a great tablecloth from Richard Haworth. 

Take some time to mentally prepare too. You might be stressed, nervous, or just exciting. Whatever you’re feeling, take some time to get calm so you can enjoy your evening. 

Set The Mood

A few simple touches can make a lot of difference. Decorate the table with fresh flowers, or set the mood with candles. Dim the lights for a relaxing mood, or hang fairy lights. 

Don’t forget the music. Small speakers are ideal, but your laptop will be fine if that’s what you have. Create a playlist, so you can just set put it on and forget about it. Instrumental, classical, or jazz music can all work well, played low in the background. If you know a friend with amazing taste in music, ask them to make the playlist for you. 

Clean Up

Clean up right after the party, even if you’re tired. Some of your guests might offer to help with the clean-up, but don’t feel like you need to accept. You invited them over, so prepping, cooking, and clean-up are part of your job as a host. 

Gather all the plates, glasses, and anything else from around the house and move them into the kitchen. If it’s already very late, and you don’t have a dishwasher to stack everything in right away, and don’t want to be up until the small hours washing dishes, you can put everything in the sink to soak overnight. Reset your dining room, and make it as easy as you can for yourself in the morning to get everything clean again.

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Mental health concerns are something which most parents have to deal with today. The world is a very different place than it once was and in the past, mental health issues were largely swept under the carpet despite a number of teenagers and children suffering from them.

Today, children and adults alike are encouraged to speak about mental health issues and to be open about them. This is very important – if mental health issues are not to be stigmatized any longer, we need as parents to ensure that our children feel able to open up to us.

Speak to your child about their feelings

From their earliest days, name their feelings. Help them to learn that strong emotions are part of being a human and give them strategies to cope with them.

Ordinary, but negative feelings such as sadness, anger, frustration and fear can be frightening for children simply because they don’t have any benchmark with which to compare them.

Letting your child know that these feelings are normal and valid will help them to process the emotions.

Learning to process emotions and learning to help themselves to shake the feelings off through positive actions is a valuable lesson for children to learn.

Show your child the value of a brisk walk in the fresh air, show them how engaging in arts and crafts can lift the spirits, teach them how music can change our mood.

With coping mechanisms like this, as your child grows, they will soon have an arsenal of weapons with which to battle the sometimes difficult feelings we all experience. 

As your child grows and starts school, they will be able to access the support of peers and staff to learn even more coping mechanisms.

This secondary school in Kildare for example, offers support to students in a variety of effective ways and pupils achieve good academic results.

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