Do you ever get working parents guilt during the school holidays? Today’s post is all about how you can survive the Summer Holidays as a working parent! I first published this post about three years ago but after seeing a couple of posts on Social Media this week about the Mum guilt some people are …
FASD is a complex issue with more than one face. There are a few commonalities in the diagnosis but it is a spectrum disorder.
My youngest daughter has FASD. I have occasionally written a bit about that here, but I am adding a bit more content about this invisible disability and publishing in major national outlets to grow awareness. My CBC Parents Content Over the last two years I have been writing a lot of consistent content on CBC Parents. I am happy to be able to reach a wider audience and frankly freelance, of course, is where I began years ago when I started writing. A few of my posts have centred on our journey parenting kids with special needs, or mental health issues and disabilities. For whatever reason, that content resonates with readers over there. After years of pitching the topic of FASD, finally someone showed interest and published a story about what it is really like when you parent a child with FASD. So, I am grateful to CBC for recognizing that this is a topic that matters. Recent FASD Content Since that piece ran, I have had dozens of messages and emails from other parents. I am grateful for their support and I’ve always got an ear or a shoulder if you need to talk. I did a Podcast with Jeff Noble as well on FASD Success. You can listen here….My Daughter Has FASD – Paula Schuck podcast. In the meantime, also I just wanted to update you all on a couple of my posts from this year, in the event that you haven’t read them there. An Excerpt My daughter has FASD and Here’s What That’s Like… (for the full story click through to CBC Parents.) My youngest daughter has FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder). It’s a whole-body developmental disability sustained as a result of prenatal exposure to alcohol. For years since we adopted her, we’ve been her translators. Get in the Helicopter With Me Parents of kids with special needs are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Here’s why I don’t care what you label me. If you like that one, you might also get something from I’m a Helicopter Parent and I Don’t See How I Could Be Anything Else Right Now. Parenting a Child with FASD Here’s What That’s Like and How we Parent to Meet Her Needs, Mostly….believe me I have not got all the answers. I have a few tricks and tips that work. Parenting a child with a brain injury is exhausting and so is living with it. My daughter has also written about living with FASD here previously. Check out this post if you want more details: I am Not Invisible… Pandemic Parenting I have also been sharing pandemic parenting content and what life this year looks like with teenagers. So, please take a moment to check that content out. As always, I hope it helps. I hope something in what I say or write or do over there or over here on my site generates an aha moment or even a second that makes you feel that you are not alone. This job is hard. Parenting teens during a pandemic is straight up awful some days. Tonight I walked out the front door just needing space and quiet and a moment to breathe. Teens right now are rude and moody and pissed off at the world and I don’t blame them for a moment. But, even so it’s hard to deal with all of that when you have your own worries and stresses about the Covid-19 numbers. You are Not Alone Now add the layer of disability and additional mental health stress on top of all of that and you get my pandemic life. Oh, I know some of you know exactly what I mean. You are not alone.
Ideas for a fun famly weekend on a budget including indoor and outdoor ideas that will definitely build some happy memories
Teaching kids about debit and credit are lessons every parent needs to address. After all, if you don't teach them - who will? We found a safe way to show
It's difficult to move your kids away from home. Here are 11 ways parents can support their college students throughout their college years.
Get a free editable classroom newsletter template that you can use to send home monthly newsletters to parents! You will love the ease and flexibility of this fully editable PowerPoint newsletter template. Help strengthen the bond between home and the classroom with this communication tool!
A - E You don't need to spend a lot of money to teach children. Young children learn using their five senses and movement. You can make many teaching tools yourself, use inexpensive items that you already have, or find free resources available on the internet. This is a 5 part series of Thrifty Teaching Tools. A – FREE Printables from 3 Dinosaurs Items for Activities, Alphabet Box or Blocked Letter: Apples, airplanes, aliens, acorns, alligators, ants, anteater, armadillo, ape, apron. DIY Alphabet Boxes Art: Offer simple tools for children like crayons, markers, paint, chalk Alphabet Phonics Song on YouTube ACTION Promote Early Literacy with Action! Ant Farm: Gather some ants and put them in a container with sugar water. Children are fascinated by these tiny critters. Read The Ant Bully, watch the movie, and read Stop Bullying: It Starts at Home Alphabet free printable Block Letters hands on as we grow Apples—Read books about Johnny Appleseed. Have children place apples on a large chart sorting by color: red, green and yellow. Count and pattern apples. Let children peel the apples with an apple peeler which produces a very long peel. The children love to turn the wheel and watch with pride and amazement as a very long peel is accomplished. Ask the children to put their peels in a row according to length. The following recipe smells delicious and can be cooked in an electric skillet. Apple Crisp (already tripled for a classroom) 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar 3/4 cup flour 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon 3/4 cup butter 6 pounds apples (about 15) 6 tablespoons sugar Melt butter in electric skillet. Add oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and a dash of salt. Peel, core and slice fruit to make approximately 15 cups. Mix with other ingredients. Cover and stir occasionally. Save some for the principal and custodian because the heavenly aroma will float down the hall. B - Items for Activities, Alphabet Box or Blocked Letter: Bubble wrap, books, buttons, beans, balls, balloons, butterflies, bats, bees, bunnies, beenie babies, block, bear, baker, broccoli. The Adventures of a Cardboard Box video shows the creativity and magic of a young child playing with a simple box: Beans: Glue in shape of first name - you may need to print child's name then have them place glue on each letter and cover with beans Bird Feeder: Children enjoy making bird feeders and suet Baby food jars – smelling jars Breath – deep mantras to relax and focus Build with Blocks Butterfly Fun Facts Boxes Beenie Babies: toss, sort, pattern, learn beginning sounds, match sound with letter card Books: Read every day books of Repetition, Rhythm and Rhyme Bob Books Free Printables Blanket: Make a reading space with a blanket Baby food jars for sensory or discovery jars Rainbow Bubble Snakes Bananas are inexpensive and nutritious. Slice down the middle and fill with peanut butter. Cut into pieces and freeze. The children will love having something frozen in their mouth. Banana Splits Ask parents to contribute and let children make their own banana split. Offer toppings of Marchino cherries, whipped topping, nuts, M&M’s, chocolate and caramel sauce. C - Items for Activities, Alphabet Box or Blocked letter: Chalk, coffee filters, cotton balls, cups, cereal, cars, cookie cutters, candy, cupcakes, cowboys, candy canes, corn, cookies, carrots, cook, clown, counting games. Cat in the Hat – Great book for rhyming words and learning the short a vowel sound (at, cat, hat, mat, bat, fat, sat) Communicate – ask for help for supplies, emails, notes home, signature notes Car races: make tracks or maze out of duck tape or blocks Computers – see lists on my right sidebar for FREE resources Chalk outline body, trace over letters, hopscotch Curiosity: Encourage a child's natural curiosity and you will prevent behavior problems Consequences: The Good , the Bad and the Ugly Creativity:Why Craft? Why Art? Counselor: Invite the school counselor to give her talk on Being a Friend, Bullying, Say ‘no’ to drugs Mommy with Selective Memory D – Items for Activities, Alphabet Box or Block Letter: dice, dry erase markers, doilies, dog, dinosaurs, dump trucks, dirt, ducks, daisies, daffodils, Dr. Seuss, dominoes, dragons, dragonflies, drawings, duck tape, donkey, dolphin. Growing a Jeweled Rose Discipline: Combat Duty or Common Sense Tactics Discovery Bottles by Teach Preschool Dirt Pudding 1 (14 oz) bag Oreo cookies 2 (3 ½ ounce) packages vanilla instant pudding 3 cups milk 1 cup powdered sugar 1 (8ounce) package cream cheese, softened ¼ cup butter, softened 1 (12 ounce) container cool whip Gummy worms Break up cookies and put half on the bottom of a clean clay flower pot or child’s sand bucket. Save other half for topping. Mix pudding and milk together, set aside. Mix sugar, cream cheese and butter. Add sugar mixture to pudding. Fold in cool whip. Pour onto cookies. Top with remaining cookies (or make more layers). Poke gummy worms into mixture. Refrigerate for at least a half hour when possible. Serve with gardening trowel or a child’s plastic shovel. E - Items for Activities, Alphabet Box or Block Letter: Eggs, egg shells, elephants, erasers, elastic, Easter, Eye Spy game, easel, eagle, eel. Upcycle Egg Cartons to Building Blocks Exercise: Count by 10s to 100 as you do different exercises Explore: Go on a nature walk Explain Experiment: Steve Spangler Science on Pinterest Environmental Print – As my daughter approached a store with her son, he yelled, “K-r-o-g-e-r! That spells Grocery Store!” He is learning the concept that the letter symbols form words. Environmental print is everywhere. Words are on cereal boxes, buildings, transportation signs, billboards, newspaper comics, game instructions, grocery lists, bubble bath, toys. Run your finger under words as you say them. This will teach children that reading is from top to bottom and from left to right. Would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? See Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. Would you like to help your preschooler prepare for kindergarten? Read a mom's dilemmas with a teacher's advice and child development explanations in The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. These bestsellers make great gifts and are also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. The eBooks are only $3.99. Follow me by:
*If interested in purchasing this form, check out my Classroom Forms Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Forms-Bundle-Time-Thrifty-Teacher-1954742 You will find this form and others for a discounted price! This PDF contains a quick 3-2-1 activity for parents to complete about their students. The paper asks for three words to describe their students, two things you should know as their teacher, and one goal they have for their students. In addition to the 3-2-1 activity, the paper also asks for contact information and whether or not the student has access to certain types of technology at home. All in all, it should be a quick way for you to get to know both your students and the parents that you will be working with all year. Enjoy!
Are you trying to find some fun things to do in Salem, Oregon? If are are specifically looking for things to do with kids, I feel your pain. I have 3 kids and it seems like I am always trying to find things to do with them to keep them entertained. If you are just...
Find the most incredible list of cardboard play ideas to help you and your kids find creative play on a dime. This is the ultimate guide for those leftover boxes to learn to reuse and recycle everyday items for all day play.
Caring for a child with FASD (fetal alcohol specturm disorder) is draining. Here are ten ways to help a child with FASD without losing your mind.
Do you have pets? Here are some thrifty pet ideas that can help you maintain a frugal lifestyle while raising and caring for your family pets.
Find the most incredible list of cardboard play ideas to help you and your kids find creative play on a dime. This is the ultimate guide for those leftover boxes to learn to reuse and recycle everyday items for all day play.
Best zoo webcams around the world streaming animals right into your home. Something relaxing, positive, uplifting or educational right now for families.
Best Things to do in Switzerland with Kids: Click here for tips the top things to do in Switzerland. Plus things to do in Switzerland in Winter.
Looking for some fun subject and predicate activities you can use with upper elementary students? Find engaging activities and lessons.
Best Things to do in Rome with Kids: Click here for the top things to do in Rome with kids: includes info like princing, location and opening hours.
How is September speeding by this fast already? If you need to slow it down a bit here's a September Colouring Page Printable.
A priority list for renovating a home - where would you start on home improvements when it comes to renovating an old property?
thrifty, nifty decor & diy
Teach your kids to tie their shoes with these printable shoe lacing cards. Fun and effective way to learn a valuable life skill.
I’m pretty sure I’ve told you all before (probably many times) that Miss Frugal is a Snapchat fan. She uses the app to keep in touch with her friends and there’s nothing she likes more than a good Snapchat filter. Usually I don’t have an issue with her using the app – she knows how …
Help your child to calm down & manage their emotions with a dedicated cool off spot.
I have been meaning FOREVER to do something about the wall above my little guys crib. It looks like this: (SORRY--bad camera phone picture...
No trophies today? That's okay. Seven strategies to help your child become resilient and recover from handling disappointment, or perception of failure.
How to wash soft toys safely and why it is important we give cuddly toys a wash. You need never be scared again of damaging Ted in the wash!
Looking for some fun subject and predicate activities you can use with upper elementary students? Find engaging activities and lessons.
Master Frugal has always been a sensitive child and he’s always had a habit of worrying about things that seem relatively unimportant to everyone but him.At one point, his worrying was causing him tummy pains on a night which made it difficult for him to sleep and we actually thought there was something more sinister …
I remember when my kids were little and we were getting them ready for their first day of kindergarten. I wondered if I had done enough to prep them for what
The older kids get, the harder it is to prevent those dread words - 'I'm bored' which is why I made a bored jar for teenagers ready for the Summer!
Earlier this week I challenged Miss Frugal to come up with a list of things that she thought would help someone who would be starting Year 7 in September and this is what she’s come up with. Before you read them though, I’d just like to point out that this is based on her experience and …
Discover our collection of free blank printable calendar at Calendarkart. Download and print stylish, customizable calendars to stay organized.
Fall is here! The leaves are turning beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow, and gold. Living here in Utah is truly one of the most beautiful places to enjoy the fall foliage! As the air turns crisp and the season begins to change, it make me want to create. So I am sharing some fun
This kid-friendly creamsicle toothpaste is so easy to make, pretty inexpensive, and kids LOVE the orange flavor! Leave it to kids to quickly get bored with anything and everything. Even toothpaste flavors. I had been making my kid friendly strawberry toothpaste and the kids loved it... and then one day, they were done with it. 'Can we have a new flavor?' 'I don't like strawberry today.' Sigh... kids these days! Or maybe my kids are just spoiled when it comes to toothpaste flavors. Kids who use conventional toothpaste probably do not get too many options. My kids, oh they are
