Is home schoolong an option

Homeschooling is also known as home education or home based learning, is the teaching of children at home, by parents but sometimes their parent gets a tutor.  Rather than getting an education at formal institutions such as private schools or public schools. Parents have numerous reasons as motivations to home school their children as families have different lifestyles, values and beliefs .Homeschooling can be an option for families living in isolated rural areas, many young athletes and actors are taught at home. Some families do it because of their faiths, which may not be suitable with some of the subjects being taught in public schools or private schools

Home schooled children are taught at a level that is appropriate for their capabilities. This is very different from public or private schools where students are put into classes according to their age, no matter where they stand academically.

For many, home schooling is a poor choice because the parents fail to provide an atmosphere that is truly accommodative to learning. There are significant disadvantages to home schooling which outweigh the benefits. Some of the issues that parents face is that home schooling is time cosuming, it is draining and there can be a financial burden or hardship imposed upon a family. It is the responsibility of the parents to buy the curriculum needed for home schooling where the public school provides it at no charge.

Lack of contact with other children (learning how to socialize) can affect the child negatively as they need to learn communication skills to cope in society.

What to do if you suspect that your child needs help

All children are different and their progress happens at different paces. It is vital that your child has the support they need and that you are doing everything you can to ensure that they fully active in their learning journey. 

If a child is in need of extra educational support, the most important thing is to get the child assessed by an Occupational Therapist of Remedial Therapist. Parents should approach the school to find out who is the best  person to do this assessment. There are also remedial and occupational therapists associated with the Department of Education, who can be asked for help.

Once the assessment has been done, the therapist and the parents can agree on the best course of action. This is usually Occupational or Remedial therapy.

As the parent of a child with difficulties you must be willing to give the support and love your child needs.

It is vital that you be completely involved in your child’s learning process and the journey that they are on because learning does not end in a classroom. Read to your children, and let them read to you.

Children need praise. Never forget to tell your child how wonderful they are.

ADD and ADHD in children

It’s normal for children to occasionally forget their homework, daydream during class, act without thinking, or get fidgety at the dinner table. But inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are also signs of attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD).

 

ADD/ADHD can lead to problems at home and school, and affect your child’s ability to learn and get along with others. It’s important for you to be able to spot the signs and symptoms, and get help if you see them in your child.

 

What is ADD / ADHD?

 

We all know kids who can’t sit still, who never seem to listen, who don’t follow instructions no matter how clearly you present them, or who blurt out inappropriate comments at inappropriate times. Sometimes these children are labelled as troublemakers, or criticized for being lazy and undisciplined. However, they may have ADD/ADHD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that appears in early childhood. You may know it by the name attention deficit disorder, or ADD. ADD/ADHD makes it difficult for people to inhibit their spontaneous responses—responses that can involve everything from movement to speech to attentiveness.

 

Is it normal kid behavior or is it ADHD?

 

The signs and symptoms of ADD/ADHD typically appear before the age of seven. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between attention deficit disorder and normal “kid behaviour.”

If you spot just a few signs, or the symptoms appear only in some situations, it’s probably not ADD/ADHD. On the other hand, if your child shows a number of ADD/ADHD signs and symptoms that are present across all situations—at home, at school, and at play—it’s time to take a closer look.

Once you understand the issues your child is struggling with, such as forgetfulness or difficulty paying attention in school, you can work together to find creative solutions and capitalize on strengths.

 

What to do?

 

If you have paid close attention to your child’s behaviour  and still suspect they have ADD/ADHD then you have to get you child to a children's psychologist. They is medication available to assist you but effective treatment for ADD/ADHD also includes education, behaviour therapy, support at home and school, exercise, and proper nutrition.

 

The influence of television on young minds

Most parents underestimate the amount of influence the programmes on television have on young minds. It is vital that you take control in your household and pay careful attention to the programmes you let your children watch.

In this constantly changing world, television plays an imperative role in the receiving of information. The choice of what your children see and hear in the home is up to you.

This does not mean you should shield your young inquisitive minded children of reality but there is a fine line. You have to create a balance. Take note of age restrictions as they are put in place by professionals who know what is and is not suitable for your child to see.

Most parents get caught in the trap where you really want to watch a programme and spend time with your young one, don't let this be the case. If you cannot afford to have more than one television in the household let your children read books or play games that you have approved as an alternative.

Programmes that have explicit language, inappropriate visuals and violence are not programmes your child needs to be watching. You have the power to decide what you want your children to be exposed to in your home.

Parenting and video games

It’s a cliché, but more and more children seem to spend their time online, on their PCs, Play Stations, or Xboxes, playing some type of computer game.

The traditional view of this seems to be that children should be ejected from their seats, shown the garden, and instructed to play outside-because playing video games makes kids into anti social couch potatoes, with virtual war for brains.

A report published by the EU seems to contradict this-

Toine Manders, the Dutch liberal MEP who drafted the report, said: "Video games are in most cases not dangerous. We heard evidence from experts on computer games and psychologists from France, the US, Germany and the Netherlands and they told us that video games have a positive contribution to make to the education of minors."

The study called for schools to consider using games for educational purposes and urged parents to take a greater interest in them.

Video games and computers have a positive and negative effect on young minds. Anything in moderation is not a problem. Parents and children need to be able to decide how much gaming is permissible and what kind of gaming. Parents must teach their children what is good and what is bad. 

By: Katherine Alexander

Discipline begins at home

For many years child discipline has been a controversial subject in terms of the degree of discipline that is good for the child. However, one point on which all the experts agree is that discipline starts in the home. While it is reinforced at school  and in society with rules, it is not the job of an educator to teach a child right from wrong.

As a parent you have an enormous obligation to find the perfect balance between loving and disciplining your child, particularly since so many emotional aspects must be taken into account. These may start with imagined or real fears your child is feeling, to coping with his or her anger management. To balance love and discipline is a long and difficult process. No matter what the situation, you have to turn big troubles and chaos into peaceful and loving atmospheres. Unfortunately, this technique is something you learn by experience.

As you've undoubtedly found, if you are too lenient, your child will simply run all over you. If you are too strict, your child's spirit can be crushed, leaving you with a fuming rebel. There is only one key: love must be the basis of all discipline which should be balanced according to your child's personality.

It will help you and your child to set specific ground rules and be steady in your reinforcement. You have to ensure that your child understands the clear line between disobedience and obedience. It is vital that you set punishments suitable to the offence so that your child can grow up to be a productive and happy member of society. And always remember that a child needs fair discipline for security.

What makes a great parent

As a 21st century parent, you have access to almost everything and anything you need for your children. While your parents did the best they could, you can do much better, especially in light of all the research that's been done on what children need. And we're not talking about material needs, but emotional ones and thought stimulation.

To do the best for today's child, it's important to understand how drastically the role of parents and expectations of children have changed over the years. For one thing, it is unrealistic to expect teachers to do everything for your child. Of course children learn school subjects from their teachers, but they learn the vital attitudes to life from you, their parents, whose duty goes far beyond just paying for the education. Learning does not end in the classroom or with the after-school bell - it;s up to you to continue the culture of learning in the home.

This is why it is so important that you make sure homework is done every day. Supervising your kid's homework, and giving assistance when needed, can actually be a lot of fun for both you and your child. While teachers have to cope with many kids in a classroom, only you can give that one-on-one attention that's essential for a child's mental growth.

It's also vital to have a culture of daily reading in your home - people who read are surprisingly well informed. Of course if you are a reader, you will be the perfect role model for reading to your child. It's the old story -you can only lead by example.

It is also well proven that the more involved parents are with their children's learning journey, the more successful those children are. When you take an interest in their learning journey, you become really involved, you will find it so much easier to help your kids succeed - and you'll quickly identify if there is a problem for which a child may need professional help.

Your child's success begins - and ends! - with you!