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September is just around the corner, and even it indicates the end of summer, vacations and good weather, it is also a month to celebrate new beginnings.
Maybe we are not so eager to go back to work and routine, but our kids are truly looking forward to go back to school. It is very important for us, parents, to understand how they feel and sense this energy on them. The back-to-school moment means seeing their friends again, realizing they have grown - one grade more means they are closer to be the oldest ones in the playground! - and having the opportunity to share their summer experiences with each other.
It is also a time of going back to familiar routines, artistic and sport activities and some kind of order in their lives. What can we do with them, so we can be part of this exciting days (that might last only a week… before they get bored again!) with our daughter?
We have come up with an idea. How about joining your little one and sit together to create a personalized calendar for the family? The idea is to draw a beautiful grid to represent the month of September, and number each square to display every day in every week. You can use your imagination and work with different colors, materials or even put stickers or pictures on it.
Once you have your calendar ready, you can start writing the important dates: first day of school, a friend’s birthday or a visit to grandma. Once the important dates are set, it is a good opportunity to teach your daughter about time organization and planning. Why don’t you encourage her to put on the calendar her homework or school duties too? A good way to support her in this, is to write down on the calendar some of your own assignments or chores as well.
Hang the calendar somewhere where all the family has access, like the hall or the kitchen, and see how this works for a month. The calendar will provide you with the perfect excuse to talk to your daughter about school, make sure she doesn’t miss an assignment and also plan fun activities with her. How amazing is it to count the days left to a family picnic or to a cinema night?
If the calendar idea is successful and both you and your daughter enjoy it, why don’t make a new one for each month? And if you want to make it extra special, here it is our last tip: do you remember our book review of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls? Pick one of the amazing women of the book for every month, and use her as a theme for the calendar. If it is Amelia Earhart, maybe draw small planes and clouds; if it is Aretha Franklin, music notes and a microphone.
Perfect opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time! What are your ideas for the calendar?
