The New Kid on the Block

The New Kid on the Block

 

Is your child starting at a new school? Are they the new kid? You always hear horror stories of the new kid’s first day of school. They have no one to sit with at lunch. They do not know anyone. They have no one to play with at recess. Maybe they get picked on because they wear the wrong thing.

These things can cause great stress on you and your child. As a parent, you want your child to succeed. You want your child to fit in and have good friends. These things come to mind as your child goes into their new school for the first time.

To help with this transition you may suggest to your child, find a friendly face. Be friendly and courageous. These things help, but it takes lots of courage to be the new kid. As the new kid, you look at a sea of faces none of which are familiar. If you are lucky there may be one or two kids you know, but it can be hard to fit in right away. No matter what, it can be very scary to go to a school where you don’t know anyone.

Your child will make it through the day. Things will be okay. They will make friends. As a parent, be there listen to your child. Help the figure out ways to make friends and do well in their school. Meet with their new teacher. Get to know some of the other parents in your child’s class. Allow your child to be in after school activities to help meet new friends.

If your child is transitioning from being homeschooled to public school many of the same things apply. Hopefully your child will know some of the kids in their school from things like church or youth group or some other non-school activity. This will help your child’s transition into public school.

Help your child the best you can. Some things will not be within your control or your child’s control. But if will be okay. Help your child be flexible. Remember there is a period of adjustment and understand that your child may have some different behaviors until they adjust to their new school.

Kids usually adjust faster than adults think they well. Just give it time.

Being a Shining Star in a Dark World

Be a Shining Star in a Dark World

 

As you and your children gear up to go back to school remember something, to be a support for not only your child but your child’s friends. Your child’s friends may not have the best home life. They may be living in a single parent home where their parent may work extra hours to make ends meet. Many children live in a home where both parents work so they may have limited time with their parents. There may be stress or issues in the home where children do not want to be at home because of the tension this creates.

Where may these kids be? Well, they may be your child’s friends, your family member, a classmate, a neighbor. They are all around you. I know you have your own kids to worry about getting to practice and getting homework done. But, what if you became that home where children felt safe and loved. What if your home turned into a place where your children’s friends felt like they could come hang out, eat a snack, do their homework, and they felt like someone cared? What impact do you think that would have?

Well, that single mom would know their child was some place where they were safe and cared for so she wouldn’t be worrying about them while she worked. That working family who are just struggling to get by would know their child is being looked after by a trusted adult.

The child who comes to hang out in your home would feel safe. They would learn to trust other adults even when other adults have let them down many times before. They would have an example of what a “normal” family looked like. They would have friends they could hang out with and play with who were a good influence.  They would have an adult who would listen to them when they have had a bad day. They would feel heard.

I know this is a mighty task as a parent. It does not need to be every day and it doesn’t need to be all evening. I know caring for other children can be stressful and not easy. Maybe you’re a single parent too. So, maybe you work something out with another single parent where you trade days so you can help each other out.

Be a light to the children, teens, and families around you. See what you can do as a parent, a stay at home mom or dad, an aunt or uncle, to make a positive difference in the life of not only a child but their family as well. Be that light shines in a dark world. There are so many negative things happening that wouldn’t it be amazing if as a community could help be stars shining bright in a world of darkness. 

My Mission

My Mission

 

Helping Kids is my calling not just the name of my business. I love children. I always have. I began babysitting at the age of twelve and have worked with children ever since. I love helping children and their families. This is my life work. I have worked at as a teacher, children’s minister, missionary, Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School director, and now counselor.

I see hurting and struggling children and I just want to reach out and help. It could be a problem they are having at home, it could be someone is hurting them, or they are having a hard time in school. I just want to help them make it better.

In Sunday School class, every week I do a check in with my third graders. This allows them time to tell me what is going on in their lives. They know I will listen to them. They also know that I am interested in them. I still have kids after many years of teaching Sunday School who still come to me when they are having a problem or to just get a hug.

I get asked often if I have children. No, I do not, but the kids who come through my door whether in my office, or my Sunday School classroom are “my” kids. I do my best to look after them. That saying, “it takes a village” is so very true. My church parents know that if there is something serious going on with their kids and I find out about it that I will most definitely let them know!

Why am I telling all of this? For one it is what is on my heart, and for two I take the scripture of Jesus letting the little children come to him very seriously. We need to be like Jesus and let the children come to us. We need to be approachable. Kids need to know they can come to us when they need help. They need to know they have grown-up friends who love them and care about them.

As adults, we need to invest in the lives of children on a daily basis. Whether as a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend. Kids need to know they matter.  We want children to be successful adults, so we adults need to help them.

Some kids go through so much, and they have a hard time trusting adults. We need to be an adult they can trust. We may be the only one. It is possible to overcome the hurt, pain and trauma that happens to kids, with the right people there helping. It needs to be our mission to invest in children in a positive way to help them become a successful adult.

Your Back to School Check List

Your Back to School Check List

 

Pencils—check, paper—check, cool new back pack—check, mental readiness for school—wait, what? As you are checking off your child’s supply list make sure they are mentally ready for school to start again. Are they ready for the stress of school work? Are they still having issues with that one kid who wouldn’t leave them alone last year?

Helping your child be mentally ready for school is just as important as to be physically ready for school. Do they have the self-confidence to handle “that one kid”? Are they ready for the school work? Last school year did they have issues with anxiety because of school? Are you concerned your child will still have some “behavior issues”?

I know that it is summer and we are all busy with doing the fun stuff, taking vacations, playing at the beach, enjoying family time. But as you get closer to school starting and getting your kids and yourself ready to go back to school take a moment or two to think about issues that may need to be addressed before starting school again.

Some kids are very scared to go back to school for many reasons. It could be bullies, teachers, work load, peer pressure, or something else. Have a very open conversation with your kids about how they are feeling about school starting. Yes, of course most kids do not want school to start because well, it is school and they are kids. But, if it is more than that then it needs to be addressed.

If you feel they are not ready for school to start for one of these reasons be proactive and preventative about it. Seek counseling services for your child. You and their therapist can help them together. Sometimes kids are more willing to tell a therapist they trust what they worry about then mom or dad. Find a therapist you trust and begin the work of getting your child mentally ready for school. It is better to start now then waiting for a couple of months when there is an actual problem.  

Start your kids off on the right foot to have a successful school year. Don’t set them up for failure. Also, if you are struggling in getting things for your kids for school do not be afraid to reach out. Many schools and communities have back to school supply collections to help families who may need the extra boost. And if you can help with one of these drives by donating supplies for kids going back to school, please do so. When you do, you are making an investment in a kid’s future and helping to set them up for success!