As parents, we often guilt ourselves for not spending more quality time with our children. One way to make up for lost time with your child is to volunteer at their school. Volunteering is a great way for parents to be more involved in their child’s life. Here are some of the top reasons volunteering can be so beneficial!

1. You get a better understanding of how your child is performing at school.

Children spend a great deal of time at school, which is time away from their parents. Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, a psychologist and author of the book, Growing Friendships: A Kid’s Guide to Making and Keeping Friends, said in a recent interview with New York Family that parent volunteers can see get an opportunity to see how their child acts in a different social setting, which can give a new perspective on their social development. “You’ll be able to see how the teacher and students interact, pick up on the atmosphere in the classroom, and perhaps see a whole new side to your own child,” Kennedy-Moore said. “Kids often behave very differently at school. Your chatterbox at home may be on the quiet side at school, or your baby of the family may show an impressive degree of independence and resourcefulness in the classroom.”

2. It helps you to have a better relationship with the school community.

Think of your child’s teacher as their second parent because they play a big role in your child’s development. Working with the teachers and administrators your child sees daily will help you understand their daily activities and curriculum. It will also improve your communication and helps you to gain trust. According to PTO Today, parents who are involved in their child’s education, the parents are more likely to be held in higher self esteem by teachers and have teachers expect more from their children.

3. It motivates children to do better academically.

According to Boosterthon, the more parents participate at school, the more successful their children will be. Research has shown that children of parents who volunteer earn better grades and perform better on tests. When your child sees you invest in their school, it motivates children to do better because they see that their parents and teachers care about their success and they will want to succeed.  They’re also more likely to enjoy school and be involved in extracurricular activities.

4. It benefits the school.

When parents are involved, they’re more likely to provide contributions to the schools. Because they are more familiar with the school community, they have a better idea of what should be removed or improved to make the school more successful. Fundraisers also allow parents to provide more opportunities for students who may be not able to afford certain privileges.

At Cranium Academy:

At Cranium Academy, we encourage parent involvement because it is a crucial part of our school’s success. We urge our parents to volunteer and be more present in the classroom because it helps in building a community and boosts the academics.

As one of the most important meals of the day, breakfast is often the meal skipped the most. As parents, it’s easy to get carried away with our busy schedules and forget to make breakfast, but it’s important that you make sure your child has a balanced breakfast every day to support their growth and development! If you want to ensure your child’s success in school, breakfast will give your child the nutrients they’ll need to perform well in the classroom by improving their focus, providing energy, and boosting their mood. Here’s a list of fast and healthy breakfast ideas that will ensure your child gets a healthy start to each day!

1. Warm Banana Roll-Ups

If your child is a peanut butter lover, this is the recipe for you! This recipe helps you sneak some bananas into your child’s diet as well. With a little bit of cream cheese, honey, and cinnamon added to the mix, this makes the perfect healthy and sweet treat.

2. Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats

This is another healthy sweet treat! These overnight oats are filled with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. 

3. Yogurt Fruit Breakfast Pizza

If your child loves pizza, this is the perfect healthy alternative for them! This yogurt fruit pizza is filled with nutrients, and it only takes 10 mins to make!

4. Sausage Pancake Breakfast Bites

These sausage and pancake breakfast bites are the perfect mix of sweet and salty. This recipe only takes 20 minutes to make but it’s one you can easily teach your child!

5. Lollipop Pancakes

Children naturally love lollipops, so what better way to make healthy breakfast fun than making lollipop pancakes! Lollipop pancakes are mini pancake pops dressed up with “yogurt” icing topped with blueberries and strawberries. This recipe only takes a total of 20 minutes to make!

6. Pancake Breakfast Egg Sandwich

This pancake breakfast egg sandwich recipe is easy to make and can be used as consistent meal prep, as it can be stored in the freezer.

7.Freezer Breakfast Burrito

A freezer breakfast burrito is another perfect breakfast for parents who want to make something on the go! This recipe has every nutrient your child needs: the healthy fats, smart carbs, protein, and fiber!

8. Egg and Cheese Muffins

This recipe might be the easiest on the list to make! Think of egg and cheese muffins as cute, little, and portable scrambled egg cups

9. Blueberry Coconut Almond Overnight Oats

If you’re afraid your child might not be too fond of the chocolate banana overnight oats, give this recipe a try! These overnight oats are filled with blueberries, coconuts, and almonds

10. Eggo Waffle Breakfast Pizza

Ever thought about sprucing up some of your Eggo waffles? Well, this recipe is the perfect way to do it! Dress up your waffle with some honey, peanut butter, and any fruit of your choice. It only takes 5 minutes to make!

Nutrition at Cranium Academy:

At Cranium Academy, we pay special attention to nutrition because we know that the mind and body work hand in hand. For children to perform their best in school, it is just as important for us to focus on their physical health as well as their mental and emotional. Living an active lifestyle with a balanced diet and exercise is something our staff encourages and tries to exemplify for our children.

Sports, or any physical activity, are important for a child’s whole well-being. Whether playing with a club or just casually with a few friends, sports can offer many benefits for a child’s physical, social and emotional growth!

Sports, for the body

Staying active is especially important for children, because they are at a stage in life where physical development occurs quickly. Specifically, sports can help with physical growth in these ways:

Motor skills: Hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills come with practice. Sports are perfect for training both.

Developing muscles and bones: Resistance from exercising stimulates the growth and strengthening of muscles and bones. Too much resistance can stunt growth though, so make sure your child gets plenty of rest between activities.

Stronger vision: Sports are usually played outside in the sun. Taking in natural light has been shown to decrease the probability of developing vision problems. But on really sunny days, a hat or glasses should still be worn to protect your child’s eyesight.

Social benefits

Almost every organized sport is played with teams. The competition, and the team dynamic itself, comes with perks and lessons for your child:

Team skills: Communication and sharing are necessary for a team’s success. The more they play, the more your child can learn these vital skills.

Friend group: Your child doesn’t have to like every person on their team, but spending time with other children can lead to strong, lasting friendships.

Confidence: Making friends is not always easy, but being part of a team can offer opportunities for your child to feel like they are a part of the group.

The mind and sports

When it comes to developing emotional maturity, childhood is an important time in anyone’s life. Organized sports can offer a foundation for emotional growth in these areas:

Self-esteem: Being a part of a team can give your child a sense of importance, and going to practice to get better can offer a sense of accomplishment as well.

Lower stress: Sports can be a physical outlet for emotional stress, and can help clear the mind.

Emotional recognition: In order to keep a clear mind and perform well for the team, children will learn that they must control and recognize their emotions.

 Choosing a Sport

Choosing a sport should be up to your child, and you should accept and support their decision. However, in the times when your child may want to quit when things get hard, it’s up to you to think about what would be best for your child in the long run.

You can go online to find local clubs for age-appropriate sports, or find out what sports your child’s school offers after class to get started. You can also observe your child during playtime and see what they like to do!

 

Sports and Activities at Cranium

At Cranium Academy, our mission is to inspire creativity, character and leadership in every student through our unique curriculum as well as our afterschool programs. We offer indoor gym space, inflatables and our playground for every child to remain active and social outside the classroom.

 

“Do as I say, not as I do” is a typical parenting phrase that signals children not to copy negative behaviors they are about to witness. Some parents believe that simply telling their children what to do is enough to ensure positive development. But is that really the case?

How Children Learn

To understand how children learn, we must first look into how children absorb information.

Between the ages of 0-5, your child’s capacity for learning is at its peak. Your child is extremely sensitive to receiving and interpreting information at this stage. They can learn just about anything from anywhere.

However, studies have shown that young children learn mostly through observation. It stands to reason that if a child uses their eyes well before they begin to use their words, seeing would be the first way they interpret information.

Imitation then follows observation, where children copy the behaviors they have witnessed. In fact, children who imitate their parents’ behaviors have been shown to not only copy what they see, but also expand on them. This is evidence of concrete understanding and learning.

“Do as I Say, Not as I Do”

Does the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do” appear to work? For effective child development, not entirely.

Communication is important with your child, but that is not the only way they should learn. In your child’s growth into their full potential, a model for good behaviors can be very important.

If you ask your child to pick up their toys after playing with them, but you leave your book out on a random table where it does not belong, your child will most likely copy you and leave their toys where it’s most convenient for them. If you regularly leave the house without eating breakfast, your child might not want to eat in the morning as well.

Sometimes, when your actions don’t align with what is said, contradictions can form in your child’s mind. Modeling one behavior and communicating the desire to carry out another causes mental tension for your child. To relieve that tension when making decisions, your child will make the choice that is easiest for them. Generally, this is the choice you don’t want your child to make.

“Do as I Do”

For the most efficient development for your children, you should try to become more mindful of what you do in front of them.

A good way to start is by writing down the behaviors you want your child to emulate. Think about how you realistically behave, then reflect on how you can adjust your own behaviors. Sometimes a behavior needs to stop, while other times it needs to be practiced more. Depending on your parenting goals, your own behaviors should serve as guidelines for your children.

Modeling desired behaviors, and still using constructive language, can make very positive and lasting impacts. Be mindful of how you behave, as your child is always learning!

 

How Cranium Shapes Positive Behavior

At Cranium Academy, we strive to help children reach their fullest potential through our revolutionary approach to learning that challenges them to think critically. By having our trained teachers ask them questions like “how” or “why,” children are shown a positive model for active thinking that encourages positive behavior and actions.