Monthly Archives: August 2022

Helping Children with Reading Homework

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child

Helping Children with Reading Homework

         Many parents shy away from helping their children with homework.  Often, this is because they are afraid they will not do it the way the teacher wants, or perhaps they feel inadequate.  There are six basic subject areas for which children may receive homework. They are reading, math, language, social studies, writing, and science.  In this column, I would like to make comments about helping children with reading.

         It is helpful to understand how reading is taught in schools today.  In the past there were arguments about whether sight reading or phonetic reading was best.  Actually, both are used.  There are certain words that children should simply memorize and learn by sight.  A good basis of phonics is absolutely necessary for a child to be able to decode words on his/her own.

         One of the best ways to help a child with sight words is to use flash cards.  Teachers can give parents a list of words that children should know by sight.  Children can make their own flash cards or flash cards may be purchased.  The advantage for a child to make the cards is that the child learns about spelling and writing at the same time as the words are learned. The advantage of purchasing the cards is that the print is similar to what the child sees on the pages in books.  Either or both are helpful.

         If a parent feels inadequate to teach phonics, that parent can ask the child to teach the parent. The child learns the sounds at school and usually knows them but simply needs review and practice for reinforcement.  Sometimes a parent may need to put a finger over part of a word to help the child break the word down.  Much of reading depends on the vision of a child…both the physical vision and the way the child sees the word in his/her mind.  By covering part of a word, the child can see parts of the word in the mind rather than just seeing a bunch of letters of the alphabet.

         The best thing any parent can do to help with a child’s reading is simply have that child read, read, read.  Older children can read stories to younger children or to the parents.  The children need to be familiar with the local library and have enjoyable books on hand to read at all times.  Reading at home should generally be easy reading. If a child does not know five words to a page, that book is too difficult for the child.  Reading easy books develops a feeling of self-satisfaction.  The child becomes more fluent and develops speed.  Usually, it is best to leave the difficult books for the school to handle.  Encouraging a child to read enjoyable and easy books develops a good foundation for reading in years to come.  If reading is always difficult, the child will shy away from it.

         Parents should see that books are available for children all the time.  Books should be in the car, so that when a child has to wait for a parent somewhere, the child can be reading.  Children can help make and read grocery lists.  They can read directions on packages to mom or dad when meals are being prepared.  Parents can find many opportunities to help children with reading and need not hesitate to do so.

In Their Shoes

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….)Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

In Their Shoes

 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

It is easy to become so concerned with our hustle and bustle as parents that we forget the feelings that children have as they prepare to return to school.  Yes, parents worry about clothes, supplies, schedules, etc.  But what about the children and what they are feeling and thinking??

It is good to remember when we were in school.  The worries of children are real!  Many are scared!  Just as God made no two snowflakes the same, He made no two children the same.  Some worry more than others, but there are some general concerns that most children have.  They are:

1) Will I have any friends?

2) What kind of teacher will I have?

3) Will the work be really hard?

4) Will Mom and Dad be pleased with what I do?

5) Will I have a lot of homework?

6) Will Mom and Dad yell at me if I have a bad report card?

7) Will I have a good place to sit in class?

8) What will I have for lunch?

9) What if I don’t know my multiplication tables?

10)  I’ve heard a lot of people talk about things that I don’t understand that are going on in some schools.  Am I supposed to believe everything the teacher says? 

Many children will not sleep well the night before the first day of school.  They will be tired but yet have to get up early.  Hopefully they will have a good breakfast ready, but some will say they are not hungry.  They may be too excited to eat!

When the children get on the bus or get to school, they will probably be hesitant to do anything those first few days.  (I found when I taught that they were better behaved the first week or two of school.  They are surveying the situation and hold back actions until they feel confident as to what to do.)

What about homeschooling?  Homeschooling eliminates many of these anxieties.  They already have the answers to many of the questions that worry children who go to public school.  Homeschoolers have an advantage in this area unless they have an instructor at home who is not prepared or does not understand them.  When I taught GED classes, occasionally I would get a student who had been homeschooled.  With the exception of one student, I can honestly say that it appeared they had been well educated.  I highly recommend home schooling unless there is no one who can do it adequately.  It takes time and much patience!!  There are many homeschool groups now that can make up for music, sports, art, etc.  

As the new school year begins, let’s try to put ourselves in the shoes of the children. it’s tough to parent, it is also tough to be a good kid!

Something’s Missing

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Raising children….

Something’s Missing!

The Backpack Ministry is a good thing, especially now with prices on so many things continually rising. Many children would be starting back to school without the tools they need for learning.  However, it seems that something may be missing!

It is common to hear adults talk about how today’s children seem so ungrateful for the things they get or have.  “Why I can remember in the old days that we were lucky to have shoes to wear when we went to school! We sure didn’t have all the fancy stuff kids these days have!”  True.  It was sad to see broken pencils on the floor of classrooms when I was teaching GED classes.  It was obvious that someone didn’t appreciate those pencils!  They had deliberately broken them in half and thrown them on the floor!

What’s missing?  The attitude of gratitude.  At a recent meeting I attended, the backpack ministry was mentioned.  “Do any of you know of anyone receiving a “thank you” note from a recipient of a backpack?” I asked.   Blank looks all around!  No one had.  Aren’t we missing an opportunity to teach children to be grateful when we don’t require them to write a thank you note?

Perhaps an addressed blank note could be included in the backpacks.  Parents and/or teachers could require the children to write a note of thanks to the giver.  This could go a long way in teaching gratitude and is also a good writing lesson for the children.  Children who have not yet learned to write could draw a picture and have someone else write the words “thank you”.  

It would seem we miss many opportunities to teach children to be grateful.  My husband and I started years ago giving our grandchildren $5 for each “A” they made on their report card and $4 for each “B”.  Nothing was given for “C’s” because that is expected of them and is nothing special.  At the end of the grading period, we saw a copy of their report cards and tallied up what they had earned.  We also gave money for high marks in conduct.  After all, good conduct is necessary for success in life.  The children gain pride in earning money and feel they have a job like their folks have.  It was understood that part of the money was for pleasure and part to save for future education.  We always received “thank you’s” from the children for the checks we sent.  Now that my husband has passed away, I continue the practice. I don’t shower them with constant gifts.  They can learn to budget their own money for the things they really want or feel they need.

Why are we surprised that so many children do not feel gratitude for what they receive when we don’t require them to do such a simple thing as to say, “thank you”?

Starting Kids to School on the Right Foot

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

  Start Children Back to School “on the Right Foot”

       Getting off to a bad start in anything is not a good thing, but it is especially important that children get a good start at the beginning of each school year.  The start of the year sets the pattern of behavior for the remainder of the school year and possibility for years to come.  Having a set pattern removes uncertainty and much confusion as children practice firm rules in the home.  As those rules become habits, parents are more at ease and there is less worry on the part of both the parents and the children.

         Before school starts in the fall, parents need to sit down with children and pray with them that they will do their best.  Undue pressure should not be put on any child to make straight “A’s”.  Rather, children should be encouraged to do the best they can do with the abilities God has given them.  II Timothy 2:15 is a good verse to use to impress children to do their best in school. If a child can understand that it is God who is to be pleased more than self, teachers, or parents, studying becomes more important. This gives purpose and the proper attitude toward learning. The prayer instills a sense of seriousness about the importance of behavior and effort.

         Children need routine.  They need the understanding that their behavior is acceptable, and they need to know that their parents are concerned with their well-being.

         Why not use the cell phone, that most older children have, to help them remember their routine? Our youngest son programs the cell phone of his sons to remind them of what they are to do and when they are to do it.  They can then text him when the chores are accomplished. 

A good routine for children each school night might include the following:

1) Homework is done at a certain time and place; then, it is laid out in a special spot so the child will not have to hunt for it the next morning.

2) Anything that is to be taken to school with the homework is placed along with the homework in a designated spot to prevent the scurrying around that often occurs in many homes as children frantically try to get ready to go to school.

3) Clothes to be worn the next day are laid out and ready to be put on.

4) Any chores in the home that the child is to do the next day are explained, so that the child is not surprised with added activities that may interrupt his/her plans.

     5) The alarm clock is set.

      When these things are taken care of, one of the parent’s checks in on the child at bedtime to be available to hear questions or comments from the child before hearing the prayers of the younger children.  Older children may want to say prayers in private.

When the listed items are done, the child can go to bed at ease knowing all is ready for the next day.  That child knows that the right thing has been done and will have a sense of accomplishment. Both the children and the parents will rest better knowing that all is organized. 

When children wake up in the morning and their clothes are ready for them, they don’t have the turmoil in their minds to start the day wondering what to wear.  They don’t have to worry about their homework because they know where it is.  After a good breakfast, one or both parents can give each child a big hug and kiss before he/she walks out the door along with a word of advice such as, “Learn all you can learn!” or “No matter what happens today, I will still love you tonight!”  With a final, “I love you!” the child is on the way to a good day at school.

Children Learn in Different Ways

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is….) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Children Learn in Different Ways

         Studies show that we tend to raise our children the way we were raised in spite of any training in child-rearing classes we may have received along the way.  Without realizing it, we tend to think that our children will learn the same way we learned without taking into account the differences in inherited traits and personalities.  We can be much more effective in parenting (and grandparenting) if we can understand the differences in the way children learn.

         Some children tend to learn better by hearing information while others learn better by seeing or doing.  Educators classify children as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners.  Actually, all children learn in each of these ways, but most are dominant in one or two of the ways.

         Auditory learners learn best by having a story read to them rather than reading it for themselves.  They like to have music going most of the time and would rather have someone tell them what to do than read instructions for themselves.  They are often musically inclined and can learn better when things are set to music. Auditory learners might learn multiplication tables more easily if they are set to music.  From my experience in teaching, I think many children have not developed listening skills and do not fall into this category.  

         Visual learners learn better with charts and graphs or demonstrations.  They need to see how a word looks to decide if it is spelled right, and they will probably learn their spelling words by writing them over and over rather than just saying them over and over. They will be the individuals who take a lot of notes when they are in high school or college.  They need to be shown how to do things rather than just being told.  Charts for daily chores work well for these children.  They probably won’t just take a person’s word for something.  They will probably want to see for themselves whether something is right.  

         Kinesthetic learners like to use their bodies and do active things.  They are usually the children involved in sports.  They learn best by doing projects. They like doing play-doh projects when they are young.  When they are older, they are the ones who like the social studies and science projects that involve making things.  An example of using a kinesthetic method to teach in school might be to have students stand and turn a certain number of degrees right or left to learn about degrees in a circle.  At home, boys will love to do fix-it projects with dad.  Girls will like cooking or other projects involving action.

         Observance of children will give clues as to how they best learn.  When children constantly doodle and draw pictures, you can know they are the visual learners.  The very active children are usually the kinesthetic learners and it is important to keep them busy with projects.  Quiet children may be the auditory learners as they are listening for sounds in nature or listening to others.  No two children are the same.  Good parents and teachers will learn to observe the differences and capitalize on the way that children learn best.