Summer is almost upon us, and with that, school lets out for the year! Summer is the perfect time to catch up on reading and to help your kids avoid brain rot from too much screen time. Here are four reasons this is the perfect season to engage your kids with books!

PHOTO: Tuttle Twins

Avoiding Brain Rot

The number one reasonable summer is the best time to encourage your kids to read more is because school is out, and they may spend more time on screens as a result. Summer naturally offers kids more free time and less educational time, so books like the Tuttle Twins series are an exciting way to inject lessons into your child’s day — while keeping the fun rolling!

The Tuttle Twins books are a series of educational books for children, but they’re also books to teach kids real-world principles. The Tuttle Twins series wraps every lesson into a fun adventure that captures your child’s imagination and keeps them engaged and wanting to read the books over and over!

Improving Vocabulary and Language Skills

Learning is in style for every season, and the more your kids read, the larger their vocabulary will become. Every book they pick up will expose them to a broad range of sentence structures and vocabulary.

Encourage your kids to explore a variety of different styles and genres so that they encounter new words they’ve never seen before. Clue them in on the meaning of these words via the context of the sentence, and if that isn’t enough, teach them or help them discover what those words mean.

With the right educational books for children, your kids will pick up some big ideas and new phrases as well — learning while embarking on a journey of discovery!

Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills

You’ll also find many books to teach critical thinking skills. In fact, books like Tuttle Twins for kids do this in such a way that they don’t even know they’re learning!

Reading stimulates critical thinking and encourages problem solving as kids engage with the plotlines, the characters, and their viewpoints. Additionally, regular reading helps improve concentration as kids spend more time concentrating on a single task for a longer and longer time.

Social and Emotional Development

Books take kids on a trip around the world through different cultures and time periods. Encourage your kids to read a diverse range of literature to help them develop empathy and understanding for others while fostering emotional intelligence.

By engaging with books that align with family values, kids also learn what’s most important in life as they read about different characters that face a variety of conflicts, challenges and triumphs. Such books help to teach real-world principles as well.

Parenting Books for Raising Smart Kids

Educational books for children don’t have to be dull or boring! There are lots of parenting books for raising smart kids that may not seem to be teaching a lesson on the surface, but when you dig deeper, you discover such rich meaning that you’ll want to make sure your kids don’t miss it.

Thus, summer reading is also an opportunity to bond with your kids as you discuss the books you’re reading. While reading to younger kids is a no-brainer, try individually reading the same books as your older kids and then coming together later to discuss them. You’ll find plenty of moments to treasure!

A Chance to Discover a New Book

The summer offers the chance to discover new books. One that’s quickly becoming a favorite of teens is about the world’s worst ideas. It also teaches critical thinking. For example, The Tuttle Twins’ Guide to the World’s Worst Ideas drives home the principles of freedom, voluntaryism, limited government and the free markets. Meanwhile, it encourages kids to think critically and identify faulty logic, political manipulation, and emotional appeals that just seek to push damaging ideas.

Learning about history and its consequences doesn’t have to be boring. Look for titles that turn history into an enjoyable romp your kids won’t forget! For example, the Tuttle Twins series is full of history books that take your kids on an exciting adventure that will stick with them for a lifetime — along with the lessons they learn while reading these books.

 

Leaving home to go into education for the first time is a big step for your little one, so you need to make sure you’ve picked the right establishment. With so many to choose from, how do you make sure you get the best one to suit their unique personality?

Initially, practicality is important, so the key focus should be on location, cost and size. You need to make sure you select a school that is near enough to your home so that your child doesn’t have to travel too far. You can find out more information about nurseries local to you by searching online for ‘toddler programs near me in Hampstead‘ (or elsewhere relevant) and reading through the most highly reviewed results. It’s important you conduct thorough research so you can make a well-informed decision on the best option for both yourself and your children. Factor in all the costs, including transport, uniforms and equipment as well as tuition fees so that you can make an accurate budget. The size of the preschool is also vital, as you don’t want your child to feel too overwhelmed or receive less support from teachers than they need, but at the same time, smaller schools can lead to less socialization and fewer activities.

Having narrowed down your list, make sure you go to visit the school and get a feel for what it’s like. Make more than one trip, so that you can create a shortlist alone before you take your kid along. This way they won’t feel too overwhelmed visiting a lot of schools and being introduced to many new environments.

Once you’ve narrowed it down by culture, make sure you have a look at the curriculum to find out what they have to offer in terms of learning. Some schools, like this private preschool in Chicago, offer a flexible curriculum geared around helping infants and pre-schoolers adjust to leaving and moving into full-time education. Larger schools support children from preschool through to middle school, allowing them to stay within the same establishment and get used to the routine. Each option will appeal to different children, so make sure you talk to your child, partner and other caregivers so that you make the best choice for your little one.

Ask lots of questions to make sure that you fully understand the school, its philosophy and the way it will structure your child’s day. Children need some structure, and as such it’s important that you explore the way their day will progress at each school and understand what they will be doing so that you can find the school that will provide the best experience for your child.

Most importantly, make sure you involve your child in the decision. After all, they will be the one spending years attending this school, and so they should have a say in your selection. Take into account their concerns and try to explain any differences in opinion (for example, they may not like the blue carpet or the teacher’s hair, whilst you may be enamoured with the school itself) so that you come to a decision as unanimously as possible.

Finally, remember that this is an important decision, and one well worth taking time over. Preschool will help your child to adjust to education and will often be the first place they make real friends, so make sure you explore all the options available before you commit: your child will thank you in the future.

 

 

People who often change jobs know that a good resume is key to professional success. Perception is very important on the job market; even if you don’t have the best experience or track record, these are some things that can easily be manipulated by properly presenting information.

A good resume has to be flashy, impactful and to be right for a particular company or a position. Creating a generic resume and sending it on numerous addresses usually doesn’t work. Instead, you need to modify it according to specific needs and requirements.

Here are 5 resume tips that will allow you to land the job of your dreams.

 

Start with a nice cover letter

Whether you’ve placed in within the resume itself or you decide to put it in the body of an email, the cover letter is something you can’t go without. It shows that you’re truly interested in a company and a position. The cover letter needs to be professional and to talk about all the benefits of you being accepted. Whenever possible, try using third-person writing.

Place focus on layout

The layout is very important because of the prioritization. Companies receive lots of resumes during the job hunt and it is very important to present information in such a way that a reader doesn’t get bored or annoyed with it. You always have to place the last relevant experience or education first and then go downwards. Also, it is much better if you first put work experience and then education, other skills, and hobbies. Recruiters usually focus on the initial paragraphs often disregarding information such as hobbies, additional accolades, and even education. So, make a statement with your first page and especially upper sections of it.

Avoid too much personal information

Disclosing personal information is usually a double-edged sword. While in some cases it might bring benefits, it often works to your detriment. The best examples are older professionals and men who haven’t served in the army. Although it might sound harsh, most employers are trying to avoid individuals with too much “baggage”. These small things become even more important if there are numerous applicants when every little bit matters. It’s best if you still do things such as your name, phone, and email address. This can also pertain to things such as hobbies and interests: while having them might seem nice, it often works to your detriment and may even lead to prejudice.

Avoid too much length

Ideally, your resume should be around 2 pages long. Some resume experts say that 3 pages might work as well but that is only for specific, high-level positions that allow a limited number of candidates. In most cases, recruiters don’t have enough time to go through all of that content even if you’re one of the best candidates. Long resumes may cause stress to recruiters inadvertently leaving a bad impression.

Adapt resume for a particular position

People oftentimes send one and the same resume to numerous addresses. This is an issue because each position is different with different requirements. If you want to make the most out of your resume, make sure to update it regularly and make adjustments when applying for a new job. This might seem like too much work (especially to those who are applying to various jobs) but it definitely makes a difference.

With these tips, you will create a resume that will make you a frontrunner for any positon.Make sure to be precise, use selective information, and change the resume according to a specific situation.

 

 

---

About the author: Nikolay Stoyanov is the content writer and strategist behind Path Consulting – resume writing company based in Australia. If you’re sick and tired of your job – give us a call and we’ll help you land the one you truly deserve.

---

 

 

 

 

Science is boring, or at least that’s what most kids nowadays tend to think. Part of the problem with this statement is that science is the only field that can help us understand how the world works. Often times, children will lack any interest or passions when it comes to studying it, and usually, it comes from the fact that the teachers they have are unable to help them grow keen on their subjects.

Even one of the most user-friendly science fields, such as biology, can raise all sorts of difficulties to a child who hasn’t been exposed to a good deal of information. However, there are some methods that parents can utilize to get their kids to develop an interest in various fields. Of course, doing so with physics or maths might be a bit challenging, especially as these two do not rely heavily on analyzing the world.

 

Look for free documentaries online or on TV

One of the best ways to teach science to children is by explaining it visually. Using their photographic memory is far more enjoyable than relying on their skills, with the help of which they have to learn everything by heart.

Depending on the subject you want to get your kid keen on, you have a plethora of documentaries and fun video resources to choose from. Some are specialized websites that come with animations with the help of which the child can understand the works of physics, math, and biology.

Others, on the other hand, are extremely visually appealing documentaries such as those made by the BBC channel. David Attenborough is one of the best-known narrators and naturalists in the world, and he has presented dozens, if not hundreds of small and long documentaries on nature.

 

Get easy-to-read science books

The common belief that science books are tedious and hard to read isn’t far from the truth. In fact, most are made that way, but this is often due to the author’s and editor’s inability to combine excellent writing with scientific information. As the Yahoo Style Guide used to point out some years ago, it is better to write for a younger audience whose vocabulary is somewhat limited than to use pretentious words that not everybody can understand.

If the age of the child allows you to, don’t hesitate to introduce him or her to fun science books even when he or she is very young. Some colorfully drawn characters can act as teachers in these books.

 

Make use of unusual items

Finally, if you have the budget and availability to purchase some things that can assist you in convincing the kid that science is actually rather interesting, we could suggest some science objects. One would be a user-friendly telescope if you find that the young one is fascinated by astronomy.

Another could be a USB microscope or even a magnifier with the help of which you can perform fire experiments. Just make sure that every idea is acted out safely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ensuring that our children stay out of harms way is a daily task of being a parent. However, as they get older and face their own challenges, it can be tough to keep on top of the stresses that life throws at them. One of the toughest times that children and teenagers face is the dreaded exam period. Although this is naturally a very stressful time, there are a few things that you can do to make the journey as calm as possible.

 

Sleep

It can be tempting to skip the sleep routine in order to get a few extra hours of revision in. However, this is not beneficial in the long run and your children will just end up exhausted, lacking in concentration, and forgetting what they tried to learn. Good sleep improves thinking and is extremely important for development. Give your child 30 minutes to wind down before going to bed, allowing them to take their mind off studying and gadgets. 8-10 hours of sleep per night will help your child remain settled and positive about exams.

 

Talk It Out

Bottling emotions up is a dangerous game; we all know this. Remind your child that the worry and stress they are feeling is completely natural. Comfort them and let them know that you are there for them. If anxiety seems to be taking over, allow them to take a step back and practice exercises that distract them for a while. Talking about worries acts as great therapy for everyone involved!

 

Maintain Healthy Diet

Comfort foods can be extremely appealing throughout exam periods. However, a balanced diet is important for your child’s health and will keep them upbeat and healthy through this tough time. Unhealthy foods can lead to mood swings or hyperactivity, which is the last thing anyone will want when sitting in that terrifying exam hall.

As well as healthy eating, encourage a regular exercise routine to help boost energy levels, relieve stress, and clear the mind. Teamwork activities are particularly beneficial as it will allow your child to socialize with kids who share the same passions.

 

Relax

This ones for you, yes, you! If you are showing signs of stress, then the pressure is going to pile on and your child will feel more anxious than ever before! Be sure to maintain a calm environment at all times, so your home can be a worry-free zone. Be optimistic and reassuring and your good vibes will soon rub off on your child.

 

Look Out For Signs

At the end of the day, there is only so much you can do to make the exam period as relaxed as possible. If your child is displaying the following signs, it might be time to consider getting some extra help:

• Recurring headaches and stomach pains
• Losing interest in food or eating more than normal
• Constant negativity
• Seeming hopeless about the future

Unfortunately, once the exams are over, the worry may not vanish. Until that results in the envelope is open, your child may still remain a bit irritable. Check out this article provided by Cognita Schools, which gives you helpful advice on what to do if your child does not achieve their desired results.