News for parents
Parent Coalition Hillsdale County- May/June
8 Tips For Getting Kids to Help With Cleaning
According to a 75 year Harvard Grant Study, “professional success in life… comes from having done chores as a kid,” says Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author of How To Raise An Adult.
That’s because the study found that work ethic is one of the greatest predictors of success in adults. And doing chores as a kid was a key characteristic shared among the 724 high-achieving adults researchers studied.
Daily Chores are a good place for parents to start building a good work ethic in kids – having kids make their bed, sweep the floor, and feed the dog every day.
But according to Lythcott-Haims, it’s a “[A] roll-up-your-sleeves- and-pitch-in mindset, a mindset that says, there’s some unpleasant work, someone’s got to do it, it might as well be me … that that’s what gets you ahead in the workplace.”
And spring cleaning is often just that – the dirty work that gets set-aside during the year. The extra effort to scrub the dirt out of the crevices of the mudroom floor, clear the refrigerator of any forgotten food, and give the windows a thorough wash. Of course, there’s also the most obvious benefit to getting kids involved in spring cleaning – having more hands to do the work means less work for parents.
How to Get Kids to Help With Cleaning
1.Set expectations early
2.Work together as a family
3.Get kids involved in planning
4.Teach but don’t preach I know too well from experience that micro-managing my kids’ work only leads to frustration and a sense of not living up to expectations.
5.Praise first, correct second
Everyone wants to hear they’ve done a good job. Whenever kids complete a task, first tell them what they’ve done well. Save any feedback on what could have been done better as a secondary comment and make it sound more like a tip to learn from than a criticism.
6.Make it fun
Listen to music in the background. Other ideas for lightening the workload include playing games such as “I Spy” or creating a story with each person taking turns contributing the next word.
7.Don’t try to do everything at once.
8.Last but not least, celebrate! At the end of a hard workday, be sure to celebrate! Going out to dinner is a special treat. Other ways to celebrate include having a family movie or game night, going out for ice cream, or whatever else would be a fun reward for your kids. Having a celebration to look forward to can also motivate kids to pick up the pace and complete tasks.
article by Kerry www.selfsufficientkids.com
Stay Active with your children outdoors, Explorer some Parks
Field of Dreams - 3070 N. Hillsdale Rd. Hillsdale , MI 49242
Mrs. Stock's Park - 120 E. Bacon St. Hillsdale, MI 49242
Owen Memorial Park - 280 Waterworks Dr. Hillsdale, MI 49242
Lewis Emery Park - 2020 State Rd. Hillsdale, MI 49242
Hillsdale College Arboretum - Barber Dr. Hillsdale, MI 49242
Carl Fast Memorial Park - US-12 Rd. Jonesville, MI 49250
Wright Street Park - Wright St. Jonesville, MI 49250
Fireman's Park - M-49 S Chicago St. Litchfield, Mi 49252
Rotary Field Park - 411 Chestnut St. Reading, Mi 49274
Water Works Park - 242 W Lincoln St. Reading, MI 49274
Chester Park - Chester Ave. Camden, MI 49232
Rutledge Park - Larry Dr. Waldron, MI 49288
Beaver Street Playground - Beaver St. North Adams, MI 49262
Great Start Collaborative Hillsdale County
Great Start Collaborative Director
517-689-1815
Email: stefanie.rathburn@hillsdale-isd.org
Website: www.greatstarthillsdale.com
Location: 310 West Bacon Street, Hillsdale, MI, USA
Parent Coalition
Parent Liaison
517-689-1816
517-610-3766 cell
Email: sara.clark1@hillsdale-isd.org
Website: www.greatstarthillsdale.com
Phone: 517-610-3766
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greatstarthillsdalecounty/
Parent Coalition Meetings
June 25th 5:30-7:00 p.m.
RSVP is Required
call 517-689-1804
visit website to learn more and fill out RSVP www.greatstarthillsdale.com
Meetings held at:
310 W Bacon St.
Hillsdale, MI 49242 (Hayes ISD Building)
Parent Coalition Healthy Eating For Picky Eaters
Summer is just around the corner and school is about out, so how do we keep our children eating healthy? Attend this event as guest speaker, Candace Gardiner, from MSU Extension helps us learn ideas and tips. Your child will be involved in a hands on activity with making their own healthy snack.
Remember to RSVP
Dinner and Childcare provided free!
517-689-1804