Transitioning to middle school can be a tough change for many kids. Recently, a 7th grader came home from her first day of school and told her father she did not want to go back to school and wanted to be home schooled. Her description of her first day of middle school was somewhere between Alexander and the No Good Very Bad Day, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. You would think she was auditioning for a movie the way she threw herself on the couch listing ALL the things that went wrong. A week into … [Read more...]
Questions and Patterns: Making Important Connections With Children Who Feel Disconnected
A simple activity in the classroom and a clever teacher could make the difference this year to your military-connected student. What makes a great teacher? A teacher who can inspire and protect all while writing on a smart board. I’m referring to those teachers who are looking out for the new kids, the shy child and the little ones who feel like they are different - all while teaching mountains of curriculum. As a military family, we have little choice but to trust a new school every few … [Read more...]
Look For The New Kid
“Look for the new kid.” That’s the advice from a mom of five amazing military-connected kids. Sharon Smith tells all of her boys, who range from 6 - 14 years of age, to look for the new kid at school. She wants her boys to seek out fellow students who are new and not quite comfortable within the school halls. Being a military family, Smith kids understand what it’s like to be the new kid at school. She wants them to develop and strengthen their empathy towards others by finding someone … [Read more...]
Goodbye Summer
Best four words in your mom vocabulary: First Day Of School. I’ve had this day marked on my calendar since the last day of school. It’s been a wonderful, adventurous, lazy and looooooonnnngg summer. There were days only wine and hope helped me through the day. I’m a creature of routine and schedules. It’s the only way I function. I’m a mother of two military kids who experienced their first full summer at our new location. With everything still new to us, there was a boatload to explore, … [Read more...]
Take Command: Create Your Own Command Center for Back to School
And so it begins. A trail of chaos follows my children the minute they enter the house after school. Backpacks randomly dropped in the hallways, a shoe in the living room, the missing pair in the kitchen, jackets lying on the floor giving clues to where I can find my children. Soccer. Scouts. Ballet. STEM Club. Parties. Open House. Doctor appointments. All of these words are written on Post-It Notes decorating my computer screen. Each one is a calendar item that will defy laws of … [Read more...]
Tell Your Child’s Education Story: Teacher Communication
Telling your child’s education story within the first few weeks of school is critical. A parent recently contacted me looking for advice on how to introduce her child to his new teacher. The child will be new to the school, has some “unique” needs and his parents would like to speak with his teacher early in the school year, if not before the first day of school. Many parents find themselves in this tricky situation at the beginning of each school year. A child is a parent’s primary … [Read more...]
The Forgotten Years: Education and the Military-Connected Child
10 ways teachers can support military- connected students during the forgotten years of grades 6th - 10th It is that time of year again. Teachers everywhere are reviewing curriculum, decorating classrooms, buying supplies, and reviewing class charts. Many schools and classrooms have already started, waiting to find their grove. We recognize most of the names in our class, but there are the few names we don’t recognize – the new kids. In elementary school, these are the kids who need a … [Read more...]
Our Back-to-School Advice: Throw a Party!
As a military family, we have moved eight times in 15 years. For me, that means eight sets of new communities, neighborhoods, and friends. Experience has taught me that the neighbors and new people I meet are very welcoming and helpful when we first arrive, but it can be challenging to keep that momentum going long enough to establish a friendship. I have found one of the best ways for me to establish friendships with new people is to throw a party within the first month or two I am in a new … [Read more...]
The Naked Truth about Gender Roles and Children
One hot summer day, my friend and I are sitting outside watching the kids play in the pool. Dakota, who has just turned five, comes up to me and asks to swim naked because the swimsuit is annoying and it’s really hot out. Our yard is very private so I say sure! Dakota quickly takes the swimsuit off and hops back in the pool. Do you picture Dakota as a boy or a girl? Does the child’s sex determine how you feel about the situation? Full disclosure, this story is half true. The child … [Read more...]
We Asked A Teacher, “What Back-To-School Advice Can You Share For Military-Connected Students?”
As we head back to school we asked a teacher, “What advice can you share with parents and educators of military-connected students?” What do teachers think about military kids in their classrooms? The Operation Dandelion Kids staff asked seasoned educator Ms. Erin Gilbert, an elementary school teacher in Fairfax County, VA, for her thoughts on military-connected children. Ms. Gilbert gave us her honest take on our kids and offered some advice for the upcoming school year. ODK: How long … [Read more...]
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