The beginning of the school year can be a stressful time for any student, especially after a Summer of play and rest. Kids can often end up putting learning on hold all together over the Summer which makes back-to-school even harder. Summer tutoring can help avoid the brain drain of Summer and get your student feeling confident and prepared for the academic challenges ahead.

At College Tutors, we know that your summers are busy; family vacations, play dates, and camp schedules can make it difficult to fit in time for learning. That’s why our tutors are flexible and willing to work with you and your child when planning sessions. Don’t let the summer learning slump get the best of your college bound student! Get a head start in the next school year and avoid stress, anxiety, and frustration when September finally rolls around. Call 804 346 2242 or visit Collegetutors.com/glenallenva

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Last year, my oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD. It wasn’t exactly a surprise. He had experienced difficulty during his first couple of years of school. He couldn’t sit still, would rush through activities, and was always seeking something new to occupy his mind. But, though it wasn’t a surprise, it was definitely a wakeup call.

With the diagnosis in hand, it was time to take action. Knowing he did, indeed, have ADHD was comforting in a way, because now, we (his parents, teachers, and other loved ones) had parameters in which to guide him. He wasn’t just hyper or immature for his age. He had ADHD—and here’s what we can do about it.

Of course, his dad and I began working closely with his teachers to help improve his school life. Then, we focused on home. And specifically homework, which at our house might as well have been one of those “four-letter words.” Every day, without fail, homework time had been a struggle. And we were all more than ready to find ways to make it less painful—and maybe even enjoyable!—for him.

Here are a few changes we made:

Created a workspace outside his room

Prior to his ADHD diagnosis, my son’s desk was in his room. It seemed like the most practical place for it. But in hindsight, it probably made him feel confined and allowed the negativity from homework time to spill over into bedtime. As this guide on home design for kids with ADHD explains, it’s best to keep your child’s workspace outside their room because a desk or table implies there’s work to be done, which can bring on anxiety and disquiet. It recommends finding another quiet, low distraction space in the home where your child has room to move.

We converted our rarely used dining room into a work and activity room. We painted it a warm, soothing tan, put his desk up against one of the walls, and switched out the dining room table and chairs for some shelves to help with organization. So far, it’s working really well. He is definitely enjoying having a dedicated space for homework time.

Prioritized planning and routine

When we were in the process of getting my son’s diagnosis, I did a lot of reading on ADHD, and one thing I learned was the importance of organization. As this article from InsideADHD.org on environmental strategies notes, timed activities, task lists, and calendars can help a child with ADHD make the most of their focused work time. Now, my son and I do homework prep every day. Together, we assess what needs to be done, and then I help him break it all down into chunks that are doable for him. There’s no more diving in and hoping for the best! We’ve created a routine that he can count on, and he’s really thriving under that structure.

Planned for physical activity before homework time

After he’s spent all day sitting at his desk at school, the last thing my son wants to do when he gets home is go sit at another desk to work on his homework. So, we’ve really tried to develop barriers between school time, homework time, and relaxation time before bed. And the barrier between school and homework time is for him to do something physically active. He can do whatever he wants (within reason!) as long as he’s up and moving around—so no video game playing or TV watching.

Over the summer, we got a dog. I had read, as this article explains, that dogs can provide a number of positive benefits for kids with ADHD—from helping them get more exercise to helping reduce stress and anxiety to offering constant, non-judgmental companionship. So, my son’s activity of choice has been playing with his new four-legged friend. They run, play, and roll around in the backyard, providing both of them an opportunity to get out that excess energy!

Be generous with praise

Positive reinforcement has become a huge focus for us. I realized, even prior to my son’s diagnosis, that my husband and I spent far too much time trying to manage my son’s negative behavior. We didn’t give him enough credit for what he was getting right. This article on homework tips for kids with ADHD emphasizes the importance of praising the positive. It explains that specific compliments are a great way to reinforce positive behavior and to provide some much-needed encouragement. Instead of spending homework time pleading with him to do this or do that, now I spend it seeking opportunities to point out where he did well. And what do you know! It has made homework time a lot more positive for both of us.

Looking back, there are so many things I wish I would have done differently. So many times when I should have been more patient, should have realized he wasn’t just disobeying or being defiant for the fun of it, should have traded a punishment for a word of encouragement. Change is definitely in the air for all of us at our house now, and rethinking homework time as helped my son get off to a great start this school year. I can’t wait to see where the year takes him!

The post How to Create a Great Home Learning Space for a Child with ADHD appeared first on RichmondMom.com.

The first and last time my little dragon ever wore a “traditional” Halloween costume.

When I think of things that make my skin crawl I think of bugs, snakes and other creepy stuff.

What makes my son’s skin crawl? A stray tag, a bulky costume, wearing something on his head, paint on his face and these days pretty much anything that isn’t his blue t-shirt from Target (we have three).

He loves everything about Halloween. Trick-or-treating, pumpkin picking, carving and decorating, and candy (although he’ll only eat the m&ms) but just the thought of putting on a costume upsets him. In fact, the last time I was able to get him to wear a full costume he was about 8 months old.

Over the years we’ve had to get pretty creative with costumes to make Halloween fun for all of us. Here are a couple of tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way that can help make Halloween fun for kids with autism and sensory processing issues.

Find a “t-shirt and jeans” costume.  Okay, not literal jeans as many kids with sensory processing issues don’t like the feel of denim. What I mean is, find a costume that can basically be pants and a t-shirt. A few ideas to get you started:

• A mime – black sweat pants, striped shirt, white gloves
•  UPS delivery person- brown sweat pants, brown shirt (draw buttons on with permanent marker and use a little paint for the ups patch)
• A crayon- matching sweats from head to toe in their favorite color and paint CRAYOLA on their shirt
• Pajamas- superhero pajamas are a life saver -soft, comfortable, easy and practical.
• Skeleton- paint bones onto black sweats
• Waldo – glasses and hat optional
• Aerobics instructor, dancer, gymnast – as long as the leotard isn’t an issue, these costumes are soft and movable
• A child character like Charlie Brown

Partner costumes. Load up the costume on a person who likes to wear them.  Although my son hates buttons, I was able to convince him last year that a shirt was a jacket and my kids went as a werewolf both”before” and “after” midnight. A few more ideas:

• An animal trainer and have a friend or sibling be a lion or even dress up the dog
• Boo from Monster’s Inc. and you can be Sully
• Shaggy and you can be Scooby
• Calvin and you can be Hobbes
• Christopher Robin and you can be Pooh

Let the props tell the story. My son won’t wear a hat, but he’ll carry one. He’ll also use photo prop glasses (the kind on a stick), or carry an umbrella. With a little creativity you can use props to help tell your story.

• Cover an umbrella with cotton and the child can wear all blue to be a rain drop
• Wear dirty sweats and carry a chimney sweep style broom
• Tape streamers to an umbrella and be a jelly fish
• Carry a bag of money and be a burglar

It’s okay NOT to dress up.  Passing out candy and seeing a parade of costumes can be fun too.  Sit outside on the front steps and watch the parade of costumes pass by. Maybe have a costume on hand in case they’re inspired to try it, but don’t worry if they don’t.

A few additional tips.

Be aware of how your child might react to scary costumes. Look at pictures of costumes together. If you’re afraid of how your child might react to something scary, trick-or-treat early.

Visit just a few, friendly houses and stay close to home. Set it up so that if you sense a meltdown is coming you can call it a night quickly.

Buy it early, try it out. Give them time to get used to the costume, props and the whole trick or treating thing before you’re out and about.

Let your child be your guide. We’ve learned to never underestimate my son. Just when we think he can’t handle something he does brilliantly and when we’re sure he’ll love something we couldn’t be more wrong.  Take the cue from them to get as “into” Halloween as they want. After all, Halloween can be celebrated anyway that works best for your family even if it doesn’t look the way you imagined it.

Is your child on a special diet? Don’t let that get in the way of trick or treating. Find out more about the Teal Pumpkin Project.

Note: Every child is different, this includes children with autism and other sensory processing issues. While I’ll never in my life be able to get my son to wear overalls for example, it might not be an issue for another child.  Like wise, what does work for our family might not work for others. Has something worked for you? PLEASE share it in the comments below so other parents (and kids) can benefit.

The post Halloween Costumes for Kids with Autism & Sensory Processing Disorders appeared first on RichmondMom.com.

Can’t leave these two with just anyone.

After our 4th was born we found ourselves needing a nanny for the first time. We didn’t even know where to start. While I don’t think of myself as a particularly over protective parent, I have to admit the idea of hiring someone I didn’t know to be alone with my 2 year old and 3month old son made me very, very nervous.  I just didn’t feel comfortable using some of the “services” that were out there that basically ended up just being a craigslist for babysitters.  I wanted a background check. I wanted some definite accountability and I didn’t have a lot of time to interview or meet a lot of different people (especially if they didn’t work out).

On our first call to College Nannies + Tutors we instantly felt better.  Carmen came to our house to tell us exactly what to expect from them, explained everything to us in detail and gave us the chance to talk about what our needs were.  Then she asked us about our ideal nanny (which feels very Mary Poppins) and said she’d let us when she found someone who fit what we were looking for in the hours that we needed.

Then we did absolutely nothing. No worrying, no discussions, nothing until we got an email with a potential nanny’s profile and scheduled a meeting.

College Nannies + Tutors nailed it. After our very first match and our very first meeting we had a nanny that fits our family perfectly.  Our kids love her so much my 7 year old often asks if she can pick him up from school (I’m old news, apparently). And we’ve already passed College Nannies + Tutors on to a few of our friends who have had other childcare situations not work out.

Our nanny does yoga with my 2 year old. Here he is showing me his moves.

With College Nannies + Tutors we also got a complimentary nanny-on-call service, so if we ever need a sitter we can contact College Nannies + Tutors 24/7 and get one of their trained nannies to come care for the kids. If our nanny is ever out sick or anything, College Nannies + Tutors sends us a back up nanny so we won’t find ourselves stuck without child care.

Our littlest likes to be cuddled so its not usual for me to come home find him snuggled up to the nanny in a carrier.

We haven’t had a single problem, but if we did, College Nannies + Tutors are there to back us up. The staff at College Nannies + Tutors are there, checking in, to address any problems that could arise for both us and with the nanny. I also love that our nanny is well cared for too, since we don’t need her every day she is able to pick up additional shifts giving her the hours she needs.

In just a month, our nanny is quickly becoming a part of our family.  I don’t know that we could have found someone like her without the help of College Nannies + Tutors. The whole process was so quick and hassle free, we cannot thank them enough.

College Nannies + Tutors is locally owned and operated in Richmond, Virginia. Contact them today to get started finding the perfect match for your family.

College Nannies + Tutors is a sponsor of Richmondmom
I personally did not receive any trade or compensation for this article.  College Nannies + Tutors in Richmond, VA was simply the best option out there when we searched for childcare. 

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It’s the start of a new school year and it’s a good time to start thinking about your child’s college education.

It may seem like a long way off, but with the growing costs of higher education, it’s never too early to start thinking about saving for college. We’re in luck because not only do we have excellent in-state universities here in Virginia, but Virginia529 has been voted one of the best college savings plans in the US.

Virginia529 offers different plans from pre-paid tuition to savings plans which can be used whether your child attends a university, community college, or technical schools around the country and in some cases, even around the world.

Want to know more about saving for college? Virginia529 is answering questions about how to start your college savings fund in a webinar on September 22nd.  Experts will discuss the importance of starting your savings early and contributing often, the benefits of a 529 savings plan and how to get started.

Register for the Virginia529 Tame the Tuition Monster Webinar Here.

Virginia529 is a sponsor of Richmondmom

The post Learn How to Start Saving for Your Kids College with a Virginia529 Plan appeared first on RichmondMom.com.

My beautiful picture

When I first entered the door of William Fox Elementary school almost twenty years ago I had no idea what I was getting into.  I had no idea the trials, tribulations and endless conversations I would have about middle schools, misuse of school funds, classroom sizes and school conditions.

I had no idea that some years I would spend the equivalent of a part time job supplementing the kid’s education with fundraising, volunteering time and tutoring in the classroom to try to makeup for the City’s lack of interest and enthusiasm for our kids and their education.

I have since entered and exited seven Richmond Public Schools and while some things have changed, they mostly stay frustratingly the same.

I have watched my kids get everything from a mediocre education to an amazing one, despite circumstances.  I have dealt with teachers who should have retired long ago so beaten down were they by the system and teachers who spent entire weekends preparing lesson plans that should be trademarked on Pinterest, spending their own money and holding their hope for their students close to their heart.

I believe in public schools.  I believe an education just because it is free shouldn’t be mediocre.  I believe in diversity and my child meeting people from all walks of life.

I won’t pretend to understand the money, the administrative woes, the endless paperwork, and the politics of school administration and city funding because I don’t.  I’ve tried to educate myself and do my homework but often times I’m more confused then educated at the end of my studies.

This I do understand:

Class sizes need to be smaller.

Teachers need to be paid more and supported instead of harassed and micromanaged and told what to teach at every turn.

Electives are so important in a city where some of its citizens are so poor they never see a piece of artwork, enter a library, or hear a piece of classical music until they get to the classroom.

Physical education is part of our kid’s education.  If schools don’t have a gym or equipment or outdoor facilities then our children are being woefully underserved in their health and wellbeing and they will suffer both in the classroom because of it and their lives beyond their school experience.

Free lunch is a farce if it consists of nachos as a main meal.  My son said he never knew a vegetable could look the way it did in his lunchroom.

Conditions in many of our school are deplorable, the buildings are falling apart, mold is growing and rats roam the rooms.

I just said rats roam the rooms.

It requires cash; it requires putting your money where your mouth is.  It requires cutting back on things like Redskins football practice fields and new baseball stadiums.

It requires renovating the elementary school down the street instead of city hall.

“The reality is that only about eleven percent of our populations is being served by RPS,” Mayor Jones said in an attempt to explain fund allocations and no one said a word.

No one said, “Sir, it might be eleven percent but it is the most important eleven percent we will ever invest in because that that eleven percent is the future of our fair city.”

That eleven percent will grow up to perhaps become citizens of this city and they will have either learned that education and the care of our youngest ones is indeed a priority or they will learn otherwise.

Otherwise is where we are headed.

We know what to do we just won’t do it.

And though we let those kids down time after time and turn after turn, they still rise up; they march on city hall and protest teacher cuts and the conditions of their classrooms and they learn despite their city and in doing so teach those in power a lesson that they should be embarrassed they haven’t learned yet.

Editor’s note
Like this post? Check out this: Dear SOL: I Got My Own Standards

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The 2015 Summer Games Opening Ceremony and the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron will be held Friday June 12, 7:30-9 pm at the University of Richmond Robins Center (23B Boatwright Drive).

The Special Olympics promises an exciting opening event and their best one yet with 27 new high school partners to the program and hundreds of new volunteers.  Champion Together school bring together athletes with and without disabilities with developing relationships and creating the first unified generation so, later in life, youth will be able to live, work and thrive alongside peers of all ability levels.

Volunteer to Cheer along with your family at the opening ceremony or at any of the Special Olympic Games by registering on the website.

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NBC12 covered fake nanny ads and called in College Nannies + Tutors for expert advice.

Locally owned and operated College Nannies + Tutors keeps nannies and families safe by doing all the placement legwork. Whether your family needs  quality childcare or the one-on-one attention from a tutor College Nannies + Tutors can help.

Watch the full piece on NBC12.

College Nannies + Tutors is a sponsor of Richmondmom

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