Great summer ideas for you and your kids

Yvonnie Bailey- Davidson, Gleaner Writer

Dear Counsellor:

It is summertime and I don't have a plan for my children. Any suggestions?

- Marcia

Dear Marcia:

Choices abound for summer activities, depending on the ages and gender of your children. Read the newspapers and ask friends for contacts. There are both residential and non-residential summer camps. These camps can be very helpful, as they occupy the time of your children and give them a chance to learn something new. Such camps generally involve extensive sports and educational activities. Summer classes are available at most schools, so check these out.

Learning a skill can be helpful. Cooking, sewing, computing and caregiving can pique interest and provide the platform for future careers or hobbies. You'd be surprised how these summer holiday ventures can be income earners at a later stage.

Your child can go to classes outside the home or you can teach them at home, depending on funds and your time. There are lots of local cookery books available to practise with. There are also self-help books on computing and sewing. Use the holidays to get kids more involved in the managing of the household. Get them to wash, iron, make their beds, clean the floor and tidy the kitchen and the bathroom.

As you may realise, the skills learned at home will be helpful as they grow older. Gardening can be quite useful. Your children can start a potted farm with fruits and vegetables.

The young ones could also be urged to join with their friends and form a book club. They could buy books or join the library and share books. You can make it competitive by giving a reward each week and a major prize at the end of summer.

The children and their friends could also plan a concert. They would need to practise their songs or poetry and then perform. Event planning is a big industry these days, so let them practise at home.

Sending them to relatives or letting them volunteer at a hospital or a children's home may be an option.

These some of the many suggestions for a fun-filled, productive summer. Enjoy!

Study skills

Dear Counsellor:

I would like some ideas about strengthening my study skills. I want to get As in my studies.

- Janet

Dear Janet:

Study skills are vital to succeeding in this world. You will need to make a timetable, depending on how many subjects you are studying. A subject or two can be done each evening.

Study every day of the week. Don't waste time. If you have appointments that require waiting, occupy your time productively. Have memory cards with formulae or topics to refresh yourself. Walk with your cards and look at them whenever you have time to spare. Some subjects require lots of reading, so bring a small text with you at all times whenever you travel.

Be like the teacher - think of questions that could be asked. Do these questions, looking at the textbooks. Put these answers together to arrange an archive, so to speak, of model responses. Some questions should be answered under exam conditions to test yourself. Get past papers to practise the likely questions. You can study past papers to see the .questions that are asked frequently. Make sure you know the answers to these questions.

Practise reading

If you are not a good reader, start practising reading textbooks and novels. Have a favourite author for novels so that you can experience joy during your reading. Reading is one of the keys to success in life. Practise, practise, practise till you master it.

To develop your writing skills, put your thoughts on paper and write about your feelings. This will help you to keep in touch with yourself. Think of a topic and write words that will help you to describe that topic. Some people like to study in groups, while others like to beat the books alone. Music works for some people during study time, while others prefer silence. Know yourself.

You will need to understand the content of the curriculum, and be willing to decipher and ask questions. Closer to the examinations, you will need to revise the work likely to be covered.

Want advice on personal or family problems? Email questions or feedback to Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson at yvonniebd@hotmail.com or call her at 978-8602.