Happy Monday everyone!
This week I want to talk about mothers and the importance of appreciating those mother-like figures in your life.Mothers are the teachers who never get a day off. Being a mother means being prepared tho impart life lessons every day, giving unconditional love constantly, and stepping into many roles depending on what your child needs. Mothers are amazing. Showing appreciation for these amazing people doesn’t have to be in the form of a gift, it can be through acts of service, or even words of affirmation. Mother’s Day has come and gone, but let’s not stop the celebration there. I have a few ideas of ways to celebrate mom’s, or mother figures, that you may not have thought of.
I don’t know about you, but my mom was obsessed with my education when I was growing
up. For this weeks #MayMotivation, share with your students how studying and working hard to get good grades can make your mother proud and happy. Most of the time, what a mother wants most is for her children to be prepared for life, and having a good education is the best foundation for that. So this week, I suggest that you encourage your students to review for end-of-year tests on their own. Perhaps provide a list of subjects often covered on end of year tests and teach them how to time chunk studying, so that they have the tools to succeed in a less stressful way!
Another wonderful and FREE thing that students can do for their mothers, is also this week #FunctionalFriday lesson: LAUNDRY. I think I just heard mothers everywhere sigh. Laundry is the never ending task, and I know that moms out there everywhere just need a break. On top of giving mom a break, doing their own laundry is actually shown to benefit children later in life, socially and academically. Being independent and responsible at a young age for even menial tasks helps to develop good planning and task management skills later on. So, this week, let’s talk about doing your own laundry.
I suggest teaching your kids these steps and things to know, then supervising as they attempt on their own the first few times (because no one wants a load of whites coming out tie-dye)!
1. Sort laundry- Maybe, if they are younger they will need this step done for them. But hey, gotta start somewhere! No matter where you stand on sorting clothing, it’s a good idea to teach kids the basics so they won’t end up with the fabled red sock dying their white clothes.
2. Pre-treat stains- Getting children to recognize a stain and treat it properly is often a challenge. And there’s a strong possibility that more than a few stains will go untreated, but it’s always a good idea to teach them when they’re young.
3. Load laundry in the washer and add detergent- You may not want children under a certain age to handle detergent or other washing liquids, and that’s okay! But again, understanding the concept and learning will make your life and their life easier in the future.
4. Understand washing machine settings- This next step feels like the grown-up one for most kids as they’re finally able to understand and use a washing machine on their own. Washing machine settings, of course, differ by machine. If you have any questions about washing machine settings, this list should help.
5. Switching to the dryer- Once all the dryer-appropriate laundry is in the dryer, explain to your child that it’s always best to check the lint filter and clear it. This is a protection against a potential dryer fire. Next, explain the dryer settings to your child. Explain, when it makes sense to use high heat and when not to, and for how long clothes should be dried.
6. Fold and put away laundry- While you may not be perfect at folding and putting away your laundry right after it comes out of the dryer (hand raised here), it’s worth it to let kids know the benefits of this practice. If you know realistically your child won’t put his or her clothes away immediately, this would be a good time to set an expectation, say one or two days, before all clothes should be put in their proper place.
Follow these steps, or modify them for your child’s age and ability, and see if mothers out there can have a little less on their plate. After all, we know they deserve it!
Have a great week everyone!
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