The Siuslaw news., August 29, 2018, WEDNESDAY EDITION, Page 11, Image 28

Back to School 2018 | Siuslaw News | 11
Snack Ideas
A
full day of learning means your child gets off the bus ready to eat everything in sight. Here are
some great tips for establishing healthy eating habits and appeasing your child’s ravenous appetite.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Include simple, healthy snacks in your grocery run. Baby carrots, mini peppers,
celery sticks and cucumbers all make quick and easy finger foods. Also look for
snack-sized cheese, applesauce, hummus, granola bars and other healthy alterna-
tives to junk food. Keep preparation to a minimum and store them in a place that’s
easy for your kids to reach.
HOMEMADE GOODNESS
You don’t have to be a Pinterest mom to make a week’s worth of homemade
goodies for your kids to snack on after school. Breakfast cookies are easily custom-
izable and make a great after school snack, as do muffins and any quick breads.
You can also whip up a week’s worth of sandwich wraps or cut fruit and store it in
the fridge.
FRESH AND FRUITY
Pick a peck of fresh fruit at the grocery store for your kids to nibble on in the
afternoons. Kiwis, bananas, apples and oranges are all great choices. Your local
grocer may even stock smaller, kid-sized fruits so there’s less waste. Or, instead of a
full-sized orange, try clementines. Let your
kid try a new fruit or veggie every week.
DON’T FORGET
THE DRINKS
One way to make sure your kids stay
hydrated is to give them their own water
bottle. They can fill it with the beverage of
their choice and refill it as needed. Make
sure it has a handle or a clip so they can
carry it with them on any after school
adventures. If they go to an after-school
program, make sure having a drink is
allowed. Also keep in mind that drinks like
© ADOBE STOCK
juice pouches may be a kid favorite, but they add extra calories to
the meal. Bear that in mind when you’re planning out snacks.
Homework Help
W
ith back to school comes that dreaded avalanche of homework, the start of many a parent-child fight over the
ages. But it doesn’t have to be something to dread. Here are some ways to make homework a little less painful.
FIND A GOOD TIME
FOR HOMEWORK
Establish an after-school routine and fit in
homework where it best suits your child. If she
needs to expend a little energy before she sits qui-
etly, let her go play before tackling her work. Some
children do better after a snack, or even after bath
time. Wherever to establish homework time, give
your children some ownership over their routine
and make sure to check their work.
FIND A GOOD PLACE
FOR HOMEWORK
Give your child a quiet, well-lit place for doing
their homework. This could be a desk in their
room, the living room floor or the kitchen table --
anywhere they are able to concentrate and focus
on learning. Avoid distractions like the television
or people coming and going.
DEFINE YOUR ROLE
TALK TO THE TEACHER
Show your children how their homework relates
to your adult life. For instance, while they’re doing
math homework, sit down and pay bills or balance
the checkbook. If a child asks for help with their
homework, follow the Department of Education’s
advice and make sure you provide guidance and
not answers. And if the teacher asks for your
involvement, get involved. But if they don’t, stay
away and let your child go, even if it
means they make a mistake.
If you think your child is bringing home too
much or not enough homework, or if you’re unsure
of the teacher’s homework expectations, don’t be
afraid to bring it up in a quick email or chat.
Keeping open lines of communication with your
child’s teacher or teachers can go along way to
soothing homework angst for the both of you.
HANDLE FRUSTRATION
Keep an eye on your child for any signs
of anger or frustration while he’s doing his
homework and be ready to help him figure
out how to deal with it. You may need to
let him take a short break and come back
to a challenging assignment. Make sure to
readily reward and encourage good home-
work behaviors and positive progress.