Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.
Coping with Gloomy Grey Winter Days
The excitement of the holidays has passed, but the shorter days, and the cold, gloomy grey weather is going to stick around for a while. Unfortunately, the lack of sunshine can significantly affect some people, causing an unusual lack of energy, fatigue, mild depression, and it can negatively impact their ability to concentrate and get a good night's sleep. Adults as well as children can be impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and although it does not affect everyone, if you or someone in your family is facing SAD challenges, it can be difficult for other family members as well. It is important to work together to try to combat some of these feelings.
Below you’ll find a list of activities that the whole family can enjoy this winter, but more generally, professionals suggest a few activities that can help. Socialization with friends and family members offers the opportunity for distraction and to talk about the blues, which can help to heal. Throw open the curtains, go outside, find sun whenever possible. Become active and move to increase the endorphins and boost the mood. Make an upbeat playlist, turn on that music, and get creative with a new project or try out something new. Try to embrace the low-key days with immersion into extreme comfort. Turn on a favorite movie, enjoy a mug of hot chocolate, cuddle up under a warm blanket, and enjoy some planned cozy time.
Key during these low periods, is exposure to the sun and to bright lights. If indoors, move the chair closer to the windows as any increase in sunlight will help. Also invest in a light box, which will simulate daylight and help to boost your mood. Thirty minutes a day should do the trick! If it’s a sunny day though, get outside!
Watch what you’re eating as well. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limit carbs like cookies or white bread, which can make you feel momentarily better but will make you feel more sluggish with the inevitable blood sugar crashes. The good news here though is that dark chocolate has been shown to improve moods and help relieve anxiety, so go ahead and enjoy a bit of the dark stuff.
As mentioned above, you need to get moving! Best plan would be to exercise for 30 minutes, but even a 10-minute walk or dance around the living room will help.
Volunteering also has a direct impact on improved mental health and the feeling of satisfaction that helps self-esteem: help out a local group, clean out a closet and donate unused clothing, go to a shelter and help to walk the dogs. Also, consider helping out an elderly neighbor or a family member who has a project that needs to be completed. There are endless ways to generously donate your time and energies to the benefit of others.
Regardless of who is struggling with the winter-time blues, there are small things that can be done to help ease the discomfort.
Be strong – Spring is on it’s way!
Fun Winter Activities for Your Family
Rent snowshoes and go snowshoeing at a local park
Go ice skating
Take your dog for a walk, or offer to walk an elderly neighbor’s dog
Go cross-country or down-hill skiing, snow tubing, snow boarding
Go sledding
Build a snow fort and have a snowball fight with family members and friends
Bundle up, grab a warm blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, and sit outside on your porch swing
Feed the birds, make special bird treats from pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed
Go on a photo expedition
Explore a local museum
Make snow paint with food coloring and water, pour into a spray bottle and go paint your yard
Take a winter hike
Shovel snow for someone in need
Learn a new craft
Cook a meal as a family, trying out a new receipe
Read a new book a week
Attend a yoga class
Plan your summer vacation, including your family in the discussion
Go to the YMCA and enjoy the indoor pool
Take an art class
Attend a local play or musical performance
Hold a board game tournament
Host a movie marathon and include your friends
Host a slumber party
Build a bonfire and make s’mores
Letter from Betty for December 2018
Hello Friends,
Happy holidays to you and your family!
As children look forward to the winter recess, parents can keep a step ahead and begin to plan invigorating family activities in wintry weather. Embrace the season! We have a snow flurry of excellent ideas in this month's feature article, "Keeping Your Family Active During Winter Recess."
Speaking of outdoor activities, December is a special month for sky watchers in our area because of an amazing meteor shower that needs only a clear night, a warm coat, and maybe a wool hat and mittens to enjoy. Find out how you can experience this marvel of the night sky in our bonus article for December: "You Can Do It! Geminid Meteor Shower." Enjoy nature's light show!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.
Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
December 2018 Test Schedule
Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.
Keeping Your Family Active During Winter Recess
With the winter recess looming at the end of the month, it’s best to make plans ahead of time to keep your children, tweens, and teens active during this downtime. The last thing you want is for them to spend their break lazing on the couch in front of screens. Below find fun ideas for you to consider.
1. Ice Bubbles
If you have leftover bubbles liquid from summer. make ice bubbles! Bear in mind, the temperature outside needs to be below freezing, but this is well worth the effort, so bundle everyone up for some magic. Just blow bubbles as usual and watch them instantly turn to ice balls in midair!
If you don’t have leftover bubble liquid, use the following recipe to make your own!
Measure 3 cups of water into a container.
Pour 1/2 cup of dish soap into the water and slowly stir until the soap is mixed in.
Stir slowly so foam or bubbles do not form
Measure 1 1/2 teaspoons of glycerin or 1/8 cup of corn syrup and add it to the container.
Stir the solution until it is mixed together.
2. Snowman Contest
Have a snowman contest! You’ve probably built these snow beings before, but this time, up your game by using pumpkin carving tools and other kitchen utensils to really spur on creativity. For added fun, add a peppermint swirl candy to your snowman’s checks and as the snow melts those checks will turn rosy pink.
3. Snow Lantern
Build a beautiful snow lantern using faux tea lights and candles that are crowding the store shelves right now. Once you have a few lights,stack snowballs into a pile or some kind of enclosed shape, then at twilight, put one or more of those battery-operated LED lights into the center of your structure. You’ve created a glowing beauty for your family and your neighborhood to enjoy on a dark winter’s night.
4. Snow Tug-of-War
Tug of War, Winter style! Grab a rope, divide into two teams dig in ankle-deep, and pull! You’ll be surprised how much the snow works to your advantage compared to playing this game in the summertime.
5. Frozen Great Falls
Take the family to visit the winter wonderland that is the Great Falls in Paterson. This gorgeous spot on the Passaic River is one of New Jersey’s National Historic Parks. Most people don’t think to visit in the winter, but the falls are glistening with ice this time of year and is a true treasure. Directions to the falls as well as ideas for other stops in the area can be found here: https://www.nps.gov/pagr/index.htm
6. Horseback Riding at Seaton Hackney
Go horseback riding at Seaton Hackney Stables in Morristown. What could be more iconic than a ride through a snowy landscape? Book your ride ahead of time and enjoy the beautiful Loantaka Trails. Riders of all skill levels will be led by an instructor. Call 973-633-3355 to book rides.
Keeping your children active during the holiday break is not only good for them, but you’ll be creating memories that they will cherish for years to come!
You Can Do It! Geminid Meteor Shower
View an interactive meteor shower sky map here: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/geminids.html
Beginning on the evening of December 13th and ending at twilight on December 14th, the fabulous Geminid Meteor Shower will be visible in this part of the country. Head outside between 9-10 pm and you’ll be able to view up to 120 meteors per hour, shooting across the sky and giving us a fabulous show!
Meteor Shower Viewing Tips
Weather conditions and light pollution are the only reasons it could be difficult to se the showers. The sky needs to be dark and clear, away from all the city lights.
Where to look? The best place to start is between the radiant and the zenith (straight above you). The radiant is the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate.
Starting around midnight, our location on the globe spins around to the forward-facing half of Earth (in relation to the direction of orbit). At dawn, our location on the globe directly faces the direction in which Earth is traveling along its orbit. So between midnight and dawn, you’ll be viewing the meteors head-on, for a more frequent display.
No special equipment is needed. In fact, binoculars do not work for meteor showers. The naked eye is best.
Gather your family, bundle up warmly, collect your blankets or quilts, fill up a thermos of coffee or cocoa, and enjoy looking up into the dark night sky.
Letter from Betty for November 2018
Hello Friends,
This month's weather forecast for parents of teens: Occasional storms, with a chance of drama! But don't despair — we have some practical advice for weathering the teen years. Find out what your teen needs that only you can give him in our feature article for November, "Navigating the (Sometimes Stormy) Teen Years."
The holiday season that we all experience from Thanksgiving through to New Year's Day can be a hectic time, so now, with several weeks until the hustle and bustle is upon us, why not spend moments of zen in a calming act of preparation? We've got just the thing in our bonus article, "You Can Do It: Amaryllis In Time for the Holidays." Enjoy!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.
Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
November 2018 Test Schedule
Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.
Navigating the (Sometimes Stormy) Teen Years
What Your Teen Needs from You
The teen years are definitely not a time for parents to shy away from their child. It’s important to stay tuned in and connected. I know, it’s mystifying. Your once care-free, adorable child has now become a bit scatter-brained, he's having wild mood swings, he's taking risks and behaving in such a way as it seems he no longer needs or wants you around. It’s puzzling and sometimes it’s quite hard to figure out the right thing to say or do. Don't get discouraged, hang in there, because although his behavior is sometimes mysterious, he really does need you.
Ages 11 to 12
At this age, your child’s hormones are beginning to kick in and believe it or not, there might be a backslide in basic skills such as spatial learning, memory, and reasoning. Helping him with organizational skills, building and recognizing memory cues, and keeping daily routines are what you can be focusing on at this stage. Remain supportive and show outward affection, even during disagreements. Help your child learn sound decision-making skills by helping him to consider and recognize differing viewpoints, and help him to develop the ability to think through situational pros and cons. Your tween’s brain is rapidly developing at this age and if he builds a strong ability to make sound decisions now, he will have less of a tendency towards anxiety, will get into fewer conflicts with his peers, and will likely be less argumentative.
Ages 13 to 14
These years are often described as wildly emotional, so brace yourself but know that you are not alone.
Your young teen is likely becoming very sensitive to his classmates' opinions, reacting strongly, probably overly so. His response to stress has run amok, while at the same time, that developing brain is still years away from maturity. At this stage, parents' best move is to help their child figure out social cues such as facial expressions and body language, and to teach the coping strategies such as self-soothing, exercising, listening to music, and meditating. Be sure to model those skills yourself. Your teen learns from watching you! Any coping strategies your teen learns at this stage of his life can become ingrained and develop into lifelong habits. Guide your teen and encourage him to choose friends with whom there are common interests and to walk away from those “friends” who are unkind. It is also important to talk to him about repairing friendships, making amends, and compromising after a spat with their peers.
Studies also find that positive, unconditional family support is a vital stress buffer, and that teens whose families provide strong emotional support are less likely to become depressed during times of severe stress, so keep planning family activities and stay in daily touch with your teen.
Ages 15 to 16
The young brain is still developing and during this developmental stage, thrill-seeking and risk taking are what it’s all about. Thanks to an increased sensitivity to the dopamine that is released, your teen's reward receptors are fully engaged, giving him the associated feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Take more risks and more dopamine is released.
So what’s a parent to do? Studies show that the ability to make and keep good friends during this stage is important. This is because having friends that he an trust, that he can count on for support, and who make good decisions themselves makes teens less likely to engage in risky behaviors themselves. Keep working on helping your child with his social skills. Teens who feel that their parents are warm and supportive, and who feel close to their parents are more likely to take fewer chances. Make sure to spend time with your teen, show respect and help him talk through problems, while doing your best to avoid arguing or yelling.
Ages 17 to 18
You’re probably seeing even greater changes in your teen at this stage. He suddenly has more of an ability to change and develop and may achieve gains in his capacity to learn at higher levels of complexity than before. Areas of the prefrontal cortex are now more fully developed and this area of the brain is not only responsible for judgement, but also problem solving, planning, and strategizing. Social skills are still maturing as well, and although he is now developing a stronger sense of empathy, he is probably still having some trouble with more complex social situations such as figuring out people’s motives and attitudes.
Again, be present, be available, plan family time, encourage conversation, and relax and be as non-judgmental as you can during these years. Also important though, is to allow your young adult more freedom, and more leeway to make decisions and work through problem-solving on his own. He is preparing to launch out into the world. Be there for him and give him the skills for success that he's going to need.
You Can Do It! Amaryllis In Time for the Holidays
There are certain plants that are iconic when it comes to the winter holidays: mistletoe, poinsettia, holly, evergreens of all kinds, to name a few. Perhaps the most showy of them all, and one that we usually only see during this time of year, is the glorious amaryllis. From the Farmer’s Almanac comes easy growing instructions so that you too can cultivate these beautiful blooms in your own home.
Amaryllises are beautiful Christmas bulbs that are easy to care for. Find out how to buy the best amaryllis bulbs, how to plant them, care for them, and how to make sure they bloom again next winter!
No one gets more excited about amaryllis than a first-time grower. These big bulbs are easy to bring into bloom, and even a novice can expect success.
Buying Amaryllis: Types of Bulbs
When shopping for amaryllis bulbs, you can buy the boxed kits which contain not only a fat bulb but a pot and some soil. These make a nice gift, but there are not a lot of color choices—generally they offer red, pink, and white. Some garden centers offer large-size, bare bulbs which give you more variety, and each one usually produces 2 or more flower spikes. Each spike will produce 2 to 4 large trumpet-shaped blossoms.
Amaryllis bulbs are classified by size, which is determined by measuring around the outside of the bulb at its widest point.
Another good reason for choosing a bare bulb is that you can see the condition of the bulb without having to rummage around in a box. Make sure it is heavy and firm, not moldy or squishy. It should have some fairly long fleshy roots attached.
How to Plant Amaryllis Bulbs
If you can’t pot it up right away, store it in a cool, dry, dark place.
Before planting, soak the roots in lukewarm water for a few hours to re-hydrate them. Amaryllis like to be slightly pot-bound. The pot needs to be only 2 inches wider than the bulb so that when it is planted there is only an inch of soil between the bulb and the edge of the pot. Put a layer of soil in the bottom of the pot and position the bulb so the top sticks up above the rim of the pot. Firm the soil around the edge, leaving the top third of the bulb exposed. If planted too deeply it will rot. Water sparingly at first, allowing the soil to dry out between watering.
How to Care for Amaryllis
Place in a warm spot until the first green shoot appears, then it can be moved to a bright sunny location. Rotate the pot a quarter turn each time you water to keep the spike from leaning toward the light. Stake it if necessary to keep it from snapping—these plants tend to be top heavy. Putting the pot into a larger, heavier cache pot will not only keep it from toppling, but will also balance the look of the large flowers. Once your amaryllis is blooming, you can move it to a cooler location out of direct sunlight to make the blossoms last longer.
How to Care for Amaryllis After Flowering
One of the most frequently asked questions after the holidays is, “Now that my amaryllis has finished flowering, how can I get it to bloom again?” Those big bulbs can take center stage again next Christmas if given proper care.
After blossoming, the bulb needs to grow and store food for next season’s bloom. Often the bulbs actually shrink in size from the stress of blooming and need to recover lost nutrients.
Once the blossoms have faded, cut off the flower stalk, but keep the leaves growing by placing the pot in a warm, sunny spot. Water regularly and fertilize weekly with a balanced houseplant fertilizer. This allows next year’s buds to form within the bulb.
It takes a minimum of four leaves to produce one flower stalk, because the buds form in the axils of every fourth bulb scale. Keep the plant growing all summer long; you can even move it outside for the summer. Bring it in at the end of August and let it dry out to induce a period of dormancy. Put the pot in a cool (around 50 degrees) dark place. Pull off any dried up leaves.
To induce flowering in time for Christmas, bring the plant into a warm, sunny location and resume watering around November 1st. If you wish to rejuvenate the soil around your bulb, repot it at this time or just scrape off the top 2 inches or so of loose soil and replace it with fresh soil. In about 4-6 weeks it should be in full bloom.
Letter from Betty for October 2018
Hello Friends,
How do we make sure our children feel safe and secure in the world that seems to be overflowing with stressful and upsetting events? That's a great question, and we have some reassuring answers in our feature article for October, "Talking to Your Child About Events in the News."
Speaking of scary things, but on a lighter note, October is here and that means Halloween is only a few weeks away. What better way to step up your spooky skills than to make a very different Jack-o-Lantern this year. You've carved pumpkins before—but this is different. Check our our crafty bonus article in celebration of Halloween, "You Can Do It: Shadow Box Jack-o-Lantern. Boo! And enjoy!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.
Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
October 2018 Test Schedule
Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.
Talking to Your Child About Events in the News
It seems that the world is stressed by current events and inevitably it’s trickling down into our home and family, whether we realize it or not. The news comes not only from the television, but also from the radio, from overheard conversations while we’re out and about, and from friends. These days, it seems like we can’t get away from it. So how do we deal with talking to our children about current events and making sure that they’re not badly affected?
Let’s start with the television. The imagery and sounds being broadcast during scary news stories are pretty hard to avoid. Natural disasters such as the recent hurricanes, world-wide conflicts, national politics and events, and overtly sexual talk is easier to witness than it’s ever been before, thanks to not only the television but also the growing use of computers and smart phones. As parents, you want to make sure that these scary and not always child-appropriate real-life events don’t end up traumatizing your child.
Exposing our children to daily events isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We just need to make sure that we’re aware of what they’re seeing and that they have a correct understanding of what is going on. For example, tapes from 9/11 were recently played throughout the day and night memorializing those who lost their lives and honoring first responders and rescuers. That could be a frightening event for our children to see, so talking about the videos, explaining why they’re being played, and assuring them that this tragedy isn’t happening in real-time, is important so they don’t think they are in imminent danger.
Another facet of news reporting is the replaying of sensational photos and other graphic video clips. Replaying emotionally tough events is hard on us adults, so imagine how hard it is for your children. They may not even recognize that they’re watching repeated clips. Best thing to do? Turn off the television if a traumatic event is being re-broadcast and limit your child’s exposure. Visual images can greatly affect our children, often even more than hearing the words used during the reporting, and it can be hard on us as adults as well! As another example, video and photos showing the devastation from Hurricane Florence often included destroyed homes, family rescues, evacuations, and collapsing roads. This is hard to take in, especially when small children and vulnerable animals are shown. Limiting these graphic images is important.
Sit with your children if you find them watching the news or they’re seeing news clip between their show breaks. Explain the basics of what is going on, answer any questions that they may have but don’t over-explain, and get out a map to offer some much-needed perspective to what they’re seeing. The flooding, the devastation, the soldier going to the hospital is not happening across town, but is occurring halfway across the country or on the other side of the world. Young children will need to have this pointed out to them so they can understand that they, their families, and their beloved pets are not in danger.
That said though, take their fears seriously. Don’t blow them off just because the event is happening hundreds or thousands of miles away. Encourage them to express aloud what they’re thinking, especially if you’re noting any change in their behavior. Ask open-ended questions about what they saw, about their concerns, about their fears, and in this way, you won’t run the risk of overwhelming them with more information than they can handle or from over-explaining, thus creating an even bigger emotional event.
For older children, you might want to help them to understand more about hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, or whatever natural disaster has happened. It may actually relieve their fears and concerns and with you by their side, there will be less of a chance that misunderstandings of the event occur.
Be there for your children. Whether it’s evident or not, they are looking to you for guidance and are watching you to gauge your response to what is going on. Be a calming influence. Keep calm, no matter what upsetting story is being reported or nightmarish image is flashing across the screen. Acknowledge your children’s feelings and fears, and reassure them that the family, their home, and their pets are safe.
During upsetting events, keep the family’s daily routine as normal as possible. This will be another visible way to help your children understand that life goes on even when bad events are happening. Be willing though, to add extra time for support and comfort during those times when it’s needed.
You’re heard of play therapy. There’s a reason that this is an effective tactic that is used with children who are stressed. Children often re-enact their fears, worries and experiences as a way of coping. Encourage play. It’s a way to release stress.
Watch how you talk about the event and see if you can’t emphasize anything positive that is going on, rather than just focusing on the negative. Instead of talking about “bad people” or imminent danger of a situation, cheer for the rescuers and organizations that are helping the people and animals who are in trouble or hurt. Another tact along those lines is to act as a family to be a part of the solution. In the event of a crisis or emergency, help to collect clothing, food, or money donations and personally deliver them to the organizations that are engaged in relief work, put in some time volunteering, or consider ways to help raise awareness. Doing something to help and getting involved in acts of charity not only help to reduce stress and fear caused by a crisis, but also sets healthy groundwork for volunteerism when they’re older.
Whatever the story is on the news, whatever the conversation overheard or series of disturbing images being shown on our household screens, be involved in helping your children to correctly understand what is happening. Help them to express their thoughts and fears about what they’re seeing and hearing, and take this opportunity to help your child engage with the community in a helpful and healthy way.
You Can Do It: Shadow Box Jack-o-Lantern
Are you ready to create a different kind of Jack-O-Lantern this season? You’ve carved hundreds of spooky and goofy faces onto those beloved orange orbs, but how about shaking it up this year! This idea from Crazy Little Projects will be a super fun project for the family.
Here’s what you need:
Carve-able craft pumpkins from your local art/craft supply store
Black cardstock (orange or yellow work well too)
Tea Lights (if you get the Halloween kind they will even flicker)
Clay
Popsicle sticks
Transparent thread or fishing line
Hot Glue
Here’s how to do it:
Use a small kitchen knife to carve out a large circle from your carve-able pumpkin.
Take your cardstock and cut out the figures you’d like to have inside your scene. (think spooky cats, bats, broomsticks, houses, witches, ghosts, whatever you’d like!)
Place a layer of clay on the bottom of the inside of your pumpkin.
Glue popsicle sticks onto the backs of your figures and anchor them into the clay. It might be easiest to start with the larger figures and then work on the smaller pieces.
For the cut-outs that you want hanging from the top of your scene, glue a piece of transparent thread or fishing line to the back of your piece and then hot glue the other end of the thread to the top of the pumpkin. This may work best if you wait until the glue is mostly cool and then press your finger against it to get the string to stay in place.
When you’re finished assembling your scene, place a tea light behind one of the larger cutouts and use it to illuminate your Jack-O-Lantern at night. This fun new Halloween shadowbox will look great both during the day and at night!
Letter from Betty for September 2018
Hello Friends,
September is here and with it a new school year begins! For parents of juniors and seniors, there is not only this academic year to focus on — there is also looking ahead, researching, and planning trips to find the perfect college. In our feature article, "Keys to a Successful College Visit," find advice on how to make those trips worthwhile.
For parents of younger students, you'll find back-to-school inspiration in hand-crafting an artistic school bag. Our bonus article will add creative color and fun to all the book toting to come: "You Can Do It: Apple Print Bags." Enjoy!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.
Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
September 2018 Test Schedule
Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.
Keys to a Successful College Visit
Advice for parents of high school seniors and juniors
As the "college visit" season is upon us, keep in mind that the tours are designed to show the campus’ high points, finer points, and best dress. So make sure you dig a little deeper to really find out what student life is like at this prospective new home. The next 4-plus years are going to be spent there and a not-so-small amount of money paid to the institution, so finding out the most you can about a school is the only way to go. You need to look beyond the student tours.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Don’t plan your visit for when the campus is lonely during summers or breaks, instead tour while classes are in session. You’ll get a much better feel for the environment if you visit during regular semesters and your teen will get a better sense of what it will be like to navigate around campus with throngs of other students. She will also see first hand where the students spend time between classes and after a day of classes, and how easy it is to maneuver around campus.
2. The tour is likely to take you through the most beautiful, well-kept areas of campus. After the tour, take another stroll around and really look. Are the buildings is good shape? Is the library well stocked and welcoming? Does the campus look safe and well lit?
3. If the tour doesn’t include a stop at a typical freshman dorm, either ask to see one or, if allowed, make sure to pop in one during your post tour walk-about. Hopefully you’ll stroll past a few open doors in the hallway and take a glance as you make your way down the hallway so you can see what freshman dorm life is really like, not just see the “show” room that is presented on the tour. Also, note how far it is from the dorms to the classrooms.
4. It probably will be tempting to celebrate this adventure with a meal out at a nice local restaurant, but it would be a good idea to visit the campus cafeteria and have a meal there as well. What are the other dining options on campus? Is the food pleasing and the eating area clean? Is it busy with students or do you suspect that many are eating off campus? Are the hours suitable for early birds and night owls? Pick up a copy of the weekly menu if you can, just to see the options. Are there a lot of choices and if your teen is on a restricted diet, will they be able to provide the appropriate food?
5. Ask the college admissions office if you can sit in on a typical freshman class, or if your teen already has a major in mind, then a class within that department. If that’s not possible, then take a walk through a few hallways, tarry a bit, and discreetly listen to what is going on inside. If possible, stop a professor, particularly in your teen's preferred area of study, and ask a few questions. If he's not racing to class, he'’ll likely take the time to visit with you.
6. While walking around the campus, politely stop other faculty and students. Explain that you’re visiting the school, trying to get a feel for what it’s like, and in the process of deciding if the school is right for your child. Ask pointed questions, but ask for their opinions as well. Do they enjoy going to school there? Do they like living in the dorms? What should an incoming freshman know? Be sure to ask open ended questions so you don’t just get yes/no answers. If they’re not racing to class, they’ll probably be happy to talk to you or can refer you to someone who can answer your questions.
7. Then there’s the all-important social life. Look at the posters, fliers, and calendars around campus and in town too. Do the events look appealing and peek your child’s interest? Are there a variety of events and programming available? Are there events on the weekends as well? You’ll want to see if there are activities to do on the weekends, if not, it may be an indication that the school you’re visiting is a “suitcase” school, where students don’t stick around. Does the school itself offer social programming? As much as you may want your teen to love her classes and spend a lot of time studying, if she doesn't like the social life on and around campus, then she's not likely to be happy at the school.
This is an exciting time in the life of your family. By doing a bit of research before heading out on your college tour, by taking the tour and then doing your behind-the-scenes tour as well, you’re bound to help your child pick a school where she can be happy and thrive.
You Can Do It: Apple Print Bag
From Martha Stewart comes a really fun back-to-school project that will be super fun to do and the kids will be proud to show off to their classmates!
Apples aren't just for eating. The cut side of an apple half, dipped in candy-colored paint, can be stamped onto otherwise ordinary canvas tote bags and backpacks.
Materials
- Apple
- Knife
- Paintbrush
- Paint
- Markers (optional)
Steps
- Cut an apple in half from top to bottom. Make sure the cut is smooth and flat. Use a paintbrush to apply the paint evenly over the cut side of the apple.
- With the apple half, cut side down, stamp the surface of the object you want to decorate. The more times you stamp, the less vivid the print will be, so reapply paint, or use the other half.
- Use additional apple halves to print with different colors, if desired. Use black or green markers to draw stems and leaves.
Letter from Betty for August 2018
Hello Friends,
A new school year is coming soon, but before we get back to the books, let's see if we can squeeze one final quick adventure into this fleeting summer! In our feature article for August, we uncover some lesser known treasures of our own Jersey Shore in "7 Unique Jersey Shore Spots You've Likely Missed."
Say this out loud as fast as you can: "Sharpie seashells, Sharpie seashells, Sharpie seashells." Phew! Now that makes for a classic tongue twister. It is also the subject our our bonus feature for August, "You Can Do It: Sharpie Seashells." Get out your fine-tipped pens and best beach-combing finds and enjoy!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.
Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty