"School's Out!" My memories of those words are nothing but positive. Can you remember the way you felt as those last few days dragged on? But that last day of school was so exciting, to think that I could play all day, not worry about homework, and just do whatever I wanted- way cool. Your kids are probably getting excited about that day and some have even finished already.Anyway, I want to encourage you to be very supportive of your kids as they close out the year. Of course they didn't get it right every time and they had some misses along the way but let's focus on the positive growth that they achieved. Praise them for their effort and the things they have learned. Don't drill them for what they didn't do; that will only set up unreachable expectations that discourage them from trying harder. Find some good and let them know how proud you are of them as your child. Rewarding achievement is far more motivational than punishing failure.
One of our most exciting family traditions was a scavenger hunt I would set up on the last day of school. When the kids came home there would be a series of clues that they would have to follow to find their reward for the school year. It was a blast and they loved finally discovering the last clue that led to the treasure- something like a box full of tokens to Chucky Cheese or something like that.
These are prime opportunities to create lifetime memories. Seize the moment and make achievement a big deal. Your kids will never forget it!
