Exploring and Adventure

There are lots of places to explore and learn new things right here in Guilford County, as well as the surrounding areas. We encourage you to take your kids on field trips to nature trails, zoos, parks, and museums this summer! Not only is this a great way for your kids to learn new things during the summer months, but it is also an opportunity to spend quality time together and create lasting memories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

A great way to promote learning during these trips is to ask your kids questions about what they learned, what they found interesting, and what they want to know more about. Encourage them to keep a journal about their summer trips and adventures to process their experiences, while developing their writing skills.

Another fun and simple activity to facilitate growth and learning this summer is to collect leaves and flowers or take pictures of trees and animals during nature walks. Then, when you get home, you and your kids can work together to do research to learn more about the plants and animals you identified during your walks.

Read Every Day

One of the best ways to prevent the summer slide and instead encourage growth and learning over the summer is to focus in on reading. Let your kids take the lead and choose fun books based on their interests, such as mysteries, superheroes, and comics. If your kids have the control to choose what they read, there’s a higher chance that they will be invested in and committed to reading something every day and have fun while doing it!

Your kids also don’t have to spend hours on end reading each day of the summer. Doing just 20-30 minutes of reading a day can make a significant difference in retaining and even improving your child’s reading abilities over the summer.

Your local library is a great place to find lots of interesting and entertaining books for free! We encourage you to use this as an opportunity to not only encourage your kids to read, but to also create a stronger bond and connection through learning about their interests and spending quality time together.

 

Avoiding the Summer Slide

The end of the school year is approaching quickly, which means there will be lots of time for fun activities and adventures for your family to enjoy during the summer vacation months! However, this also means that your kids will have several months away from the classroom learning environment, which leaves a chance for them to forget some of what they have spent the past school-year learning. One of the challenges of summer vacation is what is sometimes known as the “summer slide.” The summer slide refers to the loss of academic skills and knowledge during the summer months when kids are away from school and do not spend time practicing what they have learned.

Although the summer slide is a reality many parents and children struggle with, rest assured, there are plenty of things you can do to help you children retain and even gain knowledge over the summer! Over the next several days, we will be providing tips to help you and your kids combat the summer slide, while still having lots of fun and spending quality time together.

Aim for Good Enough

Some people experience chronic disappointment in relationships because they expect their relationships to be perfect, but there’s no such thing as a perfect relationship or family! Aim to build “good enough” relationships that foster healthy connections but allow people to be imperfect and human.

Letting Go of Summer Expectations

It’s normal to be hopeful and optimistic about family activities and vacations; however, it is important to be conscious of the expectations you may be placing on your family during these events. Though having fun, strengthening bonds, and making memories are a key part of having a summer full of fun, these moments are not free of conflict. Keep in mind that conflict is a normal and natural part of healthy relationships and families, and just because family members are fighting or upset with one another, it doesn’t mean that your summer fun is ruined. By letting go of expectations of the perfect family vacation or summer fun and being open to working through moments of conflict, your family can grow even closer, while practicing important skills for maintaining healthy, happy, and safe relationships.

12.6.19: Relationship Booster: Blended Families

12/6/19: Relationship Booster: Blended Families

Join us for a free, online Relationship Booster offering insights on healthy relationships in blended families.

This free, online Relationship Booster will provide insight on blended families and strategies on keeping relationships in blended families happy, healthy, and safe. This program will feature Rossana Magalhaes, MS, LPCA, as well as HRI Director, Christine Murray, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT. The interactive program will include an opportunity for participants to ask questions to be addressed during the program.

A link to connect to the online program will be provided to all participants via email at least 24 hours before this program is scheduled to begin.

11/15/19: Relationship Booster: Making Friends as an Adult

11/15/19: Relationship Booster: Making Friends as an Adult

Join us for a free, online Relationship Booster offering strategies to make genuine friendships in adulthood.

This free, online Relationship Booster will address the challenges of making friends as an adult and provide strategies and insight for developing genuine friendships after childhood. This program will feature Anna Keller, blogger and freelance writer specializing in topics related to family, parenting, and health and wellness,  as well as HRI Director, Christine Murray, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT. The interactive program will include an opportunity for participants to ask questions to be addressed during the program.

A link to connect to the online program will be provided to all participants via email at least 24 hours before this program is scheduled to begin.