CouNtDown To School_
favorite restaurant, and one great
new toy the day before school
begins.
ing. Compile these into a book to
give your son the night before
school begins.
8. UP, UP AND AWAY
11. CHALK ONE UP
Have your child _select a favorite
postcard, then address and stamp
it. Wrap it in plastic (this will
keep it safe during inclement
weather) and attach a note to a
helium balloon saying something
along the lines of: "This i8 my first
day of school. I want to see how
long it takes this balloon to get
somewhere, and where it stops.
Would you please let me know
by writing down today's date and
the city you live in, then dropping
this in a mailbox? Thanks!"
Using colored chalk, decorate the
front steps or driveway for your
daughter to discover as she heads
off to school. Make a map of suc-
cess, including a starting point and
plenty of future triumphs: "You are
named the smartest student in the
history of your school!" "The princi-
pal invites you to coach him on run-
ning a great school!" "Your basket-
ball coach says Michael Jordan has
called to ask your advice on the
game!"
9. MOM, ACE REPORTER
Interview your child as he begins
the school year and record the
answers. Here are a few questions
you might like to ask:
What do you hope for at school
this year?
What do you imagine your teacher
will be like?
What do you want to accomplish
for yourself?
What do you think will be your eas-
iest, and hardest, class?
What new thing would you like to
learn?
Put away the responses in a safe
place, then repeat the interview
with your child on the last day of
school (BEFORE you review the
answers from the beginning of the
year). It will be fun to compare the
two sets of responses.
10. NOW AND THEN
Ask family members (spouses, older
children, aunts and uncles, parents
and grandparents) to write a page
recalling their first day at school, or
ask them to write about school
when they were young. Some
ideas: a favorite teacher, popular
songs at the time, favorite hangouts
to get a Coke or \/ernors, what sub-
jects they loved and loathed study-
12. BUT WHO'S
COUNTING?
Find a great calendar for your
child, and mark in fun occasions to
look forward to. On a random Tues-
day, for example, you might write:
"You get two desserts tonight." A
few ideas:
• "We're going out for ice cream
after school."
• "I'll make your bed this morning."
• "You get $5 today to spend any
.
way you want."
• "It's National No-Nagging Day!
No matter what happens, I won't
nag you from sun up to sun down.
• "It's your choice: what's for dinner
tonight?"
13. TAFFY PULL
If your daughters or sons are nervous,
or definitely not excited, as they antici-
pate school, plan an unexpected
event to divert their attention. A tafy
pull is good because it requires con-
centration (in preparing the recipe)
and physical exertion, as well, as all
of you yank that candy — and then
eat it, of course.
14. BY DESIGN
If your child has any interest in art
(and most boys and girls do), buy
a collection of lunch bags and
have him/her decorate them for
Use throughout the year. A parent
can help out, as well. Younger
children will love mazes, funny
faces and love notes from Mom
and Dad, but don't try that lovey
stuff with older children. Jeez, you
remember what it was like when
you were 15 and your mom still
insisted on kissing you goodbye
when your friends were watching,
don't you?
15. PUT YOUR MONEY
WHERE YOUR HEART IS
In honor of your child's first day at
school, make a donation to a
favorite charity or institution. Since
the topic at hand is education,
consider a Jewish day school or a
school for children with special
needs.
If you select the latter, take a few
minutes to learn about the subject,
as well. For example, do you
have any idea how the system of
Braille got its name? Louis Braille
(1 809-1 852), who was left sight-
less after a childhood accident,
never knew how important his
contribution would become. He
created a reading code, using
43 symbols, to help the blind
read. But everyone — from the
school for the blind where he
worked to the French Royal Insti-
tute of Science — completely
rejected his idea.
Braille died of tuberculosis when
he was 43, though a young
friend, a blind pianist named
Therese, continued his work. Only
when she caught the attention of
French Emperor Louis \apoleon
was Braille's system finally accept-
ed.
16. MESSAGE
IN A BOTTLE
Find a favorite quote about children
and education and place it in a
prominent spot in your home. Refer to
it if you ever feel discouraged about
helping your child with her home-
work. Here are a few to consider:
"A child's mind is not a pot to be
filled but a fire to be kindled." —John
Locke (1632-1704), in Some
Thoughts Concerning Education.
"Those who educate their children are
more to be honored than those who
produce them; the latter gave them
life only, but the former give them the
art of living well." — Aristotle (384-
322 B.C.E.)
"Ignorance is the night of the mind, a
night without moon or stars." — Con-
fucius (c. 551-479 B.C.E.)
"Learning is treasure no thief can
touch." — Asian proverb
"See everything; praise most
things; overlook many things; cor-
rect a few things." — Pope John
XXIII (1861-1963)
17. CHAPTER ONE •
On the first day of school, give your
child a present that's both
educational and from the heart: a
copy of his father's favorite book.
18. DAD GOES
BACK TO SCHOOL
Consider one of your daughter's
favorite interests or hobbies that, to
be honest, you find almost unbear-
able. It might be a book series, a
sport or a celebrity. Make it a point
to learn a little about the interest or
hobby and surprise her with your
newfound knowledge.
19. QUIZ SHOW
Give your child a blank notebook
and ask her to write down small,
interesting facts that she learns
throughout the school year. After the
first semester, have her test you on
these..
20. THAT'S THE WAY
THE COOKIE CRUMBLES
No matter what your child's age,
he'll appreciate this old-fashioned
tradition: When he comes home
on that first day of school, have
his favorite home-baked cookies
and milk waiting for him at the
table.
8/6
1999
Detroit Jewish News
129