Posts Tagged ‘June events for kids’

 Here are my five picks; what can you add to the list?

1. Vexillological
2. Politican
3. Historian
4. Civics Teacher
5. Antique American Flags Appraiser

 Have fun connecting-the-dots between national holidays and jobs. There are always lots of interesting people behind the scenes and stories.  Find out what these professionals do, what training they needed and where they work. Then flag any information you find interesting for future reference!

 There are many wonderful articles in the media about Flag Day and its significance. This is one of my favorites. Reprinted with permission from the Carrol County Times.

“Teaching future generations of our rich heritage and the rights and responsibilities that come with being American also serves as a way to bring people together and create a better understanding of the intricately diverse fabric that makes up our communities.

Today the county commissioners are kicking off their “Celebrating America Initiative.” Doug Howard, president of the board of commissioners, told the Times last week, “I’ve always thought that we could do a better job of teaching our youth about not only history, but civics and government and things that they should know about our community.”

Today the commissioners are celebrating Flag Day at an event at the Farm Museum. As part of that, the Boy Scouts will be having a flag retirement ceremony, which demonstrates the proper way to dispose of worn American flags.

It is amazing the number of people who aren’t familiar with basic flag etiquette. From how the flag is to be flown to proper lighting at night to how a flag should be folded or, when it has reached the end of its useful life, disposed of, many people do not observe the proper protocols. The event provides a good opportunity for people of all ages.

Moving forward, the board says that a task force it established shortly after taking office last fall will be looking at other ways to highlight their patriotic initiative.

Hopefully that will include events celebrating the diversity of cultures that make up our country, or our long history of individual sacrifice for the greater good.

The rights of all individuals have always been a cornerstone of our democracy. Through the years, from the elimination of slavery to women’s rights to the civil rights movement, our country has always strived to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, religion, color or national origin, has the same rights.

We also have shared responsibilities. Our freedoms, in fact, exist only to the point where they infringe upon the rights of others. We also have a shared responsibility to be good stewards of the planet, and to ensure that future generations have the opportunities as we do have to enjoy all the bountiful beauty the earth offers.

Flag Day is a good day to launch the commissioners’ new initiative. But patriotism and honoring our heritage is much more than waving a flag or making a speech. It is, in fact, on display every single day in how we live our lives, how we treat others and how we show, in the things we do, that we respect the freedoms and rights of others just as we would hope that they would respect our freedoms and rights.

Our success as a nation depends on our willingness to recognize and respect the rights of others, to sacrifice for the greater good if the need arises and to work together to build communities. In doing those things, we truly are celebrating the American way of life.”

Reprinted with permission from the Carrol Country Times  www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/celebrate-america-on-flag-day

 
1. Hold them accountable. If they promise they are going to feed the cat at five, make sure they feed the cat at five. Don’t do it for them.
 
2. Make them responsible. If they are old enough to do homework, they are old enough to have that homework packed up and ready to take to school in the morning.
 
3. Don’t wait on them. You know very well there is a difference between taking care of your kids and catering to their every whim. You’re not doing them any favors with the latter.
 
4. Help them develop a strong work ethic. Have fun while demonstrating the satisfaction of a job well done. “Look how clean the car is. We made it shine!”
 
5. Show them how you get over a disappointment. Hopefully it’s with honesty, maturity and grace. Let them know that just because something doesn’t go your way, you won’t give in to defeat, retribution or negativity.
 
6. It’s a cliché and a bumper sticker for good reason: Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Let your kids see that treating others with dignity, respect and generosity makes them a better person and the world a better place.
 
7. Point out the skills it takes for them to do things well:  “You made your bed, hung up your clothes and took out the trash already? You are very organized and efficient this morning!”
 
8. Encourage team spirit and collaboration. Dispelling the ‘all about me’ attitude is going to help them in their personal and professional relationships.
 
9. Encourage their passions and curiosity. “You seemed fascinated by what the vet did today for Tinkerbelle. I read that the zoo offers behind-the-scenes tours of their veterinary facility, would you like to go on Saturday?”
 
10. Help connect-the-dots between their schoolwork and skills they use in every day life: “Thank you for counting my change for me. You must be doing really well in arithmetic. What else are you learning?”
 
11. (Ok, there are more than ten tips on this list. But for a reason.) #11 is: Encourage your kids to do more than the minimum of anything. Show them how fulfilling it is to try harder, give more, and go above and beyond. You won’t be pushing them to over-achieve, but rather to realize just how capable they are.

For creative,  fun, easy-to-use career exploration materials, like our fascinating poster with 1001 Job Titles from A to Z,  visit www.GetCareerWise.com.

 June is Abloom with Opportunities!

Opening kids’ eyes to the big wide world of career opportunities around them shouldn’t end with the school year.

Career exploration – which is all about helping kids connect-the-dots between their school work, their talents and interests, and getting a job someday – can be a creative and easy activity all year long.

For example, there are obviously many people in the world who love celebrations of every kind. I searched online and readily found many web sites listing ‘observances’ in June that range from the seemingly silly (June is Iced Tea Month) to the serious. (It is also Drivers’ Education Month.)

But, low and behold, investigating Iced Tea Month turned out to be pretty interesting.  It became a springboard for learning about the different kinds of teas and tea leaf growers around the world as well as the people who come up with new recipes for hot, bottled, iced and spiked teas. I read that there is a lot of research that goes into uncovering the health and nutritional benefits of different types of tea as well as how it can be used in cooking—as a rub, a marinade or for steaming. (I didn’t know that.) It can also be used as a beauty aid.

There are even schools that prepare professionals for relocation to Great Britain and Asian countries where tea services are a large part of the culture — so no one commits embarrassing faux pas on the job. Who knew? I found all this out by looking at observances in June and picking one to investigate.

You could keep connecting-the-dots:  What other types of jobs or businesses are connected to the tea and/or beverage industry?  Who hires these people? I have Lipton, Nestle and Wild Organics as brand names on the packages of teas in my cupboard.  What are these companies all about? Are they good employers? Who do they hire? What training or degrees are commonly required to work for them?

Dot. Dot. Dot. Wasn’t that easy?

I’m really excited now. June 20^th is Ice Cream Soda Day! I may just have to do some hands-on research for that one. I think I’ll go have an iced tea and start planning ahead.

For creative, fun and easy career exploration resources, including a fascinating poster with 1001 Job Titles from A to Z,  visit www.GetCareerWise.com.