6 Steps to Better Youth Citizenship

Kids may not have a right to vote, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an opinion! Giving your child a forum in which to discuss current events, such the presidential elections, will set your child out on the path towards good citizenship.

And that’s why Producer/Director Ken Sheetz created the new documentary Kids Talk Politics, where eight to ten year olds from around the country are given the opportunity to voice their opinion about the presidential candidates.

Sheetz’s documentary shows that, contrary to popular belief, kids care a lot about politics and they have quite a lot to say—an interest worth developing at a young age.

Need help getting started? Sheetz suggests 6 ways to get your child jazzed about politics:

• Localize a national story -- show children the local impact of a national policy to illustrate that Washington politics directly influence their community and people they know. Use examples with your own family (who might have members endorsing every spot of the political spectrum) to show them that it’s ok to disagree about politics, and still like each other. Topic ideas for discussion include healthcare, the war in Iraq, oil prizes and policies, and school vouchers and choice.
• Take them with you to vote. Organize trips to a city council meeting, school board meeting or a political event. Sit down together and brainstorm a list of questions to bring with you, and discuss why you are voting the way you are and what issues your vote is addressing.
  
• Ask your kids' feedback regarding current issues, for example, the presidential candidates. If they disagree with you, don’t contradict them – allow them to have their own opinions and encourage them to partake in a debate. Listening will also encourage them to confide in you if they need to talk to about something really important.
  
• Go to www.kidstalkpolitics.com to show kids that their peers are engaged and thoughtful about political issues. Subscribe to Children’s News magazine, or visit websites that are geared towards children. Always give them a little edge and make them feel like their opinion matters – kids develop self-confidence when their ideas are listened to respectfull by adults.
• Create games and/or trivia cards about politics and American history – make it fun and establish some kind of a rewards system to motivate them. Use visual aids: make posters with photos of the candidates and teach them their names, who they are, what they represent, etc.
  
• Hold a mock election to decide who will be president of the family for a Saturday. As president of the family for a day the winner will get to pick whereto go for a family outing and dinner.

source : http://www.education.com/magazine/article/6_Steps_Better_Youth_Citizenship
by education.com

10 Tips for Summer Writing

We all know that motivating our children to read over the summer is essential. But have you considered encouraging them to write? Developing good writing skills takes practice, but it can be fun. Here are some ideas to not only inspire your kids to write more, but also to create some fun activities for summer.

1. Invest in Supplies – Children of all ages love the gift of a new journal and a special pen to inspire them to start writing stories or poetry. Younger kids may want to draw pictures with their entries. Teach your children to write the date on each entry so that many years from now they can read their work and know when it was written.
2. Show Off your Writing Samples – Have you saved any stories, poems or journals from your childhood? Share them with your kids. You’ll be guaranteed to have a good laugh, and it will be a great inspiration for them to get writing.
3. Pen a Book – Ask your child to write a story about the school year or a recent special event. Encourage your child to draw pictures, make a cover page and staple it all together to make a book. What a valuable keepsake!
4. Find a Pen Pal – Writing and receiving old-fashioned letters is one of the most exciting experiences for kids. My teenage daughter writes and mails letters to several friends all over the world including a local friend from school who lives just a few miles away, a friend who moved to Sweden and a girl she met in a Georgia while on vacation.
5. Play the “Story Game” while Traveling – As soon as she could write, my daughter and I played what I call the “Story Game” in the car each summer during our vacation. I would ask her to start writing an introduction, then pass it along to me to continue the story. We’d pass a notebook back and forth, adding our own characters and events until we felt it was time for a conclusion.
6. Ask Your Child to Research Something for You – Kids ages 6 and up will easily be entertained by a research “assignment.” Ask your child to write a short report in the findings. Two of many examples of subjects I’ve asked my daughter to research on the Internet include finding out which type of insect was eating my tomato plants and sights to explore on a future vacation.
7. Say Thanks – In my extended family thank you notes are referred to as the “unwritten law.” Summer is often a time when kids receive gifts from visiting family members and friends. This is a perfect opportunity to show 5 year-olds and up how to write a note to express their gratitude. The level of writing and length is not as important as the sentiment.
8. Review a Book – There are several websites that welcome book reviews from kids. This is an excellent chance for your young writer to take the time to not only read, but also edit a story and work on grammar. Check out www.thereadingtub.com and www.bookreviewsbykids.com. If you do a search online you’ll find plenty more.
9. Write to the Editor – If your child reads a magazine regularly or is interested in a news story of any kind, encourage a letter to the editor. Many journalists would welcome input from young readers. Make sure you read it for content and quality before it goes out.
10. Enter a Contest – There are hundreds of online writing contests for kids with an opportunity to win fun prizes. Search for writing contests for kids online. For starters, you can check out my publishing company’s Youngest Travel Writing Contest for kids at www.smartpoodlepublishing.com. There’s no better way to get them to use their creative talents and work on grammar.

Happy writing!

by Debbie Glade
Copy from : http://www.education.com/magazine/article/10_Tips_for_Summer_Writing