The square root of FUN!

I read a quote about math recently:

“Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.”

I started thinking how true this is - and how true I could make it with creative activities over the summer that would teach/reinforce math in my family's daily routine. Basically, we would simply give "math" a different name. Oh yeah...and make it fun!

1. Spending in the Summer: We use this time to show and teach the value of money. It's easy to want to go and do everything when the kids are out of school, but helping them understand how much trips, activities, and other items cost helps them begin to understand the value of a dollar.

2. Create Budgets: You can do this with both young and older kids. Set goals for what they are saving for, but also give them options along the way to help them understand if they want to do other things, how long it takes to get back to goal amount.

3. Saving Incentives: Start a matching program! For every $.50 they save, you donate $.50 to their savings too. This helps motivate all ages!

4. Create "junior investors": Give your child a pretend dollar amount, $10,000 for example, and let them "invest" for a hypothetical portfolio for the family. Help them look at stocks and decide where they would like to invest the money, how much and find out why. Help them track it every day - up and down. At the end of their investment period, they can use their math skills to figure out how much money your hypothetical portfolio is now worth.

5. Shopping Time: Set a budget for the store, make a list of what is needed and have the kids find a way - with math - to stay at or under budget. All you do is accompany them, they do the shopping. If they stay under budget, set a reward for the family to enjoy! Ice cream trips are a GREAT reward for everyone.

It's amazing the ways and places you can find to make math part of your daily routine - and your kids don't even realize how much they're learning!

Tutor Doctor Quiz:

The two biggest questions we get at Tutor Doctor:
Take our 2 question quiz... Then, watch the video and see how well you did :).
1. Where do we tutor? At our location or in your home?
2. Do we work with our own pre-designed curriculum, or do we build a tailored curriculum around your student's learning needs and styles?

We're here for you, your students and their success. Contact us for more info on how we can help you.

Kids & Sports...Where to Draw the Line?

There is no secret that sports are a part of my family's life - and in a big way. Sports have helped my son in ways that I can't even count. But, even I know that it can get away from us easily. Days are filled with hockey, nights are filled with hockey. Bank accounts are emptied from...you guessed it - hockey. We have to find a way to balance it.

Many parents are having this same challenge. Sports bring balance to so many kids lives. Sports can help increase productivity and focus in school, decrease obesity and help with focus, discipline and responsibility. The problem that can happen is that the sport can overtake a child's life...therefore it overtakes a family's life.

So where do you draw the line? How do you know when to draw it? What if YOUR KID could be the next GREAT ONE? The Wall Street Journal recently published a great article on this exact subject with some great examples of how some families across the country are cutting back, and balancing out - while still keeping their kids doing what they love to do. Drawing the Line on Youth Sports will definitely give you more to think about - and maybe more to talk about with your own players...and coaches.

As our hockey coach says, at the end of the season, whether travel or house league, no matter HOW many games you played or how much time you logged, it should be about:
1. Did your player learn something this season?
2. Did your player have fun this season?
3. Did your player increase in at least 1 skill this season?
That's what it should be about. Well, that and making sure your family was right there with you, cheering you on.

Try hard. Have fun. And always...have a pizza party after wards! You're never too old for that.

TD Takeaway of the Day: An App a Day, Keeps Learning OK!

We all know that keeping our kids focused on some sort of learning activity is the way to go over the summer. The amount of knowledge lost over the 3 months is amazing if we don't keep their brains tuned and trained in some sort of way!

If your schedule is as nuts as our family's is during the summer, finding the time to make sure math is focused on (or science, reading, maybe a foreign language), well, it's almost next to impossible some days. So, I turned to my iPhone. Now we have AWESOME math apps to keep with us and keep my son's brain in full gear no matter where we are or how much - or how little - time we may have. Whether it's addition, subtraction, multiplication, time or money skills...the iPhone has it covered for us! He even uses the eReader to read new books when we forget our library books at home and we're stuck in the car, the ice rink, the grocery store - you name it!

But shhhh... he feels like it's a video game. So, the amount of time he "plays" on the apps is awesome. It's learning and he doesn't even realize it!

TD Takeaway of the Day: TNT!

TNT! Someone said this to me recently as I was trying to decide when to start a new exercise program. "TNT" he said. I just stared blankly at him. "TODAY... NOT TOMORROW!"

TNT has become a new motto around our house and one that I am instilling in the families I work with. Think about the decisions you are faced with everyday. The decisions you put off making. The decisions your kids put of making. And of course, the decisions you put off making for your kids. Make TNT part of your life! Say it out loud when everyone is trying to decide what to do. When the procrastination and excuses start (and we all know they will), yell out"TNT!" You'll get funny looks at first, but I promise, it'll start making a difference. Put up sticky notes or index cards with "TNT" on them around the house... keep those excuses away and your determination in the starting block.

It's funny how little things can make big changes in our lives. All of those "I'll start it tomorrows" you've said over the months...well, it's time to TNT those. Start the reading time. Try the new math worksheets the teacher sent home for summer. Start the one-on-one Mom/Dad and Kiddo time. Pick a date for that family game night you've been planning for so long. Sit down for that family meal you keep meaning to do. Take the cooking lessons. Try the karate class. JUST GO TO THE GYM :). Learn a foreign language. Start a journal.

No matter what it is... Just remember "TNT!"

Understanding Learning Styles

You may have heard this buzz term: "Learning Style." As in, "What is your child's learning style?" Well, it's more than just a fad term... It's a term that not only should you get to know, but also understand how it applies to your child - or even you. It affects all of us - from how we learn in school, to how we effectively work in our careers.

Students, in fact all individuals, are most effective when they are taught in their personal learning style. There are 3 major types of learners: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing/listening), and tactile/kinesthetic (touching/experiencing). While most individuals can learn using any one of these styles, generally most have one for which they show a stronger likeness. Take a look at the three detailed descriptions below... which one do you feel that you are most like? How about your child/student? Are you alike? Do you feel like his or her study habits could be tailored more to incorporate these styles?

A Closer Look...

Visual Learners - Visual learners are those who generally think in terms of pictures. They often prefer to see things written down in a handout, text or on the overhead. They find maps, graphs, charts, and other visual learning tools to be extremely effective. They remember things best by seeing something written.

Auditory Learners - Auditory learners are those who generally learn best by listening. They typically like to learn through lectures, discussions, and reading aloud. They remember best through hearing or saying items aloud.

Kinesthetic Learners- Kinesthetic, also called tactile, learners are those who learn best through touching, feeling, and experiencing that which they are trying to learn. They remember best by writing or physically manipulating the information.

At the intersection of Parent St., Child Rd. and Teacher Ave.

Finding the Shot

This one is personal. I get asked many times why I got into this business - and honestly, I could probably answer it on many different levels: "I've always been an entrepreneur and loved owning my own business." "Being my own boss is great!" "Working with kids and their families is wonderful." There are so many answers... I could go on and on and on. But, honestly, there is one reason that hits very close to home which answers it all. And it centers around a puck, a sitck, and a sheet of ice...oh and and my son.

I lost my son in 2nd grade. Not really lost him, like I couldn't physically find him, but emotionally lost him. I LOST who he was, his smile, his energy, his spirit...HIM. It was during a move, a transition for him at the beginning of the school year. My son - who is by all counts a pretty spectacular kid (ok, so I'm biased) - is pretty shy, but over time truly becomes the "Mayor'' or "Norm" (from Cheers) pretty quickly in most situations. He ended up in a class, in a school, that wasn't him, with a teacher that never truly saw him. Because of this, he lost himself and everything about him. We went from a kid who loved to read, to a kid who hated to read. A kid that loved math, to a kid that threw his homework across the table because he was "stupid" (and we don't use that word in our house.) A kid who loved being with other kids, to a kid who wanted to just be at home. Like I said, I lost my son.

However, we found hockey. He found hockey. He found a uniform, a hockey mask, a jersey, a stick, a place that he could be anyone he wanted to be. A place that he was invincible. And it was from hockey that we started seeing our son come back to life. When he stepped on the ice, he was awake again, smiling again. Coaches saw him, people believed in him... and more than that, he believed in himself. Two times a week I saw my son again... If you're a mom, you can understand how this felt.

We ended up moving and into another school district where our son was welcomed with open arms and open minds. Within days I saw glimpses of the old kid I had always known. He was playing again, making friends again and loving school again. He had a teacher that took an interest in him and saw him for the child he truly IS. It was amazing.

He once told me that when he got sad in the old school, he imagined he was playing hockey and it made him smile. I have no doubt that the worst months that we went through would have been even worse without those skates and ice...in fact, I know it. I sit here today still watching him with tears in my eyes everytime knowing that he found who HE is through a tough journey, but he found it nonetheless. I have Tutor Doctor because of my son's journey... I help other families and kids find their voices when no one else maybe listening, and while I'm doing it, I can make sure they have the help in school that they need to succeed.

You never know where your goals will come from. For us, we scored on the ice... Find where your child becomes invincible, if only for an hour a week and run with it. Cultivate it. Embrace it. This is a journey you'll take together and you'll never be sorry for it.

S-P-I-R-I-T

Ok, I'll admit it... I have a soft spot for cheerleaders. Some may even say that as an adult I still walk around with virtual poms poms in my hands at most times (and when they aren't in my hands, they're probably in my in car :) That attitude honestly has kept me going during some pretty rough times - and has kept others around me going too. What I have learned it that it's the spirit that brings people up, gets them to smile and realize that they can keep going.

I found this to be true on many days as a teacher and even more so now as a parent and business owner and educator/advocate that works with families and children of all ages. Enthusiasm is passed on. It's not taught. It's actually a gift we can give kids from a very early age. Enthusiasm translates into so many areas of children's lives and up through the teen years and into young adult hood - in ways we have all probably forgotten about as adults. Being able to get excited about who you are, what you have done, what you can accomplish and what others around you have and are able to accomplish is a beautiful thing. A "pay it forward" type of thing.

I recently saw a quote a my son's Kyuki-Do studio that read, "Enthusiasm is caught, not taught."Encourage your kids to be excited and enthusiastic about what they do. While it may get loud and somewhat over the top sometimes (I know it does at our house), it's a good thing. It's creative. It's the brain working overtime. It's friendships being built. It's education.

Teach your child to foster this enthusiasm...and you know what, CATCH IT from him or her! Enjoy it with them! It's definitely better to have this spirit than the one so many adults (myself included) get lost in on so many days. Remember what it's like to get lost in something you love.

As strange as it sounds... Keep your own virtual pom poms in your car, too. I'm never ashamed or embarrassed of being the cheerleader for kids and adults alike. I'm helping them catch their enthusiasm. Are you?

TD Takeaway of the Day: Read, Read, Read!

I found this on Twitter and just loved all of the great tips from various moms that wrote in! The beloved reader series, I CAN READ, asked moms to submit their favorite reading strategies for getting kids to read more in the summer months. I think you'll enjoy just as much as I did!

For us, we have a family that loves to read. Our kids keep books in the cars, stacks by the bed, in the family room, kitchen...wherever. They are part of our life. And one thing that works wonders in the summer to get extra time is the more time logged in the day, the longer you get to stay up at night! Our 8 yr old loves it!

Enjoy these other tips! TwitterMoms!

Turn Around.

As I was watching an interview with Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy I was struck by a simple phrase they said, "Turn Around." Sean and Leigh Anne, for those of you that aren't aware, were made famous by the movie "The Blind Side" that captured the amazing story of their life after adopting Michael Oher off the streets of Memphis and transforming his life through love, family and education. Michael, as many of you know, went on to graduate high school, college and become a future first round draft pick and NFL star for the Baltimore Ravens. NONE of this would have happened without someone turning around.

One simple phrase, Turn Around. That's what did it. Leigh Anne said to her husband when she saw Michael walking on the streets that night when they were driving home - the night that they picked him up. Literally, they turned around and they put him in their car. And that was that. But from that moment Micheal's life was turned around.

Life gets busy for all of us and we have a way of always looking in front of us, forgetting to see what's going on in every other direction. TURN AROUND and see others. TURN AROUND and see how YOU can help. TURN AROUND and see what amazing things your child is doing, discovering and feeling. TURN AROUND and ask if YOU can PLAY! TURN AROUND and PARTICIPATE.

Everyday, I listen to parents and students and help them have a voice when they may not have had one before. Many times the journey to me has been long and tough. There are plenty of kids that are slipping between the cracks because no one is helping them find their voice - or no one is hearing them once they find it.

TURN AROUND and BE PRESENT. Don't live your life thinking and waiting for someone else to do it - because they may not. Give a child a hand, an education, a round of applause. At the end of the day, you both will feel fuller than you ever thought possible. By simply turning around, you can turn around and empower a life.

Thanks Leigh Anne Tuohy.

"Mom / Dad... I'm Bored!"

How many parents have heard this phrase this summer? Probably too many of you to count, right? Doesn't matter how old your kids are, the word "bored" go across the ages. I find myself saying phrases that my own mother use to say to me - and ones that I promised I would never say to my own kids. "You can't be bored, you just woke up." "Only boring people get bored." "There are a million things to do." "Grab the vacuum, there's plenty of things to clean." "Grab a book and read." And of course, "Don't you have a room FULL of things to NOT be bored with?" What I forget is that these didn't work with me (cue the eye rolling) and they don't work with my kids. (cue the shock music)

Our friends at FoxValleyMom.com put together a list of GREAT solutions/ideas for an enjoyable summer - here's just a few - some more perfect for teens, some perfect for all ages:

1. Work at a local business: Why? Because at some point we ALL need to understand the importance of customer service (in my opinion).
2. Volunteer: There is NOTHING more rewarding - and even though your kids may not admit it at first, they will feel this too.
3. Take a Class / Brush up on Skills: There are SO many options during the summer...pottery, martial arts, painting, theatre, learn a language!
   
4. Residential Work: Good old fashioned lawn mowing, mother's helpers, babysitting, dog walking, flower watering
5. Recreational Activities: Waterparks, mini golf, go karts, the Zoo, bike rides and SO much more!
   

Read the entire article and check out all the great resources that FoxValleyMom.com has for the hip mom and her kids in the Fox Valley area! I promise...the words, "I'm bored" will soon be a distant memory.

Diary of an... Engaged Kid!

So, on the heels of the ever popular and always entertaining "Diary of Wimpy Kid" movie and book series, my own son - a rising 3rd grader - is now setting off in creating his own "Diary/Journal" of his own life and times. This got me to thinking...What other books are out there that could create a new world of adventure or stir up a side of his imagination that maybe hadn't been tapped into yet?

Always on the lookout for some new way to engage him - and the rest of our family - in some new activity (other than another PS3 or Wii game), I have set out on a quest. And trust me, it's amazing what you can find. We've gone through the entire Harry Potter set and cast spells around our house on each other to get things done. We've turned our house into the Millenium Falcon and made life size cut outs from our favorite characters of the Star Wars BOOKS (not movies... the books are far more in depth and awesome for a kid to get lost in them - especially on the Boba/Jengo Fett front). We're introducing Big Nate into our family and seeing if he and Greg Heffley (of "Diary" fame) could actually be friends. We've discovered the amazing talents of Matt Christopher and his sports books, and found a way to tie a love of reading into an 8 yr olds love of hockey.

Next on the list...Reading what I consider to be some of my childhood classics - Rohald Dahl books. Imagine what we can do with "James and the Giant Peach", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "The Fantasic Mr.Fox" and "Boy."

The coolest part of all of this? Every adventure is being recorded in my son's "Diary"...all started by a book. He's even titled his version "Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The new wimp." I have to say, I was pretty proud. He's tied in his love of reading, with his love of writing (which we had to really work with him on in 2nd grade), and his love of drawing (not sure where he gets that from!)

Create your adventure with your kids. And make it a family affair...re-read classics with them, or new series for the first time. Make it a family book club. You'll be amazed and thrilled at the fun times and outcomes that you get from each discussion and activity you can create. Plus, you get to read some pretty cool books that as an adult you normally wouldn't get to read!

If you're looking for suggestions on starting some activities or a family book club reading list, let me know! We certainly have lots of them.

Here are some GREAT ideas for Day Trips focused completely around children's books that get you and your kids thinking - and take reading and discussing to an entire new level! Have fun!
Reading Day Trips!