Parenting hacks - page 7

Sun, swimming, and s’mores — what’s not to love about summer camp?

While adults bogged down in marathon-long meetings and endless emails might love a few days away from civilization, not all kids share the sentiment. But there are ways to help ease kids into their time away from home — and an internet connection.

So, whether it’s your child’s first year at summer camp or the experience produces an annual wave of anxiety for camp veterans who will sorely miss their electronics (and maybe even their parents), these strategies should help kids embrace nature, and create a connection to the outdoors that will sustain them through summer camp and beyond.

Here I'll show you two examples of how you can create a learning space for your child anywhere in your home for NTI days or snow day learning. Ideally, your child would have a desk and chair in their own room. But what if there's no space for a desk or chair? Maybe you have even ordered a desk and chair but it hasn't arrived yet and you need a temporary work-around.

Don't worry: if you just need a quick set-up for your child with your existing items, it's easier than you think.

Here are the best places for cheap yet high quality brand name school supplies online. Your child's teacher might specify a particular brand, often a popular one (e.g. Crayola washable markers) and the stores listed here will stock these well-known brand names.

Find out where to buy discount books online so that you won't break the bank getting the book your child wants. Fortunately, you've got tons of choice beyond Amazon and major book stores. I'll separate out the stores according to whether they're for new books or used books.

If your child is required to read specific books for language arts at school, rest assured you should be able to find the title at any of the stores listed here. All of these stores have books for kids and for grown-ups, so you can find something for everyone in the family.