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CHILD AT HOME Home is a place where you can relax, loosen your shoestrings, leisurely read the newspaper and forget about whatever awaits at work the next day. Home for your son or daughter, however is just another classroom because the learning and working shouldn’t stop once the school bell rings. As a parent, you play a vital roll in your child’s “extra-curricular” education. One of the most essential parts of knowing how to write well is to feel comfortable doing it—and practice begins at home. Below are seven ways to introduce your child to writing. Letters. Propose beginning a letter chain or finding a pen pal to correspond with. This way your child can experience the joy of receiving a letter in the mail. Think of a family member—a grandparent, aunt or uncle—who will respond to your child’s letter. Or help your child locate a writing friend from the many pen pal sites on the Internet. World Pen Pals (http://www.world-pen-pals.com/request.htm), for example, requires parental consent for children under 13 and has a $3 fee for each pal. For more information, visit the website. Tiggy-wiggy’s Pen Pal List (http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Coffeehouse/9025/PenPal.html) encourages correspondence through email and sorts addresses according to age. Lists. Before your next trip to the store, ask your child to record the items you need. This not only encourages writing but helps your child see the importance of organization. Playing Games. Let your child be the scorekeeper when you play a board game or help them create a word find. Choose a game that requires making a list, such as Scattergories or Balderdash. Recipes. Have your child record their favorite recipes on index cards or in a cookbook to give away as gifts. Recorder at Family Meetings. Even if you aren’t discussing anything significant, your child will learn how to hear information and transcribe it. Later, you can teach your child how to abbreviate words when taking notes, so he or she won’t miss something that is said. A Book of Adlibs. Encourage your child to ask you questions and record the answers. Then ask your child to read what they have written out loud as a silly story. Thank-you notes. Everyone likes to be thanked after giving a gift. Buy your child his or her own stationery or thank-you cards to encourage them to write notes and letters. By Jessie Wellnitz |
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