Tuesday, September 25, 2007

What is Love? Ask the Jefunira Counselors...




The Jefunira counselors ask that eternal question.."What is Love"? While we maintain that love is a giant box of otter pops, check out this clip to see what their answer is....


Jefunira goes Global!




Jefunira Camp is popping up around the world! We received a sighting report of counselors Jamie and Justin in China and Tibet, and just discovered photographic proof that they made their way to the Jokhang in Tibet. Counselor Jamie told us they played a thrilling game of Star Wars in the plaza behind them, and that they left their newfound friends chanting "If you had fun, you won!" Check out other Jefunira sightings around the globe at our website. You can even send in your own photos of your family wearing their Jefunira gear at other famous or exotic locations and help us start filling up our map!

Monday, September 24, 2007

Studies show..Recess is important!

The National Association of Early Childhood Specialists has put out a position paper that reiterates the importance and value of unstructured play time for children on a regular basis. As both current and former teachers and educators ourselves, the Jefunira director corps couldn't agree more with the sentiments of the paper. Allowing children the opportunity for free play time on a daily basis not only provides them with an opportunity for exercise and physical activity, but encourages them to be creative in coming up with their own games to play, rather than waiting to be provided with structured play by an adult. We at Jefunira Camp encourage families to find time each day to go to the playground or park- And rather than telling your children what games to play, let them teach you a favorite game, or even invent their own game for the family to play!

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Transition Tips for the New School Year

We know making the transition from the summer to a new school year can be a difficult one for many parents. Figuring out new schedules, homework expectations and helping children adapt to new environments is a big task for parents and we here at Jefunira Camp want to help! Here is a list of tips suggested by the National Association of School Psychologists on their web site

* Re-establish bedtime and mealtime routines early in the year to help remind your child(ren) of their school year schedules.

* Turn off the TV. The NASP suggests keeping television off limits during all school weeks, but if thats not reasonable for your family, limiting TV time during the first month of school will help your child focus on getting into a good homework routine. Which leads us to...

* Designate a space to do homework that is consistently quiet and free of distractions. For older children, studying in their own rooms may be the best bet, while younger children should work in a common family space to help facilitate check ins and help.

* Remain calm and positive. We know its hard not to panic when you see that your child is in a class with someone who they have had trouble with in the past, but before you send your child into high anxiety, there a several steps you can take to set them up for a more successful year. 1) Let your childs teacher know of the past issues, and what was done to address them. 2) Reassure your that their teachers are aware of the issues and are working to create a positive experience this year. 3)Reinforce your childs ability to cope by giving them some strategies to use should minor issues arise. Make sure they know to tell a teacher if the problem persists or become more severe.

* For older children, find out from their teachers which days will be homework or study intensive, and plan extracurricular activities accordingly around that schedule

* And finally, remind your children that just because summer vacation is over, their enjoyment of the year doesn't have to end! Look over their upcoming curriculum together and find items that they are excited about, or projects you can work on as a family.