It's not too late! Work with your child to set a few joint resolutions to make this school semester a success for both of you! These academic resolutions will help you and your child tune up your habits and alleviate stress that can interfere with the learning process.
To make Game Night a success at your house, here are some tips on how to get started:
1. Agree on a night and time when everyone is available. Don't make the mistake of scheduling during your son's football practice or your daughter's piano lesson.
2. Don't let anyone out of game night unless it is a really important occasion. If they start missing for every little thing that comes up, eventually there will be no one left to play!
3. Decide as a family what games will be played. Vote on them and choose from several that you can switch between. If you take turns choosing which of the chosen games you will play, then keep a record of who chose last and whose turn it is every week.
4. Choose games that are age appropriate for the whole family. You don't want to play Chutes and Ladders every week and the little ones can't keep up with more complicated games. Look for those marked "All Ages".
5. Don't answer the phone. Have the machine pick up any calls to make sure you don't miss anything important. Otherwise, you will end up stopping to wait for conversations that interfere with your family's special time.