Mapletogian

Quick Notes
Mellow Mornings
Are your middle grader’s mornings frantic? Ease the morning rush by having him wake up a little earlier. A few extra minutes will give him the time he needs to dress, eat breakfast, collect his books, and catch the bus without rushing. And slowing down will improve his entire day.

Recognize Respect
When you see your child showing respect to others, point it out to her. If she opens a door for someone or waits patiently in line, say, "I appre-ciate your manners." Respect is learned—you’ll encourage your middle grader to continue being considerate.

Volume 15  Number 2

For middle graders, life is full of stop signs. "Don’t stay up past your bedtime." "No Internet before homework." Rules are important, but too many no’s can be frustrating for kids and parents. Try these suggestions for smoother parenting and better behavior.
Give choices
Giving kids a choice often achieves the desired result without an argument. Example: Try, "Go put on your black pants or your new jeans," instead of, "You’re not wearing that to the movies!" Offering choices rather than resorting to demands gives your middle grader a chance to correct his behavior on his own.
Offer praise
Have you ever received a surprise bonus at work? That’s how good a compliment feels to middle graders. Instead of always just saying no, find reasons to praise your child. Example: If she practices the piano every day, let her know you admire her dedication. A little praise—along with plenty of love and hugs—can inspire your middle grader to try harder to please you.

Some Halloween History  
       by Mapletogian Staff

How did Halloween originate? The origin of the word Halloween comes from the Catholic Church. It is a contraction of the words "All Hallows Eve", which comes from the holy day, All Saints Day. The holiday started in Celtic, Ireland. In the 5th century B.C., the last day of summer was October 31. It was called Samhain, Celtic New Year. One interesting story is that on October 31, all the people would extinguish the fires in their homes to make them cold and uninviting. Then they would dress up in ghoulish costumes and parade nosily around the neighborhoods. They did this to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.

The custom was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants who were fleeing the potato famine. The Irish used pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns instead of the turnips they used in Ireland. And so goes the beginning of Halloween...

November 2005                                                                                                            Volume 15  Number 3

December 2005                                                                                                            Volume 15  Number 4

MAPLE AVENUE.... THERE IS    A    SANTA CLAUSE!
Santa Clause was really named St. Nicholas. Santa Clause has been drawn in many different forms but one story that is the most famous start of Santa Clause. There once lived a nobleman who had lived with his family which included his three daughters.

There were hard times because the daughters could not get married, for their father could not pay there groom to marry them. One cold night St. Nicholas snuck a bag of gold into the poor nobleman’s window, the problem was that only one daughter could marry. The second cold night St. Nicholas put another bag of gold into the second daughter’s window. The next day the second daughter could get married. On the third night the third daughter’s window was closed. The wise St. Nicholas went up on the roof and dropped a bag of gold into the chimney. The next day the third daughter had to put the bag over the fire and that is how we get stockings and Santa’s surprise visits. 

HOW TO MAKE A FUN FOAM ORNAMENT

This is a fun way to decorate the tree that is not expensive and is rated E for Easy.                                        

MATERIALS

• Red ribbon                                                  
• Green, silver, or gold glitter                            
• Red craft foam                                                
• Craft bells                                                        your forefinger and 3-4 cm wide.
• White glue (SUCH AS ELMERS)                 

DIRECTIONS   

•  1.Cut the foam into shapes (like a star). The ornament should be about 6-7cm tall, about the length of  your forefinger and 3-4 cm wide.

• 2. Glue and sprinkle glitter where ever you want for example the outline.
• 3. Let it dry for a half- hour.
• 4. Put bows where you think is necessary
• 5. When your decorations have dried, loop a ribbon on the back

Just as there are many different countries in the world and many different languages spoken, Santa is called by different names in different countries. Here is a list of some of his names.
Austria - Christkind             
Belgium/Netherlands - Noel, Saint Nicholas, Christkind
Brazil - Papa Noel
Denmark - Julinisse or Julemanden which means "Christmas Man" England - Father Christmas
Finland - Old Man Christmas
France - Pere Noel or le Petit Noel
Germany - Kriss Kringle, Christkind and Saint Nicholas Italy - Befana
Japan - Santa Kurohsu
Mexico - Three Kings
Poland - Star Man and Wise Men
Spain - Three Kings, Papa Noel
Russia - Basbouschka
United States - Santa Claus, (He was called Sinter Claus when the settlers first came to came to New York from Germany).

This information was found at: http://www.kidskourt.com/Holidays/Santa-names.htm

Conference time
Attending parent-teacher conferences is helpful—even if your child is doing well. Why? Teachers can often tell you how your middle grader gets along with peers, as well as ways you can support learning at home.

Worth quoting
“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” Carol Burnett

Count to 10. As long as a new look doesn’t endanger your middle grader, consider a low-key attitude. Take a deep breath and count to 10, if necessary. After all, a little hair dye will wash out in a few days. Don’t let appearance spark an argument that keeps you both fuming for days.

Show support. If your child’s grades are good, thank her for the hard work instead of lecturing her. Sure, her use of “cool” words might not impress an employer, but that high-powered interview is a few years away. Now is an important time for her to express her individuality.

Remember when… Parents were middle graders once, too. Keep in mind the phases you went through as a kid. You might even share a laugh about your antics to ease tension after a busy day—it’s hard to be mad at each other when you’re both laughing.

Pause
Have your youngster take a minute before class to gather her thoughts. What was her homework about? Based on her reading, what can she expect to learn today? Was anything unclear in her notes? Answering questions like these can focus her mind on classroom activities.

Participate
Encourage your middle grader to contribute to class discussions. He might comment on something he read for homework or on another student’s opinion. Discussing the topic boosts your child’s understanding. It’s also a good way to show the teacher that he’s paying attention.

January 2006                                                                                                             Volume 15  Number 5

February 2006                                                                                                             Volume 15  Number 6

March 2006                                                                                                             Volume 15  Number 7

April 2006                                                                                                                Volume 15  Number 8