School is almost out! Summer is a welcome time for children to take a break from the daily school schedule and have some down time. Now, summer time does not mean that there is a complete halt of learning! Did you know that over the summer some students lose up to 60% of the reading and math skills they learned during the year? Many people refer to this as seasonal brain drain. Research has shown that many teachers spend between 4 – 6 weeks re-teaching materials that students have forgotten over the summer. Although everyone needs a break, students that spend some time on their basic reading, writing and maths skills fare better in the long run.
For the next two episodes,  we are going to look at how you can make summer learning fun and avoid summer learning loss.

It’s a new week! This week’s book is from one of my favorite speakers/coaches ! She reminds us of the power of the mind and how sometimes we just need to: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...GO!
“We are all so afraid of uncertainty that we want a guarantee before we even try. We want evidence that if we take a risk we will "get the girl" Its a numbers game. To play any game, you have to start. To win, you need to keep going. If you want to make your dreams come true, get ready for the long game.
Life is not a one and done sort of deal. You've got to work for what you want.
Picasso created nearly 100 masterpieces in his lifetime. But what most people don't know is that he created a total of more then 50,000 works of art. That's two pieces of art a day. Success is a numbers game. You are not going to win if you keep telling yourself to wait. The more often that you choose courage, the more likely you'll succeed.” Mel Robbins

It’s not uncommon for me to hear: “Mrs. Robinson, all my children want to do is play…play play play!" or “This child just plays too much!”
 
For this week’s episode we are going to look at the work of childhood – Play.

Play is an essential part of childhood and when children don’t play it can have an effect on their physical, social and emotional development. So although as parents, we do want to know that our children are serious when it comes to their school work, in this week's epiode I’m going to shed some light on why it is so important that children play and the 6 different types of play that they should be encouraged to do.

It’s a new week! This week’s book is a great one to have and return to at different points in your journey. It is filled with a wealth of knowledge, guidance and insights by thought and spiritual leaders and reminds us that there is path to our purpose rooted within each and every one of us.
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“Whatever your calling, it's already rooted within you, and those roots can be trampled or tugged at but never removed. They grow stronger only when tended, nurtured, and most important, shared with others.” Oprah

I fall in love with many books, but this one is on another level for so many reasons. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s time to make it happen! If time for reading is a challenge, download the audio book.
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“For every door that’s been opened to me, I’ve tried to open my door to others. And here is what I have to say, finally: Let’s invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, to make fewer wrong assumptions, to let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we become.”
Michelle Obama, Becoming