 Happy New Year from all of us at Foundations Christian School!
We hope your family has been enjoying Christmas break! A new year is always exciting, and now is the perfect time to talk with your kids about new year’s resolutions. At FCS, Jesus is the focus of everything we do. Let’s talk about some new year’s resolutions you could implement as we head into 2023. 1. Start Your Day in Prayer It can be challenging to remember to start your day together in prayer. But this is one habit that will serve your kids well if you can implement it when they’re young. It’s helpful if you can get everyone together around the table for breakfast. That’s often a feat in itself! But once you’ve eaten breakfast, prioritize joining hands and coming before God in prayer. You may even want to assign one person to be the designated pray-er for each day. 2. Develop a Daily Bible-Reading Habit Technology has made it easier than ever for all of us to access the Bible, no matter where we are. If your kids have tablets or cell phones, have them download the Bible App for Kids (by YouVersion). There are many other app options available too, and many of them are excellent. You may even want to consider reading the Bible together as a family. This can be a great after-dinner activity, but you can also read some verses together before your morning prayer time. As your kids for their thoughts on this one. They’re more likely to want to participate when they have a part in the planning process. 3. Love Others as Jesus Did In John 13:35, Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In everything Jesus taught, love was the theme. Loving one another is challenging for kids, and - let’s face it - it can be hard for us adults too. We’re called to not only love the people who love us, but to also love our enemies. Sit down with your kids and brainstorm some ways you can show love to others this year. Maybe you decide to “adopt” a widow in your church and bring her a weekly meal, or perhaps you make a plan to identify a single mom in a grocery store once a month and pay for her groceries. Be creative with this one! Your kids will love how much fun it is to love others. 4. Be a Blessing to Each Other Sometimes it’s easier to be a blessing to those outside your family than it is to be a blessing to your family members themselves. Kids struggle with this one. Brothers and sisters love to get on each other’s nerves, so this is a resolution you may want to implement just to help them get along. Challenge your kids to look for ways to be a blessing to each other. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to do something kind and it creates a snowball effect of kindness. For instance, if your son decides to take over dishwashing duties for your daughter, maybe your daughter will decide to take the trash out for your son. Everyone wins and your kids learn to honor God by honoring each other. 5. Remember to Give Thanks It’s so easy to take what we have for granted, and this is something we’re all guilty of from time to time. This new year, why not focus your family’s attention on having a thankful attitude? You can do this by reminding them to thank God when something good happens, like when a friend blesses them with a special gift, or when they do well on a test in a subject they struggle with. And the most important part of this is to model thankfulness yourself! Happy New Year From Foundations Christian School! We’re confident that 2023 is going to be our best year yet! We’re so thankful for our families and wish you the very best for the year ahead!
2 Comments
 This weekend, it’s Christmas, Jesus’s birthday. In today’s world, the meaning of Christmas has gotten lost and turned into a secular holiday. We as Christians know the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate it.
Below, we will take a moment to go over the amazing story that is the Christmas story and how Jesus’s birth is truly a miracle Christians will never forget. The Beginning This story begins with an Angel named Gabriel appearing to a young woman named Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth. “Peace be with you, God is with you and is pleased with your works,” the angel said. “Do not be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy who will be called Jesus. He will be God’s son and his kingdom shall never end,” the angel continued. Mary was scared, but she trusted and believed in the word of God. “Let it happen as God chooses,” she replied faithfully to the angel. Gabriel also informed Mary that her cousin Elizabeth who was thought to be too old to bear children was also with child. God had chosen Elizabeth’s baby boy to help prepare the way for Jesus. Jesus’s Birth Mary and Joseph, who was Mary’s husband lived in an area that was controlled by the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Agustus had sent out a decree that everyone had to return to the towns where their families originated from in order for him to take a census. Mary and Joseph traveled a long way from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Joseph’s family came from. They were unable to find somewhere to stay due to so many people traveling to register for the census. Every home and bed was full, and Mary was already in the process of giving birth to baby Jesus. Finally, Mary and Joseph found a place to stay and prepare for Jesus’s birth among many animals. It was custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in swaddling cloths, so when Jesus was born he was swaddled tightly and placed in a manger where animals commonly ate their hay from. Guests Who Came to See Jesus After Jesus’s birth, a bright star lit up the sky above their resting place. A group of shepherds and wise men traveled and followed the star to where Jesus laid his head. They praised and worshipped him. The wise men spread gifts before our king, and from that day on Jesus was known as “the King of the Jews.” In Conclusion It is important to know and share the story of Jesus’s birth. It is not uncommon for us as Christians to only bring up this story around Christmas time. We challenge you to remember this story for the remainder of this year and to carry it with you in the new year ahead. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your students, you can contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  Yesterday on December 15th, Foundations Christian School had its first snow day of the year. Yesterday’s snow day is most likely the first of many for this winter season, one of the perks of being located in Big Flats, NY.
Read on below for some fun activities to keep the kids busy during these blizzardy days of the year. Bake Some Cookies Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through their home on a snowy day? Not only will baking be a fun learning activity for your kids, but it’s also an awesome opportunity to stock your home with sweets before Christmas! Play in the Snow This one may seem a bit self-explanatory but we figured we would throw it out there anyway. Encourage the kids to get out there and build a snowman or maybe even a snow family! One of the best parts of winter is driving around and seeing all of the cool snow creatures kids have displayed in their yards. Have a Christmas Movie Day Have the kids pick out their favorite Christmas movies, go ahead and throw in your favorite as well, pop some popcorn, and curl up on the couch for a fun movie marathon! It’s a great way to get in the Christmas spirit while also spending some much-needed quality time with your kids. Read Books Together Sure this option may not sound very exciting to the kids, but it can be! Kids love being read to and it’s a great way to bond with them and their interests. Pay attention to the stories they choose and really get involved with the story, they will love it! Snow-Themed Crafts With Christmas coming up, wouldn’t you love to have your house decorated with some awesome homemade snowflakes? Paper snowflakes are super easy to make and will be a great experience for the kiddos. Kids love seeing their artwork around the house, and as parents, we know that you do too. Go Sledding Along with playing in the snow, sledding is just as much fun! Find a nearby hill and get going on the slopes! Your kids will spend hours sledding without even realizing which is a win-win for everyone. Just make sure they are nice and bundled up and have hot chocolate ready for them when they get back! In Conclusion Snow days don’t have to be boring, they can be just as fun-filled as any other day! We hope these points above help you keep the kids busy. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  The Christmas season is arguably one of the best times of the year. Especially as a young child, some of the fondest memories will be made this time of year.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying all of the beautiful decorations surrounding you and enjoying family during this season, but Jesus should be at the center of all of our hearts and minds during the Christmas season. Below we’ve compiled a few ways to keep Jesus at the heart of the Christmas season. Add a Nativity Scene A nativity scene is a great way to have a daily reminder for you and your family of the real reason for the Christmas season. Take the time to explain to your children what the nativity scene is and what it’s displaying. Doing this will help your kids get a better grasp on the events that happened on the first Christmas. Take Time with the Christmas Story Most families open their bibles and read the Christmas story on Christmas morning before tearing into their presents, but how many read it more often during the month of December? Read this story multiple times and come up with questions to ask your kids at the end of each time. By Christmas day, your kids will truly understand and grasp why we are celebrating Christmas. Christ-Centered Christmas Cards A very easy and relaxed way to share the true message of Christmas is to send out some appropriately themed Christmas cards. Most families pose for pictures and send those out, but why don’t you try sending out a card that’s more Christ like this year? Maybe add an important part of scripture to your card this year along with the photo of your posing family. Wear Christian Christmas Clothing It’s not uncommon to wear festive clothing this time of year, why don’t you try tossing in some Christian-based Christmas clothes in your wardrobe this year? You could even go as far as getting your entire family matching ensembles and go out and spread the word about Jesus’s love and the real reason for Christmas. In Conclusion Keeping the real reason for celebrating close to heart around the holiday season is important for you and your family. Teaching your kids, the true reason now will encourage them to teach others in the future. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. In order to enroll contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  When it comes to the holidays, finding the perfect gifts for your kiddos can be a stressful time, especially with every other parent in your town searching for the same things. Have you ever thought about gifting your child an experience instead of piles of toys?
Read on below for different gift options for the kids in your life that have plenty of toys. Tickets to an Event This gift can be a little pricey at times, but the memories your child will make will last a lifetime. Get tickets for them and a friend or maybe you’ll get lucky and they will want to bring you along. You don’t have to buy the most expensive tickets on the market, just the opportunity alone will have your children super excited on Christmas morning. Magazine Subscription We’ve all seen it when we take the kids to the doctor's office, how absolutely infatuated some may be by the various children's magazines the office may have. Imagine their excitement when they can get those same fun magazines delivered straight to their door! Of course, this is a gift you should only get for your kids that can read on their own. Piggy Bank What a great time of year to start teaching your kids about the importance of saving the money they earn. What better way to do so than gifting them a piggy bank of their own? They’ll be learning to save money on their own, a skill that will greatly benefit them down the road. A Watch How grown up and responsible will your child feel after they get gifted their own personal watch? Not only does this aid in them learning how to tell time, but it also gives them a sense of responsibility to keep track of time on their own. Sleeping Bag Is your child at the age where sleepovers at their friend's houses have become a frequent occurrence? If so, a sleeping bag will be the perfect gift for them! It’s useful not just for sleepovers, but maybe you have an upcoming family camping trip. They’ll be prepared to sleep wherever they may land with their brand-new sleeping bag. In Conclusion Gifts and presents are not the true reason for the Christmas season. Keep in mind and make sure you spread it along to your kids that the reason we celebrate Christmas, is to celebrate the birth of our savior. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  The holidays can sometimes be one of the most stressful times of the year for us adults, but have you ever thought about how your child may be feeling during this time of year? Sure Christmas is typically known as a holiday all kids are excited for, but believe it or not they get stressed too during this time.
Read on below to learn how to keep your children happy and stress-free during the holidays while also reminding them of the real reason for this Christmas season. Rest, Not Just the Kids but the Parents too! Kids can read into our emotions a lot more than we think. 9 times out of 10 they can tell when we are stressed and they may be affected by that. Make sure as parents you are taking the time to decompress when you can, the holidays can be stressful but by resting often your family will be more at peace. Make Wise Travel Plans Traveling during the holiday season is very important for most families as they want to see as much family as possible. This year try to leave plenty of time for driving around and seeing family, don’t try to squeeze it all in one day if you can help it. Also don’t leave loading the car with all the presents and dishes to pass, leave plenty of time to load the car before leaving. Limit Screen Time Screens at night will definitely affect your child's ability to get restful sleep at night. During the holidays it is very important they are getting enough sleep for the long days ahead of them. Limiting screen time doesn’t necessarily make your kids very happy, but they’ll thank you later when they aren’t falling asleep during every car ride. Keep Up With Assignments and Current School Topics Often times during break, your students will begin to forget or lose track of what they’ve been learning in school. Now we aren't saying you should fill their free time with school activities, but a little refresher here and there may be helpful so they aren’t struggling when they get back. Focus on What Matters on Christmas Make sure you remind your students of the real reason for this holiday season. It’s not all about the gifts, food, and seeing family. Christmas is for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and everything he has done for us since then. Keeping your child focused on this will definitely reduce stress and keep the holiday meaningful. In Conclusion The holidays are stressful, but they don’t have to be, especially for your kids. Keep the above points in mind as we quickly approach this holiday season. Foundations Christian School is still accepting students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student please contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  Keeping the kids busy during the preparations around Thanksgiving day can be crucial. For many families, Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays and one of the biggest celebrations of the year.
Below we will talk about ways to get your child involved with the logistics of Thanksgiving and ways to also keep them busy when you don’t want them as involved in the kitchen. Get Cookin’ Get the kids involved with Thanksgiving food prep! Of course, the age of your child varies with this task but they will be beaming with pride on Thanksgiving day when they reveal they had a big part in helping you cook. Kids of all ages can also help set the table for all of the family members soon to arrive at your home. Visit a Parade or Two The days before and the days after Thanksgiving are most likely filled with parades or fun local activities for your kids and family to enjoy like parades. Children of all ages love going to parades, there is definitely always something there for everyone to enjoy looking at. Plus the younger kids would probably love to get a possible glimpse of Santa in your local parades! Get Crafty This option is probably pretty self-explanatory. Get the kiddos involved in some super easy crafts based on Thanksgiving! Not only will this keep them entertained, but it will also help get them in the thankful spirit of Thanksgiving. An added bonus would be a craft that you can use to decorate around your house for the day of Thanksgiving. The kids will be beams of happiness while showing off their artwork to all of their relatives. Volunteer Volunteering is an amazing way to give back to your community while also teaching the kids to be thankful for the things they do have. Do some research and see if your local soup kitchen needs help cooking or serving food to the needy. Or maybe your local salvation army needs some help sorting and donating items they’ve received to local shelters. There are plenty of opportunities to help wherever you may look! Go Shopping Everyone knows that the day after Thanksgiving has become a holiday on its own. Black Friday is widely recognized as the day most people start their Christmas shopping to get the best deals possible. While we don’t recommend dragging the kids out of bed at 4 AM to start shopping, an early start on shopping could be a fun way to kick off the holiday season. In Conclusion Thanksgiving day and the week leading up to it is one of the best and busiest times of the year. We hope these suggestions above help you keep the kids busy while also teaching them to be thankful during this important holiday. Foundations Christian School is still enrolling students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  Developing critical thinking skills for your child is important, especially as they get older and become school ready. In today’s world kids need to be ready to spit more knowledge other than facts and numbers they learned from a textbook.
How can you teach your kids to think critically? Below we will discuss some critical tips and tricks to help you teach your kids the ways of critical thinking. Provide Opportunities to Play Freely Playing with toys such as blocks, or playing pretend games with friends that require your kids to act out roles helps develop important critical thinking skills. The process of thinking up their pretend role in their game with their friend, or building various towers or buildings with blocks helps to strengthen the creative part of their brain. It encourages them to think outside the box without any form of pressure on them. Pause and Wait When asking your kids questions about whatever you need to know, pause and wait for their answer. Let them think through the question thoroughly without adding any pressure. By doing so you are encouraging them to think critically for themselves rather than pressuring them into an answer with the opinions you’ve given them. It’s important your kids learn how to think for themselves while answering questions, they can’t rely on you to answer them all the time. Don’t Intervene If you’ve given your child a task and they seem to be struggling but haven’t asked for help, don’t jump in and try to save the day. Wait and watch as they try to work through their problem, don’t offer your help unless they have specifically asked for it. By doing so you are encouraging them to learn how to work through problems on their own without your guidance. Ask Open-Ended Questions Instead of offering immediate answers to the questions, your children ask you throughout the day, ask them questions to help them think through the answer themselves. Ask them questions like “what do you think?” Or “what ideas do you have?” These open-ended questions will not only encourage critical thinking but this will help them get to the answers on their own. In Conclusion Critical thinking is an important skill for your students to learn. Not only will it help them at school and at home but in the future, it will help them navigate the world around them without you. We hope the above tips help you learn to encourage your children to start developing those important critical thinking skills. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student please contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-6111 or fill out the enrollment form on our website.  As parents, you care deeply about the spiritual growth of your children, at least you should. It can be difficult to tell as your kids get older if the lessons or stories you read from the Bible are really truly resonating or sticking with them.
You will find below a few resources we have gathered for you to help guide you in the ways of teaching your kids the Bible and about Jesus. The Jesus Storybook Bible The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd Jones is by far one of the most helpful tools, which is why we put it first. This book is filled with all of the classic Bible stories you can think of. They all circle back to teaching your children how truly amazing our God is. As you read these stories, your children will learn and grow within their spiritual relationship with Jesus. My Kid’s Prayer Journal - 100 Days of Prayer and Praise When we pray, we oftentimes may find ourselves teaching our kids the classic prayers we’ve heard since we were in Sunday school. It’s important to promote intentional prayer to your children. A prayer journal is a perfect way to do just that. Your kids are more than capable of praying intentionally, and with this book's extra-wide ruled spacing, they will feel encouraged to do so. This book will also be an awesome keepsake for them to look back on in remembrance of their spiritual growth. Shine a Light by Ken Blount Every single day it is important to teach our children that they were put on this earth for a specific and important purpose by God. We are, as children of God the salt of the earth and light of the world. All of the songs on this album are geared toward elementary school-age children. That is such an important age for you as parents to teach them and help them lean into their purpose as children of God. These songs are powerful, and even better they have a high chance of getting stuck in your children's heads as they head out the door for school. In Conclusion It doesn’t have to be challenging to teach your children the importance and purpose of the bible. We hope these resources we listed above will help you as parents strengthen your children's spiritual relationship with Jesus. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website. 10/28/2022 1 Comment 3 Organizational Tips for Busy Moms Moms, you do it all. From getting the kids up and ready for school to preparing three meals a day, you guys are indeed superheroes.
For this week's blog post, we thought we would give all the busy moms out there a few tips on staying organized while managing the craziness throughout the week. Read on below for a few tips and tricks to make the week just a little bit easier! Drop the Mom Guilt! You Are Doing Amazing Every day is a new day and with each new day comes a load of tasks on your to-do list. The first step to getting your list done is to realize that it’s okay to NOT get it all done! That simple self-appointed pressure you place on your shoulders could be the only thing standing between you and the peace you deserve as a hard-working mother. Weigh out the tasks at hand and choose the ones that most need your attention and start there. No need for mom guilt, you are still a superhero in your child's eyes even if the entire list isn’t complete. Plan Ahead Maybe you planned to grocery shop today, but it was a rough morning getting the kids out the door and your youngest won’t stop crying. Cut yourself some slack by planning ahead for days like these. On your next grocery trip maybe buy two of the most essential items around your household like trash bags, tissues, or even toilet paper. By doing so you won’t feel rushed into going to the grocery store and you can allow yourself some time to breathe after a rough start to the day. Schedule A Meeting With Yourself Lastly, we recommend you carve out time for yourself to plan the week ahead of you, at least to the best of your ability. Make a list, but don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to get it all done in the week ahead. Even completing half of the weekly list is a score, and we promise your family won’t love you any less. In Conclusion As moms, you take on a lot while asking for so little. We hope the above list will give you a little encouragement while also giving you the tools to put a little less pressure on yourself. Set aside time for yourself as needed and remember every little thing you do is an accomplishment. Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your kids contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment form on our website. |
Our goal is for this blog to be informative, entertaining and fun for parents and anyone who is interested in learning more about Foundations Christian School. Thanks for reading! Archives
December 2022
CategoriesAll Christian Education Christian School Common Core Field Trips Foundations Fundraiser Horseheads New York New York State Preschool |
Search by typing & pressing enter
RSS Feed
