Imagine that it's a Tuesday morning, and your kids are up much earlier than normal. Why? Well, it's because they heard a rumor that school would be cancelled today because of a pending snow storm, of course! 

Normally you can't get them up without fifteen shouts of "Your ride is going to leave without you!" but today, they're up at the crack of dawn, peering out the windows of your home, and frantically trying to find a radio station that will tell them whether or not school has been cancelled. 

You, of course, get school cancellation updates sent to your phone automatically, so you knew there wouldn't be school today at around 5:00 this morning. Your hopes of enjoying a nice, quiet morning at home were quickly dashed to dust when their bedroom doors opened, and you heard those little feet running through your living room. 

Ah, snow days. Some parents love them, and some parents despise them. For many, it means staying home in their pajamas for a while instead of going out and braving the snow to get their kiddos to school on time. For others, it means trying to find ways to keep them occupied during the day while you still manage to get some work done around the house. 

Snow days don't have to be something you dread. Here are a few ways that you can enjoy snow days with your kids, even if your primary goal is to (somehow) manage to keep your house clean while you do it. 

Arts & Crafts

These are the days when it helps to have an arts and crafts box nearby that you can run to for ideas. If your snow day happens during the Christmas season, why not create homemade Christmas cards for the people your kids love? If they're really creative, they could even create them for their classmates. Even if you don't have an arts and crafts box at your house, you can create something with some crayons, markers and a few sheets of computer printer paper. Wouldn't Dad love to see a huge mural hanging on the wall of your living room when he comes home from work? Try to think outside the box, and when they doesn't work, Google can offer you plenty of suggestions.

Movies, Blankets & Cocoa

When it's cold outside, nothing feels better than snuggling under a blanket with a warm cup of hot cocoa while you watch a movie. You may have a hard time getting your kids to settle down in the morning, so plan this activity for after lunch. That way, tummies are nice and full, and everyone will be feeling a bit more calm. Let your kids pick which movie you watch, and let them know that this is their quiet time of the day. If you're lucky, you might look over and see them fast asleep, which is a perfect opportunity for you to catch a quick nap, too. 

Playing In The Snow

I think kids spend way too much time inside, if you want to know the truth. More kids should be outside, running around, and active. If you're having a blizzard and it's 20 degrees below zero, you obviously won't want to send your kids outside, but usually by the afternoon things have warmed up a little bit. Your kids might be excited at the thought that it's time to build a snowman. Bundle them up nice and warm (snow pants, coat, gloves, hat, etc.) and send them on their merry way. You may even want to join them, just to make sure they get Frosty's head on straight. 

With a little creativity, you can easily turn a dreaded snow day into a day full of fun for your kids. Remember, they're only going to be this little for so long, and then snow days won't mean anything to them anymore. Enjoy your kids now, while the wonder and amazement is still in their eyes. You'll be so glad you did!

If you'd like more information about Foundations Christian School, be sure to contact us today!

Here at Foundations Christian School in Horseheads, NY, we're eager to hear from you on this subject. 

Do your kids watch television or play video games on school nights?
According to an article on NBCnews.com, kids who watch television or play video games during the week statistically do worse in school than kids who don't. 

The study, which was based on the children's own assessment of how they were doing in school, indicated that weekend TV viewing or video game playing didn't affect their school performance quite so much, as long as they did it for less than four hours each day. 

Another study was quoted in the article that indicated that kids who have televisions in their bedrooms scored, on the average, about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than kids who don't have TVs in their rooms. 

Being a parent is hard. Sometimes it's so much easier to turn on the television and let it be "in charge" for a little while. That way we can get dinner made, or have a few minutes to ourselves. However, there are so many other activities kids can engage in during the week. Activities that will complement the learning they do in school all day long. 

• Reading books
  
• Playing outside
  
• Playing a board game
  
• Coloring pictures
  
• Playing with their toys
  

Any one of these is good. They also stimulate kids' imaginations, which is something that's becoming lost in a country that depends on the television or video games as its primary forms of entertainment.

If you'd like more information about Foundations Christian School, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us!

Now it's your turn. Do you allow your kids to watch television or play video games during the week? If so, how many hours do you think they do these activities each day?

We're so excited that we're finally into the Christmas season, here at Foundations Christian School in Horseheads, NY. 

All of our students have been working really hard on their Christmas play, which will be taking place this coming Sunday, December 8, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 

It's taken months of preparation, but our kids have worked really hard, and we're so excited for you to come and see them perform. The play is called A Foundations Christmas Comedy Of Errors. Not sure what that means? Well, let's just say that you've never seen a Christmas program like it, and you probably never will again!

As we move into the Christmas season, we feel that it's important to give thanks because we have a school that allows our kids to celebrate Christmas the way it should be celebrated. In public schools, they're not allowed to talk about Christmas. Instead, they focus on celebrating the "holidays" so that no one gets offended by any discussions about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We're so fortunate that we have the opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus, right here in school. 

This year, as we all prepare for Christmas, we'd like to encourage you to keep discussions about Jesus' birth at the forefront of your mind. It's so easy for kids to commercialize Christmas, and all of the ads they see on television about the newest and latest gadgets don't help much. Remember to emphasize the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Hey, sometimes we parents need a reminder too!

Here at Foundations Christian School, we'd like to wish you all a blessed Christmas. Remember, if you're still thinking about enrolling your kids in Foundations Christian School, we'd love to talk to you. We understand you probably have a lot of questions, and we're eager to provide you with answers. Contact us for more information!

Merry Christmas!