Here is a pasta recipe I tried today, I didn’t know how it was going to turn out but I tasted it and it was delicious! That is why I decided to share it with you. The recipe contains large pasta shells with red and cream sauce and cheese.

Ingredients:

For the red and cream sauce:

- a clove of garlic

- 1 small onion

- a can of mushroom

- 3 chopped tomatoes

- basil and pepper

- pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar

Get a pan and put some olive oil, then throw in the garlic and onion. Heat a bit then throw in the tomatoes and mushroom and wait for 10 minutes. Put some basil, pepper, salt , and sugar and stir. After 2 minutes put  2 small packets of  light cream to get the pink color. Stir a bit and then turn of the heat.

While you were making the sauce the pasta would be in a large pan and boiled in the water. When the pasta is done rinse them and put them in a Purex  pan. Add the sauce and mix them well so that all the pasta shells get the sauce.

Add mozzarella cheese on top and then insert it into the stove.

Put it for 10 minutes. Then heat it from top to let the cheese have a brownish color. 

As you can tell it was very yummy!  

How to survive a family road trip:

Many parents avoid planning a family road trip because they don’t want to hear their kids whine all the time and repeating this specific  question, “ Are we there yet?” Kids are kids and eventually they get bored, especially if it’s a road trip because they are stuck in the car with no movement. So how can you keep them occupied all the time. This is what I would do:

1. Plan and prepare: Make sure you prepare everything for your road trip the night before. Make a list so you won’t forget.

2. During the journey: Make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks for the kids. Try to avoid chocolate if it is a hot day.

3. If it is a very long drive you can make stops every hour. Always discuss the areas you’re visiting with your kids. Explore the areas.

4. My favorite road trip game is: I spy. We had a 7 hour drive once it was from Sydney to Canberra in Australia and we survived it by playing this game. So all you have to do is: I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter ____, and everyone in the car has to guess the answer. It’s fun!

5. "Let your children research and plan all the activities. Encourage them to create an agenda that includes a theme and soundtrack for the day,

Consider packing a bag for each child where you can hide his surprise toys among his own toys from home, snacks, crayons, coloring books, etc.," she says. "They’ll each have their very own goody bag with their own toys and treats, which will hopefully prevent fights and provide hours of fun."

 Many parents come to me and tell me, “Miss Farah! What am I going to do with my child during summer break nothing seems to be enough for them and I really don’t have the energy! I want my child to continue studying and practicing but they are always planning an escape to play a video game or play with some friends

Well, I posted about this subject before and I am going to discuss it even more.

I would say how about putting a schedule. When your child knows there is a time schedule he has to follow and of course there are consequences everything will be organized. A daily schedule benefits kids by providing the structured environment that is critical to elementary children’s sense of security and mastery.

Step 1: Do a simple, but consistent time study. The easiest way to do this is to print a daily calendar. Get a poster board and a marker, and write it down for all to see. Post it in the kitchen, and tell the kids that you will now be following it.  Analyze your day and make it suitable for the whole family. Start planning!

Step 2:  Put a time for everything. For example:

from 10 am to 10:30 am: Reading time

From !0:30 am to 11:00 am: Practice math ( you can get your child summer books or books from the bookshop)

(The picture above is a sample of a schedule that you can do don’t stop at 11:00 am continue the schedule until bedtime….again it is just a sample)

Continue the daily schedule to what is suitable for your family. You can add: visit friends, go to the beach, arts and crafts, watch TV, video games, play some sports, etc….

- Focus on a balance of activity and rest for your family. Take an honest look at both parents’ and children’s needs.

-Check the schedule often, and let it guide your days for at least one week. Instruct the children to check the schedule and follow it. If you must remind them, do so; but, your goal is for the children to learn to take responsibility for their part of the schedule.

- After the first week, take a look at what is working and how the schedule need changing. Make changes in the schedule, and write it on a new poster. Continue to follow your daily family schedule until it is second nature. In a few weeks, you’ll marvel at how this simple tool has changed your family life for the better.

I always like to have a nice ambiance in the classroom with a refreshing scent. So I used to spray  scents from the can which I discovered is not very healthy. So I researched and came into conclusion that lavender oil is the best especially that it is not being sprayed and contains no chemicals. All you have to do is get a tissue put some of the lavender oil on the tissue and put it on a place that is not made of wood because the tissue will stick to it.

Lavender oil is very calming. It helps people who have insomnia. Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves. Therefore, it helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity.

My students used to love lavender oil and tell me “Miss Farah! What a refreshing smell!” Indeed…. people that used walk by our class used to smell it and have a peak into our classroom to see where this smell is coming from.

I used to put oil once a day because it lasts the whole day. My students were able to concentrate more and focus on their work.

Moms you can put lavender oil for your kids too to help them concentrate more on their studies or even help them sleep. So I guess I convinced you now… right?

This letter is from my precious student Olivia! Olivia I love you too and I am going to miss you more. I have eyes that sparkle in the night? That is such a cute compliment! Thank you dear….Have a lovely summer vacation

One of the stress relief exercises we used to do was Laughter Yoga.

Laughter yoga was founded by  Dr. Madan Kataria in March 1995. He started it with a small group and with time expanded. He called it the happy chemistry. I was watching a video once about laughter yoga and decided to apply it in class in our free time. I did! It was amazing and so much fun. My students understand that laughter is the best medicine. They even ask me to do this exercise for them often because they enjoy it. Teachers this is a stress reliever for you too. Don’t forget that humor is good for your health.

There are five benefits of laughter yoga:

1. It brings good Mood and More Laughter

2. It is a healthy Exercise to Beat Stress

3. It has many health Benefits

4.it improves your  quality of Life

5. It brings positive Attitude in Challenging Times

Here is a video to see the techniques of laughter yoga and maybe you can apply it in your classroom.

(I hide students’ faces for security reasons)

Meditation! What a great way to start the day!Every morning my students arrive say Good morning and get ready for our morning routine.  We start by doing some breathing and stretching exercises, then we sit down on the rug with our legs crossed and close our eyes. On the first day we tried it they started laughing. Now when we meditate i don’t hear a word or a giggle they are so focused!

I tell them to close their eyes and think of nothing. Breathe… focus on your breathing…imagine the air going down the tube to your lungs…so here they are focusing on one thing. Put soft music I usually put my famous “Silence of peace” music by John levin you can order it from amazon. com.We all look forward to our morning routine we have a long day and we need a refreshing a relaxing start instead of a cranky one.

At home try it with your child light candles dim the lights and put soft music.

Meditation has so many benefits:

- It lowers oxygen consumption.

- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate

- Leads to a deeper level of relaxation.

- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate

- Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headache

- Builds self confidence

- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies , arthritis etc

- Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of ‘natural-killer cells’, which kill bacteria and cancer cells.

- Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress.

For mothers to be:

Meditation puts mothers in tune with their babies. After birth, daily meditation becomes a precious time to refocus and make sense of the many new thoughts and feelings which can be running through your mind, brought about by the events of childbirth and new motherhood.

If you do not know how to meditate then take classes or go to you tube and research on steps of meditation.

I’ve posted about “Silence of Peace” by John Levine before, but I would like to refresh your memory. If this strategy didn’t work I wouldn’t have talked a lot about it. I used this CD a lot especially in the morning during our meditation, testing, and activities. This music is made to calm you and your students down.

So how does it work?

We have waves in our brains. This CD is composed to work on the Alpha waves of our brains which is the creative part of the brain.  It works most when your brain is relaxed. Children tend to have higher levels of alpha brain waves which is why it is considered to be very effective. Increasing them can feel awesome!

Reported Listener Benefits

•Reduces stress and anxiety

•Settles down hyperactive behavior.

•Background for meditation, physical therapies or gentle exercise

• Ideal for children with autism and people with dyslexia

great study aid for students, improves focus and recall.

You can order this CD by clicking on this link:

http://www.silenceofmusic.com/shop/peace.html

Or contact me on contact@missfarah.com and I’ll arrange it to give you a copy Believe me it’s worth it!

Hey Sarah! Thank you for your lovely letter. You are an angel as well and a funny one too! You really made us laugh throughout this year. After all laughter is the best medicine right? I will miss you dearly and have a great summer!

Gem that is such an amazing letter! You are such a sweetheart!  I love you too and were such a great and bright student in our class. You are talented and loved by all…. Thank you for your wonderful words….Have a spectacular summer!