5 Going On 18: Preparing for your child's education

College may seem light years away.  But ask those who have been there.  Before you know it, applications begin, decisions are made, and your little buddy and beautiful little princess are no longer at home.

Why does time pass so quickly?  Well – that is a conversation for another day.  But managing the preparation for the time at which that day finally comes is something that should be considered now.  Waiting too long results in time lost. Not to mention, last minute preparations can often lead to over-looked details, missed deadlines and hasty decisions.

So, how do you start preparing for your child’s education today?  Here are 5 simple steps:

A great resource for detailed information and research on this subject is available through the USAA Educational Foundation.  In addition to healthy habits, they offer many additional suggestions that can assist you in preparing your child for college. Don’t miss out on what they have available.

      

      Prepare financially.  It is never too early to begin saving for college expenses.  A 529 College Savings Plan can be a great way to start, but it’s certainly not the only option.  You can learn more about 529 Savings Plans through the Utah Educational Savings Plan website.

      

      Financial literacy.  The old adage is true: a dollar saved is a dollar earned.  And in all reality, a dollar saved is better than a dollar earned.  What are we doing to actually teach our youngsters about financial literacy?  Start early, whereas the consequences of learning this lesson later in life can be difficult to overcome and detrimental to future financial security. 

              

      Social maturity.  You would think this doesn’t need to be mentioned.  But from working with young adults and high school/college students, I have quickly discovered that the art of communication isn’t as strong as it should be.  Time away from video games, texting, and social media is very important.  Time with family, friends, adults, community service, and healthy recreational activities is vital. 

              

      Academics.  Studying skills should be reinforced in the home.  Critical thinking is crucial in the competitive world we live in.  As children grow and become young adults, they need to create the habit of forming ideas, evaluating information, and being able to make an educated and informed decision.  To help in this process, many students will have the option of taking concurrent (dual) enrollment in high school, or AP exams.  Before jumping into these decisions, call 3-4 universities/colleges and ask the tough questions.  Determine if these options are best suited for your child and their continued education.

          

      Healthy habits. Whether it involves eating, sleeping, exercise, or a variety of other activities, living a healthy lifestyle is beneficial for everyone.  Limiting television, increasing community service, maintaining a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and allowing ourselves to sleep and rest are all good ways to help establish healthy habits.  Unfortunately, this takes years to learn.  The early it is taught and reinforced, the better.

      These 5 simple suggestions are exactly that.  They are simple.  And they are just suggestions.  But they are suggestions that will create an opportunity for success and continued growth.  

      A great resource for detailed information and research on this subject is available through the USAA Educational Foundation.  In addition to healthy habits, they offer many additional suggestions that can assist you in preparing your child for college. Don’t miss out on what they have available.

Written by Craig Whyte

Little Aggies Photo Contest Winners

Congratulations to each of our Little Aggies Photo Contest winners!

1st Place

Kali Winward

Biggest Aggie Fan!

2nd Place

Amanda King

Future Aggies

3rd Place

Jason Wright

Little girls are supposed to wear blue right?

4th Place

Brooke Webber

We love the Aggies!!!

Thank you to all who participated, and to Logan Regional Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, for making the contest possible. We are grateful for your support of Utah State University. Go Aggies!

A Man's view: 5 Ways to make the most of the game, with kids

I vividly remember our first USU basketball game as a family. It was a chilly, snowy day in Logan.  I dropped the family off at the Spectrum and had to drive quite a distance to find a parking place.  I parked the car and nearly floated to the Spectrum in excitement. As I neared the Spectrum the electricity could be felt from the HYPER fields. However, after finding my family the excitement diminished. Three of my four kids looked quite bored. In fact our oldest daughter (six at the time) never even looked at the court the entire game.  She sat sideways and had a blank stare.  I knew then that something must change. To get the kids ready to love USU sports we did the following things:

Tradition: We started in 1888 and highlighted the 1940s when their great grandparents attended USU and cheered for the Aggies, the 1960s when their grandparents attended and cheered for the Aggies, and the 1990s/2000s when their parents cheered on the Aggies. A favorite story we tell the kids is how Amber and I would meet at the Merrill Library and study together. We have a memorial brick from the library that sits on our bookshelf and reminds us of the beginnings of our family.

Pageantry: Taught them "The Scotsman." Need I say more.

Legendary Moments: Shared stories about memorable Aggie sports moments. For example, one of my favorite basketball memories happened on March 4, 2000. I was in the Spectrum with a capacity crowd to witness the Aggies defeat Boise State and go undefeated in league play. A magical moment.

Aggie Blue: For the next Game we all wore Aggie Blue. For Christmas that year we bought all the kids Game Day T-shirts. The kids were delighted to dress up in their T-shirts for the next game. This definitely helped add to their excitement level.

Bribery: On the way up to the next game we got pizza and ate it on the way up. The kids couldn’t eat the pizza until they practiced yelling out cheers. This definitely made an impression. The kids yelled so loud that game they could hardly talk the next day. Our three-year-old screamed “GO AGGIES” so loud she had everyone sitting by us energized.

Taking the family to Aggie sporting events is a great way to bring up the next generation of Aggies and to relive some of the fun moments from our days as students. Go Aggies!

What works for your family?

Post provided by guest writer and USU alumnus, Kade Minchey '01 

7 Activities to keep your kids moving through winter

Cold weather and fewer daylight hours can make it difficult for kids to get the exercise they need during the winter months. In some areas, families also battle polluted air and inversions that create even more challenges with outdoor activities.

As a parent, you understand the health benefits of an active lifestyle for your kids. You’re also keenly aware of the direct correlation between your sanity level and the means by which your children choose to release their bottled-up energy.

So, how can they get the physical activity they need with the limited options of winter? Here are seven ideas to keep them moving during inclement weather.

Dance. Crank up the music and throw yourselves a dance party. Let them show you their newest moves and before you know it, they’ll be wiping sweat off their brows. By the way, they’ll enjoy it a lot more if mom and dad join the party. Not to mention, dancing is a great way for adults to burn calories, too. Who doesn’t want that?

Clean. Why should you have all fun? Get the kids involved in picking up their toys, sweeping the kitchen floor, vacuuming and anything else they can do to help clean up the house. Tip: music also makes cleaning more fun. If they’ve got the skills to dance while they clean, even better.

Aerobics. Dust off that old Sweatin’ to the Oldies VHS and introduce your kids to the magic of Richard Simmons. While some exercises may be too advanced for your little ones, others will be fun for them to try. They’ll be excited to discover they can do the same things mom and dad can do.

Indoor blacktop. Turn your kitchen or front room into a designated play area. Set guidelines to make sure the games are within reason. Tape hopscotch lines to the floor, start a jump rope club or draw a line for Steal the Bacon.

Make a slide. Grab some sleeping bags or blankets and ride them down the stairs. As with any activity, there is potential for injury, so be sure to monitor them. The hike back up the stairs each time will definitely get their hearts pumping.

Build a fort. The beauty of a fort is that it can be made from just about anything. Be creative with this one. If you encourage them to make it big enough, you can join them inside when construction is finished.

Wrestle. Like all the others, this option is up to you. Some parents prefer to keep wrestling out of the house, if allowing it at all. This is also more challenging as your kids get older, bigger and stronger. Especially when they’re stronger than you. I have yet to meet a dad who likes to lose to his son in a friendly wrestling match. However, when they’re still little it is fun to stir up a good match of “Tickle Monster” every once in a while.

These are just a handful of ideas to keep your kids moving this winter when going outdoors may not be a reasonable option. I’m sure many of you use a number of others. We’d love to know what creative ideas you’ve come up with to keep your kids active.

What works for you?

A woman's view: 5 Ways to get the most out of the game, with kids

As my family and I have attended USU events (sporting and otherwise) I have learned through out each event how I can make it better/easier/more enjoyable with and for my kids.  At USU sporting events it is hard to miss families getting along and enjoying themselves.  So, I try to observe for a few moments how these families are “getting along” with their kids at the events.  I try to see what is making it work for them (food, activities, personal attention) so that I can hopefully use it sometime or immediately with our family while we are out.  These are a few things that I have come up with:

Bring plenty of Snacks/Treats with you to the event - Food is always a good way to entertain, distract, and make people happy!  Especially Kiddos!  Easy snacks to bring with you to a game would be: bottled water, little juice packs, fruit snacks, granola bars, dry cereal in a baggie, string cheese, pretzels.  Basically anything that is easy and light for you to tuck in your bag.  Make sure you follow the rule: “pack out what you pack in”.

Make sure you wear your Aggie Gear - Our kids LOVE to have anything “Aggie” to wear at any time of the week.  We especially like to make sure we wear our Aggie gear to the games that we attend.  I love getting ready for a game and our kids are running around the house searching for their shirts and making sure the other sibling has found their own shirt to wear.  Wearing “Aggie Gear” also helps the kids to feel like they are a part of the game and they will want to participate more with cheering and enjoying their time.

Talk to them about the game before hand - USU is a big part of our lifestyle between education, sports, volunteering, and being an Alumni…so it is not unusual for us to have conversations with our kids or at least in ear shot range of our kids about USU and what is going on with it.  Our kids know when/where/what we are doing when we are heading for a game or an event with USU.  They have been prepared for the fun & excitement of the event.  We also place expectations on them….they know that we are all at the game to watch and listen to it.  They know that we are going to try and stay the entire game, and they know that we will cheer and support the USU team playing.

Cheer Loud & Enjoy Game - With all the time that was needed to prepare to get to the game (planning, driving, food, etc)….you need to make sure that when you are there you are enjoying it!  When we are excited about the game/event we are attending our kids are so much more excited about attending it with us.  We also tell our kids that this is a place where they CAN be LOUD!  We are always telling them to talk more softly….NOT AT THE GAMES THOUGH!  We encourage them to be very loud.  It’s fun to hear/see them cheer loudly.

Have a Love for USU - We have found as long as we are excited and have a true love for something…it can become contagious.  Our kids already LOVE USU and they love any event that we participate in with USU.

I hope these suggestions will help you get your kids/family up to a USU sporting event soon!  It is a great way to create “Future Aggies” and family memories.

What works for your family?

Post provided by guest writer and alumna Amber Minchey '01

6 Ways to Ensure Your Kids Become Aggies

It’s one of many parent’s greatest fears – when the time comes for their high-school-aged child to decide where they want to further their education - and they pick a school that is NOT their parents’ alma mater. As if there were any other options.

OK, so maybe it’s not a “greatest” fear of many parents. Or even a fear at all. But when you had memorable experiences and received a valuable education at USU, it’s only natural to want similar experiences and a quality education for your son or daughter.

On top of that, it can be very rewarding to share that Aggie pride with your adult children.

With that in mind, we’ve concocted a list of six ways to ensure your kids follow in your footsteps to becoming loyal Aggies.

Caution: None of these methods have actually been tested and are not based on facts. Results may vary.

Get them involved at a young age.

Take them to USU hosted events as youngsters. Not just athletic events. While the football and basketball teams are fun to watch, there are always other events taking place all around campus – performing arts shows, visual art galleries, speakers, ceremonies, etc. And these events aren’t just limited to the Logan campus. Regional campuses get involved as well. Keep an eye on the university calendar for a detailed list of what is happening in your area.    

Play The Scotsman in their room every night while they sleep.

Start this one from the day they come home from the hospital and before you know it, their first words will be “show me the true-blooded Aggie from Utah…”

Replace their entire wardrobe with Aggie gear.

The Campus Store sells about every article of clothing you can imagine with an Aggie logo on it. Not only would your kids open their dressers and closets every morning and be reminded of how great it will be to become an Aggie one day, but by wearing their Utah State gear, they also display both their Aggie pride and yours as a loyal alum and parent.

Give all your kids names that start with “A”, officially spelled with the Utah State block “A”.     

It may take them a while to write their names, especially when they’re young, but they’ll get the hang of it.

Dress them up as Big Blue every year for Halloween.

Great mascots can be hard to find. If they learn how to break dance and do back flips in their costumes, this could be fantastic training for some future mascot prodigies.  

Feed them nothing but Famous Aggie Ice Cream for the first two years of their lives.

Potential health risks aside, who wouldn’t want to become an Aggie after eating our ice cream?

What other suggestions do you have (serious or not) when it comes to raising devoted little Aggies?

You might be a helicopter parent if...

Have You Been Cleared for Landing?

It goes without saying that every parent wants the very best for their children.  Although we all want to believe we are good parents, sometimes we simply need to look ourselves in the mirror and ask if we are perhaps a little too involved.  When our kids are young, we want to be involved in their lives, help them learn to make decisions, and assist them with life’s obstacles.  But when they become adults are we still there to make their decisions?  Do we still try to protect them from the important lessons to be learned? 

We asked a fellow Aggie and noted Clinical Psychologist and Family Therapist Dr. Bruce Johns (Ph.D. ’85) to help evaluate this problem of Helicopter Parenting – those parents who hover too near their grown children.  This is a Litmus Test, of sorts, for parents to evaluate themselves and their relationships with their grown children.  See how you do.

You might be a helicopter parent if…
    

You ask your college attending son or daughter about his or her homework.
You help write your son’s or daughter’s college papers or complete them for them.
You have ever given negative feedback to one of your children's bosses or college professors.
You have called your son or daughter, who is not living at home, to make sure he or she makes it to work or school on time.
You have attempted to restrict the amount of time your college-aged child plays computer games or hangs out with friends.
You have argued with your college age son or daughter about whom he or she is dating.
You have ever told your son or daughter that his or her apartment or dorm needs to be cleaned up.You have ever joined an argument between your son and daughter and a roommate or friend just to settle things down.
You have ever required that a reluctant college-aged child show you his or her checkbook or credit card statement.
Without first being asked, you have suggested specific clothing for a specific occasion to a college-aged child.
You insist on a curfew for your college-aged child or you remind them what time he or she should get to bed.
Your college-aged child asks you what classes they should register for, what job they should apply for, or whether they should go on a date with a given person.
You find yourself as anxious about your college-aged child's success as you were when they were in middle school or high school.
You feel like your college-aged son's or daughter's success or failure is a reflection on you.
Your college-aged child asks you to bring him or her the homework that was forgotten.

You are likely NOT a helicopter parent if…
You understand and can apply the following saying: "as a building goes up, the scaffolding must come down.
You see yourself as a consultant to your college-aged child rather than a manager.
You listen and empathize with your college-aged child and provide reassurance that you trust him or her to make good decisions.
You are willing to let your college-aged child experience life lessons that may be painful.
You help your son's or daughter's dates feel welcome and accepted, regardless of your personal affinity for them.
You encourage adult children to tackle things they may not be comfortable with.
You understand that your son’s or daughter’s problems do not automatically become yours to problem-solve for them.

Well, how did you do? 

Dr. Johns says, "it's not that parents should not stay involved with their kids as they become adults. Warm, caring parents stay involved. They just don't treat their adult offspring as children. Asking how things are going generally, what their classes are like this semester, who they're dating, why they might be so tired, whether work is going well, or how they're feeling spiritually, is all legitimate. You might ask all of those things of a friend of yours who is in school or who started a new job. The line is crossed when a parent is not willing to let an adult child struggle and work out solutions. An inadvertent message can be sent that this child, who is an adult in all other ways, is too immature or incapable to survive without parental assistance."

I am pretty confident in saying that we all probably found something to work on in our parental role.  It certainly takes work to be an effective parent, and it is never too late to begin afresh if needed.  It has been said that our children are the best expressions of ourselves, and with guidance and advice from caring parents they can become the adults we wish them to be.   

Written by Scott Olson