Parenting
lifestyle
CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRESCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD by MICHAEL STAINSBURY, Rushmore House Preschool
Choosing the right preschool for your child is one of the big decision parents make. Not only is it important for the happiness and development of your child, it is also a significant financial commitment. To help, the Government provides four schemes: two-year old funding, 15 hour funding, 30 hour funding and tax-free childcare. Two-year old funding is offered to families claiming benefits. It gives you 15 hours of preschool sessions for 38 weeks each school year. You have to apply in the term when your child has their second birthday and funded sessions will start the following term. There is an eligibility checker on the Bromley Council website. All children receive 15 hours of funded sessions for 38 weeks a year from the term after they are three years old. This is a universal benefit which every child receives. You need to provide the preschool with your child’s birth certificate and sign a Parents Funding Contract with Bromley Council. Families where both parents work may be able to claim 30 hours funding. This is an additional 15 hours on top of the 15 hours funding. This funding can affect other benefits, so you need to check it is worthwhile to apply using a calculator on the Government website.
Families where at least one parent is working and paying tax may benefit from tax-free childcare. With this scheme you have a special account where for every £8 you put in, the Government adds £2 which is paid directly to your preschool. You are allowed to save £500 every three months with a maximum of £2,000 per year, per child. You can spend this money in any approved provider including After School and Holiday Clubs. Tax-free childcare continues until your child is 11 years old.
Tips for parents: • •
Check the Bromley Council and Government websites as these are the best sources to check eligibility and information. Your child’s birth certificate is needed to apply for 15 hours funding. Make a scan or photocopy so you can find it quickly.
For more information visit www.rushmorehouse.co.uk/ tax-free-childcare-and-funding
Did you know… In a study linking exams and financial success, teens who improve their GCSEs by just one grade could earn over £200,000 extra in their lifetime. MyTutor
3 TIPS ON HOW TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR TEEN
1. Conversation: Conversation is key to a good relationship, to understanding the world around you and how you fit into it, and to the exploration of new thoughts and ideas. The more you interact in a positive manner with your teen, the more understood they will feel. The more they feel like you get them, the more they will trust you to have their back. The more they trust you, the more they’ll open up to you, even when the conversation is difficult. 2. Where to begin: Sometimes the best way to engage your teen in conversation is to use an outside source
lifeinmagazines.co.uk
to generate a topic. Choose an article, a song or even a comic strip to share with them. After you share your tidbit, engage in a short, five-minute conversation on how they, their best friend, and maybe other friends or family would react to that. Listen without judgement. Their ideas and opinions are theirs, and they are entitled to them. The proper response from you is, “That’s interesting!” Lastly, give them a hug, tell them how much you enjoy the person they’re becoming, and sail out of the room, leaving them in the warm, fuzzy wake of a positive interaction. 3. Position Your Conversation: Set the stage to invite conversation. Go for a stroll together and see where the conversation leads you, do a chore together, or even have them pick a recipe for you to experiment on together. When your activity ends, tell them how much you enjoyed their company and thank them for spending it with you especially when they have so much on their mind. Deborah Ann Davis – author & parenting skills coach
April 2022 Life in... BROMLEY 37
