College students from around the country are getting ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to dorm rooms, classrooms, football games, parties and college life in general. One of my all time favorite places to find organizers and gadgets to make my own house more fun and functional, Organize.com, is sponsoring a Dream Dorm Sweepstakes, $2,500 in Prizes!.

The giveaway entry is super easy and you could win one of the following prizes:

• One Grand Prize Winner will get a $1,000 Organize.com e-gift certificate (retail value),
• One First Place Winner will get a $500 Organize.com e-gift certificate (retail value),
• Two Second Place Winners will get a $250 Organize.com e-gift certificate (retail value),
• Five Third Place Winners will get a $100 Organize.com e-gift certificate (retail value).

Organize.com has such a great variety of organizers for back to school whether you are a teacher, grade school student or college student!

Now, I am clearly a visual learner – let me see those words on paper and I will remember them. No studying here.  I also learn well when I have to just do it – get physically involved in the process. My auditory learning ability is void and null!!!  Tell me directions, I will forget. Make me listen to a lecture, I will fall asleep. Guaranteed.

I have three kids and it is amazing. They all have different learning styles. Child #1 is a carbon copy of me in many ways, and his learning style is an exact match.  He can not just sit there quietly and listen – he will fall asleep – this has been tested.  Get him involved and bang, it all comes together. He also is a voracious reader, and since he sees it all – it sticks – all of it!

Child #2 is a pretty well balanced learner. She is a strong combination of an auditory learner and a kinesthetic learner. Visual learning is not really her thing, but with repetition, she usually gets it. She is a persistent learner – it may take a few tries, but she is not rattled by that and keeps trying until she gets it.

Child #3 is an auditory learner if I have ever met one. Have you ever met someone that can watch a movie once and then can repeat full chunks of the dialog right back to you? This one could do it at age 4 – to a level that just blew mind. She learns songs instantly, taught herself Spanish in preschool by listening to Dora the Explorer and quizzing her siblings, and repeats books back to me all the time. In class she takes every last word in – and can repeat it all back to you.

Take this challenge. Observe your child and see if you can determine his/her learning style. Then, next time you go in for a teacher conference, ask the teacher if he/she has an opinion on your child’s learning style. Maybe, just identifying your child’s style to the teacher may inspire the teacher to be more creative or aware when dealing with your child. Remember, you are your child’s greatest advocate.

What do you think? What is your learning style? Let’s discuss – leave me a comment.

Photo: stock.xchng

1. Get plenty of sleep and have a consistent bedtime.

2. Breakfast is an important meal – don’t skip it! Eat a healthy breakfast every morning.

3. Pack a healthy lunch and limit junk food.

4. Arrive to school on time every day. When you are late you miss important instructions for the day.

5. Set a regular, scheduled homework time. This should be a place that is free of distractions so you can concentrate on your work. As soon as you are done with your homework, put it in your bookbag so you won’t lose it or forget it. I like having a homework area with extra supplies in it too.

6. Don’t be a couch potato! Limit TV and video game time. Spend your free time playing outside or being creative inside.

7. When you don’t understand something – ask for help. This is such an important skill to give children.

8. Always try your best and keep a positive attitude.

Here’s to another fabulous school year!!

So far, Kir DeVries has the best kids bento selection, but I have also found a few on Amazon, like these:

5″ long x 1″ deep x 2.75″ wide Hello Kitty lunch box

Snoopy 2-Tier Bento Box

Vivo Kids Bento Box, Orange and Pink

Kotobuki 2-Tiered Bento Box, Panda Face

So what do you pack in a bento lunch for kids? Easy to eat finger foods like mini-sandwiches, pre-cooked pasta, veggies, fruit, and other treats work really well. If you are looking for some inspiration, check out these resources:

• 21 Healthy Lunchbox and Snack Ideas
• Search Flickr for a TON of photos of kids bento box lunches
• O’bento Lunch 4 Kidz has the most beautiful pictures and creative ideas
• Laptop Lunches has ideas, recipes and an online store
• 501 Bento Lunches: 501 Unique Recipes for Brilliant Bento
• Hawaii’s Bento Box Cookbook: Fun Lunches for Kids
• My Lunch Box: 50 Recipes for Kids to Take to School!

And I just found even more great eco-friendly, money saving, kid-friendly lunch containers and bento boxes (click on images for more information and where to buy):

Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Pretty Alice Shinzi Katoh Monkey Bento Box ~ Single Deck Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Cute Red Hood Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ Cute Red Hood Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Mayo Apple Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Furikake Containers Set Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Apple Cups Shinzi Katoh Bento Box Accessories Ringo Soy Sauce Container Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ Cheri Shinzi Katoh Bento Box ~ 2 Deck Cheri Shinzi Katoh Slim Bento Box ~ Cute Red Hood Shinzi Katoh Perch Bento Box Shinzi Katoh Double Deck Bento Box ~ Hungry Bee Shinzi Katoh Slim Bento Box ~ Pretty Alice Ariel Food Container DISNEY PRINCESS EZ-Freeze Food Container Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Food Storage Container SPIDERMAN EZ-Freeze Food Container Maximum Drift Lightning McQueen Food Container Butterflies Disney Princess Food Container Sanrio Hello Kitty Face Shaped Bento Box Sanrio Hello Kitty Character Bento Create Kit Airtight Food Storage Container Set – 6 Piece Lock & Lock Lunch Set Laptop Lunch Bento Buddy 2.0 – Berry Laptop Lunch Bento Buddy 2.0 – Lime Laptop Lunch Original Bento Sleeve With Ice Pack Laptop Lunch Bento Set 2.0 – Purple Party Obentec Laptop Lunches Pink & Magenta Colored Bento Lunch Box Set Obentec Alien Bento System 2.0 Insulated Laptop Lunch Box System Obentec Laptop Lunches Whimsical Colored Bento Lunch Box Set Kids Lunchboxes: Kids Lunchboxes with Plastic Food Containers – Deluxe Lunchbox (Orange) Obentec Flower Fun Bento System 2.0 Insulated Laptop Lunch Box System Bento Box 2 Deck Red/Black Cherry Blossom Bento Box 2 Deck Red Floral Shinzi Katoh Single Deck Bento Box ~ Pretty Alice Kotobuki 2 Tier Bento Box ~ Happy Panda Kotobuki 2 Deck Frog Bento Box Insta-Totes Reusable Rainbow Dot Lunch Tote Insta-Totes Reusable Friends Go Shopping Lunch Tote Insta-Totes Reusable All Over Monkey Lunch Tote Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Blue Rhapsody) – Bags and Luggage Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Night & Day) – Bags and Luggage Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Make Me Blush) – Bags and Luggage Vera Bradley – Let’s Do Lunch (Purple Punch) – Bags and Luggage