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Tag: parenting

Staying connected to your child’s classroom

October 15, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

You’ve visited your child’s classroom for back-to-school night, met his/her teacher and scheduled your parent-teacher conference. Now what? Staying connected during the school year is an important step in your child’s education. More than 500 studies have shown the positive benefits that result when parents get involved in their children’s education, including improved grades and […]

How to raise an eager reader

October 1, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

If you love to read, it’s likely you hope that passion will be passed on to your children. You can play an important part in creating an eager reader before they ever step into a school classroom. More than just an enjoyable hobby, reading is the key to success in school and life. It is […]

Can we talk?

September 15, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The conversation went about as expected. “How was your first day?” I asked my son, a 5th grader. “Good,” he said, in a monotone. “How was your new teacher?” I asked, adding enthusiasm to my voice. “Good,” he replied, in the same monotone voice. I asked him to use more than one word to tell […]

Routine gives preschoolers structure, security

September 15, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners

Preschoolers crave structure and routine – whether they know it or not. An ordered life provides a sense of security and helps teach about boundaries, expectations and how to follow a routine. Why are routines important? Routines can help children learn healthy habits, such as brushing their teeth, washing their hands after going to the […]

In busy-ness of back-to-school, don’t let family time fall through the cracks

August 22, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

A new school year means readjusting to a schedule that frequently includes lots of extracurricular activity, in addition to homework and responsibilities at home. While we want our children to be active, their happiness relies on another key ingredient: family time. Experts point to a number of reasons why family time is important. When parents […]

Taking little steps toward independence

June 25, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

“Mom, you don’t have to sing tonight,” said my boy as I settled in beside him. “Oh, OK,” I replied hesitantly. Our nightly routine had given us time to connect at the end of a busy day, and I liked that. “Do you just want to get to sleep tonight?” “I mean, like, ever again,” […]

This was supposed to be a Father’s Day column

June 25, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

If you are one of those people – like me, I confess – who live by the motto, “Tomorrow’s another day,” this column is for you. Growing up, I was told that putting things off was simply laziness. As I grew older and became enmeshed in the work-a-day world, putting things off, or procrastination, was […]

My garden as my teacher

June 10, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The seed starter kit at the everything-under-$5 store caught my son’s eye. “Mom, we could grow watermelons,” he said excitedly as he grabbed a kit from the shelf. I thought about the sandy soil around our house. “Maybe tomatoes,” I said. We had some success last year with grape tomatoes planted in containers on the […]

‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams’*

May 23, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My son’s first career choice is professional musician. If that doesn’t pan out, he’s eyeing a professional football career. He also plans to play college basketball, and he has determined that his dad and I can watch his games on television when we can’t make it in person. He is 9 years old, a fourth […]

A lesson in civic engagement

May 19, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Voters across the state will journey to the polls Tuesday, May 20, to decide on school budgets, capital projects and Board of Education candidates, among other propositions on local ballots. It’s an ideal opportunity to teach our children the importance of community and the value of participating in our democracy. Understanding civic engagement – the […]