I bought my preschooler a few simple decks of flashcards I found at the local dollar store for Christmas. One set is a matching game that splits a picture into two halves, another shows shapes and colors and the last has numbers and colors. They're all pretty straightforward and easy for my son to understand. The … [Read more...]
Candy Math: Practice Math With Leftover Halloween Candy
November 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
It's been over a week since Halloween, so the "good candy" is probably scarce. Your kids' loot is most likely comprised of Smarties and other little fruity candy discs that don't involve chocolate in any sort of way. The kids still like them, but they disappear much more slowly than the other, more coveted, … [Read more...]
How to Get the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 4, 2011 By 1 Comment
It's parent-teacher conference time; are you prepared? These conferences aren't just meetings for your children's teachers to share progress, praises and concerns with you, they're also opportunities for you to discuss concerns, ideas and questions you may have, as well. Before heading into the meeting, … [Read more...]
Parent’s Perspective: A Personal Look at Special Education
October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
After working with one of the local elementary schools for the past few months, today my middle child started his first day of preschool. While he was eligible to begin in 2010, we didn't feel that he was quite ready for the leap into academics. Since he's always been the quiet, more laid-back fella … [Read more...]
College Tuition: When Should You Start Saving?
October 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
My children are still very young, some not even in school yet, but I've been thinking about college lately. No, not about my kids heading away from the nest, but a more concrete worry: paying for it. I have three boys, all close together in age. When the time comes, I'll have three children going … [Read more...]
How to Help Kids with Homework without Doing It for Them
September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
All parents want their children to do their best in school. Part of that is being involved in their schoolwork. Sitting down with your children and helping them understand the instructions, working through hard math problems and looking over their finished homework is all part of a mom's job description. … [Read more...]
School: Can Bad Teachers Actually Be Good for Our Kids?
August 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
One of the hardest things a parent has to do is give his children up for six hours a day for the sake of their education. I can clearly remember being in school, and all the different teachers whom I loved and hated throughout the years. My eldest begins his first day of kindergarten, and I can only … [Read more...]
Cultural Fun: Exposing Children to Different Languages
August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When I was growing up, I was always curious about different languages. My dad was fluent in Spanish, and we had family friends who communicated through sign language. Listening and watching my dad and our friends talk was always interesting to me, so I like to expose my children to different programs, … [Read more...]
What’s Snail Mail? Finding a Pen Pal for Kids
June 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Do you remember how awesome it felt when, amidst all your parents' boring bills and junk mail, a card or letter would show up for you? It was like Christmas in your mailbox. Nowadays, with modern conveniences like email and text messaging, the way that people communicate has totally changed. Kids rarely … [Read more...]
Prepare for Preschool: Practice Basic Skills Over the Summer
June 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Is your child starting preschool in the fall? Are you a little nervous that she won't be ready? It's completely normal to have concerns, even when your little guy or gal has always hit development milestones at a regular pace. We're parents. We worry. It's part of the job description. Still, if you'd … [Read more...]
