main content starts here

Archive for June, 2012

Curbing uncivil behavior this summer’s hot topic

June 29, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

When we talk about bullying in schools, we tend to think of students harassing other students. By now, you’ve likely seen – or at least heard about – the video in which a group of middle school students relentlessly badger 68-year-old Karen Klein, a school bus monitor in western New York. Their vicious jeers still […]

Vampires not the only ones who should avoid the sun

June 29, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

One out of three teenagers say they tan because it looks healthy, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, less than one-third of American youths practice effective sun protection. Exposure to the sun is dangerous behavior. New research shows that even a mild to moderate increase in sun exposure over an extended period, with […]

Free (or sort of) for all

June 29, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Spending time with our children during the summer is a rewarding experience. Spending time together doing something free – or close to it – adds a whole new level of enjoyment. Here are several suggestions for free or inexpensive activities we discovered throughout the Capital Region. Most of them are available wherever you live. Whatever […]

Gather ‘round the campfire — safely

June 29, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Pitch a tent, stoke a fire, and ditch the electronics. Camping as a family is a great way to disconnect with the world and reconnect as a family. Of course, with all that wilderness out there to be discovered, it’s important to heed some camping precautions, particularly related to food, fire and wildlife. On the […]

The day we didn’t play catch

June 13, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

It’s too easy, unfortunately, for fathers to brush off this simple request; “Dad, how about a game of catch?” We’re all busy, aren’t we? And it’s too cold, too hot, too sunny, getting dark, something. It’s too easy to say no to our children’s simple request for some of our time. But passing up that […]

5 things I wish I knew before graduating from high school

June 13, 2012 | Posted in: High School

Summer is a perfect time for teenagers to hone important life skills that will serve them well beyond high school. This week, Capital Region BOCES Communications summer intern Ean Dunn shares the first of an occasional contribution with insights from experience he’s gained as a college student. As a current college student, there are many […]

Your brain is not fully developed yet! What kind of excuse is that?

June 13, 2012 | Posted in: Middle Years

School’s almost out, and many of us are facing the annual summer dilemma of what to with do with our middle schoolers. They’re too old for most summer recreation programs, too young to get a job, and exactly the right age for them to think we should just leave them home alone. Studies on the […]

Summer stories for young readers

June 13, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

I asked my elementary-aged children if they remembered the books we used to read together before they learned to read on their own. That launched a fun conversation recalling characters and stories from their favorite books. We made a list of 10 favorites for moms and dads who may have first time readers of their […]

‘Rite of passage’ is wrong way to think about drinking

June 1, 2012 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

Some see it as a rite of passage. Others say it’s simply teens being teens. We’re talking, of course, about drinking alcohol. It’s a celebration-filled time of year that seems ripe for teen alcohol abuse – proms, graduations, pool parties, bonfires. The reality is that it’s illegal – both for the underage child and for […]

Parents really do make cents

June 1, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Whether we’re “spenders” or “savers” may be determined to a great extent by our temperament. But researchers are finding that parents have a greater influence on their children’s financial habits than we may have thought. In a recent interview with NPR, Joyce Serido, a researcher at the University of Arizona, Tucson, said her team has […]