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Archive for November, 2013

The first Thanksgiving: Pass the quahogs, please

November 26, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Last November, some well-meaning soul told my children that the Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving, after being introduced to it by their Native American friends. That’s fascinating trivia to add to the stories and traditions of one of America’s most popular holidays. Unfortunately, like most of the other trappings of the day, it […]

The connection between a good night’s sleep and good grades

November 26, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

We hear it all the time: It’s important to get a good night’s sleep. But how important is it when it comes to getting good grades in school? A study by the University of Minnesota recently surveyed more than 7,000 high school students about their sleep habits and grades. The results? On average, the kids […]

Navigating the college application process

November 26, 2013 | Posted in: High School

Recently, and with the help of a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call, my son and I finalized his college applications. While a pre-dawn send-off is not a filing requirement, we had not been able to convince the Common App’s new and improved (but, sadly, not yet bug-free) online college application filing service to complete the deal […]

Learning to be grateful

November 26, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

It’s probably the second most frequently spoken sentence in conversations with our children, trailing behind “I love you,” of course. “What do you say?” we ask after they tear open birthday gifts, blast through holiday treats and welcome unexpected surprises. As parents, we remind our children that manners matter and courtesy counts. From writing thank-you […]

Getting it ‘just right:’ Teaching children about character

November 13, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

If we heard a story about a young girl walking into our neighbor’s house, helping herself to food, breaking a chair and running off without even so much as a “thank you” or “I’m sorry,” we’d probably wonder what her parents had taught her about respect – not to mention that little issue of felony […]

7 dates in American history every child should know

November 13, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Creating a list of just seven dates in American history every child should know is a bit of a challenge with so many significant ones from which to choose. “Why seven?” asked my 9-year-old son when I explained the piece I was writing. The intent was not to choose the seven most important events, though […]

Why we need to pay attention to our kids’ social media

November 13, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Just when you think you have a handle on all the social media sites your child could possibly frequent, a new one crosses your radar. Take Ask.fm, a social networking website that originated in Latvia and allows users to anonymously ask and answer questions of each other. (It’s similar to the U.S. based Formspring, and […]

Helping kids manage transition stress

November 13, 2013 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

Change can be difficult for any of us. Sometimes it’s sudden and unexpected, such as an unexpected job loss or the death of a loved one. Other times, transitions can be expected, such as children starting school, changing schools or classes as they grow older, and eventually leaving home for a career or college. Every […]