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Tag: behavior

Making friends is hard: Helping your child socially connect

Making friends is hard: Helping your child socially connect

September 19, 2016 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, Middle Years

When my son was in first grade, he would come home from school and tell me he didn’t play with anyone at recess. “What did you do?” I would ask. “Walk around,” he would reply, very quietly. “By yourself? Did you play with anyone?” “No.” “How was the rest of your day?” “Bad.” He looked […]

Mindfulness: Why it’s becoming more prevalent in schools

Mindfulness: Why it’s becoming more prevalent in schools

September 12, 2016 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Aside from an occasional yoga class, I would have never considered myself the “meditating” type. Type A? Totally. Zen master? Not so much. That was, until I was preparing for the birth of my first child and my doctor suggested mindful meditation as a way to help me be well (see: less of a stressed […]

Schools identify creative ways to address student conflicts

April 17, 2016 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

When my kids come home from school, they often share stories of arguments and conflicts they saw in the hallways that day. These clashes are nothing new, but the ways some schools are addressing them are. According to the National Bullying Prevention Center: One out of every four students (22%) reports being bullied during the […]

Students manage stress best with support from parents, schools

March 17, 2016 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The start of the presentation was less than an hour away, and my son was feeling stressed. He and his team had spent months preparing their STEM project, and competition day had finally arrived. He paced the hallway as he ran through his lines for what seemed like the 1,000th time, stopping every so often […]

Does my child need special education services?

Does my child need special education services?

January 28, 2016 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

When my brother and sister-in-law learned that their daughter, Amelia, could start pre-kindergarten in September, they were elated. She was only 3 at the time, but very bright. I have the personal bias of a loving aunt, but when I was 3, I couldn’t count to 100, write my name, or tell a hexagon from […]

Keep talking about drug use and addiction: You’re never too late for ‘right now’

December 11, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

I’m late. As with most things in my parenting life, I am woefully behind schedule. On November 19, families throughout the country took part in the National Night of Conversation, an event designed to facilitate discussion about drug abuse and addiction. My family, however, was knee-deep in social-studies projects, multiplication tables, and various sports practices. […]

If you’re not in school, you’re not learning

If you’re not in school, you’re not learning

September 18, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My oldest son just started third grade. About once a week, he asks if he can stay home. Sometimes his stomach hurts. Sometimes he’s tired. Other times he says he just needs a break, and he lists the many friends whose parents let them stay home whenever they want, according to my son. I almost […]

Six qualities to set you apart from the crowd

May 14, 2015 | Posted in: High School

We know, graduation is still several weeks away, but we got thinking about tidbits of good advice accumulated through the years that might benefit high school students getting ready to step out into the world. With all the talk about the value of 21st century “soft skills” for college and workplace success, this handful of […]

I’m so mad I could just #$%@#%

I’m so mad I could just #$%@#%

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My son was mad. Steaming mad. Screaming mad. “I hate everything,” he roared. “It’s not fair!” I could feel my own frustration rising. He had a point, but in my opinion he was overreacting. How could this child who was so capable of having rational conversation be suddenly so irrational? We may find it unsettling […]

Focus on learning over results promotes academic integrity

January 12, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

A story about cheating at Dartmouth College provides an opportunity to discuss with school-age children the importance of academic honesty. The Ivy League school in Hanover, N.H., often described as one of the nation’s elite private colleges, has accused 64 students of cheating in a sports ethics class. The students, many of them athletes, allegedly […]