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4 apps to help your child learn a new language

4 apps to help your child learn a new language

January 31, 2018 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, Middle Years

When my mother was a little girl, she lived a poor, challenging life in Puerto Rico. But when she turned 7, my grandmother – who I call Ita – packed up their few belongings, and moved my mother and her sister to New York. They had no money and they didn’t speak English. Children of […]

How introducing your kids to art can ignite a passion for learning

How introducing your kids to art can ignite a passion for learning

January 30, 2018 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

When young children swipe their paintbrush up and down a blank piece of paper or canvas, scribble with crayons or markers, and cut and paste with scissors and glue, they are doing much more than creating their next masterpiece. Their brains are growing and their senses are sending messages to the brain about how things […]

How to talk to your kids about bullying – when they’re the bully

How to talk to your kids about bullying – when they’re the bully

January 12, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

It’s hard to forget Keaton Jones – the middle-schooler who tearfully recounted his experience with bullies in a video that went viral on social media. That’s probably because nearly everyone can relate in some way, whether it be a time you were bullied personally, or a time when you wiped away your own child’s tears […]

The wild that was parenting in 2017 – and what lies ahead

The wild that was parenting in 2017 – and what lies ahead

If the year 2017 was an actual person, I envision he or she would have a fidget spinner in one hand, a smart phone in another while driving a car with his or her knees. It was a wild year for parents and at times even a little scary. But there were also some lighthearted […]

Keep your child’s brain engaged during school breaks

Keep your child’s brain engaged during school breaks

December 22, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

During the recent Thanksgiving holiday break from school, my two sons and I decided to do a game night and dusted off Monopoly. I realized shortly after we started to play that Monopoly is a goldmine for practicing math and reading skills. Adding the dice to figure out how many spaces to move, counting out […]

Charitable giving that goes beyond the swipe of a phone

Charitable giving that goes beyond the swipe of a phone

December 18, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

One day last spring, as I picked my daughter up after school, she rushed to the car in breathless distress. Swinging open a rear door in a flurry of backpack straps, folders and loose homework, she pushed a slip of paper into my hands. “We have to help the animals!” I remember looking around, expecting […]

How your child can make the most of college visits

How your child can make the most of college visits

December 11, 2017 | Posted in: High School

Senior year of high school can feel like a whirlwind. For me, it was about eight years ago now, and I still remember the feelings well. Friends start to get their college acceptance letters and make other post-graduation plans. Deadlines for final essays and projects are approaching way too quickly. Emotions roller-coaster from excitement for […]

Ideas for stronger dinner conversations with your kids

Ideas for stronger dinner conversations with your kids

December 6, 2017 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

You just worked a full day, rushed home to make dinner, sit down to eat with your family and open with this showstopper: “How was school today?” A popular answer to this question is, “K,” or perhaps you’re familiar with: “It was fine,” or “Good.” Or even worse, an answer doesn’t come. Just your child, […]

Children and Technology: How parents can help navigate them through the Digital Age

Children and Technology: How parents can help navigate them through the Digital Age

December 6, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years, Uncategorized

There’s been a great deal of discussion in social, educational, and professional circles about the benefits and challenges of children (of all ages) using technology. I began paying more attention to the different points of view when I took a look at my children’s holiday wish lists. Written at the top were smartphones, laptops, and […]

Science says later school start times could be the answer to the tired teen

Science says later school start times could be the answer to the tired teen

November 29, 2017 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Sometimes teens get a bad rap when they want to sleep the day away after staying up all night. But it turns out, according to science, your “lazy” teen might just be tired. “When we’re newborns, we need a lot of sleep, as much as 17 hours, in chunks spread throughout the day. But as […]