by Megan Torrini
The school year is more than half over and the struggles your child has been facing these past few months have not gone away. Now is a great time ... Read more
How to Talk to Your Child About Sex
by Chris Grannis
In the environment of openness and communication that is today's world it is strange that parents often have a knee-jerk reaction to... Read more
Homeschooling--Finding Your Way
by Katriena Knights
As homeschooling has become more and more popular, resources have become readily available. From online sites dedicated to gettin... Read more
Kids love summer vacation, but parents often find it difficult to keep them engaged in productive activities. And most kids experience a summer learning slump during their time away from school. According to the National Summer Learning Association, at best, students show little or no academic growth over the summer, and at worst they lose one to three months of learning.
It's possible to give kids a fun way to keep up with learning by providing engaging books that feature hands-on activities. Three new books from DK Publishing will help kids of all ages fill their summer with science fun.
Adolescence: "What the heck?!" (Do your kids say that all the time? Mine do.)
By Julie Burton
As I entered the parenting arena nearly 15 years ago, I began to hear all sorts of talk about colicky babies, the terrible twos, and the f-ing fours (sorry, that's what my friends called it). But I noticed that people started to clam up a bit as their kids hit the earliest stages of puberty. When I'd complain about something my toddler was doing, like wetting the bed or throwing food at the dinner table, people with older kids would respond with a little chuckle, "Oh yeah, just you wait
... Continue reading Surviving Your Child's Adolescence.
Imagine That! Parents' Guide to Playing Pretend
Kids think that playing "supermarket" and dress-up is fun; child development experts know it's much more than that. Pretend play is a learning experience for young children. It lets them explore the world around them and experiment with social and emotional roles. It also boosts problem-solving skills. So pick up a wand or sword, put on a cape and get into your child's fantasy world. Who knows, you might just have fun yourself!
Here are some new additions to old-fashioned make-believe games that you can enjoy together:
We all want our kids to be involved in sports activities, as we know that doing so will keep them healthy, happy, and out of trouble. The problem is that all this involvement costs money. Depending on the sport it can run you a few hundred dollars or more every year for the equipment for just one sport, let alone the two or three different activities that most kids want to get into. Even sports that are done through school usually require that you pay for the equipment.
The trick is finding a way to balance your child's sports and your budget. Luckily, there are many ways tha
... Continue reading FrugalMoms Guide to Kid's Sports Equipment.
Surviving Your Child's Adolescence
Adolescence: "What the heck?!" (Do your kids say that all the time? Mine do.)
By Julie Burton
As I entered the parenting arena nearly 15 years ago, I began to hear all sorts of talk about colicky babies, the terrible twos, and the f-ing fours (sorry, that's what my friends called it). But I noticed that people started to clam up a bit as their kids hit the earliest stages of puberty. When I'd complain about something my toddler was doing, like wetting the bed or throwing food at the dinner table, people with older kids would respond with a little chuckle, "Oh yeah, just you wait
... Continue reading Surviving Your Child's Adolescence.
Easing Into Summer
by the Editors of Your Family Today
School's out for summer ... so why aren't your kids jumping for joy? Many children, especially young ones, have difficulty switching from the structure of school to the freedom of summer, according to Patti Zomber, Ph.D., a child psychologist in Los Angeles. Here are some strategies to make the transition as smooth as possible:
Say goodbye to school "Younger kids make deep attachments to their teachers," says Zomber. So encourage them to make a gift, take a photo or write a letter to say goodbye to their teachers.
The day your child comes to you and asks if he can ask a girl out is the day when you realize he's not a baby anymore.
But is he old enough to date? When should he date? What happens if your girl accepts a date without asking you? What is dating these days anyway?
Don't panic, mom. There are answers to your dating questions. First, much has changed since we were in the dating world. As we hear so often, kids these days grow up much faster than we did. But that doesn't mean that we have to allow exposure to things we can control. We might not be able to control
... Continue reading When Should Kids Date--How Old is Old Enough?.
