by Michele July 11th, 2022| Behavior, Tweens
Earbuds. Headphones. They are everywhere. It's not just a tween problem. Take a walk down any city street, and you'll see a multitude of people walking with either one or both ears hosting an earbud. From shoppers to joggers to executives, a good portion of them have their ears focused
by Tania Cowling July 4th, 2022| Elementary, Entertainment
Your kids can quench the “sizzle†of summer with water. So, whether you have a swimming pool, wading pool, or just the garden hose, your kids can spend hours of fun and “beat the heat†this season. These wet and wild activities and games will make your outdoor time a
by Tania Cowling June 27th, 2022| Preschool, School
During the summer preschoolers love to accompany their parents, grandparents, or sitters on errands. Think about all the teachable moments that accompany a trip to the bank, veterinarian, grocery store, and such. Everyday places provide entertainment and learning. Then, on weekends you and your family may go on an extended
by Tania Cowling June 20th, 2022| Infants/Toddlers, Seasonal
Getting your baby into a pool is one of the smartest things a parent can do. It’s never too early to teach swimming, keeping safety in mind of course. Most of my tips below are about taking your little one into a full-size pool with you, but do keep in
by Sam P. June 13th, 2022| Communication, Teens
As a teen, we often feel that our achievements are overshadowed by our mistakes, that all we ever hear are critiques, never praise for our success. Praise is an important part of the growth process for teens to gain self confidence in themselves and what they do. Without it they
by Michele June 6th, 2022| Social, Tweens
When I was a child and through my teen years, I would sometimes hear at the dinner table the old saying, "Children should be seen and not heard." (Now, I'm not of an age that it was a common way of thinking. I grew up in the 70s and 80s.)
by Tania Cowling May 30th, 2022| Behavior, Elementary
The most effective way kids learn respect is by watching the important adults in their lives act respectfully. One of the biggest complaints today is that kids don’t respect their elders the way children used to. Is this a generational myth or true? I think kids need to learn self-respect,
by Joe Lawrence May 23rd, 2022| Behavior, Preschool
There are very few things that can get a parent’s blood to boil faster than being disrespected by his or her child. Where do they get this from? How can they be so ungrateful? We would never do this to our parents.
My father was fairly strict when it came to
by Tania Cowling May 16th, 2022| Behavior, Infants/Toddlers
It’s never too early to teach respectful gestures, but you must understand that toddlers have limited vocabulary and attention spans. As you try to lecture your little one, he may just in turn stick out his tongue, yell “noâ€, and hit you. Now, this behavior will not last forever, but
by Jane Wangersky May 9th, 2022| Entertainment, Teens
Teens’ -- and adults’ -- first thoughts on fitness and entertainment may be that the two are mutually exclusive. Unless, maybe, you listen to music while running . . . no, wait, that’s not safe. But there are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself entertained while getting
by Michele May 2nd, 2022| Behavior, Tweens
I cannot stress this enough, the tween years can be hard. For everyone involved. Out of the pre-college parenting years, I think middle school is the hardest. The kids are trying to figure out where they fit, are dealing with hormonal fluctuations, and are having greater responsibilities placed upon them.
by Joe Lawrence April 25th, 2022| Elementary, Safety
“If he does it again, hit him and he will stop.†This is the advice many of us received as youth while discussing the school bully. For many generations the way to deal with bullies was to out-maneuver them or to stand up to them. Thankfully, there are much better