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A Stress Free Morning Routine for Back to School

Let's go! Let's go! Come on … you're going to miss the bus! I don't know where your favorite jeans are; it's not my responsibility. What do you mean you still have homework? Did you brush your teeth yet? Let's go! I'm leaving… NOW!      More on A Stree Free Morning Routine for Back to School

Bedtime Routine to Give your Kids a Chance to Tell You About Their School Day

"Ok, it's time to start getting ready for bed.  After your bath, brush your teeth and get your pajamas on.  It's getting late."

If you have a bedtime routine, pat yourself on the back.  Bedtime routines are so vital, especially for young children.  Consider adding one more step to your bedtime routine.  Give your kids a chance to tell you about their school day.      More on Bedtime Routine to Give Your Kids a Chance to Tell You About

Bully Proof Your Student

It probably started in preschool when your son was playing with the truck and a big mean four and a half year old just came over and stole that dump truck right out of your sweet innocent little man's precious little hands.  How dare he?!      More on Bully Proof Your Student

Charts for Bedtime and Morning Routines

"What do you mean you forgot to do that?"  I told you last night before you went to bed.  Well you better hurry or you're going to miss the bus."

How smoothly your bedtime routine goes will determine how smoothly your morning goes.  It's important to have routines for bedtime as well as in the morning.  The best way to keep track of needed tasks is to use a chart.      More on Charts for Bedtime and Morning Routines

Choosing the Right Afterschool Activities for Your Child

What happens after school is equally as important as what takes place during the school day. It's important that you and your child choose the right after school activities.  Obviously as the parent, you'll be the one making the decisions.  However if you can include your child in the process, you'll have better buy-in.      More on Choosing the Right Afterschool Activities for Your Child

Dads are Cool When They Help Out at School

"My dad can beat up your dad!" Oh yeah? "Well my dad is cooler than your dad!"

One thing about most kids, they're loyal to their dads.  It doesn't matter how much he's working or how he may not be able to throw a ball or ride bikes because he's working on Mom's honey-do list, most children think their dad is pretty wonderful.      More on Dads are Cool When they Help Out at School

Easy Afternoon Snacks Kids Love

Remember how June Cleaver always had fresh cookies that just came out of the oven when Wally and Beaver arrived home from school?  (If you don't remember that, you might be able to catch some reruns of Leave it to Beaver on Nick at Night or TVLand!)      More on Easy Afternoon Snacks Kids Love

Energy Boosting Breakfast Ideas for Students

Running late for school yet again? Just give the kids a Pop Tart on the way out the door and they'll be fine. If you're all out of the sugary toaster treat, just swing through Krispy Kreme on the way and your offspring will be good to go. Right? Wrong! Wrong! And Wrong. You might as well give your children a cup of coffee if that's what you consider a good breakfast.      More on Energy Boosting Breakfast Ideas for Students

Evening Chaos: Menu Planning Can Help

How often does one get to come home from school or work and have a relaxing evening filled with nothing else to do except to chill out? Ha! Almost never, right?        More on Evening Chaos: Menu Planning Can Help

Extracurricular Scheduling - Are Your Kids Too Busy?

Does your daughter's schedule look anything like this?

Monday: Band practice, school, dance class
Tuesday: School, tae kwon do
Wednesday: Band practice, school, cheerleading practice
Thursday: School, tae kwon do
Friday:  Band practice, school, football game
Saturday: Gymnastics, karate tournaments
Sunday: Church, go to friends      More on Extracurricular Scheduling - Are Your Kids Too Busy?

Fashion Tips for 2018

What to wear? What to wear?  Unless your student has a uniform to wear to school, then what your child wears could be a big deal.  Sadly, fashion could determine the coolness factor.       More on Fashion Tips for 2018

Food Allergies: What to Do When Your Child is the One Who Could Get Sick?

Eight hours later, she woke from her coma.  She was in Emergency Room with her parents sitting by her side.  She was dazed and confused.  Earlier that day she was having an asthma attack, so one of her cabin-mates at camp shared some of her own medication to help her breathe.  What no one knew was that the capsule was coated with egg whites.  That is common in some medications to help make them more slippery and easy to swallow.  The camper was highly allergic to eggs; and consequently went into anaphylactic shock. Camp counselors couldn't revive her, so they called an ambulance.  That is a true story.      More on Food Allergies: What to Do When Your Child is the One Who Could Get Sick?

Friendships at School: A Primer for Parents

"Ashley's not my friend anymore! I hate her!"   Whoa, before you go off on a tirade because your six year old used the word hate, take a minute to find out why she is feeling such a strong emotion.      More on Friendships at School: A Primer for Parents

Get to Know Your Kid's Teachers

By definition, a teacher is one who teaches.  Ya .. so?  Let's look at what it means to teach.   The dictionary defines the verb teach as:

• To impart, provide or instruct knowledge or skill
• To condition to a certain action or frame of mind
• To cause to learn by example or experience
• To advocate or preach
• To carry on instruction on a regular basis in     More on Get to Know Your Kid's Teachers

Helping Your Teen to Make Good Choices at School

The key to helping your teen make good choices at school is to train him up in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it.  The End.

Ha! Don't we wish it was that easy?  Even with the best upbringing teens don't always make the best choices.  Shoot, adults don't always make the best choices.  So what can parents do to tip the scales in the teen's favor?      More on Helping Your Teen to Make Good Choices at School

How Much Sleep Does Your Child Really Need?

Why is it that when we get older we would give anything to go to bed early? Once you become a parent, you can count on always being tired. Yet children never want to sleep.  Perhaps they're afraid they'll miss out on something.      More on How Much Sleep Does Your Child Really Need?

Make This Year Better Than Last Year

Remember that incident from last year?  You do?  Then it's time to put it behind you.  It's history!  If last year wasn't such a good school year for your child, you should be even more bound and determined to make this year better than last year!      More on Make this Year Better Than Last Year

Moms, It’s OK to Say “No”

"I just want my child to have it better than I did."  "I want them to have nice things."

Wanting what's best for your child and handing the world to them on a silver platter are two entirely different animals.      More on Moms, It's OK to Say "No"

Money Saving Lunch Ideas for Back to School

Hot lunch at school can become quite expensive.   Figure on average, hot lunch costs $2.10 per day if you include milk with the meal.  If you have three children, $6.30 a day, multiplied by five days, that's $31.50 a week… just for lunch!  Is it convenient for parents? You betcha.  Can it be expensive?  You betcha!      More on Money Saving Lunch Ideas for Back to School

Motivating Your Child to Care About School

Wouldn't we all love to hear an enthusiastic "Great!" when you child is asked how school is going?  Instead you might get an apathetic "It's ok" response.  Or you may even get "it sucks!"  How do you motivate you child to care about school?      More on Motivating Your Child to Care About School

Teach Your Student Gadget Etiquette

Mention a Walkman, cassette player or a transistor radio and your children look at you like you're a dinosaur. Whip off terms like iPod, Mp3 player, cell phone, two-way, PSP, Gameboy, Nintendo DS, and Blackberry (no, it's not fruit!), then they'll think they have one dope parent. (dope – that's a good thing!)      More on Teach Your Student Gadget Etiquette

The Homework Routine That Works

At the beginning of the school year you set the rule:  Homework gets finished as soon as you get home from school.  But by October, that rule doesn't seem to be as hard and fast as it was in August.      More on The Homework Routine That Works

When You Don't Like Your Child's Teacher

You're hoping, praying and crossing your fingers that your child gets Mrs. Smith for 2nd grade.  You've heard so many wonderful things about her and you just know that is the best teacher for your child.      More on When You Don't Like Your Child's Teacher

Working Moms Can Help Out at School Too

"But Mommmmm, why can't you come to the party today?  Sierra's Mom ALWAYS comes."      More on Working Moms Can Help Out at School Too

Your Child is Never Too Young for Chores

Chores, that's an interesting topic of discussion.  Some parents will tell you that it's so much more efficient if they just do the household duties.  They can do them so much faster.      More on Your Child is Never Too Young for Chores