Back-to-School Shopping

The back to school rush is one of the most hectic and stressful times of year for parents. As most are pressed for time and attempting to stick to a budget, all the back-to-school shopping expenses and tasks (clothes, new shoes, school supplies etc.) can seem overwhelming, especially when you have a whining child on your hands who most likely either detests shopping or wants everything in the store. There are a few tips and ideas parents can keep in mind to help maintain their sanity and ensure that their child gets what he/she needs without breaking the bank or spending the end of you summer in a constant rush back and forth to the mall.

How Can I Build Healthy Self-Esteem In My Child?

Confident children are more likely to succeed in school and in life – they approach obstacles with the knowledge that they can overcome them. As a parent you can have a critical role in helping your child build the self-esteem he needs. Teaching your child that he is valuable will have a tremendous effect on his attitude and psyche.

Making the Most of Snow Days

By Stacy DeBroff 

It may be music to every kid’s ears, but the phrase “snow day” is enough to send any parent into panic mode. A snow day means eight long hours of unscheduled time with your kids cooped up inside – a potential breeding ground for sibling fights and whines of “I’m bored!” Shake those winter blues by encouraging your kids to try fun activities in the snow. Give some of my kid-tested favorites a try.

How Can I Help My Child Prepare for Standardized Testing?

A tremendous emphasis is being placed on standardized tests in today’s public schools. Not only can they be a make-or-break event for school systems, but it can often feel that doing poorly can hurt your child as well. Even though this isn’t quite the case, you still want your child to do well, and there are ways you can help.

How to Encourage Your Struggling Reader

This issue can cause such anxiety for us parents, especially as reading forms the core of today’s academic learning. When you have a reluctant or struggling reader on your hands, it fills you with anxiety and concern about how best to intervene. When writing my latest book, The Mom Book Goes To School: Insider Tips to Ensure Your Child Thrives in Elementary and Middle School, I raised this issue with the hundreds of elementary and middle school teacher with whom I spoke at length. They jumpstarted my own thinking about my 11-year-old son, Brooks, who used to be able think of at least 100 things to do before picking up a book. His reticence to read had me both feeling concerned, talking indepth with his teachers, and scrambling for what I could do at home to spark his interest. It especially baffled me as I am a passionate reader myself, often yearning for more than a half-hour of bedtime reading for the stacks of fiction that await me on my bedside table. What I learned both validated my reason for concern as well filled me with a wealth of solutions that two years later has Brooks declaring, “You know, Mom, I really love this book I am reading. You would not believe what is happening in it now….”

How Can I Create A Supportive Home Environment after School?

By Stacy DeBroff 

You are your child’s first and most important role model. She watches your interactions with other family members, listens to you talk on the phone, and absorbs how you respond to the supermarket cashier. If you value education, your child will as well, and the morals you stress in the home will guide him in the classroom, on the playground, on sports fields, and with her peers. Creating a supportive environment when your child comes home from school can really enhance her learning experience.