The Questions to Ask so Homework is Their Work
As parents, we are constantly trying to find the right balance between the extremes. Hands on or hands off? Am I doing too much? Or am I doing too little? I’m a parent with children in three very different stages: My youngest son is in elementary school, my... Read More
High School (9th-12th) | School Life
What Teachers Wish Parents of High Schoolers Knew
For almost a decade I was a high school Spanish teacher. Those were some of the best and hardest years of my life, and, if I’m honest, I still miss the excitement that comes with a new school year. There’s a lot of energy around setting kids up... Read More
Featured | Middle School (6th-8th) | School Life
What to Expect in Sixth Grade
So, your kid is in 6th grade this year. You probably already know this, but sixth grade is a HUGE year in a person’s life. It probably won’t feel like it most weeks, but what you’re doing this year is going to dramatically influence the future for your... Read More
Elementary (K-5th) | Fight For The Heart | School Life
5 Things All First Graders Have In Common
Enter a room full of six- and seven-year-olds and you’re bound to spot one thing right away: the cute little gaps of kids who whistle while they talk. Forget calling it first grade. This is the Missing Teeth Club. Read More
School Life | Widen The Circle
4 Ways to Connect With Your Kid’s Teacher
Do you remember your first grade teacher? I loved mine. I remember how Ms. Parker erased the board from left to right every day and then wrote the new date in the top right hand corner. I also remember how she showed me how to use a ruler... Read More
Ready or Not
Fresh out of college, my son’s first grade teacher vibrated with enthusiasm for her students. She wore a constant smile, too. I liked her. I liked her so much that I volunteered to be Room Mom. And then we had our first parent/teacher conference where she looked me... Read More
Celebrations | High School (9th-12th) | Imagine The End | School Life
This Time Next Year
As this year’s graduates said their goodbyes, I watched with a renewed attention. This will be us next May. Celebrating. Dreaming. Planning. So much of what I thought I knew about parenting has unraveled over the past few years. My oldest son is truly the test subject in... Read More
Ending the Homework Hassle
Any time parents of teenagers or pre-teens are in a room together, the subject of homework and education seems to be on their lips. My experience is that most of the time parents worry more about their teen’s schoolwork than the teen worries about their schoolwork! I’m can’t... Read More
Elementary (K-5th) | Fight For The Heart | School Life
Parenting Through the Transitional Year of Fifth Grade
Fifth graders are weird. Okay, maybe that’s too strong. But you have to admit they can seem a little hard to understand at times. Read More
Fight For The Heart | High School (9th-12th) | School Life
The Gridlock that Happens in the Minds of Eleventh Graders
I absolutely love this phase. Sure, junior year can be exhausting. Most high school educators will tell you this is the most academically challenging year. Most athletic coaches expect their juniors to be at peak performance. And most juniors begin to feel as if they carry increasingly more... Read More