I listen to the hushed murmurs of my youngest daughter, Jemma. Her small hands move her toy people as they “talk” to each other. The long hallway is a busy cardboard city. Currently, her attention is on the children in the school area. They’re busy rehearsing a play and festively attired in costumes of tape, […]

Should your child start preschool at 2, 3, or even 4? Is he late-born, early-born, or right in between? Should he be one of the oldest in the class, the youngest, or in the middle? And what impact will this have on his eventual kindergarten start date? If your head is spinning at making this […]

We all want our children to love reading, to be good readers, and to build a strong literacy foundation for school. You don’t have to be a teacher or a specialist to positively influence your child’s reading success. But here’s what teachers do with their children that every parent can implement. Here are nine teacher […]

I figured both my kids would love reading since I did. Not so much. It was a humbling blow when my first daughter didn’t want to sit still for an entire story. Apparently kids aren’t born readers. So, what’s a parent to do? Anything to raise a reader, including standing on your head. (It won’t […]

Talking with you –in real time –is the highlight of my work here. In our latest chat, we brainstormed about getting fun summer schedules under control, and the importance of establishing a strong relationship with your child’s teacher even BEFORE school starts. We also shared how saying goodbye on that first day of school is […]

It’s time to get kids ready . . . and excited to go back to school! How? Go shopping and read books. Both are something you already do, right? Here’s how they can help get your child ready for school. Read Books Reading books about school gives kids a story in their minds. It tells […]

We’re still enjoying the summer sun and fun, but a new school year is fast approaching!  Now is the time to start preparing to make the switch.  You can help excite your children about the school season and avoid a last-minute back-to-school frenzy by trying these tips. Talk it up!  Talk to your child about […]

With summer wrapping up, you might find yourself and your children needing to make a few adjustments to get ready for the school year. We want to make this transition a smooth one, so we are inviting you to join a live Twitter discussion on back to school readiness! Day: Wednesday August 15, 2012 Time: […]

ABC 2.0 – Your Toddler Can Type As parents, we’re proud when our kids learn to sing “A B C D E F G…” But in today’s digital world, we need the Alphabet Song version 2.0. It goes something like this: A S D F G H J K L ; …” What? Semicolon? Yes! […]

Brayden came to preschool one day feeling crabby, and was coming down with a cold. So when Sophie reached for his favorite truck, Brayden hit her. Their teacher separated them and sent Brayden home to rest. Sophie’s mom was understandably upset that Sophie had been hit. A few weeks later, Brayden bit another child when […]

Our third-born started Kindergarten this year. I figured I’d be a pro by now, after surviving the big day twice before. Kid #3 should be easy. Right? Wrong. On the first day of school, our sweet, soulful 5-year-old hung up his backpack, found his desk and solemnly said good-bye to us as if he were […]

Will your child be one of the youngest in her Kindergarten class this fall? Or will he be one of the oldest? Whether your child is “early born,” “late born,” or somewhere in between, parents are worrying about finding the “perfect” age to start Kindergarten. The media is full of alarming statistics about supposed benefits […]