Home and Living Daily Tips

Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

As parents we have so much to worry about in regards to our children.  We want to protect them from all of lifes dangers, yet we want to accomplish this without putting unnecessary fear into their lives.

When my children were small, we began talking about secrets.  What is a good secret and what is a bad secret?  This seemed to be a concept my children could understand, while accomplishing my goal of not scaring them.

Good secrets are things that you get to tell mommy or daddy.  Such as we bought daddy a birthday gift.  Today it’s a secret but tomorrow we get to tell daddy.  Another good secret is when the principal at school tells you there will be a party for your teacher but today it’s a secret.  Tomorrow however we get to tell the teacher.

As your children get a bit older, a good secret might even be your friend telling you she likes a boy.  While your child may be asked not to tell the boy, your child could certainly tell you this secret.

So what is a bad secret?  A bad secret is a secret that your child is asked to NEVER tell.  A bad secret might be another child admitting they did something wrong and asking your child not to tell.  It might also be an adult acting inappropriately with your child and telling the child to keep this a secret and not tell mommy.
Read the rest of this entry »

Increased parental involvement provides the best foundation for a successful start to the school year.

“Back-to-school offers an opportunity for parents to get to know their children’s teachers and be involved in education year-round,” said Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association. “To reach their full potential, students need parents to take an active role in their education. Parents should be their children’s ‘favorite teacher.’”

NEA recommends five easy ways for parents to start the school year off on the right foot:

* Meet the teachers. Tell teachers about your children’s interests and hobbies. Make a date to visit teachers’ classrooms; don’t wait for Back-to-School Night or parent-teacher conferences to open the lines of communication. Provide teachers with your phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

* Get to know all the school employees. Whether it’s the librarian, school counselor, nurse, cafeteria worker or bus driver, education support professionals generally know all of the students in the school, and their relationships with your child will continue from year to year as your child moves from one grade to the next.
Read the rest of this entry »