School’s out. That big whooshing sound you hear? That’s the collective exhale of parents everywhere, who were, at the end, hanging on by their fingernails.
Now, it’s summertime, and the living is, if not exactly easy, easier. No more...
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June 07, 2018
5 Ways to Make Summer Reading Fun
The summer months offer a great opportunity to show your child how fun and engaging reading can be. Looking to strengthen your child’s reading skills while simultaneously getting him excited about reading? Here are five ways to do just that:
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May 24, 2018
Why the Best Parental Control Is You
By Christine Elgersma, Senior Editor, Parent Education at Common Sense Media
If your kid's online, there have probably been times when you've wanted to track everything they've texted, see their entire social media history, or...
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May 17, 2018
The Goldfish That Went to Sea
by Bob Brody
“I want a dog,” Caroline begged. “Please.” Our daughter was seven years old and had made up her mind.
“Someone will have to take care of the dog,” we told her. “It’s a lot of responsibility.” I had a full-time job and we had two children....
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May 10, 2018
Just the Two of Us
Every week, starting when I was ten, my mother took me on a forty-five-minute drive to ballet school. We kept up this routine for two years, until it became clear that no amount of lessons would ever turn graceless, waistless me into the Sugar...
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May 03, 2018
How I Got My Toddler Back on Books After She Got a Taste of Screen Time
By Angela Zimmerman, Common Sense Media
When I opened the gates to screen time for my 2-year-old daughter, I was planning to limit it to airplanes and sick days. But with TV and tablets came a whole new colorful world that hooked my tot...
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April 26, 2018
How to Raise a Motivated Reader
by Pam Abrams
It’s an easy trap to fall into: You tell your kid to read for 20 minutes and he can have extra video-game time. Or ice cream. Or something new and shiny. Yet when we reward our children for spending time with a book, we are focusing their...
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April 19, 2018
How to Prepare Your Child for Tests
Taking a test can be unnerving for many students, but especially so for younger children. Whether your student will soon take his first classroom reading exam or a statewide standardized test, fear and uncertainty can impact his performance....
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April 10, 2018
How One Plus One Became Three
by Bob Brody
Soon after we brought our newborn daughter Caroline home from the hospital, her five-year-old brother Michael wanted us to take her back. I know that because that’s exactly what Michael told me and his mother.
My wife said, “OK.” And then...
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March 29, 2018
How Travel Helps Kids Learn
In many cases, kids learn by absorbing the information and environment around them. As a result, exposing your youngster to the multitude of experiences that travel offers can provide unique, hands-on learning experiences. Consider, for example,...
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