One long-ago day, my fourth-grade teacher assigned our class oral book reports. We were to talk 3 to 5 minutes about a book of our own choosing. I chose the classic Old Yeller.
Old Yeller, as it turned out, struck a chord with me (as it...
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November 29, 2018
Why We Are Fighting for Change
Historically, children have not been a part of the conversation. In the Junior Newtown Action Alliance (Jr. NAA), we fight to change this, because why would children not have an equally weighted viewpoint, especially regarding an issue like gun...
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November 15, 2018
Three Ways to Connect with Your Child’s Teacher
Kids today still turn to their parents when they have something important to say, but increasingly, kids are looking to teachers to be role models and to provide guidance, according to Highlights State of the Kid™survey . Of the 2,000 kids...
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November 01, 2018
4 Ways to Talk with Your Kids About Today’s Celebrity Influencers—YouTubers, E-Gamers, Reality-TV stars and Athletes
“Adam just caught the most gigantic bass, Mom,” my son exclaims as if Adam is a neighbor, a school friend, or at the very least, someone I know. But I quickly realize my eleven-year-old son is referring to one of his favorite “YouTubers.” Adam...
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October 25, 2018
5 Tips for Choosing the Right After-School Activities for Your Child
by Lisa Low
In this day and age, the number and variety of after-school activities seem only to grow, making it easy to get overwhelmed by the choices or not know where to begin in narrowing down the options. Here are five tips to help you choose the right...
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October 17, 2018
Gallant Kids Making a Difference
by
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Highlights State of the Kid, an annual survey that gives kids the chance to express what is on their minds and what is most...
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October 15, 2018
3 Strategies to Empower Your Kids
It was heartening to learn that 93 percent of kids who responded to the 2018 Highlights State of the Kid™ survey say they’d take action if they saw someone doing or saying something mean, and that nearly all respondents—90 percent, in fact—feel...
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September 13, 2018
5 Questions to Ask Your Child’s New Teacher
by Lisa Low
With the excitement of the new school year often come many changes for your child: a different teacher, classroom, and classmates, for example. Getting on the same page as your child’s teacher—whether through a conference or back-to-school night...
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September 06, 2018
Ask Your Kid’s School These Essential Student Privacy and Safety Questions
By Caroline Knorr, Parenting Editor, Common Sense Media
Some schools use a little technology: a few educational apps to mix things up, maybe a weekly trip to the computer lab. Some use a lot: one-to-one device programs, class management...
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August 29, 2018
Why Time-Out Doesn’t Work...
Katherine Reynolds Lewis spent five years researching why many kids today are unruly, willful, disruptive, frustrated, and reactive. The answers are in her new book The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever—And...
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