Today's Parent | Parenting Resources… Articles, Advice, Help & Tips

Students are learning that the college application is a key opportunity to make a lasting impression on the people who count: those at the college admissions office. To improve your chances of gaining admission to the college or university of your choice, it’s important to do your homework and take the time to make your college application stand out from the rest.

“A college application is your chance to shine,” says Martha Holler, spokesperson for Sallie Mae, the nation’s leading saving-and-paying-for-college company. “Schools look at a variety of factors when deciding on their incoming freshman class, so students need to present themselves on paper in the very best light — that means making sure the application is complete, error-free, signed and meets the school’s deadline for submission.”

Crafting a successful application involves careful planning and organization. To make the most of the college application process, Sallie Mae offers the following tips for students and families: Read More

Parents, children and motorists should be aware of proper school bus safety protocols to make sure the children riding on school buses have a happy and safe school year.

Here are some safety rules children should follow:

School Bus Safety Tips

• Leave home early. When you rush, you tend to forget traffic safety rules.

• Walk on the sidewalks wherever available.

• When waiting for the bus, stay away from the street. And don’t play around because you will be distracted and may not follow traffic safety rules.

• Have no drawstrings, toggles or key chains on clothes or backpacks. These can get caught on bus handrails and doors.

• Grab the handrail so you don’t trip on the stairs. Read More

As parents, we love our kids so much that we dread that fateful call—The teacher calling to report that your child is misbehaving, underachieving or that they should be tested for ADHD. Don’t panic. Follow these tips to handle the situation:

1. Be aware of your child’s environment. Explore contexts that are explanations for the behavior, like external stressors. Consider any relevant changes in your family in terms of finances, physical and mental health issues, or other significant factors. Also take into account nutritional factors: too much sugar and skipping breakfast are both linked to difficulty concentrating.

2. Seek solutions. Ask the teacher, “What are we going to do to support her?” Children need to learn how to learn, and every stumbling block in education is not brain dysfunction. Your child may simply need repetition, practice of basic skills, and coaching to excel in school.

3. Consider that your child may not be the problem. Sometimes our children’s learning style and profile of strengths and weaknesses mean that they need accommodations. While changing schools may not be an option, you can still protect your child’s passion and motivation by encouraging them to pursue those things that draw their attention. Read More

September is College Savings Month, a great time for those who are already in college to start developing healthier financial habits. The need is very real: after years of dutifully saving for college, more and more college students are spending their school years piling credit card debt on top of their student loans, leaving them in a deep financial hole upon graduation. This cycle can also lead to stress, depression and decreased academic performance while still in college.

Fixing the problem cannot wait for a student’s entry into the “real world.” College students need a budget plan, money tracking capabilities and access to basic money, credit and debt management information.

“Considering that more students drop out of school because of financial difficulties than academic problems, gaining these basic life skills is right up there in importance with gaining an education itself,” says Jo Bittof, co-founder of Solutions Financial, a financial management consultancy.

According to Ms. Bittof, the earlier one begins the budgeting process, the better – another reason for getting started during September’s College Savings Month. “Just as it is unwise to enter into marriage, a loan contract for a car, or any other financial situation ignorant of one’s ability to handle the obligation, entering college on a fiscal wing and a prayer is a potential set up for failure,” she explains. Read More

When school starts, parents will once again face an increase in ear, nose and throat (ENT) ailments –– which are nothing to sneeze at. But ENT problems often aren’t the result of spreading germs.

Ear, nose and throat problems can come from unexpected sources. By knowing what to look for, parents can better protect their kids. For example:

It’s in the genes. Most doctors agree genes could play a role in susceptibility to ear infections. If one or both parents experienced chronic ear infections growing up, their children are likely to be prone to ear infections too.

Misdiagnosed ADHD instead of sleep apnea. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids can cause sleep apnea––a common ailment in overweight children––which has symptoms similar to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Dr. Pine strongly suggests ruling out sleep apnea, before starting children on ADHD medication. Read More

Question: What do you do when your child is pressuring you for something that conflicts with your principles as a parent?

Do you: (a) look around at what other parents are doing; (b) weigh your child’s grades and other ‘performance’ attributes against your principles; or (c) stand up for what you really believe in?

“This can be a difficult choice for today’s parents,” say Malcolm and Laura Gauld, the heads of Hyde Schools, a network of prep and charter schools in Maine, Connecticut, New York City and Washington DC that focus on character education. “You’ll probably take your lumps if you answer ‘c.’ But there is no better way to raise your child.”

With three decades of experience in teaching students and their families to develop and live in a character culture and two decades of experience in parenting three children of their own, the Gaulds co-authored “The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have” book and parenting seminars, geared toward helping busy parents stay focused on the things that really matter — principles.

“Say you have a teenager who’s doing well in school, but has a bad attitude,” says Malcolm. “He tells you he wants the latest expensive gadget, like his friends have. Or perhaps he’s spending too much time social networking online and you want him to cut back. Should he be rewarded solely because of his grades? We see parents dismiss bad attitudes or habits when their child is performing well in school. But what message are we sending?” Read More

As your kids return to school, now is the time to take your child’s browsing and interaction safety online into your own hands. What measures can you take to make sure your children are using the Internet in a safe, appropriate way?

By now, you’ve heard tons of advice about how to keep your children safe while they surf the Internet. Some of it is true, but some lead to ineffective strategies that can give parents a false sense of security.

For instance, how many times have you heard that checking the browser history is an effective way to monitor what websites your kids visit? With new browsers comes easier ways to clear your browser history. Mozilla Firefox has the option for ‘private’ browsing sessions, and Google Chrome makes it simple to browse without any track record of your history. Therefore, not only is monitoring the history ineffective, parents will no longer even see that the history has been cleared as an indicator of bad online behavior.

The same goes for Facebook. Just because you are friends with your child on Facebook doesn’t mean that you can see all of his or her activity. Profile privacy settings are becoming easier to manipulate, allowing users to block all updates for individual friends.

And, of course, the issue of cyber-bullying has played a big role in the media lately. This is a legitimate concern for parents as they send their children back to school—so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Read More

Parents know: Family trips are often far from relaxing, and what’s meant to be a dream vacation can all too quickly turn into a nightmare. But ensuring your trip goes smoothly is easier than you think. As long as the kids aren’t bored, and the parents aren’t stressed, families can avoid the bickering that all too often causes a trip to go awry. Easier said than done, of course, but picking the right hotel will go a long way toward tantrum-proofing your vacation. Avoid these five common mistakes when planning your trip, and you’ll find yourself headed for family vacation bliss.

Top five things parents forget to consider:

1. Your kids’ interests: Kids are just as picky about their vacation, if not pickier, than adults, and it’s worth taking the time to ask them what they want to do. Are they going to be happy in a big city or at the beach? What do they want to do when they get there? You can find a hotel these days with almost any amenity, from trapeze lessons to roller coasters to water parks, so their requests might be easier to fulfill than you think. The important thing is to get them just as excited about the trip as you are.

2. Your kids’ attention spans. Some kids can entertain themselves all day with sand, a bucket, and a shovel. Others will grow bored within minutes. If your kid needs lots of stimulation, steer clear of the quiet beach bungalows and consider an activity-packed megaresort. Read More

Camp is an action-packed adventure. Each day brings new and exciting opportunities for growth and accomplishment. At the same time, strong bonds of friendship and community are developing. It truly is a life-changing experience. And when the embers of the last campfire have cooled, and campers make their way home, often children experience a mild case of the “end of camp blues.”

The blues are not uncommon — causing some children to be tired, moody, quieter than usual, or even irritable or grumpy. The American Camp Association® (ACA) recommends the following tips for families to help ease the transition from camp to home:

• Help them relax and adjust to the slower pace of non-camp life. Suggest they take a warm shower and get plenty of rest. Plan to have an “old favorite” for dinner.

• Encourage reconnecting with friends from home. Volunteer to set up play dates and get-togethers to help re-establish a sense of belonging with friends they haven’t seen in a long time. Read More

One of the joys of being a parent is watching your child learn new skills and reach new milestones. Learning to read is one of the milestones that parents eagerly await and often worry about. Parent everywhere what to their best to help their children prepare for reading success.

Simple activities and materials can help your child build reading readiness skills every day. Here is a “Top 10” list of what you need at home, starting today, that will make all the difference in your child’s reading future: Read More