Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Are Your Kids Overscheduled?

Parents' Corner

 

Are Your Kids Overscheduled?

Image Courtesy of family-budgeting.co.uk

Are you dizzy from all of the driving, chaperoning, and snack providing you’ve been doing for your child’s activities? Do you ask yourself as you drag yourself into bed each night: Are my kids overscheduled?  You’re not alone in your concerns. Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D., from The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA, reports that:

Middle-class children in America are so overscheduled that they have almost no ‘nothing time’…Creativity is making something out of nothing and it takes time for that to happen. In our efforts to produce Renaissance children who are competitive in all areas, we squelch creativity.

It’s time to take back a bit of parental sanity and give kids nothing – nothing time, that is. Try these methods for getting the balance back into your family and building strong, capable, creative, and less-stressed kids. Continue reading

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Morning Routines Get Kids to School on Time

Parents' Corner School

 

Save Time on Morning Routines

Image Courtesy of blog.findnsave.com

The school bus is waiting, but your child still can’t find her missing pink sock and her teeth still need brushing. If morning chaos is the routine that exists in your home, try these tips and tricks for better morning routines to get your kids to school on time.

Morning Routines Start with Bedtime Routines

The best morning routines are those that start with effective bedtime routines. Even though it can be tempting to skip a few steps the night before because the kids are tired (and so are you), creating a plan before the kids ever go to sleep will help everyone get out the door on time the next morning. Continue reading

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Motivation Charts and Goal Setting

Parents' Corner School
Motivation Charts for Setting Goals

Image Courtesy of archive.aweber.com

Do gold star stickers for good deeds really work? Many families find that motivation charts for everything from homework to daily chores can help reduce the nagging and help kids stay on task. A motivation chart can be an effective tool for teaching your child how to set and reach goals. But if you’re going to use a motivation chart, here are a few golden rules that will help make sure your motivation chart doesn’t turn into a bribery and begging chart. Continue reading

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Is Your Child’s Classroom Flipped Out?

Parents' Corner School
A Flipped Classroom

Image Courtesy of www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk

As your child goes back to school, what does that classroom look like? More and more teachers are turning to a flipped classroom, where the traditional elements of lectures and homework are reversed. The classroom lectures and homework assignments where you have to try to recall your algebra skills in order to help your child are being replaced with a new model: the flipped classroom. Continue reading

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – How to Save Money While Back to School Shopping

Financial Resources Parents' Corner School

 

Image Courtesy of www.speechbuddy.com “Back to school”

From classroom supply lists to gym shoes and the latest technology, back to school often means back to spending for many families. As you prepare for another year of school with your kids, you can save money back to school shopping and get the kids the supplies they need and the things they want.

Continue reading

Benefits of Early Childhood Education

Language Development Parents' Corner School State Resources

More and more research is showing that quality early education opportunities have lifelong benefits not only for those children, but for society in general. By the time a child is just 5 years of age, the brain has undergone 85% of its development. That is a relatively short window of opportunity to provide the best environment for as much learning and growth as possible. Continue reading

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – A Healthy Sleep Schedule for Back to School

Parents' Corner School
Image Courtesy of  familycircle.com

Image Courtesy of familycircle.com

Summer is often filled with sunny days playing outside and late nights catching fireflies or staying up until sunset (or later). But as fall approaches it is time to get the kids back onto a healthy sleep schedule so they can make the most of their school days. A good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can help provide for your child for so many reasons, including that it lets your child have a stronger memory. However, if you’re like many parents, this transition from a summer sleeping to school sleeping schedule isn’t always as easy as declaring an earlier bedtime. Continue reading

Are you ready for Back to School? Speech Buddies announces “Be Ready!”

Parents' Corner School

Be_Ready

Speech Buddies is excited to announce “Be Ready,” a free seven-week information campaign designed to help parents start the school year well-informed about speech and communication issues that their children may face. Below is our schedule of topics and resources throughout the months of August and September. During this time, we invite you to:

Continue reading

5 Easy and Healthy School Lunch Recipes

Parents' Corner School
Image Courtesy of lafujimama.com

Image Courtesy of lafujimama.com

Before you know it the school bell will be ringing, and that means you’ll be sending your kids off with lunchbox in tow. If you’re looking for easy and healthy school lunch recipes, try these 5 kid-tested and mother-and-budget approved ideas. They can be made ahead of time, transport easily in your child’s lunchbox or bag, and won’t be traded for something “better” with the other kids at the table! Continue reading