I expected sleep regressions, I did. I was prepared for them when my son was six weeks old and didn’t really have a sleep schedule yet. I expected it at three months, six months, eight months, 12 months and even 18 months, just like Google and the books told me. But I did not expect…
The number one indication that a child will do well in school early on is if they have strong literacy skills. When you consider all the subjects taught in school, all of them involve reading. Sometimes a child’s only real struggles is reading, but with reading being such a big part of every subject, they…
The thing I dread most as the warm days of summer draw to an end and the air holds the hint of an autumn chill…is packing school lunch. I live in Upstate New York, our children go to school when there’s 3 feet of snow on the ground, and they have recess as long as…
As a male elementary school teacher, I have encountered just about everything you can imagine over the years. I have taught kindergarten through junior high students with most of my teaching spent with 2nd to 4th-grade kids. For unknown reasons to me, it always seemed that I would have the most troubled students placed in…
No means no. Every mom has uttered these words through her teeth over the course of motherhood. When kids ask for the 137th time if they can have candy for dinner, or if they can watch those God-awful Youtubers and their annoying egg-opening videos, or if they can drink pond water. No means no. Stop…
One thing I’ve learned since the birth of my six month old son, is that he is a great communicator. Whether he’s babbling, crying, or something more subtle, he communicates what he wants and needs. I’ve learned to read his cues, body language and facial expressions and respond to them preemptively which in large part…
It finally happened. I got the call that every mom dreads, the one where an unfriendly voice on the other end says, “There’s been a live lice event in the third grade. We checked your son’s head and found really disgusting creepy crawly things so come get him now, quick, because this is grossing us…
Gifted children are more than just cute, smart kids. They show evidence of advanced capabilities in the areas of intellectual, creative and artistic expression. The US Department of Education defines gifted children as “Children and youth with outstanding talent who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared…
Okay, I admit. I haven’t really put in much thought about what a huge impact teachers have on our lives until this year, when my daughter entered first grade. I loved her Kindergarten teacher to bits. She was a sweet, no-nonsense dream. She was perfect for my child, who loves to push boundaries a bit…but hates to…
“How old are you?” the little girl in the shoe department asked my son. “Five.” he answered with confidence. “How old’s your mom?” she asked “Twenntyyy…….?” Dawson started to say, looking over at me for confirmation and assistance. Oh, my sweet innocent, naive, favorite child. “32,” I helped him. “And how old is your dad?”…
