DiscussionMy son is learning bad words from a buddy at camp. What do I do?
While it is important to acknowledge and respect that your son’s friendships are his choice, you also want to make sure he is surrounded by positive influences and understands what the differences between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Personal & Social Skills
My daughter prefers reading magazines to books. Is this OK?
Magazines are not necessarily better or worse than books. They are just a different medium, and they provide an opportunity for your daughter to practice reading about topics she’s passionate about.
Language Learning
I don’t like my daughter’s teacher’s teaching style. Any tips?
If you do not feel that your daughter’s teacher is a good match for her personality, start by arranging to spend an hour or two in the classroom so you can observe how the teacher interacts with your child.
Personal & Social Skills
Is it really important for my child to learn analog time?
Knowing how to tell time is an important skill. There is a lot of debate over whether children need to learn analog time, especially since mobile phones have taken the place of analog watches for many people.
Creativity & Life Skills
My son has decided it's cruel to eat turkey. Now what?
Ask him to explain to you why he thinks it is cruel to eat turkey. You want to make sure his motivations for not eating meat are sincere, and that he is not becoming a vegetarian to get attention or to avoid eating foods that he doesn’t like. If you child’s response is legitimate, it is important to respect his choice and not to force ...
Personal & Social Skills
What are some Halloween activities for kids?
For many parents, the idea of using sharp knives and candles to prepare decorative pumpkins makes Halloween decorating a task only for adults and older children. If you feel that your child is not quite ready to carve his own pumpkin, you can provide paints or markers for him to draw a creative face on his pumpkin.
Creativity & Life Skills
All my son's friends will be in the other class next year. Tips?
It can be difficult for children when they are separated from their friends and feel like the odd one out. You can help your son by encouraging him to make new friends with the children in his class, but also making an effort to create other opportunities for your son to play with his friends in the other classroom outside of school time.
Personal & Social Skills
What can I do to help my daughter catch up on math this summer?
One way for young children to practice math skills is through play. Legos, board games (e.g. ThinkFun’s Math Dice Jr.), puzzles (e.g., Fat Brain Toy’s Animal Logic), building kits (e.g., MagFormers), and digital products like LeapFrog’s math cartridges, apps and DVDs all help children practice important math skills. T
My child is confused by skip counting. Why is it important?
Skip counting teaches children to count numbers in groups or bunches. Skip counting skills help children learn about place value, times tables, and mental math skills.
I don't like that my son's camp has water guns. Do I speak up?
As a parent, it is important that your feel comfortable with the activities that your child is participating in. If you are concerned that your son’s camp has water guns, try to schedule time to discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher.
My daughter complains that writing hurts her hand. What's going on?
Your daughter may be struggling with holding her pencil correctly. When children begin to use a finger grip, they will usually use all five fingers to grip a pencil (known as an “immature” or five-finger grip).
Is it important for my son to learn to use an iPad?
There is a lot of debate these days over young children’s use of technology — particularly the iPad. Whether or not you decide to let your child use an iPad at this age is a personal choice, and will depend on your values and views on technology.