Author Archives: Valerie Nelson

About Valerie Nelson

Valerie is a Families.com blogger, freelance writer and small business owner. Valerie helps non-profit organizations with fundraising through grant development for their programs and projects. Valerie enjoys spending time with her family and currently lives in Michigan.

September 11…

Five years ago seems like a long time ago. For those who lost loved ones, each day has probably crept by with the pain and suffering associated with a grievous loss. Our entire nation felt that at some level, losing our innocence as we sat glued to our televisions watching the still unbelievable events unfold. Now five years later schools struggle to determine what the appropriate message is that they want to give to their students about September 11, 2001. Just as the attack on Pearl Harbor is known as “A Day That Will Live in Infamy”, 9-11 is a … Continue reading →

Family Boundaries

The next six assets that will be written about are in what is considered the “Boundaries and Expectations” category of assets. According to the Search Institute, this grouping of assets helps children to “Know what is expected of them-and what’s not-helps children create, learn, and grow. Instead of holding children back, limits keep them safe and secure. When they know who to count on and how to behave, children can concentrate on developing and learning new skills” Healthy family boundaries include when parents understand children’s needs, likes & dislikes. Parents model appropriate behavior and set age-appropriate limits and consequences. This … Continue reading →

College Affordability

It is no secret that the cost of college has been rising over the past decade so much so that it has outpaced the average Americans salary increase during the same period. A recent study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Titled “Measuring Up, The National Report Card On Higher Education” notes that all types of colleges-public and private have increased their cost of tuition, books, room and board since the 1990’s. The study uses a range of measurements to give states grades, from A to F, on the performance of their public and private colleges … Continue reading →

Safety

Another important asset is helping to make our homes, schools, childcare centers and other environments safe for our children. In our post 9-11 society, this might seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, there are organizations solely dedicated to improving the safety of our nation’s children. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign’s goal is teaching adults how to make their community safer for children of all ages. On the SAFE KIDS website, you can look up safety tips and even sign up for a free monthly newsletter containing information and news about how to help keep your child safe. You can start … Continue reading →

Remedial Education

A disturbing trend over the past fifteen years is costing states millions of dollars and potentially providing an excuse for failure. Remedial education in core subjects such as reading and math for recent high school graduates who are entering college is becoming very common. Anywhere from 25-70% (depending on which study you review) of high school graduates entering a university need to take remedial classes. The State of Florida spends an astounding $71 million a year to teach students entering college things they should have mastered in high school. This is a disservice to our youth. Students should know the … Continue reading →

Service To Others

Service to others is one of my favorite assets. Parents and children can work together to serve others in the community. This helps to meet the needs of other people and reinforces the idea to children that they are not the center of the universe. Other people have needs that they can help to meet. When children see their parents involved in some type of activity outside of the house or their own family, they are more likely to be involved themselves. Parents with babies and toddlers may not be able to include these young children in their service projects. … Continue reading →

Useful Roles

The next asset that we will examine in this series is concerned with ensuring that children are given useful roles. Children feel good when parents involve them in family life in age appropriate ways. Young children can help with easy chores such as a two year old collecting napkins and placing them in the trash after a family meal. Older toddlers can help to clean up heir toys. Preschoolers can make a homemade card for a relative’s birthday. Elementary age children love to be in charge of something. It is very empowering to them. Let them decide what they want … Continue reading →

Music Education

Music has played a significant part of virtually every culture on earth. Music is a uniquely human form of communication that can be produced through a number of media. In the past, music was taught along with arithmetic, language, science and other core subjects. The Philosopher Plato stated “I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all the arts are the keys of learning.” Research reveals that when young people study the arts they show heightened academic standing, a strong capacity for self-assessment, and a secure sense of their … Continue reading →

Teacher Strike

Today, on the first day of school in Detroit, Michigan some students came to class prepared, but their teachers did not show up at all. In fact some of them stood outside their buildings watching the children walk by while they held up signs denouncing their unfair wages. On August 27, 2006, about 9,500 teachers associated with the Detroit Federation of Teachers decided that because of multiple issues with the School Board’s proposed contract they would not work rather than give in to what they call unfair demands. According to a Yahoo News article, the proposed contract included “A 5.5-percent … Continue reading →

Valuing Children

It is important for children to be respected for who they are. They are not mini-adults and should not be expected to act like adults. Children are in the very long process of learning to manage their bodies and feelings. We know this is difficult to master because as adults we often fail to respond appropriately in all situations. Children need to be accepted for who they are-valued because they are valuable. A friend of mine from England told me once that she thought America is not really a child friendly country. In England, they offer special parking spaces for … Continue reading →