Summer Brain Drain

Summer vacation has officially arrived. I barely survived my first week! Here’s an interesting tidbit I read about. According to a study by Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, students lose one to three months worth of learning when they return to school after the summer break. According to Cooper, this loss is greatest in math skills. He claims that all students lose math skills over the summer. The study also found that income had an impact on how much a student lost or gained in the area of reading. Middle-class students gained in … Continue reading →

How Old Should Children Be Before They Watch the News?

The television news can be incredibly scary. With the focus being on bad and tragic news and information, children can get exposed to some rather graphic and unpleasant realities long before they are really developmentally old enough to process them. I remember one of my own children having nightmares for nearly a year when she heard a statement on the news that said something like every person in America would experience a house fire in their lifetime. She was horrified that our house would burn any day. So, how old should children be before they watch the news, and what … Continue reading →

What Happened to Going to School on the Last Day?

Back when I was a kid, the last day of school was always highly anticipated. It was the chance to say our last good-byes. It never occurred to me that some kids today stay home on the last day. Today I found out that many kids do. In fact, many kids stayed home today. I had to decide if I wanted Tyler to go to school tomorrow or not. Sure if he stays home, I get to sleep past 6:30. On the other hand, if he stays home there goes my last day of alone time before summer break. And … Continue reading →

Getting Older Children to Read for Fun

Reading books starts out as something purely for pleasure. When our children are small, we read wonderful, colorful storybooks full of rhymes and rhythmic words and delightful stories. Once a child starts school, reading becomes increasingly about “work”—the work of academics. There are more and more books that HAVE to be read and, before long, a child who loved to read might turn into someone who dreads and hates it. While some children are just naturally passionate and voracious readers, some might need some encouragement to continue reading for pleasure as they move through the upper elementary, middle school and … Continue reading →

What About NEXT School Year?

Ah, the school year is ending and everyone’s thoughts of anticipation are on the seemingly long stretch of summer laid out before us. I know for a fact that the focus is on just getting this school year finished—but, in only three short months another school year will be starting up and it can be helpful to put a little thought into that now—before the realities of summer take over. Many parents choose to move or change schools over the summer. If this is your plan, or you are considering it—it is a good idea to get all the paperwork … Continue reading →

My Son’s First Field Trip- Part Two

This morning I wrote about Tyler’s first field trip without me. Well, I goofed. When I picked him up from school, he was a little upset because he was not allowed to go on the field trip. The permission slips were sent home on Tuesday. No where on the letter did it state, “please return on Wednesday so that we can know how many buses we need”. Okay, maybe I should have known that but I’m new at this. I just assumed that since they were planning to take the entire school they had enough buses reserved. The tickets and … Continue reading →

How Much Information About Finances Should We Share With Our Kids?

Money is a rough topic for a lot of families. Many of us were raised in families where open communication about money was NOT the norm, and even if we want things to be different for our own children, we might not be entirely clear on what is appropriate and what is not. Teaching our children about money goes beyond just issuing an allowance—but how much should we actually share with our children about our own personal finances? I don’t know if there is a set rule when it comes to financial information, but it stands to reason that it … Continue reading →

My Son’s First Field Trip Without Me

One of the reasons I wanted to work from home was so that I could be available for all of Tyler’s assorted school activities. Especially field trips. Somehow, the thought of my baby going out into the world without me was a scary thought. So far this year I have attended every school function, including field trips. Today was an exception. When Tyler came home with a permission slip Tuesday for an outing to the movies, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go. But again, I was afraid … Continue reading →

Summer Learning

It’s hard to believe that in a few days school will be out for the summer. Tyler’s school year ends next Friday, although for all practical purposes it ends this Friday. Next Monday-Wednesday they are testing. On Thursday, they have the fifth grade graduation ceremony, class parties and they get out early. On Friday, they will be dismissed at 11:50. Should learning stop when the last school bell rings? When I was a child, we didn’t do anything in the summer but play and have fun. We attended vacation bible school for a few weeks each summer but that was … Continue reading →

My First Spring Fling

One of the great things about being a first time mother is getting to experience all the “firsts” in your child’s life. That first walk without stumbling, those first attempts at speech and of course, the first successful attempt to use the potty. When your child starts school you have a whole new slew of firsts- first field trip, school day pictures, Spring Break. Working from home, I have been fortunate to have been able to be there for all of Tyler’s firsts. Today, I experienced another school-related first. Spring Fling. In my day, we called it May Day and … Continue reading →