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Earlier this month, I discussed how one of my son’s middle-school teachers focused on his kindness towards others as the highlight of our parent-teacher conference, and how it inspired me to look at my own behavior and seek ways to choose kindness and reinforce the same with our children. In this week’s post, the story continues with a reflection on kindness and tips for teaching children to choose kindness. Our son has always been a kind soul. From the time he was young, he had wha …

School conferences have generally been good experiences for my husband and me. With few exceptions, we often hear about our kids’ achievements, how they seem to be doing in class or at school, and hear very positive things about their behavior.But when our son (who is now entering 10th grade) was in sixth grade, he hit a rough patch in school. He was doing fine overall, but definitely not living up to his potential in some classes. Homework had been missed, projects not done to completion, …

This article was originally published on sociabilitybooks.com, written by Lou Knows What to Do Authors, Kimberly Tice and Venita Litvack. Like the rest of the world, we are obsessed with the new Avengers movie, Infinity War. The plot revolves around possession of extremely powerful gems called the infinity stones. For the folks reading who aren’t Marvel fans (Why aren’t you?), we will list the stones. They actually relate to some very important rules for promoting readi …

Summertime is exciting! Family vacations, big sleepovers, and days at the pool. But, if you’re anything like me, summertime flies by too fast. Before you know it, the first day of school is right around the corner. Will your family be ready?It can be hard to switch from your family’s fun summer schedule back to your school schedule. Follow these 5 tips to get your family back into their school routine.1. Backup bedtimes. During the summer, children get used to going to bed late and sl …

    He asked if I liked to eat crayons. I’d just moved to the area in the middle of first grade and wanted desperately to make friends, so I said I did. He smiled and a friendship was born. My father viewed my new friend with a skeptical eye, and I knew soon he’d render a judgement. I definitely felt bad for lying to my new friend and was worried that one day I’d have to fess up — or chow down. Fortunately, that day never came. He and I remained friends through elemen …

There is no substitute for family; sisters, brothers and cousins are our first friends in life! In the years before Pre-K, our relationships with these family members grow strong – and often continue as we grow. No matter how many friends we make in school, on the playground or even at our jobs – our very first memories are with family members! Growing up, we spent every holiday at my grandmother’s house. Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and even days like Lab …

People today live in a world made possible by software. Everyone can shop online, make calls via software-controlled networks, or navigate roads through apps. Companies are working on building houses controlled by software, providing medical care with robotics, and even creating cars that can run on their own. Taking that into consideration, it's clear that a lot of the things kids use run because of code. By the time they grow up, their world will be even more digitalized, and the im …

Five tips for teaching kids how to cope with and react effectively to rumors.Have you ever been targeted by a rumor? I have! In seventh grade, I accidentally burned my neck with a curling iron. The burn resembled a hickey. I tried to cover it up with makeup, but it took less than two hours for a rumor to circulate at school that I had made out with someone, was easy and loose and was most likely pregnant! Growing up in an extremely conservative area, I lost most of my friends by the end of …

Reading is a lifelong skill that benefits students of all ages. As a teacher, I have seen that a student who is a good reader will be more successful in almost every subject in school. This is one learning area that children can continue to work on all summer. And it can be fun! The goal is to encourage your children to read and improve their comprehension as well. You can help with this easily. Here are some tips on how you can do this: Read with your child. It will help your chi …

When it comes to mental health, there is no ONE right approach or treatment. Every story is different; every child is different. Helping a child or teen work through their mental health issues extends outside of the home. Teachers and counselors are an essential part of this journey. The following is a Q & A with Dr. Dan Daly, current Director of Youth Care Emeritus and former Executive Vice President and Director of Youth Care at Boys Town. This article originally appeared …