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Jan 22 2019

Overcoming the Winter School Day Blahs

Overcoming the Winter School Day Blahs

School is back in session. The mornings are dark and the evenings are even darker. It is cold, windy, and snowing outside. How do we keep our energy up and our kids focused at school? Here are suggestions shared by parents at a recent workshop:

  1. Have children wake up to an alarm clock playing happy music each morning.
  2. Teach children how to breathe deeply each morning as we engage them in some morning stretching and yoga types of exercise.
  3. Allow enough time for kids to get dressed, make their beds, and eat a nutritious breakfast.
  4. Sing songs as we walk or drive our kids to school.
  5. Help them pack a nutritional lunch and snacks for school.
  6. Plan for outside play each day after school.
  7. Balance the afternoon play with a nutritional snack.
  8. Make time for homework in an organized workspace with limited distractions.
  9. Engage your family in nightly family discussions during dinner.
  10. Schedule quality time with each child and read to them at bedtime each night.

[Read more…]

Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert

Mary Ann Burke, Ed.D., Digital Education Expert, is a substitute distance learning teacher for Oak Grove School District in San Jose, California and the author of STUDENT-ENGAGED ASSESSMENT: Strategies to Empower All Learners (Rowman & Littlefield: 2020). Dr. Burke creates digital language arts and substitute teaching K – 12 activities for teachers and parents. She is the Cofounder of the Genparenting.com blog. Burke is the former Director II of Categorical & Special Projects for the Santa Clara County Office of Education that supports 31 school districts serving 272,321 students in Santa Clara County. She is also a previous Director – State & Federal Compliance for Oakland Unified School District, the former Director – Grantwriter for the Compton Unified School District, and was the initial VISTA Director for the Community Partnership Coalition in southern California. Much of her work focuses on creating innovative digital trainings and partnership programs for teachers and families to support students’ learning. These programs were featured as a best practice at a National Title I Conference, California’s Title I Conferences, AERA Conferences, an ASCD Conference, the NASSP Conference, and statewide educator conferences.

Written by Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert · Categorized: Elementary School Parenting, Health and Wellness, Parenting Adolescents, Special Needs Family Health, Special Needs Parenting · Tagged: Early Parenting, Family health, family values, Parenting, Problem-Solving, teachable moments

Dec 18 2018

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

It is that busy time of year! All of us struggle with maintaining a sense of balance and calm in our daily lives. During this time of year, I struggle with juggling a demanding work schedule and maintaining my serenity with more demands for childcare and holiday celebrations. [Read more…]

Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert

Mary Ann Burke, Ed.D., Digital Education Expert, is a substitute distance learning teacher for Oak Grove School District in San Jose, California and the author of STUDENT-ENGAGED ASSESSMENT: Strategies to Empower All Learners (Rowman & Littlefield: 2020). Dr. Burke creates digital language arts and substitute teaching K – 12 activities for teachers and parents. She is the Cofounder of the Genparenting.com blog. Burke is the former Director II of Categorical & Special Projects for the Santa Clara County Office of Education that supports 31 school districts serving 272,321 students in Santa Clara County. She is also a previous Director – State & Federal Compliance for Oakland Unified School District, the former Director – Grantwriter for the Compton Unified School District, and was the initial VISTA Director for the Community Partnership Coalition in southern California. Much of her work focuses on creating innovative digital trainings and partnership programs for teachers and families to support students’ learning. These programs were featured as a best practice at a National Title I Conference, California’s Title I Conferences, AERA Conferences, an ASCD Conference, the NASSP Conference, and statewide educator conferences.

Written by Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert · Categorized: Early Childhood Parenting, Elementary School Parenting, Grandparenting, Health and Wellness, Parenting Adolescents, Secondary School Parenting, Special Needs Family Health · Tagged: #parenting teens, Early Parenting, Family health, manage stress, Parenting, Problem-Solving, teachable moments

Nov 13 2018

Early Intervention for the Developmentally Disabled

Early Intervention for the Developmentally Disabled

Parents know their children better than anyone. The first three years are very important in a child’s life. If parents are concerned about their child’s development, it is best to identify the concern as soon as possible. Families who have infants or toddlers with developmental delay or disabilities, may qualify for early intervention services provided by the Early Start program.

California’s Early Start Program provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and to their families. Families may access the program through one of California’s Regional Centers for developmental disabilities, County Offices of Education, or local school districts.

[Read more…]

Rosemarie Perez, Parenting

Rosemarie Pérez has worked with English learners and their families in public education for more than twenty years. She has served as a bilingual teacher, professional developer, and district administrator. Administrative roles included serving as the Director of English Learners for an elementary school district and as a Coordinator of Reading and Language for the San Mateo County Office of Education. Rosemarie continues to work with families as she leads the Santa Clara County Office of Education’s Parent Engagement Initiative during the past three years. Ms. Pérez provides expert guidance to teachers, school site staff, and school administrators in creating culturally sensitive parent training modules and academic curricular units. She facilitates parent education and Common Core Standards workshops. Engaged parents are further trained to become parent leaders and advocates. Rosemarie is the mother of five adult children and three grandchildren.

Written by Rosemarie Perez, Parenting · Categorized: Early Childhood Parenting, Health and Wellness, Infants | Preschoolers Health, Social-Emotional Health, Special Needs Family Health, Special Needs Parenting · Tagged: Developmental Disabilities, Early Parenting, Family health, Infants and toddlers

Jun 19 2018

Your Child Hurts Himself and Doesn’t Want to Cry

Your Child Hurts Himself and Doesn’t Want to Cry!

One of my friends brought her child over to my home to play with my grandson. While running around the backyard, my friend’s son, Nathan, stumbled and fell hard on his knee. The knee was severely bruised and bloody. Shockingly, Nathan withheld any emotion although he was in extreme pain. My friend and I were alarmed that he was too self-conscious and afraid to express his true emotions. When approaching Nathan about his injury, my friend responded to his distress by:

  • Encouraging him to express how he felt
  • Telling him it was OK to cry
  • Reassuring and cuddling her son
  • Having her son help when washing and applying medicine on the knee

[Read more…]

Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting

Joyce Iwasaki has over thirty years of educational experience working with diverse students in grades from preschool through high school. Joyce’s extensive background includes teaching elementary school, serving on early childhood advisory boards, and advocating for educational initiatives as a legislative aide. During her tenure as a legislative aide, she helped create legislation that allowed incarcerated mothers to keep their newborn babies with them while in prison. Additional legislation was enacted to allow incarcerated pregnant mothers to remain unshackled during labor and delivery. Ms. Iwasaki established and served as the president of an educational scholarship foundation for fifteen years. Her foundation awarded college scholarships to emerging student leaders who provided service to their schools and communities. Joyce is active in performing arts and cultural organizations. She also provides ongoing support to her daughter and family by raising her grandson in her home.

Written by Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting · Categorized: Early Childhood Parenting, Infants | Preschoolers Health, Social-Emotional Health · Tagged: cry, Early Parenting, Family health, Parenting, teachable moments

May 22 2018

Summer Time with Your Preschoolers

Summer Time with Your Preschoolers

It is that time of year when parents are deciding about what they can do with their kids during the summer. Many of us have big ideas that are too expensive or time-consuming for a family’s resources. GenParenting readers shared the following affordable activities for fun-filled times with their children:

  1. A camping trip that you can share with other families
  2. A long weekend at a family friendly beach, resort, or motel
  3. Spending a night at an animal sanctuary and waking up to the sounds of lions, water buffalo, exotic birds, or farm animals
  4. Staying in a cabin or tent lodge at a lake or national park
  5. Bicycle rides through botanical gardens or community parks
  6. Planning overnight and extended visits with grandparents or special friends that allow for exploration of new cities and landmarks

[Read more…]

Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting

Joyce Iwasaki has over thirty years of educational experience working with diverse students in grades from preschool through high school. Joyce’s extensive background includes teaching elementary school, serving on early childhood advisory boards, and advocating for educational initiatives as a legislative aide. During her tenure as a legislative aide, she helped create legislation that allowed incarcerated mothers to keep their newborn babies with them while in prison. Additional legislation was enacted to allow incarcerated pregnant mothers to remain unshackled during labor and delivery. Ms. Iwasaki established and served as the president of an educational scholarship foundation for fifteen years. Her foundation awarded college scholarships to emerging student leaders who provided service to their schools and communities. Joyce is active in performing arts and cultural organizations. She also provides ongoing support to her daughter and family by raising her grandson in her home.

Written by Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting · Categorized: Early Childhood Parenting, Health and Wellness, Infants | Preschoolers Health · Tagged: children's play, Early Parenting, Family health, family values, summer time, teachable moments

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