Family health Archives - Page 3 of 4

May 15 2018

How to Overcome Temper Tantrums and Moody Days!

We’ve all had those days. You know, the days where you wake up to the spring bird’s love song, the sun lightly kissing your face. With your morning cup of coffee in hand, you delight in seeing the dew on the flower petals. It’s peaceful. And calm.

And then you hear it. [Read more…]

Jaime Koo, Encouraging Literacy

Discovering the joy of teaching while in high school, Jaime pursued her B.A. in English at Santa Clara University. She also received a teaching credential and a M.A. in Education Administration from Santa Clara University. Jaime taught English Language Arts at Rancho Middle School, motivating and inspiring young people to become effective communicators and contributors in their community. From being a Middle School English Language Arts/English Language Development teacher to becoming a stay-at home mom, Jaime is an education consultant who presents literacy workshops. Her workshops focus on a combination of her ten years of teaching expertise with tried-and-true experiences that she uses with her own children. Jaime is also a Teacher Consultant with the San Jose Area Writing Project. Jaime’s mission is to share effective reading and writing strategies with families to encourage literacy.

Mar 20 2018

Care for Your Child by Caring for Yourself

Parents ensure that their children get enough sleep, make healthy food choices, and are ready to learn. Parents must also consider what they need to do for themselves for self-care. We are our children’s first and primary teachers. We should model the healthy lifestyle that we want our children to follow.

Summarized below are some effective tips for you to practice: [Read more…]

Yvette King-Berg, College Readiness

Yvette King-Berg, is the Executive Director of Youth Policy Institute’s Charter Schools. She was the former California Charter Schools Association Vice-President of School Development and Outreach-Southern California. Ms. King-Berg has over thirty years of experience working with teachers, students, parents, and organizations in a variety of positions including Director, Assistant Director, Curriculum Advisor, Bilingual, and Title 1 Coordinators, classroom teacher (K-12) in Pasadena and LAUSD. She has been married for twenty-three years, and is the proud mother of her son, EJ, who attends UC Berkeley.

Feb 27 2018

The Three-Hour Grandma Play Dates!

During the past decade, I have cared for grandkids multiple times per week; twelve months every year. As my grandkids become older, their daily schedules become busier with afterschool activities and sports programs. I have adjusted my weekly schedule to adapt to these changes.

Listed below are 10 suggestions that support your children’s social, emotional, and academic play when face time with them is limited: [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.

Oct 31 2017

Preschoolers and Natural Disasters

California and several other states have struggled with significant natural disasters during the last two months. Preschoolers can become very fearful when hearing about these disasters. A parents’ responsibility to preschoolers is to assure them that their parents are going to work towards keeping them safe and secure. Parents in the midst of disasters typically try to reassure their children and move them to safety. Ideally, parents can provide their children with daily routines that establish a secure and stable environment.

Help Others

During and after disasters, parents can help their preschoolers learn how to support others less fortunate. Strategies parents can use to help their preschoolers give back to others include:

Children can give their extra toys, clothes, and art supplies to a collection bin for survivors who have lost everything.
Children can learn how to collect for a cause when trick or treating or as part of a Thanksgiving Drive.
Preschoolers can attend a service day at a local school where students organize supplies for families who have lost basic needs.
Preschoolers can meet families who have lost their homes by sharing a meal in their home or a picnic in the park with a new friend.
If a family has an extra vacation home or space on their property, they can offer that home or space as a respite to a family in need.
If a family lives between two houses, one house can be rented cheaply to a family who has lost their home.
Your child’s preschool or church can sponsor a fundraising event to buy new backpacks filled with school supplies, craft projects, and gift cards for necessities that can be given to the school’s children who have lost their homes.
Schools can highlight the culture of giving by organizing culturally sensitive assemblies with local agencies and churches. The preschoolers can participate by helping with the distribution of donated gifts to the school’s families in need.
The children can create cards and write messages of appreciation and gratitude to families receiving gifts and the first responders.
Preschoolers can increase their empathy for each other by teaching them how to help a child that has fallen off a swing or hurts himself while playing on the playground.

[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.

Oct 10 2017

How to Reduce School Day Stress

The school year has started and now you feel exhausted. What are 10 quick strategies to improve your outlook on life and get through the long weeks of driving kids to schools, coordinating activities, and helping with homework?

10 Strategies to Reduce Immediate Stress

Get a handle on your life by picking up household clutter each day. Your children can share this activity as one of their responsibilities. Then you can truly relax.
Do something for yourself that you enjoy. This may include hiking, playing tennis, swimming, exercising, window shopping, or reading a book.
Self-Reflect on the beauty and wonders in your life. Reflective activities include meditation, journaling, walking or relaxing in a natural setting, listening to music, or reading reflective thoughts for the day.
Pamper yourself with a massage or by taking the time for a bubble bath or a hot shower.
Get together with friends and share life’s joys, challenges, and brainstorm solutions to daily problems.
Embellish your hobby and take the time to enjoy it. This can include attending seminars, classes, journaling, and writing blogs.
Pursue your dream. If you have not taken the time to complete college, take a course, change jobs, or become active in your community. Start taking baby steps to fulfill your career and self-growth dreams.
Give back to the community. It is very difficult to take care of others all day long. Taking time for a purpose greater than yourself or your family can be very rewarding. Some parents become active in a school committee while others take their children with them to clean the beaches or plant a tree.
Find your spiritual center through nature, religion, or a cause greater than yourself.
Stay humble and always give more than you take from the world.

[Read more…]

Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting