GenParenting

Parenting resources for all who love and care for children

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.

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Is Your Child Reading Below Grade-Level?

Is Your Child Reading Below Grade-Level?

At your last parent teacher conference did you discover your child was performing at below grade-level in reading? I know it’s January, but don’t despair. Hello, my name is Danielle Gentry and I’m a second- grade teacher in South San Jose. I’d like to give you some sound advice about what you can do at home to help your child and questions you can ask their teacher.

Questions to Ask the Teacher

First, let’s talk about valuable questions. How does my child read? What is my child’s reading level? Get specific answers. Most, if not all primary teachers have some kind of reading assessment that will inform the teacher of their student’s fluency, prosody, and comprehension. A deeper understanding of your child’s specific reading struggles can help you have a more directed reading experience with them at home. [Read more…]

How Can We Support Families Living Through Disasters?

How Can We Support Families Living Through Disasters?

Happy new year! Each year I reflect on all that is good in the world. I also ponder on what I can improve upon and how I can approach each day with integrity that contributes to improving the lives around me. As an educator, I find that I am most happy when I am helping a child learn a new skill. A child’s look of satisfaction and achievement is all I need as the payoff for teaching and nurturing success.

Coping with Community Disasters

As a community member, I am challenged on how I can best respond to the multitude of disasters surrounding our communities. As a California resident, we have suffered through horrific wild fires. Other parts of our country have struggled with tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding. Our communities continue to be challenged with poverty, homelessness, and various injustices. [Read more…]

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…]

Helping Our Children Become Problem-Solvers and School Leaders

Helping our Children Become Problem-Solvers and School Leaders

When I consider my son’s first year experiences attending college away from home, I must adjust my administrative guidance for the teachers working with college bound middle and high school students. I am learning that helping our students develop life skills is even more important for college survival than added academic skill development. [Read more…]