“They grow up so quickly!” How many times have you been told that or thought that as a parent? Back to school time is certainly one of those milestones that mark the passing years, especially when your child is starting school fulltime. Before you know it, a kindergartener will be a High School Junior, looking […]
I am a part of a blended family. My husband is the father of two great kids and we all mesh together pretty well. Don’t get me wrong, we have our ups and downs every now and then, but all families do, especially families with tweens and teens! Step-parenting in a blended family can be […]
As many students prepare to return to school today after the holiday break, it is also an important time for parents to reflect on their role in their children’s academic success. This week’s Parenthetical article, originally posted in December 2013, shares a bit of teacher insight into what parents can do to promote a successful semester! […]
Yoga, mediation, mindfulness and loving-kindness all are recent buzzwords but why in the world am I mentioning them on a parenting website? What do they have to do with parenting? Like peanut butter and jelly, mindfulness and parenting go hand-in-hand. Much of the best parenting happens when parents pause and think about how to act […]
As our children kick into “wish list” overdrive this holiday season, it isn’t uncommon for them to ask for every new toy or gadget on the market. No matter what holiday you celebrate, many of our sons and daughters will be receiving a gift in the upcoming weeks. While we can’t predict the new […]
Most people know the teen years are a turbulent time for adolescents, but many might be surprised to know that mid-life parents are also undergoing significant changes. Stephen Small, human development and family relations specialist with UW-Extension and professor in the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology, says that parents and their teenage children are often […]
If you look at children’s menus in restaurants or kid-friendly food packages in the grocery store, it may seem that children only eat a limited number of foods, such as deep-fried chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, and chewy fruit snacks. “Not true,” says Gayle Coleman, nutrition education program specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension. “Throughout […]
The skills children bring with them to kindergarten, such as vocabulary, knowledge of letter names and sounds, and the ability to rhyme words, are strong predictors of future school success. Parents–a child’s first and most valuable teachers–most often set these skills in motion long before a child enters preschool or other formal schooling situation. “What […]
Taking small steps can help children become financially smarter adults Young children often have trouble understanding why they can’t have every toy or piece of candy they see at the store. But by around age 10, kids begin to comprehend that money is a limited resource. “The ages of 10 to 12 are an opportune […]
Families develop many holiday activities, events and rituals over the years. Some activities become family traditions and others fall by the wayside. As children get older, the schedules and demands of school, jobs and sports may affect their feelings about time-honored family traditions. One way for parents of teens and preteens to ensure that holiday […]
