Elementary School

My kids get their report cards in 3 days. Luckily, both my girls are good students and like school so I'm not expecting any surprises or bad grades. But for many parents, report card day can be stressful.

My youngest is in kindergarten and while we think it's *only* kindergarten, this class forms the basis for a young student's school career. If the student has a positive experience, likes the teacher, makes friends and has parental involvement at home, chances are he or she will perform well and have a positive attitude about school.

If, however, the student and teacher don't get along, if the student has a late birthday and is immature compared to his older classmates, or the work is difficult for any reason, this student will struggle and dislike school. Once the idea of hating school is introduced, it's often difficult to change that child's perception.

Acknowledging your child's grades, whether good or bad, is the first step to understanding if your child is getting the appropriate help needed. While it's much easier to praise good grades, it is equally important for a student's self-esteem to keep a positive attitude, stay calm and find "the silver lining" when presented with below average grades.

If your student is struggling, first consult the classroom teacher and get that side of the story. Maybe there is a simple solution to improving your student's grades. If you are not happy with the teacher's recommendation, then feel free to speak with the principal or hire a private tutor.

While private tutors are an unexpected expense, the right tutor will be worth the cost if he/she can help your child's grades while also improving your child's self-esteem. Many times simply having a different person explain the work to your child can yield impressive results.

Food allergies among children are rising at an alarming rate. Over 2 million children suffer from allergies that could be life-threatening and no one has an answer as to WHY this is occurring.

Children with food allergies need to be protected at school, both in the classroom and also in the cafeteria. Teachers can ban the allergen in question by informing the parents about the classmate's allergy or they can watch very carefully that accidental ingestion does not take place.

School lunch rooms must be extra cautious, not only to avoid serving the allergen to the child but to not cross contaminate the food in the lunch line. This can happen simply by not using separate serving utensils. Once a spoon is used in one dish, it should stay with that dish to avoid getting an allergen on it and passing it along to the allergic child.

Did you know that ALL school staff members should know how to handle an allergic reaction? Some reactions occur slowly, after the child is out of the lunch room and with the gym teacher or on the playground for recess. Precious time should not be lost looking for the one or two people qualified to handle such a reaction.

For an indepth interview about children's food allergies and solutions to keeping kids safe at school, please listen to Show #15

1. Wash hands AFTER eating snack or lunch to wash away any potential allergens.

2. Use soap and water to wash hands. Antibacterial sanitizers do not break down peanut proteins.

3. Wash table tops before and after snack or lunch to wash away food allergens.

4. When sharing birthday snacks, provide a store-made snack with a food ingredient label.

5. When hosting playdates, always ask the guest's parent if there are food allergies and if so, what is safe for the child to eat.

It's always better to be safe than sorry.

As featured on Show #14 of Wonder Years Radio

As a parent, have you given any thought to why homework is assigned? We all hated it as kids, thought it was stupid and wanted to play with our friends rather than sit at the table to finish the work. But now that we are older (and wiser?), how do you feel about your kids doing homework?

There seem to be a few different ideas regarding the use of homework. One side thinks the work is more busy work than useful and that once kids are at home they should be allowed to relax, read for pleasure, play with friends and spend more quality time with the family. These believers also think that by doing homework the child's innate desire to learn is being eroded.

Others think that the states are "dumbing down" their standardized tests and the kids in the US are not as advanced as kids in some foreign countries, therefore we must push our kids harder to meet elevated standards.

Click here to read more...

Sending your child off to school for the first time is a very scary concept, scary for mom and scary for the child. However, as mom we have to be as pulled together as possible and make sure that we are in control and not sending off the nervous vibes to our children, who will definitely notice your negativity.

Make this day as fun as possible with a new outfit or a new backpack for all their supplies!

If you have to send your child to their first day on the bus, take extra precautions so that they will feel comfortable with their first ride, even if you have to find them a bus buddy from the neighborhood or drive them in for the first few days.

Another issue that you will need to take into account is your early morning schedule and the new changes and routines your child will have to get used to doing. An easy breakfast, backpacks packed the night before, a set schedule for dressing, eating and walking out the door is a necessity.

If your child has some anxiety, be understanding and definitely be as involved with them as possible so that you can get to know the exact situation your child is in. Connecting as much as possible through parent-teacher conferences, PTA, and even inviting your child's new friends over to your home will help ease both your anxiety and your child's.

Starting school is an exciting time and a wonderful time for you to connect with your child and set an example for them in the way that you handle yourself and deal with the new times and transition in their lives.

Listen to our first show for more tips!

Wishful thinking will not keep your kids safe from lice if they are exposed at school, church groups, or scouting events. Just by being in close contact with someone who has it is enough to allow the lice to transfer onto your kids' clothing and make their way onto your children's heads.

The telltale sign of lice is if you notice your child scratching his/her head often. Lice are extremely small and not often visible to the naked eye, so merely looking at your child's head is not enough to determine if they have lice.

To find out how to protect your student from lice and to get rid of a lice infestation, read this article by my guest Erica Johns. She was my guest on Show #9 and I sure had the heeby-jeebies after speaking with her!