Involved parents make a big, positive difference in children’s education. If you want to make homework work for your family, here are some ideas from MVParents.com of what you can do, organized by age. For parents with children ages birth to 5 At this age, the best things you can do to support your children’s [...]

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Roberta Valentine has taught 5th grade for 20 years. Every year she, like all elementary school teachers, has a few students who can’t concentrate or hold still more than a few moments. An article in The New York Times lists some approaches tried and failed over the years: … setting a timer for 10 minutes [...]

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Heard the wry comment that parenting is finding the balance between threats and bribes? Author Alfie Kohn explains in this interview that by rewarding our children, we teach them to work for the reward instead of for the original objective. “More than 70 studies have found that the more you reward people for doing something, [...]

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Three year olds are being pushed academically and are kicked out of pre-school for not being able to sit still. Three. Years. Old.“A preschool teacher demanded that a 3-year-old get tested for ADHD when he couldn’t sit still for the half-hour stretches required by his preschool.” I can barely sit still that long! An article [...]

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More and more young children are diagnosed with ADHD. Via the Boston Globe [free registration req'd] is this list of actions you can take to help your child. Look for a very structured preschool or day care. All preschool-age children do better with consistent routines, but that is critical for youngsters with ADHD. Provide a [...]

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In talking to parents, it’s often the case their children don’t have the time it takes to study, read, or just relax. KidsHealth offers a way to determine if your child is too busy and presents tips to lighten the load. KidsHealth says that your over-scheduled child may: feel tired, anxious, or depressed complain of [...]

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A great introductory article on ADHD (pdf) is available in the Fall issue of Healthy Children, a magazine produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Between 4 and 12 per cent of children have ADHD, but boys outnumber girls three to one. A child with ADHD may have a [...]

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The first video ever shown on MTV blamed television for the demise of radio. The Buggles (iTunes link) were onto something. In the October issue of Pediatrics, Sharif and Sargent write about media exposure hurting school performance. “According to the study [says the press release], the odds of poor school performance increased with growing weekday [...]

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Stunning “finding” from the American Academy of Pediatrics says that all the pressure of school, homework, and structured extra-curricular activities is stressing our children. A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says free and unstructured play is healthy and – in fact – essential for helping children reach important social, emotional, and [...]

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If you’re thinking about tutoring for your pre-K child, don’t be too hasty. Find out what “typical” is at PBS’s Child Development Tracker.

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