Big Kids

Facilitating Good Decision-Making

Ever looked at your child in bewilderment and asked: “What were you thinking?!” Then you know that kids, especially teens, can make some profoundly poor decisions. Luckily, we can help them learn smart decision-making skills and manage mistakes—without feeling the need to helicopter over their every move. Blame biology. “Understand that your kids aren’t just being […]

Benefits of Teaching Handwriting

The educational tasks assigned to children have increasingly become digitized and moved to online platforms. This has resulted in many schools deciding not to teach handwriting skills. While it is true that kids need to spend time learning skills vital for keeping up in the digital world, such as how to type by touch, research […]

Diet Talk Could be Harmful to Kids

By Melissa Reid, MS, RDN, Indulge in Nutrition “Does this make me look fat?” “I have to start a new diet before swimsuit season.” “I need to lose weight.” We have all said these phrases before without considering their potential impact on our kids. Our kids are like sponges, soaking up everything they hear. When […]

Should I be my child’s best friend?

By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids Magazine The work of parenting is not easy. As children grow, the amount of guidance they need from their parents is constantly evolving, and it is hard work to adjust and enforce boundaries as situations and a child’s maturity changes. It is very unpleasant to be the target of […]

Scheduling for Kids at Home

Creating a daily routine and having a list of activities to keep kids occupied helps provide the structure needed to be at home all day. Here are a few tips on creating a daily routine for your family and some fun activities that will exercise both mind and body. Create a routine that is realistic and […]

Are they ready for a Smartphone?

Many kids assume that once they reach the tween years and enter middle school, they will be given a smartphone. However, parenting experts caution that just because your child is entering middle school, it does not mean he is ready for the responsibility of a smartphone. What to consider before giving your child his first smartphone […]

Benefits of Taking your Child to a Theatre Event

Taking your child to a live show is known to have many more benefits than watching a movie or television episode. In fact, studies have shown live theatre provides your child with a lasting impression, children will reference to a character or moment for months to come. Increases Awareness of Emotions: Seeing a live show builds […]

Making the Most of a Nature Walk with the Kids

What better way to spend quality time with your family and get in touch with nature than a fresh, invigorating walk in the woods, along a river, or the beach? What’s more, family hikes make for fun learning opportunities for kids and parents alike. A stone is a stone is a…mineral? Take an excursion along […]

Two-Way Communication: One-Way to Success

Good communication between you and your child becomes invaluable as your child grows older and needs your support to navigate new challenges. Recent research suggests that when parents start establishing quality two-way communication with their kids during the preschool years, kids develop strong communication skills that lead to future success in careers and relationships. Parents […]

How to select a learning app for MATH

There are a large variety of math apps that provide a fun way to practice and improve your child’s math skills. Here are some traits to look for when selecting one: The math app presents the math fact using a three-step process. The student is first asked to answer the problem, then if the incorrect […]