SCHOOL

“You’ve got to accentuate the positive.”  (Song by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer, 1944)   A positive attitude (or even a less negative attitude) has the potential to change lives.  This old song lyric came to mind while reading The Roller-Coaster Years – Raising Your Child Through the Maddening Yet Magical Middle School Years (Gianetti & Sagarese).  This is a fascinating book for parents of 10-15-year-olds, and for parents who want a gl

What does raising the bar look like for you?  What expectations do you have for your children? Setting high expectations is a good thing, as long as the bar isn't out of reach. Some of the students I teach have trouble with organization and keeping track of assignments.  Meetings with parents of tweens and guidance sometimes result in a long list of things the child is supposed to accomplish or master.

In light of the recent tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT, it's past time to take a look at what causes these tragedies to occur. I've heard a sharp public call for stricter gun control but that won't stop the violence. A person driven to kill will find whatever means are available to him at the time. Stricter penalties won't do it because a person in a murderous rage isn't thinking about consequences.

Sandy Hook: How to Talk to Your Kids After a Tragedy By Talking Teenage, Jennifer A. Powell-Lunder, Psy.D., for GalTime.com How do you talk with your children about an unspeakable crime? It's a heartwrenching reality as the country takes in one of the worst school shootings in US history.

It's unthinkable that when you send your child off to school you would ever receieve a call such as those parents in Newtown, CT did on December 14th.  It's a parents worst nighmare.  My heart aches for those families, as I know everyone's does.  As a parent or one who works with children, you may face difficult questions.  It is important that you address the topic with your child even if they don't bring it up - they most definitely have heard about it.

As a child & family therapist who has been in practice for over 15 years, it has been surprising how many children and families present with a depressed or anxious child only to find out that a contributing part of the problem is the way the child is being treated by their school teacher.  So much focus and emphasis has been put on peer bullying, and while it is certainly a worthy problem that needs to be addressed, I’ve come to believe that focus also needs to be put on bullying that is done by school administrators and staff. 

  By Steve Reifman, for GalTime.com To help children reach their amazing potential, it is imperative that the adults in their lives consistently hold high academic expectations and emphasize the importance of producing quality work. The term quality, however, can be ambiguous and mean different things to different people.  

By Barbara Greenberg, PhD, GalTime Teen Parenting Expert, for GalTime.com   As October comes to a close and we wrap up honoring National Bullying Prevention Month, we need to remember that it is clearly a topic that needs to be addressed all year long. Today, I want to talk about a kind of bullying that we don't discuss enough -- the acts that happen when other kids and even adults are around.

By GoodNCrazy, Carissa Rogers, for GalTime.com Hate School Carnivals? Well, Hate No More!   Do fall school fundraisers get you down? The experts at VolunteerSpot are hearing a lot of naysayers out there. “Carnivals are too chaotic to bring younger siblings.”  

Bullying can best be defined as an imbalance of power. Whenever there is an imbalance of power or strength that is either real or perceived there is a potential for the greater power to intentionally threaten or harm the weaker one. This power struggles usually takes place over a sustained period of time and has the potential to escalate into violence.

10  Ways to Help Your Child Make Friends © Judy H. Wright, www.ArtichokePress.com Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent or teacher more than the plaintive cry “nobody likes me” or”I don’t have any friends.”  We wish there were something we could do to insure the child will be, if not the most popular, at least included in the games on the playground.   

By RD & Certified Kids' Nutrition Specialist, Colleen Hurley, for GalTime.com getting kids to eat healthier   Snacks not only can help curb hunger but can also make sure your family gets their daily dose of fruits and vegetables.  Healthy snacks are particularly important for little ones because their tummies are tiny and often prefer to ‘graze’ throughout the day.  

By Registered Dietitian, Elisa Zied, MS RD CDN, for GalTime.com When she works with professional athletes, registered dietitian Mitzi Dulan explains to them that their bodies are like well-tuned, high performance race cars that need proper maintenance to get the most out of their bodies when they’re out on the field or court.  “Not only does proper nutrition help kids perform well when they’re playing sports and being active, but it

By Tara Weng, for GalTime.com talking sex with your kids It's probably one of the most difficult and fear-inducing conversation to have with your kids--the sex talk. You may think that putting it off until you feel comfortable is the answer but that method usually fails to impact your kids in the right way.

Are you concerned that your child is being bullied at school? Are you conflicted because, on the one hand, you want to step in and help, but, at the same time, you're afraid that interfering will only make matters worse? Good news: you aren't alone.

As a busy mom, you know how difficult it is to focus on yourself when you are constantly driving the kids to soccer practice, swimming lessons and play dates. Now that school is back in session, all of a sudden you have a little extra time. What will you do? There are three solutions to shaping your day and your week without the little ones around.