For some, being on time comes rather easy, but adding children into the equation can challenge even the most punctual parent.  This seems most apparent in the daily gauntlet of getting out of the door and to school before the bell rings (breakfast not included).  Here are some hints to help us minimize the last minute delays that may keep us from the benefits of being on time.

“Mom, that’s not due until next week!”
“I’ll have plenty of time to work on that later.”
“Our teacher said the essay is due at the end of the quarter.”
“Do I have to work on that now? No one else is!”
“I’m so tired! Can I please wait until tomorrow?”

Have you heard anything like this from your children before?  If so, then congratulations because your family is completely normal!  Procrastination is the default setting for most people’s way of thinking and way of life, however, it’s not typically the best way to accomplish goals or achieve great things.  Like most life skills children will mimic what they observe, and so the task of teaching our children about procrastination and its downfalls rests upon our shoulders as parents.  Here are a few ways to help teach children to steer clear of procrastination and instead teach the art of accomplishment.

What’s the one thing that can make the biggest difference in getting your little one ready for school and a life of successful learning?  It’s simple, fun, and provides hours of quality time:  IT'S READING!

From an educational preparedness point of view, one of the best things you can do for your young children is to sit on the floor with them in your lap and read book after book together.  Here are a few tips to creatively create some great reading time at home or on the move.

“Mom, there’s nothing to do. I’m so bored!”  Sound familiar? Parents would be millionaires if they had a nickel for everytime they heard that phrase come from their children’s mouths. Without the rigorous schedule of homework, sports, and after school activities, the summer can be open season for boredom to find its way into the minds of our kids and sour the sweetest summer day.

First of all, boredom is a choice that people make. They choose to discard all known options of occupying themselves and instead vocalize that decision to the person they believe can solve their problem. Children are masters at doing this, and often parents don’t want the battle so they cave to the demands of whatever is being asked of them. Here are some fun, creative, and mostly free suggestions to help your kids choose being busy over being bored this summer.

With graduation just around the corner, we decided to send our high school seniors off to college with some helpful, practical and much-needed advice. Naturally we decided to consult the experts for this important project, so we interviewed our Kindergarten students to find out what they had to say:

Just hearing the term Benchwarmer may conjure up some unhappy memories for many. Maybe some of us have felt the frustration being a ‘reserve’ or bemoaned the thought of ‘riding the pine’ for another game. Being left-out is no fun, but the experience seems to be harder when it happens to your own child. Here’s some helpful insight we can pass on to our young athletes to help them to score even when they're on bench.

Every child is different, of course, but many of us have had a child (or were the child) that did everything well.  Whether it was God-given talent and ability or a lot of hard work, or both, these kids are accustomed to success. These kids make the teams, win the awards, and get the A’s.  Lots of A’s. Unfortunately, these are often the kids who are most shaken when things don’t go their way - when they get that first B.

While we as parents may not want to celebrate the B with our child, we can definitely take the opportunity to help our child learn a few important lessons through their 'B'.

 It’s that time of year again. Fall is upon us, the leaves are changing, the air is turning a little more brisk, and as you pull out the warmer clothes you notice that your children’s pants from last year now only reach their ankles. Most of us love the fall season and all the changes that it brings, but no one enjoys the usual illnesses that seem to tag along with it. Sickness doesn’t have to be part of your fall season, though, so here are a few tips to keep your household well this year.

Last week we introduced tips on how to parent the middle school student and the first four important topics we discussed were:

1.  ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE; 2. LEAD THEM TO LEAD; 3. TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED; and 4. TEACHERS ARE ON YOUR TEAM

Here are some further helpful hints that have been learned along the way:

Transitioning from parenting an elementary school aged student (5-10) to a middle school in San Diego aged student (11-14) can be a confusing and frustrating time. There's a lot of change and growth that takes place in kids as the prefrontal cortex of the brain starts developing around age 11, and personalities and learning style can sometimes seemingly change overnight.  There is also a significant adjustment to new surroundings and schedules at school: multiple teachers, subjects, classrooms, and expectations, all with an alternating schedule. I think it's safe to say your child may struggle.  They need you to be quick to encourage them and reinforce your confidence in them. There will be a transitional period for everyone and it will take time, but you must remember: time is on your side -- it’s only middle school.

Parenting this age calls for wisdom and much flexibility. There needs to be more room for independence as your child becomes more self-aware, opinionated, and naturaly desiring more freedom and responsibility. As parents, a transition may occur to add the roles of a coach and a cheerleader while continuing in the many other pre-existing roles we might be still learning.

With all this in mind, here are some helpful hints to help parents through this transitional period: