The familiar changing season is happening all around us, but this year there are many notable differences in our lives. Fall usually means a return to normalcy for parents and students as summer vacation ends and school begins. Months ago, we still had hope that the...
Is going to school in the morning accompanied by tantrums and sulking from your kids? Many of us have been there, and if you are like me, it’s tough to know what to do. Realizing that my child hates school wasn’t a shocking revelation, but it was a major wake-up...
The teacher is one of your most important allies during the school year. They work incredibly hard to make sure all students achieve academic proficiency, gain crucial socio-emotional skills, and are prepared for a successful future both in and outside the classroom....
Socializing and activities outside of school are components needed to help develop your child’s social and emotional skills. Establishing relationships with kids at school and outside of school while participating in extracurricular activities help to nurture your...
Summer break is winding down, families are returning from vacation, school supplies are flying off the shelves, and teachers are back in their classrooms diligently preparing for another academic year. As the first day of school approaches, the relaxing days of...
Going back-to-school can be a stressful time for children of any age. Preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade back-to-school challenges can be especially stressful for early learners. It can stir up various emotions for parents and children. The emotions range from...
By Lori Lite It’s normal for kids and teens to feel a little nervous before a big test, but test taking anxiety left unchecked can affect grades. Finals, a quiz or full blown standardized test can evoke feelings of stress, fear, and even panic. All students...
by Lori Lite Familiarizing yourself with kid-friendly organic snacks for school and establishing a routine during the school year can help you and your children to feel less stressed. Look at your daily routine. What feels rushed or causes chaos in your house? Many...
by Lori Lite Kids back at school can mean an increase in anxiety for parents and children. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America calls anxiety disorders the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults and one out of eight children....
By Lori Lite Sixty five percent of students report that they are often or always stressed by their schoolwork and homework. Homework is a significant cause of stress for students. Homework stress can cause children and teens to experience stress-related symptoms such...
Note to Readers: Separation anxiety is stressful for children, parents, teachers, and anyone listening to the screams that can accompany saying goodbye. Separation anxiety can be reduced with role-playing. Take turns with your child saying goodbye and returning to a...
Note to Readers: Stress and anger management tips in action make my heart sing. I came across this post on how one teacher put Angry Octopus into action in her classroom. It is a dream come true for me when my stories inspire educators to bring emotional coping...
By Lori Lite Just say the word homework to most teens, children, or parents and watch their whole mood change as every cell of their mind and body heads into stress mode. Holidays, weekends, and downtime is a great time to have a new look at how you and your children...
by Lori Lite “A schedule change from summer to back to school is enough to create feelings of stress and anxiety for some children.” With carefree days of summer coming to an end I couldn’t help but reminisce. In New York we identified back to school time as sweater...
by Lori Lite More than 160,000 children skip school every day because they feel threatened by another student. – National Association of School Psychologists The bully gains power while crushing another human being’s spirit. He or she increases his own...
Note to Readers: Having just released lesson plans so that teachers can the benefit of reducing stress in the classroom…I was thrilled to read this article from Diane. Decreasing stress creates teachable children. Teacher, parents, and children win. Enjoy! by...
by Lori Lite Each year we ask our friends for good teacher gift ideas. This year I asked teachers and found out that teachers do NOT want one more ceramic apple with an adorable worm peeking out and they do not want your favorite perfume. A study published in the...
By Lori Lite and Sherry Segal Separation anxiety, sharing teacher’s attention with a group, making new friends, taking turns, controlling impulses can all be exciting but stressful new learning experiences for preschoolers. With 70% of grade school age children...
by Lori Lite I wish I had a few back to school tips when I was bringing me crying child to school… My kid was a clinger and did not want to go to school. She held my leg tightly and screamed so loudly I wanted to cry. So I did what every stressed out and...
My brother’s 5 year old didn’t want to get on the bus today. Stressful for dad and child. I suggested he set up a reward program that celebrates cooperative bus riding. Ride the bus Monday-Thursday. Friday dad and son celebrate by going for a breakfast and...
