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Entry bubble Kids Need Your Help to Learn

By: Joanne | August 25, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

young girl looking out the school bus windowThis week I’m getting my daughter ready to go back to school – I bet a lot of your kids are already in the classroom.

Our biggest preparation is easing back into an earlier, regular bedtime. My older daughter just can’t function without a good night’s sleep. I’m exactly the same, so I know how important it is for her to be well rested to be receptive to learning, and have a productive day at school.

No matter if school is in session or not, there are so many things that we, as parents can do to help our kids succeed academically. We can make sure there are reasonable limits on TV and game time, encourage our kids to read and take them to the local library to explore for books that interest them. Nobody likes homework, and I’ve found that it’s even a drag when you’re a parent. Still, homework is an important part of learning and we need to monitor homework and help our kids learn how to do their homework independently.

It may be your child’s first day of kindergarten or her senior year in college. Either way, adults play an important role in establishing the right attitude and environment for learning and growth. I hope we all have a successful year!

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: college   elementary   grow   joanne   kindergarten   learn   parents   school  

 

Entry bubble Your Turn: Are Your Kids Ready 4 School?

By: Editor | August 17, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

Child with backpackOur Monday blogger, Jake, has work duties that will take him away from Gov Gab until September. In his absence, we’re alternating between “Your Turn” weeks, where we’ll ask a question to spotlight your knowledge about government resources, and posts from guest bloggers across the government.

Today's Question:  Are your kids ready for school?

The start of the new school year requires a lot of work for parents:  school supply and clothes shopping, filling out paperwork, arranging childcare, calming anxious children, and changing routines to allow for earlier bedtimes.  Believe it or not, there are a lot of government resources to help you and your children make the transition easier.  And, please share your tips below - we parents need all the help we can to get the school year off to a great start!

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: children   editor   education   kids   school   your_turn  

 

Entry bubble National Library Card Sign-up Month

By: Colleen | September 03, 2008 | Category: General

"Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card..."library

Scanning my home bookshelves recently, I realized that I've spent an awful lot of money on books. Granted, my shoe collection is a much more frivolous expense, but I probably don't need to OWN some of the chicklit (cringe!) that is overcrowding my shelves.

Since I still need to drive my car, and prices for everything else aren't going down, I need to economize. Off to the library I go.

Sad but true, the only library card I actually have is for the library in my hometown. I believe I got this when I upgraded to the "adult" library at age 13 (another cringe!). My college library card is no longer activated, and I'm still angry with them after a minor scandal involving a copy of Moby Dick returned slightly later than its due date and an unreasonable fine attached to my diploma.

Running home to Pennsylvania to check out a book defeats my whole "cutting back on driving" philosophy, so getting a new, local card is my new mission for the week. It's an appropriate time, seeing as September is National Library Card Sign-up Month.

In my completely non-credentialed opinion, nothing makes you a better writer than reading. While I had some great English teachers over the years, I credit my perfect "A" average in "General Writing" to having my nose stuck in books and picking up on different writing styles and techniques.

With school just starting back up, now is the perfect time to get your kids interested in reading and into the library. Start them young! Most public libraries offer "story-time" and other activities to keep kids' attention. Show them the movies and music libraries have to offer, along with the books. And remember, free is good.

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: books   card   colleen   library   reading   school  

 

Entry bubble School Bus Safety

By: Joanne | August 26, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

children looking out a school bus window

Today’s our first day of school, and two questions come to mind. Where did summer go? And why, why, why are there no seat belts on school buses!?!

When I was a little kid, my parents weren’t required by law to strap me into a car seat, but over the years we’ve learned a lot about safety. Whenever I get into a car I always buckle up, and my kids are properly restrained as well. So if I’m a criminal if I don’t buckle up my kids in the car, how does the school district get off? Why does the danger end when they climb the steps of the big, yellow school bus? I don’t get it.

I’ve done a little reading on the subject, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that school buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States. Tragically, in the U.S. more than 42,000 people die in traffic crashes every year, and on average, six school age children die in school bus crashes. A 2002 report by the National Academy of Sciences looked at fatalities that occurred as kids were transported to and from school and the report says that only 2 percent are associated with official school transportation, compared to 22 percent due to walking/bicycling to or from school, and 75 percent from passenger car transportation to or from school. In fact, statistics show that the area around (outside) the bus is far more dangerous than being inside the bus, so be sure your kids know how to stay safe around the bus.

Still, I find these statistics only somewhat reassuring. I noticed that these reports are only addressing fatalities in school buses and ignoring injury. Maybe I have a wild imagination, but I would expect that in the event of a crash, those little children fly around in the bus like popcorn!

If school bus safety bothers you like it bothers me, do what I did and contact your elected officials and let them know that you think it’s an important issue.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bus   joanne   kids   safety   school   seat_belts  

 

Entry bubble Back to School!

By: Colleen | August 20, 2008 | Category: General

In the immortal words of Billy Madison, "Back to school, back to school, to school busprove to Dad I am not a fool..."

Hard to believe but it really is that time again. You can nearly hear the collective groan of kids packing their book bags and dashing to the library to finish up the summer's required reading list.

Back to school isn't just about the kids though. Parents and teachers need to be ready to get "back to business" as well. For kids just starting school, parents should be sure their children's immunizations are up to date and they get back into a normal bedtime routine. Thinking farther ahead, other parents might want to start thinking about saving for their kids' college education.

Teachers are always looking for new ideas and materials to use in the classroom. For educators, Kids.gov has a whole section just for you! Check out "Teacher to Teacher," a great site where teachers can share information electronically using e-mail, pod-casts, or other technology. Some states will even accept these online workshops as career development credit. Federal Resources for Educational Excellence is another great place for resources from federal agencies.

Any special tips for getting your little ones (or yourself) back on the school bus and ready for another year?

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   education   library   reading   school   teacher  

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