http://involvedk12.org/resource-blogBLOG RSSFri, 24 Feb 2023 20:31:56 GMTFri, 24 Feb 2023 20:31:56 GMThttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/attitude-of-gratitudeNovember is National Gratitude Month, a time to celebrate and give thanks. Reflecting on that for which we are grateful, is an important way for people to feel satisfaction with themselves and their lives.  Gratitude is an essential part of happiness. Read any self-help manual on happiness and practicing gratitude will be one of the essential habits of happy adults. The same is also true for children and teens.  Instilling gratitude in your kids at a young age could help them grow up to beTue, 12 Nov 2024 19:36:02http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/attitude-of-gratitudehttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/parenting-your-child-with-adhdOctober is ADHD Awareness month and this year's theme is "Awareness is Key." Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the second most impactful condition affecting children’s health in the U.S.  But it is often misunderstood. ADHD Awareness Month's goal is to correct these misunderstandings and highlight the shared experiences of the ADHD community.Parenting a child with ADHD is often a difficult task.  Although life with your child may be challenging, children with ADHD can and doMon, 30 Sep 2024 20:19:49http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/parenting-your-child-with-adhdhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/encourage-sleep-for-a-successful-school-yearYou know what it’s like to not get a good night of sleep — feeling tired all day, getting upset easily, not being able to focus. It’s important for children to sleep well at night because sleep helps them learn, concentrate, and manage their behavior and emotions. Sometimes, kids who don’t get enough sleep even get misdiagnosed with ADHD. Parents can help their children build healthy sleep habits by using a few consistent strategies. At any age, children need to have a bedtime routine. ForWed, 30 Oct 2024 17:04:17http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/encourage-sleep-for-a-successful-school-yearhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/end-your-summer-on-a-high-noteWith the arrival of August, comes the reminder that the laidback days of summer are soon coming to an end.  Both parents and children alike can become sad when thinking about school starting and the colder months on the way.  To help combat these sad feelings  as a family, you can develop a plan to reduce stress and increase positive feelings about the end of summer.  Here are a few ideas:1. Get back into in a routineTry to go back to your school year routine with earlier bedtimes and  moreMon, 26 Aug 2024 16:26:35http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/end-your-summer-on-a-high-notehttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/national-summer-learning-weekNational Summer Learning Week is next week, July 15-19, 2024. This is a national celebration dedicated to keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school ready to succeed. This year’s themes include: Fostering Friendships, Love of Literacy Learning, Wonders of Wellness, Summer Skill-Building, and Amazing Arts!You can  find  lessons, activities and helpful resources here from the National Summer Learning Association. More resourcesPBS also offers freeWed, 10 Jul 2024 14:19:36http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/national-summer-learning-weekhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/establishing-structure-and-routines-for-a-great-summerHaving clear structure and routines helps kids to have better behavior. The predictability helps kids feel safe and secure because they know what to expect. It's easy to become lax with structure and routines because school is out and there are often less obligations to attend to. However, establishing structure in the summer can lead to better days for you and your kids. You will get more accomplished, kids will be better behaved and you will feel more confident in your parenting. Here areWed, 05 Jun 2024 22:54:54http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/establishing-structure-and-routines-for-a-great-summerhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-preventing-learning-loss-this-summerYou may have heard the term “summer slide” from teachers or other parents, but what does it mean? Summer slide is what happens when the skills students learn during the school year are lost or forgotten over the summer. When kids don’t practice their academic skills during the summer months, they can fall behind by the time school starts again. Even if your child's summer break has already begun, it’s not too late to polish up those reading skills in time for the next school year!Why is it soTue, 28 May 2024 15:19:40http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-preventing-learning-loss-this-summerhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/help-your-student-finish-the-school-year-strongWith spring in full swing, many students and families begin to think about the end of the school year. High school seniors aren't the only ones who experience "senioritis" or the "end-of-the-school-year-blues." Elementary school students can begin to shut down and dial back their efforts towards the end of the school year. It's important to help our children finish the school year strong. I want to raise responsible learners who don't quit and are able to work hard despite distractions. HereMon, 20 May 2024 16:31:46http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/help-your-student-finish-the-school-year-stronghttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/supporting-your-teen-with-standardized-testingAs the parent of a student preparing for the SAT or ACT exam, you may remember taking those exams yourself–the studying, the preparation, and the excitement of the big test day. You may be wondering what’s changed and how you, as a parent, can support your teen as they gear up to meet this milestone toward college. With strategic planning and preparation, your family can integrate effective test preparation with the rest of your schedule, allowing your student to have the best test-takingThu, 23 May 2024 18:37:24http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/supporting-your-teen-with-standardized-testinghttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-springing-forwardParents and teachers alike tend to dread the time change. Not only do we feel drained, children definitely feel the effects too. Children often experience a spike in problem behaviors and sleep disruptions when the time changes, especially it seems when we spring forward. Why is this so hard on people? Researchers have found that part of the problem is that our internal clocks are thrown off which leaves people feeling groggy and irritable. It can be downright dangerous too. Studies have foundMon, 20 May 2024 16:29:27http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-springing-forwardhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/raising-kind-and-compassionate-kidsWords such as empathy and compassion, although abstract, can be taught to young children. Empathy is when we can imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling and then respond in a caring manner. And compassion is empathy in action — caring about others, treating them with kindness and wanting to help people in need.  Friendship skills evolve over time, and kids work on different skill sets at different ages. Preschool and early elementary children work on conversation starters, joiningTue, 21 May 2024 17:55:04http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/raising-kind-and-compassionate-kidshttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/transitioning-back-to-school-after-holiday-breakTransitioning back to school following a break can be difficult on both children and parents.  Of utmost importance is getting back into the swing of a consistent and predictable routine for your children. Research shows that children with predictable routines at home have stronger social and emotional health. Michigan State University Extension recommends the following routines for school success.1. MorningSet up your mornings for success. Have your children lay out their clothes the nightMon, 20 May 2024 16:32:32http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/transitioning-back-to-school-after-holiday-breakhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/gifting-on-a-budgetThe holidays can bring stress for families on a budget and may be especially hard for those that have no budget at all for gifts. Here are some ideas that may help alleviate some of the stress that this time of year can bring.No Budget for the holidays?For families who are financially stressed, there are many local agencies that can help you to still provide gifts for your family members.~Check with your Salvation Army, a nearby church or other social service agencies for assistance. TheyMon, 20 May 2024 16:34:43http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/gifting-on-a-budgethttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/an-attitude-of-gratitudeThis month our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving and hopefully it will be a happy day for everyone. But this year I challenge you to extend the holiday beyond Thursday and see the effects it has on your children. Gratitude is an essential part of happiness. Read any self-help manual on happiness and practicing gratitude will be one of the essential habits of happy adults. The same is also true for children and teens.  Instilling gratitude in your kids at a young age could help them grow up toTue, 21 May 2024 17:55:23http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/an-attitude-of-gratitudehttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-getting-your-teen-to-talkDo you have trouble getting your teen to talk? If so, you aren't alone. Many parents report that their teens barely talk to them unless they need something. The problem with this is, that teenagers still need their parents. If they don't feel comfortable talking to them about little things, they likely won't talk to their parents when something big happens. Talking to your teen on a daily basis will make them more likely to talk to you when they face a serious difficulty. There are someTue, 21 May 2024 17:55:38http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/tips-for-getting-your-teen-to-talkhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/helping-your-child-with-homework-stressIt seems that these days, anxiety is a well known concern among people of all age groups and backgrounds. There’s social anxiety, separation anxiety, school anxiety, isolation anxiety and the list goes on. Have you ever heard of homework anxiety?  It’s actually a real thing. Most kids hate homework and it will probably be a battle you fight with your child at some point or another. However, for some kids, homework triggers anxious feelings. You may wonder how you would know if your kid is justTue, 21 May 2024 17:55:48http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/helping-your-child-with-homework-stresshttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/start-the-school-year-off-rightIt's our favorite time of the year, Back to School time!!! The start of a school year is a great opportunity to establish new routines and rethink your family’s activities. Here are some tips for starting your family off right this school year. Meet the teacherAttend orientation and/or school open house to meet the staff that will be working with your children. Make sure you know the academic and behavior expectations of your child's teacher and reinforce these at home. If your child hasMon, 20 May 2024 16:36:28http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/start-the-school-year-off-righthttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/back-to-school-shopping-on-a-budgetAs a child,  I remember the signs that summer was almost over. The cicadas would start singing, it started to get dark earlier and back-to-school advertising would creep in. Still to this day, I feel a little melancholy when these things happen. One thing that always helped cure those blues was back to school shopping! For some reason getting new folders and pencil cases made it less dreadful. My kids both told me that one of the only good things about going back to school is getting new schoolMon, 20 May 2024 16:44:53http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/back-to-school-shopping-on-a-budgethttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/how-scrolling-on-media-is-bad-for-your-mental-healthSocial media has redefined human connection, especially if you’re part of the millennial or Gen Z generation. It is so deeply interwoven into every aspect of our lives that it’s almost impossible for us to withdraw from our digital devices. Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and other such platforms are everywhere, allowing us to communicate and connect with people from all over the world. But there’s another side to social media, one about which mental health experts have been sounding the alarm forMon, 20 May 2024 16:36:57http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/how-scrolling-on-media-is-bad-for-your-mental-healthhttp://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/screen-time-guidelines-by-age-groupToday's children are spending an average of seven hours a day on entertainment media, including televisions, computers, phones and other electronic devices. Meanwhile, advertising aimed at children is no longer confined to TV commercials and product placement in movies. Today, children are exposed to messages from social media influencers, hidden ads in video games, data collection across many platforms, virtual reality encounters with strangers in games and targeted social media advertisementsMon, 20 May 2024 16:45:29http://involvedk12.org/resource-blog/screen-time-guidelines-by-age-group