For Parents: Before Consider your compliments, questions and concerns – It is nice to be able to greet your child’s teacher with something pleasant. Conferences are also a time to share your concerns about your child, the class or the school, and to ask any questions that you have. It’s best to be prepared. Take … Continue reading Make the Most of Your Parent-Teacher Conferences: For Parents AND for Teachers
Children may experience stress around life transitions such as moving to a new house or having a new sibling. They experience stress sometimes when parents are stressed, and when they are having their own difficulties such as someone being mean to them at school. Parents provide the emotional landscape in which children process these stressors. … Continue reading Stress: Parents Provide the Emotional Landscape
It’s the start of a new school year. This may be your first year of preschool, or your third year at an elementary school. Wherever your child is in their school career, there is always the possibility of your child having difficulty in the classroom or with the program. When this happens, it is often … Continue reading Parents, Please Assume Positive Intent from Teachers
Here are a few reasons to make eating as a family a priority: Children learn valuable life skills – There is benefit in children learning how to prepare and cook food, as well as how to clean the table. This sounds crazy, but I have fond memories of washing and drying dishes after meals at … Continue reading Benefits of Eating as a Family
There are many ways to encourage early language: Provide Running Commentary– Running commentary is talking about all the things your child is seeing, doing and feeling. Be sure to use lots of labels. This sounds like, “oh, you have a ball. You rolled the ball. That ball is rolling fast. I have it; I caught … Continue reading Encouraging Early Language
Hi Dr. Rene, My two-year-old runs away from me in the parking lot. I have a four-month-old so when she does this it is especially challenging since I’m holding the carrier. I have been talking to her prior to leaving about what we need to do – hold hands, stay with mommy, etc. And lately, … Continue reading Two-Year-Old Running in Parking Lot
Dear Dr. Rene, Everytime I ask my three-year-old what he did in preschool, he says, “nothing.” How can I get him engaged in a conversation about this? Sincerely, Hope, Mother of One Dear Hope, This is a common complaint. You might use the class weekly or monthly plans to ask more specific questions like, “I … Continue reading Getting Three-Year-Olds to Answer
Parenting by Dr. Rene 