When it comes to bedtime, the most important thing that you can do is to establish a routine.  Follow these tips to make going to bed less stressful for you and your child.

• Set aside 10 to 30 minutes to get your child ready to go to sleep each night.
• Establish a relaxed setting at bedtime that may include dimming the lights, playing/singing a particular slow song.
• Shut off the television and read to your child instead. Not only will this help your child relax, but experts agree that reading to your child is one of the best activities that you can do with your child.
• Before bedtime, do not allow your child to have foods or drinks that contain caffeine.  Try not to give him or her any medicine that has a stimulant at bedtime. This includes cough medicines and decongestants.
• Make sure that the temperature in your child’s room is comfortable.

You can improve your child’s mental abilities by taking simple steps and encouraging fun games.

• Word searches and crossword puzzles are great for boosting mental abilities and they also help kids with their spelling skills.
• Have your child play card games such as Old Maid and Concentration. These two games boost memory.  In Concentration, you place all cards facing down on a flat surface.  Players must find the matching pairs.
• Tic-Tac-Toe is a simple game that requires concentration and helps children learn about strategy.
• Make sure that your child drinks plenty of water.  Water makes up a percentage of the brain so keep it fueled up with H2O.
• Children need to get plenty of sleep.  A well rested brain functions best so make sure that your child is getting the recommended amount of sleep.

Sure, the words “good” and “nice” are great, but why not try some other words when praising your child.  Not only will this approach make things a little more interesting, but it will also increase your child’s vocabulary.  Remember to use these words in complete sentences that give specific praise.  For example, I am so proud of you for the fabulous job that you did picking up your room!

•  Amazing
• Incredible
• Astonishing
• Marvelous
• Brilliant
• Outstanding
• Excellent
• Remarkable
• Extraordinary
• Spectacular
• Fabulous
• Terrific
• Fantastic
• Tremendous
• Wonderful
• Superb

Let’s face it every kid will test his or her parents.  It’s almost like a rite of passage.  Tantrums are a way that kids test you and boy can they test you! Think of it as a power struggle. While your child is having a meltdown, the most important thing that you can do is to remain calm and composed.  Make sure that your body language and the tone in your voice exude confidence and control.  If you seem overwhelmed or out of control, your child will quickly pick up on it.  Here are some simple tips that will give you the upper hand when it comes to tantrums.

• If your child is not causing danger to himself or others…ignore your child’s tantrum.
• The only thing that you should tell your child at this point is that when he/she stops crying and is ready to use his/her words then you can both talk.
• Once your child has calmed down, offer your child juice/water and remind your child what you had asked him/her to do or stop doing.  i.e. Put toys away, stop touching something, etc. whatever had set him/her off.  Don’t nag or discuss the tantrum, just simply state in a calm voice what you need your child to do.
• Do NOT coddle your child now.  Your child should not get positive attention after he or she has disobeyed you.
• Once your child has completed the task that you had assigned or stopped the behavior, thank your child for the corrected action and move on with your day.

Now that your child sees that tantrums don’t rattle you into giving in, your child will realize that tantrums don’t pay off. This will decrease and hopefully eliminate tantrums all together.

Children are usually excited for the start of a new school year. Unfortunately, that same enthusiasm doesn’t always carry into the rest of the school year. It’s important that you remain positive about school. Remember that your attitude about school and assignments plays a major role in your child’s attitude toward school. Second, it’s important that you help your child set goals for the remainder of the school year. Perhaps, you can set goals on a weekly or monthly basis. These goals could be used to improve grades or to keep students on the right course.

1. Turn off the TV for 20 minutes or a half hour and use the time for family reading. Set a good example for your child and use this time to read too.

2. Read together! Take turns reading with your child. You read a page and then your child reads the next page. When you finish the chapter or book, remember to discuss what was read.

3. Visit the public library. If you haven’t done so already, get a library card for your child. It’s free!

4. Introduce your child to different genres of books. You never know, your child may enjoy biographies, sports books or even magazines for children.

5. Don’t be a book cop. If you force your child to read, he/she will likely reject it. Help your child find books that relate to his/her interests. Soon they will discover a love for reading!

1. Establish a designated time and place for homework.

2. Determine an amount of time for homework to be completed.

3. Use a timer to keep your child on track if necessary.

4. Any work not complete, must be completed during child’s leisure time or at recess the next day. (Check with teacher).

5. Be very enthusiastic and proud of your child for completing work in a timely manner and for trying his/her best!