Education

Teaching Kids About Money

By Winnie Sun
Winnie SunWhat mom doesn’t want her child to grow up to be smart about money? It’s never too late for a kid to learn, but the sooner you start teaching–and modeling–wise financial behavior, the better.

Research shows that money habits often are set by age 7, so introduce your children to money as soon as they can count.

Here are some methods I use with my own youngsters:
*Introduce your child to the concept of using a shopping list and have him help you find items on your list. Tell her why you shop at discount stores. As she gets older, have her calculate the unit price to figure out what item is the best deal. Make a game of finding items on sale and show him how to compare prices on national brands with those of store brands. (more…)

Education

Ensuring a Smooth Transition from High School to College

BY Crystal Lee
Crystal LeeThe transition to college comes with lots excitement… and, more often than not, also a hefty dose of anxiety. College is often the first time your child will live away from home and be entirely responsible for his or her life. Not only will he or she be handling more rigorous academics, but he or she will be navigating a new social scene, juggling more competing responsibilities than ever, and managing higher levels of stress. Without proper planning and support, your child may struggle or flounder.

For the smoothest transition possible, take a team approach to planning. Gather your child and all the important adults who have contributed to your child’s success in high school (e.g., parents, school personnel, psychologist) to discuss your child’s strengths and needs in all aspects of life. Remember, college is more than just academics. It takes academic aptitude, social skills, emotional resilience, and basic life skills to thrive in a college environment. (more…)

Health

Lice: It’s Not a Dirty Word

How to identify, treat and prevent head lice.

By Amy Chinian
Amy ChinianWe’ve all been there – your child starts scratching her head or you hear that she has been around someone who has it. But don’t fret! We talked to lice expert Amy Chinian, owner of My Hair Helpers, to get the scoop about how to get rid of these little creatures for good.

Q: What’s the best way to check my child for lice?
A: In a spray bottle, add water and peppermint conditioner (lice hate mint), and spray your child’s hair thoroughly – this stops anything from moving in the hair. Then, use the Lice Eliminator Comb (a spiral tooth metal comb) to comb through each section of the hair, looking for evidence of eggs, nits, or live bugs. If your child does have lice, notify family members, schools, friends, and acquaintances. (more…)

Health

Why Your Child Needs to be Active

By Scott Myers
Scott MyersThe numbers are scary. I mean, am I really old enough to have been working with children for 30 years? All kidding aside, the numbers about our children’s health and fitness are scary. I want to share some of the numbers and information:
• Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disease of children and adolescents in the U. S.

• A child’s potential to develop strength, endurance and physical skill increases at an exponential rate the first two years of life.

• Children are motivated by fun. They’ll do just about anything if it’s playful, including exercise.

• Children who are physically fit are absent from school less frequently and may perform better academically.

• Research shows that children’s muscles develop in many different ways and perform specific roles and movements. Exercise and activity help a child activate all the muscles in his body, which helps him become more coordinated and able. (more…)

Education

Coping with Mean Girls

BY Danielle Matthew, LMFT
Danielle Matthew, LMFT“Mean girls” is seen as a rite of passage for teens. However, bullying can cause damage to the self-esteem of each generation of girls who face it. Girls gossip, talking behind each other’s back. Supposed friends shun them and leave them out. With the advances in technology, bullying can also move into social media and texting. People can now shun you electronically – blocking you from their Instagram or Snap Chat – and then say mean things about you to a very public audience that you can’t access. Cyber-bullying is a whole new world of hurt for today’s victims. (more…)