Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Dave Ramsey financial adviser and famed radio host proposes to find a place for every cent of your money, or something or someone will. The implication is that unsupervised money tends to disappear on fruitless things. I’d like to take that same model and apply it to our time as parents. Just as a couple of bucks here and there on chips, drinks, etc add up, so does the time we may be wasting on other things other than our children. Believe you me, with all the time management books and new apps out there you would think I would have mastered this art by now. On the contrary, it seems harder every day to manage my time. Seems the minute I purpose to give 15 minutes to my son or daughter, the phone rings, I’m asked to stay late at work or maybe the car acted up and requires a looking at. Obviously there are things that require instant attention, however, once that car is looked at or you arrive home from a long day, are we willing to subtract that time from our “whining down time” an...

Powerful Anti-Bullying poem. This epidemic of bullying needs a lesson on, " stick and stones may break bones, but "words hurt more deeply". Shane Koyczan's 'To This Day,' Anti-Bullying Poem

Homework is a debatable issue in all aspects!  As a teacher the issue arises at the beginning of every year among the teachers, administrators, and parents The most common questions and topics for discussion are always: What should it look like? How much is good? How often? How long do we give for completion? Is it truly necessary? Whether you are a proponent of it or not, reality is that it still exists. Children all over come home every evening with assignments that need to be completed at home.  It is our job as parents to provide our children with the environment that is conducive for the best results. There are some basic guidelines to remember when setting up this "Homework spot" for your child. If possible: * A quiet spot is ideal. * Make sure the area is well lit. * Have all materials handy * Have your child involved in creating the space. Be creative when setting up this area for your child. The writing surface does not have to be the typical "desk...

Would you like to WOW your Valentine's day breakfast or classroom party? Well this healthy snack will do just that! 1) Start with the colors of the rainbow. 2) Think of a different fruit or veggie (whether it's a morning party or afternoon/evening party) that is each of the 7 colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue/indigo, purple. 3)Cut up the fruit and arrange them in a heart shape on a large platter or a foil covered pizza box. 4)Have toothpicks handy so everyone can enjoy! I hope this idea inspires some of you that may be looking to send in a healthy snack for a school Valentine's day celebration or just to wow the kids at breakfast!

By Awesomely Awake In our search for practical parenting solutions, we stumbled across a great article, with extensive and helpful links, from Awesomely Awake parenting blog. Check out the list and grade yourself on how well you may manage some of these items. In review, I need to work on some of these. Enjoy! 1. Wake up . Be more mindful. Intentional. Aware. Notice more. Pay attention. Listen closely. All of these things. 2. Celebrate more. The big things … and the oh so little. 3. Start each day with a smile. 4. Play more . 5. Write more love notes . 6. Be flexible . 7. Be kind . 8. Notice the beauty of your day. 9. Become a peaceful parent . 10. Trust myself more. 11. Let my children live fully . 12. Be happier at home . 13. Set effective, loving rules . 14. Watch less TV . 15. Read more. 16. Be more encouraging . 17. Notice the abundance in your life . 18. Be more silly . 19. Stay calm . 20. Slow down .

When I was about six years old, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted into the family. As I grew up, I never questioned his place in our family. In my young mind, he had a special place in our home.  My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey.  But the stranger... he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

It is with much regret that we write this post, as our community has suffered the loss of a 12 year old boy, Miguel Rodriguez. Unfortunately the incident that took his life was not his health or a vehicle accident. The tragedy of this story is a too familiar trend that is on the rise and one of which could have been prevented. See this 12 year hung himself due to school bullying. The excessive day-in and day-out stress and uncertainties of school robbed him of his joy to live and in the end it’s said he wrote “No body loves me and I have nothing to live for”. Our hearts break for his family, moreover; for a trend that is taking the lives of young children before they have even began to live.