by Jackie Bauer Have you ever heard parents say something like this? “Jenny has at least two hours of homework every night. She has no time to play.” Or, “I’m concerned because Mark doesn’t bring home much homework.” Or, “Anna’s assignments are so erratic, one night she has two hours, the next two weeks she…

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by Jackie Bauer Complain! Complain! Complain! It’s a habit we can all get into if we’re not careful. As parents we can easily fall into that trap ourselves if we forget the most important element in a parent-teacher relationship, namely, communication. The key to effectively issuing a complaint is to have established a line of…

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by Dorothy M. Grivno A parent-teacher conference isn’t just another appointment on your fall calendar. It’s a chance to sit down face-to-face with your child’s teacher without distractions. It’s an opportunity to ask questions about your child as a student, about the classroom, or about the teacher’s expectations. In the long run, making the most…

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by Frieda J. Rendahl You remember algebra: the class in which everyone else was catching on and you were drowning in x + y = cd! You thought that was all behind you, but now your child is a reluctant mathematician. It must be hereditary. Maybe the best thing would be to eliminate math from…

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by Owen Dorn “Shawn, is your homework done?” “No.” “Well, get at it! I’m so tired of having to nag you about it.” “I forgot my assignment book at school.” “And you thought of that just now?” “Uh-huh.” Familiar dialogue? Most parents have been there. How can parents instill in their children a desire to…

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by Lynn Groth Okay, I’m not young, but give me a chance. My friends and I grew up having few toys, so we cherished what we had and used inexpensive supplies to make games, forts, and toys. (We learned to be creative.) We played outside a lot, and our parents came looking for us only…

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