parenting

My daughter Maya started 1st grade barely speaking... or actually whispering is a better word for it. At conferences, her teacher mentioned that Maya hadn't made any friends and wouldn't participate in group activities (my heart broke)... I was the same way as a child and remember how lonely it felt. My husband and I started small, I invited one classmate over for a very structured playdate (baking cookies, with me heavily facilitating). The next week, we practiced what Maya could say when she wanted to join kids playing at recess. We role-played at home, with me pretending to be different classmates. Yesterday, Maya told me she sat with three girls at lunch and they all shared their snacks. she finally had "new friends." I think social skills, especially in 1st grade or kindergarten, are way overlooked and is something we should all tackle early on.

For the past two weeks, my daughter Sophia (7) has been coming home from school in borrowed clothes from the nurse's office because she's had "accidents." Before this, she hadn't had a daytime accident since she was 4.... When I ask her what happened, she just gets teary and says "I don't know." I've emailed her teacher twice and called the school counselor, but all I get are vague responses about "monitoring the situation." I'm trying not to panic, but something is clearly wrong. Could she be afraid to ask to use the bathroom? Is someone bullying her? Has this happened to anyone else's child? I don't want to be "that parent" who makes a huge deal, but I'm genuinely concerned and frustrated by the lack of communication. Should I just show up at the school and demand answers?

I'm really struggling to find a balance between supporting my students (plus getting all my work done for the classroom) and helping my kids succeed with their own schoolwork.... How do you manage to juggle both roles effectively without feeling overwhelmed? Any tips for making it work at home and at school? 🙏

Hey guys, my older son acts like doing 10 minutes of homework is the end of the world... and doing hw with him is really turning into a daily struggle... any tips would be much appreciated! 🙏

My daughter keeps forgetting about her assignments and usually "realizes" she has something due and works on it the night before. I'm sure I'm not the only parent dealing with this. Any tips on helping her stay on top of deadlines without, as she would say, "stressing her out"?

Hi all, I’m looking for some quick advice. How many sight words should a 1st grader know by the end of the year? My son is in 1st grade, and we’re working on them at home... but I’m not sure if we’re on track at all. Should the goal be around 100 words? We're currently at 30-40... 🤦‍♀️

my 7 yo daughter seems to be depressed lately. what should i do?

Hey all, we’re heading into the holidays, and I have to admit I’m a little worried about how much homework and pressure my son has had to deal with so far in school... and he’s only in 3rd grade! Since school started, it feels like every evening is packed with either homework or studying for a test (which means both my son and I have work to do). Last week, he had a spelling test, a math test, and a hand-in assignment all within two days... 🤷🏻‍♀️ It just feels like too much for a 9-year-old. Lately, he’s been saying things like, “I don’t think I’m good at school,” which is so hard to hear because he loved second grade! I get that 3rd grade is supposed to be a transition year and a bit more challenging, but it feels overwhelming. Is this normal for 3rd grade now? Are any other parents seeing the same thing? How are you helping your kids manage the stress while still encouraging them to do their best? Thanks in advance! 🙏 🙏

My son is very young for his grade. He was born in mid August and his school has a September cutoff. Some of the kids in his class are a whole year older than him. His first report card from 2nd grade was not good at all.... When we met with his teacher she said he can't sit still in the classroom, and if he doesn't get something he doesn't ask for help, he just doesn't do it. Although he's younger age shows in the classroom, physically he's as fast and tall (or even taller) than his classmates and loves playing baseball with friends from class. My husband and I have been thinking about holding him back in 2nd grade, but we're afraid it might affect his self-esteem or create social challenges. We don’t want him to feel like he's falling behind, but we also want to give him the best chance to catch up and thrive. We're trying to figure out if holding him back could help him focus more in school or if it would just make things harder for him socially. It’s a tough call. What do you guys think?

My husband and I are gearing up for a 15 hour flight to visit family, and honestly, we’re absolutely dreading it... Traveling with 2 kids feels like preparing for battle... there’s just so much to think about! I'd LOVE any tips or wisdom from parents who’ve survived long flights with kids! How do you keep them entertained for so many hours? How do you manage naps or, dare we hope, actual sleep on the plane? How bad is 15 hours of screen time? 😅