| By: Melissa Benaroya Teachable Moments: The 2016 Presidential Election The election process presents parents with a plethora of unique opportunities to teach core social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, such as empathy, emotion management, and social problem-solving while addressing topics such as accepting differences, dealing with gossip, bullying, and name-calling. Blogger Melissa Benaroya discusses. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya How to Support Your Child When Tragedy Strikes It's imperative that parents be prepared and informed on how to respond when children witness or experience human tragedies or national disasters. Blogger Melissa Benaroya walks us through how to use social emotional learning to help in these situations. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya The Power of the Dad-Daughter Dynamic Conversations about the critical role of fathers usually centers around sons, but just in time for Father’s Day, blogger Melissa Benaroya explores dads and the impact they have on their daughters. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya Screen Time: Setting Limits That Work One of the biggest challenges for parents these days is managing their children’s screen time. Screens are the source of many power struggles for modern families. As a parent or caregiver, it&rRead More
| By: Melissa Benaroya Screen Time: Setting Limits That Work May 2-8 is Screen Free Week, and we're hoping children, families, and communities around the world will rediscover the joys of life beyond the screen. Blogger, Melissa Benaroya walks us through the importance of setting limits that work. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya Three Strategies to Ensure a Successful Spring Break Whether you are sticking around the house, traveling abroad, or playing tourist in your own town, there are bound to be parenting challenges or tough moments that arise over the break. All the “together time” can be fun and create wonderful memories, but because dynamics tend to change when kids are out of their normal school routine, it also has the potential to create stress. Here are a few reminders to help you avoid and manage common challenges so you can enjoy the time together while contributing to your teen's social and emotional development. Read More
| By: Shauna McBride Talking to Children About Terrorism How can parents and those who regularly interact with children best communicate about terrorism and other violent tragedies? Committee for Children, creator of the Second Step social-emotional learning program, has compiled resources to assist with and help navigate these tough conversations. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya Experience Required: The Key to Early Brain Development You've probably heard it a million times: A child's brain needs stimulation to help it develop. Actually, it’s not that simple. What a young child’s developing brain really needs is interaction. Although some brain development is genetic, much of it is influenced by experience and interactions. The brain needs and relies on experience. Children learn to process information through relationships with parents and caregivers, especially in the early years. That's why watching an educational show is not as enriching or stimulating as one might think. Read More
| By: Melissa Benaroya Self-Esteem: Can We Hand It to Our Kids on a Silver Platter? Happy National Boost-Your-Self-Esteem Month! How are you celebrating? I've decided to mark the occasion by exploring where the self-esteem “movement” is today. First, though, some thoughts on self-esteem boosting in my own family. Read More
| By: Committee for Children A Parent’s Guide to Role-Playing Bullying Reports Bullying is serious. Make sure your child knows that it is important to practice reporting the way he or she would do it in real life. When you and your child practice giving and receiving reports, you’ll have the skills and confidence to handle bullying if it really happens. When your child reports bullying, it is most important to really listen and ensure your child’s safety. The following are steps you can take when your child comes to you about a bullying situation. Read More