Top Five Ways To Stay In Touch With Your Child

Once your little boy/girl goes off to school, you may find that your "special talks" occur less frequently... You may become disheartened by the mere fact that your child now has new friends to share his daily stories with...


To prevent yourself from losing your mind and losing touch with your child when he/she goes to school full-time, try the following five exercises in communication.

1) Make it a point to ask your child about his/her day as soon as you see him/her after school. (Do not accept a "nothing" response - rephrase your question as many times as needed to get a "real" response: for example: What did you learn today? or What was the best part of your day today?)

2) Make it a priority to ask your child what they brought home in their backpack each day. (Do not pry too much but do make it your business to know what they have in their backpack every day...)

3) Get involved with your child's homework. Even if they're only in kindergarten or first grade, their teacher probably will send some type of homework home at least once a week, keep an eye out for this and then be an active participant in the completion of any homework.

4) Become a volunteer at your child's school. Almost every school, whether public or private, needs help - parent volunteers in many areas. Donate your time, your expertise, your knowledge, your love and compassion for children....

5) If you cannot volunteer your time and get to know your child's classmates, give something of yourself in some other way that will keep you involved in your child's life. Any type of effort/interaction on your part with their teacher will bring satisfaction and reward to you and your child.

The bottom line is simple. Just because your child is now in school seven or eight hours a day - does not mean he/she does not STILL need you and/or that you cannot continue to be an active part of their daily life.

Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.a sp

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-moms7-2008dec07,0,1362581.storycid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGKROaBgQqntj3UHvQgNLG4ASssSQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=NQ3mOLqMIMYJimgurl=www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-12/43734030.jpg width=60 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Los Angeles Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-moms7-2008dec07,0,1362581.storycid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGKROaBgQqntj3UHvQgNLG4ASssSQHollywood#39;s mommy network/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1bPARENTING/b TIPS: Jennifer Waldburger, left, and Jill Spivack run Sleepy Planet, a business that counsels showbiz bparents/b. In Tinseltown, film and pacifiers b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.cnjonline.com/news/school_31304___article.html/parenting_children.htmlcid=1277633789ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGzavbWikgUCDRmWQ8YXKOaXwyUxAClovis woman sentenced to bparenting/b class following truancy charges/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fClovis News Journal,nbsp;NMnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A 32-year-old Clovis woman whose three elementary school children missed school more than 20 times each last year has been sentenced to a bparenting/b class b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.normantranscript.com/features/local_story_340011324cid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGJ1Kb6T08Ka7QQH-j9b4brhX4xJAPart 2 of bParenting/b 101/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNorman Transcript,nbsp;OKnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This is Part 2 and the conclusion of bParenting/b 101, an overview of the fundamentals of effective bparenting/b. Last week#39;s class dealt with such basics as b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://newsok.com/parenting-program-success-cited/article/3327807cid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNFJcytyVc5pLNXUaZxEQ5ZQPeRW3AOklahoma DHS bparenting/b program success cited/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNewsOK.com,nbsp;OKnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Safe Care Plus program consists of teaching basic skills to bparents/b of children ranging in age from infants to 5 years old in high-risk households, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.miamiherald.com/living/family/story/798406.htmlcid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNHQb0rtaAIMO7aDq-VWKMA5FHqE0Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=u1exZn42Jb8Jimgurl=media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2008/12/04/10/637-famfun_wkend05.embedded.prod_affiliate.56.jpg width=69 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2MiamiHerald.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.miamiherald.com/living/family/story/798406.htmlcid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNHQb0rtaAIMO7aDq-VWKMA5FHqE0ASouth Florida bParenting#39;s/b 14th annual Holiday Show/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMiamiHerald.com,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The two-day South Florida bParenting#39;s/b 14th annual Holiday Show offers a snow-tubing hill and play area, visits with Santa, Hanukkah fun, holiday crafts, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1700244.htmcid=1277412761ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNESiXGtqrZJD0CDGYMMgvsgkEKBAAChief bParenting/b Extends C-Level Parental Suite to Include Chief b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR Web (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobrDec 4, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Empowering men and women to become exemplary bparents/b, recognizing those that do and honoring them with their earned executive level bparenting/b titles, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tecumsehherald.com/node/1326cid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGBLa8OSLhd0m7Wauv7rhPUfY3HlQThe Intersect Between Reporting and bParenting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTecumseh Herald,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sometimes, though, circumstances make it so that all I can do is be the bparent/b. Take last night#39;s band concert in Britton. Just take yesterday in general, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.casinogamblingweb.com/gambling-news/casino-gambling/spencer_bachus_approves_of_nanny_state_opposes_parenting_49682.htmlcid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGe77sL25_rSndOr95Ttpz4rCmIWQSpencer Bachus Approves of Nanny State, Opposes bParenting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCasino Gambling Web,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Long time supporter of legalization and regulation of all forms of online gambling, Gordon Price, said, quot;Instead of teaching bparents/b how to filter the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tigardtimes.com/features/story.php%3Fstory_id%3D122834743754077200cid=1277303786ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNEB1QUBv88x0t5GhXTtDm1jODrJVwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=FCmK953KyQgJimgurl=www.tigardtimes.com/news_graphics/122834750365130800.jpg width=80 height=57 alt= border=1brfont size=-2TheTimes/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tigardtimes.com/features/story.php%3Fstory_id%3D122834743754077200cid=1277303786ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNEB1QUBv88x0t5GhXTtDm1jODrJVwMake holidays brighter for children of incarcerated bparents/b, she says/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTheTimes,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobrDec 3, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Kristen Forbes A bParenting/b Inside Out class graduate poses with her son. She and her two children will be gift recipients at the Center for Family b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.apanews.net/apa.php%3Fpage%3Dshow_article_eng%26id_article%3D82275cid=0ei=rvg4Sc_vDIHI9ATglrWWCQusg=AFQjCNGlyAmqZWhZa0omEKnH7FpiztHUuAUganda-First Lady-bparenting/b Uganda’s First Lady decries poor bparenting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAfrican Press Agency,nbsp;Senegalnbsp;-/font nobr23 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1APA-Kampala (Uganda) Poor bparenting/b has made children more vulnerable due to inadequate love, care and support, Uganda First Lady Janet Museveni said on b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
parenting - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

A Call For Fathers

Dads, please let me encourage you to change some things... Read More

Parents Role in Helping with Car Wash Fundraisers

As a parent you will be asked to assist with... Read More

I Dont Believe in ADHD

O.K. I've heard it a hundred times from my prison... Read More

Dad, Go Ahead and Cry

She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her... Read More

Choosing the Perfect Jogging Stroller

When choosing the perfect jogging stroller, a very important question... Read More

Guide to Choosing a Computer System for Your Child

Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe... Read More

My Stomach Hurts - I Cant Go to School Today!

It's the third time this week that Sam has complained... Read More

Joining a Gang: How to Help Kids Prevent it, How to Tell if Theyve Joined One, How to Help Them Out

While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced... Read More

Picky Eater Kid Nutritional Guidelines

Although many children are picky eaters at some stage in... Read More

Uniforms

Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 31,... Read More

A Little Love, Please?

Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More

How Much Water are You Wasting?

Are you being smart about water conservation? Do you consider... Read More

Teaching Kids to Read

We are all so very happy to see that the... Read More

Now, They?re Bullying My Daughter in Our Home: Welcome to Cyber-bullying

Last night Tom's daughter, Sue, came out of her room... Read More

Super Nanny - A Users Guide to Watching Super Nanny

There are many things to like about the television show... Read More

Effects of Jealousy on Childs Personality

Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with... Read More

Fraternal Twin Parenting Concerns

Identity and Your Fraternal TwinFor the most part, throughout this... Read More

The 411 on Natural Colic Remedies

Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell... Read More

Grandparents --- Homeschool Your Grandchildren and Feel Younger

Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More

Stop Lying NOW

Do you have a consistent problem with your child lying... Read More

Im a Father, Doesnt Anyone Care?

The snow was getting heavier with each lift of the... Read More

Pieces of Time and Pivotal Moments

Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More

Playful Parenting - More than Just Fun and Games

Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More

Beyond the Words, a Childs Voice

Voices have a way of falling into a pattern, not... Read More

Time To Connect With Your Teen

While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I... Read More