Blog
What is the “Common Core” and What Does it Mean for my Teen?
In the United States, 43 of the states have adopted the common core and Massachusetts is one of them. That means that teachers and other experts put together age appropriate standards for the common knowledge (skill set) they feel would prepare a high school senior for college and/or entering the work force upon graduation. Here’s … Read more
Conquering the Summer Reading List
Summer’s just about ½ over! That means along with camp, sports practice and summer fun, children and teens also need to find time for reading. Many schools provide a summer reading list beginning in the fourth or fifth grades requesting that students read two or more books from a selection. Requirements vary from one to … Read more
Family Room Fixes to Encourage Communication
If the kitchen is the heart of the home then the family room/living room is the soul. It is the room that brings the family together. It is a place to relax, unwind, entertain and be entertained. Communication happens here and relationships are built and/or strengthened here. Is your family room conducive to communication or … Read more
The Art of the Master To Do List
There once was a Mama Bear who felt like she was part “day planner.” Every day she would go through the calendar and the to do list. She would gently remind the little bears what activities they had or what they needed to “get done” and also prompt the papa bear of what he needed … Read more
Summer Solutions to Organization
Two questions for you. First, what does organization mean to you? Second, what does summer mean to you? To me, those two questions go together because if you’re organized there is a better chance that you can take advantage of all the things that summer has to offer. It takes planning and keeping up with … Read more
Homework Coach or Enforcer?
Is homework a battle in your home? If you find that it has become a nightly battle or that your child or teen has lost interest in school; then it may be time to try a different approach. I will admit I sympathize with teens trying to become independent when often the adults around them … Read more
Get in the ZONE
Look around your home; are you happy with the condition it is in? Can you find what you need quickly and easily? Or do you suffer from C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? Well, stop living in fear of the doorbell (or cancelling play dates) and take back your weekend at the same time. Often … Read more
How to Have a FANTASTIC 2014
I call it strategic planning and I do it for my business and for myself each year. One year my husband and I went away for the weekend and spent an entire day coming up with goals for the new year. We definitely were overly ambitious and could not have predicted that life and job … Read more
Hey Students – It is OKAY to Get Help
The best kept secret these days is that going to see the teacher after school can improve your teen’s grades. Over the last several months I have asked a number of students (many of them clients whom I see because they or their parents want their grades to improve) if they go after school to … Read more