Education & Parenting Publication Features

Making Caring Common •

5 things to do and say if your child has a big transition this year — Making Caring Common

Every back-to-school transition is different, and some are more challenging than others. Big changes like moving from preschool to kindergarten, shifting from elementary to middle school, or heading off to college can be especially challenging. With every transition comes a level of uncertainty. Although we can’t make feelings of discomfort or stress go away for our children, we can teach them how to manage and respond in healthy ways.
Making Caring Common •

3 tips to help kids persevere — Making Caring Common

At times, it feels like the status quo for grown-ups is to tell children what to do instead of empowering them to use their critical thinking skills to navigate life’s hardships. Fortunately, we can be intentional about the way we discuss the challenges and changes life brings and instill a mindset of perseverance to support our children in gaining the skills they need to thrive. Use the three tips below to support your child in developing resilience and confidence amidst adversity.
Making Caring Common •

3 ways for families to manage stress — Making Caring Common

Tip #1: Learn about stress and how it impacts us Although you might hear phrases like, “I’m so stressed out!” from your teenager multiple times throughout the week (or day!), it’s important to take the time to check-in about stress so you can understand where the feelings of stress are coming from. Stress is completely natural, but taking the time to connect with your child can provide you with more information about the situations, relationships, and thoughts that increase stress in your child.
Making Caring Common •

3 ways to understand and manage our emotions — Making Caring Common

The emotions we experience influence the way we interact with the people we love. As adults, many of us haven’t had the time (or support) to explore our emotions or build healthy coping strategies. Due to busy schedules, dealing with grief, trying to support our family’s financial needs, and so many other challenges that we experience as parents, understanding and navigating our emotions can fall to the bottom of the to-do list.
PBS SoCal •

Celebrate Buffy Sainte-Marie and Amplify Indigenous Peoples With Your Kids

I first learned of Buffy Saint-Marie's work in early childhood education when I read the foreword of "Children of Native America Today" by Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder, where Sainte-Marie wrote: "During the five years that I spent on 'Sesame Street,' I tried to convey in the Native American episodes one message above all: Indians Exist. We are alive and real. We have fun, friends, families and a whole lot to contribute to the rest of the world through our reality."
PBS SoCal •

3 Fun Ways to Help Kids Love the Earth All Year

Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and research has proven the benefits of spending time in nature. When kids have time to go outside, we see increased confidence, creativity, responsibility and critical thinking skills. It's no surprise that breathing in the fresh air and putting our hands in the dirt is good for the soul, but how do we raise kids who care about the Earth and take steps to protect it during Earth Month and all year?
PBS SoCal •

Helping Kids Understand Their Inner Monster With Grover from ‘Sesame Street'

"Sometimes the monster that's inside you, it's a monster that is mad, it's a monster who is angry, it's a monster who feels bad; when your monster wants to throw things, and your monster wants to shout, there's a way to calm your monster, and chill your inner monster out." — Sesame Street: Common and Colbie Caillat Sing "Belly Breathe" with Elmo. If you kept a log to jot down each emotion you felt throughout the day, you'd likely fill the page within a few hours.
BetterLesson •

Encouraging Education Leaders to Help Teachers to Get Curious About Behavior

“I often urge noneducators to ponder the versatility and resilience that have been asked of teachers during the pandemic. Just think about all that’s required to sustain relationships with, let alone educate, dozens of students who have been reduced to so many squares on a screen. And consider how the long-awaited transition back to actual schools presents challenges of its own.” Alfie Kohn, The Case Against Classroom Management...A Quarter Century Later.
PBS SoCal •

Small Worlds and Bubble Baths: 4 Fun Sensory Activities for Kids

Research has proven that sensory play builds cognitive skills. Children learn about the world around them through their senses. After a baby is born, the entire world slowly opens up to them through experiences with touch, smell, sound, taste and sight. When young children have sensory experiences, they are stored in their "sensory memory." They can pull from their "sensory memory" to build connections and understand/gain new information.
PBS SoCal •

3 Ways to Teach Kids Grown-Up Skills While Sorting

Grown-ups rely on mathematical thinking and problem-solving all day without even realizing it. Simple tasks like sorting recycling, choosing which vegetables to purchase based on what’s grown locally or collecting items around the house that can be donated become second nature. Here are three simple ways to grow your child’s knowledge of sorting and collecting while teaching them how to be more engaged people.
PBS SoCal •

Big Feelings Alert: How Can I Stay Calm When My Kid Is Having a Meltdown?

We've all had those days when nothing seems to be going the way we planned. Unexpected meetings popping up on your calendar, spilled lattes, and heavy traffic when you are already running late. Yet, as an adult, you may have developed some strategies to self-calm even during the most challenging times. Deep breaths, long walks, letting feelings pass like clouds in the sky and a big glass of ice water are among my favorites.
PBS SoCal •

Exploring Gender Identity and Expression with Children

If we want to raise kids who are free to be themselves and dedicated to making the world a better place, we must begin by learning what it means to create a more accessible and inclusive world for everyone. Transgender, gender non-conforming and gender fluid folks and children deserve to be seen, heard and represented in the books they read, shows they watch and curriculum that’s taught in schools. They deserve to live happy and safe lives.
BetterLesson •

Teachers Deserve Trauma-Informed Support, Too

The heart of a teacher extends far beyond supporting students in excelling academically. Instead, teachers recognize that students are whole human beings who grow with love, care, and compassion. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to read articles, attend professional development, and read books that preach about the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach with students. But how often do we ask ourselves, “How are we supporting and caring for the emotional needs of teachers?"
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