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IS IT TIME TO HIRE A TUTOR? 10 Signs a Little Extra Help May Help. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                     950 words A few years back, my first-grader stepped off the school bus in tears. The words he squeaked out in between sobs cut me to the soul. He said, “My teacher hates my reading ‘cause I’m stupid.” It was the start of the...

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10 Terms Your Teen May Text by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                 680 words If you live with plugged-in teens or young adults like me, then you have likely been exposed to more text acronyms, Facebook emoticons, and Tumblr memes than you can shake a stick at (now THERE’S an expression to annoy and stump Generation TMI!). It’s overwhelming! (In slang terms…I can’t even!) If,...

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6 Ways parents can help children procrastinate less and become more productive.                                               by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 740 words “You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.”              — Benjamin Franklin We all do it. Often. Procrastination may be a tendency...

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Holy Teen Slackers A Rant for Parents Living With the Unclean. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 600 words (First published in "My Life as a Parent" in Parentwise Austin) Think Mary had to nag teen Jesus to the point of psychotic break to get him to hang his wet towel on the bathroom hook installed by Joseph? I mean, we know the Savior at...

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I loved being a part of this issue in Montana Parent dedicated to humor! http://digital.turn-page.com/i/107056/39 ...

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TIPS FROM A TUTOR TO KEEP KIDS READING 12 Ways to Improve Reading Skills Today. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 1165 words As a tutor, I am often asked by parents how to keep kids reading when they are away from the classroom so their skills remain fresh and even to stay ahead so they are prepared for the next school year. Tutoring is...

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21 Parental Triumphs Good Reasons to Let Us Eat Cake by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 620 words It’s the little things, as they say. Assorted daily small victories—triumphs even—that only parents who aren’t perfect or posers can truly celebrate. This list of personal favorites is decidedly one-off and twisted…not unlike living with the children we cherish. Can you claim any of the following parental...

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ENCOURAGE YOUR PRESCHOOLER’S VOCABULARY 5 Ways to Get Ready to Read! by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                 790 wds Who can forget their child’s first word? It was likely your name, but maybe it was “bawww” (ball) which lit up your faces with a smile. It feels natural to celebrate, praise, and applaud our toddlers as they acquire new language skills daily. In turn, such...

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Holiday Road Trip Unplugged Wonder 8 Activities Prove Half the Fun is Getting There. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                             576 wds Are you headed over the river and through the woods this year? Are you praying it will be a pleasant sleigh ride with minimal whining, bladder issues, and weary traveler meltdowns? I hear you. Family road trips have undoubtedly changed since we were...

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GIVE YOUR PRESCHOOLER AN EDGE 13 Smart Opportunities to Seize at Home by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 1090 words Everywhere you turn it seems there is a new marketing scheme to suck us into purchasing something to propel our preschoolers to the head of the class.As well-meaning parents, we may be vulnerable to thinking “inside information” or alternative fast tracks will get our children...

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