hello lovely child

Easing the pain of kids' nighttime symptoms. by M. Ranard, M.Ed. 580 words Why is it that your five-year-old’s fever, congestion, and pain suddenly worsen at nightfall when the pediatrician’s office is closed? Is it simply a matter of your weary child noticing their symptoms while lying quiet in bed? Maybe. But there are also real changes occurring late in the evening and during...

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4 Tips to Transform Your Thinking and Your Parenting by M. Ranard, M.Ed. 700 wds Some days are just plain easier to be an optimist than others. Lazy July afternoon when the house is clean, the kids are frolicking in the sun, and the only dilemma is what to serve for lunch? Crown me the optimism queen. But dreary chilled weeknights when everyone...

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Respond supportively and empower them for social setbacks. by M. Ranard, M.Ed. 790 wds Eight-year-old Abby’s green eyes pool with tears when she is asked about her day at dinner. “Maddy made fun of my haircut in front of Blake!” It’s difficult to hear about our child suffering a social setback when they’re very young. It’s even trickier to know how to respond...

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10 Tips to boost their reading daily. by M. Ranard, M.Ed. 700 words Many parents feel overwhelmed thinking about the summer vacation weeks when children need reading practice to stay fresh and prepared for the next school year. Tutoring is an excellent option, but there are plenty of ways to promote reading skills at home. The most important thing you can do is...

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Strategies to Cope Better. by M. Ranard, M.Ed. 700 words Do you need reminding what a high energy child looks like? I can help. As a parent, it was a struggle to cope with our youngest son, the poster child of “high energy volcanoes.” Intense, passionate, over-sensitive, moody, and troubled by transitions, he was the toddler who required every tag cut from clothing,...

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Finding gratitude for our greatest blessing. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 825 words Are you happier now that you are a parent? A few years back, sociologist Robin Simon created a stir with her suggestion in the Journal for Health and Social Behavior (2005) that “bundle of joy” was a misnomer for most parents. “Parents experience lower levels of emotional well-being, less frequent positive...

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20 Reasons It’s Way Cool to Love Math by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 300 words 1. Arithmetic practice is a workout. It stimulates and exercises the prefrontal cortex in your brain (bonus: you don’t have to change into yoga pants or get all sweaty). 2. Math doesn't involve memorization of historical dates or dangling participles. 3. You don’t have to be a great public...

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Free play is critical to health. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 690 words Don’t you love it when science confirms what we want it to? Like consuming more chocolate and red wine are good for us. Or that adding more play to our lives is critical for better emotional, social, and cognitive health. Science indeed provides evidence that kids need a fair amount of...

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6 ways to cultivate more compassion in kids. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 640 words “Too many of us are raising children first and foremost to be happy and we are failing at that project—rather than instilling in them what the novelist William Faulkner thought we as a species needed to prevail: ‘a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance.’”                                                                                 (Richard Weissbourd...

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Prevent sports injuries and play it safe. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 580 words Even the mildest injuries can throw a wrench into your child’s fun this sports season so it’s wise to be mindful of ways to keep everyone healthy. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), three million kids get injured in sports each year. Most of these injuries occur as...

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Brilliant Ideas to Save Time, Money, and Sanity. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 740 words As a parent, unless you have “real housewife” Camille Grammer’s four nannies and support staff, your brain probably swims with an endless list of chores and household responsibilities this very second. It can be exhausting. How will it all get done? There is hope. Consider these shortcuts to save...

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Unplug for sweet memories on a dreary day. by Michele Ranard 570 words “And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” (Gilbert Chesterton) Warm sunny days are perfect for frolicking outdoors, but there are plenty of simple pleasures to enjoy with your children when the clouds roll in. It may be...

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Ideas to Cultivate “We” Thinking. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 775 words I had to laugh at my sister the other day as she lamented the fact her husband was facebooking their teen son from the other room. What cracked me up was when she ranted “I mean, what happened to the phone and texting!?!” Flesh-and-Blood Connections Connectivity has exploded in recent years. Our...

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Ditch 5 Ugly Discipline Habits. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 800 words How do you get your 6-year-old to brush his teeth? What should you do when your toddler won’t stop throwing sand? All parents know consistent discipline is the secret, but what if you consistently reach for the wrong approach in your discipline arsenal? Here are some common disciplinary bad habits and ideas...

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See the beauty of parenting your “almost teen” by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 660 wds “She likes a boy in her class! I’m not ready!” This was my sister’s crazed voice as I consoled her about her tween on the phone the other day. It can be unsettling to witness your baby faced cherub approach adolescence. Terms like “hormones” and “mood swings” enter the...

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Help Kids Manage School Anxiety by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 735 words “Anxiety becomes a problem when it causes emotional pain and suffering and disrupts your child’s ability to function well at school and in daily life.” (Diane Peters Mayer) All children occasionally feel butterflies during the school day. Nervousness may spring up while waiting to be called upon to give a speech on...

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Help them say “Sayonara” to that inner slacker. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 780 words I don’t think of myself as a nag. But on any given day in response to my son’s procrastination, I definitely sound the part. Exhibit A: “MOM! I’ll be at Kevin’s playing Rockband” (on his way out the door) at which time my nag switch is suddenly tripped, and...

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Maybe you’ve forgotten. by Michele Ranard 365 words There are a myriad of blessings to be grateful for now that you have a teen! Don’t believe me? How soon we forget that it wasn’t all cotton candy and fresh-faced cherubs before our kids hit puberty! We’re quick to moan about the fact they’re driving or soon will be, but sometimes we suffer amnesia...

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