Tips for Parents - Free Parenting Resources

"Publicly funded after-school programs for high school students are one of the newest strategies in efforts to help prepare students for postsecondary education or the work force."

"This practical guide shares tips, tools, and strategies to strengthen the bonds between schools, families, and communities. Many suggestions have come from Edutopia community members who have contributed a host of good ideas in blogs and online discussion groups (edutopia.org/groups). We’ve included a wide range of suggestions that should appeal to parents, teachers, administrators, and other community members who care about improving education."

This articles teaches families the risks involved in using the internet such as unknowingly downloading virus attacks and having unwanted or inappropriate contact with others; and also discusses ways to be prepared for what may reach kids via the internet.

This booklet is about people you may meet who have autism and how you can be their friend.

From the U.S. Department of Education. "By adopting the principles and taking the steps indicated for each age group, you will be able to help your child learn at each step of the way and ensure success in school and in life."

No sport is 100 percent safe. But there is much that parents, players and coaches can do to minimize young athletes’ risk of injury.

"It's never too early to read to your baby. As soon as your baby is born, he or she starts learning. Just by talking to, playing with, and caring for your baby every day, you help your baby develop language skills necessary to become a reader. By reading with your baby, you foster a love of books and reading right from the start. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Give your child lots of opportunities to read aloud. Inspire your young reader to practice every day! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Play with letters, words, and sounds! Having fun with language helps your child learn to crack the code of reading. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Read early and read often. The early years are critical to developing a lifelong love of reading. It's never too early to begin reading to your child! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Find ways to read, write, and tell stories together with your child. Always applaud your young reader and beginning story writer! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Read about it, talk about it, and think about it! Find ways for your child to build understanding, the ultimate goal of learning how to read. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Being a toddler is all about action. Encourage continued language development and interest in books and reading by keeping things lively and engaging. Everyday experiences are full of opportunities to engage in conversation and develop language skills. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

Learn how technology is being used to bully others and get safety tips for protecting your family.

This article discusses the risks of kids using P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing networks and how to be prepared to avoid those risks.

This article helps families understand the risk of using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook and teaches ways to be prepared to avoid attacks.

Life is stressful.  If we’re fortunate enough to have a lot of resources to tap into, such as trips to the spa, grandma always ready to take the kids, or a personal home gym—we may be better able to handle the bumps of life.  But many of us don’t have these kinds of options.  That’s where we have to get creative and find ways to de-stress using the resources we do have.  These 121 Stress Relievers will help.

Why holding children back from kindergarten actually hinders learning.

A new study published in Pediatrics links high levels of pesticides in children's urine with higher incidences of ADHD.  In the Tips for Parents, learn how children are exposed to pesticides and how you can lower their exposure.

Tips to help the transition between childhood and adulthood go more smoothly.

In Tips for Parents: Adoption, learn more about what adoption is, where to find more information about the adoption process, how to encourage bonding post adoption, and resources to help adopted children find their biological parents.

Make sure your child receives the AIDS education that they really need.

Discover why introducing algebra in earlier grades makes good sense.

Tips to prevent injuries related to computer use.

Tips to end the arguing and get them to play nice.

Learn ways to help your child focus and increase their attention span.

Understand why authentic assessment is a better tool for measuring students' achievement.

In Tips for Parents: Back to School, get 6 tips for a smooth back to school transition and setting a foundation for school success all year long.

How to encourage the behavior you want, and discourage the behavior you don't want.

Celebrate book week by choosing books from the "Children's Choices" award winners.

The word “censor” instantly starts a debate in nearly every group it is uttered.  We’re not advocating burning books, but we’ve heard from a number of parents that are concerned about the quality of the literature their kids are reading.  How do you know what is good and bad for your child and does encouraging a love reading mean letting your kids read anything they want?

Understand the importance of character education in schools.

In Tips for Parents: Child Care Complaints, discover how you can find out if the child care provider you are considering has any official complaints filed against them.

Understand how repeated exposure to violent media has been shown to cause aggressive behavior in kids.

In Tips for Parents: Christmas Safety, learn how to prevent injuries commonly associated with the holidays from fire, choking, poisoning and other hazards.

Tips for increasing learning and reducing class size.

Tips to help you build your child's confidence.

Discover why parents should speak with the school more often than just at conference time.

Learn methods for appropriate discipline and great tips for getting kids to obey.

We’re creating a series of Tips for Parents called Diverse Families. This series will discuss the challenges and benefits of many different types of families, offer tips for some of the most common issues, and provide links to credible, really helpful websites you can visit for more information.

In Tips for Parents: Divorce, learn how to break the news to your children that you're getting divorced, and get tips for making the transition, moving on, and when to seek professional help.

Identify some of the signs of dyslexia and how to get the extra help your child needs. 

Tips for choosing educational gifts and games that are fun, durable, and educational.

Get tips for introducing your kids to our nations' democracy and teaching them the elections process.

Learn how to encourage a love of reading in your children.

Understand the ways you can teach your kids about environmental education at home.

How parents' and teachers' expectations for a child become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Where to get family-friendly movie reviews.

Cell phones, MP3 players, TV, the Internet…it seems as if kids are always plugged in. Many parents compete with technology for their kids’ attention, and lose. Additionally, cyberbullying, sexting, pornography, and stranger danger online all present a significant safety risk to our kids. In Tips for Parents: Family Technology Use Policy, learn how to create your family’s technology rules, and enforce them.

Useful ideas to ease your child into school.

Learn why "flunking" a student is never the right solution.

Foster parents provide a temporary, safe home for children in crisis and become part of the child's support, treatment, and care program. If you are interested in being a foster parent, this Tips for Parents will help you know what is involved and how to begin the process.

In Tips for Parents: Gay or Lesbian Parents, discover research about children growing up with a gay parent/parents, learn what the experts have to say about how well these children fare, get tips for raising children with gay or lesbian parents, and find links to great resources on the topic.

In Tips for Parents: Girl Cyberbullying, learn how girls are using cell phones and the internet to bully and attack one another and the ramifications of these attacks.  Get tips for educating girls about this issue.

In Tips for Parents: Girl on Girl Fighting, discover how physical violence among girls is on the increase and what parents and teachers can do about it.

Tips to encourage and prepare your daughter for leadership roles.

In Tips for Parents: Girls' Body Image, learn how the media significantly impacts how girls view themselves and identify ways to help them build positive self esteem and confidence by questioning the media's messages.

In Tips for Parents: Girls Facing New Issues, learn the problems today's girls face, such as early puberty, cyberbullying, girl on girl violence, body image, and sexism and stereotyping in school.

Learn how to encourage girls in math and science and break down barriers for success.

Learn the global and analytic learning styles and identify your child's preferred learning style.

Tips to make Halloween a fun and educational holiday.

In Tips for Parents: Having an Only Child, learn the benefits and common issues associated with having an only child.  Learn how to avoid these issues and optimize the one on one attention your child benefits from with you.

Get your kids the HIV education they need before it's too late.

Learn how setting up a Christmas budget with the kids can teach them important lessons about credit, saving, and how to find good deals at the store. 

Understand your role as your child's first teacher.

Tips for ending the homework battle and showing your interest in your child's education.

In Tips for Parents: Immigrant Families, get tips for adjusting to American culture, understanding your responsibility to help your children succeed in school, and get links to many government programs that assist immigrant families.

Methods and tricks for improving memory.

As interracial families continue to expand faster than many other segments of the population, barriers are being broken down and many families are seizing an opportunity to teach their children and others about the value of diversity and respect.  In this Tips for Parents, discover ways to help your children develop their own unique identity, to value who they are, to learn how to respond to discrimination, and to develop respect for others.

Learn how children first begin to write and why early spelling mistakes actually help your child read and write better.

Most parents, at some point, wonder if their infant is healthy and developing normally compared to other babies their age.  In some circles, baby development becomes a kind of competition, where mothers and fathers brag that their child is already rolling over, eating solid foods, or has a vocabulary of more than 20 words.  These Tips for Parents will help you understand what’s normal and what to do if you suspect your infant is delayed.

Identify the warning signs that a child may drop out and get the resources you need to keep your kid in school.

Learn how drinking energy drinks can make kids and teens sick and how the high amounts of caffeine found in some of these drinks can be high enough to kill.

Tips for deciding if a pet is right for your family, where to buy a pet, and teaching kids how to care for a pet responsibly.

Learn the risks children face when playing sports and learn how to decrease or prevent risk of injury.

When parents choose not to care for their own children, or become unable to provide safe, loving care due to drug addiction, abuse, death, imprisonment or other situations, family members often step in to care for the child and prevent them from living in the foster care system. This kind of care is often called "Kinship Care."

In Tips for Parents: Large Families, learn the benefits of having a large family and get tips for making sure each child feels valued and gets the attention and support he or she needs.

In Tips for Parents: Latch Key Kids, learn why kids that are old enough to stay home alone still need plenty of parental involvement in their lives.

Discover your child's learning style and why it's important.

Discover why it's important to encourage a child's first writing attempts.

Understand why good listening skills are essential to a healthy relationship with your child.

Why magazines make great gifts for kids.

Why it's important to show enthusiasm for math and tips for helping your child succeed.

In Tips for Parents: Military Families, get tips for communicating, asking for the support of family and friends, making the best of each day, and get links dozens of great resources for military families.

A testing expert, James Popham, makes recommendations about the quantity and quality of standardized testing in America's schools.

Parents are the primary influence in their child's motivation to learn.

The importance of multicultural education and what you can to do make sure your child receives it.

Why No Child Left Behind means you may be able to choose a different school.

Discover the link between nutrition and learning.

Signs and symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a mental disorder that makes a child have obsessive thoughts about germs, cleanliness, safety or school success.  These thoughts often cause them to do compulsive, ritualistic behaviors such as hand washing, checking doors or appliances, or saying particular phrases or questions over and over.

Discover why people are waiting until later to have kids, learn the advantages and disadvantages of becoming older parents, and get tips for overcoming some of the difficulties later in life parents face.

Understand why parent involvement is essential to academic success and ways you can get involved.

Recent research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education proves that parental involvement makes a significant different in a child's school success.

Tips to be sure you're prepared for the next parent-teacher conference.

Tips for sneaking nutrition into your picky pre-school eater's diet.

Prejudice can lead to intolerance and hurtful behavior, so it’s a good idea to educate yourself about how prejudices form.

Why waiting for high school to prepare for college is a mistake.

Learn how to prepare your family and home for disasters.

In Tips for Parents: Preschool Options, learn about the common public and private preschool options available, including their benefits and drawbacks; and get links to more information.

In Tips for Parents: Puberty Begins in Girls Earlier, discover that girls are beginning puberty at an earlier age.  Get tips and resources for preparing your daughter (and yourself) for her changing body.

In this Tips for Parents, learn what racism is, how it occurs in everyday life, how to teach kids about the harms of racism, and how to encourage respect for all people.

These books have been recommended by our staff and community members.

Tips for teaching responsibility to kids.

What school-based management is, and the reasons for and against it.

In a time when school budgets often cover only the basics, many parent groups recognize school fundraisers as a way to pay for sports, computer, music and arts programs and equipment.  And while these campaigns can be helpful, the right planning is necessary to be really successful.  Before you choose a school fundraising campaign, be sure to review these school fundraising tips.

Identify the stressors your child faces and learn healthy ways to deal with stress.

Learn the importance of science in your child's education and get tips to make sure your school's science department makes the grade.

Discover why science is so important and ways to encourage your kids to study it.

Teach your children the importance of setting and achieving goals.

In Tips for Parents: Stereotypes in School, learn issues girls face in today's schools that interfere with their academic success and confidence, and understand how all girls schools are helping girls achieve more.

What sexual harassment is, who it affects most, and why it's important to report it.

Parenting on your own can be stressful, confusing and exhausting.  Here are several key do and don’t tips for single parents to help you manage your time, your kids, and your sanity.

Ignite a love for science in your child by sending them to space camp.

Important tips for accessing special education programs.

Tips for making the first day of school a positive experience.

Not every man makes a good stay at home father; but truthfully, not every woman does either.  Research indicates that in general, children raised by fathers that have willingly chosen to be stay at home dads flourish.  Wives benefit when they opt to pursue a fulfilling career, and dads are able to nourish their care giving sides, especially if they seek outside contact from other stay at home dads.

When a new stepparent joins the family, extra care should be taken to develop a safe, secure and mutually rewarding relationship between all involved.  Find tips for setting realistic expectations, showing respect for each individual's feelings, and learn how soon these relationships will be formed.

What the experts recommend we teach our kids about staying safe.

Learn why even elementary schools need a student council.

Understand the negative ways student employment can affect your teen's education.

Good self-esteem is as important as good nutrition, good health, and more important than making good grades.

Fun tips and great resources for keeping the kids busy and out of trouble during summer vacation.

In Tips for Parents: Summer Reading Programs, learn why reading during the summer is important, what summer reading programs offer, and how to find a summer reading program near you.

Get parenting tips on keeping your family safe this summer while out and about doing all of your favorite summer activities.  Including help on bicycle safety, water safety, heat safety, sunburn safety, and stranger danger safety.

Learn how taking a "gap year" can help some students find purpose in their studies and broaden their world view.

In this Tips for Parents, learn more about teaching babies sign language so that they can communicate earlier.

In Tips for Parents: Teaching Kids about Giving, learn how to teach your children compassion for others, how to appreciate what they have, and how to develop a love for giving.

End the fights over curfew by creating a curfew contract, including your teen in the decision making, and setting limits according to demonstrated responsibility.

In Tips for Parents: Teen Parents, learn the steps you should take if you're pregnant, and if you're already a teen parent, get tips for improving your and your baby's lives.

In Tips for Parents: Teen Plastic Surgery, learn the most common plastic surery procedures among teens, the risks involved, and what you should consider before making a decision.

Tips to encourage your teen to drive safely.

Identify the stresses teens face and learn ways to help them cope.

Understand why it's important to keep perspective when it comes to test scores.

Discover how the beauty bias can hinder a child's academic achievement.

For decades we’ve been hearing about the “Gender Gap” in our schools.  This gap referred to research done in the 1970s, 1980s and particularly the early 1990s that indicated that girls were performing significantly lower than boys in math and science, received less attention from teachers, and that more men than women were going to college.  Today, a growing tide of researchers and educators are loudly claiming that not only was this research flawed, but the exact opposite is true.  Boys are the ones falling behind.

Learn why effort is even more important than intelligence in school success.

Why art is a necessity in education.

Learn the reasons for and against encouraging your child's belief in Santa and get tips for explaining he's not real when they're too old or learn the truth from another child. 

Children between the ages of 10 and 12, popularly called "tweens," have changing physical and emotional needs.  Learn more about what you can expect and how you can support your child during their tween years.

Learn the valuable skills and lessons chores can teach your kids.

Discover think-along reading and make reading time with your child a great learning experience.

Tips for developing strong thinking skills in kids.

Understand how Title IX factors into your daughter's education.

The dangers of too much television and how you can pull the plug.

Learn what makes kids unpopular and how to change negative behavior before it's too late.

Discover the resources and activities available for kids at the library.

Learn what makes kids violent and get resources to change violent behavior.

Discover the link between vision and learning.

Understand the importance of visiting your child's classroom and learn ways to find time with even the busiest schedule.

Get tips for parents on water safety for families.  Learn how to keep your family safe while having fun in the water and how to identify dangerous situations that commonly lead to drowning.