Parenting

Matthew Lynch published in Modern Parenting, Parental Involvement, Parenting

10 Steps to Preparing Your Child for Their First Sleepover

Sleepovers are a rite of passage, but they also cause anxiety for parents and their children. When it comes to sending your precious child to stay overnight with someone else, it takes courage. For your child to comfortably sleep at home that is not his or her own, it also takes bravery. But, once your child is prepared, sleepovers can be fun-filled evenings where lifelong memories are made.

When it comes to knowing if your child is ready, there is no set age. The WebMD experts explain, “There are no hard and fast rules about age […]. Although some 5-year-olds might be ready to sleep away from home, some 10-year-olds might not be. So, it’s important for parents to assess each event individually.” To help you prepare your child for the event, follow these ten steps.

  1. Talk about it.

Make sure your child is comfortable with the idea of sleeping over at someone else’s home by talking about it in detail. Do not assume that your child wants to attend a sleepover. If your child has fears about it, allow him/her to ask questions and do your best to answer honestly.

  1. Have a trial run.

Many families have a trial run at a family member’s home before they send their child to someone else’s house. If you have a family member your child trusts, consider allowing your child to sleep over at this family member’s home first.

  1. Host at your home first.

Another way to prepare your child is to play host. If your child sees what a sleepover is like in her own home, she will have a better understanding of what to expect at someone else’s house.

  1. Try a late-night test.

Before your child spends the night with a friend, try a late-night test. For example, allow your child to stay at a friend’s house later in the evening than normal and pick him/her up after the usual bedtime.

  1. Question the host.

The best way to prepare your child and yourself are to ask the host questions. Find out what the plans are for the evening and any other details that will help your child know what to expect.

  1. Prepare the host.

During the conversation with the host, you should also inform the host of any things your child does that may be unexpected such as sleepwalking or bedwetting. This talk will help prevent any embarrassing situations.

  1. Roleplay various situations.

With your child, roleplay various situations that may occur at a sleepover. For example, have your child role play what he will do if he is scared or uncomfortable.

  1. Shop for supplies.

Your child will be more excited to attend a sleepover if she has sleepover supplies. Purchasing a sleeping bag can help your child feel prepared.

  1. Pack everything your child needs.

While sleepovers are a test of independence, you do not want to allow your child to pack his sleepover bag. Instead, you should pack all the essentials, so your child will be sure to have everything she needs.

  1. Keep your phone nearby.

As you send your child off, make sure she knows you have your phone nearby and will answer anytime she calls.

A sleepover is a fun way for children to become more independent, and an excellent way for parents to get a full night’s sleep.

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Matthew Lynch published in Parental Involvement, Parenting

8 Ways Parents Can Help with Spelling

As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher, and the education that you give them lays the foundation for the future. However, many parents take a hands-off approach once their child enters formal schooling. I suspect that many parents believe that their child is better off in the hands of experts, and they can take a backseat. Well, this is a myth that we need confront. When your child enters formal schooling, your role as your child’s first teacher does not end; it gets more intense. Why? Because as the years pass, your child will be exposed to an increasingly tougher curriculum.

You may think to yourself, “I am not a trained educator.” That doesn’t matter. You have to become assertive and seek out resources that will make you the best parent-educator that you can be. Take spelling for instance. In the elementary grades, your child will be expected to learn how to spell a plethora of words. To assess how well they are doing, their teacher will usually have weekly spelling tests. Parents are expected to help their child prepare for these tests. You don’t have to be a trained educator for this, and there are plenty of resources that will help you choose the best strategies. For instance, we found this fantastic graphic that lists 8 ways parents can help their child with spelling. These tips and strategies will turn you into a world class spelling coach and may turn your child into a spelling bee champion.

As you can see, helping your child academically is not as hard as it seems. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect, you have to be committed.

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Parenting

Why Do Parents Pick the Wrong Colleges for Their Kids?

When it’s time for high school students to select the colleges that interest them most, many parents step in to help their child choose the right school.

If parents are assisting in the selection of the right school, why do so many of them pick the wrong colleges for their kids?

Smoke and mirrors

Picking the right college and paying for it can be the most daunting of tasks; much of the reported information on colleges does not take all of the college’s characteristics into consideration. For example, universities are ranked on the earning power of their graduates rather than student satisfaction with university performance. Ranking systems can be misleading.

Parents may select schools based on name recognition alone, and their child may be attending a university that is a poor fit for the student’s needs and interests.

Worldview

Parents pick colleges based on their own outdated viewpoints. The world is not what it once was, but parents have not changed their perspectives. They select schools based on antiquated ideas and a worldview anchored in the past. Outdated advice won’t serve today’s college students.

Narcissism

Demanding parents insist on the right college for their children because they fear their child won’t make a good choice. Narcissistic parents have a history of making choices for their children, and the choices range from what designer clothing to wear to participation in extracurricular activities. They are creating frail adults unable to decide on their own.

College professors call fragile students teacups. They are brought up by their parents to be delicate, and that’s in part why parents are picking the wrong colleges for their children. Parents seek to continue to orchestrate their children’s experiences without letting the child have a say.

Living Vicariously

Some parents continue to live vicariously through their children.

The parents may have wanted to attend a particular university or earn a degree in an unusual field. If their goals were denied, the parents might assume they can resuscitate their hopes and live vicariously through their children in college.

Parents pick colleges and the degrees they would have chosen for themselves.

How do you pick the right college?

You’ve raised your child to adulthood, and now it’s time to let your kid make the choices that will affect his or her future. Here’s what experts recommend as you explore college choices together:

  • Listen more, advise less.
  • Talk honestly about financing college
  • Avoid reliving your past

You’ll be less likely to pick the wrong college for your kid.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Parenting

6 Must-Have Apps for New Parents

Welcoming a baby into your world is an excellent adventure. But, it is also a huge learning curve. New parents are tasked with keeping track of their little one’s feedings, growth, and development. For instance, keeping track of your baby’s feedings and diaper changes will give you an idea of whether your child is eating enough.

Rather than having to use a journal to document everything, you can simply use apps on your phone to keep track of everything you and your baby’s pediatrician needs to know.

  1. Cloud Baby Monitor

Before you add an expensive baby monitor to your registry, you should consider taking advantage of your mobile devices. For parents looking for a mobile monitor app, they should look no further than Cloud Baby Monitor. This simple app turns your Apple device into a monitor by live streaming your baby from one Apple device to another device. Also, this app also gives parents noise and motion alerts.

  1. Total Baby Pro

The Total Baby Pro app is an excellent choice for tracking everything about your baby. It is helpful for keeping track of feedings, diaper changes, sleep, as well as documenting vaccinations, growth, doctor visits, and more. Another reason this app is a must-have is because it has timers and alarms that may be customized. It also syncs across Apple devices.

  1. White Noise Baby

Many parents swear by white noise machines because the sounds emulate the noises babies are familiar with from the womb. Save some money and purchase the White Noise Baby app instead. In addition to white noise, it includes twenty ambient sounds and ten musical features.

  1. Milk Maid

Breastfeeding moms will love the Milk Maid app for learning how much they are feeding their babies and their pumping schedules. This app keeps track of your pumping sessions and your current breastmilk inventory, as well as alarms, to remind you when it is time to pump.

  1. WebMD Baby App

Instead of Googling baby questions, simply download the WebMD Baby app to have all the information in one place. In addition to the important expert content, the app also includes tools for keeping track of your baby’s development and a baby book feature (which can be shared with friends and family).

  1. Babysitting Pro Activity Log

For parents utilizing babysitters or other childcare services, the Babysitting Pro Activity Log is a great app to download and use. It allows your babysitter to track your baby’s feedings, diaper changes, and sleeping. Your babysitter can also use the app to send you immediate notifications.

For new parents, having a baby may seem overwhelming at first (especially when they are already sleep deprived). However, technology is making even easier to adapt to having a new baby at home.

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Matthew Lynch published in Assistive Technology, Black Boys in Crisis, Child Development Tech, Digital & Mobile Technology, Early Childhood & K-12 EdTech,

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