Helpful articles for parents: Guide to Modern Parenting – Well Guides

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Is Your Toddler Musical? 5 Tests for Clues

If you’re trying to detect your toddler’s natural gifts, that could be tricky at this stage. But artistic traits, like musicality, can sometimes be picked …

The Importance of Family Mealtime: Why It Matters and How To Get Started

The family that eats together, stays together – or so the saying goes. There is a lot of truth to this statement.  Family mealtime is a …

Don’t Let Backtalk Ruin Your Day:  Moving from Conflict to Cooperation

We’ve all been there: trying to have a conversation with our kids and being met with a string of “no’s” and “buts.” It can be …

Math Homework and Why Parents Should Sometimes Stay Out of It

When it comes to school subjects, mathematics is far from being a crowd favorite. Math can seem complex and intimidating, yet early math education forms the foundation for essential life skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking. Many parents simply don’t enjoy math. Their child calls out for help with their algebra homework, so they breathe out a little sigh and stroll over to the dining room table, hoping their math knowledge isn’t too out-of-date.

Fun Springtime Activities for Toddlers

There are many benefits from engaging in fun and creative activities with toddlers. These activities help build connectedness, promote the development of new interests and skills, and can be a great way to bond with your child. Springtime is the perfect time to get outside and explore, so take advantage of the warmer weather and try out some of these activities with your toddler today.

The Developmental Benefits of Chores for Kids & Teens

Whether your kids are preschoolers or teenagers, there are benefits to giving them chores to do around the house.   In a May 2022 research article …

5 Springtime Activities for the Whole Family

It’s finally here! Celebrate Spring with your kids with these five family activities. 1. Take the time to enjoy the outside and have fun at …

How to Help Your Teenager Improve Their Body Image

Everyday, teenage boys and girls are bombarded by unrealistic portrayals of beauty and masculinity.  These visual assaults come from advertising companies by way of social …

Sled Safety for Children

Remember sledding as a child? Safety was probably the furthest thing from your mind! Over the years, parents have smartened up and know that sledding …

5 Healthy Homework Habits Recommended by Teachers

Teachers know that the best time to develop healthy homework habits for your family is before homework becomes a problem.  Parents who approach their children’s …

Can’t Get Your Kids to Sleep? Stop Making These Four Common Bedtime Mistakes

Are your kids wide awake when they should be sleeping? This typical scenario causes misery the following day when everyone’s overtired. If you want your …

Upgrade Your Hike

How many times has someone told you to “take a hike”? Chances are they weren’t concerned with your cardiovascular health. When it comes to getting …

10 Tips to Teach Kids to Love Exercise

It seems every day there’s a news story about how children are getting fatter. Too much time spent watching TV or playing computer games, a …

8 Reasons Why Sharing Family Meals Is Important

You may think that the biggest benefit of eating together as a family is to ensure everyone has food in their stomachs. However, sharing meals …

How to Build Your Child’s Confidence and Self-Esteem

Self-esteem plays a significant role in the development of healthy children. A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that a …

10 Ways to Deal with Sibling Rivalry

All relationships have moments of tension, disagreement, and problem solving. The family unit is the first place a child can learn conflict resolution, especially regarding …

10 Classic Rainy Day Activities for Teens

In the age of video games, cell phones, and computers, it isn’t hard for teenagers to find something to do on a rainy day. Spending …

How to Encourage Self-Motivation in Your Child

Self-motivation is a trait that is often underrated. It’s more than just getting out of bed in the morning; it can significantly impact your child’s …

6 Ways to Teach Kids the Value of Money

It’s never too early to teach your children about the value of money, including how to save, so that when they reach adulthood, they’ll be …

How to Teach Your Child to Be More Responsible

Teaching children responsibility is one most important life goals you have as a parent to help prepare them to be successful adults. But, as you’re …

7 Ways to Connect with Your Children

All parents worry from time to time that they’re not connecting with their children the way or as often as they would like. You might …

Does Your Child Act Entitled? How to Reduce Your Child’s Sense of Entitlement.

Parents want their children to succeed, but overindulging or sheltering them can eventually backfire. According to experts, the next generation of adults lives in an …

Moving Onwards: Your 12-Year-Old

You’ve supported your child for over a decade, and your son or daughter is fast approaching their teenage years. What can you expect in the …

Moving Onwards: Your 11-Year-Old’s Development

Your child is facing significant changes in their life: a new school, approaching teenhood, and a changing body may feel scary and make life challenging. …

Moving Onwards: Your Ten-Year-Old’s Development

Your child is now officially in their second decade, and while they no longer need you to hold their hand as often, you still have …

Moving On: Your Nine-Year-Old’s Development

You’ve been a parent for nine years. You’ve seen your child progress from a helpless infant to an increasingly independent child with their own personality, …

Moving Onwards: Your 13 to 15-Year-Old

Your child is now officially a teenager, and it can be a challenging time for both of you. While they might be walking more confidently …

The Ultimate List of Age-Appropriate Chores for Children and Teens

There are many benefits to having children help around the home. Giving children chores can make them feel important, teach essential life skills, and help …

Communication Strategies for Parents of Children with ADHD

  Parenting a child with attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a challenge. Communication is essential and communicating with a child who …

11 Tips for Becoming a Peaceful and Calm Parent

Anger and frustration are universal human emotions, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a victim of negative feelings. As adults, we have an …

Temperament and Your Child’s Personality

Information on temperament and how it effects personality development in children from Child Development Institute. Discusses how to understand your child’s temperament and how to handle the difficult to raise child.

Thanksgiving is Almost Here: Start Reducing Holiday Stress Now

While the holidays can create some of the happiest moments in your life, they can also cause a great deal of stress. On top of …

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is a fun event for children, but it can be treacherous if you don’t know how to keep them safe. Children love dressing up …

Screen Time Recommendations For Parents: How Much Is Too Much For Kids?

The amount of screen time children spend in front of digital devices is worrying. Children don’t seem to tire of watching YouTube on mom’s smartphone, …

Super Foods for Kids and How to Serve Them

When you hear the words “super foods,” many people assume that kids won’t like whatever the super food is. We tend to think of super …

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Best Back-to-School Articles for Parents 2022

Children are headed back-to-school this year for the third time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most experts agree that in-person learning is more advantageous than online learning for children, especially with the right procedures in place to mitigate the risks of COVID.

With fears and potential adaptations still ahead for parents and children, return to school is always a time when parents and teachers revisit what is important for children and how to best support their positive development.

This popular list of back-to-school articles, started in 2012, has been updated for the 2022-23 school year. Some articles focus on the challenges of schooling during a continuing pandemic, but most bring you the latest thinking and research on learning, achievement, family well-being, parent engagement, neurodiverse and special needs children, youth sports, media, technology, discipline, bullying, and adolescent mental health —topics parents think about at back-to-school time.

The articles in this list are selected because they support the development of core abilities every child needs — curiosity, sociability, resilience, self-awareness, integrity, resourcefulness, creativity, and empathy. (The Compass Advantage) For big picture thinking about child development at back-to-school time, check out the series for parents: Successful Kids Need 8 Core Abilities: How to Parent with Purpose.  Also download our free and popular Parenting Promise at Roots of Action [in English and Spanish] and a handout on the Compass Advantage framework, showing how parents and schools impact these eight core abilities in youth.

During the past year, our online Compass Surveys for youth and adults have been completed by thousands of students and parents. These surveys, part of a research project on lifelong wellbeing, help parents and children self-assess the eight core abilities and guides adults on how to nurture them in children and teens. Group surveys are also available for schools and classrooms. Read our new article, Human Development is Fundamental to Thriving, for the research on these core abilities.

Browse back-to-school articles below that pique your interest and bookmark others for later. The newer articles are always at the beginning of each section. Many remain on this list for several years because they are true gems. If you like the authors, be sure to follow them on social media.

In recent years, many excellent articles we’ve recommended have changed their access to subscription-only. Regrettably, we have eliminated those articles from our list, including the New York Times and The Atlantic to ensure free access to all. I guarantee you will find some meaningful food for thought here – whether it is back-to-school time or anytime! You will also meet some great people who support children’s positive development and well-being. Happy reading!

Back-to-School Basics: Learning & Achievement

My Teaching Philosophy: An Intimate Reflection, by Miguel Angel Escotet, Ph.D. An important must-read reflection on education for parents and teachers. How can each of us play a role in evolving towards a society for learning? Twitter

New Strategies to Grow Caring Children & Compassionate Citizens, by Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD. at Roots of Action. Get new at-home/classroom tools from CosmoKidz that facilitate children’s social learning through meaningful conversations between adults and children. Twitter; Facebook

Practical Assessment Tips for Tutoring Struggling Readers by J. Richard Gentry, PhD. at Psychology Today. Learn how adults can use five quick assessments to survey foundational reading skills that children may be missing. Facebook; Twitter

Optimal Child Development: 20 Tips for Parents by Joanne Foster, EdD at The Creativity Post. Back to school or working remotely, these guidelines are paramount to children’s learning and success.  Twitter; Facebook

Curiosity: The Meta-Skill to Thrive in the 21st Century, by Gustavo Razzetti at Psychology Today. Your child’s ability to learn is key to today’s success. How do you develop a learning mindset? Twitter; Facebook

Why We Still Need to Study the Humanities in a STEM World by Valerie Strauss at The Washington Post. How humanities make us examine the entirety of the human condition and the complex moral issues of our time. Twitter

Family Well-Being

Do Children Change Our Behavior? by Melissa Hogenboom at BBC Parenting. Learn how children’s behaviors and personalities influence parents’ lives and how those behaviors affect how we parent them. Twitter

Here’s What Makes “Positive Parenting” Different—and Why Experts Say It’s One of the Best Parenting Styles, by Amy McCready at CNBC. Learn five ways to practice positive parenting, a style of parenting that supports kids’ emotional development through positive interactions. Facebook; Twitter

What It’s Like to Raise a Child in a New Family by Sophie Hardach at BBC Parenting. Surrogacy, LGBTQ+ parents, older couples, and single people are changing traditional notions of family. What are the joys and challenges? Twitter

The No. 1 Skill That Sets Mentally Strong Kids Apart from “Those Who Give up” —and How Parents Can Teach It, by Michele Borba, Ed.D. at CNBC. Learn nine science-backed ways to help kids maintain hope, especially during tough times. Twitter; Facebook

Pandemic Parenting by clinical psychologist Cara Goodwin, PhD, at Psychology Today. Parenting during a pandemic has been stressful for many. Recent research found that parents who gave their children more autonomy showed improved family well-being.

Family Meetings Can Be Fun, Productive, and Meaningful, by Marilyn Price-Mitchell PhD., at Roots of Action. Back-to-school is a great time to start having family meetings! Learn why meetings are beneficial and how to run them. Twitter; Facebook

Have you Mastered the Tricky Art of Parental Pressure? by Susan Newman Ph.D., at Psychology Today. Parents who want the best for their kids may unintentionally pressure them in the wrong places, in the wrong ways, and at the wrong times.  Twitter; Facebook

We Treat Others as We Have Been Treated by Jessie Stern, PhD and Rachel Samson at Psychology Today. Learn why a parent’s interpersonal strengths, such as kindness, love, and social intelligence, matter most for nurturing these same strengths in children. Twitter; Facebook

The Unspoken Wedge Between Parents and Grandparents by Robin Marantz Henig at The Atlantic. Each generation has its own norms for parenting. Arguing over the differences can be an emotional minefield. Twitter

Developing Emotional Intelligence Through Children’s Songs by Nancy Kopman at Roots of Action. Singing songs about feelings can expand children’s emotional awareness. Twitter; Facebook

Quotes for Kids That Promote Healthy Development by Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D., at Roots of Action. Learn how quotes can inspire your kids!  Twitter; Facebook

When You Don’t Like Your Child’s Friend, by Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. Why forbidding a child’s friendship with a peer probably won’t work. What to do instead. Twitter; Facebook

The Key to Success in Within Your Child’s Developing Mind by Michele Borba, Ed.D., at Roots of Action. What is the “special sauce” for raising kids? Twitter; Facebook

Back-to-School Parent Engagement

Family Engagement: A Two-Way Partnership, by Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph. D. at Roots of Action. What is family engagement, what makes it a partnership, and why it matters to student success?  Twitter; Facebook

Positive Parenting During a Pandemic by Kirsten Bradbury, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How to meet children’s developmental needs for positivity during this challenging back-to-school year. Twitter

How Parent Involvement Leads to Student Success, published at Waterford.org. What is parent engagement and why is it important? Facebook; Twitter

Twenty Ways You Can Help Your Children Succeed at School by Colorin Colorado. An excellent list in English and Spanish for successful parent engagement. Facebook; Twitter

The Unique Power of Afterschool Learning by Leah Levy at Edudemic. Learn how afterschool programs impacts child development and what to look for in programs that “get it right.” Twitter

Child Anxiety | Body Image

How to Help When Your Child Is Anxious About Going Back-to-School, by Leah Campbell, at PsychCentral. School anxiety is not at all uncommon. How can parents help? Facebook; Twitter

Social Anxiety in Children: The 3 C’s to Growth by Rick Ackerly, M.Ed., at Roots of Action. Why social anxiety is part of the human condition and how to help your kids. Twitter; Facebook

Body Image and Girls: 8 Ways to Help Our Daughters Thrive in a Thin-is-in World by Robyn Silverman, Ph.D., at DrRobynSilverman.com. Helping girls thrive means breaking some well-established habits. Facebook; Twitter

How to Help Kids with Social Anxiety by Katie Hurley, LCSW, at Psycom. Effective coping strategies parents can teach their child at back-to-school time and beyond. Twitter; Facebook

Answers to FAQ’s About Anxiety in Children and Adolescents by Signe Whitson, L.S.W., at Psychology Today. How to recognize the symptoms and teach kids skills for calming their brains. Twitter; Facebook

Neurodiversity, Special Needs, Trauma, ADHD, etc.

Throw Out Everything You Assumed About Parenthood by Deborah Reber at ADDitude. Magazine. This is article five of a 5-part series on how shifts in daily perspectives can help parents embrace and support their child’s neurodifferences. Facebook;

Supporting Behaviorally Challenged and Neurodivergent Students in Education and Special Education, by Mona Delahooke, PhD, at monadelahooke.com. When disruptive behaviors increase, learn why we should first ask if we are meeting and supporting the child’s emotional and/or physical needs. Facebook; Twitter

How Do I Parent My Adolescent with Special Needs? by Liz Mathels PhD, at Psychology Today. Parents may be tempted to make life as easy as possible for a child, but some amount of struggle will help them. Communication is key. Facebook; Twitter

Underachievers, Part 2: One More Key Reason Kids Who Could Do Well In School Don’t by Valerie Strauss in The Washington Post. Do you have a gifted child with learning disabilities? Learn why bright students often struggle in school. Twitter

When Trauma Underlies Challenging Behaviors: New Answers for Vulnerable Children by Mona Delahooke, Ph.D., at MonaDelahooke.com. Sometimes aggressive behaviors are signs of early trauma. Learn why it is important to understand the roots of challenging behaviors.  Facebook; Twitter

Stress Relief for Families with ADHD: The Value of Mindfulness by Mark Bertin, M.D., at Roots of Action. Parenting a child with ADHD is demanding. Learn how to relieve stress. Twitter; Facebook

Youth Sports: Back-to-School and Beyond

Helping Young Athletes Build Connection and Confidence by Patrick Cohn, Ph.D. at Ultimate Sports Parent. Learn to have intentional conversations with children that lower stress and performance anxiety. Instagram

The Psychology of Coaching Your Own Child in Sports, by Frank L. Smoll PhD, at Psychology Today. Coaching your own child can be a great opportunity to spend time together but also presents some unique challenges for parent and child.

What’s Right About Youth Sports in America by Jim Taylor, Ph.D. at Psychology Today. While many criticize the evolution of sports and a focus on winning at all costs, this article takes a peak at the upside of sports for kids. Twitter; Facebook

How to be a Positive and Winning Youth Sports Coach by Jennifer Fraser, Ph.D., at Roots of Action. 8 ways a sports coach can positively influence athletes. Facebook; Twitter

Bullying

Three Things Parents Should Do If a Child is Being Cyberbullied by Tristan Gorrindo, M.D. at The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. Twitter

Why Shaming Teens or Kids Shouldn’t Be Part of Parenting, by Sue Scheff at Psychology Today. New evidence suggests that adolescent bullying may have origins in the home. Parents who are hostile and punitive may be at risk of raising teens who bully others. Twitter; Facebook

Mean Girls: Why Teenage Girls Can Be So Cruel by Chris Hudson at Understanding Teenagers. Learn how gender influences adolescent behavior in friendship groups and why girls have a natural tendency toward social aggression. Twitter; Facebook

How to Protect Kids from Cyber-Bullying by Michele Borba, Ed.D., How to keep an electronic leash on your child! Twitter; Facebook

Media & Technology

How to Be a Good Parent in the Era of Social Media, by Mark Travers, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. New research sheds light on how parents can navigate the world of adolescent social media usage. LinkedIn

Gaming Disorder: Is It a Real Illness? by Eugene Beresin, M.D., M.A. at Psychology Today. It is rare, but gaming disorder can be a problem for youth. Learn how parents can help. Twitter

Help! My Teen is Sexting! By Sue Scheff at Family Online Safety Institute. Learn five ways parents can handle teen sexting. Twitter; Facebook

Singing the Digital Blues by Dr. Judith Schlesinger at The Creativity Post. The author suggests that the polar opposite of creativity is digital passivity. How does this affect you and your children?

Discipline

Four Boundaries Children Need to Understand by Sara Au at Psychology Today. Discipline involves many areas of parenting, including personal boundaries, interactions with others, and sexual consent. Learn how to have these conversations with your children. Twitter; Facebook

The Spanking Debate is Over by Noam Shpancer, Ph.D. at Psychology Today. The scientific debate on spanking children has been resolved. Learn what the research says.

10 Steps to Guide Children Without Punishment by Laura Markham, Ph.D., at Aha Parenting. Research shows that punishing kids creates more misbehavior. What can you do to guide your children without punishment?  Twitter; Facebook

Child & Adolescent Mental Health

Teens, Tech and Mental Health, by parenting advocate, Sue Scheff. Recognize the three common causes of teenage mental health concerns and get resources to help your teen.  Twitter; Facebook

The Top 13 Reasons Why Kids Have Mental Health Problems by Marilyn Wedge, PhD, at Psychology Today. Learn why parents arguing in front of kids is the number one cause of children’s psychological problems. Facebook; Twitter

How Parental Substance Abuse Affects Children, by David J. Bredehoft PhD, at Psychology Today. A high percentage of children living with an addicted parent will experience mental health issues. Learn why.

Preventing Teen Substance Abuse, by clinical psychologist Joseph Nowinski PhD at Psychology Today. Is there a connection between boredom and teen substance abuse? Where does parenting fit in?

This back-to-school article is republished and updated with new articles each year at RootsOfAction.com. Copyright 2012-2022 by Marilyn Price-Mitchell Ph.D. Please see reprint guidelines. 

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Published: August 29, 2022

Tags: back-to-school, bullying, character strengths, critical thinking, cyberbullying, discipline, education, empathy, Family-School Partnerships, gratitude, happiness, homework, internal rewards, learning, media, mentoring, moral development, neuroscience, parent engagement, parent involvement, parenting, positive values, positive youth development, praise, Sports, stress, teachers, technology

Interesting and useful articles for parents |

How to motivate a child to study

It is known that a child motivated to study achieves much better results. But what about those who have to force the child to study every day? There are several principles for increasing motivation for learning.

How to bring up a personality in a child

Helping a child become a personality is a very difficult task, it takes years to complete. Is it possible to expect that kindergarten teachers, and then schools, will take on this concern, or do they have other functions? What depends on the parents and on the child himself? It is worth thinking about it as early as possible …

How to distract a teenager from a computer

Computer, Internet – today’s children begin to use these benefits of civilization very early and actively. Does all this work for them or do they need some restrictions? What attracts teenagers in the virtual world? How not to overlook the onset of computer addiction? This topic is too important to simply brush it aside.

Let the school educate?

“Yes, of course! – someone will say confidently. “Parents are busy at work, and household chores are full, and at school, professional teachers receive a salary for raising children.” And let’s try to look at this issue more broadly …

I want! Buy it for me!

When parents are ready to do whatever the child asks, is this a manifestation of boundless love or a mistake in upbringing? Judge for yourself – in this story you can act as an outside observer.

Where does alienation come from in children?

Well, two generations can’t find a common language in any way, and the representatives of the younger one don’t like being at home too much. They are bored there, and the conversations, questions and teachings of the “ancestors” are annoying, and no joint affairs or family events are enthusiastic. That’s when parents wonder why their children behave so aloofly?

Should children be helped to do their homework?

No matter how much advice parents read on the topic of help with homework, every family decides this issue in its own way. Of course, without the participation and control of adults, a newly-made student will not learn to cope with new duties for him, will not be able to adjust to a new daily routine. But everything is good in moderation, the main thing is not to interfere with the formation of responsibility and independence in the child.

Mom says I should be the leader

Are leaders appointed by themselves or are they made in some other way? Is it possible to deliberately offend a person, especially a friend? Why be friends “against someone”? Why are you called a sucker because of your unwillingness to give nicknames to your classmates, to push the guys under the elbow in the cafeteria or to trip up the running ones? When the communication of two friends raises similar questions in one of them, then it’s time to think about whether this is friendship.

Who reads books now!

Are ordinary books needed in the 21st century? Why teach children to read? What is there in books that you will not find on the Internet, or in movies, or in computer games?

Expensive and cheap gifts, or how to appreciate the love for a child

The opinion of the interlocutors was unanimous: there is no need to come to their children with cheap gifts – they deserve the best! Is it possible to measure love for a child by the value of the items given to him, or are these incomparable concepts? What is the true value of a gift?

Children and parents | Articles How to Be a Good Parent – Child Development

Parents and Children: How to Be a Good Parent

Parents are not chosen, just like children. But how do you become good parents? For some reason, relationships with children do not develop as we would like. Why there is often not enough time for classes, communication and games with children. Whether it comes from being busy with household chores, or mom and dad put their careers first. Maybe on the contrary, you overdo it and do not leave him all the time, trying to grow a genius and become the most devoted friend. And if you still do not have sufficient knowledge in this complex practice? After all, you need to find the golden mean. Parents and children, the question of attitude and education have always been popular topics, the answers to which are increasingly being sought in books and on the Internet. And then the Childdevelop website and the section dedicated to parents came to your aid.

Information and advice about the duties of parents from the Child Development website

The Child Development website will help you understand the very complex world of difficult relationships with your children, as well as get useful advice for parents. Here you can find answers to questions that mom or dad asks when faced with the problems of child nutrition, education, their own condition, the psychology of relationships with children. Information about parental responsibilities is also available on the website.

In the Articles for Parents section of the site, you can learn the basics of a happy and strong family with healthy and joyful children. The article – Parents of successful and happy children highlights the ten most important qualities of a parent of a successful child. Children and parents can read it together and emphasize a lot of interesting and useful things for themselves.

If you are overwhelmed with constant tasks and you do not have enough time to participate in the lives of children, you should learn how to plan your day correctly. After reading the article – Time management for parents and children, you can learn how to properly organize and plan your time, and most importantly, teach children such activities.