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Dear Friends, You may have noticed that I have posted much on this blog. Instead, I have been contributing monthly blogs on GenParenting.com. Check out their resources and some of my blogs on parenting and getting involved in your child's education. 
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One universal truth is that as parents, one of our main concerns is making sure that we provide for our children's needs. As a former classroom teacher and now a mom to two amazing girls, it's a joy to share my teaching experience with fellow parents so they can support their kids with academic needs. When parents are involved and engaged with their child's learning experience, it is empowering! In addition to working with the San Jose Area Writing Project and the Santa Clara County Office of Education, here are some other parent groups I have had the privilege of working with this past season.
For the past several months, I have been contributing short articles for GenParenting. One of my articles about Teacher-Parent conferences caught the attention of Sunday Friends and they asked me to share with their parents. What a special treat it was to give a presentation to parents and take a tour of the afternoon activities happening at Sunday Friends!
Well friends, that's a wrap for Fall and Winter events for Encouraging Literacy!
How can I help you get more involved in your child's education? The more you know, the more you are empowered to help your children to be successful in school. -Jaime I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of making New Year's resolutions. Resolutions are so lofty and grand. It's like standing at the base of Yosemite's Half Dome and looking straight up the vertical side - breathtaking, but intimidating! I'd much rather make New Year's goals, which may suggest that I could take smaller steps towards the finish line, perhaps even admiring the vistas along the way!  One day, I may venture out with my family and hike up Half Dome (check out the Earth Trekker's step-by-step guide), but one mountain that I'm currently facing is parenting - a formidable challenge in and of itself. With my own children being 11 and 8 years of age, I may be half-way to parenting them into adulthood...but then again, the pre-teen years loom just ahead! Fortunately, I've received many helpful parenting books from those wiser and more experienced than myself. My own dog-eared, highlighted, and tabbed copies of these books have directed me through many tough situations with my children and have proven to be trusty guides for my middle school students time and time again. Here are my favorite parenting books.  The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell The Five Love Languages - Words of affirmation, Acts of service, Receiving gifts, Quality time, and Physical touch. I never considered the idea that I receive and communicate love in a particular "love language", while my children also have their own unique and distinct love language which may be different from mine. This insightful book helped me to identify how to communicate my love effectively to my children so I could connect with them. Chapman also has a Marriage and a Teen version of the book.  Loving Your Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk The goal of good parenting is to work yourself out of a job. While young children are dependent on parents for immediate needs, parents are simultaneously training children to be independent adults. Danny Silk clearly illustrates what this transition looks like and how to help your child adopt internal discipline, seek healthy relationships, and establish a clear purpose for their life.  How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Feber and Elaine Mazlish There are so many times when I have felt like I've told my kids to do something, maybe for a gazillion-billion times and yet, they don't listen! This book gives many illustrations and scenarios where empathetic and non-judgmental phrases can help your child to articulate their feelings, invite them to cooperate, and guide them to find solutions to conflicts.  The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey Sometimes, kids just need a little direction on how to develop good habits. The seven habits outlined by Covey are 1) Be proactive, 2) Begin with the end in mind, 3) Put first things first, 4) Think Win-Win, 5) Seek first to understand, then to be understood, 6) Synergize, and 7) Sharpen the Saw. Once adopted, these habits help form a framework which will guide kids to be happy and have a positive outlook in life. Covey also has a Kids version of the book.  What Teens Need to Succeed by Peter Benson, Judy Galbraith, and Pamela Espeland The Search Institute has identified 40 Developmental Assets which are skills, values and resources that kids need in order to be successful in life. To help identify which developmental assets to build up, use the checklist provided. Then, read relevant chapters to learn how to build assets which empower kids to self-reflect, identify problems, plan for their future, decide their direction, and make a difference in the world around them. For all of you who made goals to be more aware of your parenting style and more proactive in meeting your child's needs, AND maybe you also made a goal to read more books this year, consider reading one of these books as a BONUS 2-for-1 towards accomplishing your New Year's goals!
Happy parenting and happy reading, Friends! Jaime |
GenParenting ArticlesFor inspiration and helpful tips on parenting, check out my other blogs on GenParenting.com!
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