Featured Parent Articles

God’s GIFT of 3 Sets of Twins!

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:05:22 GMT

Last week, through Facebook, I was introduced to Fran Circe Pitre by a relative. Thank you, Julie!

Fran is the author of Twins x 3. Yes, you read that right, she has three sets of twins! My first thought was “Wow! I can hardly handle my two. How in the world does she handle six?” My next thought, “I bet she can teach me a thing or two about parenting.” I am looking forward to reading her book and learning from her life lessons.

Fran was recently featured in The Washington Post, http://www.momsmaterial.com"God's GIFT of 3 sets of twinshttp://www.momsmaterial.com" and after reading her story, I wanted to share it with my readers.

God's GIFT of 3 sets of twins (original article can be found at The Washington Post, http://www.momsmaterial.com"God's GIFT of 3 sets of twinshttp://www.momsmaterial.com" )
By Fran Circe Pitre
author

My husband Bruce and I were raised in Catholic homes, taught traditional Christian values, and grew up learning from our parents' examples of honesty and integrity. When we were married, we decided to center our relationship on our Christian belief system and to make our life choices by following the WWJD (what would Jesus do?) motto. Generally, this system wasn't too hard to apply to the day-to-day circumstances that arose. However, after enduring nearly five years of infertility, we'd been pushed to our limits and came to a difficult cross road. We'd prayed for so long, had gone through every conceivable diagnostic test (some more than once), and undergone dozens of attempts at becoming pregnant through different medication options and via simple office procedures without success.

Eventually, our doctor told us that we had a slim chance at conceiving. We were highly encouraged and persuaded by more than one specialist to undergo the ART (assisted reproductive technology) procedure called In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). I turned to my uncle, a retired OB-GYN, for advice, and he agreed that IVF offered us the greatest chances at becoming pregnant. Well, telling a couple who'd been attempting to conceive for half a decade that a procedure would likely result in pregnancy was a dream come true. Part of me felt that http://www.momsmaterial.com"this was it ... the answer to our prayers.http://www.momsmaterial.com"

Another part of me, however, needed to learn all there was to learn about the IVF process before I would agree to pursue it. While doing some research, I regrettably learned that our Catholic Church disapproved of IVF for various reasons, mainly due to the lives that would be created outside of the body. These are human beings that, once alive, do not all survive the transfer (to the womb) process, nor do they all survive the cryopreservation (freezing and thawing) process. I was caught in a painful moral dilemma. I knew many couples that had successfully undergone IVF, and while that procedure was the right decision for them, it was becoming apparent that it wasn't the right choice for me. I fought and fought with this dilemma, wishing I'd never looked into it at all, but had just gone along with the doctors' advice (including my own uncle's). But undeniably, Bruce and I knew the facts, and we weren't at all naïve. We understood that the laws established by our Christian faith were not to keep us from living freely and enjoying life, but to protect us from making unhealthy choices for ourselves that may adversely affect ourselves or others.

Ultimately, Bruce and I investigated and discovered a procedure that, while not unconditionally approved by the Church, could be pursued if certain conditions were met and followed precisely. This procedure was called GIFT (gamete intra-fallopian transfer). This procedure did not involve creating life outside the womb, but would still significantly increase our chances at conceiving. When we requested this option to our doctor, we were turned down because it was considered http://www.momsmaterial.com"out-dated technologyhttp://www.momsmaterial.com", a procedure that was http://www.momsmaterial.com"too involved and simply not done much anymorehttp://www.momsmaterial.com". We sought out other doctors until we found one who, although still believed that IVF was our best choice, agreed to perform GIFT. Two weeks following the procedure, I learned that I was pregnant ... with twins.

After some time, we planned to have one more child. Although we didn't wish to undergo GIFT again, many more years had passed without my becoming pregnant. Eventually, we underwent GIFT a second time, and I became pregnant with our second set of twins. Seven years later, we learned that I was pregnant again, but without undergoing GIFT this time around. Learning that we were having a third set of twins was the greatest surprise of all. We now have a 15-year-old set of twin girls, a 10-year-old boy/girl set of twins, and a 2-year-old set of twin boys. God is so good.

My advice to couples enduring heartbreaking infertility: don't give up! The answer is out there for you, but you must make the choices that fit within your belief system. Educate yourself and locate a doctor that not only you can work with, but one that will work with you while respecting and honoring your faith and beliefs.

All that any of us can do is to look back at the end of the day and know that with God's guidance and direction, we made the best possible, informed decisions for both ourselves and for those lives that our decisions affect.

Fran Pitre is author of http://www.momsmaterial.com"TWINS x 3: a mom of three sets of twins gives her personal testimony that all things are possible with God.http://www.momsmaterial.com"

You can find Fran Pitre on her Twin x 3 Facebook Page, her website TwinsX3 and Twitter @FPitreTWINSx3.

To find out more about the book or to purchase, please click link below

About Fran Circe Pitre

Fran Pitre is a devout Catholic raised in a Catholic family from upstate New York. She and her family moved to the outskirts of New Orleans when she was 12, and she met the teenage guy who would one day become her husband when she was just 16. Bruce Pitre was also from a Catholic family, so after they both earned their college degrees (Bruce in architecture, and Fran in art education and graphic design), they were married. They centered their marriage around their faith and decided to make their important life decisions based on our Christian beliefs.

After they were married a few years while pursuing their careers and living in Northern Virginia just outside of Washington DC, they decided to begin a family. A fertility issue was suspected when they´d not conceived a baby after attempting for more than a year. After five years of tests and treatments, Fran finally became pregnant, but not without medical intervention.

When Fran became pregnant with her first set, she and Bruce decided to undergo a procedure that they’d researched extensively and felt comfortable pursuing. Unlike many fertility treatments available then and today which are not viewed as acceptable by the Catholic Church because of the ethical conflicts they present, they decided to pursue a treatment that, although was not unconditionally approved of by the Catholic Church, was also not disapproved by it, and they were careful about how all the aspects of the treatment were approached. Two weeks later, they discovered that Fran was pregnant, and three weeks later learned there were two babies on the way! Their baby girls were born in the winter of 1994.

Fran and Bruce underwent the same treatment over four years later and had their second set of twins, a boy and a girl. Then, three years ago, deciding to try for one more child, they received only minimal intervention from their doctor ... no surgical procedure or fertility drugs, and discovered that Fran was pregnant with her now two-year-old twin boys.

TWINS x 3 is the story of how two people who wanted to raise their family, are blessed with both the struggles and the rewards that came from years prayer and perseverance.

Today, Fran runs her own graphic design business out of her home office and lives with her husband Bruce and their six children in Jacksonville, FL.

***

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Looking for more articles…

Teach Responsibility Before Setting an Allowance by Sharon Lechter

10 Ideas to Help Keep Kids Safe and Occupied During the Summer Break

Do You Use a Family Internet Safety Contract

5 Dangerous Things Kids Should Do from Gever Tulley

Cammie Moise

Mothers and Daughters Learn Strategies for Surviving the “Girl World”

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:49:09 GMT

Author Rosalind Wiseman was in Houston on March 11th for the Girl World Tour and to promote her new teen novel, Boys, Girls and other Hazardous Materials and the revised and updated version of Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World. Mothers and daughters came together for a fun evening to learn strategies on surviving their relationship through the middle and high school years.

Wiseman’s presentation included interactions between the mothers and daughters to encourage communication and understanding. Wiseman’s style works well and her ability to grab the attention and respect of both mothers and daughters is amazing.

Wiseman shares stories that let girls know she understands the problems they deal with today. She gains their respect by admitting this is what she thinks they are dealing with. Then she asks for feedback on whether or not this is true. When the girls realize she understands their world and they agree with the advice she gives their parents, they begin to listen.

Wiseman then tells the girls, “Dignity in not negotiable. You are worthwhile and you have the right to be heard.” She provides the girls with a plan of action, referred to as SEAL, that helps them deal with conflicts and tough situations.

Parents were given rules they had to follow, which enforced the idea that our daughters are worthy and have the right to be heard. During the presentation, if Wiseman mentioned a scenario that we have been in or are dealing with now, we were not allowed to do the usual “eyebrow look” or the “elbow” treatment. We were not allowed to talk when it was our daughter’s turn to speak and I noticed my own daughter was more receptive to what I said. Parents were reminded to really listen to what our daughters tell us.

During the presentation, I was brought back to my own middle school and high school days. I was reminded of the drama I endured with friendships and boyfriends. Wiseman reminded us that at this age, our girls want to be included in a group of friends. One of their biggest fears is exclusion from the group. Wiseman adds, that girls will admit that even though they know their friends are treating them badly, it is worth being part of a group.

When you add today’s technology to the “mean girl” scenarios, the consequences can be frightening. Parents need to have a basic understanding of how kids are using technology and the impact it can have on our girls. Wiseman addresses this in the first chapter of the revised Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World book. Understanding how our kids are using technology, and teaching them how to use it appropriately is the new parenting responsibility. This additional chapter makes this the most recommended parenting book on my list to parents with girls 8 to 18.

Throughout the night, we could see Wiseman’s passion to empower our daughters with the right tools in dealing with conflict. Our daughter’s need to be taught these skills and I am grateful that Wiseman is making a difference in the lives of our daughters. If Girl World Tour is coming close to your city, I highly recommend it.

After the presentation, Wiseman signed books and posed with fans!

In addition to this great night, my daughter had the chance to interview Rosalind Wiseman prior to the event. She even got Wiseman to share some of her own secrets from middle school. Want to know what they are? Watch the video below to find out.

Thanks to dove go fresh and Family Circle for sponsoring Girl World Tour.

Checking out the dove go fresh goody bag.

Did you attend the Girl World Tour? If so, please comment below and let us know what you and your daughter got out of it.

If you were unable to attend, what topics would you have wanted her to address?

On FaceBook? Check out Rosalind Wiseman’s Fan Page.

Cammie Moise

Top 10 List of Questions to Ask During a Parent/Teacher Conference

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:43:59 GMT

Are you looking for a list of questions to ask during your parent/teacher conference? Listed below is my top 10 list of questions to ask during conference time. Look over this list of questions and modify them according to your needs.

During your conference time, if a teacher mentions a behavior or learning issue, listen carefully. Ask questions so you understand if this is a normal behavior or issue that needs a little work or if it is a problem and needs to be watched more closely.

1.   How is my child progressing in the classroom?

2.   What do you consider my child's best strengths and interests?

3.   Does my child need extra help in a particular subject? Is this an area of concern?

4.   What is my child’s ability level? Does he/she comfortably work at that level?

5.   Does my child participate in class activities?

6.   Do the students work in groups If so, how are the groups determined and how does my child interact in the group?

7.   What type of tests do the students take? What do the tests show about my child's progress? How does my child handle taking tests?

8.   How is my child’s behavior (in the classroom, around adults)? What behavior issue would you recommend my child work on improving?

9.   Does he/she get along well with classmates? Are their any social behaviors that we need to focus on at home?

10. How can I help my child at home?

At the end of each conference, ask the teacher what is the best way to communicate with her/him(e-mail, phone, note)?

Did I leave one out that you think should be included in the top 10? What are your top 10?

Related Articles

Conference Time Questions to Ask the Teacher

List of Questions for End of Year Parent Teacher Conference

Cammie Moise

5 Ways to Avoid the Homework Hassle

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:01:26 GMT

My daughter came home from her first day in 5th grade, WITH HOMEWORK! I was a little surprised but decided it was a good introduction to the new responsibilities for the “big kids” on campus. My daughter said, “Mom, we have to get ready for next year. In middle school we will have a lot of homework!”.

Homework at our house usually runs pretty smoothly. Although, we have definitely had some issues, including crying spells and resistance. My kids know homework or “school time” is part of our daily routine. For the most part, my kids have had some type of educational enhancement, homework or reading almost every day since they were four years old. Now, before you decide I am a mean mom that never gives their kids a break, you should know that I disguise many of these as fun activities.

For instance, when we are practicing math facts, some days they may use worksheets or flashcards. Other times, we play games that reinforce addition, subtraction, reasoning or probability. I have found many of my kids favorite games (Pokémon, Age of Mythology, Scrabble, Battleship, Clue, etc.) provide practice for basic math facts, spelling and problem solving. In addition, I have even used a trip to Dave & Busters to teach them concepts such as probability, estimation, addition, subtraction and multiplication.

Over the last five years, I have found several ways, including the “5S Plan” to avoid some of the homework hassles.

Set Expectations

Kids should understand what is expected during homework time. After the first day back to school, ask your child these questions…

Why do you think you have homework?

Do you think practice is important when you learn a new skill?

Do you find it easier to complete a request when you know what is expected?

What did your teacher tell you about homework?

These questions can lead you into some dialogue about their view on homework. It will also help them understand the reason why and the best way to handle homework. You can avoid “lecturing” when you discuss what you and their teacher expect. Then you can come up with a plan together that will help them succeed in meeting those expectations.

Schedule

My kids know when they get home from school, they have a snack and start their homework. If they want to have a friend come over after school, they all need to work on their homework. This usually speeds up the process and I do set a limit. I don’t want them to spend the entire play date doing their homework. Plus, when the play date is over, if your child is done with their homework, it does not interfere with your evening routine.

Every year, you should sit down with your child and make a weekly schedule. Most teachers will provide a homework schedule that includes which subject on which day and a weekly test schedule.

We include reading every day, basic math facts several times a week and review information for upcoming tests. Set a schedule with your child and place it in a common area that is easily accessible. Depending on the age of the child, they may need to fill out a new schedule each week.

Spot

Your kids should find a comfortable “spot” to do their homework. The kitchen table can be used as a homework station and you can keep homework supplies in a nearby cabinet. If you have a computer station at home, this may be a good homework “spot”, since many students use computer games to review math and spelling. In addition, they write reports, research information and learn new skills.

Keep your child’s learning style in mind when finding a “spot”. Some kids focus with background noise, while others need a quiet area. If you have more than one child, they probably have different learning styles and requirements. In addition, if you have a child that needs supervision or occasional help, they may prefer an area within close proximity to a parent.

Supplies

Once they find a “spot”, they should gather all supplies they may need during their homework time. Kids can prevent wasting time looking for supplies by putting together a supply box or tub. Gather all homework supplies (paper, pencils/pens, rulers, scissors, a dictionary, calculator, etc.) in a box or plastic tub. The supply tub can easily move from homework station to a cabinet when completed.

Note: Every time you need a new item to complete homework, add it to the homework tub. You should avoid spending time looking for supplies which becomes an easy distraction.

Study

Homework time should include a time to review and study. Kids do not automatically know how to study and need to learn these techniques. Once again, learning style needs to be considered. Do they learn by writing, listening or doing?

We use the illustration of an investigator solving a problem. He needs to know what the problem is and then search for clues that lead him to the answer. When my kids have a hard time with reading comprehension, I ask them to become an investigator. Search the story for the clues that matter, those are the important facts.

Additional information

Parenting expert and author, Michele Borba was recently featured on the TODAY Show during their Back to School Feature, “Finding Homework Success”. Click here to watch this segment. For more information, read her article, "15 Ways To Cure The Homework Headache".

Michele is one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter. She provides great parenting information and is always willing to help others. She has a true passion to inform and teach practical parenting techniques and she just released a new parenting book, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries. Click on the title to find out more or purchase the book.

I will follow up with some short articles that give more details to the “5S Plan”. In the meantime, check out these other MomsMaterial articles…

Math Help - Step by Step Solutions

Math Facts

Homework Help - Are You Looking for Answers About Our Government and Presidents

What Should You Do When Your Child Says, "I Don't Like To Read!"

Please comment below with any other resources you have found that may help others avoid the homework hassle.

Cammie Moise

Are Parents Sacrificing Date Nights Due to Finances? How To Make Date Nights Work For You

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:00:08 GMT

This morning I read an article in our local newspaper that reinforced how important it is for parents to reconnect during date nights. This is especially true for parents with babies and toddlers. This stage is a difficult transition in a marriage which makes it even more important to get out, just the two of you.

Many parents make excuses about why they “can’t” do a date night. It might be financial or finding a sitter. One thing to consider… is it easier to seek out solutions to these obstacles or repair a marriage that has suffered from the loss of intimate time together?

If finances are a consideration, be creative and think of an inexpensive way to spend time together. The typical date night of dinner and a movie, plus a sitter can get expensive. I have to contemplate if the movie is worth the expense. Is it one we have been looking forward to or does it really benefit from the “big” screen? If so, we may eat at home or go to an inexpensive restaurant. A couple of ideas to consider include free community events, a picnic, tennis, bowling, coffee shop and dessert, zoo, museum or a diner for burgers and then share a shake. Anything that encourages talking about events outside the home is a plus.

It isn’t so much about what you do as it is setting up a place to communicate. Some of our best dates were doing some of the same things we did when we dated. We wanted to spend time together talking and making plans for the future. Take some time together after the kids are in bed and work on a list of some inexpensive ideas that sound fun. This gives you last minute ideas or gives you insight into what your spouse would enjoy. Take turns planning and occasionally set up a “surprise” date.

If finding or affording a sitter is an obstacle, consider some alternatives. Do you have any family close by that can help (grandparents, aunts, sisters, etc.)? It can be difficult to ask sometimes, but most are receptive if it works for both sides. We are lucky enough to have one grandmother in the same city and another close by. They are willing when asked and it provides quality time with the grandkids. I also have a sister in the same city and we occasionally help each other out.

One of the best solutions we found was shared babysitting with 2 other couples. We called it “Babysitting Coop” and started this when our first child was 6 months old. We each had babies that were within 3 months of each other. We would take turns babysitting the kids, while the other two couples had a “date night”. We tried to schedule it about twice a month. Over the course of 6 weeks you, would watch all the kids one night and then have two date nights. We kept this going for about 8 years and ended up with 8 kids total at the end. By the time the second group of kids came around they would help or we would keep them busy with some fun activities. If it was a difficult night with fussy babies, you could tell yourself you had two date nights coming! My kids still ask me when we are going to do “Coop” again. They loved it and always looked forward to it (almost as much as we did those date nights)!

Shared babysitting can be between family or friends and works best for kids that are close to the same age. We also scheduled a few months in advance. You will have to deal with some difficult situations (discipline, etc.) so choose wisely. Find another couple that shares the same values and discipline ideas. Before you begin, sit down and discuss how you want it to work out, how often, bedtimes, when can you drip off, how late can the kids be picked up, etc.

I highly recommend looking for another couple or two that you can “share babysitting”. This always guaranteed a scheduled date night and saving money on a sitter was a huge plus!

Do you have any ideas or suggestions that will help date nights work when you need to consider finances and sitters?

Click here to read Houston Chronicle's "Date Night Can Help Couples Work on Their Marriage"

Links below to other MomsMaterial related articles

Baby Sitting Co-op

This was intended as a birthday party game, but when you have several children over the age of 5, this would be fun to try - Make Your Own Game.

Cammie Moise

Tired of Hearing “Mom, I’m Bored!”

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:09:16 GMT

The next time your kids tell you they are bored, start the Bored Bowl. Tell them to cut some regular paper into 6 or 8 pieces. Choose a bowl as the designated Bored Bowl. Then have them write down some suggestions to cure their boredom.   But, be warned, mom and dad get to add to the bowl, too.

Every time they say, “I’m bored!” they must go to the Bored Bowl and choose a slip of paper. They have to do whatever it says. They might choose play a Wii game for 30 minutes or it might say weed the yard for 30 minutes.

They can go to the bored bowl anytime for suggestions but must return suggestions back to the bowl.

Hopefully, this will teach them not to complain about being bored. They should learn to find activities that will interest them on their own.

Here are some of the suggestions that are in our bowl – I am sure you can figure out which ones the kids added!

Plan a treasure hunt or a scavenger hunt

Write a letter and mail it (to a friend, grandparent, Author, etc.)

Make some Play Clay and play with it

Get a trash bag and walk around the house and fill it with trash (be sure they know what may or may not be trash)

Find 10 things in your room to give away

Sweep kitchen floor

Vacuum Family Room

Weed the yard for 30 minutes

Make some puppets and put on a puppet show

Read for 30 minutes

Wipe off kitchen cabinets

Clean bathroom counter and cabinets

Pick out a board game and play with brother/sister

Make up a dance to be performed after dinner

This should get you started.   I would also recommend checking out Family Fun’s Indoor Boredom Busters.

Thank you, Karin B. for the “Bored Bowl” suggestion.

Cammie Moise

Featured Parenting Post - Top 10 Rules You Should Teach Your Child

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:00:30 GMT

My recent post, Top 3 Things to Teach a Toddler, reminded me of some basic rules all children should know. These rules teach your child to respect others, show gratitude and encourage others. Several of these rules become the basic foundation for teaching other rules.

My kids know these rules but we continue to struggle with a few. I have noticed that when we role play different situations, they remember the rule and they know how to respond.

Don't forget, when younger children learn new rules, they may seem to forget others they know. When they concentrate on the new rule, they may overlook one they previously mastered. As they are learning, encourage them and take notice when they respond appropriately. It takes time to learn the rules and make them a habit.

Children should answer all adults with, "Yes/No, ma'am" or "Yes/No Sir". It is not acceptable to respond with "yeah", nodding your head or just yes/no. The sooner you work on this, the better, but it is never too late.

Children should look at the eyes of the person that is talking. When my kids were young, I would ask them, "Where are mommy's eyes?" Sometimes they would say they were looking at my eyes and they were actually looking at the ground. When I asked this question, it forced them to look at or point to my eyes.

Children should stop what they are doing, when listening to others. One of my son's friends was over playing and my mother came over to visit. When she came in, my son and his friend were playing a game. I said, "John, this is my mom, Mrs. M." He stopped what he was doing, looked up at my mom and said, "Hi, Mrs. M!" I was very impressed.

Learn to respond appropriately to winning and losing. Congratulate others when they win (game, contest, etc.) or accomplish something. Do not brag about your winnings or accomplishments to others. If you lose, it is normal for children to feel mad or upset but they must learn how to handle these feelings appropriately. It is never appropriate for a child to cry, pout, storm off or throw a fit because they did not win. No matter how passionate they are about winning, this behavior is disrespectful and selfish. This needs to be taught as early as possible and children younger than 4 are in the learning stages.

Respect others people's opinions and comments. Even though your child may not feel the same way, they should listen and acknowledged a different opinion. They need to learn how to express and listen to different opinions.

When children are asked a question, they should respond and ask a question in return. This teaches children how to continue a conversation. For example, when someone says, "Hi, John! How are you?" They should respond with, "Hi, I am fine. How are you?" When someone shows an interest in you, it is polite to show interest in return. If someone asks, "What did you do over the weekend?" You should respond with, "We went to a baseball game. What did you do?"

Teach your child to say, "Excuse me." This should immediately follow any accidental bodily sounds, including a cough or sneeze. Teachers are now asking students to cough or sneeze into a tissue if available, then throw away. If a tissue is not available, they should cough into the crook of their elbow and cover their entire mouth and nose with their palm when they sneeze.

Children should wash their hands frequently. Children should wash their hands with soap and water (or use antibacterial hand sanitizer) for at least 20 seconds. I have told them to sing the Happy Birthday song (to themselves, not out loud), when the song is over they can rinse their hands and dry them off.

Your child should always flush a toilet and wash their hands after using the restroom. Children should know that when they use a public restroom they should get a paper towel before they wash their hands. They should use that to turn off the water and use on dispenser to get a new towel. Then use the clean paper towel to open the door to leave the restroom. Many times they will have a trash can by the door. You can hold the door open with your foot to throw the trash away. You certainly don't want to touch the door (think of the people that touched the door that didn't wash their hands) after you just washed your hands.

Your child should always say "thank you" when they receive something or when they are complimented. Our children should have a grateful heart and look for ways to express this. Children need to learn how to accept a compliment, by saying, "thank you." This past week during a thunderstorm our school had some flooded classrooms. When the children came to school the following day, the flooded classrooms had been moved to other areas of the school. The custodians and some staff came to the school and stayed late the night before to make sure the students day was interrupted as little as possible. I talked to my son about this and he told me that when he goes to school tomorrow he is going to say thank you to them.

I will continue additional articles on More Rules You Should Teach Your Children.

What would you add to this list? As always, feel free to comment or add to this article in the comments section below.

Cammie Moise

List of Questions for End of Year Parent Teacher Conference

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:35:50 GMT

The objective of the Parent Teacher Conference at the end of the year should be a time to reflect and to look forward. You should discuss your child's progress throughout the year. Has your child met the teachers objectives and standards? Find out what areas you can work on over the summer to better prepare your child for the following year. Listed below are questions to ask during your end of year Parent Teacher Conference. Please look over the questions and modify them according to your needs.

How is my child doing in school? In Reading? Writing? Math? Science? Social Studies?

What subjects are his strongest? Weakest?

How are my child’s work habits? Does he/she complete work on time?

Do you feel that my child worked at their ability level?

Does my child get along well with classmates? Who does my child play with?

Who would you recommend my child spend time with over the summer?

How does my child behave around adults? Is he polite and respectful?

Do you have any recommendations on camps or summer programs that would benefit or interest my child (math/reading/science or art/drama/music, etc.)?

What behavior issues would you recommend we work on during the summer?

What can I do over the summer to make sure my child is prepared for next year?

What are the main themes my child will learn next year in school? (Math, History, Science, etc.)

Could you recommended any books that will interest your child or introduce topics for the following year?

If I wanted to contact you regarding enrichment or reinforcing skills will you be available over the summer? If so, what is the best way to reach you? (E-mail, phone, note, etc.).

Can the teacher provide any worksheets they can send home with you for the summer, or any workbooks they recommend?

Be sure to thank the teacher for teaching your child this year. If you had a positive experience, be sure to share it with them and provide a few examples. Later, follow up with an email or handwritten note including any praise that you gave them during the conference. My personal thought is that too many teachers receive negative feedback (great if it is constructive) and not enough positive feedback. If you have a great teacher, let them know and inform the principal. These are the teachers that we want to keep in our schools and positive feedback reminds them how much we appreciate and need them.

Please remember:

During your conference time, if a teacher mentions a behavior or learning issue, listen carefully. Ask questions so you understand if this is a normal behavior or issue that needs a little work or if it is a problem and needs to be watched more closely. If that is the case if any learning disability is a possibility, ask the teacher what the school provides as far as testing. My advice would be not to delay testing in case any issue is present. If the school provides testing, it is better to have that done early rather than late. It will either ease your mind or allow your child the opportunity to learn more and receive help faster.

If you have any additional comments or questions, please comment below.

Cammie Moise

Featured Parenting Articles - Math Facts

cammie@momsmaterial.com — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:39:44 GMT

Math Facts are all about repetition and getting those answers fast! This applies mostly to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Once they learn how to do it, how do you keep them interested in doing them over and over again? I believe change is the answer! Finding different ways to practice is the key! We used worksheets, flashcards and all kinds of games - board games, video games, card games, etc. I took any opportunity I could to reinforce those facts. Whatever they were interested in, I would use that any way I could. When my son was into Pokémon, occasionally I would tell him to do one math worksheet and I would play Pokémon with him. He never realized that my goal in playing Pokémon was reinforcing addition/subtraction. Here are some of the other ideas I used:

Dice - roll 2 dice and use those numbers to add, subtract or multiply.

Board Games - most board games require some sort of math to complete the game.

Word Problems - occasionally, I would throw out some word problems using current interests. Such as, I just baked 3 dozen cookies, how many do we have (12 + 12 + 12 = 36)? How many neighborhood kids can we share them with? If we have 36 cookies and our family (4) wants some and we share with 8 neighbors (addition), how many does everyone get (division)?

Websites - we found some sites that had some fun games to reinforce these facts. Just make sure that you have checked them out first.

Beat the clock - we would use flashcards or worksheets and see how many they could do (with correct answers) in a certain amount of time. Sometimes we would set the timer for a minute and a half and see how many addition problems they could complete. Then we would do the same thing for subtraction and see if they did addition or subtraction faster. Other times I would use 3 worksheets that were similar (same type of problem, same amount) and see if they could beat the first time. You can either give them a certain amount of time or time them. This also gets them used to the timed tests they take in the classroom. It also taught mine not to get stuck on one problem. If you don't know the answer right away, skip it and come back.

I hope this gives you some good ideas. Like I mentioned before, I believe the key is to provide different ways to keep them from getting bored with those math facts!