By Sarah Vander Schaaff I am not sure if a song can inoculate a child from the bad feelings and dangers of being bullied, but if one could provide fortification, or resistance, then it might be “Bully, Bully” by Shine and the Moonbeams. The tune was recorded a few years ago, but it was just last week when it came on a kids’ radio station that my five and eight-year-old sat silent for a moment in the backseat. “Wow. What is this song?” we asked each other. A quick Google search at home gave us the answer. It’s the creation of New York singer and songwriter Shawana Kemp and guitarist John Heagle. “Bully, Bully” appears on their first album, released… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff The school schedule is back in full swing and I image one of the most annoying things a person can say to you with the best intentions is, “Wow, do I have a book you should read!” I get it. I wasn’t looking for another book to read. I was wandering through the Natural History Museum gift shop in desperate search of a coloring book about dinosaurs for my five-year-old. Instead, I found Old Dogs, New Math: Homework Help for Puzzled Parents. The jacket displays a Bulldog, and although I’d consider myself more of an Irish Setter, the rest of the cover spoke to my situation. The book’s authors, Rob Eastaway and Mike Askew, don’t waste… Read More

by Sarah Vander Schaaff How do we keep from over-scheduling our children this school year? The first step, one I believe many of us only half-heartedly embrace, is that we have to want to keep from over-scheduling our children. When you look around the Internet, there are many posts suggesting tips for limiting activities and over-commitment. But a prevalent undercurrent behind much of the discussion is: here’s what you can do; we all fail, but it’s a noble effort. So, I was happy to find one piece that might make it easier to succeed in the goal of doing less. The website, Family Education, featured advice from David Elkind, author of The Hurried Child, and professor of child development at… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff Last year, I interviewed a teacher just before the start of middle school. She gave us some great advice and framed her discussion with this point: This is a time where kids are tested, especially socially, and they begin to solidify who they are as people. So with back to school already in full swing for some of you–and on the horizon for others–I though we’d take another look at this interview. It may be of great value for kids (and parents) of all ages. WHAT TO SAY BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL: • Know the values of your family and your school and don’t be afraid to stick to them: kindness, empathy, hard work,… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff I wonder how many readers remember their first day of high school. I don’t think about that day often, but when I cleared away a few summer distractions, my memory of it came back. Yes, I know exactly what I wore. My priorities as a fourteen-year-old were a bit out of order, but probably not atypical. In reading about the transition from middle school into high school, I found many articles that cite social pressure and a teenager’s desire to associate with a group as being strong rivals to the expectations of home or school. And the way a student handles the transition into high school has serious stakes: More students fail 9th grade than any… Read More

By Sarah Maraniss Vander Schaaff Disney World is probably a bit crowded this time of year, but that’s not the reason some school districts have decided to bring the themes of the company to their own communities. We’re not talking about riding the spinning teacups, we’re talking about customer relations and morale. According to the Miami Herald, Broward County is one of many school districts around the country that has hired the Disney Institute to get folks a bit more enthusiastic. In my own state of New Jersey, the highly ranked Elizabeth School District was one of the first schools in the country to seek guidance from the Institute, according to a 2011 article in NJ Today. The story stated… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff The food of summer: abundant kale and soft serve ice cream. The contrasts in nutritional value abound. So, this week, I turned to Rebecca Rudy, a mother of two with a Masters degree in Nutrition. She gives us some tips both for summer and the school year ahead. 1. What is your background with nutrition and what got you interested in the field? Upon graduating from Harvard, I accepted a fellowship to teach Classics and coach crew at a British boarding school. The experience was fantastic—and I learned from it that I wasn’t meant to teach dead languages to fresh teens! I pursued my interest in sports nutrition instead and earned my Master’s from Tufts University… Read More

The documentary film, “Race to Nowhere” is described on the film’s website as, “Featuring the heartbreaking stories of students across the country who have been pushed to the brink by over-scheduling, over-testing and the relentless pressure to achieve…” It was nearly three years ago that the film came to the Princeton-area community, thanks in large part to Jess Deutsch. Today she reflects on the experience, sharing some answers to questions she’s been asked over the years. How did you hear about “Race To Nowhere”, and why did you lead the effort to have it screened at Princeton High School? JD: The short answer is that I watched the film at a very small venue, and decided on the spot that… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff There are some terms that get tossed into the lexicon of education and parenting that seem to arrive fully formed, without much explanation for those of us a few years behind their use. One minute we’re speaking to our child’s teacher about the pincer grip and the next “gamification.” “Wait,” we might say, “I missed the memo on that one.” So, in keeping with our theme for this summer, I asked some basic questions to someone who might be able to bring me up to speed. Lisi Gilpin has a Master’s in Educational Technology and runs the website, Brain Based Learning. She is also part of the Mindprint Team, reviewing educational apps. And thankfully, she did… Read More

By Sarah Vander Schaaff A few days ago, my youngest daughter woke up before six, came into my bedroom, took my iPad and selected a show to watch on Netflix. About twenty minutes later, when I rolled over to see what had entertained her so nicely and given me a chance to sleep just a bit longer, I noticed what she’d selected. Yes, my five-year-old was watching “The Family Guy”. And so we come to yet another question for our summer series: how much TV is ok to watch? Another question might be, how can I limit what my five-year-old selects from our instant queue, but that’s probably a post for a different blog. When it comes to watching TV… Read More