Tag: school

Too sick for school? How a pediatrician decides when to let her kids stay home

Too sick for school? How a pediatrician decides when to let her kids stay home
In my experience, when little kids are sick, they are very visibly SICK. Deciding to let my kindergartener say home wasn’t tough. Tweens, though, are trickier. How do you decide when to keep your tween home from school due to illness? The general rule in our household is you need to have a fever or... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
February 6, 2013 at 7:03 am • 

Fight boredom: Craft projects to do with kids over winter break

Fight boredom: Craft projects to do with kids over winter break
“And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.”  Johnny Mathis knew what he was singing about in “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” as kids  home from school start declaring, “I’m bored!” In the aftermath that follows unwrapping the presents and avoiding writing thank you notes, the kids turn... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 28, 2012 at 9:20 am • 

Fight boredom: Keep kids busy by putting them in charge of making dinner

Fight boredom: Keep kids busy by putting them in charge of making dinner
In the aftermath that follows unwrapping the presents and avoiding writing thank you notes, the kids turn to you to for entertainment. For the next few days, Tween Us is armed with suggestions to get you and your kids through winter break, and have fun together and with others. Preempt the cries of “I’m bored!”... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 27, 2012 at 7:30 am • 
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Fight boredom: Keep kids busy over winter break by throwing a party

Fight boredom: Keep kids busy over winter break by throwing a party
“And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.”  Johnny Mathis knew what he was singing about in “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” as kids  home from school start declaring, “I’m bored!” In the aftermath that follows unwrapping the presents and avoiding writing thank you notes, the kids turn... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 26, 2012 at 9:50 am • 

How to talk to kids and tweens about tragedies

The news of the absolutely tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, is horrific.  Many children and adults are dead, with recent reports bringing the death toll at the school to 26, including 18 children.  Upon first hearing the news, I wanted to hug my daughter, wanted to go to her elementary... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 14, 2012 at 1:02 pm • 

Kids should wear their pajamas to sleep, not to school or to parties

Kids should wear their pajamas to sleep, not to school or to parties
I firmly believe that my tween should wear pajamas to bed, not to school and not to public events. This apparently puts me in the minority.  My daughter’s school has Pajama Day as part of its spirit week, and our local park district sponsors “Tween Night” every few weeks in the winter, and tonight’s theme... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 14, 2012 at 9:02 am • 
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More cheap holiday gift ideas for kids and tweens

Putting this together is half the fun. Once assembled, it uses three infrared emitting diodes as its "eye" to escape any maze. One heads up, though, is that soldering is required. There are similar robots that do not require soldering if you'd rather avoid that, like the cheaper Elenco Wake Me Robot. The Elenco escape robot kit can be yours for $33.99.
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, time to get your tween a gift besides a hat. If you have gotten any, you’ve got work to do, the idea in here are many, so please scroll through! Forgive the rewritten lyrics, but requests keep coming in for tween gift ideas. These suggested presents all... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
December 8, 2012 at 2:33 pm • 

Jessica Ridgeway's disappearance will impact how my tween gets to elementary school

Jessica Ridgeway's disappearance will impact how my tween gets to elementary school
Sad update: On Fri., Oct. 12, authorities identified the body found in the park as Jessica Ridgeway’s body. Jessica Ridgeway disappeared on the way to school last Friday. She never appeared at the neighborhood park where she was  to meet friends for the one-mile walk to her elementary school. When I read that a body... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
October 10, 2012 at 11:41 pm • 

Five wishes for my new fifth grader

My tween starts fifth grade tomorrow.  I am amazed by how much she has grown up in the past year.  Last year, she started fourth grade at a new school and was very much your shy, nervous new kid.  Since then, she has grown, both 3 inches in height and also in confidence and abilities.... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
August 14, 2012 at 6:30 am • 
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Summer's almost over in this house

The school bus just drove by, apparently making a test run.  The academic year in our school district officially begins a week from tomorrow. Usually, I’m excited for the start of school, but this year I’m clinging to our last summer days a bit more tightly. I’m ready for a return to routine and for... Read more »
By Shannan Younger,
August 7, 2012 at 9:43 am •