Is homework time the most stressful part of your day?

One of the things we hear most from parents of our students is that homework time often stresses them out as much as it stresses their kids out!  There's an article in the Detroit Free Press today with tips for making schoolwork less of a drag for you and your kids.  A lot of these tips are ideas we recommend often, but things like creating a routine, designating a space in the house for homework time, and making it a priority work best if established in kindergarten.  Trying these things with your high school sophomore doesn't usually have the same effect.  It's not a lost cause if your kids are older and it's still a struggle to get them to do homework.  We find that a reward system works very well with middle schoolers and the incentives can be small things like a candy bar or time on Facebook.  High school students also tend to respond to rewards, but the incentive shifts from a candy bar or computer time to a drivers license or a later curfew.  We are in favor of reward systems as long as everyone agrees to the same terms and sticks to them.  A 2.9 GPA is not the same as a 3.0, so if the criteria for a later curfew was a 3.0, don't give in to your son or daughter's pouting or begging.  A better tactic would be to wait until the next report card or negotiate something more immediate such as an A on the next test.  You want your child to feel the rewards are attainable, otherwise they will stop trying to reach them.  What do you think of the Free Press tips?  Have you tried these ideas?  Have they worked.  Let us know what you do to help keep your kids motivated!

Back to School Anxiety?

As the days of summer come to an end, many kids are becoming increasingly anxious about going back to school.  Maybe they moved to a new neighborhood or they are transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school.  Bach Original Flower Remedies makes a great, all-nature product called Bach Kids Rescue Remedy (they also have a formula for anxious adults) to help reduce emotional stress and create a feeling of calmness.  I love the adult version of Rescue Remedy and always carry it in my purse because you just never know what you will encounter throughout the day.  Check it out and let us know what you think! http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com/en-us/us/our-brands/bachoriginalflowerremedies/new/bach-kids/