Do your kids still need to take the Sat/ACT?

By Erik Klass

First of all, and most importantly, I hope everyone is healthy and keeping safe. As you may have heard, an increasing number of colleges are changing their admission requirements to “test optional” (regarding the SAT/ACT). Many of our clients have been asking about how this may impact their own SAT/ACT planning. I hope the following information answers the common questions.

Do I have to take the SAT/ACT?
Many colleges, including the UC schools, are now making the SAT/ACT optional for fall 2021 applicants (current high school juniors). I suspect many other colleges will follow suit. However, be careful: as of this writing, most colleges still require one of the standardized tests. My advice: unless you are sure all of your target colleges will go test-optional (which, I admit, is hard to figure out while things are still changing quickly), I think you should plan to take one of the tests. (more…)

By Nathalie Kunin

When the Great Plague of London hit in the late 1600s, Isaac Newton was sent home from school as a precaution. At home, he developed many of his most famous concepts, from the beginnings of calculus to theories on optics. And whether he sat under an apple tree or not, it was during this time that he articulated the theory of gravity.

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our daily routines and has forced many of us to stay home and work digitally. Countless schools have temporarily closed and transitioned to online platforms. These are certainly challenging times but there is some guidance from stories such as Newton’s. Coupled with the abundance of online tools at our disposal, our child’s time at home can remain fruitful and fulfilling. (more…)

By Pam Siegel and Leslie Zinberg

In today’s rapid-paced society, many grandparents have become more and more involved in the day-to-day care of their grandchildren. So…when we became grandparents we had no idea what to expect. We had a vision of what we thought grandparenting would look like — have fun, say yes to everything, and then of course, at the end of the day, hand the kids back to their parents. However, we now know grandparenting is so much more.

As a result of dual-career and single-parent families, many of our adult children depend on us to help them navigate their complicated lives. We carpool to school and other activities, help with homework, and, if necessary, step in to handle discipline issues. At the same time, we must keep our comments to ourselves, especially when our grown children’s wishes and rules differ from our own. This can be tricky. (more…)

How to find the right camp for your kid.

By Jill Levin

A recent Forbes article (“The Best Bootcamp for Soft Skills May be the Best Camp,” by Ryan Craig, July 26, 2019 issue) discussed how overnight camps do a great job teaching kids the soft skills they need to flourish as adults. Sleep-away camp, as well as away-from-home programs for teens, are multi-layered experiences that prepares children and teens for college and beyond.

Teamwork, conflict resolution, problem-solving, leadership and communication skills, resilience, decision-making, empathy, and friendship-building are just some of the ways students can grow when they attend camp or a summer teen program. Each day provides so many opportunities for growth – setting a goal, learning a new skill, trying a new activity, navigating friendships, being a team captain, earning a reward for a job well done, comforting a bunkmate, completing a chore, and more. (more…)

By Carolyn Mahboubi

I come from a family of high achievers. My work as a Life and Leadership Coach has me in constant conversation with leaders who would proudly carry this label. But in pushing the borders of exploring what it means to live a happy life, it has become clear to me that being a high achiever is no longer a badge of honor or a marker of life satisfaction.

Achievement by its nature is about doing. As a Coach, I am committed to helping my clients create sustainable action plans to reach their desired goals. I also help them stay on the path that has them knowing they are moving in the right direction, no matter how long it takes. Naturally “doing” is a big part of this work. (more…)

By The National Association of School Pyschologists

Natural disasters can be traumatic for children and youth. Experiencing a dangerous wildfire can be frightening even for adults, and the devastation to the familiar environment (i.e., home and community) can be long-lasting and distressing. Often an entire community is impacted, further undermining a child’s sense of security and normalcy. Wildfires present a variety of unique issues and coping challenges, including the need to relocate when home and/or community have been destroyed, the role of the family in lessening or exacerbating the trauma, emotional reactions, and coping techniques.

Children look to the significant adults in their lives for guidance on how to manage their reactions after the immediate threat is over. Parents, teachers, and other caregivers can help children and youth cope in the aftermath of a wildfire by remaining calm and reassuring children that they will be all right. Immediate response efforts should emphasize teaching effective coping strategies, fostering supportive relationships, and helping children understand their reactions. (more…)

By Erica Curtis and Ping Ho
Talking is important but not always the best approach with kids. As adults, we tend to over-talk to them. Our words can be ineffective if not irritating. A well-meaning “can we talk?” can trigger defensiveness and anxiety (“uh oh, I’m in trouble”). Moreover, talking can be overwhelming, embarrassing or difficult, when kids don’t have words to communicate their experience. Words may not even be accessible because stress can interfere with the speech center of the brain. Stress can also inhibit brain functions that enable problem-solving, decision making, and focus.

Fortunately, even during times of high stress, we can open lines of communication non-verbally through art. (more…)

By Jen Copfer, RN

Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s a perfect time to start focusing on reversing the sun damage that was incurred during the summer season and/or the damage that has incurred cumulatively over the years.

The damage I’m talking about specifically is sun spots, also known as hyperpigmentation or solar lentignes. These flat brown spots develop most commonly on the face, neck, chest, arms, and the back of hands, and are caused by an over production of melanin (the cell responsible for pigment) due to UV radiation damage of sun exposure.

In terms of visible aging, sun is the #1 enemy of the skin and the #1 cause of premature aging such as wrinkles, skin texture, and sun spots/hyperpigmentation. The best way to prevent this damage is by habitual use of broad spectrum sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours, and to avoid direct sun exposure. But for those of us who didn’t know any better and basked in the lovely sun rays for most our childhood, early adult and adult life, either unprotected or not protected enough, the damage has already incurred. (more…)

Starting the college prep journey? Here’s a quick overview of the whys and wherefores of SAT and ACT tutoring.

Which (as in, which test: SAT or ACT)? I have a long answer to this question, but here’s the short one. Students who are fast workers and do well in their math and (importantly) science classes usually do better on the ACT. Students who are exceptional readers and writers, and who like to take their time with their work, usually do better on the SAT. Note that the tests are graded on a curve, and most students tend to score about the same on both of them. But choosing the right test can be worth a few percentage points. (By the way, I do not recommend getting tutored for both tests.) (more…)

By Dr. Trina Moore-Southall

Have you ever used a product for your child that seemed incredibly challenging or frustrating to use? It is possible that the team used to create the product had no one who actually had children on the team. How about a product for women that is designed by men? A product to help seniors created by millennials that consulted no seniors in the design? It happens.

The most successful and productive teams employ the widest ranges of experiences, identities, and backgrounds. This multicultural skillset begins at a very young age. It is a valuable skill that strengthens throughout our lives. Your child will be a better friend, a better student, a better employee and ultimately a better person if they are culturally intelligent.

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