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  01.17.01 Thanks for all the great feedback on the article about patience. I
think that is a lesson that anyone could learn, though perhaps
parents need the biggest helping.
Thank You for reading.The main article in this issue will show you how to make a phone book for your child that will help him or her learn about using the phone, especially in an emergency. One of the projects the president-elect has set as a priority in his presidency is public education reform. Without getting partisan about it, I think that most Americans would like to see more effective schools for their kids. This issue includes information about one organization that is working to achieve that improvement: the Coalition for Community Schools. If any other readers have submissions that would be appropriate material for ParentingDay, I hope you'll send them to me. They should be 300-500 words long.
Sincerely, Betsy Boyd Editor, ParentingDay
 One of the largest problems facing school systems and the families they serve is getting parents involved in the policy decisions and programs that provide the extra resources kids need to succeed these days. The Coalition for Community Schools is a national program supporting local initiatives to expand the services provided by schools, and the students who attend those schools. Many communities in Washington State, for example, have based state-funded programs on these aims, while in St. Louis, local community centers have revamped their offerings to include programs that include children of all school ages. At the site, you can read about schools that are implementing the community approach to improving education, and learn about tools available to you if you'd like to start similar programs for your community. You can also find contact information that will clue you in to what's going on in the communities around you, and how you can get involved. I can't think of anything more important than the education of our children. |
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How To Call for Help When I was little, I remember my mother sitting me on her lap after story time, and asking me over and over what my parents names' were, where they worked, what color eyes I had, and what my phone number was. It seemed like a game at the time, but now I know that this was a very smart way of making sure I knew the answers to those questions if I ever got lost, or something worse. Most communities have identification days where sponsors allow kids to be videotaped and have I.D. cards made that include vital statistics. But it is also important to teach your child how to use the 911 function on the phone, and to explain to them when it is appropriate to call. You can buy a simple blank book with lined pages, or a basic address book, and create a personal phone book for your child that covers all these functions. Kids can decorate their books however they like to personalize it. As for what goes in the book, some basic components should be:
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