North Carolina children, teens and young adults head into school classrooms in August and it’s a new schedule for everyone. While the starting and ending time might remain the same, all the other details about your child’s day are different - commuting patterns and traffic flow, teachers and classrooms, lunch schedule, and after-school activities. Additionally, with new subject matter, expectations on assignments, projects and tests are unknown.
Here are a few ways to support your child in this new year’s transition back into school:
As the summer heat rises, so are grocery prices.
It’s more important now than ever to save what money you can on whatever you reasonably can in order to make ends meet. For many families, the grocery bill is often one of the highest costs of living, right after mortgage or rent payments, daycare or tuition payments, and car payments. Things have been getting more and more expensive over the past few years, but fortunately cutting costs on your grocery bill can be a feasible way to cut down on costs as needed while also ensuring your family gets high-quality and nutritious meals and snacks. Here are some tips:
As the temps rise throughout the Southeast, more and more people are drawn to bodies of water to help them cool off. Whether you have a favorite public pool, local river or lake, or even a pool in your own backyard, water safety this time of year is paramount, especially if you have young children. Summer is also a time of travel and vacation, so be prepared with some of our tips!
Good communication is vital to maintaining healthy relationships and boundaries well into adulthood, and it starts at home, modeled by a child’s parents. As a parent, you want the best for your child and you want them to grow and succeed in life, and teaching them healthy communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal are key to a secure attachment style and encourages high self-confidence and resilience. When there’s a breakdown in communication, it can be incredibly difficult for everyone in your family, or even in other parts of your life.
Did you know that May 1-7 is Children’s Mental Health Week, and the month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental health is just as crucial as physical health, not only for adults but for children as well. Mental health has been receiving a lot more attention lately than in previous years, with the pandemic exacerbating mental health concerns and illnesses for many people. There’s been a lot of talk about ending the stigma around mental health and creating safe places for people, including children to talk about it and get their concerns addressed.
Talking to your child’s doctor about your child’s mental health can be a source of anxiety for many parents who may not know how to address these issues. Other parents may feel as though it’s their fault their child is struggling with mental illness or they may not know what is developmentally appropriate for their children in terms of mental health and may not know how to approach the issue. Starting the conversation with your child’s doctor can feel overwhelming.