The goal of most baby music classes is to have parent and child bond through music-making. As parent and child connect using music, babies also enjoy other important benefits. A 2012 study out of McMaster University showed that babies who participated in music classes with their parents in the first year of life “smile more, communicate better and show earlier and more sophisticated brain responses to music.” Through hands-on music classes, infants are exposed to…
Healthy self esteem is one of the most important characteristics of child development. A child’s social, behavioral, and emotional health plays a crucial role in how they handle setbacks, peer pressure, and other challenges throughout life. Positive self esteem is also a factor in mental health, as cultivating confidence contributes to positive social behavior and works as a buffer when your child experiences stress and negative situations. Self esteem basically boils down to how children…
While different schools put different stock in extracurriculars, almost every college considers them when deciding which students to admit. For example, the University of South Florida ranks extracurricular activities just behind grades, difficulty of coursework, and standardized test scores in terms of importance. The right high school activities can make a big difference during the admissions process. According to a study by California State University, Sacramento, extracurricular activities are positively correlated with attendance, GPA, test…
Does your child have difficulty focusing on an activity or seem impulsive in behavior? When symptoms are severe enough and cause ongoing problems in more than one area of your child’s life, it could be a sign of a neurobehavioral disorder, such as ADHD. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive…
Back to school brings bandages, bumps and bruises, but it also brings meeting students’ needs for sensory challenges, chronic conditions such as diabetes and food allergies, emotional needs such as anxiety and depression, and battling infectious diseases — including COVID. What should families know for the 2022-2023 school year? These school nurses will tell you themselves. School nurses need up-to-date information on a student’s needs — including medical conditions, changes in the home, and other…
Fall is finally here, and it’s a wonderful time of year to get outside, enjoy the weather and foliage, and have some fun as a family. Check out our list of autumn events and activities happening around Boston in October 2022. Halloween on the Hill at Long Hill When: Wednesdays through Sundays starting 9/30/22 and ending 10/31/22 Where: Long Hill–572 Essex Street, Beverly, MA Age: all ages Cost: Adults $27/$22, Children (Age 3-13) $10, Children…
Maintaining a planner for school can help you complete all of your assignments on time. Once you’ve chosen the type of planner you want, create sections for each subject and fill in all the information you already have. Each day you can look at what’s on the agenda and add any new information. Things like color-coding your planner and making sure to add all types of obligations will also help you stay on top of…
The first day of school for thousands of students in Massachusetts has already come and gone as school districts across the state prepare for another academic year to get underway while co-existing with COVID-19. As children in Worcester, Lawrence, Fitchburg, and several other districts headed back to the classroom Monday, there are a number of changes in COVID-19 protocols in schools that parents may want to take note of. There is no longer a statewide…
Incoming charter schools will have to gather community input and prove they aren’t managed by a for-profit company to receive federal funding under the Biden administration’s finalized Charter School Program rules. The U.S. Department of Education’s final notice on the new regulations published July 1 is the latest development in the controversy surrounding charter school rules. Since the proposed charter school rules were published for public comment in March, charter school advocates—including a group of…
For those families applying for financial aid, you should plan to fill out the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, and the 2023-2024 CSS Profile. Both applications open on October 1, 2022. While the FAFSA and CSS Profile help determine need-based financial aid, some colleges may require them to be considered for non-need-based merit scholarships as well. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, is a…
