Q: My son's fifth-grade teacher says he's been lying to me about school. I'm devastated! He's always been honest with me. I'm trying hard to instill trust and good values in him. How can I teach him n... more
Q: One of my partner's and my New Year's resolutions is to become more involved in our kids' school. Our work makes it impossible to volunteer or attend meetings during the school day. What other acti... more
Q: I don't look forward to this holiday break. Our four preteens from a newly blended family like the structure of school, but fall apart on weekends: bickering and competing for attention. In January... more
Q: My husband wants to get our preschooler her own tablet. We've read to her on ours since she was a baby. Our pediatrician is concerned. We thought reading to her was a good idea. What does it matter... more
Q: My kids love their teachers and want to give them each a holiday gift, even though the PTO discourages individual gifts because not all families give. What would be appropriate? For example, is it ... more
Q: Often, my daughter Kristen, a third-grader, is taught math differently from the way I learned, so when she struggles, I show her my way. I never criticize her teacher's methods. I want her to love ... more
Q: My two preteen daughters spend weekends with my new wife and me. While my wife loves the girls, she's quick to criticize them and corrects their mistakes immediately. My ex and I have our differenc... more
Q: Our second-grade son's teacher sent home a note saying he was receiving "Response to Intervention" support for math. She asked for a meeting to discuss it. I've looked it up but am still confused a... more
Q: With a daughter entering kindergarten, and a son not far behind, we recently bought a house near a school loved by parents and hyped by the real estate agent. When we started house hunting, the sch... more
Q: One of our sons graduated college with an architecture degree in 2013 and can't find a job. It's also true for some of his friends. My younger son, a high school junior, says this is proof that he ... more
Q: Our school sends mixed messages about digital media. They warn about online safety and too much time on screens, but then send home an iPad with my third-grader to play "homework" games. I'm confus... more
Q: My daughter got into a fight with some girls at school. We thought she'd be suspended, but the principal asked the girls involved to "make things right with those wronged." I wanted to ground her, ... more
Q: One thing I don't like about the Common Core is that it removed fiction from the curriculum. I'm a liberal arts graduate who loves reading fiction books each night to my children. What's wrong with... more
Q: My third-grade granddaughter lives with me. At parents' night, her teacher asked everyone to send her a text in order to go on a reminder list to receive class information. I felt uncomfortable sig... more
Q: My son's guidance counselor got on his case for bailing on his Advanced Placement course commitment. He didn't do the summer reading. My son is a junior. He's smart but not too organized, so I wasn... more
Q: Teachers urge parents to talk with their kids about school each day, but my 9- and 10-year-old boys just give me one-word answers. I would love to have conversations with them. How?... more
Q: At our son's middle-school orientation, the principal asked parents to help teens develop the "habits of mind" of good students. It sounded great, but when I got home I wondered what she meant. Doe... more
Q: My 12-year-old is part of the "Google it" generation when she has to research reports. Some of the stuff she finds (and thinks is true) is just goofy. Should we invest in an encyclopedia for her? W... more
Q: I'm told our school doesn't teach handwriting anymore because of the Common Core. I think that's really dumb. My daughter was looking forward to learning this. What can be done about it?... more
Q: I took my second-grade son to his classroom on the first day of school to explain things about him to his teacher. She waved me off and said she was really looking forward to having him in class an... more
Q: My brother-in-law, an engineer from Poland, argues that good American schools aren't as good as we think. I believe that the United States does poorly in international rankings because urban distri... more
Q: I'm a high school math teacher who did three days of professional development to "prepare kids for STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers." What a waste. The curriculum director dron... more
Q: Our school district is doing Family Day (Sept. 22). The organizer, who wants me to lead our school's effort, says that kids whose families eat meals together do better in school and are less likely... more
Q: My 5-year old daughter, Illana, has been so excited about starting kindergarten, but suddenly she cries when we talk about it and insists she's staying home with her sister. She loved preschool, so... more
Q: My 8-year-old son's teacher suggests evaluating him for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder because he is unfocused and distractible. While he's more fidgety than his sister, he can sit transf... more
Q: Our daughter, Celia, failed sixth-grade math and started summer school. She isn't motivated and finds it embarrassing. (She's never had math trouble before.) We've threatened to take her cellphone ... more
Q: Our son Brian's second-grade teacher wrote that he did well enough in reading to avoid summer school, but recommended that we "read aloud a lot to him this summer, focusing on nonfiction." School's... more
Q: Our son starts kindergarten this fall. The school sent readiness suggestions about reading, socialization and the importance of "math talk." What's that and why is it important?... more
Q: Our boys are begging to get a TV in their room. I think it would be OK for the summer; we'd remove it when school starts. My husband says it's bad for their health and we should leave the TV in the... more
Q: I want our kids to ditch their digital devices and get connected with nature this summer. We can't afford a trip, but we have a big yard and live near rural areas. Do you have any suggestions?... more