Helping vs. Doing
As winter break approaches, many parents feel their stress levels rise. Not only is there decorating, shopping, and hosting to do, but children often have their own to-do lists of final school projects, overdue homework, and end-of-year performances to squeeze in....
9 Habits Lead to Scholarships
When you hear the phrase “college application process,” you probably picture high schoolers scrambling to collect recommendation letters, write essays, and hit submit before deadlines. But the journey to winning scholarships begins long before high school and...
COVID Babies: 5 Major Developmental Hurdles
Many “pandemic babies,” children born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, are now entering formal school, raising the question of whether their unusual early experiences will affect their success in the classroom. Thus far, research studies have been...
Kid Parties: Confetti, Chaos, and Cake
Gone are the days when a children’s party meant inviting everyone on the street, playing in the backyard sprinkler, and cutting into a homemade cake to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” These days, parties often have carefully selected themes, impressive...
The Kindergarten Survival Guide
Starting kindergarten marks a major milestone in your child’s life - and it can mark a major milestone in your life as well! The start of kindergarten will likely bring about feelings of excitement and anxiety as you and your child experience several firsts and...
Austin ISD 2025-2026 Calendar
Legend Student / Staff Holiday District Staff Development / Student Holiday Campus Staff Development / Student Holiday Teacher Planning / Student Holiday District Closed New Teacher Orientation First Day / Last Day of Classes Student Holiday / PLED Day [ ] Grading...
Discover the Best School for Your Child
Choosing the best school for your child can be one of the most significant decisions you’ll face as a parent. Your child’s school years will shape not only his mind but his social and emotional intelligence as well. No pressure! With options including...
When Does a Tween Become a Teen?
I picked my son and a few of his friends up from middle school to drive them to an activity. These were friends that he - and I - have known since kindergarten, and this was nowhere near the first time this crew had been in my car, although it had been a while....
Protect Your Kids From Explicit Content
My oldest daughter was exposed to pornography at the tender age of 9. She invited a friend over to play and, unbeknownst to me, the friend brought a phone with her. Thankfully, I went upstairs to check on them early on in the playdate, and I discovered that the...
Planning Ahead for Summer Learning
Summer offers a particular allure; the days are longer, and anything fun seems possible for children. For parents, it can mean scheduling challenges, the dreaded summer learning slide, i.e., the loss of knowledge that can occur over the summer...
Shhh, Don’t Tell Them They’re Learning
Want to know the fastest way to clear a room? Tell your child you are going to sit down together and learn something! Children generally feel like they spend enough time learning at school and want their time at home to be less about lessons and more about fun....
How to Develop a Life Long Love for Learning
Children are born with an innate curiosity about the world and a natural love for learning. This can be seen in how a baby tracks a parent’s face, studying his environment. It’s obvious in the glee of a toddler chasing bubbles for the first time and the...

























