As a family, we enjoy our chance to relax on the couch together and watch our favorite television shows. Lately we have been getting useful life lessons from some of our favorites. This has been especially true the past few weeks on "Castle." We have watched as Castle’s daughter Alexis struggles with her plans to attend college, and not just any college, but Stanford. In one episode Alexis picks out classes for her first semester at Stanford. She talks about graduating high school early, joining her boyfriend, and taking classes together. This in itself was a conversation starter between …

The school year is now in full swing and for most students, that means homework is being assigned. If handled carefully, this can be a time for learning and discussion, and not a time for fighting and procrastinating. First and foremost, it is important to create a routine around when, where and how homework is completed. For students involved in extracurricular activities, the when may not be negotiable. But many students have a choice between completing homework as soon as they arrive home and after dinner. The choice becomes a practical one if the homework takes more time than is available…

With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 just around the corner, many parents are doubtless thinking about ways to explain this horrific event to their young children. Some of our children were too young to remember the actual attacks, while others weren't even born when they occurred. The media will be showing images and footage from that terrible day over and over in the coming days, and our children will be exposed to the coverage, so it's important to prepare for their questions. Before that happens, we need to reflect on our own feelings and prepare ourselves to deal with those of our children…

It is time to say goodbye to summer and hello to school. As the back-to-school sales abound, parents and children alike are having mixed reactions to the pending start of the new school year. Many children are excited--to see their friends, get back to their activities and even get back to classes. However, others are hesitant, nervous and scared. As with many things, being prepared is the best way to handle the nerves and worry that surround returning to school. Here are six tips to help you and your child during this important transitional period: Visit the school - If your child is …

Summer is a time to get out and have fun. If you are like me, fun doesn’t usually involve sitting in a car asking “are we almost there?” I want adventure, but without a long drive. I have a dear friend who seems to always be off on an adventure with her boys. I recently asked where she gets her great ideas and she actually attributed some of them to me! This was flattering but doubtful, since she has been to places I've never heard of. Yet some of her trips were reminders to me of just what wonderful opportunities we have close by. Another requirement for me is that places we visit be free or…

What are your children doing this summer? Summer is a time for relaxation, playing outdoors and enjoying the warmer weather and all that it brings. For parents, it also brings worry--worry that their children will be bored, not have enough to do, not be productive or not be supervised. While I am a big fan of finding the teachable moments, I do believe summer is a time when teaching can be more relaxed and the focus can be more on plain old-fashioned fun. Many parents worry that their children may forget what they learned in school if they don’t review it over the summer. But for most …

The flowers are blooming, birds are singing and the Saucon Valley elementary and middle school spring concerts are about to begin. This is an exciting time for students, and one for which they have worked hard all year. For many the concerts will also be swan songs of sorts, as they prepare to move up from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school. The Middle School Chorus Concert will be especially memorable, as students say goodbye to Annelle Conover, their vocal music and chorus director who is retiring in June. The spring concert season officially begins tonight, May 11…

TV Turnoff Week starts today. But can your family survive a week without TV? What about if you try to spend that week not only turning off the TV, but also the computer, the iPod and other electronic devices on which we rely for both information and entertainment? “What will we do?” you may ask. So many of us have become comfortable walking into the house and turning on the TV that we don't even think about it. But what if you didn’t do this for one week? Imagine the creativity you could channel. And you might even find new connections with members of your family by spending time together. …

IDK BTW LOL JK TMI BRB TTYL GTG MOS ROTFL L8R Do you even know what these mean? If not, who do you go to when you need a message deciphered? If you are anything like me, the answer is, your children. Increasingly, I find myself asking them what someone means when I read an e-mail, Facebook post or note. Does anyone write using full words and sentences anymore? Do you speak with your friends directly or only communicate via text? Does this make me sound old? Boring? Out of touch? Maybe so, but I still write letters and thank you notes on real paper, with a pen, placing them in an envelope and …

Course selection--the choices are yours. The school year is well past the halfway point and for our high school students it is time to choose courses for next year. To some this may seem premature, as you don’t even know how this year is going to turn out for your child. Yet the schools need to start working on staffing needs and planning for next year. To make that process possible, the registration forms need to be completed. So if you haven’t filled one out already, get ready to, because that course registration form is on its way to your home. I’ve been thinking about this column for over…

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, and in between schools in Pennsylvania give students the standardized Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams. For those of us who have students in grades three through eight, or in 11th, testing begins at Saucon Valley on Monday, March 14. In my home, my advice is the same for PSSAs as it is for all tests: pay attention in class, do your homework, study and when testing time arrives, relax and do your best! In addition, as on all school days, it is always best to get a good night's sleep and start the day with a healthy …

"All rise for the Rydell High alma mater," said an announcer. And as audience members rose from their seats, so too did the curtain on Grease at Saucon Valley High School. Months of preparation and hard work paid off Thursday night, as the cast of more than 50 students transported fans of Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, Frenchy and Kenickie back to the 1950s and the mythical Rydell High. Saucon Valley's elaborate production of the popular musical definitely hit the mark, with sets and costumes perfectly characteristic of the 1950s. The casting of Patrick Kane as Danny Zuko and Kelsey Payung as Sandy …

It may be cold outside, but believe it or not, it is almost time for spring sports sign-ups! Before you trip over the winter boots and look for the cleats, gloves, bats and other sport accessories, stop and think about who is choosing the sport and why. That may seem like a silly thing to do. But if we as parents are honest with ourselves, we will realize that our own likes, dislikes, dreams and team preferences can have an effect on the sports we encourage our children to play or ignore. We need to remember that our children are the ones playing and their success on or off the field is up to…

Do our children really know how to prepare for a weather emergency? You hear about toddlers who call 911 during a medical emergency. Our schools have fire drills, lock-down drills and weather drills. But do our children truly know what to do in a weather emergency? Who should teach them? Is it the schools’ responsibility? Or should it be left to parents to teach their children? And do they? When we hear a forecast for snow the grocery stores flood with people grabbing milk and bread from the shelves. But if we lose power, is the milk really helpful? Did you grab ready-to-eat foods that don’t …

You did your homework, paid attention in class and studied. Yet the impending exam is still causing you major anxiety. Here are a few tips to help get you past the nerves and become more focused on the knowledge inside your head. Remember as you head to class, to bring a positive attitude with you. Positive thinking goes a long way toward success. The first step when taking a test is to put your name on the paper. This sounds simple, yet so many students forget to write their names on their tests, leaving the teacher to figure it out, or worse--give an automatic zero! Write neatly, because if…

The words “winter storm warning” throw many into a food-buying frenzy, and if they precede a school day, parents are thrown into a search for something to keep their children busy while stuck at home. I check to be sure I have enough flour and yeast to bake whatever creation comes to mind. Now that my girls are older, they have started taking the lead in this task and get to help decide what is made, and sometimes make it themselves. During one particularly bad storm many years ago I had so much time on my hands that after making the usual bread and bagels, I delved into croissants. They are …

The holidays are over, school is back in session and mid-terms are just around the corner. That means it's time to focus on homework and study time before it becomes cram and panic time. Students should begin by going over notes from the semester. Highlight any topics the teacher stated you "must know" or "are very important." Any topic a teacher repeatedly goes over is usually on the test. If the teacher says "this will be on the exam" be sure you know it! Often you will find a teacher has given you the actual essay question--if only you were paying attention. Anything you still don't …

The kids have been home for a week now, the gifts have been opened and played with, and now it is time to get moving. We can't spend the whole vacation sitting in the house playing games, searching the web and hanging out. This weekend, think about engaging your children with educational activities outside the home that the whole family will enjoy. Although some attractions will be closed for the New Year's holiday, try to think of the remainder of the vacation as a great opportunity to do something different. These activities don't have to cost a lot of money, but they do require a bit of …

As the winter break begins, so does the collective whine, "There is nothing to do!" "I'm bored" is often heard at this time of year as well. The standard parental replies, "clean your room" or "read a book," are more often than not returned with a sigh or an eye roll. And so the struggle begins. There is comfort in knowing that you are not alone in this struggle. In fact, the battle against boredom (real or perceived) plays out in almost every home with school-age children in America at this time of year. Just log onto Facebook, read some of your friends' status updates, and you'll see that …

Tis the season to listen to holiday music. And on Thursday, Dec. 16, the Saucon Valley Middle School Band and Choral Concert celebrated the holiday season in a musical way. The high school auditorium was decorated with Christmas trees on the stage and poinsettias lining the room. The festive backdrop welcomed everyone with the message, "Season's greetings." Once the concert began, the backdrop was changed to feature the star of Bethlehem and snow-covered trees. As the band played "Snow Day Celebration," I could picture the snow falling and it took me back to catching snow flakes on my tongue…