Hello! Here we are again. Spring is finally here, and everything is gaining that beautiful seasonal color! It’s been a wonderful time, and I’ve been meeting with parents throughout the state who are full of thoughtful information, questions, and tips based on their own experiences. Getting together and sharing our collective wisdom is a great way to gather new information.

We’ve been talking about ways to connect with our children’s schools and converse with their teachers, counselors, and friends. Among the ideas parents have shared:

-Know the people who have a special connection with your child — and establish a relationship with them;
-Have conversations with your children’s friends (after all, isn’t school the most intense social setting?);
-Connect with teachers and staff who know the virtues of your child;
-Attend school events at which your child is showing work, performing, or playing a sport.

When you find yourself at a school event, go up to a teacher and ask him or her to tell you something amazing or remarkable about your child. Share something about your child that you are proud of — and don’t be afraid to boast! It takes only a minute or two to build the relationship. Be brave!

Have a great end of the school year!

What a winter! I’ve been meeting with parents from Winooski to Albany! I just want to say, you are terrific. You are so interested in opportunities for your children! As usual, I talk with my own kids about my work and the great families I meet.

My son is very interested in college these days. He knows he will be able to move out on his own, experience “teenage freedom,” and learn about things he is passionately interested in. Just last night at dinner, we spoke of college again. He asked about how he might spend his own money (he’s very into Pokemon cards right now).

He decided to map out his college schedule. He put aside time for classes, homework, a part-time job (he wants to be a lab assistant for a chemistry professor because he likes to mix things together), intramural sports, and socializing (mostly playing Pokemon with his friends), and I guess we forgot to put in time to visit mom and dad. Oh well, he’s putting it all together in his young mind. It was nice, and he asked me about the jobs I had while I was in college.What happened next was that he and I spent some time at the kitchen table working on his schedule, making lists, and thinking about the kinds of things he was interested in and good at. Now I’ll most likely put that schedule away in his “love forever, keep forever” box. We’ll look at that schedule when he’s really ready for college — and we’ll keep talking about his future and his plans. It’s a great conversation for us to keep having over time. His passions will change, but his determination to make college a part of his plan will remain and be a wonderful thing to talk about.

So, thank you for your candid conversations and interest in your families. I’ve learned from it and my children benefit from it as well.

Spring is on its way, and since March came in “like a lion,” I’m hoping it will go out “like a lamb.”

I’ve just returned from the Northeast Kingdom, where I met with some terrific parents to talk about their kids. I always learn so much from these conversations. All I can say is that I remain impressed with the concern and compassion parents show and feel when they speak of their children. Who knows them better than you?

We talked a lot about opportunities and motivation. Who out there has a 15-year-old who would rather plug in his or her iPod than talk with a parent? But, let me tell you, kids are listening and hearing what we say when we voice positive or supportive comments — as well as the other things we say when we’re frustrated by their disinterest. (Really, they ARE interested; they just don’t want YOU to know it.) So, here’s what we came up with in Newport:

• Keep talking with your children and learning about their interests.
• Make sure they have several adults, whom you and they trust, to talk with about their future plans.
• Watch what they do well and are interested in. Do they organize neighborhood street hockey games? Decorate their rooms like a diva? Have the whole community asking for them to babysit? Troubleshoot other kids’ latest technology? There are so many things our kids do every day that we should notice, realizing it takes skills to succeed at those things.
• And, lastly, give them some responsibility at home. There’s nothing like a little realistic expectation to help kids learn responsibility.

And remember all those jobs we had growing up? Allow your child to have a part-time job if it’s doable. Those early jobs teach important skills that come in handy when it’s time for the real deal.

So I’m hearing that your kids are opting out of foreign languages and the tougher math classes. Well, guess what? I’m also hearing that some colleges, when figuring the GPA (grade point average) for admission, are ONLY looking at the grades of college prep courses!  What that means is that the art class that your son aced will not be counted for college admission at some schools, nor will phys ed.

Taking classes to prepare for college is different from taking classes to meet state requirements for high school graduation. Don’t be fooled! Help your child pick courses (and stick with them unless they are really, truly struggling) that prepare them for more options after high school. Picking classes and beginning the work that will make up a GPA starts in grade 9. Come up with a four-year plan of coursework right off the bat! Waiting until junior year may be too late to get on track when your student decides that maybe college or training after high school is something he or she wants after all. Here’s my motto: “Make a plan – plan for a life.” OK, it’s not as powerful as “Just do it.” But it makes sense for planning high school courses and for post-high school opportunities!

I’m Cathy, a native Vermonter raised in the Burlington area and a graduate of Colchester High School, Johnson State College, and Virginia Tech. As a first-generation college student, I knew I wanted to work in the field of education. How to get there was less certain! Armed with a degree in special education, I taught for one year at Champlain Valley Union in Hinesburg. I left that to be a disc-jockey in Anchorage, Alaska, where I began to find out who I was and what I really wanted my path to be: talking with others about their experiences and traveling.

OK — time to get serious. I returned to Vermont to work as an admissions counselor for at Johnson. College had been so positive for me that I made it my mission to talk to high school students and parents about this wonderful little school I had attended. I had no idea that a whole professional field existed to assist students in adjusting to college, activities and living experiences, plus transitioning from college to the world of work. I loved it! So, next on the path came graduate school. I wanted to learn more about how college students develop — and about other colleges than mine.

So, off I went to graduate school at Virginia Tech. Fabulous! I had to prove to myself that I could do work at this level in a place far from home. Virginia Tech, with its friendly people and familiar mountain setting, quickly became a second home and another adventure. I was getting ready for my life while living it!

A whole world had opened up, and I spent 15 years in college admissions, alumni relations, student activities, and residential life, as well as dean of students. The experiences and the people made the work fun and exciting. I also spent several years working for a family center in Vermont, where my contact with families, state and federal agencies, and schools provided enjoyment and lots of learning about family systems.

OK, so where does the parenting stuff come into play? Well, I am a married mother of two delightful children. When I became a parent, my world changed yet again with so much to think about and be responsible for! But, you try to take it one day at a time. When you think about it, everything you do that makes you feel like a good parent, and makes your children feel loved, is the right thing to do.

I’ll be posting some thoughts here from time to time based on my conversations with parents and experiences with my own children, niece (about to graduate from college), and nephews (in various stages of life, college, work, and high school). Come back and visit and send your thoughts my way! We’ll see what we can come up with together.

Cathy Printon
Parent Program Coordinator
Vermont State GEAR UP
VSAC

All right, parents. It’s time for a little pat on the back, a thank-you from your kids. So sit back and breathe — you’re doing fine!

Okay. You’re halfway through the school year. Does your day sometimes feel like a sitcom or evening drama? It’s time to take a minute to think about what you do every day that supports your children. VSAC and Start Where You Are want you to know that we appreciate all you do to get from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Parenting is not always easy, and it takes finesse and patience.

We want to say thank you. Thank you from your children — for the morning toast, for doing the laundry, for making dinner, for getting them to school, for reminding them to pack their homework, for having that conversation when your favorite show is on, and for letting them know that you’re always there for them. Thank you for being you.

It’s the time of the season. School has been in session for a while, and students are finding homework to be cumbersome. I’m hearing from parents that they aren’t sure how to be helpful. Here are some thoughts I’ve gathered from folks in the field.

Homework is what it says —- work. Its purpose is practice. Practicing what is learned in the classroom helps to increase understanding. It means taking good notes, reading textbooks, looking up vocabulary, reviewing notes, consulting with other students and teachers, and many other things. By the time your student is in middle or high school, he or she has either acquired good homework skills or not. Okay, so let’s get real. It’s not always fun, not even some of the time! But, it’s essential, just like some of the responsibilities of parenting that you might not enjoy — like laundry and grocery shopping.

So, to start, take a deep breath. Create a space and time for homework (the same space and time every day). Try to stick to the homework schedule as much as possible. In front of the TV isn’t a good choice! Show a little enthusiasm! Recognize the commitment it takes to get it done, and offer praise and support. Help to make the connection between school performance and future choices. Work with your child on those skills that come a little harder, and appreciate his or her effort. Establish yourself as a support person while encouraging your child’s independence.

You can do it!  f you get stuck, ask for help. Keep the questions and suggestions coming. There’s a wealth of information out there, and we’ll answer your questions right here. Come back and visit!