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Community Corner

Moms Talk: Help Kids Have a Better Day

What can parents do to help their children have a more peaceful day at school?

Northeast Cobb Patch invites you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families.

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.

Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children.

Find out what's happening in Northeast Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Moms Talk will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. Do you know of local moms raising their children in the Tiger Mother's way and is it the best way? Where can we get information on local flu shot clinics for children? How can we help our children's schools weather their budget cutbacks?

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question about school-aged children. 

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Q: If your child has been having a rough time in school, what can you do to make things better for them?

A: The beginning of the day sets the tone for how they might react throughout their time at school.

Find a morning routine that works seamlessly. One thing I love doing for my children is to wake them with kisses and a back rub.  I’d rather they gently wake up feeling loved and cared for than have an alarm beeping at them and tend to start their day off a bit irritated.

I use the time they are eating breakfast to fix their hair because I found they don’t wiggle around while they are eating and patiently allow me to groom them.

The clothes are laid out in advance so we don’t have to think about it and stress over finding something to wear. They brush their teeth and head to the car.

On the 8 minute drive to school, we sing “Who’s gonna have a happy day?”  They respond with cheer “I’m gonna have a happy day.” Then they each say two things they will do that day to be helpful and respectful at school.

It’s awesome knowing there are little things a parent can do in the morning to help the little ones have a more beautiful and successful time at school. And, it’s fun when you see their smiles and glistening eyes. 

If, for some reason, they do not have a pleasant day at school, it's a time to stay calm and ask questions to get them thinking. You can ask what happened, why they think it happened, how the individuals involved felt and what they may be able to do differently next time. 

Children need to know that they can talk to their parents without being yelled at or belittled. They have to be responsible for their actions, but there are many loving ways to accomplish that.

Happy parenting!

If you have techniques that work well with your children, share in the comments section below.

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