How To Keep Them Busy (When You’ve Already Done It All)

by Jamie AderskiMay 16, 2020

This is sponsored content from our partner. The reviews and opinions published are solely ours.

You’ve baked all the cookies, painted every picture, put together every puzzle. Now what? You already love watching YouTube videos, but did you know there’s a completely separate YouTube app just for kids? YouTube Kids is a family-friendly app with loads of interest-based content, from science experiments to nursery rhymes, plus larger buttons and graphics designed just for kids ages two to twelve. And the best part? Parents can customize each child’s profile based on age, select screen time limits and approve specific channels, so you can feel good about your kids exploring all by themselves! Read on to find out why YouTube Kids is the secret weapon you’ve been looking for.

YouTube Kids is a separate app made just for kids that lets little ones explore and gives parents peace of mind! Download YouTube Kids for free here.

These Are Extra Challenging Times

Being a parent has never been easy, let alone being home with any number of kids 24/7! We love them, but it’s not easy keeping kids engaged in learning, and still manage to cover the basics like keeping them clean and fed. YouTube Kids gets it, and has parents and caregivers backs with family-friendly and customizable content, available any time!

The YouTube Kids library inspires kids to get moving, doing, thinking, growing and learning new skills! Check out the video below to get a glimpse of what they’ll discover.

As your kid grows, so do their ever-expanding interests—and those new hobbies often change quickly. Wherever their curiosity leads them today, the tools on YouTube Kids make it easy to find age-appropriate programming that satisfies your kids’ needs and pastimes. After a few clicks of setting up a profile and adjusting parental controls, you can feel good knowing they’re spending time learning about sharks instead of gaming (again).

How Does It Work?

When you set up their YouTube Kids profiles, you are in control of what they watch by setting up time limits or choosing a content setting based on their age group. The app then recommends family-friendly content based on your settings. YouTube Kids has content for every interest, with videos you’ll enjoy watching together along with content that will keep them engaged when you need some time to knock out that pile of laundry.

Learning Resources & Support Right at Your Fingertips

As you’re trying to navigate the rest of the school year and soon, summertime, turn to YouTube Kids for support with thousands of enriching and entertaining videos that’ll keep your family fascinated any time of the day.

To start your morning with learning, YouTube Kids has Learning @ Home, Reading @ Home and Math @ Home playlists—just to name a few.

With the Reading @ Home playlist, kids can work on their nouns, verbs and grammar or even listen to stories read by their heroes like Michelle Obama and Dolly Parton! The Math @ Home playlist adds fun, catchy tunes to at-home learning and subtracts the boring worksheets. The Learning @ Home playlist even has preschoolers covered, too, with simple learning games to teach numbers, letters, and shapes. What’s not to love?

Build Healthy Habits

Follow up an educational morning with lessons that are timely and helpful. For the little one who collects cool printed bandages, check out the #HealthyHabits playlist packed with fun videos and songs with their favorite characters teaching all about handwashing and hygiene–timely!

If they’re a little bit older and can already pronounce stethoscope, we recommend watching YouTube Kids’ interviews with healthcare expert Andy Slavitt. Join Tamara Mowry-Housley and her kids or Ryan’s World star, Ryan Kaji, as they ask Andy questions about COVID-19 and health. These informative videos will help kids connect and understand the current situation in a way that won’t give them nightmares.

Don’t Forget the Fun and Games!

Balance out your busy day with an afternoon of fun! If your kids are curious about your pilates class, YouTube Kids’ Be Active playlists will get them up and moving with activities. Find fan-favorite Cosmic Kids Yoga right in the YouTube Kids app along with all kinds of dance routines and activities to keep the kiddos moving.

The Indoor Activities playlist will have kids discovering all of the fun things there are to do in the house like science experiments, dance parties and drawing while the Global Explorations playlist will put the world at their fingertips and let them discover foreign lands and deep seas, cultures, foods, celebrations, and more.

And when it’s the end of your action-packed day, YouTube Kids has content that’ll give you time to relax together. Check out read-a-longs where kids’ favorite authors, celebrities, and characters read their most favorite books, or kick up your feet and watch a family movie or show.

With the YouTube Kids app, there’s endless possibilities for exploring, even when you’re in your own home! Learn more at YouTube.com/Kids!

Write It Right: Commonly Misspelled Words to Master

by Erin FeherMarch 2, 2020

So you thought that once you nailed the whole reading and writing thing you were in the clear, huh? Unfortunately, there are a host of confusing words that trip up even the most sentence-savvy adults. That’s why it’s best to learn them early (and often) to avoid forming bad grammar habits that are hard to unstick. Read on for a few of the most commonly confused words and helpful tips on how to remember to use them right (not write or rite), alright?

photo: Carissa Rogers via flickr

To vs. Too vs. Two

TO: preposition, toward
e.g. We are going to Disneyland!
TOO: adverb, also, or excessively
e.g. The kids ate too many doughnuts. OR We are going to the party, too.
TWO: noun and/or adjective; a number
e.g. Only two students did not turn in the assignment.

Their vs. There vs. They’re

THEIR: possessive form of they. (This word is extra tricky because it breaks the “i before e except after c” rule!)
e.g. Their house is at the end of the block.
THERE: indicates location (hint: think of “here and there”)
e.g. I left my bicycle over there.
THEY’RE: contraction for “they are”
e.g. They’re playing tennis today.

Principal vs. Principle

PRINCIPAL: adjective, most important; noun, a person who has authority
e.g. The principal ingredient in chocolate chip cookies is chocolate chips.
e.g. The principal of the school does the announcements each morning.
PRINCIPLE: noun, a general or fundamental truth
e.g. In class they had to learn the principle of gravity.

Complement vs. Compliment

COMPLEMENT: noun, something that completes; verb, to complete
e.g. A tall glass of milk complements a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich.
COMPLIMENT: noun, praise; verb, to praise
e.g. The teacher complimented Rowan on his art project.

A lot vs. Alot vs. Allot

A LOT: (two words) many
e.g. I have a lot of boogers, mom.
ALOT (one word): Not a real word, so don’t use it!
e.g. No example! This is not a word!
ALLOT: verb, to divide or distribute or portion out.
e.g. Please allot one cracker per child.

Its vs. It’s

ITS: possessive pronoun; of or belonging to it
e.g. The baby will scream as soon as its mother walks out of the room.
IT’S: contraction for “it is”
e.g. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Feet vs. Feat

FEET: noun, the plural of foot meaning a measurement equalling 12 inches; also, a part of the human body that you stand on
e.g. How many feet have you grown since you were five-years-old? and: Look at those perfect little feet!
FEAT: noun, an impressive act.
e.g. Getting the kids out the door in the morning is no small feat.

Alley vs. Ally

ALLEY: noun, a narrow back street
e.g. Pull the car around through the alley to load up the stroller.
ALLY: noun, a friend; also as a verb; to ally or join forces
e.g. The PTA is meant to be a parent’s in-school ally.

Bar vs. Barre

BAR: noun, a place where you get cocktails
e.g. It’s mom’s night out at the finest bar in town!
BARRE: noun; a handrail at hip height used to train in ballet, also adjective; describing a method of exercise that incorporates ballet strength and muscle training and is reputed to give you a great butt
e.g. Can we please hit the bar after tonight’s barre class?

Are there other words that often trip you up? Tell us your tricks to remember the right usage in the comments below!

–Erin Feher & Amber Guetebier

Turns Out “Baby Talk” Could Help Kids Gain Skills Faster, Study Shows

by Jennifer SwartvagherFebruary 11, 2020

Parents around the world speak to their babies little differently than they do with anyone else. There is actually a term for it. It’s called “parentese.” According to a new study from the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, or I-LABS, at the University of Washington, researchers found that when parents talked to their babies in “parentese” it could help them develop their language and social skills at an accelerated rate.

Usually without realizing it, parents start speaking parentese when they adopt simple grammar and words while also using exaggerated sounds. Researchers examined how parent coaching about the value of parentese affected adults’ use of it with their own infants, and demonstrated that increases in the use of parentese enhanced children’s later language skills.

The study, published online on February 3 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that parents who participated in individual coaching sessions used parentese more often than control-group parents who were not coached, and that coaching produced more parent-child “conversational turns” and increased the child’s language skills months later.

“We’ve known for some time that the use of parentese is associated with improved language outcomes,” said Patricia Kuhl, I-LABS co-director and professor of speech and hearing sciences at the UW. “We now think parentese works because it’s a social hook for the baby brain — its high pitch and slower tempo are socially engaging and invite the baby to respond.”

In a previous study conducted in 2018, I-LABS researchers tracked use of parentese among adults and their 6-month-old infants, and found that babies whose parents participated in parentese coaching sessions babbled more and produced more words by age 14 months than infants whose parents were not directed in the technique.

The new study showed that children of coached parents produced real words such as “banana” or “milk” at almost twice the frequency of children whose parents were in the control group. Parent surveys estimated that the children’s 18-month vocabulary averaged around 100 words among children of coached families, compared to 60 words among children in the control group.

Kuhl added, “Language evolved to facilitate the social communication skills that are essential for survival of the species. In this study, we observe firsthand how parents’ language and social engagement can promote baby’s initial responsive coos, which become words, and then sentences — educating infants in the art of human communication.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Katie Emslie on Unsplash

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We’re Hiring Savvy Writers in the Bay Area

by Erin LemJanuary 29, 2020

We’re looking for talented Bay Area-based writers with the skills to hype up the newest kid-friendly joint. You know which neighborhoods and suburbs have family destinations that are worth the trip, where and when a kid-centric pop-up shop will be open, best free and cheap things to do around town and more! Most importantly though, you’re a local Bay Area parent, with kids ages 0-10, who is passionate about defining and setting the family scene in the area. Think you fit the bill? Then Red Tricycle wants you! Ideal candidates must:

• Love going out on adventures with your kids and be in the know about family destinations like family friendly openings, creative museum spaces, pop-up shops, kiddie events and more

• Have a firm grasp of the English language, excellent grammar and punctuation skills.

• Be active in the writing and blogging community with published work (either print or online).

• Possess an intense curiosity and excitement to explore the city and dig deep (both online and in the real world) to find off-the-beaten-path story ideas and insider tips.

• Be active on social media, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or all the above!

About Red Tricycle:

Red Tricycle fuels the parenting universe with daily inspiration for family fun. We believe the best memories are created when families do fun things together and we believe every day is an opportunity to create new stories. Our mission is to help every parent feel like a rock star by inspiring them to do fun things with their kids. Each month Red Tricycle reaches 30 million parents with ideas that are aspirational and actionable that you can do at home, in your city or wherever your adventures take you.

To apply Email Us at Kate (at) tinybeans.go-vip.net your cover letter, resume, and writing sample/content link with “Bay Area Writer” in the subject line.

photo: Kate Loweth

6 More Great Reasons to Read with Your Children

By Jennifer Landis

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

January 10, 2020

Photo: Jerry Wang via Unsplash

It’s the perfect end to a long day—you let your children choose a book, you all snuggle up, and you read together. It’s more than just a bonding experience, though. Reading to your kids will shape their minds and behaviors in more ways than one. In fact, we have six more reasons why your family literature sessions should be a regular activity:

1. Reading Boosts Vocabulary. As an adult, you probably still come across words in books that you don’t know. You might look them up to learn the definition and add a few more words to your vocabulary. Your children experience this newness every time you read to them. They soak up information like sponges, too—the more you read, the more words they learn.

This effect can start at an early age. Nowadays, pediatricians recommend that you start reading to your little ones in infancy. Doctors even say that babies can understand the emotions behind the words you read to them. So, as they get older, comprehending the feeling turns into an understanding of what the word means.

You’ll also see this manifest as improved speech, too. Hearing you pronounce words properly will show your children how they should speak, too. This advantage extends beyond vocabulary—your children will learn correct sentence structure and improve their grammar as well.

2. Reading Increases Attention Spans. Little children aren’t known for their ability to pay attention for long stretches. However, reading helps them to hone this skill—they want to know how the story will end, after all. You’ll have to start small, as you can’t expect your little one to pay attention for hours right away. Instead, start with a short picture book, perhaps one that takes 10 minutes to read. Then, work your way up to longer stories—even the most energetic brood will sit and listen to a story that has captivated them. Clearly, this skill will come in handy down the line when your children go to school. Sitting and listening with interest will get them far academically, too.

3. Reading Will Foster a Lifelong Love of Books. You love nighttime reading and snuggles, and your children do, too. If you make it part of your daily routine, then they’ll always think of reading as something warm and positive. As they grow, they’ll only continue to crack open books and read on their own.

Just make sure that you’re choosing the right stories now to forge an enduring interest. You have plenty of resources to help you do so. For starters, award-winning children’s books tend to do the trick. Or, you can ask your kids while you’re reading. Do they like the story? If so, keep that book in rotation and maintain their interest in reading.

4. Reading Strengthens Imaginations. Children’s books typically come with gorgeous pictures, which allow your kids to see and understand the words that you’re reading. However, they will also begin to conjure images of the story in their minds. As you read to them more, their imaginations only continue to grow.

It’s vital that children hone their imaginations and imaginative play at an early age. Playing pretend gives children the opportunity to express emotions both positive and negative. Such a skill will serve them for the rest of their lives. It can all start with reading and helping them to explore the creative side of their minds.

5. Reading Boosts Children’s Comprehension. Books unlock a lot of learning potential. For instance, your story’s likely to introduce your child to a character who has a dilemma. As you read to your child, they’ll start to understand these problems. If you ask them, they might even come up with a solution to the issue on their own.

On top of problem-solving and plot, kids can also increase their comprehension of emotions and morality. Did that character do what’s right? How do you think he feels? They’ll start to put themselves in the story to better understand it, thus making them smarter and more emotionally adept.

6. Reading Provides Quality Time Together. We’ve already touched on this benefit, but it’s worth mentioning once more. When you read with your kids, you have their undivided attention for a sliver of time. There’s no toy or screen in the way of your bonding. Instead, you sit on the couch or snuggle in bed and read together. As your children grow up, you’ll find yourself wanting to press the pause button more than once. You can’t stop time, of course, but reading together gives you the chance to slow it down.

So, start to build a collection of kid-friendly books, or gather some from your local library. That’s all you need to start this daily ritual—one that will make both you and your children happy.

Jennifer Landis

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Jennifer Landis is a mom, wife, freelance writer, and blogger. She enjoys long naps on the couch, sneaking spoonfuls of peanut butter when her kid's not looking, and binge watching Doctor Who while her kid's asleep. She really does like her kid, though, she promises. Find her on Twitter @JenniferELandis.

We’re Hiring a Seattle Editor (It’s Part-Time & Work from Home!)

by Erin LemDecember 3, 2019

Red Tricycle is seeking a part-time Seattle editor who will assume full responsibility for local content. The ideal city editor will be an adventurer at heart with a passion for exploring the Seattle area with his/her kid(s). We’re looking for someone who knows what makes each neighborhood unique and cool, lives and plays locally, and can easily adapt to the Red Tricycle brand and editorial voice. Enthusiasm for expanding our presence in the market and an undying love for Seattle certainly helps, too!

The city editor will have the first-hand opportunity to scale the Red Tricycle brand as we make parenting more delightful and fun for Seattle parents. The editor may work from home (hooray!), but should be up for exploring the city for story leads, attending press events, and connecting with the local parenting community.

Responsibilities:

Write & Edit!
Each week the Seattle editor will write his or her own stories and edit content from freelance writers. For the stories assigned out, you will edit the filed copy so it upholds brand standards and voice. You will also create and update specific content for search on a monthly basis. The Editor will ensure all content—whether it’s for newsletter or SEO—is filed by deadline.

Manage Writers & Strategize Editorial Calendar!
You will manage the local editorial calendar and ensure that it’s engaging, robust and speaks to the Red Tricycle editorial brand. You will manage the fleet of local freelance writers, respond to pitch emails and set expectations for content, schedule each writer’s deadlines, and edit and provide feedback on filed copy. You like to think big picture (content strategy!) and small picture (copyediting!) in the same breath.

Own Local Google Analytics!
You will take a metrics-first approach when strategizing the editorial calendar and making decisions on what content to create for both email and search. You love metrics and can master our GA dashboard like a pro.

Take Ownership of SEO!
You’ll be familiar with SEO best practices and be open to learning more about how to best optimize content. You will research keywords, create optimal metadata, ideate new onbrand stories that will perform well via search and update existing content based on search trends.

Manage the Family Events Calendar!
You will be THE voice of the family events calendar, scouring both online and off to fill the calendar with a well curated, diverse range of events. You’ll curate the Seattle area calendar, which includes Tacoma and surrounding drivable areas.

Be a Production Wizard!
We’re a lean editorial team, which means all editors—national and local—are responsible for a fair amount of production. You won’t be deterred by sourcing your own photos (or better yet—taking your own!) and uploading content to our CMS to uphold our brand style guide.

The Ideal Candidate:
Has managed freelance writers and an editorial calendar in the digital media space. You love content strategy!

MUST be super excited to join a small team of fun people (many of us parents) who work very hard.

Has impeccable grammar and can easily follow a style guide.

Familiar with current SEO best practices and able to strategize content based on SEO needs.

Familiar with Google Analytics and able to digest a metrics report to make smart decisions about content strategy.

Loves family adventures and can’t wait to share can’t-live-without discoveries or hidden gems.

Has kids (between the ages of 0-10) and is active in the parenting community.

Familiar with Red Tricycle brand, editorial style and voice.

Doesn’t know what the phrase “missed deadline” means.

How to Apply:
This is a part-time position that is approximately 20-25 hours/week. Please send a cover letter telling us a bit about your family and why you’re a great candidate for this position. A few writing samples that showcase your ability to write in Red Tricycle style and tone certainly help, too! Send everything to Editor AT tinybeans.go-vip.net with the subject line “Seattle Editor”. Resumes without a cover letter or writing samples will not be considered. We look forward to hearing from you!

The History of Mother’s Day: What You Didn’t Know About the Holiday

by Ayren Jackson-CannadyMay 7, 2019

Moms have been around since the beginning of time, so it’s no surprise that there’s a lot more to the Mother’s Day holiday than just breakfast in bed and floral bouquets (although, we love those things, too!). Show mom how much you care by impressing her with these Mother’s Day fun facts … and flowers.

Raw Pixel via unsplash

In 1872...
The first Mother's Day in the United States was suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe, who is a pacifist, suffragette, and writer of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Her goal was to have a day where mothers could come together in the name of peace.

Petal Pusher
Mother’s Day sees around one-quarter of all flowers purchased throughout the year.

M Liu via Flickr

Caller I.D.
According to the Pew Research Center, more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. In the United States alone, more than 122 million calls are made to moms on Mother's Day.

Give Me an 'M'
In most of the world’s languages, the word for “mother” begins with the letter M—German is "mutter," Hindi is "maji," and Lithuanian is "motina" to name a few.

Damon Smith

The Grandmother of Mother's Day
Anna Jarvis, a social activist and community organizer, founded the modern American concept of Mother’s Day in 1908. Ironically, Jarvis never married or had children.

Too Much of a Good Thing?
Soon after President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother’s Day a national holiday, it became so commercialized (like it is today) that Anna Jarvis, the holiday's creator, actually campaigned to have it rescinded.

L_Dawg2000 via Flickr

Get Carded
Roughly 65% of all greeting card sales happen during the last five days before Mother's Day. Us? Procrastinators? Noooooo.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?
You know all of those sweaters and cardigans that Mr. Rogers wore on his television show? Most of them were knitted by his real mother. Awwww!

Maddy Sager via Flickr

Medal Ceremony
After France lost more than 4% of its population in World War I, the government celebrated Mother's Day in 1920 by giving moms medals—women with five kids got a bronze medal, women with eight got silver, and those with ten or more got gold!

In Good Company
There are approximately two billion (yes, BILLION) mothers in the world.

Big Spender
Last year, the National Retail Federation estimated that shoppers would spend $23.1 billion (yes, BILLION again). That's about $180 per mama.

Gabby Cullen

Nom Nom
Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year for people to eat out. Yep, it's even bigger than Valentine’s Day.

Grammar Police
Mother's Day is written with an apostrophe before the "s" because it was intended to honor moms individually, not collectively.

Flower Power
The Carnations, which are the go-to Mother's Day flower, do not drop their petals. Instead, they hug them to the center, just like a mom does with her kids. Swoon!

—Ayren Jackson-Cannady

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Feature photo: IStock

This Dad’s Amazing Custom Sheets Bring Smiles & So Much More for Kids in the Hospital

by Erica LoopApril 11, 2019

While sterile white sheets of a hospital room may serve a purpose, they certainly don’t make what’s already a stressful experience any better. Enter Kevin Gatlin: this entrepreneurial dad decided to help sick kids by creating bedsheets that invite play!

Gatlin’s company, Playtime Edventures, makes sheets and sleeping bags that are not exactly of the norm. Instead of solid colors or plain prints, Gatlin’s products are covered with games. While the sheets (and sleeping bags) aren’t exclusively for hospital use, the creator dad designed them with bored, hospital-bound kids in mind.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kevin Gatlin (@playtimebedsheets)

The Playtime Edventures creator told NewsWest 9, “My wife used to utilize the bed with our son, they would play board games they would do homework assignments it was the biggest piece of furniture in the room.” After Gatlin told his wife that he wanted to put games on the bed (sheets), she asked if he was planning on including something educational.

With his wife’s question in mind, Gatlin met with half a dozen teachers, discussing his playsheet product ideas. “We put together bedsheets and slumber bags that cover everything from Geography, Math, Science, Grammar, word find games, over-sized game boards… all on a three-piece set,” Gatlin told NewsWest 9.

As of now there are roughly 10 hospitals in the United States using Gatlin’s sheets. Instead of hospitals buying the sheets directly, individuals buy the play products online and donate them.But the donations don’t stop there. According to Gatlin, hospitals often give the sheets to the patients to take home.

Visit Playtime Edventures here for more information on buying these perfectly playful bedsheets!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Playtime Edventures via Instagram

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My Tips for Helping Your Kids Apply to Med School

By Mary Walton

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

September 4, 2017

As a parent, you of course want the best for your child. If they’ve decided to apply for medical school, you’ll both know that it’s a competitive field, and that competition starts with the application. How can you support them without overwhelming your child? This guide will help you through the process.

How Much Can You Get Involved?

Of course you want to help, and it can be hard if you see your child struggling. However, colleges can easily see when a parent is getting over involved. When this happens, they’ll often avoid accepting the child as it can mean more headaches for them in the long run. As this is the case, the best thing to do is support your child in the background, but let them handle their applications themselves.

Keep A Routine At Home

The best way of supporting anyone going through change is to provide support and routine at home. This can mean different things to different families, so how you do this will be up to you. For example, you could ensure that your child gets breakfast every morning, or that you’re spending some time with them every day. Stability at home can help a lot.

Respect Your Child’s Boundaries

Every child needs boundaries, and this especially applies when they’re working on choosing a college. The best way to support them here is to stay out of the application process yourself, but make it clear that your help is available should they need it. If they do ask for help, make sure you offer what they need, and then withdraw. Getting too involved can put them off asking for your help again.

“It’s natural to be nervous yourself about their applications,” says student counselor Timothy King from Big Assignments. “However, that nervousness can rub off on them if you let it. Let them make their own decisions and do this for themselves.”

Help Them Find Tools To Get The Application Done

You obviously can’t get involved with the application itself, but you can give your child tools to help them get it written. Introduce them to these helpful online tools and they’ll find it much easier to write.

Accepted: This site helps with all aspects of the application process. They can assist with resumes, application essays, and more if you need it. Via Writing: Good grammar is the key to a good essay. This tool helps your child improve theirs and in turn, improve their application. Type My Essay: This writing service is recommended by Huffington Post in “Write an essay for me” article and is great if your child is stuck with their essay. The tutors here can help them get it written. Cite It In: Every good essay needs to have proper citations. This tool helps you find the right citation for any source used in text. UKWritings: Once the essay is written, it’ll need to be proofread. The editors at this service can check over their essay for them before submission. Easy Word Count: This great two in one tool will check the length of any text pasted into it. It’ll also highlight any mistakes made. College Coach: This service covers all aspects of getting into college. If you need interview coaching or help picking a college, they’re the place to go. State Of Writing: This site has a great collection of writing guides on grammar, punctuation and formatting. Essayroo: A good writer is someone you want on your side. This service can help with crafting an excellent application.

You And Financial Aid

When it comes to financial aid, things are slightly different. This is because to properly assess your child’s needs, you’ll be required to disclose your financial situation. If you’re asked to do this, ensure that you do provide the information as soon as possible in order to help your child out.

As well as this, it can be helpful to have a talk with your child in advance about finances. Make sure they know how to budget, and that they know what help is out there for them. Help them gather as much information as possible before they start applying to college.

Encourage Your Child To Network

You’ll find that there are lots of pre-med fairs and events being held for prospective students, like your child. Some of these events do welcome parents. Speak to your child about this. If they want to go alone, respect their wishes. You could also be asked to attend but stay in the background for support as they network.

If you’re working in the medical field yourself, then you’ll want to help them get a leg up and meet the right people. However, remember that the education field, especially in medicine, is changing all the time. What you did as a student will often be different to what your child will have to face now. The best thing to do is offer support, but let your child face the medical world on their own terms.

Be Positive

For many children applying to college, they’re going to be nervous, and worry they won’t be good enough to get in. This can lead to severe worrying, and you want your child to avoid this. In this situation, the best thing to do is be positive. For example, if they’re worrying that they haven’t done enough, list off everything they’ve done so far. Tell them you’re confident in them. A little positivity can go a long way.

Be There Is Things Don’t Go To Plan

Even if your child tries their hardest, sometimes things won’t go their way. Remember that every experience will mould them as a person, and try and keep their spirits up. If they don’t get into the college of their choosing, it’s not the end of the world. Help them pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and try again.

Getting into a medical school is a tough process, and you want to help your child as best you can. If you follow these tips, you’ll find that you can support your child without being overbearing. It’s the best way to help them get ahead.

_____________

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Mary Walton

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Passionate reader, avid travaler, full time mom and crazy writer!

No, Thank You!

By Allison Jo Stoutland

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

October 1, 2016

Photo: allison stoutland

I rarely get excited when I go to the mailbox these days since it’s usually filled with mailers, bills and a seemingly friendly spider who’s taken up residence in the back corner! But some days I get lucky and amongst all that “junk” I spot a treasure–a small handwritten envelope. Who could it be from? Which of my friends would take the time to sit down amidst their own chaos with a pen in hand and share how grateful and appreciative they are. Once I make my mental list I gently retrieve the note to investigate. I feel the paper and check out the stamp, and yes the stamp matters. I look to see if I recognize the handwriting without peeking at the return address in the left-hand corner. It’s a moment for me…

Usually I wait some time before I open the note, sort of like waiting until after the birthday dinner to open up the presents. Other times I open the note when I need that little kick of happy during my day. For me, receiving a thank you note really feels just like I am being given a gift; wrapped in paper and tied with a zip code and a stamp on top!

As a young girl I recall thank you notes were a necessity. There were no ifs, ands or buts about it, my sister and I had to write thank you notes for every gift we received. So when I became a mom I played that “card” too. Of course I put my own spin on it–there was no playing, using or spending until a thank you note was in the mail. As you might have suspected with me being a teacher and writer, there were other rules as well. The thank you note had to be heartfelt, longer than three sentences and worthy of the reader’s time. It may surprise you but I never checked or corrected grammar, spelling or punctuation. I felt that helped keep the note authentic and endearing. Oh I know, my poor kids–but to this day, that is a mom rule I am still pretty proud of.

Thanks to a lifetime of thank you notes our family is a bunch of thank you note snobs. I admit that we often times judge the notes that enter our home with our unspoken grading system. The ultimate goal of a thank you note is to make the recipient feel the writer’s gratitude. If the card produces tears–A+. Humor always raises the grade, as does referencing a shared personal moment. If there is never so much as a mention of what the actual gift was–D! Seriously, don’t even waste a stamp on a note like that!

Sadly, it seems thank you notes are becoming a thing of the past as younger generations are thanking with a text, snapchat, #thank you or email. I suppose it doesn’t really matter just so long as there is a proper thank you, right? Actually, some of my most memorable thank yous happened right on the spot! Many years ago my kids and I ordered six munchkins and when they opened the bag they found over a dozen. The note on the bag read, “Thanks for being so polite.” Or the time the Verizon phone person waived a fee for me saying, “That’s for being so patient and kind.”

Being a children’s author my favorite thank you notes of all might be those received from children after I have visited their school. It might be their crayon artwork that adorns the front. It could be their sentiment filled with “invented” spelling words. Maybe I should be a little worried how their pictures depict me, but I’m not. I’m just tickled pink that they took time out of their jampacked school day to write a few heartfelt sentences that often bring about a tear or two! A+

Heartfelt thank you notes from the children at West Rock Authors Academy in New Haven, Connecticut

Moral: It doesn’t matter how you say thank you–just so long as you do!

Allison Jo Stoutland

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

When I'm not being a mom, daughter, sister, wife, teacher, published author, soup lover, dog & home owner, gardener, baker and crafter- I am a writer. The kind who writes from her heart using her daily life experiences. I also travel our country speaking to organizations and schools about being positive, kind and making the world a happier place.

ML Interest Tag: grammar

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