ML Interest Tag: parent-teacher

What Happens if My Kid Curses in French? (& Other Daycare Questions)

By Keren de Zwart

My kids each started daycare at a respectable three months old, thanks in large part to our country’s generous maternity leave policies [sarcasm intended]. Lucky for you, since they’ve been going to “school” for basically their whole lives, I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about all things daycare and how to get the most out of the parent-teacher conference for your one-year-old, which, as it turns out, is not a joke.

Bilingual Language Development. My husband is fluent in French and speaks to the kids sporadically in the language. If my toddler curses in French, are the punishments the same or does she get a pass for being so culturally advanced?

Television. Me: How many hours of TV per day is considered appropriate for a 3 year old? Teacher: You mean minutes? Me: Er, sure… let’s go with minutes.

Misbehavior. How many times can my baby bite someone before he gets expelled from school? Does that stay on his permanent record or is there an expungement process?

Dietary Restrictions. No peanuts. I totally get that. No cupcakes/cookies/sweets, even for holidays? Weird, but let’s go with it. McDonald’s as the school-chosen celebratory meal after you forced me to buy organic-only foods for the food drive? Now we’ve got a problem.

Teacher Turnst‌yle. Are we part of a social experiment seeking to understand the long-term effects of what happens when my child’s favorite teacher mysteriously and permanently leaves? Why is there never any notice? Why is it never the one with the scary eyes who makes my kid cry every morning?

Separation Anxiety. How much judgment is happening behind the scenes when I drag my child into school kicking and screaming, one shoe on, hair unbrushed, and I kind of slide her through the classroom door so she can’t hang on to my suit as I close it behind me? What about the times I bribe her into school with chocolate milk and a donut?

Financial Investment. It was daycare or a college fund and society looks down on leaving your newborn at home alone when you go back to work, so what kind of return on investment can I expect? If my kid turns out to be a total failure, decides to skip college and make a career in underwater basket weaving, or otherwise decides to pursue something I can’t brag about, is there any kind of refund?

But seriously, if your teacher can laugh about the craziness with you, somehow love your kid the same way you do despite a minimum wage salary and very little appreciation, and still mold those little minds and (figuratively) whip those little beasts into socially acceptable children, then you’ve found a winner.

Keren is a business owner x2 (flat-fee lawyer and digital marketing operations) in active pursuit of the elusive work-life balance. With a couple of demanding jobs, a husband who travels for work and two little kids, she maintains her sanity by reading and engaging in inappropriate banter with friends, family and strangers. 

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How to Make Reading to Your Child Really Count

By ALEXANDER FERNÁNDEZ

Photo: Alexander Fernandez

Once you hear the full-throated laugh of your child, see them startle in surprise, or hear them squeal “again, again” when you finish a book passage, you’ll be hooked; you’ll know you’ve done it right, and you’ll have created a memory, a feeling, that will last a lifetime. 

I know you’re tired. You’ve been working all day. You’ve come home (or have been working in the home) have started (or continued with) the chores, made food, dealt with the bills, the PTA, the in-laws, the friends, the frenemies, politics (lower-case p), Politics (uppercase P), married life, single life, traffic, the boss, the employees, and every other thing that an adult has to deal with on a day-to-day basis. If you have more than one child, I’d set the multiplication factor exponentially at 12 per additional child. Life is hard. Dead stop. Yes, you can say it, think it, feel it. Life is hard. And now, this little human (they are little humans even when they behave like little monsters) wants to hear a bedtime story. I’m here to tell you: Yes. Do it. And, you should encourage them to want to hear a story.

But, how? How do you effectively read with a child?  Well, for starters the days of reading to, are over.

1. Be Present. If you think that I’m going to start with some New Age fangled stuff, you’re right. (Although at this point isn’t it really Old Age?) If you are rushing through the reading, looking at your watch, dreading every second of it, and thinking of what you’re going to be doing next, you should not be reading with your child. Stop. Don’t do it. Grab the iPad, the laptop, whatever and go to YouTube and find a story of somebody entertaining reading a book and let your child view that. You can go have a drink (your beverage of choice) and relax. You are in no condition to be reading a storybook. You are not invested. It is not that you are necessarily a bad caregiver. I’m not judging. I don’t know you. You are just not in the right frame of mind to complete the task at hand.

To read a storybook and actually connect with the book and the child, you need to be fully invested in the child and the story. There is no fooling a child. The second your mind starts to wander, the child will wander with you. Reading a storybook is work. And, it should be. The benefits that you read about in those articles I linked? You didn’t think those fell out of the sky, did you? Reading a storybook takes concentration, anticipation, joy, rhythm, and enthusiasm. You cannot do it if your mind is wandering all over the place. You have to fully commit.

If you want to establish a routine of regular reading with your child, you have to do just that: establish a regular routine. It has to be when you both set aside a place and time to be in your own little world–undisturbed from the world around you. You have to start by making the time available in your schedule, to be present. This is not something you can half-ass.

2. Do the Voices. If you are reading along and wondering if you need to do the voices of the various characters, the answer is a resounding, yes! And, by the way, the narrator has a voice. Kids love when each character has a different voice. It keeps up their attention, it sparks their interest, it engages their minds. I want you to stop for a moment and think of the story of The Three Little Pigs. Those of you that know the story, know the line: “Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll bloooooow, your house down!” OK, how many of you just heard that in the voice of the Big Bad Wolf? What about “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin”? Did you hear that in the voice of a tiny, squealing little pig? Chances are you did.

Now I’m not going to kid you. Doing voices is hard work. And, I know that some of you are put off by this. But I have news for you: your child doesn’t care whether or not you are any good at doing the voices. They only care about your enthusiasm and that you try. So, here are some tricks of the trade. If voices are not your strong suit, do dynamic reading. Vary your rhythm. Speed things up. Slow them down. Take, dramatic, pauses. Stop. Continue. Talk Louder! Talk softer. The punctuation on the page is your friend. Use it as a guidepost. [By the way, even if your voices are good, you should be reading dynamically anyway.]

3. Your Reading Must Be Interactive. Anticipatory/interactive reading is key to not only building a life-long love of reading but to building the critical thinking and reasoning skills we all need to survive in the world.

As you read the story, ensure that your child explores the pictures on the page. Ask questions like: “What do we see in these pictures?” “What do you think this means?” “How is this character feeling?” “Is she happy? Sad?” “Have we seen this before?” “Is there something missing?” You can even ask your child to predict what might happen depending on what the pictures are showing. Every now and then, take pauses in the story and ask your child to review for you what has happened so far. This, is your check for understanding. With younger children, you may have to do a bit of leading. Once you’ve done a recap, ask your child to predict what’s going to happen next and why they think that’s going to happen. As your child gets older, the predictions will get better.

The key to interactive reading is to remember that you are not just a reader, you are actively acting as a parent, teacher, caregiver, instructor, and mentor. You are developing vocabulary, bridging synapses, strengthening concepts–in short, you are building a human building. All, under the guise of reading a storybook. 

ALEXANDER FERNÁNDEZ
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Father, children's book critic, writer, judge, director, actor and amature photographer—together with his husband of 25 years—raising an energetic four-year old! "Parent is not just a noun, it's a verb.  If you're ever in doubt as to what to do, substitute the word caregiver.  It will steer you in the right direction."  

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8 Unconventional Ways to Thank Teachers

By Jennifer Landis

One of the most important things a parent can do is make sure that their child is taken care of by the best people whenever they’re away from home. Of course, that means you’ve done your research to find which school in your area was the best for your kid and if they had great teachers.

Teachers have a huge impact on the kids they see every day and they deserve to be thanked for all the hard work they do. Here are some easy and unconventional ways you can give back to teachers this school year.

1. Make a Classroom Kit: Teachers face many roadblocks on their journey to educate children, and one of the biggest ones is a lack of school funding. This means they end up buying their own classroom supplies most of the time because the school itself doesn’t have the money for it. You may have already donated supplies like tissue boxes and hand sanitizer, but you can put together a classroom kit with other things that no one ever thinks to give. Printer paper, pens, lots of tape, glue, and big erasers are always good for teachers to have on hand. The printer paper is especially thoughtful since printing is so limited due to budget cuts.

2. Sweeten Their Mornings: Is your child’s teacher known for always having a hot drink in their hand in the morning? You can sweeten the deal by putting their favorite coffee or tea blends in a gift bag, along with a little something extra. No teacher should lose out on a good cup of coffee because they’re so busy teaching that their drink cools. Give them a mug heater that will keep their drink at the perfect temperature. They can plug it in and get right back to hot coffee in between lessons. Want to be even more unconventional? Get one for every teacher on your child’s hallway, so they can all enjoy their morning drinks when they get the chance.

3. Volunteer for Field Trips: Teachers do so much for their students, but they can’t do everything on their own. Giving back to your teacher may come in the form of volunteering for field trips. Many parents often can’t volunteer because they’re working full-time jobs. If you’re a stay at home parent or have PTO to use, consider helping out on a field trip to make the experience easier on your kid’s teacher.

4. Play the Lottery: You may have never thought about this before, but playing the lottery actually gives back to all teachers in your state. Just be careful that you buy from an educational lottery and not a regular one. Educational lotteries were created to help fund grade schools in each state, so you can trust that the money you put towards a lottery ticket will go back into funding your child’s school. You can find out more by reading about how they give back, which every educational lottery should post online. See how much they’ve donated and what that money has been used for in the school system. Then you can have fun purchasing a lottery ticket for yourself or even to hand out to friends as gifts. Even if you don’t win anything, your money still goes towards a good cause.

5. Send Thank You Notes: Most of the sacrifices teachers make are never seen. They might stay up late making lesson plans or go for years without a pay raise, all because they love what they do. You can make their day all year long by sending a thank you note whenever you see them go the extra mile. Send one after a parent teacher conference or an event they put together for the kids. Even if there isn’t a big event that happens, send them a thank you note anyway. It’ll make their day to know that their hard work is recognized and valued.

6. Start a Fundraiser: You may not have much money to give to the school on your own, but a group of parents can make a big difference. Partner with a big brand to start a fundraiser for your child’s school. That helps all the teachers out and makes the entire school a better place for kids to learn. Brands will often partner with fundraisers because they get a small profit off of it. As you sell their products, they make money and then donate a portion of that money to the school assigned to benefit from the fundraiser. Make a phone call or send an email to find out how you can make this happen to give back to every teacher who makes your child’s school such a great learning environment.

7. Advocate For Them: Maybe the best way you could give back to teachers is by getting involved in the politics that keep them from earning what they deserve. Advocate for them since they’re working overtime and often can’t do it for themselves. Contact your local legislature and talk with representatives about what’s being done for teachers in upcoming potential bills. Connect with people online who are part of groups that fight for teachers’ rights and attend their rallies. When enough people raise their voices, change happens. Traditional gifts are nice at the moment, but lasting change is the real thank you that teachers deserve.

8. Throw a Surprise Party: Teachers sometimes host birthday parties for the kids in their classroom if the parents want to have one at school, so why not have one for your child’s teacher instead? Get the parents of your child’s class together and have everyone pitch in. Ask the school’s principal if it’s okay to have a party on school grounds and then get creative. Bring food, drinks, and gifts and have them set up outside the school or in the cafeteria. Your child’s teacher will be shocked to see everyone celebrating them, and the kids will love an excuse to eat pizza and other fun food.

Put Yourself in the Teacher’s Shoes: If you can’t think of a way to give back to the teacher in your child’s life, put yourself in their shoes. What would you want most? More classroom supplies, extra help from parents or the knowledge that parents support you outside the classroom?

Whatever you decide to do will be thoughtful, so make the effort to put something and thank your child’s teacher this school year.

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.

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Respect Is a Two-Way Street—Especially with Your Kids

By Tina Louise Balodi

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find out what it means to me…

What is respect? Does anyone know besides Aretha Franklin? Does anyone really know what respect is? Did you grow up hearing things like, “Respect your elders; you must respect me—I AM THE PARENT, TEACHER, AUTHORITY—be respectful of others, etc.?” I never really understood what people meant by be respectful or you’re being disrespectful. These statements seem to cover a lot of different scenarios.

I often wondered about this word. It seemed so important and powerful. I didn’t understand why it would be given so blindly. I didn’t understand what it meant that it had to be earned. I always felt like it was just part of being alive and human. Like treating all humans and animals with respect meant being kind. Even if we look up the definition, I believe, we may all have different definitions for this word and different expectations.

I have never understood the common parenting terms to describe kids such as talking back or being rude, sassy, disrespectful, etc. I believe these are labels given when a child is showing emotions and uncomfortable with what’s happening in their world. Typically, a parent then may feel uncomfortable as well and unprepared to handle this emotional outburst, so they may quickly label/name the behavior and punish their child for having these big emotions. We never used these terms with our girls. We might have said we are not comfortable with how they are speaking, but have not used these common labels.

Imagine if a parent could “recognize” an energetic misalignment by how their child is speaking and reacting and think to themselves, “Hm, maybe there is another way I can say what I need to say or ask what I need to ask that would show my child respect and assist them with their reactions and emotions.”

Imagine a parent realizing that in that exact moment where they think their child is responding inappropriately, they take a step back and look at their own behavior, communication, actions and emotions. Where do parents think that their child is even “learning to be disrespectful?” A baby isn’t born speaking with an attitude.

I have always felt that respect needed to be modeled, not just a one-way street. If parents who desire respect know so much about it, I would imagine that they would be the BEST people to learn from and really honestly show a child what respect looks like. How good it can feel? How beautiful might it be to communicate respectfully?

When I became a mom and I got to the point where my kids could speak and interact, I already knew something about treating my family with respect because I related this word to kindness.

Sometimes a solution is right there in front of our faces. It’s often hard to even accept a solution that is so easy when a situation feels so difficult. So what is the secret here? I’ll tell you.

The secret to getting your child to respect you? You respect your child. 

That’s it! There, I said it.

We can only teach what we know and if we are older and we know what respect looks like, we are so lucky, we can model it to our child and they will learn what it feels like. How it feels to be heard, to be valued, to be loved, to be kind, to be compassionate to someone. To see us doing it, they will learn it.

They will see how we respond to them when they have big emotions or have a hard time getting their feelings out in a loving way. We can respect THEM by responding with love and showing them how it’s done. They can learn from us as they hear us speak on the phone, while we drive, while we shop and we are out in the world.

If they are speaking in a way that doesn’t feel aligned with your values and how you treat them, then you know for sure, they need your help, love and respect. They need you to see beyond their behavior and tone of voice and they need your help to soothe their painful emotions.

So what are some ways we can show respect to our children? I believe there are so many ways we can do this, even too many to list. These are just some of our favorite everyday ways you can try from our list of what we do in our home:

  • Speaking to them with love and respect and kindness and compassion (yes, even if they are not speaking kindly).
  • Learning the names of their favorite toys and stuffed animals & then refer to them by name.
  • Listening to their stories and ask questions and get curious about how they feel, what they like and why the like it.
  • Shifting your response to seeing their toys around… Isabella our oldest, taught me to see toys all over the floor as Creative Innovative Learning… At first glance, I might have seen a messy room, but once I took the time to communicate and listen, she explained a very detailed story where every “pile” was part of a bigger story.   Then, learning to help them lovingly organize/clean because of “energy” and dust and cleanliness, etc. and not calling this “chores.”
  • Asking their permission before taking their fort down OR cleaning their toys yourself or putting away their things.
  • Giving them a choice and options of what they can eat and taking. them shopping with you so they can learn about healthy lifest‌yles.
  • Educating them about why you make the decisions you make and explaining to them so they can understand.
  • Asking if they want their photo taken and do they want it posted or just for us to keep as a memory.
  • Noticing: Are they busy? Are they engaged with something or someone else? Asking to come to see you when they get a minute…or if they are playing an electronic game does their game have a pause button?
  • Allowing them to say NO to you!
  • Giving a choice: Are they in the mood to help? Sometimes I ask Gabi to help empty the silverware and organize it from the dishwasher…except we don’t call it “chores.” I simply say, “I am in need of a Silverware Fairy. Is she around? Does she have some time to stop by?” I am okay with her saying yes or no, so she typically says yes since it’s not required.
  • Letting them wear two different socks—even outside the house!
  • Helping them: Seeing them leave their clothes on the floor and noticing they are tired and asking them if they need you to pick them up.
  • Allowing your young child yell at the top of their lungs, show some hard emotions and instead of responding with fear or anger, helping them by getting them a glass of water, sitting quietly near them or hugging them. Letting them know you are there and you love them and you’re both going to work this out.
  • Letting your child throw you paper airplane messages while they are hiding and recovering from getting angry; realigning their energy, allowing them to not answer you until they are ready to speak.
  • Being okay with your child changing their mind after you cooked, putting it in the fridge for someone to eat later and make them something else—or when they are hungry they will eat, but we all deserve to eat something we feel is yummy and nutritious and delicious.
  • Laying down with your child at night after they are all washed up and teeth brushed and they say they’re hungry and going downstairs for a late night drink or small snack and re-brushing teeth without complaining and blaming.
  • Letting your child know that it’s okay they forgot something and telling them a story about when you forgot something important and finding ways to help remind each other of what they need to do or bring (we like to write on the calendar or set iPhone alarms).
  • Communicating with your child with loving-kindness, compassion and respect and reminding them often of your love and assuring them that whatever comes up you will face it together as a team.
  • Supporting your child when they want to stop taking guitar lessons, dance, etc. and together figuring out what they can do next or being okay with them not doing anything structured until they are excited to.
  • Honoring your child’s individual needs, even if they are different than everyone else’s needs. This might look like bringing their favorite stuffed animal out, storing their toys in your purse/bag or always keeping earplugs in your purse/bag because you know your child is sensitive to loud noises & discreetly handing them to them without discussing it and making a scene.
  • Asking them permission as they grow, if you can give them a hug or put their hair up or brush their hair or wipe their face or help them in any way.

Because we live this Prana Boost Lifest‌yle™, there are literally hundreds of ways that we all show each other respect in our home. It might look different for everyone, but at the end of the day what matters most is the connection you have with your children and loved ones. So I see respect as a result of just creating a loving environment.

P.S. This secret is actually the secret for any relationship, not just with a child. Insert here, human, family member, boss, co-workers, neighbors, etc.

This post originally appeared on Prana Boost.
Tina Louise Balodi
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Tina Louise Balodi is a Mommapreneur and Founder of PranaBoost.com and PranaBoostParenting.com. Tina is a mindful momma to two unschooled girls who are 10 and 12 and has been happily together with her husband, business partner and best friend for 22 years. Tina is a peace advocate, author, speaker and tansformational leader, as well as host of The Prana Boost Show™ podcast.

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This Hilarious Parent-Teacher Conference Video Is Almost Too Real

by Shahrzad Warkentin

Technology has changed a lot in our daily lives in the last two decades, including the way we parent. This viral parent-teacher conference video is hilarious proof that some things just aren’t quite what they used to be. Read on to see the hilarious footage.

Created by blogger Tiffany Jenkins of Juggling the Jenkins, her video shines a very, very funny light on how different it is to parent in the digital age versus the experience many parents today had themselves as kids growing up in the eighties and nineties.

In the video Jenkins plays dual roles as both teacher and parent at a parent-teacher conference. In her short video, she illustrates some of the experiences that are unique to millennial parents, like digital classroom behavior apps to send messages home—instead of the old note pinned to the sweater routine of bygone days. And then there’s that whole pressure to get kids Harvard-ready before they graduate…kindergarten.

Beyond the Class Dojo jokes, the real message of the video is actually a pretty good one. While we might not want our kindergartners just “eating glue and coloring pictures,” there is definitely a lot more pressure on kids than there was when Gen Y and older millennial parents were kids—so maybe we could all consider pumping the “brakes a little with all the seriousness,” as Jenkins puts it so amazingly in her video.

You can see more of Jenkins’ hilarious videos about parenting at her Juggling the Jenkins YouTube channel.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Juggling the Jenkins via YouTube

 

RELATED STORIES:

This Viral “How to Parent” Video Is Almost Too Relatable

We Are Every Mom in This Mom’s Viral Video about School Drop-Offs

This Mom’s Viral Post about Her “Organic” Family Dinners Is All Too Real

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5 Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences

By Joan Lowell


Whether you are the parent or the teacher, conferences can be stressful. I should know. I am a mom of six and have sat through my fair share of meetings with teachers, not all of them showers of glowing praise. I am also a teacher with over twenty years of classroom experiences, including probably hundreds of meetings with parents. Not all meetings happen for the same reasons, but there are some general rules for how to make the conference a success for everyone.

Remove preconceived notions or prejudices. 

Yes, we all have them (admit it!). Maybe your child has told you something (potentially out of context) or you think you know something about the teacher with whom you plan to meet. Maybe you already have a feeling this won’t go well, or you have previous experience with the same teacher. To the best of your ability, try to go into any meeting with an open mind; after all, each party ultimately wants what is best for your child to meet or exceed his or her potential.

Lead with something positive.

The best way to break the ice is not necessarily with a joke unless you’ve got a really good one. I find telling a teacher something my kid loves about his or her class helps, or if I can speak intelligently, something I love about their classroom or my kid’s reaction to the teacher’s class. Maybe all the teacher has are positive comments, but at least if there are any negative ones, he or she will know my kid (or me) doesn’t hate them. And this is not schmoozing…think of it as rapport-building.

Remain focused on the issue at hand, if one exists.

Sometimes, the meeting is just a meet-and-greet or a general open house. In that case, get your information and get out of there. Other times, it is a simple report of current performance and a chance to tell the teacher something personal about your kid. I don’t mean life-story, but his or her interests so the teacher gets to know your child.

If the issue is performance or behavior, stick to what is happening or has happened and what to do moving forward. Kids do act differently at school, or away from their parents, so don’t be shocked or think the teacher is a liar. I have always been the kind of parent to recognize my kids aren’t perfect and sometimes do and say terrible things. If that happens, you gotta deal with it.

Make a plan for moving forward.

If your child is performing up to standards, as they say, plan to encourage your child and continue to support him or her at home with time and space to do homework. If your child is not performing well, plan to work with your child and his or her teacher to address the problem immediately, starting that day, with specifics, like checking the agenda or online class page for homework assignments and ensuring that your child completes them.

Decide how you will communicate with the teacher about how the plan is going, whether it be a short note in the agenda, an email or phone call. If the issue is classroom behavior, talk to your child about expectations you have for him or her and possible consequences if they are not met (yes, I do think kids should have consequences at home for bad behavior at school).

Above all, keep calm and choose your words carefully.
Obviously, you are attending a meeting and that shows your commitment and dedication to working together for your child’s benefit. Sometimes, this is where the common ground ends, but just like the rest of life, you have to deal with it and move on. Your child won’t have this teacher forever, but that doesn’t mean you should tell him or her off today! Seriously, you never know when you or your child may encounter this person in the future, so it is best to stay positive, even in the worst of situations.

Parent-teacher conferences are great opportunities to hear about our kids’ academic performance and potential, and also share what is great about our kids. It isn’t always academics. Teachers sometimes need reminding of this fact. If your conference doesn’t go as planned, hopefully the teacher will try to include you in some way as the year closes. Otherwise, you’ll get to try again next year. If it goes really poorly, you might want to involve an administrator if the issue is serious enough. Just follow my five tips and you’ll be enjoying summer vacation before you know it!

Featured Photo Courtesy: NeONBRAND via Unsplash

Go Au Pair representative, cultural childcare advocate, Mom to six great kids, I earned my BS at RI College and MEd at Providence College. My hats: educator, tutor and writer of local blog for Go Au Pair families and Au Pairs. Baking, gardening, reading and relaxing on the porch are hobbies.

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What You Need to Know About Nest & How They’re Making Parenting Easier

by Erin Lem
Partner Content

Swaddle master. Band-aid supplier. Bear hug pro. Keeping your kids safe and happy is your number one priority and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Good news: Nest shares your vision. Their three state-of-the-art products–Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Protect and Nest Cam–are all about making your family’s home a safe and enjoyable place. Read on to get the scoop on Nest and how their devices are making parenting easier.

Nest Cam

You cherish quality time with your family, but as a busy parent, it’s impossible to be with them 24/7. When you’re away from home and wonder “Did I remember to put the leftovers away?”, “Is the baby awake?”, “What’s the dog getting into?”. Nest Cam is the reliable and easy way to know what’s happening at home, no matter where you are.

How It Works
Once you’ve installed the Nest Cam, download the Nest app and you’ll be able to see a live video on your phone within minutes. The live video feed is always in high-definition with the ability to zoom in and a 130 degree angle of whichever room your Cam is located in. Since you won’t always be looking at your video feed, Nest Cam listens for sound and detects motion and can send you alerts on your phone when something happens. But, Nest Cam just doesn’t stop at high-def visuals; the device also features a mic and speaker, meaning you can hear what’s going on and talk back using the Nest app.

Parent Perks
The Nest Cam is much more than a way to check out what's going on at home when you're away. Its Nest Aware subscription service allows you to continuously record up to 30 days of video and save clips to share with your friends and family. So if you’re away on a business trip or get held up at a parent-teacher conference, you’ll still be able to relish and share in those special family moments. The Nest Aware and Video History service subscriptions start at just $10/month for 10 days of history.

New & Noteworthy
The new Nest Cam stand is easy to mount and is versatile enough to allow you to place the camera in places previously inaccessible. The Cam also includes a night vision LED sensors so you’ll be able to see the room in pitch black darkness.

Available at Nest.com for $199

Are you a Nest user? Tell us about your experience! If you’re not, which device best suits your family? 

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Make Your Next Parent-Teacher Conference a Hit

by rtfrankiekatafias

Photo Courtesy: Reddit User martyz

We all know “that one kid” who gives us headache . . . and sometimes that kid is our own. When that’s the case, it’s best to come to your parent-teacher conferences prepared. That’s just what this couple did, with this custom-made bottle of wine: “Our child might be the reason you drink, so enjoy this bottle on us.” And really, that’s a better teacher gift than an apple any day.

What is the most creative teacher gift you’ve seen?

— Francesca Katafias

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