What age is old enough for children to stay home alone?

Q: What age is old enough for children to stay home alone? When do you think it's okay to leave children home alone? Is there an age when it becomes safe, or certain rules that they have to follow? Does time of day influence your decision, or the length of time they'll be alone? What are your thoughts?

Back To School: The Right Way To Help With Homework

Back To School: The Right Way To Help With Homework

Can you help too much?

Increasing competitiveness and assignement overload are causing some parents to do their children's homework for them. Here's advice from expers about what parental input truly helps kids...and what doesn't.

• DO provide your child with a space in the house that is clean, well lit and set aside especially for doing homework.
  

• DON'T let your kid watch TV, take phone calls or make pit stops at the refrigerator during homework time.
  

• DO help your child get started on tasks and brainstorm ideas for projects. Ask what topics are of interest to him/her.
  

• DON'T tell your child the answers. This sends the message that soemone will bail him/her out when faced with a challenge.
  

• DO praise your child. Educators say that effort is more important than success. Be sure to applaud small milestones.
  

• DON'T nag or bully your child into getting homework done. Pestering most often breeds resentment, not motivation.
  

• DO acknowledge homework that is well done. But instead of gifts, let him/her pick and activity, such as a trip to the zoo.
  

• DON'T bribe your child to do homework by offering money or gifts. This teaches kids to work only for compensation.
  

Where to get School Uniforms, Locally!

Super Nanny Tips to Make School Fun.

Super Nanny Tips to Make School Fun.

Dedicated time

Avoid procrastination by structuring your child's study and homework, setting aside time in the afternoon or evening where school and study is the focus, free of distractions like TV, e-mail and that pesky cell phone. While it is important to take exercise and snack breaks (at least 10 minutes for every 50 minutes of study), the focus of this time should be study, and it should be part of your family routine.

If procrastination is a problem, a simple Reward System might boost their motivation. Offer to cook your child's favorite meal or take them to the mall if they can complete two hours' study in their most difficult subject.

When it is appropriate, participate with interactive quizzes, and help solving problems in math, science, English, etc. By understanding the areas where your child's interest wanders, or they are having difficulty, you can give them the tools to find the answers themselves, and ignite interest in critical thinking and problem-solving.

Tutoring

We are not all oriented toward reading, science or math, so there may be times when your child will benefit from tutoring. Ask the teachers in your child's school where to seek help, or ask other parents where they have found success with their children.

Study groups work well for some children. And tutoring companies like Sylvan Learning or SCORE! Centers have locations throughout the U.S. - many other private resources should be available in your community. If your children are plugged into the Internet, they may benefit from an online tutoring service.

When it comes to tutoring, do your own homework. Tutoring services can be costly, and they are only as good as the results they help your child achieve.

Test preparation

On the actual test day, your child should feel prepared, calm and rested. Unfortunately, many children's study habits make them feel over-stressed, tired and nervous on test day.

If your child takes time each day to master material, preparation before test day should be all about review, and relatively stress-free. Continue to adhere to a structured study time, and make sure your child gets a good rest the night before test day. Send them armed with flash cards or other references that will give them an opportunity for last-minute review before they sit down for the test.

Remember: Perfection is impossible to achieve

Sure your children can score 100 percent on their exams, but learning isn't just about test results. Children who value learning understand that it involves a combination of discipline and genuine curiosity - it's more about the journey than the destination.

To encourage your children, stress the process in your conversations, focusing on their experiences. "What did you learn today?" is a good starter. Or "Do you feel ready for your exam?" and later, "How did your test go?"

If you know that children are giving their best effort, and are motivated by interest in the subject matter, the grades will follow. There will be subjects and classes that don't do it for your child, but when they learn for learning's sake, they can handle the coursework, and even get something out of it. It sure beats dragging them through their homework every night, and having them cram information that won't stick around beyond test day.

Other Super Nanny Articles of Interest:

Boosting Reading Skills

Best Homework Websites

Taking The Stress Out Of Test Day

Back To School: Choosing The Best Backpack

Back To School: Choosing the BEST Backpack

Can you identify a well-made backpack?

What do four textbooks, plust three notebooks and a host of electronic devices in a backpack equal? Risk of back pain, or worse, if kids aren't careful. Experts say kids should never carry more than 15% of their body weight. Consider these features when shopping for the right bag:

• Two Padded Shoulder Straps reduce pressure. Contoured (as opposed to straight) straps permit free arm movement and avoid prssure under the arms.
  

• A Hip Belt transfers some weight from the back and shoulders downward, resulting in a more even distribution of the load.
  

• Reflective Material makes kids more visible at dawn, dusk or on dark, foggy days.
  

• Multiple Compartments spread weight around while keeping items secure and accessible.
  

• Bags with Air Pads can provide extra support to the lower back if your kid chooses to carry it or opt for a wheeled backpack to really take the load off.
  

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