Fort Worth Moms

Local scholarships can provide valuable financial support to students pursuing their academic goals.

Disclaimer :: This guide contains content from featured sponsors. Looking to send your child to day camp or overnight camp this summer? Check out our...

Disclaimer :: While this article uses the two-parent household from her own experience, these tips can apply to single parents and other guardians or...

When our littles get back home at the end of a very full, exciting day, they're tired. At the beginning of the year, when they're not used to it, they are VERY tired.

Allow yourself a predetermined schedule that creates time for play, homework, snack, dinner, and some much-needed mom time.

So right now, we are getting creative with food that can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Whether at home, at a pod, actually attending school, or anything in between, here are some of the current faves.

No matter what your school plan is for the fall, it's time to gear up and get ready. Grab your list and a big cup of coffee and hit the ground running.

The PTA needs you. I've yet to come across someone who says, "We have too many volunteers!" If you have something to offer, give it.

As a pre-K teacher, I loved when parents had at least a couple of questions because it meant they were invested in finding the right fit for their students. So, if you're hitting the admission tours, I've compiled a list of some questions -- for the school, for the admissions director, and for the teacher -- to help you get started.

Although I wistfully dream of my children playing outdoors for hours, then coming inside and happily doing crafts at the table while I bake...

Think about what you would like for them to do as they get older. For my family, we wanted to continue to do two days a week for preschool and add a day of museum school as our children get older, so we made sure to pick a preschool that has a two day per week option for all ages, even pre-K.

I've hesitated to send yogurt (due to rule number two -- keep it easy to clean up), but our yogurt-eating skills have come a long way, so I'm almost ready to take that plunge.

You're in luck! In this episode, Beth and Emily chat with the wonderful Chalna, who we've dubbed the "best elementary school mom ever." And what makes her so great? You'll just have to take a listen to hear her six rules and all her hilarious antics.

I started the meeting by asking if I might give some perspective, noting that I had failed to offer them important insight to my child. Instead of assuming they knew what I did, I asked if they would allow me to help them understand my child so we could all work toward solutions.

We try to buy interesting, but not trendy, backpack patterns since these will last a little longer than one school year. May I suggest dark colors to hide the myriad of spills, markers, and ground crayons that will be absorbed? Similarly, get the good folders and the real pencils.

It's magical and a mile marker -- in your child's life and yours. Beth and Emily -- and a few call-in friends -- share some secrets they wish they knew before the big kindergarten year. Take a listen!

Dismissing their fears by telling them a shooting could never happen at their school does them a disservice, could potentially harm them if they don't pay attention or if they disregard drills at school, and puts a kink in their ability to rely on you for accurate information. No one wants to talk to their kids about violence at school, but communicating with kids without sharing unnecessary details could save your child's life. 

This episode is also known as the jackpot of parenting. Hear GREAT tips and encouragements from mothers, who have already walked through the middle school years with their kiddos.

Elementary school has readiness tests, thousands of blogs, kindergarten round-Ups, playdates, and Boo-Hoo/Yahoo Breakfasts. Middle school did not have those same resources, so I found that he and I were very much winging it as we went along. 

I have been a middle school educator for 15 years, so I have some pointers for you to make this transition much smoother. 

You are probably thinking back your high school experience and excited for your child, or you are full of dread that you are attempting to hide. You are probably trying to manage how to determine the level of support and guidance you should provide as your child is transitioning quickly to official adulthood.

Meal times at home, bedtime routines, conversations in the car. Any time you can give your middle schooler some space to talk, connect, and just relax -- do it.

Local scholarships can provide valuable financial support to students pursuing their academic goals.

We discussed the natural feelings of liking someone, handling this by choosing to sit together at lunch, or being part of group gatherings for birthdays or school events.  

If you are looking for mom-to-mom advice about parenting teenagers, then this is THE episode for you. The end. It's that good. That's all we have to say. 

Parenting high schoolers requires us to shift our strategies from how we were parented. It’s going to look different from “back in my day.” Rather than expect my kids to fit into the paradigm of my experience, I need to be willing to adapt to their reality.

We are all doing our best, no matter what type of schooling is best for your family. I am excited for all of the schooling options that are now available. Homeschool groups, homeschool co-ops (where you can take single classes), partial-week schools, and democratic schools are just a few alternatives.

You can create a truly personalized education plan for YOUR child. If something isn’t working, you can change it. This past school year, I changed my son’s math curriculum in November. I also took two months off from phonics, because he was dreading every lesson. Guess what. It was fine.

You'll find tips, laughs, and a tug or two at your heartstrings in this episode.

Not only are these young adult years stretching for the child, but they are also stretching for the parent. So, how can you best navigate them?

I'm finding that box club is far more than a social gathering to me. It's a tangible way to mother in this new season. It's building community with other moms and showing love to our college kids who are scattered all across the country. It's the perfect combination of my love of event planning, bargain shopping, and creativity.

According to the College Board, the average price of tuition for 2017 is $9,410 for a public four-year (in-state student) and $32,410 for a private four-year college. It is hard to know what it will cost in 18 years; many people say the trend of around a 6 percent annual increase will continue, while other reports think the bubble will burst at some point. What we can be certain of is the cost of tuition will be more than it is today.

I titled this article "When the School Year Isn't Going the Way You Hoped" intentionally because the school year likely feels pretty normal to my son by now.

You have to give yourself grace through this journey. You will make a mistake and you will have amazing days.

If you think your child might be on the autism spectrum, the earlier you get a diagnosis, the better equipped you'll be through the elementary years.

To bring awareness year-round (don't forget to celebrate April as World Autism Month!), I've put together a resource guide for parents, children, and young adults that focuses specifically on Fort Worth.

The academics, he mastered. He mastered them in a heartbeat. It was the "everything else" he wasn't mastering. The listening to directions, keeping hands to oneself, and keeping emotions in check were far from being mastered. We were on the verge of being kicked out of the employee daycare center. Our whole family seemed to be in a downward spiral, and we looked for something, anything, to stop it.

Often, atypical kids are more anxious about everyday things that many kids do not even stress about. Prepping him on where he can find the bathroom, when and where he will eat, and how to open his locker will help him feel more comfortable with such a tremendous change in school settings.