Some children come by surprise, others are hoped and prayed for many months and years in advance, but all are blessings. As a parent, you probably feel so fortunate to have your children that it feels ungrateful to admit that they sometimes drive you crazy. Parenting is not for the weak, and if you’re not careful it can drain your energy and leave you feeling tired, anxious, and even depressed. 

The United States has a long-standing commitment to providing public education to students no matter their income or social status. But even in a world where free education is available to all, many families still choose to pay to enroll their children in private education. Sometimes parents make that choice to honor tradition or to gain them access to a perceived elite group, but most parents choose private schools because of the quality of education provided. Data shows that students from all socioeconomic strata who attend private schools fare better in college and are more likely to earn a four-year degree. 

It’s virtually impossible to hide from the enormous amount of input that is coming into our lives and into our minds at any given moment these days. No longer is news and entertainment forced to live inside your television or radio, but now it streams directly to you in your pocket. As parents, you do your best to stay up to date on all the right parenting tips and trends to ensure that you’re giving your children the best life possible, but how do you know who to listen to? And how can you make it through without giving in to the stress?

Every single year the world around us is changing and becoming far more technological. Consider this: the iPhone was only invented in 2007, and now nearly half of all cell phone users in the United States have iPhones. Chances are your children even have cell phones, laptops, tablets, video game consoles, and the list goes on and on. It’s doubtful that this trend will reverse itself, so if you’re not already on the technology train it’s high time to hop aboard. But how is tech impacting children’s education? There are a lot of things to consider on the subject. 

At St. Barnabas we are deeply proud of our reputation for providing high quality and engaging education for our students. Our goal is to prepare them for their academic future, and we are very successful at that. But just as much as your child’s academic learning is a priority, so too is their character development. From kindergarten through eighth grade, we weave character and spiritual development into the curriculum and see the huge benefits it has for our students. 

Where once online learning was a tool used primarily by colleges and universities, it’s now showing up in primary and secondary schools all over the country. The State of Florida even offers free access to an online curriculum called Florida Virtual School for all students (elementary through high school) in the state. And while online learning is not nearly as common as traditional schooling, there are plenty of parents who opt to enroll their children in this option. But how does online learning fit in with private education? 

Sending your kids to kindergarten can be scary. For many, this is the first time your child will be away from you for long periods of the day. In addition, the child has to be armed with some basic knowledge; every state, including Florida, has standards children must meet before starting school. These four parenting tips can help you prepare both your children and yourself, mentally and emotionally.

When you send your children off to school, you do so with the expectation that the school has the resources to support your child’s education, regardless of how strong a student they are. Some students need extra resources to ensure that they are challenged enough in their classes, while others need more support to be able to master the content taught at their grade level. Wherever your child lands on this spectrum, it’s reasonable to assume they will be afforded the necessary tools to succeed in their education.

We don’t have to tell you that all people learn and grow differently than one another. You can see that in the lives of your children and how they have developed. Your daughter may have learned to speak more quickly and easily, while your son became more physically coordinated at a younger age. You see examples in your own life, observing your spouse or coworkers struggle to understand or execute certain tasks that seem pretty simple to you.

Your children are out of school and will be for a few more weeks at least. For many families, this is a precious time to travel and make memories. Is your family getting the most out of your summer vacation? It’s important to note that summer vacation doesn’t have to require five-figure international trips.