Celebrate the End of the School Year with Your Kids
It’s time to celebrate ten months of packing lunches, checking homework, and ensuring your kids get out the door before the school bus or carpool leaves! In our fast-paced culture, it can be easy to forget to commemorate big moments and transitions, such as the transition from the end of the school year to summer…
Strengthening Family and School Partnership at Sunnycrest Elementary
Kelley Schottle is the Principal at Sunnycrest Elementary in the Federal Way, WA, School District. In the summer of 2023, Schottle participated, along with half of her school staff, in the BELONG Partners workshop Rooted Relationships: Growing Equitable Classroom Communities workshop. After taking that workshop, Schottle was interested in other components of the BELONG Partners…
Engage Kids in Problem Solving
Family meetings are a powerful tool to build the life skills that we want our children to have. Holding family meetings helps children learn empathy, cooperation, mutual respect, and effective, solution-focused problem solving. The consistent practice of gathering as a family, giving and receiving compliments, and solving problems helps families run more smoothly and builds…
Parents & Families Can Show Appreciation for Educators All Year Long
We appreciate educators year-round for all their hard work, and in May, Teacher Appreciation Week gives us a chance to celebrate them and show educators how much we value them! Through COVID-19 scares, virtual teaching, and returning to in-person school, educators have remained nimble and dedicated in serving our students and families. Here are a…
Relationship Tools You Can Use to Repair Mistakes and Maintain Connection with Your Child
Conflict is an inevitable part of life, and we often are not taught how to repair harm once it occurs, especially not with our children. It is vital for parents and caregivers to remain in healthy connection with their child after conflict occurs, and to model what an effective repair conversation looks like. This not…
How Learning Brain Science is Helpful for Parents, Caregivers, and Kids
Brain science is not just for neuroscientists! How can it help parents and caregivers? Educating yourself and your kids about brain science helps deepen your understanding of behavior and emotions. Everything—from the way humans learn, to the way we engage with each other, to our capacity for thinking, feeling, learning, and problem-solving — all functions…
Honor Legacies by Teaching Children to Take Action & Make Contributions
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is deeper than his famous quotes and speeches. This year, we are honoring his legacy through action. King believed that all people should be able to belong and contribute meaningfully within their communities, and that anti-blackness and oppression prohibit community care. In our individualistic world, it’s vital to…
Self-regulation and Co-regulation are the Keys to More Peace and Fewer Power Struggles
Imagine you are on your way out the door and your 5-year-old is crying on the floor, your 8-year-old is yelling at them to stop crying, and you’re trying to talk over both of them to get them into the car. If this sounds familiar, keep reading! Almost every parent has experienced some rendition of…
Showing Up for Trans Kids Creates Equitable and Inclusive Communities for All Kids – Ideas and Resources for Parents and Caregivers
Whether you have a trans child in your own family or want to support trans kids in your community, we must first educate ourselves and work through our own biases. If you’re parenting or in community with a trans child, your support could be a protective buffer for their mental health and development. If you’ve…
How Family Meetings Can Help Kids Learn to Use Their Voice
Now that the school year is in full swing, we find ourselves settled into the hectic monotony of rushing kids to school, prepping dinner, and getting ready for bed. How do you connect with your kids and give them a voice in the family amidst the daily chaos? Consider trying out family meetings. Family meetings…
