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Find out when standardized tests will be given at your child’s school. Some kids need preparation for these tests, and it’s easier to help them prepare when you know when the tests are scheduled.

Listen for times when you can acknowledge your child being kind toward another person, doing a great job, or making the best of a situation.

Monitor how your child handles money. Talk honestly about your child’s financial strengths and weaknesses with him or her.

The next time your child seems inspired by a teacher or a subject in school, write that teacher a note or e-mail to say thanks for helping your child learn and develop.

Talk about advertising with your kids and how they are being targeted to spend money. Help them make sense of the messages bombarding them and encourage them to save money instead of spending it quickly.

By: Susan Ragsdale

Can families volunteer? Can I? What age do you have to be to volunteer here? These are the same questions that pour forth every year from 13 eager girls, ages 9-12, involved in my local YMCA's one-week summer volunteer camp. Read more >>

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Talk about saving money in a positive way to your kids. Explain what you’re saving for and how you’re excited about that.

When your kids seem to get particularly antsy, give them some undivided love and attention and see what happens.

Go to the store with a budget and calculator and have your kids help add things up as they are placed in the cart. This teaches kids that families have budgets and also helps with math skills. If the total starts to go over your budget, reassess and put some things back.

All kids need developmental relationships to grow up healthy, caring, responsible, and productive. So, what’s the problem?

Promote peace in your household by reminding your child that it starts with each one of us. Teach problem solving and getting along with others early in life.

If your kids ask you to buy something, tell them they need to wait 24 hours. This gets kids out of the habit of “I have to have this now so let’s buy it now.” It slows down their purchases and gives them time to think.

Show your kids how much you love and care for them by spending time together, asking their opinions, and setting boundaries.

Be intentional and consistent about money. For example, start a weekly allowance that provides the same amount of money each time. Be clear about what you will and will not pay for—otherwise kids will think they can ask you to pay for everything.

The next time one of your kids lashes out at you, don’t lash back. Say that the matter can be discussed later, when everyone has calmed.

Showing your kids that you care about helping others sets a powerful example. Decide on a percentage of your income that you will give each month and, with your child, pick which nonprofit organizations, schools, or charitable causes you will give to.

Accept that you cannot always solve your kids’ problems, but let them know that you intend to stick by them through thick and thin.

Do your best as a parent, but don’t expect perfection. Your kids aren’t perfect either, but you can focus on the good in them.

By: Rebecca Post, Guest Blogger

As another school year draws to a close, your children will be taking exams and completing final projects. You may assume that your child would never cheat, but you may also be aware of Americans’ shifting values around cheating. It seems that even some educators cheat. Most recently, 35 educators in the Atlanta Public Schools were indicted for falsely improving students’ test scores. Read more >>

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Talk about money with your kids when the conversations are easy and when they’re tough. When we talk about money with our kids, we teach them how to think about money and how to make positive choices.