50 Best Back-to-School Articles for Parents

What’s your parenting mindset as your children return to school? In addition to getting your student ready, back-to-school is also a time when most parents revisit strategies that help support their children during the academic year.

As a writer and researcher with a passion for positive youth development, I regularly connect with educators and psychologists who write superb articles for parents.

These authors share the latest thinking and research on learning, achievement, family well-being, parent engagement, special needs children, youth sports, media, technology, discipline, homework, bullying, and much more.

As your children get resettled into the school routine, take some time for yourself – to reflect on your own values about education and how you can more intentionally support your children. I’ve compiled what I believe are some of the best recent articles for parents – from a variety of reputable bloggers. The list is divided by topic and I’ve put a short summary of what you will find in each one.

Read what piques your interest now and bookmark others for later. And if you like particular authors, be sure to follow their articles throughout the school year by signing up for their RSS feeds or email subscriptions. If you use social media, I’ve included links to their Twitter accounts and Facebook Pages to make following easy.

I guarantee you’ll find some meaningful food for thought here – and you’ll also meet some great people who support children’s positive growth and well-being. While you’re here, please consider subscribing by email to this blog and stay tuned for upgrades to the site aimed at keeping you even more informed on the topic of youth development!

Learning & Achievement

1. Teaching Beyond The Transmission of Knowledge by Miguel Angel Escotet, Ph.D. Parents are teachers too! Understand the educational philosophy of teaching to the test vs. teaching to the heart. Twitter

2. The Developmental Psychologists’ Back-to-School Shopping List by Gabrielle Principe, Ph.D. at Psychology Today. Five ways to improve children’s learning at all ages, grounded in scientific research.

3. Kindergarten Academics: What To Expect by Patti Ghezzi at SchoolFamily. Learn how kindergarten has changed and how new academic standards will affect your child. Twitter; Facebook Page

4. A Link Between Relatedness and Academic Achievement by Ugo Uche, LPC, at Psychology Today. The key to student success relies not just with teacher’s attitudes toward students but also with the student’s attitude towards the teacher. Parents help develop these attitudes! Twitter

5. Happiness in the Classroom by Jessica Lahey. A middle-school teacher’s tips for classroom happiness apply beautifully to parents too! Pass this one onto your child’s teacher! Twitter

6. Seven Ways to Encourage Reluctant Readers by Steve Reifman, M.Ed. A teacher’s strategies can turn your child from a reluctant to a willing reader. Try them out! Twitter; Facebook Page

7. Boys and Girls Learn Differently by Patti Ghezzi at SchoolFamily. Get insights on how to help your son or daughter at home and in the classroom. Twitter; Facebook Page

8. The Success Myth by Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. Rethink your ideas of what makes us succeed. Then apply them to your parenting. Twitter

Family Well-Being

9. It Isn’t Easy Being a Parent by the Search Institute. Nine strategies every parent should know based on fostering developmental assets in children. Twitter; Facebook Page

10. The Happy Teen: A Primer on the Positives in Youth Development by Stephen Gray Wallace, M.S.Ed. at Psychology Today. Read some good news about adolescent development.

11. Growing Empathy by Jody McVittie, M.D. at SoundDiscipline. How to see the world through children’s eyes, without judgement. Twitter; Facebook Page

12. Resisting Raising Children Who Feel Entitled by Jan Faull, M.Ed. at ParentNet Unplugged. How NOT to indulge your child’s every want. Twitter; Facebook Page

13. Four Tips for Having a Happier Family, by Joe Wilner at PsychCentral. How to deepen family bonds. Twitter; Facebook Page

14. The Seven Best Gratitude Quotes by Melanie A. Greenberg, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How to bring gratitude into your family’s life. Twitter; Facebook Page

15. Are Parents Setting Kids Up for Failure by Pushing Too Hard for Success? By Lylah M. Alphonse at Yahoo Shine. Tips from Madeline Levine’s new book, “Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success.” Twitter; Facebook Page

16. Five Lessons Our Kids Don’t Learn in School For Success in Life by Jennifer Owens at HuffPost Parents. Parents play a big role in teaching children how to succeed in life! Learn how. Twitter

17. Six Ways to Let Your Child’s Genius Out by Marjie Knudsen at The Oregonian. Learn how to support your child’s learning – for a lifetime! Twitter

18. Healthy Parenting after the Marriage Ends by Kevin D. Arnold, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How to support your children’s social, emotional and intellectual health after divorce. Twitter

Parent-Readiness and Engagement

19. Parent Involvement: The Missing Key to Student Achievement by James Norwood, Ph.D. at Teaching in the Middle. Learn why developing a partnership with school is one of the most important things you can do to help your child. Twitter

20. Are You Ready for the First Day of School? by Meryl Ain, Ed.D. at Your Education Doctor. An important back-to-school list for parents. Twitter; Facebook Page

21. Twenty-Five Education Blogs Perfect for Parents (And Just About Anyone Else) by Jeff Dunn at Edudemic. Excellent blogs to follow to keep abreast of what’s going on in education. Twitter Facebook Page

22. Two Questions Heard Around the World by Steve Constantino, Ed.D., at ParentNet Unplugged. When your children come home from school, replace the most common two questions asked by parents with a few well-placed statements! Twitter

23. Developing Belief Systems About Education: It Takes a Village by Nicole Rivera, Ed.D., at Psychology Today. Children develop beliefs about education through what their parents believe.

24. Top 10 Pinterest Boards for Parents by Cathy James at the NurtureStore. If you are looking for educational projects to do with preschool and elementary school-age children at home, Pinterest is the place to be! Twitter; Facebook Page

Back-to-School Anxiety

25. Back-To-School Worries by Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How to help children cope with starting a new school year. Twitter; Facebook Page

26. Ease Back-to-School Stress by Christine McLaughlin at SchoolFamily. How to help your child switch from laid-back fun of summer to homework and routine. Twitter; Facebook Page

Children with Special Needs, Abilities & Personalities

27. Ten Tips for Parenting an Introverted Child by Susan Cain at The Power of Introverts. Learn how introverted children are special and how to cultivate their passions. Twitter; Facebook Page

28. Five Strategies for Smooth Operating for the New School Year by Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M. at PTSCoaching. Good advice on getting organized, managing time, and using low-tech strategies to support children with ADHD. Twitter; Facebook Page

29. Five Ways to Help Your Child Transition Back to School by Chynna Laird at Special-lsm. Mom with child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) talks about creating a transition plan for supporting special needs children. Twitter; Facebook Page

30. The Need to Believe in the Ability of Disability by Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D. and Kevin McGrew at HuffPost Education. How our beliefs help or hinder children with disabilities. Twitter

31. The 200 Best Special Education Apps by Eric Sailers at Edudemic. Great apps for teachers and parents who work with special needs children. Twitter

32. From Perfection to Personal Bests: 7 Ways to Nurture Your Gifted Child by Signe Whitson at HuffPost Parents. How to develop a growth mindset in your high-ability child. Twitter; Facebook Page

Homework

33. Reducing Homework Stress by Lori Lite at Stress Free Kids. Ten tips to help parents, teens, and children with the daily homework routine. Twitter; Facebook Page

34. Who Takes Responsibility for Homework? What is the Parent’s Role? By Rick Ackerly at The Genius in Children. Helping kids understand the consequences and rewards of homework. Twitter; Facebook Page

35. Keep Your Middle Schooler Organized by Nancy Darling, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How to help kids develop organizational skills and relieve the homework struggle. Twitter

Youth Sports

36. Soccer, Baseball or Karate? Top 10 Reasons to Involve Your Kids in Sports by Signe Whitson at Psychology Today. Reasons why being a sports chauffer can pay big rewards. Twitter; Facebook Page

37. Emphasize the Internal Rewards by Jeffrey Rhoads at Inside Youth Sports. How to help your child experience the internal rewards of playing sports. Twitter; Facebook Page

38. How to Help Kids Be “Winning” Losers in Youth Sports by Patrick Cohn, Ph.D., at The Ultimate Sports Parent Blog. Learn how losing in sports develops internal skills perseverance, determination, and the ability to adapt to adversity. Twitter; Facebook Page

39. Heads Up Concussion In Youth Sports by Shannon Henrici at Stress Free Kids. Learn about concussions and what you can do as a parent. Twitter; Facebook Page

Bullying

40. Mean Girls: Why Teenage Girls Can Be So Cruel by Chris Hudson at Understanding Teenagers. Learn how gender influences adolescent behavior in friendship groups and why girls have a natural tendency toward social aggression. Twitter; Facebook Page

41. Bully Proof Your Child by Lori Lite at Stress Free Kids. What parents can do to protect children from bullying. Twitter; Facebook Page

42. How to Protect Kids from Cyber-Bullying by Michele Borba, Ed.D. How to keep an electronic leash on your child! Twitter

43. Bullying Runs Deep: Breaking the Code of Silence that Protects Bullies by Michelle Baker at HuffPost Education. A poignant and personal story with deep insights for parents. Twitter

Media & Technology

44. Parenting: Who is More Powerful: Technology or Parents? By Jim Jaylor, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. How are you flexing your parenting muscles against the strength of today’s media? Twitter; Facebook Page

45. How Much Television is Too Much? Science Weights In by Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D., at Psychology Today. Science vs. common-sense parenting. Twitter

46. Will Watching Violent Video Games Affect Your Teen’s Behavior? By Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., at How to Raise a Teenager. Get both sides of the story about violent video games. Twitter

47. The Dangers of Teen Sexting by Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, M.S., L.P.C., at Psychology Today. Learn about sexting and how to protect your teen. Twitter; Facebook Page

Discipline

48. What is in Your Discipline Toolbox? By Jody McVittie, M.D., at ParentNet Unplugged. How to use kindness and firmness when disciplining children. Twitter; Facebook Page

49. Why Punishment Does Not Make Good Neurological Sense by Meredith White-McMahon, Ed.D., at Development in the Digital Age. How punishment differs from discipline. Twitter

50. Connection before Correction by Jane Nelsen, Ed.D., at Positive Discipline. How positive discipline creates respectful connections with children. Twitter; Facebook Page

©2012 Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D. Marilyn is the author of Roots of Action: How Families, Schools, and Communities Help Kids Thrive. Find her on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to new articles by email.

Image Credits: FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

Tags: back-to-school, bullying, character strengths, critical thinking, cyberbullying, discipline, education, empathy, Family-School Partnerships, gratitude, happiness, homework, internal rewards, learning, media, mentoring, moral development, neuroscience, parent engagement, parent involvement, parenting, positive values, positive youth development, praise, Sports, stress, teachers, technology

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 at 8:32 am and is filed under Achievement, Adolescence, Brain Development, Bullying, Character, Coaching Youth Sports, Education & Learning, Elementary School, Family-School Partnerships, For Parents, Gifted Children, Grades & Testing, Happiness, High School, Internal Strengths, LD - ADHD, Middle School, Positive Values, Positive Youth Development, Praise, Pre-School, Research to Practice, School Reform, Social-Emotional Growth, Sports, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

unclevito

Great articles. Luckily my two kids already have bachelor’s degrees. The youngest is 26 years old and going for his masters. Hope his mom and I have taught him well because he is basically on his own.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks for your kind words. Our kids are grown too. And it sure is nice to know they are taking care of themselves! I’m sure you’ve taught them well!
http://teaching-in-the-middle.com/ Dr. James Norwood

Thanks for the fairly exhaustive list! I am honored to be included in your posting.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks, James. I’m delighted to have connected with you this year! Best wishes with the beginning of the school year!
Shawn

What a great resource. Thanks for doing all this research to bring together so many interesting articles and authors. So rich!
http://twitter.com/LoriLynnSmith Lori Lynn Smith

awesome resources list! It almost makes me wish my kids were younger… almost!
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks, Lori. I can relate to your comment about “almost.” Mine are grown too, thankfully!
http://www.valueofsimple.com/ Joel Zaslofsky

Hey Marilyn,
Consider this article curated in my secret stash and ready to act on in four years. That’s when my 21 month old will be heading into kindergarten.
I can see you put a TON of work into this already, but a little more context on why I’d want to click on some of the links would be nice. I know there’s great stuff here but I’m not sure which ones would be most relevant to me (and I’d love to understand them through the filter of your brain).
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Joel,
  What helpful feedback! Thanks! This is the first time I’ve put together a list like this and my first inclination was to keep things short and simple. But more context would certainly help people know why I chose it and why it might be relevant to them! Next time!
http://www.thebounceblog.com/ Bobbi Emel

Hi Marilyn, this looks like a great round-up! I’ll be sure to pass it on to my clients.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Accept
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Bobbi,
  Thanks for your comment and for passing on this list to your clients!
Cathy | Treatment Talk

Hi Marilyn,

Being a former teacher, I would highly recommend your list to any parent.

One area that I would suggest that seems to be so often left out is teen experimentation with drugs and alcohol. When a teen starts down the path of drug and alcohol experimentation, there is less chance of continued school success.

Columbia University released the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVII: Teens and it states that “This year’s back-to-school survey reveals that 86 percent of American high school students say that classmates are drugging, drinking and smoking during the school day and almost half know a student who sells drugs at their school.

The survey also reveals that 52 percent of high school students say there is a place on or near school grounds where students go to get high during the school day.”

We all need constant reminders about the dangers of teen experimentation and substance abuse and how important it is to be aware and educated on how to help your teen make healthy choices.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Cathy,
  
  Thanks for suggesting a topic clearly missing from the list — and a very important one. I will take a look at the Columbia survey. Sounds like a good subject for a future post!
  
  Indeed, we need constant reminders about the dangers of experimentation and substance abuse, as it affects teens for the rest of their lives.
  
  I appreciate your thoughtful reply. – Marilyn
IncredibleZen

What a fantastic list: and I love the fact you have provided Facebook and Twitter links as well – great idea!

I’ve shared it on my Facebook page, because many of my friends have school age children and would be interested in this.
Thanks!
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  I’m glad you found the links to Facebook and Twitter helpful — and the list itself! Thanks for sharing!
http://ironiclee.blogspot.com/ Jentylee

What a wonderfully curated list for all parents running around busier than usual trying to get their kids to school. These are tools that parents can pack in their purse or briefcase to help their children out throughout the year as well as sending them off well-grounded. I will also share this with my friends who have children still in school. All of them work hard at being further teachers at home with direct links to what is going on at school. Thanks again for the list!
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks for your kind comments and for sharing these resources!
http://happierhuman.com/ Amit Amin

Despite not having any kids, I read a few of these articles. A fantastic list!
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Amit,
  
  Glad you enjoyed. And yes, there are a few good articles about education that are of interest to anyone!
Jerry

Here is another addition to your list: http://dublin.patch.com/articles/back-to-school-for-parents-too.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks! Great article on the importance of parent
Jane Robinson – Art Epicurean

I am the Executive Director of a dyslexia intervention nonprofit. We are seeing more and more students (and adults) who need dyslexia tutoring. The schools are passing them through, parents are confused and frustrated and the student has low self esteem. They are bright children who are not understood. I would urge parents to have their struggling students assessed for dyslexia.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks for sharing this important information about dyslexia intervention.
http://www.zencaffeine.com/ Kaylee

I don’t have any kids of my own, but recently took on a supportive role.. Great resources! Back to school is trickier than I thought it’d be.
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks, Kaylee. Nice to hear of adults taking on a supportive role! Families need all the help they can get!
http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell

Dora,

Thanks for sharing Chris’s story. I watched the video and found it fascinating. I so agree that we need to reframe success, particularly for our children. Chris has the right idea!
http://www.facebook.com/chariotsarah Sarah O’Leary

Great roundup of of interesting articles. One tht I want to pass on to my friends who are parenting young ones. I recognize the names of several of these authors, and particularly benefited from the book Positive Discipline when my kids were young. Thanks for the wonderful resource!
- http://www.rootsofaction.com Marilyn Price-Mitchell
  
  Thanks for your kind words, Sarah. Glad you enjoyed the articles.