If you're a recently separated or divorced parent, you'll want to check out a terrific new article, by Michele Kimball, over at divorce360.com: "Children Can Recover From Split if Teachers, Parents Work Together."

Returning to school after parents decide to divorce can be traumatic for a kid, and it's important for teachers to be informed so they can work with the family.

A student's home life greatly affects his school life, Kimball points out. Children don't want to feel different or isolated because of what's going on at home. Having the important adults in their lives working as a team during the back-to-school transition can make a kid feel a whole lot better.

Terrific article. Check it out.

In her "Parenting Tweens" column over at about.com, Jennifer O'Donnell has written a must-read piece on preparing your child for middle school.

Having just launched my own son into middle school last fall, I can tell you this is an article I wish I'd read a year ago. Lots of great tips and items to discuss before for the first day of school. Check it out here.

Ready to get the kids’ closets in shape, organize all that back-to-school paperwork (and prepare for the onslaught to come) and make bill paying easier?

Check out my new article, "Get Organized — Fast! — for Fall," on WomansDay.com. Just click here. Then click on the yellow legal pad for a fun, 16-tip slide show featuring suggestions from professional organizers.

And please post your own organizing tips here in comments. Thanks!

Welcome to my first podcast! I’m excited to share it with you, and I hope you enjoy these back-to-school health tips. Just click Download kathy_sena_kfgy_podcast_1.mp3
 to download the podcast MP3 file. I’ve written a monthly kids’ health column ("Health Notes") and a
monthly women’s health column ("Body Shop") for years for regional
parenting and women’s magazines. So it was an honor to be asked to join
KFGY 92.9 (Sonoma County, Calif.) morning hosts Rob and Joss recently
to talk about back-to-school health tips. In this 7-minute podcast, we cover:

(more…)

Remember autograph dogs? The canvas-covered, stuffed dog came with a waterproof pen. Kids could have their friends sign the dog and then display it in their bedroom.

A cute idea, but kids today have an even better "autograph" option, and it’s here just in time for back-to-school fun. It benefits a good cause, too.

Payless ShoeSource and The Fresh Air Fund have created a new program designed to raise money and awareness for the Fresh Air Fund and
its mission to give New York City kids from low-income communities
“fresh air” through free trips to Fresh Air camps and stays with host
families in smaller towns located outside the Big Apple.

(more…)