January 2023 Issue
Develop a Reading Routine
Reading and language are crucial to a child’s development. My own mother read to me every night as a kid, and it fostered a life-long love of books and learning. Studies show that reading aloud to children, even infants, more than just talking to them increases their vocabulary, IQ, and educational skills when it is […]
Teacher of the Month: Samantha Willis, Rehobeth Elementary School
“Second grade is a grade of incredible growth. I love seeing the students change and grow academically and mature during the year,” said Mrs. Samantha Willis. “Students transition from learning to read to reading to learn in second grade, and I aim to add loving to read to that transition.” Mrs. Willis has been a […]
Student Spotlights January 2023
Every month we compile a list of students and schools doing great things across our community. We have so many talented students in our area. Wiregrass Parents joins with these families and schools to celebrate their achievements! Providence Christmas Fun on the Quad Providence Christian logic students enjoyed Christmas on the Quad yesterday. The students [...]
Mom to Mom with Cindy Spivey
Tell us a little about you. Family, careers, hobbies, fun facts! Go all out! CS: I am from Georgia but moved to Alabama as a young child with my mom and sister after losing my father to cancer. I graduated from Wallace College with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. I worked as an RN for […]
Appreciating the Differences
One of the reasons I am so passionate about my job is that I want to help other parents not make all the mistakes I made. Unfortunately, one of my greatest blunders is that I did not embrace and appreciate the differences between my oldest child and me. I am an extreme extrovert. I love […]
Faith and Your Family;
Honor your Parent, Honor your Child
The most important place of learning for a child is not a school classroom nor is it a church sanctuary (yes, I am a pastor). The most important place of learning for a child is in their home. You and your children will have a multitude of earthly relationships, but the family is the foundation […]
College Admissions 101: What You Don’t Know About the College Application Process
As a parent, I knew of the many milestones my children would face, from learning to walk and talk to navigating relationships and exams. One I was not prepared for was applying for college. The days when getting into college were a breeze are long gone; the applicant pool is far more competitive. Schools that […]
3 Steps to Choosing the Best School for Your Child
Comparing schools is challenging because each institution offers unique programs in a unique environment. One may present a specialized science curriculum geared toward a future in engineering, while another focuses on developing cooperation and compassion through active community service. The comparisons parents must make are apples-to-oranges at best. Faced with so much detailed information about […]
Hope Is a Good Thing
What is the main difference between people who follow your plan, stick with it and succeed, and those who fall off along the way? I’ve walked with thousands of families through financial problems. Some of them were just speedbumps that needed to be smoothed out, while others seemed like mountains. The biggest factor I’ve noticed […]
Is Your Child Talking to a Stranger Online (Part One)
We all remember when our parents warned us “not to talk to strangers.” For those of us north of 35, that mostly meant we were not to talk to someone in person we did not know. Or do not talk to someone who approaches you that your parents do not know. Today this takes on […]
Are You Ready for Christmas?
When you read those words does it register anxiety because of all that a parent must do to “be ready” for a big family holiday? Likely you would answer the question quickly, “We Are Not Yet Ready!” However, the question is not at all about whether or not you have been able to tackle your […]
How to Balance Receiving with Giving
One of the critical challenges of holiday time is that our children get so used to receiving oodles of gifts that they begin to expect that they will always get more and more. But have you noticed how quickly they lose interest in many toys they receive during the holidays? Showering our children with gifts […]