Scholasticity

Give Them Enough Rope

Too much too soon can apply to dog training … and parenting.

We acquired a puppy this summer after much pleading and prodding from my husband. I have always loved collies - big and fluffy and, well, a real dog. But I was adamant that this eventual 80-pound dog would behave and not endanger any lives or worldly possessions. We hired a bona fide dog trainer and he is worth every penny. With the first lesson finished, I leapt into the ordeal with both feet. Heal. Sit. Down. No! All followed by appropriate praise and tasty treats.  Our trainer went on vacation and yet I kept up the pace. When he returned, I was eager to show him our puppy’s progress. The entire family went to the driveway and I went over all that we had continued while our “dog whisperer” was away. Feeling rather zealous, I said, “Watch…

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Parent Group Becomes Part of the 'Conversation'

The 'Parent Partnership' is part of the district's new anti-substance abuse program.

More than a dozen parents came out to Hatboro-Horsham School Distirict’s first Parent Partnership meeting at the Horsham Library Thursday evening. The meetings are part of the district’s "Be a Part of the Conversation" program that started earlier this year. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse in the Hatboro and Horsham communities. “Our goal here is to raise awareness and educate parents,” said Kim Rubenstein, who is the parent liaison for the group. “Supportive families are the key to getting someone ahead of abuse.” The Parent Partnership group won’t just tackle the issue of drug and alcohol abuse. “We are going to discuss other risky behaviors, like 'sexting,' ” Rubenstein said.   Discussions that…

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College 101: Fast Forwarding To College Life In 2011

Students and parents are busy getting ready for freshman year in college.

This is the first of a Patch series of articles on surviving freshman year in college in 2011. This year is like no other in my family's life. Our daughter is going to college in the fall. It won't be far, just Philadelphia, but there will still be adjustments for both parents and daughter. This summer has been a whirlwind of working a summer job, passing the driver's license road test, graduation parties, and shopping for dorm supplies. I'm no expert on Freshman Year 101, but I'm only going to do this once, and I hope I'm doing it right. I'd like to think that after 18 years of preparation, our daughter will spread her wings and thrive in college. But what should parents and students expect in the fall of 2011? In the mid-70s, armed with …

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Scholasticity

I Am In Charge

As parents, we make most decisions for our kids. It's time we re-assert ourselves on the commitment.

We acquired a collie puppy in June and, of course, the first few weeks were a challenge. I took the puppy to purchase a few items, at one of the few stores you can take an animal in as long as they are on a leash. Within minutes the dog refused to move and then took off in different directions with that wonderful, straining “I am choking myself to death and walking at a 90-degree angle” pull. When threatened with chasing the pooch through the store, I stooped down and gathered the errant animal in my arms, repeating my new mantra over and over: “I’m in charge!” It took a lot of effort on my part to do this.  The new charge of raising our puppy brought back a lot of early child-raising memories. To begin, we had a few rules in our house: …

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