It’s that time of year again, and you’ve got a long list of things to do. Student forms, lunch accounts, after-school care and sports, not to mention school supplies! If this is the year you made a vow to get more organized, here are nine tips to make the struggle easier and the kids happier. 

HOMEWORK BATTLES 

Homework can ruin the evening for everyone. My best tips are to give your child as much choice as possible, like which subject to work on first. Serve a snack to avoid the hangries and build in plenty of breaks for every twenty minutes of homework. Mini dance party! If your child is really struggling, break their work and chores into smaller pieces. Bonus tip: Keep a homework station nearby. Whether it’s a rolling cart or a drawer, having a designated spot for supplies will make life easier for everyone. 

THE NEVERENDING LAUNDRY 

If you just sang that out loud, I think we need to be friends. Oh, the unending madness of washing, drying, sorting, folding and ironing. Who am I kidding? We only use the iron for melting craft beads. But I have eliminated all the sorting by […]

585mag.com/585-kids/ [Summer issue]

I love to give my kids as much time outdoors as possible during the summer. We’re all in a better mood after a day of fresh air and exercise, and there are many great places around Rochester to go for a hike and appreciate the wildlife all around us. 

Studies show that outdoor play improves gross motor skills and emotional regulation while decreasing stress and rates of childhood obesity, according to Doctor Laura Kopp of Panorama Pediatrics. Here are some tips to stay safe this summer so you can enjoy all the fun. […]

585mag.com/585-kids/ [Spring 2024 Issue]

Twelve-year-old Erik Gomez has one dream: to be a professional Major League Baseball player. He wears a championship ring from a tournament in Cooperstown and his favorite player is Fernando Tatis, Jr. of the Padres. Gomez trains five to six days a week at PAWS, a one-of-a-kind center with a turfed field, pitching machines, an amazing sound system and graffiti-lined walls. You may remember PAWS or “Providing Animal Welfare Services” as a group that supports city pet owners. The owners built dog houses, launched a spay/neuter program, and provided low-cost pet care units. Starting in 2018, they worked diligently on a new vision to serve the community through sports. After a few years and a lot of hard work, the youth and advocacy center officially opened. Cofounders Matt and Laura Piccone believe that sports, primarily baseball and softball, will be the catalyst for social change within their community.

“I still have a strong drive to help the animals, but you have to help the people first,” says Matt. “If communities are suffering, animals are suffering. If people are concerned with baseball, they start to […]

585kids.com [Fall 2023 Issue]

Calling all goblins, ghouls, and ghosts! Attention: all princesses, Pokemon, and pumpkins! Do your kids love to play dress up? Be sure to add this Halloweenthemed activity to your October calendar. The Al Sigl WalkAbout is a day of indoor fun where families and individuals served by Al Sigl’s seven member agencies gather together for accessible trick-or-treating at Eastview Mall. This free event, held on October 22, ends with a costume contest for people of all ages and abilities. Everyone is […]

585kids.com [2023 Fall Issue]