The Carmel Valley Life | Archive | Parents’ Corner

Family Adventures Versus Vacations

June 22, 2012 No Comment

If you have kids, then you know the difference between an adventure and a vacation. Simply put, if you are an invested parent and your kids like you, there is no such thing as a family vacation per se, it is always an adventure and that’s a good thing. Often times parents forget that 18 […]

Ready or Not, Here I Go to College

May 24, 2012 No Comment

First there is graduation day and then, in just a few months, many San Diego young adults will be leaving the comfort of their homes, family, and friends to embark upon a new stage in their lives – “the life of college”. On the surface, many state excitement,relief, and motivation, but just beneath the surface […]

Summertime Tips for Parents of Preschoolers

May 23, 2012 No Comment

Children are naturally inquisitive and curious. The early childhood years are a window of opportunity for parents to take advantage in boosting their child’s responsiveness to learning. Parents can begin the process at home at an early age with their child.As summertime is quickly approaching be sure to schedule time daily to read with your […]

Teens at Home?

April 30, 2012 No Comment

Why do teenagers always seem to act their worst when they are home around their families? It’s true, don’t you think? We all become confused when we hear those stories from our friends about how polite, engaging, vocal, expressive, and endearing our little “teen angels” are at their house. And, when they tell you how […]

Being the Calm in the Storm

March 23, 2012 No Comment

When parents fight, kids suffer. Most become worried and anxious. This is certainly the case for 9 year old Kaylee every time her parents get into a loud altercation in their home. The pattern is always the same. Her parents get into an ugly argument, call each other names, makes idle threats, and then go their […]

Healthy Choices Day at Sage Canyon Elementary

March 15, 2012 No Comment

Sage Canyon Elementary and Sage Canyon PTA celebrated Healthy Choices Day on Wednesday, February 29th. It was a huge hit with the students and teachers alike! Sage Canyon PTA’s mission statement reads: “…to promote the social, emotional and educational development of our students and to encourage parent volunteerism and community involvement in our school.” On […]

How do you love your child?

March 5, 2012 No Comment

In the book, The Five Love Languages of Children, Dr. Gary Chapman, PhD and Dr. Ross Campbell, MD, outline five ways kids (and all people) ‘express and interpret’ love. They are: Words of affirmation Spending quality time Receiving gifts Acts of service Physical touch According to the book, every child has one dominant way of […]

Sharks Soccer: Junior World Cup

February 22, 2012 No Comment

In the Del Mar and Carmel Valley San Diego communities, soccer has become so popular. So much so that in 2004, Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks decided to start a winter & spring league for the recreation player (ages 5 through 12). Shortly thereafter, we came up with what is now the Junior World Cup. […]

Healthy Chats for Girls

February 15, 2012 No Comment

Mothers and Daughters Have Fun Learning About Puberty and Womanhood The Parent Connection presents “Healthy Chats for Girls,” a fun approach to the sensitive topics of puberty and growing up with Dr. Chrystal de Freitas. The three-hour seminar for mothers and daughters (ages 9-12) will be held on Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2 p.m. […]

Miss Representation: You Can’t Be What You Can’t See

February 9, 2012 No Comment

Local Non-Profits Present the Documentary Film, Miss Representation; aims to Empower Youth to Speak Out Against Stereotypes and Labels Created by the Media. It’s those millions of TV viewers, magazine subscribers, and web surfers everyday that are subjected to the exploitation of women. It’s right under our noses, and yet we fail to think twice […]

Reality Dance Shows – Guilty Pleasure or Just Guilty?

February 8, 2012 No Comment

Reality television is everywhere. From early beginnings with Big Brother, The Bachelor and MTV’s The Real World to all of the now popular Housewives of…., Stage Moms and Toddlers and Tiaras, reality television promises the viewing public a kind of voyeuristic insight into the lives of the people involved as they go through their ‘everyday’ life – […]

San Diego Zoo – A Carmel Valley Staycation

February 1, 2012 No Comment

Taking advantage of the amazing winter weather in January, my wife and I headed over to the San Diego Zoo to delight in a day of watching the animals and enjoying each other’s company. With the San Diego Zoo being so closely located to Carmel Valley, it makes for the perfect little, fun-filled getaway without […]