Five Ways to Help Your Child Overcome Dyslexia and ADHD

Fri, 04/30/2010 - 1:37pm by shannon riffe

Peter Pullen, Head of School at Eton Academy, the nationally recognized independent school for students with learning challenges, will provide parents with easy to understand definitions, a review of the misconceptions associated with Dyslexia and ADHD, and five strategies to help dyslexic and ADHD students find success in school at this presentation at the Downtown Library on Monday, May 3, 7 PM.

College Night on Thursday, April 15

Mon, 04/12/2010 - 5:32pm by K.C.

Finding the right college and getting admitted is easily a multi-year project for teens and their parents. Get a head start on the search process by listening to advice from some local experts. College application experts John Boshoven, Community High’s premier college prep counselor, and Deb Merion, founder of Essay Coaching will be joined by performance coach Geraldine Markel at this event for parents and teens.

College Night -- Thursday, April 15 -- 7:00-8:30 PM -- Traverwood -- Grade 9-Adult

Find the Right Preschool for your Family

Tue, 03/02/2010 - 9:06am by battlem

Preschool Expo will be held at the Palmer Commons on the campus of the University of Michigan, 100 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor on Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 1:00-4:00pm. Representatives from over 50 preschools will be on hand to answer your questions, share promotional materials, and show examples of some of the great activities going on at their schools. This event is free and open to the public! What a great opportunity to learn about many preschools, all in one place. This event is sponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library, Child Care Network, U of M Work/Life Programs, and Washtenaw Success by Six.

Filing for Bankruptcy

Thu, 01/14/2010 - 9:55am by cecile

Whether a major medical event, loss of a job or a house sunk you, bankruptcy won’t be a shining moment in your life, but it is an opportunity to get your financial life back on track. Not much free legal help is available in Washtenaw County so it is important to know as much as possible about the process and that is where the Ann Arbor District Library is a real help.
The library has a large selection of up-to-date books on the topic that you can find here: Bankruptcy
The library also has books that give great advice on how to proceed after bankruptcy that you can find here: Credit Repair
In order to file you have to pay your attorney up front, so if you are receiving a tax return soon, this could be a very good time to plan your strategy.
It is never easy to admit defeat. Just know that you have now joined a select club that includes Francis Ford Coppola, Walt Disney, Mark Twain, Wayne Newton and Donald Trump. Except for Trump's hair, they all ended up doing better than ok!

ACT Plus Writing Test Tips with Kaplan Experts

Mon, 01/11/2010 - 2:12pm by K.C.

You get just one shot at the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) in March. One of the MME components is the ACT Plus Writing Test. During the test you have 30 minutes to read a question and then think, organize, and write a short essay. Intimidating? Yes, but a Kaplan instructor will provide you a road map for getting ready to write a dynamic response.

Wednesday, January 13 | 7:00-8:00 PM | Pittsfield Branch

Test Taking 101 with Kaplan Experts

Thu, 12/31/2009 - 4:40pm by K.C.

Approach ACT or SAT test day with confidence! Kaplan instructors will lay out strategies for preparing for the tests and guide you through some questions, showing how to arrive at the correct answer.

Test Taking 101 | Wednesday, January 13 | 7-8 PM | Pittsfield | Grades 9-12

Helping Hands -- Parent Magazine Update

Mon, 11/23/2009 - 3:52pm by MariaK

It takes work to be a responsible parent, or even just a responsible adult. This month's parent magazine update focuses on magazines that give advice -- because we all need a little help now and then.

Home Education Magazine has advice for any parent who wants to be a little more involved with their child's education -- including an article on the National History Day contest, a guide to running a book club for boys, and a list of good books for teaching teens about money.

Working Mother Magazine features a list of the 100 most family-friendly companies to work for, a guide to purchasing life insurance, and an article on how to rid your home of scary chemicals often found in paint, upholstery and even toys.

American Baby Magazine provides a guide to recognizing signs of autism spectrum disorders in children and seven tips for managing tantrums.

Book to Movie: Precious based on the novel Push by Sapphire

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 6:31pm by erin

The Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry produced film Precious is being released in some markets this Friday, but Ann Arbor will have to wait until November 20 when it will be at the Showcase Theater in Ypsilanti. Precious is based on the book Push by Sapphire and has been buzzed about since it's debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Set in 1987 Harlem, Precious is the story of a 16-year-old girl struggling in a bleak and brutal world. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home she must wait hand and foot on her mother, a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is chaos and Precious has reached ninth grade with high marks and a terrible secret: she can't read or write. Threatened with expulsion she is offered the chance to attend an alternative school. This chance takes Precious on a journey from darkness into light and self-determination. The film stars Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Mo'nique and Lenny Kravitz.

Ancient Food and Extreme Science -- Youth Magazine Update

Thu, 10/29/2009 - 1:02pm by MariaK

From history to travel, interviews to fiction -- this month's youth magazines sure have a lot of interesting stories to share!

Dig Magazine starts the party with an issue focusing entirely on the history of food. Learn about Ancient Egyptian bread baking and the history of the tortilla, as well as how to roast a whole pig. Even more fun than McDonald's!

Jack and Jill travels the world, with a look at winter holiday celebrations and life in Mongolia's Gobi Desert, as well as an interview with 16-year-old figure skater and Olympic hopeful Mirai Nagasu.

Ever heard of scientists who brave dense jungles and hang from trees to study rare insects? Ranger Rick Magazine has the whole story, along with cool pictures of animal sculptures made entirely from tin cans.

If this makes you feel like exploring the world, come on down! The library is always the best place to start.

Toys, Tweens, Pies and Trees -- Parent Magazine Update

Fri, 10/23/2009 - 12:22pm by MariaK

The magazines on our parent shelf are taking on the world, and they can take you along for the ride.

Parenting: School Years starts out strong with an article on how to enjoy your child's "difficult" tween years, and just keeps on swinging with a special Mom Congress report on the necessity of art education, a guide to family hapiness, and their picks for "toys of the year."

Coincidentally, Family Fun Magazine also features their Toy of the Year Awards -- number one is Klutz's "Invasion of the Bristlebots", a kit for making robots out of toothbrush heads. The magazine continues with an article on blogging as a family, a list of fun Thanksgiving activities, and five unique pie recipes for those bored with the same old pumpkin-from-a-can variety.

Gifted Child Today tackles some serious issues in their fall edition -- a guide to involving children in caring for the earth, an article by Dr. Gilman W. Whiting, director of the Scholar Identity Institute on reducing dropout rates among diverse students, and a guide to identifying signs of Asperger's syndrome-- an Autism-spectrum disorder.

If all this makes you want to roll up your sleeves and dive in, great! These great ideas and more are just a trip to the magazine rack away.