Read our Ages & Stages feature for September (“Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Raising Kids to Be Scientifically Literate”). And then check out these additional resources:

Supporting Your Child’s Scientific Passions
Selected Science Competitions

When a child shows a keen interest in science, it may take a little more work for parents to meet his or her educational needs. But as Lorie McFarlane of southeast Portland has discovered, supporting that interest early can help kids pursue their passions on their own as they get older.
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A small sample of the national and international science contests young people can enter each year:
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By Patrick S. O’Hollaren, M.D.

If you or someone you know has a child with nocturnal enuresis, better known as bedwetting, you know it can be a stressor not only on the child, but on the entire family.
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A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Kick the Small-Screen Habit This Summer

By Terra Wellington

Oh, the lure of the newest XBOX game! Or maybe it’s the Wii. Or iCarly and Hannah Montana reruns. Perhaps it’s a handheld, thumb-numbing game. Or maybe it’s of the YouTube nonsense variety. No wait! There’s 145 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to discover from streaming Netflix for your high schooler.  

Whatever gravitates your child or teenager to the small screen this summer needs a bit of parent pull the other direction. And that means alternatives your kids will accept. Here are some suggestions:

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Star Gazing Science

All About Rose City Astronomers’ Sky Puppies Class

By Anne Laufe

Jeannie London, youth director for Rose City Astronomers (RCA), got into science because her two kids really enjoyed it.

“My son has liked LEGOs since he was 2,” says London, who lives in Hillsboro. Her kids are now 8 and 10, and London has enrolled them in Oregon Zoo and OMSI camps and Saturday Academy classes to support their interests.

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The Fourth of July

The Importance of Family Traditions

By Cynthia Boman Thompson

Strong family rituals and traditions are the driving philosophy of Dr. Kathy Masarie, pediatrician, founder of the Family Empowerment Network (family-empower.com) and creator of the guidebooks Raising Our Daughters and Raising Our Sons. “Children especially thrive on predictability and repetition,” she emphasizes. Traditions, by their very nature, are designed to be just that – predictable and repetitive. The Fourth of July is an excellent venue to help you establish traditions that convey your family’s beliefs and provide a sense of belonging to enrich your child’s life. These Independence Day traditions also build community spirit as we celebrate the birth of our country and our freedoms.

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