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Back to School Internet Safety Tips

Going back to school is always one of the most anticipated times of the year. We look forward to opening our schedules, seeing our friends we missed during the summer break, and meeting new people in classes, through sports, and by joining new clubs. While it’s easy to get caught up in all of the excitement this time of year brings, it’s also important to have a conversation with your children about internet safety.

Back to School Internet Safety Tips
Mandy Yonkman
How to Handle a Tough First Day of School

On her first day of preschool, my daughter woke up ready to go! She was joining the Owl class, and so she put on an owl shirt, helped me pack her lunch, and grabbed her blankie for nap time. The day didn’t go as planned. About 30 minutes after drop-off, I got a call saying she had been accidentally placed in the wrong class, so they were taking her over to the Bear class instead. Here are four ways you can help kids navigate heading back to school.

How to Handle a Tough First Day of School
Kirstie Grant
Celebrating Pride Month with your Family

In order to ensure that our children feel safe coming to us to discuss any questions or concerns they may have, we have to show them that we accept people of all genders and identities. This is something that we can start early and revisit often with children. We want to reinforce the message that we love them unconditionally while simultaneously modeling for them what it can look like to support people in their lives who may come out to them someday. Below is a list of ways to celebrate Pride this month, and all year round!

Celebrating Pride Month with your Family
Michelle Richling
Happy Fathers Day

 Many fathers today are very different than from generations past. Decades ago, a father’s role was to earn a living so the mother could stay at home with the children.  Many things have changed over the years, but I think this change is one for the better!  Fathers today are caregivers. Importantly, they set an example for their children on how to be in the world and how to be with their peers.

Happy Fathers Day
Mandy Yonkman
Car Seat Safety Information

When is my child ready for a forward facing car seat? Or ready to move into a booster seat? For the best possible protection, keep infants and young toddlers in the back seat, in a rear-facing child safety seat, as long as possible up to the height or weight limit of the particular seat.

Car Seat Safety Information

Back to School: Set your child up for success!

Back to School: Set your child up for success!

Whether we want to admit it or not, summer is coming to an end and it’s time to start thinking about our kids going back to school. No matter if it’s your first time having a child enter school, or like me, you have done this for years and years…. No one can argue, it’s a hard transition to make.  Summer is a time that is filled with looser schedules, fun outdoor activities, family fun and is overall less rigid.  As much as we all want to embrace these last days of summer, it’s important to set ourselves and more importantly our children up for success when starting the school year.

Celebrating Pride Month with your Family

Celebrating Pride Month with your Family

In order to ensure that our children feel safe coming to us to discuss any questions or concerns they may have, we have to show them that we accept people of all genders and identities. This is something that we can start early and revisit often with children. We want to reinforce the message that we love them unconditionally while simultaneously modeling for them what it can look like to support people in their lives who may come out to them someday. Below is a list of ways to celebrate Pride this month, and all year round!

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day

 Many fathers today are very different than from generations past. Decades ago, a father’s role was to earn a living so the mother could stay at home with the children.  Many things have changed over the years, but I think this change is one for the better!  Fathers today are caregivers. Importantly, they set an example for their children on how to be in the world and how to be with their peers.

How to protect yourself & your family from lead in the home

How to protect yourself & your family from lead in the home

From our friends at Building Bright Futures: If you have young children living in your household or visiting your home, it’s important to test your drinking water, paint, and soil around your house. This testing should be done by a certified lead professional. The Vermont Department of Health provides this list of certified lead professionals, their contact information, and what questions homeowners should ask.

'Tis the Season

'Tis the Season

The holidays are a time to show our children it is the season of forgiveness, of love for those who have much less than we have, for the light to shine on more human beings, for helping abandoned animals, for repairing climate change, and so much more.

Keeping Halloween Fun

Keeping Halloween Fun

Children always look forward to Halloween – costumes and candy! Making sure your children keep good memories of this holiday is important and can be as simple as keeping in mind what age appropriate activities and costumes are and candy; size of candy for safe chewing and swallowing and the amount of sweets. Here’s a brief reminder of age appropriate holiday behavior:

Back to School Tips for Parents and Caregivers

Back to School Tips for Parents and Caregivers

By now, most of our children have returned to school. It’s the time of year that is welcomed by parents who are ready to get back into a routine after a summer of long busy days and flexible bedtimes. As a result of Covid it may also be an emotional time, for families who have never sent a child off to school before. There is no doubt back to school is a big transition for families.

Lead Poisoning Testing in Vermont

Lead Poisoning Testing in Vermont

Although most parents know that lead paint is dangerous, especially for young children and pregnant people, did you know that lead poisoning doesn’t show any immediate symptoms? That’s why it’s required in Vermont for all 1- and 2-year-olds to be tested for blood lead levels, in line with national standards of pediatric care. Every 1- and 2-year-old should receive a blood test for lead at their well child visit with their regular doctor

Gun violence is child abuse.

Gun violence is child abuse.

It is difficult to comprehend that there is yet another mass murder of children in our country. Nonetheless, a young 18-year-old boy who appears to have been bullied, dropped out of school, was unemployed, fighting with his parents and without a plan for his future, has committed the unthinkable. In his hands a weapon of war, an AR-15 machine gun, created for soldiers on the battlefield, not a classroom, ended the lives of 19 human beings.

What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

NPR's Life Kit spoke with a handful of child development experts about what parents, teachers and other caregivers can do to help prepare and protect kids from all the scary news out there, whether it's fighting overseas, a school shooting, devastating wildfire or a global pandemic. Here's what those experts had to say:

Words Matter in Our Efforts to Keep Children Safe

Words Matter in Our Efforts to Keep Children Safe

The news has taken notice that some are misusing a word that is important to protecting children from the risk of experiencing child sexual abuse. At PCAVT, we want to help parents know how to protect children, so it is important that miscommunication be avoided. This article will help you know what the word “grooming” really means and help you keep your child(ren) safe and healthy!