SAT scores were down six points this year, both in the state and the nation, according to the Georgia Department of Education. And while Cherokee students exceeded the state average by 114 points and the national average by 59 points, scores dropped here, too. The largest and most diverse group of graduating seniors in the state's history took the SAT this year. Georgia ranked fifth in the country in participation. "It is common for mean scores to decline when the number of students taking an exam increases because more students of varied academic backgrounds are represented in the test-…

American teenagers have taken the word "like" and slaughtered it into something all their own. If you are a teenager, you might be saying, "This lady is, like, so ridiculous." Well, there you go. WikiHow.com suggests you stop using "like" before adjectives and adverbs or to approximate. For example, never say, "She is, like, only 4 feet tall." Just say, "She is 4 feet tall." There are only two correct usages of the word, according to wikiHow: Similarity (This tastes just like my mom's cake). Enjoyment (I like this cake). Q: How can we get our kids to break this bad habit and stop saying "like…

Food allergies in children have become more noticeable and serious. They doubled during one five-year period, according to a study cited on the website of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. To protect a girl with life-threatening peanut allergies, a Florida elementary required her classmates to wash their hands and rinse out their mouths before entering the classroom each morning and after lunch. Frustrated parents suggested the girl's parents homeschool her. Q: What do you feel are appropriate requests for all students to abide by when dealing with a food allergy? Read what the Canton…

If you have teenagers that can't seem to hear you, don't worry. They haven't suddenly gone deaf. Instead, they have developed something called selective hearing.  Urbandictionary.com defines selective hearing as a person choosing to hear only what they would like to hear.  For example, you can holler "did you get your stinky socks out of my car yet" and get no response. But say "dinner is ready" and watch them come running. Q: Does this same thing happen in your house? Could your teenager have selective hearing? Read what the Canton-Sixes Patch Moms Council had to say, then add your own …

Having a career and keeping up with the kids and house work can seem exhausting. CareerBuilder's annual Mother's Day survey found that: 18 percent of working moms said they spend two hours or less with their children each workday. 29 percent reported they missed two or more significant events in their child's life because of work in the past year.  Q: What are some tips local working moms could use to help juggle it all? Read what the Canton-Sixes Patch Moms Council had to say, then add your own suggestions in the comment field below this article. A: I personally have done both the stay-at-…

Cherokee County students have been in school for a little more than two weeks. Getting back into a routine, coordinating schedules and homework can take a toll on everyone in the family.  Experts cite many reasons for fatigue in children, and the consequential rude behavior. Some children have undiagnosed medical problems. In most cases, the behavior issues stem from simply being tired. Q: Do your children seem run down by the end of the school week? What do you do in your household to avoid a meltdown?  A: We have dubbed Thursday as "fit-throw Thursday" in our home. By that point in the week…

The beginning of the school year brings new challenges for every student. Most will make new friends, ride the school bus for the first time or push themselves to make straight A's. A small percentage of those overachieving students could then find themsevles being tested for what educators have termed the gifted program. The U.S. Department of Education defines gifted learners as "children and youth with outstanding talent who show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment." Cherokee outlines …

The kids started back to school this week in Cherokee County. The first week of school can sometimes feel overwhelming for parents as they jump back into the swing of things. Trying to get the kids to go to bed at a decent hour and starting homework back up can be challenging at times especially with some fall sports already starting this week. Sometimes as parents we are so busy shopping and preparing everything for the kids to go back that we forget to stop and enjoy. Q: Now that a new school year has started, what do you as parents look forward to the most? A: It is hard to believe my …

Obesity rates in the United States have soared the past two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When children are obese, many question the parents and how they are raising their children. A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association has determined that, in extreme cases, a child should be removed from parents who are not doing enough to keep the child's weight under control. The Canton-Sixes Patch Moms Council wants to hear from you.  Q: Do you think there is ever a situation where a parent should lose custody because a child is obese…

Ask any child expert and you'll hear that toddlers can be defiant, clumsy little creatures who think they are the center of the universe. Scared? Don't be. The good news is that these same child experts say toddlers love their parents. Toddlers also desperately need parents during this time of growth to learn discipline from them.  After all, who has not known a toddler to throw a temper tantrum when he doesn't get his way, scream uncontrollably when Mommy and Daddy leave the room, or throw car keys into the toilet just because he felt like it?   The problem most parents have with toddlers is…

As I am sure most of you have heard by now, the state Board of Education approved the Cherokee Charter Academy on June 28. Many in the community have mixed feelings. The head of Cherokee County Schools, the system that rejected the charter's petition for a third time June 24, said Cherokee Charter Academy could create a $3.7 million state funding gap for the district. Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) applauded the state board's vote and said, "Giving students more educational opportunities is always the right thing to do." Q: Now that the Cherokee Charter Academy has been …

Summertime means kids are in the pool, at the movies or, if they are lucky, their favorite water park. Someone has to drive them to all these places, right?  "Mom, can you take me?" Fill in the blank with any location. It can get pretty crazy trying to organize everyone, even with the help of email. "Sara can't make it Tuesday but I can drive Wednesday." These responses just multiply depending on how many kids are in your carpool.   It appears as though there is no rest for all the weary moms. Yes, they could all go on strike, but a demonstration of that magnitude would probably just add fuel…

Parenting experts generally agree that having set chores for children is positive. Through chores, the children learn responsibility, time management and that everyone must contribute to the family. The Center for Effective Parenting lists numerous suggestions for establishing a routine: Start early. Parents should start giving their children household responsibilities when they are young. As children get older, they should then be given more challenging tasks. Break down the chore into small parts. When teaching chores, parents should break each one down into small parts. Parents should then…

Summer camp is a rite of passage for any kid. With so much to do there, it is hard to believe homesickness can occur. But it does.  For some kids, the anxiety of being away from Mom and Dad starts before they leave the house.  Dr. Catherine Hutter, a psychologist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, offers the following tips: Keep the goodbyes short. Lingering just delays the agony and confuses the child. Be a model of confidence, yet show empathy. Make it clear you understand that being away from home can be scary, but show that you are confident your child will do OK. Focus on all of the good …

Summer is here and family vacations are planned. As every parent knows, time together in close quarters, especially the car, can lead to short tempers and more than one "are we there yet?" moment. iMom.com lists several tips for traveling with younger children, as well as ideas for activities in the car.    Q: What do you do to keep the peace and entertain your children on roadtrips? A: I encourage our children to take a variety of solo activities with them in the car. These include books, handheld games (such as a DS) and workbooks, like word searches or math games. Then we pack card games …

Barnes & Noble is making it easier to get kids motivated to read this summer. The store is offering a free book to any child who reads eight books and keeps a reading journal.   But not all kids are that easily enticed, especially when their friends are calling to meet them at the pool. Therapist Jenn Berman suggests three ideas for keeping the word count up during June and July:   Let the child pick the reading material. Never use reading as a punishment. Be a parental example. Sometimes all it takes is a little quiet time to get your child involved in reading. A special book about a place …

A Canadian couple is in the news for their decision to raise their youngest child "gender-neutral." The child is named Storm and only the immediate family knows the sex of the child.  The family and their supporters believe that shielding the child from stereotypical gender roles will allow the child to grow up with more confidence and without conforming to traditional roles. Others believe this is an experiment that will harm the child in the long run.Here is one article about the controversy. Please tell the Moms Council what you think in the comment box at the bottom of this page. Q: Is …

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal recently signed into law a bill that requires children to sit in booster seats until they reach age 8. Until now, only children under the age of 6 were required to use the booster seats.  Children who are at least 4-foot-9 or 40 pounds will be exempt from the new booster seat law. Come July 1, parents who violate the law will be fined up to $50 for a first offense and up to $100 for a second offense. Q: What are your thoughts? Do you agree with the new law? A: My own children are no longer in booster seats, but I remember back in 2000 when I was confused over when was…

Saturday is "Take Our Children to the Park...And Leave Them There Day." In its second year, the idea behind the event is to encourage children to play without adult influence, to problem solve and to just have fun. Here is a blog written by a sponsor of the event: http://patch.com/buVvt This is a grassroots event gaining noteriety on social media networks such as Facebook. Vocal opponents claim it is not safe to leave children unattended, both because of predators or the possibility of injury. Proponents claim our children are missing the skill of being able to come up with activites on their…

Summer vacation is just around the corner with only a few weeks left until the kids are out until August. There are many summer camps, activities, learning opportunities and just plain good old summer fun to be had in the weeks ahead. This brings us to our question of the week. We hope you will join in the discussion and add your comments at the end of the article with your opinion and thoughts.  Q: Should kids be required to do supplemental school work or reading during the summer or do you believe they should get to relax and play for the two months they are out of school? What do you do …