Parent Eastern Oregon EDITOR: Greg Alexander editor@eoparent.com CONTRIBUTORS: Jennifer Colton Virginia Justice • Suzanne Kennedy Chelsea Maranville COVER PHOTO: Rachael Owen, Catching Violet Photography ADVERTISING SALES: Jeanne Jewett • Kim Macias • Dayle Stinson Angela Treadwell • Audra Workman ads@eoparent.com • 541-278-2669 Published by EO Media Group 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801 1-800-522-0255 Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved www.eoparent.com Welcome Spring! It’s time for schools, parents & students to focus on the rest of the year. Contents April 2018 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 3 529 plans make saving for college simple and easy .............4 Kid-friendly Calendar ............. 8 Discipline is difficult but it should be consistent ................ 5 Start nurturing your child’s independence early ................. 13 How to avoid those tech temptations for parents ............. 7 Triple P program helps parents stay positive .............. 15 ON THE COVER: Julie Muller of Pendleton might be wise to resist the temptation to text while tending her kids, Dunnam and Faye. Find us on Facebook and Pinterest In the Classroom Neighborhood Happenings ....11 www.imesd.k12.or.us • Instruction Time Lots of learning takes place during this time of the school year. Make sure your student is getting enough sleep and eating breakfast to make the most of his or her day. • Test taking Spring brings testing, so review good strategies with your student. There are many online resources with tips to ease the stress. • Parent-Teacher Conferences Make it a priority to attend, ask questions about progress and plan for the next academic year with the teacher. Get Outside! • Sunshine Get outside and get some Vitamin D after the winter. Take a walk, ride your bike, visit a new playground – anything to get moving! • Dig in the dirt Start planning your garden or simply find some containers and plant some flowers. It’s a great way to look ahead to the growing season. • Calendar Plan the summer months with your child. Research camps, art classes, recreation programs at local art centers, Parks & Recreation departments, etc. • Internships & Summer Jobs Older students can look for spring internships or start applying for summer employment.