Resources for Parents

No one gave you a guidebook about how to be a parent? We don’t have all the answers but we can help you find the resources you need to be a better parent. Check out the links below to help your child with their homework assignment, develop healthy habits, safely navigate the Web, and develop a love of reading.

General Resources

Family Central Inc.Choosing good child care is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child. Includes links to: the State Licensing Site and Child Care Locator, Tips for Selecting Quality Child Care, as well as Subsidized Child Care Qualifying Criteria.
Get Help FloridaFind several federal and state web-sites with help for you and/or your family members, including information on Newborns, Safety, Medical, Crisis, Food, Education, Child Care, Legal, and Recreation.
Helping Children Deal with Tragic Events in the NewsA collection of web-sites to help parents talk to children about war and terrorism.
Zero to ThreePromotes the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf.

Internet Safety & Guidelines

Child Safety on the InternetSimple rules for children to follow while using the Internet.
Navigating the 'Net with your KidsOnline brochure that gives parents information to help them navigate the Internet with their children.
NetSmartz for ParentsProvides learning activities for parents to start discussing Internet safety with children and teens. This educational safety resource is from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC).
NetSmartz411Parents' and guardians' premier, online resource for answering questions about Internet safety, computers, and the Web.

Kids & Teen Health

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and ImmunologyIncludes online "Tips to Remember" covering various topics in asthma, allergy, and immunology in both Spanish and English.
American Academy of PediatricsThe mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Consumer Health Information Service A selection of websites for kids and teens to learn more about health and safety issues.
Get Help Florida: MedicalFind several federal and state web sites with help for you and/or your family members, including information on Newborns, Safety, Medical, Crisis, Food, Education, Child Care, Legal, and Recreation.
KidsHealth.orgFor parents, kids, and teens from the medical experts at the Nemours Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to children's health and the largest physician practice delivering subspecialty pediatric care in the United States.
The National Information Center for Children and Youth with DisabilitiesA national information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability related issues for families, educators, and other professionals. Special focus is children and youth (birth to age 22).

Education & Reading

Education in FloridaOfficial website of the Florida Department of Education.
Favorite BooksFind recommended books, as well as award-winners.
FCAT ExplorerHelps students learn about and practice the skills tested on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
FCAT - Sample Test MaterialThe Sample Test Books help students become familiar with FCAT by providing helpful hints and offering practice answering questions in different formats.
Get Help Florida: EducationFind several federal and state web-sites with help for you and/or your family members, including information on Newborns, Safety, Medical, Crisis, Food, Education, Child Care, Legal, and Recreation.
Helping Your Child SeriesThe Helping Your Child publication series aims to provide parents with the tools and information necessary to help their children succeed in school and life. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Home Schooling ResourcesA wealth of resources to help parents who home school their children.
LexilesFrequently asked questions about lexiles, which test the reading levels of text and students.
The School District of Palm Beach County Official website. Includes information on local schools, as well as the official school year calendar.
Reading CountsAn incentive-based reading program where students can read a book of interest, whether fiction or nonfiction, and then take a short quiz to test comprehension.
Reading TipsSimple ideas you can apply at home.

Books, CDs, & DVDs eBooks & Audiobooks Downloadable Music Magazines & Newspapers Articles & Information

Toddlers understand more words than they are able to say, so be sure to talk to them all day long about what you are doing together.
While driving around on errands, point out colors on signs and other surroundings. "The stop sign is red. The car next to us is blue. The leaves on the trees are green."
While getting dressed in the morning, make up rhymes with your child about the clothes he or she is wearing – new blue shoe, better sweater, dance pants, a shirt with no dirt, etc.
Teach your child that reading is important to you. Let him or her see you opening your mail, reading the newspaper, or using a recipe to make dinner or a favorite treat.
It is okay to read the same book to your child many times. Children love familiar books, and the repetition helps them begin to recognize words and predict what comes next in the story.
Clapping games help your child learn rhythm, and singing with your child helps him or her learn to hear and match pitch. You don’t have to be a great singer to enjoy music. Just have fun!
Acquiring the ability to read is a process that begins in infancy. Repeating favorite rhymes and songs often with your child helps him or her learn new vocabulary and get the flow and feel of language.
Encouraging children to select reading materials strengthens their sense of self-worth, good judgment and independence.
Interacting with your children while reading to them will naturally lead to questions. This exercise teaches children how to ask for help, and how to give help.
Reading can be enjoyable, but is also essential when following instructions as in recipes, food labels, manuals, and directions.
Reading related books on a subject can help children face fears such as going to the doctor, flying in an airplane, starting school or meeting a new sibling.
Vacations are much more fun when children know more about their destination. Check out books related to the places they will see along the journey, look at a map, and trace the route your family will be taking, or have them keep a journal about the trip.
Judgment is taught though many instances of "What if." When you engage your children’s mind through reading, you encourage them to recognize what they need to know to make good decisions.
Share family stories together. Your child will love to hear stories about what life was like when you were little.
Not all reading takes place between the covers of a book. What about menus, road signs, food labels, and sheet music? Take advantage of countless spur-of-the-moment opportunities for reading during the course of your family’s busy day.
You can make reading together interactive by looking at the cover to predict what the book is about, repeating common words, and asking questions about the pictures.
Talking with children helps them learn oral language, one of the most critical early learning skills. The experience of self-expression also stimulates brain development, which underlies all learning.
Singing with children increases awareness of and sensitivity to the sounds in words. This helps prepare children to decode print (written language).
Reading together, or shared reading, remains the single most effective way to help children become proficient readers.
Writing and reading go together. Writing helps children learn that letters and words stand for sounds and that print has meaning.
Play is one of the primary ways young children learn about the world. General knowledge is an important literacy skill that helps children understand books and stories once they begin to read.
Sing songs and rhymes that can be repeated over and over again, but vary the rhymes and have your toddler supply fresh names or actions. Use popular, favorite songs and nursery rhymes such as Old Mac Donald, The Wheels On the Bus, and Jack and Jill. For example, "Mommy and Daddy went up the stairs to fetch a glass of orange juice." This activity is great fun for toddlers, and helps them hear words in a fresh way and builds confidence and creativity.
At bedtime, have your child remember specific things that happened during the day. Talking about past events helps develop your child’s oral language skills, vocabulary, and narrative skills.
Provide lots of costumes and props for pretend play and dress up. Join your child in playing "make-believe" as this will foster your child’s language skills, active imagination, and creativity.
Parents are their child’s first role models. Show them how important reading is to you and they will follow your lead.

Resources for Parents

General Resources

Internet Safety & Guidelines

Kids & Teen Health

Education & Reading

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