Don’t miss Don’t Miss the Bus! if you’re looking for a comprehensive primer on helping your kids succeed in school. Parents are every child’s first and most important teachers, and Mary Ann Smialek has provided parents with a blueprint for success from the first day of kindergarten through graduation night. Get involved! Stay involved! Dr. Smialek shows you how.

Tim Sullivan
Publisher, PTO Today Magazine, President, PTO Today, Inc.

Don’t Miss the Bus! supplies useful and practical strategies that parents can use as they lay the foundation of a child’s school success. Dr. Smialek sets the stage nicely for the importance of the home-school connection and gives valuable suggestions for how parents and teachers can work together in the best interest of children.

Robert J. Wittman
Executive Director of Community Education, Robbinsdale Area Schools

This is a highly valuable book for professional educators. Empowered teams have ben shown to have a tremendous impact on performance in the private sector. The author shows how many of these same principles can be used to transform our views of education. The book contains not only a solid foundation, but is full of practical tips.

Richard S. Wellins, Ph.D., Author of Empowered Teams
Senior Vice President of programs and marketing, Development
Dimensions International (DDI)

Dr. Smialek outlines a reasoned set of parental expectations and responsibilities. She offers a series of steps to help parents prepare their children for school success. She provides strategies and tips to enhance motivation and interest in school, completion of homework and success in the classroom. She provides a set of guideposts for parents to strengthen home-school partnerships. Beyond the classroom, she offers parents a set of strategies to discipline effectively and most importantly to help each child build a true sense of self-esteem. Increasingly, educators, mental health professionals and researchers are demonstrating that children’s mindset towards school, their attitudes and beliefs about their capabilities, teachers, and the work placed in front of them represents the key ingredient in school success.

Finally, this is the first book to offer a set of guidelines for parents to understand and set appropriate limits for their children’s use and interaction with the internet. This section alone makes this a valuable book. Don’t Miss the Bus is a book that I will enthusiastically endorse and recommend to the families I work with. It offers a valuable road map to help parents prepare and guide their children to a successful school career.

Sam Goldstein, Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Utah


	Dr. Mary Ann Smialek

Recommended Websites

http://www.drrobertbrooks.com
Dr. Robert Brooks is a clinical psychologist who has written and lectured extensively about the themes of motivation, self-esteem, resilience, and family relationships. His audiences have included parents, educators, mental health professionals, and business people.

http://www.samgoldstein.com
Dr. Goldstein is one of today's leading speakers and authorities on child development and neuropsychology. Over the past twenty-five years Dr. Goldstein has lectured nationally and internationally to tens of thousands of professionals and parents.

http://www.ptotoday.com
PTO? PTA? HSA? PCC? If you're a school parent group leader — no matter the acronym — then this is your site for parent involvement insight, resources and community.

http://www.familyeducation.com
Many links for parents with grade specific advice for school success.

http://www.childrenspartnership.org/prnt/prnt.html
Offers online resources for good parenting.

http://www.eduhound.com/
Provides many links to various education related sites.

http://www.kidport.com/
A children’s site to help youngsters excel in school.

http://www.scholastic.com
Gives many ideas for learning/enrichment activities for students.

http://www.par-inst.com/parent/resources
Suggestions for parent involvement sponsored by The Parent’s Institute.

http://www.websmartkids.org/
Guides children in internet use.

http://www.superkids.com/
On line reviews of educational software programs.

http://www.syvum.com/
Site provides on line software that you can download.

http://www.ldonline.com
Offers many resources and advice for parenting children with learning disabilities.

http://www.schwablearning.org
Developed especially for parents of children who have learning problems.

http://www.readingrockets.org
Provides news, practical information, expert advice and resources for parents and teachers.

http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/
Popular website that offer homework help.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/4845/mitheory.html
Website devoted entirely to collected material regarding the discovery of multiple intelligences by psychologist, Howard Gardener.

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org
This site is committed to fostering and respecting each child’s inherent right to a healthy, develomentally appropriate childhood.

http://www.connectforkids.org
Online action and information center for adults who care about kids. There are articles affecting children with state-by-state links. Site offers two free e-newsletters.

http://www.lionlamb.org
Website publishes an annual “Dirty Dozen” list of toys it considers highly objectionable, along with a companion list of more appropriate toys.

http://www.playingforkeeps.org
It offers a look at the research on the benefits of play. It also offers ides on play activities for parents.

http://www.familylife1st.org
This site is concerned about families and their overscheduled lives.

http://www.hyperparenting.com
Offers parents a dozen practical tips for countering efforts to over schedule children.

http://www.familynightamonth.com
This website highlights the importance of families spending time together.

http://www.truceteachers.org
Site shares a concern with parents who have a concern about how their children’s entertainment and toys affect learning and behavior.

http://www.tvp.org
Devoted to helping parents understand the effect of TV viewing on their families. It also offers suggestions for alternatives to TV viewing.

http://www.firmonline.org
Site provides a forum for parents who want to share their lessons and concerns and receive practical tools and information.

http://www.schargel.com
Franklin Schargel is a former school administrator, counselor and classroom teacher who has written and lectured internationally about the themes of continuous improvement of schools, helping students graduate and creating world class schools.

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A Parent’s Prayer

What an awesome job I have
to love, nurture and guide!
Please, Lord, hear my prayer;
throughout the day be at my side.
Let me be the best parent that I can be.
Open their minds and hearts
that they may always see
the best in themselves and others, I pray.
Give me the strength to do
what I should each day.
Keep these precious ones in my charge
always safe from harm and to you, near.
Assist me to teach them right from wrong
without anxiety or fear.
Oh Lord, guide me now to give them
the benefit of the best start.
Help them grow healthy and happy.
Then, I’ll know I’ve done my part.

Mary Ann Smialek

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