As summer approaches, thoughts turn to family vacations. We at GCP love hitting the road with the kids, and have been doing so since they were tiny tots. Family vacations can provide some of the best times of your life. Whether it is a road trip of a few hours or a journey to another part of the world, [...]
Incredibly, we are but a handful of days away from Christmas. If you haven't finished your shopping for the young ones, you may want to consider some of the guidelines and gift idea suggestions below. (Please don't tell us if you've already finished; we don't want to hear how organized and together you are. But if you are that [...]
With Thanksgiving but a few days away, we focus on gathering with our families and being thankful. In preparation for the holiday, children are encouraged in school to think about what they are thankful for, and often families will encourage everyone around the table to say what they are thankful for as they sit down to dinner. But what [...]
Today is Veterans Day, a day to thank and honor all who served (or still serve) in the military. Whether your children have the day off from school is a function of your state or local school district (with no legal requirement that schools close on Veterans Day, individual states or school districts are free to establish their own [...]
Did you know that November is Hip-Hop History month? Whether you are a huge fan, a mild enthusiast, or would prefer to hear anything else when your kids are controlling the music, you can't deny that hip-hop has had a significant influence on modern culture. Harvard University's Hip Hop Archive, which is devoted to the serious study of hip [...]
Happy Fourth! Today's first Thoughtful Thursday offering is a moving poem about our nation written by Claude McKay, a Jamaican American writer and poet who figured prominently in the Harlem Renaissance. America Although she feeds me bread of bitterness, And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth, Stealing my breath of life, I will confess I love this cultured [...]
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is vital that we make sure our sons know the history of the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the history of the civil rights movement in the United States. Unless we happen to live in a community [...]
If school is not out already for your sons, they (and you) are counting down the days until summer vacation begins. As you are locking in their schedules, don't forget to make time for summer learning. As we've noted in previous posts, research indicates that children lose learning skills over the summer, and summer learning programs can not only [...]
It has been a long Mother’s Day (spending the morning having “Mommy and me” time with my mom, the afternoon with my family, and a quick trip out of town in the evening), but I would be remiss if I didn’t post on Mother’s Day. So Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms, which includes moms, grand moms, great [...]
It's February. Black History Month. While many of us wonder why only one month out of the year (and the shortest one at that) is designated for paying national attention to African-American contributions to American history, let us put our cynicism aside, and embrace the many opportunities available this month to help our children learn about our history. Our [...]