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• Talking to Your Kids About Manners—At the Table and Beyond
• Making New Friends—How Parents Can Help

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Summer Explorations

The summer is a great time to explore some of the special attractions in your community--those farms, museums, historic sites, and parks that you and your kids may not have a chance to visit during the school year. With more hours of daylight, summer days are perfect for you and your children to share some of your area's local treasures, especially since many of these destinations open only seasonally.

• Schedule your visit to coincide with one of the site's special events or activities that may be of interest to your child.
• Visit even if your child has been to the place on a class trip. Exploring with family is a different experience.
• Before taking a trip, try to learn some interesting facts about where you're going. This will help you get the most out of your visit.
• Consider bringing along a same-age friend for your child, especially if your children are vastly different ages.
• Take along a camera or a drawing pad. Look at the pictures later to help recall what you've seen.
• See if there's something you and your kids can take away from the experience that will become part of your lives: a recipe, a song, a joke, a vivid memory.
• Discuss the visit later--over dinner or during some related activity.
• Think about how your trip makes you appreciate the resources near where you live.