Book details 'megaskills'
by Nancy Blanchard - posted Thursday, February 21st, 2013 @ 12:00 pm

A best-selling book in 1988 was MegaSkills by Dorothy Rich. It was very popular among parents and families who were seeking practical help in raising children successfully. I pulled it out the other day while looking for some advice to give a desperate parent, and found that it still holds lots of wisdom for parents of children ages four through twelve.

Dr. Rich had a long career of involving parents in the education of their children. She founded the Home and School Institute and gained recognition for what she called the "forgotten factor" in school success – the family. These activities are not simply homework help; they are designed to help kids develop a love of learning. She developed simple activities that can be done at home.

They take very little time and cost no money, but they have been proven to get results. Her book has hundreds of these activities that help to build what she calls life skills. She calls them "recipes," and they are designed for three age levels: 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.
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Nancy Blanchard, Ed.S, NCC/NCSC, LPC is a counselor at Highland and Lenwil Elementary Schools in West Monroe.