Here are useful strategies to ease the transition to primary school, from a top author, parent and teacher. Learn how to prepare, what to expect on the first day and following weeks and how you can help.

Is your child ready for school? A top author, parent and teacher discusses age, intellectual, physical, emotional and social aspects of this decision. Free Parent Newsletter and Story Starters Chatterbox.

Need to improve kids' writing skills? Students all make similar errors when they write. Here are the seven advanced techniques authors use to make stories powerful. Share this quick writing quiz to see which skills your kids use. Also free worksheet and free parent newsletter with more tips and activities. Terrific for gifted students and the home school curriculum to make learning writing easier.

Do your kids write stories with flat, boring characters? Professional writers know the secret to good writing is to 'show, not tell'. Here's how to do it. Also an action activity to try with the kids. Free story starters worksheet & free parent newsletter, useful for the home school curriculum.

Stories need structure, so planning is an important step when you write. How can you help your child to learn to plan effectively? A top children's author offers these questions to prompt your budding writer. Also free worksheet and free parent newsletters with tips and activities. Terrific for anyone who wants to make writing easier.

Do you want to help your kids with writing, but they hate it when you point out their mistakes? Home school or mainstream, gifted or not, kids all make similar writing errors. The next time you read their writing, try telling your kids what they are doing right, instead of focusing on mistakes. Praise alone has been shown to improve children's writing. This article shows how and why to do it.

Do your kids write stories that start too slowly, with little room for the adventure? Here's how to overcome this problem. Learn how authors 'cheat' to keep the story moving. Great for the home school curriculum and for gifted students. Also free story starters worksheet and free parent newsletter.

Are there homework hassles at your house? A top author, parent and teacher shares practical strategies for you to use. Free Parent Newsletters and free story starters worksheet and ideas Chatterbox.

Not sure what to say when your child asks you to read their story? Afraid you'll hurt their feelings or make them angry? Here are some constructive tips so you can work together to improve their writing. Useful for the home school curriculum, gifted students and anyone who wants to make writing easier. With a free Parent Newsletter full of useful writing tips and fun exercises.

Ban the boring story. Teach kids how to write great tension scenes that keep the reader hooked. Home school or mainstream, gifted or not, kids all make similar writing errors over and over again. Small steps make learning writing skills easier. Tension scenes are the solution to a dull story.