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FXBG Neighbors Podcast
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FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #202 A Parent Roadmap For K-12 And Beyond
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Most parents are doing their best, and still feel like the school system speaks in deadlines and acronyms. We sit down with Cherice Taylor, the voice behind the Time Matters Podcast, to make the K-12 journey feel understandable again and to help families make smarter choices earlier. Cherice pulls from years in education plus real-life parenting experience to share what actually moves the needle for student success.
We talk about the habits that prevent small school problems from turning into big ones, starting with communication. Cherice explains how to approach teachers, counselors, and administrators with clarity and respect, while keeping the focus on the shared goal: helping the student thrive. Then we shift into a practical planning strategy that too many families discover late, planning backward from interests and career ideas to the courses and prerequisites that open doors in high school and beyond, including honors, AP, IB, and dual enrollment options.
We also tackle college affordability and financial aid head-on, including why “we can’t afford college” is often a myth that stops students from even applying. Cherice breaks down scholarship realities, why essays are the real barrier, and how time management can become a competitive advantage. If you want stronger school relationships, better college planning, and a clearer roadmap for your student, hit play, then subscribe, share with a parent friend, and leave a review so more families can find this help.
Cherice Taylor
Time Matters Podcast
540-429-1598
Welcome And Meet Cherice
Speaker 1This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
SpeakerWelcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. I have a special guest joining me today. We've got Cherice Taylor with us. She is with Time Matters Podcast. We're flipping the script and we're putting her in the hot seat this time. Cherice, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2Thank you so much. It's my pleasure to be on the show with you today.
SpeakerI am so excited for this because I want to learn more about you and about your podcast. So let's
Why Time Matters Exists
Speakerstart there. Tell me what is the Time Matters Podcast? What is it and what made you start it?
Speaker 2Okay, awesome. So the Time Matters Podcast is a resource for families and students to help them navigate that K-12 and beyond experience. A lot of families feel very overwhelmed with the process. And so this was just my way to help them, you know, provide some tips to help them along the way to kind of navigate the process. And I started it because, as you know, my background is education. I've taught at the high school, middle, and elementary levels. And I have four sons. And so as a military family moving to the area, I had the background on how to navigate, but still being in a new place and not knowing the system here made me do a little more research. And so my ability to have conversations with educators and administrators, other friends of mine were like, How'd you know how to do that? Or how'd you know to speak to that person? And so it was through that unintentional advising that just sharing, you know, ideas and tips with friends that they actually encouraged me, you should do something, you should do something. And I was like, nobody wants to hear what I have to say about that. Um, and then I decided during COVID to, you know, give it a shot and just say, you know, there's so many families and students that just have no idea where to start. And even though they're working with counselors and they're and the teachers, they still I would say things and they say, Oh, well, I didn't know that. And so I thought, well, let me give this a shot and you know, see how many people I can help. Because at the end of the day, we really want our students to launch successfully, and we want them to have as many options as they can.
SpeakerI love it so much, and you have been a resource to me. Um, my son is the same age as two of yours. And so you have helped me along the way, and I love that you're doing this because it really is, you know, when you're a parent and you're going through it, it's there's so much information coming at you. And I love how you have started this podcast to help parents navigate all the different conversations. And so give me some examples of some of the topics that you're covering on your podcast.
Better School Communication Habits
Speaker 2So I cover everything from how to approach your teacher, your child's teacher, if you're feeling frustrated about something. You know, we all have issues at some point or have questions. And it's really that communication piece and acknowledging that we're all on the same team and communicating that. So one of those tips that I highly recommend is knowing your teachers, having a good relationship with them, having a good relationship with the counselor, regardless of what age group they are, and having a relationship with those administrators so that the understanding is we're all on the same team, and that team is to help make and support our student be as successful as they can be. So that's one thing.
Plan Backward For Course Choices
Speaker 2Another tip that I offer, mainly for middle to high school parents, is planning backwards. Finding out what your child is interested in, and then looking at the courses that are available and the careers that go with that, and working backwards to help your student understand why they may need to take that honors or AP or IB or dual enrollment class. They may not want to because they can't see that far ahead, but there's going to be some prerequisites that they may have to take that by the time you realize it, it's a little too late. So having that conversation, I like to do it and recommend in seventh grade to talk with the counselor to say, hey, I want a five-year plan for my student. And they may push back and say, Oh, we typically do that in eighth grade, and you just nod and say, That's great, but I'd like to have it done now. And so it just kind of helps that conversation with you and your student as well to understand it's not just mom or dad or whoever your guardian saying you need to do this, but this is why you need to do it because you seem to be interested in you know this topic. And that's a way to just keep that bridge and that line of communication open so it's not a headbutting experience with your student.
SpeakerThat's really great advice. And I love that you say plan backwards, because I know so many parents, so many students get to say 10th grade, 11th grade, and they are finally realize, oh, this is what I want to go into in college, and then they're going through that application process and they find out, oh, wait, I don't have the courses needed to apply to that particular major. So that's really good advice. Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 2Absolutely. It can be it can be challenging, um, especially like I said, with them being younger and not being able to see what they need. Um, and I also recommend, you know, when people are on vacation, take a look at that syllabus, take a look at the program of studies. Even if your student is in middle school, look at the high school program of studies that your student will be going to to see what's offered, what programs they have, what the requirements are, the criteria are to even be able to have access to those programs. We have a lot of new programs here. But if you don't know about them until ninth grade, you miss the window in eighth grade to be able to apply. And then however your grades, that students' grades and you know, standardized test scores affect placement and opportunities. So parents tend not to think about it until, like you said, 10th or 11th grade. And by then, you know, you're almost you're behind the eight ball, actually, if I want to be frank about it.
SpeakerYeah, yeah, such great advice. I love um, I love your advice because you are coming from someone who raised for boys and has been through this, but you also have been a teacher. So you see both sides of this, and so uh you you give really good advice. Are there anything that you hear maybe parents or students say or a line of thinking that you know, oh my goodness, that's such a myth that you'd like to set the record straight?
The Real Cost Of College
Speaker 2You know, that's that's a tricky question because I think as families, we bring our own experience to that thought process. And so I think one of the biggest ones that for those, especially that are college-bound students, uh, whether the student thinks they are or the parent or guardian thinks they are or not, is that I can't afford it. And so that one, which is interesting because many of the universities now have access for lower income. And when I'm saying lower income, they're saying $100,000 or less. So your student may be able to attend a university or college that you think is just not even an option, and so they don't even allow them to apply to those universities. And so maybe they say, you're just going to go into the workforce or you're going to go to the local community college first because we can't afford it. But I think if they dig a little bit deeper, depending on their personal circumstances, their student may actually be able to go and not only go, but go for, you know, free or little cost because of where they are. So I think that myth is one that I think people don't realize that there are more opportunities available earlier. Um, but they just have to do the, they have to do the research.
SpeakerYeah.
Scholarships Take Time And Strategy
SpeakerWhat is your um advice when it comes to scholarships and grants? I've I've kind of been out of the loop for a while. Is that are there still plenty of scholarships and and grants available for students?
Speaker 2So we always hear that they that there are. What my experience and someone else may have a different opinion. Um, the students that are your valedictorian salutatorians um typically, you know, get those scholarships. Um people do need to look at your local community, local businesses and organizations, because plenty of them offer opportunities, and you do hear that oh, we have these scholarships, but no one applied, or few students applied. And I think the the barrier for some of that is many of those applications require essays and they want 500-word or a thousand-word essays, and the student is thinking, I just did all these essays for the college applications and I'm doing my schoolwork. So I, you know, I'm sort of the thought that the opportunities are there, and you just need to plan and understand that when you're not applying for that scholarship and writing that essay, someone else is. So they are getting the money, and so that comes to that time and how I usually say how you spend your time matters. Are you gaming or are you working on essays? So it's kind of like a job, a part-time job, as you're applying to colleges, whether or applying for a job or applying for scholarships. You kind of have to look at it the same way. And there are plenty of resources out there to help um students and families to guide them towards scholarships that you may not think of, but those big ones, you know, your involvement in your community, your involvement in school, your grades, all of those things matter when it comes to those, they're just not going to give you the money because you they have to know that you are going to make it through the four years, right? If we give you this money first year, and then you're not there the second year. So all of those things that students are supposed to be participating in that show whatever their interests are over time, is what universities are looking at. And when people and universities give good scholarships as well. And sometimes it from my experience, after that first year, there are other scholarships that open up for those second and third year students because they again they want to make sure that you can stay, which goes back to what was the rigor like and did you take advantage of it at your school? So if your school has AP, IB dual enrollment honors and you don't take any of it when you're applying to those universities and colleges, they're saying, Well, gee, this person had all these opportunities and didn't take advantage of it. So they're not gonna take advantage of it here, more than likely, which means why would we give you money if you're not gonna take advantage of the opportunities here?
SpeakerYeah.
Speaker 2So it's kind of all tied together, but it's that work ethic and planning, you know, it's just a part of the process. And sometimes you just have to trust the process that you're gonna get something at the end of the day.
SpeakerYeah, and and as a mom who's both of my kids are graduated recently and you know, have gone through the process of applying for jobs, those skills that they learn looking for scholarships and applying for scholarships, applying for college, uh my message to parents is let your kids do it and don't do it all for them. Yes. Because those are uh learning lessons for when they graduate and they're going through applying for jobs.
Speaker 2And right now it's pretty rough.
SpeakerYes, it is, it is so. Oh goodness, you have so much wisdom to share with us.
Parent Involvement That Actually Helps
SpeakerIs there something that you wish parents knew about this whole process?
Speaker 2You know, the I think the most important, there's a couple things. I think parents, as parents, we have to have high expectations for our students, high expectations for our educators, our counselors, and the administrators, so that there is, you know, when you go through 13 years of school, you should be able to go to a four-year college or university if you want to. Everyone doesn't want to do that, but after that number of years in school, if you want to, you should be able to. Um the other piece of that is the parent guardian involvement. A lot of times we're heavily involved at the elementary level, and then we drop off in middle and high school and say, oh, they just need to figure it out. But when you really take a look at some of the specialized programs and how involved, you know, people pay for consultants to help their students navigate. So if you have the means to do that, you can do that. Um, specialized programs have a lot of support for students to be able to keep their grades up and have the resources that they need. But the masses don't fall into that category. So, my observation from that point of view, and as a parent, and knowing how involved my parents were with both my sister and I, you know, middle and high school, it's a different type of involvement, but your presence needs to be known so that the school doesn't say, oh, the parents they're not that, those guardians aren't that interested. And it's not that they're not interested. Maybe they haven't engaged them enough. Um, and as a parent and guardian, you want to be able to be as involved as you need to be because you are helping your student learn how to advocate for themselves. And sometimes they need that extra support from us. So I would say be as involved, be a part of the PTA, you know, be on an advisory committee if you can, volunteer, donate cupcakes or whatever it is that you need to show the school and your student that you are a part of the team, you know, at that level.
SpeakerSo important, so important to be invested in the school, in your child's education, and yeah, showing that you're part of the team. And you know, the teachers and the counselors, they're not supposed to uh to do this, but they will think of your child more often if the parent is involved, and if they see opportunities come up and they know your student, they're gonna bring that to your student because they know you're invested and they've gotten to know you on a different level.
Speaker 2Yeah. Absolutely. I've seen it.
SpeakerAbsolutely.
Where To Find Cherice Online
SpeakerSo if the listeners want to learn more from you, if they want to connect with you, if they want to listen to the podcast, where can they find you?
Speaker 2So they can connect with me on LinkedIn at Cherice Taylor. They can also go to my website, chericetaylor.com. They can follow me on Instagram, it's Time Matters Podcast, um, on Instagram and Facebook, and also on Spotify and iHeart and some other podcasts as well. Um, so and if they want to be a guest, they can also email me at podcast at cherice taylor.com. But I really am looking for um virtual mentors to, and these are professionals in all areas because our paths are different. Um that so if there anyone's available for that, and I'm always open to um be a guest or a panelist to share information. Um, and on my website, I do have a military families guide, um, and I'm working on a short version uh e-guide just for uh families, all families to be able to kind of navigate because it is a lot.
SpeakerAmazing. Well, Cherice, thank you so much for being on the other side of the mic today and joining me on the podcast and sharing your wisdom with us.
Speaker 2Thank you. I really appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1Thank you.
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