Kids need to learn so many different things that will help them to grow up and become self-sufficient. There’s some of the biggies – like learning to get dressed and feed yourself – and there’s smaller skills that are very important to – looking someone in the eye when you speak to them, saying ‘thank …
One of the holiday traditions that we look forward to the most in our family is having an Advent Calendar. I remember having one as a child — putting candy canes into the slots each day as we counted down to Christmas Eve. And now we do one with our kids too. Our countdown changes …
It’s going to be quite a week — our country will celebrate both Election Day & Veteran’s Day. These are two days that are very important to discuss with kids but many times kids aren’t old enough to understand their significance.
I’m one of those parents that still believes in surprises during the holidays.
Each year, we brainstorm ideas for some unique gift that we can get each of the kids — something they would LOVE but that didn’t make their list.
We start by thinking about their current passions and obsessions. You know how kids get crazy for certain things — they become nuts over dinosaurs or horses, or all of a sudden they are infatuated with art or building.
Looking for volunteer ideas or service projects to help others this holiday season? I’ve written before about what I want my kids to love about November and understanding how to help their community, serve others and be grateful for all they have is a big part of it. But here’s the thing – it’s not …
I love to explore the world with my kids!
There’s something very eye-opening about learning how other people live and seeing the beautiful places around the globe.
And even though we love to travel, most of our foreign explorations happen right in our own home.
We have a running joke in our house about the ‘bigger half’. My daughter started it when she was younger — we would ask if she wanted to split a sandwich or cookie with someone and her reply was always “Yes, but I want the bigger half!” We tried to explain that half meant two …
Entice your kids into more reading time with these fun holiday-themed Early Reader (ER) books & tips that are perfect for beginner readers! I’ve shared before about some of the struggles we had when our kids first started reading independently. If you have kids who are learning to read on their own then you know …
As you may remember from our 48 Things Kids Should Know Before they go to College, our oldest started college last year. As a parent, it’s these moments when you hold your breath and think “did we teach him the skills he needs to succeed?“ The months and years of showing him how to …
While I’m a BIG fan of Halloween and all the fun that goes along with it, I’m always bothered by the amount of candy we accumulate during all the holiday festivities. Let’s see, there’s the trick-or-treat event at the zoo (we love the zoo in the Fall!), the kids’ class parties, all the “You’ve been …