If you’ve ever hovered over your child too much, you’re not alone. 🙂 It’s easy to be a Helicopter Parent. We just love our kids so much and want them to do well in life. But when we’re too over-protective, we quickly discover the negative side-effects of our well-intentioned hovering. Suddenly, we want to steer our propellers up, up, and … Read More
How to Have a Great Day with Your Child
Days at home with kids can drag on. Whether you have a newborn, a toddler, or a handful of kids, you probably know that feeling of not knowing what to do with yourself. I’ve spent many days at home feeling lonely, isolated, overwhelmed, distracted, and resentful. Of course that makes my kids feel restless and discontent. They either bounce off … Read More
Teach Your Baby to Read: The Secrets to a Literary Education
Tucked in your daily routine are the secrets to your child’s literary education. Your child’s literacy and love for books depends more on his grasp of the stuff of life than on his ability to decipher short-vowel sounds. We understand and appreciate books not only because we can physically read, but also because we can think well about stories and … Read More
Reading with my 2-Year-Old (featuring 4 lesser-known bunny books that we love)
‘Tis the season for bunnies! They’re everywhere, aren’t they? (In fact, just the other night I had a dream that Winston Churchill was a giant bunny doing a puppet show for some children. He couldn’t remember the character’s names or the plot, so Sarah Mackenzie from Read Aloud Revival appeared as the Voice in the Sky to coach him along. … Read More
Kids Laugh A Lot
Kids laugh a lot. A child’s laughter is glorious. Why, just today, my kids were giggling uncontrollably at someone’s antics, and I wished I could bottle their contagious, delightful laughter. I’d treasure that precious bottle forever. Have you ever taken inventory of what makes children laugh? They laugh about a vast array of noises: screams, beeps, blurps, dings, and whistles. … Read More
What I Teach My Children About Time
Some of us are just starting out, just beginning.
Some of us are in our prime, the most beautiful we will ever be.
And, some of us are coming to the end of our lives here on earth.
The most important thing to remember is that no one knows which one they are.
They Finally Said, “I Do”
After much cavorting around the house, Rapunzel and Sir John (aka Flynn Rider) were finally wed in the living room on a wintery day in 2012. Perhaps you will be bored by my many photos, but I was so delighted by their union (and by the adorable wedding planners) that I just have to fill up my blog with snapshots … Read More
Candy Experiments: SWEET!
(Blowing bubbles into the water to see that air floats! Don’t worry – they weren’t drinking it!) We had a blast doing candy experiments with leftover candy. I snagged some clearance bags of warheads, nerds, crunch bars, skittles, m&m’s… and we got to work! I found all of the ideas at Candy Experiments and typed out my own lab sheets. … Read More
The Learning Parent Deals: Keep Your Eyes Open
The Learning Parent keeps running deals on their Character Concept material. I just received an email announcing a free set of character flash cards with the purchase of the book, Crossroads of Character. We’ve been loving this curriculum. If you’re unsure about purchasing the entire curriculum, this book and the flash cards are a great place to start! You can … Read More
Daily Counting Practice
Every week, I set out something different for Lia to count every day. I change the number every day. One week, she counted out little plastic fish into five labeled clear dishes. This week, she is counting out dog bones. (She loves these doggy bones and plunks them in the bowl with such nurturing passion… hoping, with each plunk, that … Read More
