Is Your Child Kindergarten Ready?
When it was time for my first baby to start kindergarten, I couldn’t believe the time had gone so quickly. How could this little person be ready to spend all day away from me in the big school? Was she actually ready? By the time my twins were kindergarten-bound, I...
Pack your bags! Benefits of Family Travel
Just hearing the word “travel” makes me want to pack my bags and go! Well, that’s not entirely accurate. It makes me want someone else to pack my bags so that I can just go! I’ve always loved to travel, even as a little girl. I loved the new sights, experiences,...
Exploring Your Child’s Passions: Inspiring a Childhood Hobby
It has been interesting to watch my children during this strange school year of hybrid learning with its mixture of Zoom and in-person classes. The first weeks of school were spent finding our rhythm, and those early days required a not-insignificant amount of my time...
COVID Slide: Use This Summer To Close Learning Gaps
Being a former teacher, I typically get questions at this time of year about how to address the dreaded “summer slide,” the loss of learning that takes place when kids have months off from school during the summer. If a long break makes parents nervous, reflect on an...
Special Education 101: Meeting Your Child’s Needs
Our oldest daughter had always struggled with math, but it wasn’t until after private testing in third grade that she received a formal diagnosis of dyscalculia, a math learning disability. Despite the fact that I was a former teacher, I felt out of my depth in regard...
S’mores and More! Hidden Benefits of Camping With Kids
For years my kids had begged me and my husband, Scott, to take them camping. While Scott had camped several times in college, my entire childhood camping experience was one night in a pop-up camper. My two-year-old sister wandered away while the rest of the family was...
Allowance: A Penny Earned or All in a Day’s Work?
I’ve always felt thankful that my husband and I agree on most parenting-related things. Don’t get me wrong. We have other differences of opinion for sure, but when it comes to the kids, we’re usually on the same page. That is, until our kids became old enough...
Peace by Piece: What LEGO and Puzzle Play Teach
There is something peaceful and contemplative about the start of a new year. The bustle of the holidays is past, the decorations come down, and the weather encourages coziness and hibernation. A new year stretches before you, full of possibility and hope. It is...
Holiday Celebrations From Around The Globe
December is a special time filled with holiday activities and memory-making. Most families have a working knowledge of Christmas and Hanukkah, but there are other special winter traditions and holidays that take place this month. Consider introducing some of these...
The Secret Ingredient to Thanksgiving Dinner … Math!
Ah, Thanksgiving. The word summons visions of perfectly roasted turkey, fluffy mashed potatoes with melted butter, pumpkin pie topped with pillows of whipped cream, and … math. Math?!? Yes, that’s right! Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to help your child...
Extend the Halloween Experience With STEAM Activities
October brings crunchy leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything, and most importantly to kids ... HALLOWEEN! Check out these fun STEAM activities to get the whole family in the Halloween spirit. Rotting Pumpkin What happens to a pumpkin as it rots? This experiment...
Grandparents as Teachers
With school districts beginning the school year in remote learning mode, families are figuring out how to make the demanding task of overseeing children’s learning at home actually work. The extra burden can weigh even heavier on single and working parents. The...
