History Lesson
Posted by Clair
My daughter has started her state history unit in school. I remember 2 years ago when my son had the same unit. It was fun to talk with him about the rich history of our state. But, what I am noticing is that although it may be the same teacher teaching the same unit, what I am getting out of it at home is quite different this time around.
My son told me all about the role we played in the Revolutionary War. He knew all sorts of tidbits of information regarding forts, weapons, military, etc. He could spout off facts like the state flower, state bird, state flag and state sport. But, when I ask him now about that unit all he remembers is that the state unit means school is almost over, and, [...]
You Can’t Un-Read That!
Posted by Martha
When my daughter started reading it was a sight to behold: you could see her eyes light up knowing that she now had the key to unlock every word put in front of her. They now have meaning, emotion and they can tell her anything she wants to know. And anything she doesn’t want to know too.
A few years have passed and, while it’s still magic, it has its terrifying moments. It’s hard to shelter a mind that can decode words. She is a voracious reader and has quickly surpassed her grade level which means more mature topics come up in books she is reading. I’ve had to explain the ugly things in life like war, hunger and poverty. I can count on having a late night knock at my door because of nightmares from a story about a certain boy wizard.
I know now that the only way to know [...]
When Every Minute is Accounted For
Posted by G.I. Jane
Since becoming a mother my life has transformed into a living, breathing schedule. Every minute is accounted for, slots of time have specific activities assigned to them, routines have become critical to maintaining order and each action is pre-calculated.
Gone is a time when days were fluid and free; errands could be run at a moment’s notice, dinner plans could be made while walking out the door and “me” time was all the time.
Here are a few of my examples:
- Talks over dinner often include coordinating calendars;
- Trips to the gym require prior knowledge so one parent knows they are on deck;
- Going grocery shopping involves careful planning to occur during particular hours of the day, preferably after a meal and not too close to naptime;
- You plan your day in a series of time blocks – if we do breakfast at 8, then I can run errands and be back by naptime, then we’ll [...]
Parenting Essentials April Newsletter
Posted by Auntie Em
Check out our April newsletter!
There Goes the Neighborhood
Posted by ErinWe moved recently, and one of the most wonderful parts of the new neighborhood is that it’s full of children. That’s also one of the downsides of the neighborhood. As soon as we arrived, I mean, as the moving truck was still outside, I saw signs that this neighborhood was kid-friendly. Bikes on the lawns, basketball nets, stray balls in random places. As the movers pulled away, the first curious kid wandered over. Since that first day here, not a day has gone by that we haven’t had a visitor, or that I haven’t had to retrieve my kids from random nearby homes to feed them, or put them to bed. One of the things I hadn’t realized is that once you let the neighbors kids in, you can’t get them out. They know when there’s homework, or when it’s time to go to bed, or when school is out. [...]
