I remember the moment I realized preschool had become a very big deal. My oldest daughter was about three months old and we were at the first session of a parent-infant class. I was desperate to get out of the house and meet other parents of infants. I walked in and sat down on the mat across from two friendly looking moms. I couldn’t wait to connect, until panic set in when I heard their conversation.
Last week I spoke with Mimi Jung & Jake Whittenberg from King 5 News about encouraging children to help out when it comes to chores. For more tips on this topic, check out Quit Whining & Do Your Chores.
Last week I spoke with Mimi Jung from King 5 News about how parents can talk to their children about the Las Vegas shooting and other violent events. For more tips on this topic, check out Talking To Kids About Violence & Terror.
Last week I spoke with Mimi Jung from King 5 News about how parents can support their children in completing their homework. We also discussed how parents can talk to their kids about the NFL protest.
Big topics in the news have been coming fast and furious over the last year. Some of them whiz by our kids without notice, while others have our kids wanting to know more right away. The current debate over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem is one that piqued the interest of children quickly. Not surprising, as sports figures continue to be role models and heroes to our kids.
Last week I spoke with Mimi Jung from King 5 News about the number one conversation parents should have with their kids as we head back to school.
You survived the newborn days, and life with baby is rolling along smoothly. They are full of belly laughs, find delight in just about everything, and their biggest complaints are easily whisked away with a clean diaper, a snuggle, and some milk. As you push your easy-going babe in the swing at the park, you notice the toddler hitting her mom and think, “Wow, what’s wrong with that devil child? Glad it’s not mine.”
Spring has certainly been slow to arrive in the Pacific Northwest this year! We have struggled through days of epic rain and uncharacteristically cold April days. And yet, there have been lovely glimpses of the weather to come, of the possibilities and energy that come with spring and then with summer. I have noticed over the past few years as a mom to school-aged children as well as a parent educator in cooperative preschools, that even as each school year brings unique triumphs and challenges, there are dependable rhythms to the school year.
Behold The Power of Treats! "Can I have some ice cream?" "I want another piece of cake!" Sound familiar? Kids seem to want them. All of the time. And, of course they do! We often have made it the source of all happiness and the forbidden fruit at the same time. All of life’s big events seem to have them.
I remember my first Mother’s Day. My oldest was weeks from coming out and joining the world. Oh, I recall those feeling of joy, hope and wonder for what my husband and I had created! I’d finally gained admittance to a coveted society of elders, joining the long line of ancestors, no longer the last link in the chain. Yes, I was very pregnant, but my baby was inside with no little wants and needs except for stripping me of my own comfort. I envisioned a lifetime of days like these when I would be celebrated and expected to do nothing but relax and bask in the glow of my new role. I could get used to this Mother’s Day thing!
What better way is there to begin 2017 than with fresh energy and a strong vision for the present that leads to an even brighter future? One way to accomplish this with your family is to spend some time together making up a family mission statement or manifesto. This living, breathing document is most effective when it is created collaboratively as a family and adjusted as time goes on to make it relevant as your family grows and develops together. Here are some tips for getting started!
Help! Our four year old is turning mornings into a three-ring circus. She thinks getting ready is a game and as soon as we start, she runs away. It’s one thing when she does it with me, but now she is starting to turn on the antics with our nanny. Our family has put many of your bedtime tips in to practice and I would like to figure out how the nanny and I can use them in the morning as well. Can you help us stop the circus?
As election results came in and a winner emerged, I received a number of requests from parents to comment on how to talk to children about the outcome. In particular, children who may have been disappointed with the results. Unable to sleep myself, I sat down around midnight to write some tips for parents.
For generations, babies were thought of as adorable, moldable lumps of clay that were there to be cared for and loved until they were old enough to be useful or interesting. Without language to tell us what they think or feel about the world around them, it can still be easy to disregard the amazing development that infants are undertaking in the first year of life.
This is one of those topics I never would have predicted the need for, but here we are. In cities across the country, adults seem to be dressing up as clowns and scaring children. There are reports of clowns roaming the streets holding fake weapons, dripping in fake blood, and threatening people. While this may sound straight out of an April Fools prank, it's no joke. There are schools and public officials around the country who have had to make official statements advising what to do if you see a scary clown and how to cope with the fallout from our current clown crisis.
It’s school shopping season and we want to make sure you have all the information you need to feel supported in your school search. Our last post featured an interview with college admissions counselor Heather Parry, helping us put college worries aside until high school. Today, Education Consultant Christy Haven, shares what parents need to be thinking about when searching for preschool through middle school options.
