“Let them create! Don’t intervene in their imaginative artwork!”
I heard this from many parent friends. The truth is, when homeschooling my daughter, I recognized that she was having a hard time taking the creation in her mind and translating it onto paper. She needed guidance to accomplish the image she so desperately wanted to display for all to see.
I am a firm believer that a goal without a plan is just a wish. As an adult, I annually write out my goals and spend the year breaking them down into more attainable goals that I can “check off” a list. When I taught 3rd grade, I did this same process with my students. I taught the importance of having big and small goals. These are the strategies I used in my classroom to help my students create concrete, attainable goals. These same steps can be applied to your child at home (best for ages 7 and up).
When the holiday season rolls around, so do classroom holiday parties! Of course we have to provide our kids with some festive treats, but who says they can’t be healthy?
These healthy holiday treats are perfect for classroom parties, or even just snacks at home! They’re full of festive holiday spirit AND nutrition. We’ve also included a couple non-food treats. All the kids will love them!
What happened to me?!?
I went shopping at the mall for the first time since I had a child and the sales associate said something that horrified me.
He asked “What do you do for a living?”
Smiling I said “I’m a stay at home mom” I should have said I’m a domestic engineer because that is more accurate.
“Oh. you don’t work then. Your lucky. Sit around the house all day and do nothing. You have a life of leisure and relax all day.”
I was livid! It is baffling the crazy stereotype of the modern day homemaker. It is because of these myths that we get little respect in society. Today I hope to set the record straight and educate the public.
I have to start by saying that I am the WORST baker! I have been known to forget ingredients, make a mess of the kitchen, burn the end result, etc…you name the disaster and I have probably been there done that!
Amazement doesn’t cover the emotion I have when I see my little one who struggles with gross motor and motor planning develop skills that guide her along on the right path after just one gymnastics class. We started gymnastics with Delise this past week to help her with her gross Read more…
“I need more juice please!”
“I have to go potty!”
“Can we go outside?”
“One more minute?!?”
“I’m hungry!”
“Will you play with me?”
etc., etc., etc…….
I love my kids and I love spending time with my kids…BUT…I get extremely burnt out (quickly I might add) if I don’t schedule in “Me” time. Yes…you heard me…I SCHEDULE in “Me” time. I found that if I didn’t schedule it in, it didn’t happen…like EVAH!
Healthy recipes that kids enjoy…Hmmm…now that is an oxymoron!
My first daughter will eat everything and anything (minus asparagus). She was introduced to a variety of foods since day one and has a very well-rounded pallet. Since that had worked, my husband and I did the same thing with Delise thinking the same thing would happen and….NOT SO MUCH! She couldn’t be a more pickier eater. She LOVES junk food (which we don’t keep in the house) so she eats like a little birdie in hopes we will break down and feed her chips for dinner. I also realized that sometimes snacking was a big part of her lack of motivation at the dinner table.
Toddlers are notorious nibblers. Their small bellies mean they can’t eat a lot at one time, and their go-go-go nature means they don’t want to sit at the table too long. Here are some snacking strategies that I have found useful!
I am one of those mommy’s that gets family pictures done ALL.THE.TIME. Every 6 months or so I am scheduling the good ole family photos because right now in this stage of life, our girls are sprouting like weeds, changing before our eyes, and quite frankly I don’t want to miss any of it. I would say I am a bit extreme when it comes to putting the good old smile to the test.
I remember the day we brought our firstborn daughter home from the hospital. She was perfect, GORGEOUS, and sweet as pie. She had the tiniest fingers and toes and made the cutest sounds when she slept. When we got home, we set her carefully on our big, brown oversized couch and stared with awe, wonder, and FRIGHT! Ben and I looked at each other and we could tell what the other was thinking…NOW WHAT?!?