My sister and I were really close when we were growing up, but we also fought like cats and dogs. I’m seeing this same pattern emerge with my own kids. My three daughters are best of friends, but they sometimes feel frustrated with each other and end up fighting. Based on what I hear from other parents, this seems to be fairly typical. … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Help Your Kids Form Close Sibling Relationships
toddlers
How to Keep Unbelieving Kids from Ruining Santa for Kids Who Believe
My kids know who Santa is, but they don’t believe he is a real person. They enjoy him as a fictional character, just as they do fairy tale princesses and superheroes. This isn’t the case for most of our friends and family members. The children in these families believe that Santa is real, and this is an important part of their Christmas … [Read more...] about How to Keep Unbelieving Kids from Ruining Santa for Kids Who Believe
Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt
One of the things my kids really enjoyed doing this past fall was going on a scavenger hunt. We used a printable that I created a couple of years ago (find it here). They had so much fun walking through our neighborhood in search of the items pictured on the printable. I’ve made a similar printable for a Christmas light scavenger hunt! … [Read more...] about Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt
Birthday Cake Pancakes
The oldest of my three daughters had her fifth birthday earlier this month! She loves sprinkles, so I decided to make Birthday Cake Pancakes for breakfast as part of our celebration. I’ve seen these made using boxed cake mixes, but they are easy to make from scratch. They make a birthday morning—or any other morning—extra … [Read more...] about Birthday Cake Pancakes
40 Questions for Kids to Ask Their Grandparents
A few years ago I wrote a post about the importance of grandparents. I noted in that post that grandparents have a wealth of knowledge that they can pass along to their grandkids and that they help connect grandkids to their history. Given kids can learn so many things from their grandparents, perhaps it is best not to take a laissez-faire … [Read more...] about 40 Questions for Kids to Ask Their Grandparents
The Dirty Truth About How Often Kids (and Adults) Need to Bathe
I know many families that include baths as part of their nightly bedtime routines. I always figured this would be the case in my household, but once I became a mom I realized that I didn’t have time to bathe my baby each day. Additionally, her pediatrician recommended that we bathe her no more than twice a week because she had … [Read more...] about The Dirty Truth About How Often Kids (and Adults) Need to Bathe
DIY Deluxe Sensory Table
Throughout the spring months, my oldest daughter kept begging me to put a sandbox in our backyard. I could easily think of a half dozen reasons why it would be a bad idea to put one in our yard. However, I love giving my kids things that they desire and sandboxes are great for several reasons (they provide a safe place for kids to play in the … [Read more...] about DIY Deluxe Sensory Table
5 Reasons Hand-Me-Downs are Awesome
My daughters’ wardrobes are comprised primarily of used outfits. Thanks to the generosity of their grandparents, they each get a couple of brand new outfits each year. However, the vast majority of their clothes are hand-me-downs or items we’ve purchased from consignment stores. When I think of hand-me-downs, my mental images are of … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons Hand-Me-Downs are Awesome
