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
toddlers
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
Christmas in July: Deciding Whether or Not to Participate in the Santa Tradition
If you have little kids, then you are faced with the question of whether or not to take part in the Santa tradition (i.e., teaching kids that a jolly old man stops by to leave gifts for them to open on Christmas morning). This tradition can be fun and add excitement to the Christmas season, but it also has some drawbacks. You may be … [Read more...] about Christmas in July: Deciding Whether or Not to Participate in the Santa Tradition
Easy DIY Puppet Theater from a Cardboard Box
Cardboard boxes, especially large ones, are wonderful “toys” for kids! I can recall several occasions during my childhood when we had large boxes from new appliances and similar items. We would play for hours while pretending these were all sorts of things (houses, rockets, etc.). Though I’m a mom now, I still love large cardboard … [Read more...] about Easy DIY Puppet Theater from a Cardboard Box
How Parental Screen Time Impacts Kids
We’ve been talking about screen time over the last few weeks. We began by looking at the research on how screen time impacts the cognitive and language development of young kids. Then, keeping this information in mind, we discussed realistic screen time guidelines for kids. Amid all the research and recommendations regarding kids’ … [Read more...] about How Parental Screen Time Impacts Kids
5 Things I’ve Learned from Watching My Parents Interact with My Kids
We recently had the pleasure of having my parents visit for a little over a week. My kids adore their Grandma and Mebop (their name for grandpa), so it’s always special when we can all be together. As I watched my parents interact with my kids during this last visit, I realized that there are a number of life lessons that I can learn … [Read more...] about 5 Things I’ve Learned from Watching My Parents Interact with My Kids
Dads Feel Stress, Too
A couple of weeks before Mother’s Day, I shared some research findings on things that cause stress for moms. Of course, moms aren’t the only ones who experience stress. Our male counterparts also experience considerable parenting-related stress. Interestingly, when I began looking into this topic, I didn’t find any survey findings or … [Read more...] about Dads Feel Stress, Too
Realistic Screen Time Guidelines for Kids
Two weeks ago we looked at the research on how screen time impacts young kids. Based on the research findings, I feel pretty confident saying that it is a good idea for us to limit how much time our kids spend in front of screens (watching TV, using apps on tablets, playing video games, etc.). Exactly how much we should limit this … [Read more...] about Realistic Screen Time Guidelines for Kids
