We have about 20 kids’ puzzles stacked on a bookshelf in our living room. They all fit there, but they’re a bit of an eyesore and it is difficult to access the one our kids ask for because inevitably that particular one is at the bottom of the stack! As you can see, we need to find a better way to store these puzzles. This is … [Read more...] about Storage Solutions for Kids’ Puzzles
toddlers
Names Are Gifts We Give to Our Children
Are names merely indiscriminate titles that help us know when someone is speaking to us or is there more to it? I believe the latter, specifically that names have the power to shape our lives in significant ways. We see examples of this in Scripture. Though names sometimes recorded an aspect of a child’s birth (see Esau and Jacob in … [Read more...] about Names Are Gifts We Give to Our Children
Snow Activities for Families Living in Warm Climates
My two older kids are fascinated with snow. They frequently ask me when it will snow and if they can do things like build a snowman. They aren’t quite old enough to understand that we live in a location (the Texas Gulf Coast) where snow is rare. Because they desire to play in snow so much, I’ve been on the lookout for “snow” activities that … [Read more...] about Snow Activities for Families Living in Warm Climates
Christian Parenting Affirmations
This last summer, as I was preparing to give birth to my third child, I wrote out some labor affirmations on note cards. Affirmations—statements meant to encourage, inspire, and energize—are helpful during labor because delivering a baby (vaginally or via C-section) is strenuous, requiring a lot of mental and physical energy. As I was caring … [Read more...] about Christian Parenting Affirmations
12 Crafts to Help Kids Understand the Christmas Story
My 2-year-old and 4-year-old are really into crafts right now. They ask to draw, paint, make masks, create collages, or do something else creative every single day. I’ve found a number of cool Christmas crafts for them that yield secular symbols of Christmas (trees, wreaths, bells, etc.). I don’t have a problem with these, but I want to make … [Read more...] about 12 Crafts to Help Kids Understand the Christmas Story
7 Ways to Keep Babies and Toddlers Out of Christmas Trees
Young kids love the bright lights and shiny ornaments on Christmas trees as much as we do. Unfortunately, they don’t want to appreciate these by gazing at them like we do—they want to touch and perhaps even taste them! This is first and foremost a safety issue, but it’s also a frustration for parents who want to decorate for … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Keep Babies and Toddlers Out of Christmas Trees
Convertible Car Seats that are Suitable for Newborns
Two weeks ago I shared 4 reasons to skip the infant car seat in favor of a convertible one. As I noted in that post, not all convertible car seats are suitable for newborns. However, a great number of convertible car seats are perfect for newborns. How can you tell which are suitable and which aren’t? I’ll share the answer to this … [Read more...] about Convertible Car Seats that are Suitable for Newborns
4 Reasons to Skip the Infant Car Seat
When you’re purchasing a car seat for a baby, you have two options available to you: A rear-facing infant car seat or a rear-facing convertible car seat that is designed for use with infants. Typically, infant car seats work for babies for a maximum of one year (this will depend on the height and weight limits of a given seat, though there is … [Read more...] about 4 Reasons to Skip the Infant Car Seat
