Learning made fun with activities and games is a great way for kids to play. Discover how to make learning fun at home with 5 simply and effective tips. Thank you to Reading Eggs Junior for sponsoring this post. All content and opinions expressed are my own. Confession time: I didn't start reading for fun until well after leaving college. I didn't feel inclined to read when I already had "required reading" to do. I enjoyed the books I had to read and also did well in school, but I never found myself wanting to read on my own. Only when I was past the stage of being required to read did I … [Read more...]
4 Easy Ideas to Nurture Your Child’s Creativity
You know the importance of play and creativity, but how can you encourage it in your home? Discover 4 easy ideas to nurture your child's imagination. I had found the perfect craft on Pinterest—something I could actually try with my then-toddler. The object was simple: draw a cloud outline on a piece of paper, and have your child glue cotton balls within the shape. Once he's done, you'd then cut along the line and you'd have yourself a bona fide cloud—voilá! I gathered our supplies and showed my son how to apply glue to cotton balls and stick it to the paper. Except... he had his own … [Read more...]
8 Keys to Explaining Emotions to Your Child
Is your child struggling with feelings and learning how to cope through them? Learn how to manage emotions and kids with these 8 important techniques. You and I, we’ve had years of practice when it comes to emotions. We can pinpoint when we feel excited over a present or jealousy when we want something we can’t have. We know feelings come and go—all of them—and that everyone feels the same emotions at some point. Kids aren’t born knowing this and don't have the years of experience we've had at discerning emotions. They might assume they're "bad" when they feel angry, or feel stuck in … [Read more...]
Preschool Pros and Cons: Should You Send Your Child to Preschool?
Deciding to send your child to preschool can be a difficult choice. Take a look at these preschool pros and cons to help you make your decision. Should you send your child to preschool? Let me start by saying I've enrolled all three of my kids in preschool since asking myself that question. And I couldn't be happier with my decision. Still, if someone were to ask me whether they should send their child to preschool, I wouldn't give a definitive “yes.” Instead, I'd say it depends on many factors. Because each family has their own unique circumstances, each child has his own needs. … [Read more...]
How to Teach Your Child to Be Assertive
Assertiveness for kids is an important skill to teach. Discover effective techniques to help your child assert herself and voice her opinions. At the park, an older child noticed my twins playing with sticks they had found on the ground. "I want that," he said, pointing to one of the sticks my son held in his hand. "Here," my son replied, handing him the shorter stick. The boy didn't relent, and pressed for the longer stick. At that point, I did something I knew I shouldn't have done: I stepped in. "Actually, that's his stick," I told the boy. "Maybe you can find another one … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Twins to Stop Fighting
Frustrated with your twins fighting all the time, especially when nothing seems to work? Learn the essential habits that will encourage them to get along. First it was Spiderman. Then Batman. This last time, it was Superman. Each new toy my husband gave our twins became the Hot Item they had to fight over. Never mind that they also received other superheroes—they always wanted what the other person had. While newborn twins are hard, the toddler and preschool years with twins can be just as challenging, especially when they fight all the time. It's enough to make any mom feel like … [Read more...]
How to Raise Kids Who Love to Learn
Want to raise kids with a genuine passion for curiosity? Discover effective ways to raise children who love to learn — and not because they have to. My son was in the kitchen trying to turn an empty box of strawberries into an airplane. He had attached a propeller from another toy to the front and strapped a rubber band he'd hoped would sling it forward. It even came equipped with landing wheels. The airplane never moved, much less flew, but this is the kind of learning I want to encourage in my kids. Not doing homework begrudgingly or even perfect grades, but the willingness to try … [Read more...]
Mom Guilt: 7 Reasons We Shouldn’t Blame Ourselves for Everything
Do you suffer from mom guilt and blame yourself for everything that goes wrong? Learn 7 reasons we shouldn't blame ourselves for everything — and how to stop. I knew I should've put a jacket on him, I thought. My son had caught a cold, leaving him miserable for a few days. But while the causes of his cold were many—from sick kids at school to not washing his hands well—I focused on how I could've been the one to blame. Mom guilt. We've all felt it, even as early as when we were still pregnant. We worried about all the things that could go wrong, then blame ourselves when they … [Read more...]
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