Always Come Home
All things relating to being a Mom and Parenting.
Dear Son,
Though you may not be out today protesting, I know one day you may feel so passionate about something that you will. I understand that feeling, because I was young once (believe it or not) and remember well the feeling that my voice was not being heard in our world. Before you do, I ask you to consider some things. Continue reading “A Letter to my Sons about Passionate Protest” »
He must have been about 6 years old at the time, and the question came seemingly out of the blue. “Why do we stand when the flag passes by, Mommy?” he asked with that youthful innocence that is so common. As we stood in the hot sun watching a parade, I looked around. We were in the minority that day; many other people were not standing when the flag floated by. Why were we? Continue reading “Why We Stand” »
This morning dawned a new day, with a new President-elect, and people are really struggling to feel heard and understood…on both sides. As a family, we expose our children quite a lot to the political process. We want them to see what is happening, understand how it works, and also see how people react. But, this election has been slightly different for me. If you read my earlier post on whether or not this political climate is making us into bullies (you can find that post here), you know that in the end…one of the things that matters to me a great deal is how our children are feeling. This morning, the children are STILL watching us. What are they learning today? Continue reading “Hey, Kids…It’ll be Alright” »
This election has been tense, and filled with all kinds of emotion. As parents, we work hard every day to teach our children to be kind and thoughtful. We ask them not to speak disrespectfully. We talk to them about being fair and hearing the other person’s side of the story. But, as parents, are we struggling to do the same in a political climate that is making us all feel a little self-righteous? Continue reading “Is Today’s Political Climate Making Us Bullies?” »
If you are heading out with your child tonight for a little fun, keep safety in mind! These six tips are easy to do, and can be done in a flash this afternoon before you head out. Stay aware of your surroundings to make sure tonight is filled with fun and laughs, not tears and tantrums! Continue reading “6 Quick Tips for Trick or Treating Safely” »
Being a kid today is a tough job: I mean that! No, they don’t know the pain of chores like we might have. No, they don’t know what life was like before the internet, or cellphones, or a bazillion after-school clubs. But, they do live in a distractible, confusing, and sometimes anxiety prone world. There are plenty of things that pull our kids in more directions than we would wish, and today’s kids feel them.
So, how do you bring out that inner superhero in your kids each and every day? Believe it or not, the answer may lie in slowing things down, taking things easier, and finding your kiddos inner strengths (the ones they didn’t even know they had). Continue reading “Helping Your Kid Find their Inner Superhero” »
Children are usually very excited about Halloween, The chance to dress-up in a million imaginative costumes, have sweet treats, and get just a little scared is often fun for kids. But, some kids don’t find this holiday fun at all. They find it frightening. They feel nervous and afraid to participate in Halloween activities, even at school or home. As a parent, it can be frustrating to try to make the holiday special for a child who is feeling this way. Here are some tips to make this holiday fun and to introduce it in a manner that feels safe to your child.
Continue reading “Helping Kids Who are Afraid at Halloween (with FREE Printable)” »
Our world has changed. We now see children who have no idea where their food comes from, how it is grown, or how it gets cultivated. For me, as the daughter of a farmer, this is a truly sad fact. Our children, and their children, still need to feed themselves every day, but we have not armed them with the tools to understand agriculture and what it brings to our tables. When they are asked where food comes from, and the majority of them answer “The grocery store.”…we have a BIG problem. Continue reading “Teaching Our Kids About Agriculture” »
I often joke that we have been parents FOREVER…not really, but it often seems that way. It seems totally impossible that we have a child out of college and still have one in elementary school and one in middle school. This time of year, that becomes more than apparent as we schedule and plan for our fall conferences.
Sometimes, with Elementary students, it’s hard to know what things to discuss with the teacher, especially if everything seems to be going “just fine”. These seven tips can help your conference go smoothly and be productive. Continue reading “Seven Steps to Effective Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences (plus FREE printable)” »
Continue reading “Beware: Mental Zombies!” »
