A little something to think about this week on the subject of art for kids (my favorite subject). I came across an article in the Boston Globe about the importance of teaching art in school in this era of standardized tests. If you have the time to read the whole article, do it. It’s not…
Parenting
Museums with Kids
We live about an hour from New York City, which is very lucky. One train ride and we are in the Big Apple! We try to take advantage of this perk whenever possible, although I’ve found that it was actually easier when they were little and didn’t have homework and activities. One of my favorite…
Neighborhood Art Show
I’ve always wanted to do an Art Show at my house. We have a unique neighborhood with a plethora of kids, so why not collect their art and display it for all to see? Made perfect sense to me! It was also a great way to teach the kids a few things: Follow through on…
Favorite Back-to-school Books
Tomorrow, my son will be starting first grade in a new school. He says he’s nervous. I told him, so am I. He was surprised I said this and asked me why? I said that I always feel butterflies on the first day back to school. But that it was more of a nervous excitement….
The Importance of Play
I have just finished reading Nurture Shock, by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman, for the second time. Forgetting that I’d already read it, I picked it up again and was just as fascinated. It’s nothing like a parenting manual. In fact, this insightful book transcends basic child rearing. I highly recommend this book. The authors propose…
Easy Forts
Kids love forts! It’s true. I have never met a child who doesn’t love small, enclosed spaces where they can hide their stuff, and hide themselves. I remember as a kid begging my parents to let me sleep in the basement, in the small storage room that was full of secret stuff. They let me!…
Happy Mother’s Day!
My mom in Holland, 1971. My kids call her Oma. She is an incredible human being, remarkable in every way. She has taught me to stay strong, rise above it, keep trying, be grateful, smile at everyone, give generously, laugh at myself, cross at the light, stop complaining, eat my protein, cherish my marriage and,…
An ECHOage Birthday
To continue with my birthday theme this past week (streamers are still up), I wanted to share with you our secret to a happy birthday party. For the past three years, we have celebrated the kids’ birthdays with ECHOage, an online birthday party service whereby your child choses a charity to donate to in lieu…
Balloon Surprise
Pinterest had an idea that I wanted to copy. There was a photo of a little girl looking all adorable up on her bed, and beneath her on the floor were big, colorful balloons. The post said, “On their birthday, cover the floor with balloons while they sleep.” Brilliant idea! I went to Party City….
Listen Earnestly
I love this quote by Catherine M. Wallace. The range of things my kids talk about with me is vast. My five-year-old asks me questions all day about how old I am, or do I know any real ninjas. My nine-year-old tells me about every inappropriate word uttered on the bus, or who is her…
