Not to sound cliché, but promises are important. As a parent, I make promises to my children and spouse on a daily basis. Some of these promises were made almost 10 years ago, when my husband and I were married. I promised then to support my husband in his efforts, to love him with fidelity, to look after his needs, …
Find Enjoyment in Living
I love seeing the excited face of a child experiencing something for the first time! Whether it’s learning something new, or doing something fun – that moment of sheer joy when he or she is immersed in the moment and experiencing LIFE is what I live for. It’s why we go on adventures, work on robots, and even do extra …
Yummy Homemade Graham Cracker S’mores
The other day, while searching for a yummy after school treats, I came across a recipe for homemade graham crackers, and the added bonus – the crackers are actually soft and cookie-ish. These crackers are actually my favorite rendition of a graham cracker. Well, I was in the middle of making these when the school kids came home. We usually …
The Silent Women’s Health Issue
There’s been a lot of awareness-raising about women’s health issues recently. There’s one, though, that is hard to recognize, but it’s very common. It steals time, enjoyment, energy, and health from those who suffer from it – yet its causes are not well known. Women are five to eight times more likely to have this disease than men. What is this …
Valentine’s Day Banner
Sometimes, when making crafts with preschoolers, the crafts turn out so cute that I just can’t wait to share them. This Valentine’s Day Banner is one of those times. The banner is fun and simple to make, and looks adorable. An added benefit is that this Valentine’s Day Banner also helps preschoolers develop fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and …
The Answer is Love
I’m going to oversimplify some of the problems facing this world. And I’m going to sound a little “out there”, but as I’ve been watching events transpire throughout the world, one thing has resounded in my mind. The answer is love. The answer to all these problems – from mass shootings, to terror attacks, to brutality in the streets – …
Catch them Being Good
One of my fondest memories happened after I was asked to speak to my church congregation shortly after returning from a mission. The invitation came 10 minutes before the meeting was to start. My habit is to say yes when asked to do things. After extemporizing a 15-minute speech, I was able to sit back and enjoy the remainder of …
The Importance of Developing Fine Motor Skills
20+ Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills When I was a young mother of a precocious two-year old, I focused on teaching her everything she would need to know for Kindergarten. We worked on knowing what the colors were, how to count to 20 verbally and with objects, and the ABC’s. However, I overlooked the importance of developing fine motor …
Four Keys to Teaching Toddlers Gratitude
Gratitude, it seems, doesn’t come naturally to young children. They are born completely helpless, and honestly, completely selfish. This makes sense. Their very survival depends on their needs being met. So, of course, they are self-centered. However, teaching toddlers gratitude can be done, if certain keys are followed. First of all, it is very important to model an attitude of …
Backwards New Year’s Resolutions
This year to go along with my New Year’s resolutions, I decided to do backwards New Year’s Resolutions. What is a backward New Year’s Resolution? A backward New Year’s Resolution involves reflecting on the past year and looking for what is working, what went well, and what was helping the family. Then, it involves resolving to keep those behaviors as …
