Placing thoughtful insights right in sight is a practical way to teach children! Below are some ideas that have emerged out of the desire to teach growing kids without preaching too often. Kitchen Table As many of my blog followers know, I love to use the kitchen table as a place for teaching. In 2014, […]
Screen Time
Imagine for a moment 20 people of various ages who have been asked to sit still for 10 minutes with their empty hands on their knees. They are not allowed to speak or interact with anyone. The participants can’t leave their seat or get anything out of their pockets. They just need to sit.… Can […]
You’ve Got “Real” Mail
A handwritten envelope with my name! Who could it be from? Text, email, and social media make staying connected so simple…but is faster always the best choice? I’d like to make a case for “real mail”. Here are a couple quick stories to show the strength of a handwritten letter. First, one of my boys […]
What Chickens Taught Me About Raising Kids
Last fall our chickens kept pecking each other. My two youngest kids were worried about the chickens losing feathers. We changed one thing and it changed the situation. We gave the chickens “something to do.” Of course, we gave them their usual scratch and crumble in the morning. Then part way through the day when […]
Christmas Treasure Hunt
Here’s the perfect way to get out the wiggles on Christmas Eve. Send your children on a treasure hunt. We use the hunt each year to find our Christmas pajamas, but any fun treasure would work. The hunt is versatile. It has clues that make the kids search. For example: No creatures are stirring in […]
Summer Ideas for Fun, Learning, and a Bit of Order
It is beneficial to have a plan going into summer. Below are links to some of our top ideas that will lead to a memorable summer break: Reading and Learning (Links) Family Reading Goal –work together towards a goal. This is great for a family with all different reading levels. Book Bingo –printable bingo sheets […]
Book Bingo
Years ago my brilliant, small town librarian introduced the idea of Book Bingo to me. We have used it in various forms since that time. The Book Bingo game can be an incentive to help your child be excited to read each day. It also helps children get out of the slump of only reading […]
Family Bonding Time – Read, Watch, Enjoy!
“They left the best part out!” “Annabeth is supposed to be blond!” “I like the book much better. They ruined the movie.” Over the years comparing books with movies has been a fun point of discussion and bonding for our family. We have enjoyed reading illustrated classics and other great books followed by watching the […]
Controlling Anger
Parental guidance plays a big role in a child’s ability to manage anger and master self. Each child is different. Here are some possible ways to help your child learn to control anger: Teaching Your Child to Forbear: It is instructive to teach the word “forbear” and link it to “four bears.” Forbear means to […]
Innovative Thinking Prompts
Sometimes it is fun to mix up the usual routine a bit and add something different. A question to promote innovative thinking may be what is needed to set a child’s imagination running. What if we didn’t have a cup or a water bottle? Idea #1: Instead of setting the table with a cup put […]