Blog Feed: The Art and Science of Parenting

Reading Tips

Published on 2012-03-09 09:54:00

I bought window cling words from the Dollar Tree - The "colors" words... There were 10 paint splashes with colors and the words... and 10 tubes of paint with colors and the words. I took the window clings and put one set on the car window where Kira sits and the other set on the car window where Marisa sits. Now when we're in the car, the girls can practice reading the "colors" and learn > read more

To Tell or Not to Tell...

Published on 2011-02-25 13:25:00

I was having a conversation with my son the other day about friends and such. He's sixteen now and getting information from him is worse than pulling teeth with no pain killers. This particular day, though, I must have asked the right questions. I a > read more

Got Toys?

Published on 2011-02-15 20:23:00

I was visiting my sister the other day when her step-daughter dropped off the granddaughter for a weekend visit. The little girl is about 18 months old, and my sister mentioned that she had to spend most of her time following the child around to keep > read more

Animal Shelter

Published on 2011-02-04 12:46:00

Yay - oh yay - oh yay!!! I contacted our local animal shelter today to find out about their volunteer program. As part of our school studies, Kira and Marisa will begin volunteering at the shelter next week. They will get to play with dogs and cats > read more

Training Dragons

Published on 2011-01-30 00:06:00

Marisa received a new movie for Christmas that has simply taken over our lives. How to Train Your Dragon Since this new movie about the most feared dragon - the Night Fury - has come into our lives, Marisa has become obsessed with a certain special > read more

I can haz entertainment?

Published on 2011-01-07 11:13:00

Are you looking for an inexpensive and easy way to provide everlasting entertainment for your children (and your cats)? The answer is right in your own back yard. You need only make a couple of minor purchases and then be on your way to never ending > read more

Survival - Kira's Current Obsession

Published on 2010-12-31 01:04:00

I told Kira and Marisa that we were going for a drive and asked Kira to tell me what we needed to put in the car in case of an emergency. So she decided that we needed a couple of blankets, some water, some food, flashlights, a lighter, and some t > read more

The Christmas Scramble

Published on 2010-12-19 10:31:00

Why, oh why, does the powers that rule over the world of toys make it so difficult for us parents to procure that perfect gift for our children? Those in charge somehow know exactly what toys are going to be most coveted. They release the toy in Sept > read more

Imagination...

Published on 2010-11-19 12:56:00

Have you ever listened to your children as they play whatever pretend games they enjoy playing? It is a very interesting activity to sit and listen in while they play imaginary games. I've noticed over the past few weeks that my girls are playing gam > read more

I Need Help

Published on 2010-11-09 12:16:00

I'm wandering through my day today, dealing with two very whiny children. I have no idea what has happened to turn my darling angels in to devilish monsters, but I know that something has to change - and FAST - before I completely lose my mind. (or w > read more

Moving, Settling, and Chaos

Published on 2010-10-25 19:16:00

The last few months have been filled with complete and total chaos. We moved at the beginning of September and still have not quite found our equilibrium. I find myself struggling with the day to day... and the super whiny kids... as we all try to ad > read more

Competition

Published on 2010-10-05 22:19:00

I just wanted to take a moment to share a bit of an observation... I have heard a lot over the past years about how competition is not good for young children and their fragile self esteem. I have heard a lot about how schools are doing more to prot > read more

Back In Time

Published on 2010-09-30 10:12:00

One of the most treasured activities for children is talking about themselves. Kids love to hear stories of their birth, stories of their big moments, anything about themselves, really. Sometimes telling those same old stories can get a bit boring to > read more

The Art of Free Play

Published on 2010-09-14 09:02:00

In today's world of hectic schedules and over booked activities, many children have lost the pleasure of unstructured free time. There is so much pressure to expose our kids to all possible avenues of interest that we, as parents, often forget to jus > read more