Growing Up

Ah, the TV questions. They’ve been floating around since I was a kid, and probably before that. How much television do your kids watch? What do they watch? Do they have TV’s in their rooms? As much as every mom would like to say that their kids spend all day doing puzzles, reading books and playing outside, most children spend at least some time in front of the TV. Opinions vary among experts and parents alike about how much is appropriate, but most seem to agree that kids today watch too much. We have a childhood obesity problem in this country that is often attributed to the sedentary lifestyle Americans have become accustomed to, and children are more difficult to...

Yup, it's true, this homeschooling momma has taken off her homeschool hat and put on the public school hat (I live a life of extremes.) Like many, many, oh so many, mommas before me I ventured into the parenting journey scared and clueless, yet somewhere along the way I learned that the only one in charge of this is me! Could I have continued homeschooling this year? Yes. Do I still believe homeschooling is ultimately the best option for my kids? Yes. But, for my own reasons, I decided to pack up my kids, move to a completely different house so I could enroll them in a good public school, and do something completely different this year (and if...

Today was the day.  I bit the bullet and got Blaison his very. first. cell. phone. Let me start by saying that I don't think there's an exact age, a mathematical formula, or even a certain grade that would be classified as the right time for a child to have a cell phone.  I truly feel that each situation is different and in our case, we waited.  I told myself years ago that I was going to wait, despite the trips to visit his mom or the cross-country practices that may or may not have rained out, WE were going to wait.  I was going to wait until the day or even days for that matter, that I told myself "...ok, so...

The new school year is dawning, and many of you may already be dreading the never-ending fight of getting your children to read.  As a teacher of middle school students, I heard the frustration from many parents who were seeking to help their children to find enjoyment in their reading.  If this describes you, don't fret!  There are several things that you can do to encourage your child to enjoy reading. 1. Talk with your children about their books.  Show them that you are interested in what they are reading and that what they are reading matters.  Some great questions include:  What do you like about the main character?  Is there anything in this book that you can relate to?...

While taking my boys out to a local park for some bike riding practice, I found myself walking around the area and noticed a good bit of litter on the ground.  With nothing else to do, I decided to pick up a few pieces.  Before I knew it and without me even asking them, the boys picked up on what I was doing and starting following behind me to see who could pick up the most! Everything is a contest in their minds.  Within 10 minutes, we’d gathered up an entire milk crate of garbage and I felt immediate gratification from being able to leave the park better than we found it.  I also felt a sense of pride in...