September 30, 2013 The whispers started a few years ago. Now it’s a yell. Unless you’re in one of five states, you have heard the phrase “Common Core.” But what exactly is it? And should you be worried? First, a history… Twenty five years ago, my mom taught a third grade class in California. She’d…
October 7, 2013 As calendars turn to October, kids everywhere begin planning their Halloween costume … and parents everywhere begin hoping those plans don’t involve elaborate headdresses or rare gems. For children, a costume is so much more than an outfit that gets you candy. For that day, when she dons the princess dress or…
October 21, 2013 It’s mid-October and school has been in session long enough to make summer feel like a dream. The beginning of the year review gives way to new more difficult concepts. Extra-curricular activities can take up most of the weekend and leave little room for rest. I saw it as a teacher. I…
October 28, 2013 Most kids will wake up Friday morning as CEO of a large bag of sugary temptation. They want to celebrate with indulging with the bounty, but moms know how candy negatively impacts our bodies. Doctors tell us about the effect of sugar on insulin production. Dentists warn against the potential for cavities…
November 22, 2013 I love a good bedtime story. There’s something very heartwarming about laying on your stomach on the floor or in bed with your toddler, reading aloud the words, and turning the pages to view beautiful artwork. Books can transport you. Take this opening line, for instance: You only have to close…
November 5, 2013 November typically means parent teacher conferences and the first report card of the year. Much to the chagrin of children’s pockets, the days of money for A’s and B’s have come to an end. Although many schools already switched to standardized report cards, the new Common Core shift will lead to even…
November 11, 2013 We have entered our second week of November. Which means stores have already ditched the fall season and shuffled Christmas into its place. Between school, sports, and Halloween costumes, our family nearly skipped autumn entirely. But I love fall. It’s calm. It’s colorful. It’s unique. I refuse to let it slip past…
November 18, 2013 When I was just finishing second grade, I stumbled upon a large, hard cover Christmas book filled with poems, lyrics to carols and pictures. I set out to learn every lyric printed in that book so that, for once, I could sing along when the songs played in a few months. I…
December 2, 2013 This week our school has parent teacher conferences. They’ve got me thinking about what exactly it means to be knowledgeable about my children’s education. The timing for fall conferences can vary significantly, so you may have already been to one this year – or you might not have one for a few…
December 10, 2013 It’s the second week of December. Are you shopped out yet? I find buying presents for my kids equal parts frustrating and exciting. Their desires change from day-to-day. Whatever thing they’ve just seen in a commercial or on the shelf is the thing they must have for Christmas or DIE. As parents…
December 4, 2013 We all want the best for our children. Whether it’s packing a healthy lunch, enrolling them in fun activities or helping with homework, as parents we work tirelessly to ensure that their needs are being met. But all too often, we neglect something important: paying attention to our children’s emotional development. That’s…
December 16, 2013 Brace yourselves. We’ve entered the third week of December. It’s coming. Winter Break. I always count down to school breaks like the kids count down to Christmas. No rigid schedule. No lunches to pack. No pick up line. But then, about four hours, fifteen snacks, and three hundred tattling sessions later, I’m…
December 24, 2013 Dear Santa, I know I’m a little old to be writing, but my kids sent you letters full of hope for toys tonight. As a mother, I want different gifts for them, ones that can’t really be wrapped up. Could I add my own wishes for them to the list? You see,…
December 31, 2013 Today is the day! We’ve reached the end of 2013. Next year spreads out like a lovely blank canvas waiting for us to fill it up. What is it about the New Year that inspires us to set resolutions, promise change, and revolutionize our lives? What is it about our lives that…
January 7, 2014 It’s easy to imagine an easier life with model kids like the ones they script into holiday TV commercials. They smile at you with adoring eyes and pad sleepily down the hall in footie PJs for bedtime. I don’t know about your home, but bedtime with my kids tends to resemble the…
January 13, 2014 I bet if I asked you to give me a run-down of your kids’ personality and potential, you could talk for hours about all of the great things they might do tomorrow, next week, and some day. You’d probably hold back a little because you don’t want to brag but it’d all…
January 27, 2014 The holidays have past, things have settled, and many moms are starting to think about where to send their preschooler for Kindergarten in September. I know this because every year around this time, I start getting questions about my kids’ school. Three people stopped me yesterday! My kids are lucky enough to…
February 3, 2014 I had an interesting conversation last week. A mom from school called me because she noticed that every day when as I drop off my Kindergartener, my daughter vaguely trails me with her nose in a book. Knowing my educational background, she said, “So, we don’t read that much. [Her son] doesn’t…
February 18, 2014 A few weeks ago I gave you 5 motivators to get your kids reading. Since then, I found To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence, a rather terrifying study of reading’s decline and its effect in today’s culture from the National Endowment for the Arts. In an environment…
February 24, 2014 To: Cooped-up kids everywhere Re: Standard of Living Regulations Due to unfortunate weather, we’ve been stuck inside with our bratty siblings families even more than usual. At times like these, it is important that you remember a few key rules: Our founding fathers started this country with the ideals of equality and…
March 3, 2014 No matter what region of the country you live in, this winter has thrown you a lot of “indoor days.” That image of staying cuddled up with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fire sounds cozy, but any mom with kids stuck inside knows it’s a…
March 13, 2014 Last Wednesday, March 5, David Coleman, President of The College Board, announced a major overhaul to the SAT college entrance exam. In Spring 2016, our students will see a completely different type of test. If you have kids in high school, this information seems drastic. But this change’s impact could be felt…
March 25, 2014 Spring has sprung! Jump in and enjoy a beautiful season full of joy and new beginnings. Here are a few ideas to inspire your spring frolic. Walk Out Take a walk. But not just any walk. Go on a hunt. Take your kiddos out to search for Spring. Look into trees and bushes…
April 14, 2014 Spring is here, and with it Mother’s Day and Father’s Day! What better way to celebrate parents (and grandparents) than to give the gift of reading? Especially when it’s tied to a book about Grandma or Grandpa! Random House Kids has two fabulous picture books about grandparents: The New York Times bestselling How…
March 31, 2014 Spring has sprung, and with it – the urge to get outdoors with the family. Why not try a new project this year and create a fairy garden together? The beauty of this type of activities is that it doesn’t just get them digging in the dirt and caring for something, it…
April 3, 2014 Of course, it’s the morning I blew up at my daughter that I planned on attending the Tantrums and Tirades: Dealing with Anger in the Family panel. Part of me thought I should turn in my mom card in shame since I clearly failed. But if anything, these presenters allowed me to…
April 8, 2014 You know how it goes … you sit on the sidelines/in the bleachers/poolside for your children’s practices, week after week with the same people. First, you acknowledge each other with a smile. Then after a few returned smiles you might comment on something one of your kids did. Before much time passes,…
April 14, 2014 It’s easy to be a little overwhelmed when thinking about throwing a birthday party for your kids, especially when you see the amazing themes, cakes and favors on sites like Pinterest! Most years, my old teacher planning habits kick in and my kids’ parties turn into events. Some years, we take a…
April 21, 2014 With Easter behind us, the last of our Spring Breaks come to a close. It’s normal to feel the first inclination of “Summer-itis” but with nearly two months still to go before school lets out, you can’t give into to the temptation of slowing down. Our family seems particularly struck this year. The…
April 28, 2014 We had a small uprising in our home a few days ago between my son and my husband. Oddly enough, it was over hair. A troublesome cowlick had given my son an interesting style which he embraced as looking like “Angry Birds.” My husband, on the other hand, told him several times…
May 5, 2014 In honor of yesterday being May 4th, official unofficial “Star Wars Day,” I present the first Birthday Basics party theme. You guessed it! Star Wars. May the Force Be with you! We actually threw this party twice in our household, once for a ten-year old girl and again for a six-year-old boy…
May 13, 2014 This weekend I read an amazing article from The Atlantic titled The Overprotected Kid. The author, Hanna Rosin does a great job of synthesizing all types of information regarding kids’ play into a cohesive argument. In it, she spoke to what I already believed – but also challenged many of my assumptions….
May 19, 2014 I had the pleasure of attending a seminar today given by Charlie Ruce, a Marriage and Family Therapist. There were so many things he taught us, but one image really resonated with me: Parents are “emotional containers” for their children. Essentially, we offer a safe place for their feelings. It’s easy to think of…
June 2, 2014 Summer is here, and it’s a great time to read! Whether you’re at a picnic, relaxing at the beach, or taking a summer road trip, toddlers love to browse colorful picture books to pass the time. Random House Kids has a fabulous New York Times bestselling series starring Duck and Goose, 2…
May 27, 2014 Summer is a time for relaxing on a hammock, eating watermelon, and running through sprinklers. Most kids want nothing to do with workbooks or education, but reading is a great skill to maintain over the summer. And we’ve got the perfect incentive to get your kids to grab a book the next…
May 22, 2014 May 25th marks National Missing Children’s Day and, while it is a very somber occasion, it’s also an excellent time to be mindful of the children whose whereabouts remain a mystery and reinforce everything you have taught your own kids about safety both in-person and online. The day was founded based on…
May 26, 2014 Memorial Day memes have filled the internet lately. Most of them ask people to think of the day as more than just the unofficial start of summer or an extra day off. While I’m not so big on the “shaming” memes, they did make me think. I am guilty of letting these days…
June 3, 2014 It was about five minutes until we had to leave for school. I had apples from breakfast in one hand and a baggie for a sandwich in the other. In the middle of the chaos, my daughter walks in with bright purple streaks running vertically up the middle of her eyelids. It looked…
June 6, 2014 It doesn’t take a lengthy conversation with today’s youth to discover that they really don’t know much about the world’s history. We are so busy sharing images of cats on social media and texting our friends that we often neglect to connect with our children in meaningful ways. Now, we are faced…
June 10, 2014 We’ve all been there as parents. Our children face failure and we want to jump in to protect them. How do we, instead, use these moments to teach life-long skills that our kids need in order to thrive as their lives move forward? A partnership between If You Can, Great Schools, and SocialMoms…
June 11, 2014 It’s nearly summer and you know what that means – time to break out the flip flops! They are the perfect accessory for hitting the beach, the pool, or the local park to play. There are a variety of patterns and colors when it comes to choosing your flip flops, but now…
June 11, 2014 Father’s Day is fast-approaching and while many are scrambling for last-minute ideas for gifts and activities, there is one group that is often overlooked. In today’s modern society, more men than ever are raising children to whom they are not biologically related – after all, the divorce rate is at about 50%….
June 17, 2014 It’s that time again. Summer. If you haven’t celebrated your last day of school yet, you probably will soon. Then life starts to look very different. Endless days of unplanned play can lead to difficult decisions, one of which is just how much TV your kids should watch. For the first two…
June 23, 2014 Today, it’s not uncommon at all to see blended families making their way through life together. Sometimes, a couple have children from previous relationships and are happy with what they already have and some people choose to add to their new unit. Choosing to have another baby is a deeply and profoundly…
June 23, 2014 In the halls of our school this week, a mom reads over a flier that tells her she can keep her child’s learning up with a convenient summer camp. For a mere $500, her child won’t fail at all of life. She looks at me and asks the same question I’ve fielded…