Welcome
I hope everyone had a wonderful valentine's day! Now we wait 9 months and see how many of you have babies...haha! :)
We have found some great articles this week. I so enjoyed reading the article, "How to Stay Close With Friends Who Don't Have Kids." This is a quick read that helps shed a little light on thoughtful ways to keep those friendships strong. I love suggestion #7, 'let them be tired, too'. This is always good advice. Take it from someone that was up with their 15 month old last night from 3:00am to 5:00am for no particular reason---it is hard to hear about someone else being tired, ha!
Another article that I actual bookmarked and plan to read over and over is, "4 Traits Children Need to Succeed." Not only did this piece motivate me to raise a child with all of these qualities, it reassured me that some of the more difficult characteristics of my 15 month old are actually really fabulous traits (i.e. curiosity and grit!) I hope you find this article as inspiring as I did.
Enjoy issue #24. Have a wonderful weekend!
Best Reads
How Children Learn To Read
Why is it easy for some people to learn to read, and difficult for others? It’s a tough question with a long history.
How to Stay Close With Friends Who Don't Have Kids
My old friendships are very important to me regardless of the different paths our lives might have taken. If you’d like to keep your friendships strong with your friends who don't have kids (and you should!), here's some advice to follow.
10 Commandments for Visiting New Moms
Lately I’ve been seeing a whole lot of “what new moms need” blog posts. These are almost always accompanied by beautifully staged photos of care packages containing everything from nipple cream to bronzed sculptures of baby feet. But as someone who recently had a baby (a year ago counts as recently, right?) I can’t help but feel a little misrepresented.
How to Help Kids Find Their Way in the World
If you're curious to know what purpose is and how you or a loved one can get it or discover it, you're not alone. The topic has grabbed the attention of everyone from psychologists to HR managers, making a splash in self-help books and influencing corporate recruitment practices. And why not? Cultivating a sense of purpose early in life is a powerful way to support long-term psychological and biological health, even at the genomic level.
Kids as young as 5 concerned about body image
Kids are starting to develop concerns about body image at younger ages than you might think, according to a recent report by the child advocacy group Common Sense Media.
4 Traits Children Need to Succeed
Like most parents, my husband and I feel it's important that our kids understand the fundamentals of business. We also fervently hope they'll develop the resilience, generosity, confidence and grit consistently found among successful entrepreneurs, according to Amy Wilkinson, author of The Creator's Code. Wilkinson knows her stuff: In the past five years, she's conducted over 200 interviews with the most successful, high-stakes entrepreneurs of our time, collecting more than 9000 pages of transcripts. Here's what she discovered that the best have in common:
Teaching Children About Giving
Charitable giving is an important financial lesson for children, but how do you teach it?
18 Crazy Things I Said While Up With The Baby
This is a funny read! I know my husband has said #15 before!!! :)
Mommy Approved
AlphaTots Alphabet App
“A” is for action in the fun app from Spinlight that uses 26 action verbs to help toddlers learn the ABCs. Whether they're "building" robots, "digging" for treasure or "zapping" alien spaceships, they'll have a blast learning all of the letters and their sounds.
Free Play
45+ Quick & Easy Kids Crafts that ANYONE Can Make!
Many of us around the country are stuck inside with our children, due to the weather. Here are some great crafts that can keep your kiddos busy!
Smartest Kid on the Block
Reading Comprehension Strategies for ADHD Children
After they turn the final page, ADHD kids can boost their critical thinking skills with these after-reading strategies.
Here's the Secret Phrase to Turn Your Kid Into an Amazing Student
Have you ever told your kid he’s smart? I sure have.And we’re not alone. According to one survey, 85 percent of American parents think it’s important to tell their kids that they’re smart.
But we need to stop, and here’s why.
Telling your child “You’re smart” is playing right into the fixed mindset.
Healthy and Happy
7 Ridiculously Delicious Gluten- Free Desserts
They taste amazing and don't contain a speck of gluten. Plus, you probably have many of the needed ingredients in your pantry already (read: no obscure alterna-flours!).
The Best Foods for Fueling Your Kids' Minds & Bodies
Along with everything else on the back-to-school list (new clothes, notebooks, pens, pencils, calculators and so on), what else do you need to properly prep for the school year? How about the best and smartest fuel for each and every day? If you’ve read any of our past posts here (9 tips for creating a health nut for example), you know that we see food as fuel. Like vroooom … fuel.