I’m 8 years old. It’s two days before Christmas and I’m sneaking down the basement stairs, careful to superstitiously avoid the third step from the bottom with the crack in it… No one knows I’m here. And I’m being as quiet as a mouse. My heart is pounding and the adrenaline is making me extra…
Parenting
Family New Years Party GAMES & FOOD from Around the World
I love parties and have been known to say many a time that I should have become a professional party planner instead of a teacher. (Or at least that’s my justification for having an old refrigerator full of swirly straws, themed confetti of every kind, and 10 brand new, unused coconut-shaped drinking cups with matching…
The ABCs of a MEANINGFUL & STRESS FREE Christmas with Young Children
As the holiday season nears, I have started thinking about all the things I’ve learned in the last few years with my family about creating a meaningful and stress free Christmas (for everybody!) when there are young children in the house. It can be a big adjustment that first Christmas with a baby when you’re…
The LEAST Useful Words You Can Say When Kids Mess Up
“I didn’t do it” “It wasn’t me!” “I don’t know why I did it!” If you are a teacher or parent, and you’ve heard these comments from your kids or students, you’ve probably used the words that I’m writing about today. I have used them many times over the years, and even after becoming aware of their…
How To Handle Sibling Rivalry Without Losing Your Mind
Ever since I began my journey towards positive parenting, I have wondered what it would be like to have more than one child. Would the same strategies that have been a godsend for me, be just as effective with two or three children? The teacher in me says Absolutely! But of course, as a parent, I don’t…