I Like Myself

I Like Myself

I love this little gem of a book by Karen Beaumont. In a very silly way, I LIKE MYSELF encourages children to remember to appreciate themselves for who they are on the inside, not just how they look on the outside. 

We all have value the minute we are born. Our worth comes from the fact that every single one of us is a unique human being. Our children should feel that they are important to our families the minute they arrive.  But how?!!

Noticing Children's Play

Noticing Children's Play

As your children play, stay close at times and quietly notice how they choose to spend their time. Give them the luxury of unscheduled free time every single day, so they learn to use their imaginations. Notice if they play in a way that helps them work through the ups and downs of their day.  Observing their play will tell you a lot about them- things they can’t articulate.

The Use of Technology in School

The Use of Technology in School

While I’m not anti-technology, I do believe children should be engaging all of their senses as they learn. They should be playing, exploring, questioning, creating, and collaborating. They should become active learners. That is what strengthens concentration and deepens critical thinking. Time behind a screen is time away from active learning, so we need to be careful in the early years. We need moderation. We don’t want to waste opportunities for higher learning to take place. I am okay with no technology in Kindergarten and limited use in the rest of elementary school. With strong human connections, the ability to stick with a task, and a true love of learning, I have no doubt children will catch on quickly to the ever-changing tech world.

Here is a short, thought-provoking article I came across from the Business Insider.

Art at Home

Art at Home

Art is such an important activity for children. The main reason is because children get lost in the FUN of it. They tend to relax and focus while working on a piece, so creating art definitely supports a child’s emotional well-being, but it helps in other areas of development, too. Children expand their language by talking about their art and learning art terms. They strengthen their motor skills when holding a brush or kneading clay. They enhance their cognitive skills by mixing colors, painting shapes, and planning where and how to fill a blank space. 

Despite the many benefits, we sometimes avoid providing art activities at home, because we think we’re not creative or we’re afraid of the mess.

A Humbling Parenting Lesson

A Humbling Parenting Lesson

My guess is right now you are trying to figure out what in the world this is! Well, you are looking at a small, clay figure that represents a BIG, humbling parenting lesson! 

To my boys (and anyone who looks carefully with an open mind), this is a young child’s interpretation of Marvin the Martian, a popular Looney Tunes character of the time. To me, however, this will always be a reminder of the day I blew it big time as a parent.

Children Learn Best

Children Learn Best

Children learn best when they are naturally curious. It is amazing to watch how they concentrate when they are engaged in activities inspired by their own actions and imaginations. As they experiment with materials, they improve their cognitive functioning. (What if I put this here-will it fall down? What if I make the base bigger-will it stay up?) It looks like play, but it is truly active learning. Active learning requires brains to be challenged, to problem-solve, and to learning something new. It requires concentration.

Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Garden

There are only 2 weeks until Spring! Each Spring, I plant milkweed in the Outdoor Classroom, so the children can watch the entire butterfly life cycle play out in front of their eyes. They get so excited! I get so excited! We observe the teeny, tiny caterpillars and the leaves they munch. We watch the caterpillars grow and then hunt to find where they chose to spin their chrysalises. Finally, when the timing is right, we get to see the butterflies actually emerge and fly around the garden. I mean, seriously, it’s incredibly fun and incredibly educational! The best part is it’s SO easy, you can do it, too! Here are 6 easy steps taken from onegreenplanet.org:

We Are Our Choices

We Are Our Choices

We are our choices. Ron and I try to live with this in mind every day, so when we had kids it became our family’s mantra. Our boys would often scoff whenever we said this to them, because it made them have to stop and think; it held them responsible if they tried to take the easy way out. In full disclosure, I have to admit, they’ve called US out (albeit with an exaggerated nasally voice and some finger wagging) when we’ve tried to do the same. 

Self-care

Self-care

A few years ago, my husband and I decided to try to improve our health by changing our diets. We took the plunge into a plant-based way of life. We MADE the commitment and stuck with it until it became easy. We weren’t sure if it would be the right decision (Though, it didn’t hurt that even our pans were happy for us!), but it wound up being one of the best commitments we ever made to ourselves. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day!  “EACH DAY OF OUR LIVES, WE MAKE DEPOSITS IN THE MEMORY BANKS OF OUR CHILDREN” ~ Charles R. Swindoll
Over the years, I’ve learned that children really don’t remember special occasions because of the gifts they received. What they REALLY remember are the traditions and special experiences tied to the occasion.
Soooo....