We all know how important it is to read to children, but if you want to do it right, you can follow children’s book author Mem Fox’s 10 Read-Aloud Commandments: 

Wherever I go, I can’t help but notice the interactions between parents and children. It’s an occupational hazard, I guess. It’s not that I judge them—I have not forgotten what it’s like to raise two boys—it’s just that family interactions stand out to me, like misspelled words on a page. 

I had the good fortune of being present to watch a beautiful interaction unfold between my friend and her almost-5-year-old daughter the other day.

When you are in the thick of raising little human beings, it’s hard to stay balanced. So many posts I read from young parents talk about how stretched they are, how worn out, how hard it is. Yes, when you are doing it right, there will be times of exhaustion, but it shouldn’t be ALL the time.

Has your child ever had a meltdown when you ask him/her to turn off the TV or iPad? Children spend quite a bit of time “entertained” by toys and tablets and TVs and smartphones. The thing is...

Have you ever taken a minute to consider life from your children’s point of view? I mean, literally. Have you ever gotten down, low to the ground, and looked around to see the world from their perspective? 

So yesterday I watched this bumblebee buzz around and do its thing in the garden, and it was fascinating. It collected pollen from every little flower. I don’t think it missed even one. I read these bees can flap their wings up to 200 times per second!! Nature is amazing!

There is no such thing as the terrible twos, in my opinion, and it kind of drives me crazy when I hear that term. The stage people are referring to starts around 18 months, and to me, is a stage to celebrate!

Take a minute to think about your good friends. When you choose a friend, do you look for someone who:

•Does not recognize her own value as a person?•Does not believe in himself or his abilities?•Cannot restrain her strong emotions and actions?•Does not feel thankful for what he has?

NO? Then remember that these mindsets and abilities are formed from a very young age and have everything to do with how we choose to discipline our children.

There is a connection between singing and literacy, for sure! Language has a rhythm and singing is one of the best ways to introduce it to young children.

Picasso said, “Every child is an artist.” I believe that to be so true! With a little direction and a variety of materials, young children will get right to it. Creating comes naturally to them. 

I teach a lot of early childhood classes, and I am so grateful to get to work with both children and their parents. I love my job. It is great fun... but sometimes my classes don’t go smoothly. Luckily it doesn’t happen often, but it DOES happen, sometimes. 

This is just one of Becky Bailey’s positive nursery rhymes that can be found in her book I Love You Rituals.

A garden is a simple, wonderful way to help your children learn to appreciate the benefits of delayed gratification. I was thinking about this as I experienced it myself while watching two beautiful flowers in my yard bloom over the period of a week for each. 

The happiest, most fulfilled people I know are life-long learners. They simply love to learn. They are curious.

When I meet these kinds of people, if I can squeeze it into our conversation, I like to ask how they played as children. The usual response, I’ve noticed, is…

Someone recently asked me when our job as parents is done. That got me thinking about my own beautiful, amazing mom and her role in my life throughout all the years. When was her job raising me done? 

The ability to delay gratification is necessary for true happiness. It’s a difficult mindset to cultivate, because we are surrounded with opportunities for instant gratification everywhere.

Teaching children (and ourselves) to really think through a potential purchase takes practice.

Have you had the chance to read THE DANISH WAY OF PARENTING? This book does its best to explain why people in Denmark have been voted the happiest people in the world for over 40 years! 

This photo brings me peace and makes me happy. I am grateful every single day for being able to get outside, sharpen my senses, and feel connected to my family and the earth. 

Before kids, my husband and I always made time to walk and talk, even if we had to get up early and go before work. Then, when our boys were born, we would pack up all the equipment and still get out there.

The Royal Wedding got me thinking about love and princesses and “happily ever after.” Meghan Markle is certainly a different kind of princess (or technically duchess), right? True confession: Before her engagement, I knew absolutely nothing about Meghan Markle. I still don’t, really. However, the adjectives I have read or heard spoken about her are what interest me.

A child’s day should be filled with connections: 

•When they wake up from sleeping all night 

•When they enter their classroom 

•When they get picked up from school 

•When they go to sleep for the night

After spending time away from a significant adult, children need to reconnect.