Family

 
 

Examples As To Why My Family Is Slowly Being Banned from All Restaurants

chomp sticks

The girls are starving. My husband and I know we have only a few seconds before Emmeline takes a bite out of Lena, so a dinner decision needs to be made with haste. We opt for sushi. The girls like to get a bowl of soup, add rice, chicken and gyoza for dinner. It's fast, filling and will stop the cannibalism before it gets out of hand. Plus, eating with "chomp sticks" is an added bonus sure to stave off potential toddler tantrums.  Read more >

Kids and Allergies!

There aren't many moments outside of sleep where my boys are still.  The only things that slow them down are allergies and illness.  It stinks to see their pep stolen by runny, itchy noses and eyes.  They aren't in real school yet, but there are definitely days where their allergies get in the way of what they may have wanted to do.  I'm sure if they were in school, bothersome symptoms could have a drastic effect on their grades and overall performance.  I see them get distracted, irritated, and lethargic when their allergy symptoms are bothering them the most. Allergies definitely affect their sleep, too...runny noses equal lots of sniffling and nose-wiping in my house.  Restless nights don't stop them, but they sure slow down the boys. They love life, and I want to do anything I can to help them continue on with their joyful life as normal!  Kids are only kids once. I don’t want to let allergies rob them of it.   Read more >

Teaching Stranger Danger to Special Needs Kids Is Hard Work

stranger

Last week we shared a hilarious post about stranger danger. It was hilarious because of the way it was written and because no one got hurt. The truth is that teaching our kids about safety and strangers isn't always fun or funny; it can be downright terrifying. It's hard for kids to grasp the concept that some strangers may want to hurt them. Sharon at Mama's Turn Now recently had a scary run-in with her son and a stranger. She thought he understood -- but he didn't.  Read more

Nie Asks: What Do Your Family Photos Look Like?

Nie's family photo (image courtesy blogger)

What do your family photos look like? Are they colorful? Do you take them indoors or outdoors? How often? Tell me stories about your family photos, and how you like to pose -- leave me a link to a picture, too!  Read more >

Let Your Children Become... Themselves

parenting play

Prior to reading Mama Eve's post, I had never heard for RIE, pronounced wry and standing for Resources for Infant Educarers. There are lots of theories and philosophies about how "best" to raise children as I'm sure you know. I like the way Mama Eve walked into this one, admitting her initial discomfort with their approaches -- because letting your kids be themselves, no matter what, can be pretty hard.  Read more

Suspect in Jail in Etan Patz Case 33 Years After His Disappearance

Etan Patz (© Bryan Smith/ZUMAPRESS.com)

Today is National Missing Child's Day. It's also the 33-year anniversary of the day Etan Patz went missing as he walked to school by himself for the first time. This May 25 dawns differently than in years past, because a suspect is now in custody for the disappearance and murder of Etan Patz, having confessed to the horrific crime that changed how we dealt with missing children in the United States. Pedro Hernandez is now in custody, awaiting arraignment this morning.  Read more >

Encouraging Advice to Moms of Recent Graduates

graduation

It's graduation time! From preschool through college, students are graduating and beginning the next phase of their lives, making their way through all of the advice being sent their way. Of course, the parents of those students are also starting new phases as well, feeling a bit forlorn that they don't have the same amount of advice coming their way. Author Karen White shared a lovely post at It's Only a Novel about this very thing, offering a sage piece of advice -- with a writerly twist -- to parents sending kids out of the nest.  Read more

Signs Your Children Might Be Ready to Attend Sleep Away Camp

sleep away camp

I loved sleep away camps when I was younger. I'd love some now! For me, not my kids. Someday, they will get to go too. Until then, I'm bookmarking this list of signs your child might be ready for sleep away camp by Sellabit Mum. She may have meant some of these in a tongue-in-cheek way, but I bet they apply to your kids. If so, send 'em off!  Read more

I'm Scared My Non-Verbal Child Will Be Abused at School

family

In this world of special needs, I find myself compelled to offer advice on IEP questions when my new-found friends ask them. I can’t stop myself. I can feel their anxiety. I understand their fears. I relate to their worries. From a teacher’s perspective, the things I want for my child are almost unreasonable. Almost. If Alexander went to school right now, he would be non-verbal. This is one of my biggest fears. He will not be able to tell me about his day. The twins, at age 3, with their muddled version of reality, can at least give me a inkling of their day. They can tell me if they saw someone or what they had to eat.  Read more >

Money Matters: Making a Little House Work With a Big Family

Laura Ingalls House

My dad is the oldest of four kids who grew up in a two-bedroom farmhouse in Iowa. (I think there were more bedrooms back then.) (I have no idea where they put them. This was not a big house.) I'm sure they were positively on top of each other. I was interested in Karla's recent post on their life with four kids in a two-bedroom, supposed-to-be-a-flip house. She writes of Laura Ingalls Wilder: Laura made it sound so sweet and wonderful. I don’t recall a single argument or shouting match being mentioned.  Read more