I was babysitting about a year ago for a family of two. The daughter was 8 years old while the son was 6 years old. When I arrived at the house, I was surprised to see that their parents had planned for me to make the family’s meal for the following day!
Yes, I was going [...]

On this past Sunday, we took a leisurely hike at a nearby lake with two of our children.  During the hike we discussed dinner for the night, a new meal we wanted to try.  Both kids were excited about this meal and immediately asked to assist with cooking.  The kids are 10 and 12, so [...]

Back to school means more than fresh notebooks and new crayons. With a new teacher comes homework assignments! Each teacher has her own homework policies, and many also send home forms to be completed throughout the year. Here’s how to keep it all straight.

Get a folder for homework related notes and policies. Put any [...]

I know that every parent wants to bring his child up with a healthy lifestyle. While this is a good idea, I must stress that you do not take this thought too far, specifically in the case of food. If you’re
not careful, being “too healthy” with your child might actually put your child in a [...]

Shyness may seem endearing at times, but it also presents a lot of drawbacks for a person. Most people are shy when they are kids, but they learn to outgrow this shyness through exposure and social interaction. However, there are kids who carry their shyness through adulthood. Their lives will contain sequences of missed opportunities [...]

If you want your infant to be a genius baby who starts to speak your language super early in his or her life, do not baby-talk to him or her. All of that “goo-goo-gah-gah”ing to your baby is not going to help. In fact, it might even confuse the kid!
You see, all humans are programmed [...]

“I’m bored!”
Are those typical words in your house?  At this point in the summer, it seems likely that many households are resounding with that same sentence.  Although the kids won’t admit to wishing that school would start soon, they have become bored with the laziness of summer.
To help solve the problem of boredom, here are [...]

Living in New Hampshire, blueberry picking is a summer tradition.  In my childhood home our backyard was bordered by woods.  Walking deeper into these woods, I was able to find wild blueberry bushes.  I have many fond memories of summer mornings, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and pants, with one of my brothers accompanying me [...]

School will be starting soon. Are you ready?
I’m not just talking about new crayons and backpacks. Children need time to adjust to a new routine. Start helping them get ready for a smooth back-to-school experience today. Here are a few things to consider:

Sleep. Many children stay up later in the [...]

Your baby is growing up. He can walk, talk, and stack blocks. He’s fully capable of helping out now, too!

Giving preschoolers chores is good for their self esteem. They become contributing members of the family, and most little ones love to help out. Imitation comes naturally, and you’ll be providing valuable life skills while spending [...]