Elementary kids, ages six to nine, don't like the term babysitter. They feel they are too old to be cared for like babies, yet they are too young to stay home alone. So, instead parents can call a kidsitter to spend time with their children when they need to go out. Whether it's date night
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Fun Ideas for Your Child and the Kidsitter
by Tania Cowling February 9th, 2026 | Elementary, Entertainment
4 Ways to Help Kids Reach Activity Milestones
by Marnie Bii February 2nd, 2026 | Development, PreschoolDuring the preschool years, the timing of hitting movement milestones tends to spread out across the peer group. Some preschoolers may exhibit a strong ability to run, climb and jump, while others are a bit clumsier. Most kids' abilities tend to even out upon approaching kindergarten, which is important due to the increase in group activities during PE, music, and recess. You can help your preschooler hit movement milestones faster while having fun by enjoying these activities together on a regular basis.
5 Tips for Creating a Healthy Toddler Schedule
by Marnie Bii January 26th, 2026 | Infants/Toddlers, SeasonalToddlers of all personality types, from outgoing to reserved, thrive on routine. A stable daily routine helps eliminate constant anxiety from expecting the unexpected. Toddlers are taking in new information a mile a minute, so it is important to keep some areas of life stable and calm. You do not have to create a rigid routine to have success with this tactic either. Simply creating a loose daily schedule gives toddlers anchor points to rely on throughout the day. Here are five tips for creating a successful daily schedule.
Teen’s Perspective on Schedules
by Sam P. January 19th, 2026 | Seasonal, TeensSchedules are everything. They are so important in my life and many of my friends' lives, simply because they keep us organized. My friends and I all keep fairly busy schedules, so having a way to lay out our day and what we need to achieve makes it much easier than trying to juggle everything all at once. There are a few tricks to mastering the art of scheduling, which I will share with you.
If you are still a schedule newbie, remember to allow a little wiggle
Middle School and the Art of Friendship
by Ronald A. Rowe January 12th, 2026 | Social, Tweens
There are the friends we choose and the friends that are chosen for us. Sometimes relationships aren't quite so simple as we'd like. Middle school is a hornet's nest of new feelings, experiences, and social hierarchies. Jill may be friends with Julie because they like each other and have similar interests. But maybe Jill isn't so fond of Julie's BFF Jillian. Jill and Jillian still have to find a way to get along, or at least coexist peacefully, if they are both going to be in Julie's sphere of friendship.
How to Schedule; It’s Elementary
by Michele January 5th, 2026 | Elementary, SeasonalYour child has entered elementary school, and a good portion of her day is consumed by school. This might make scheduling easier than the preschool days that filled only a few hours a couple days a week, or so you thought. However, even though a large portion of her day consists of school and the bus ride there and home, there still are many other pieces to be juggled.
Morning
Your child's day should begin at the same time to get him used
Soothing Separation Anxiety in Preschoolers
by Marnie Bii December 29th, 2025 | Behavior, PreschoolAlthough separation anxiety hits in full force at 18 months to 2 years of age, those frustrating feelings commonly resurface as preschoolers get ready to enter school. The newfound independence of attending preschool can make kids feel unsure, out of sorts
Holiday Tips for Curious Babies and Toddlers
by Tania Cowling December 22nd, 2025 | Infants/Toddlers, Seasonal
The holiday season is upon us, and we are busy decorating the house and getting into the spirit. Please, don't forget the babies and toddlers; they want to feel the joy too! Here are some tips to make your youngest of children happy during the holidays.
Safety
First, let's think of safety. Babies and toddlers are curious beings. Thus, when you put up a Christmas tree or set out the menorah, they can't wait to head over to
Teen’s Perspective: Making it Through the Holidays
by Sam P. December 15th, 2025 | Seasonal, Teens
For as much as I love Christmas, I understand it can be very stressful. All those family visits are fun and lovable at first, but can get a tad annoying very quickly. Having gone through it for the past seventeen years, I have learned a few tricks on making the holiday season a little less stressful.
Shopping
The most important thing is to skip Black Friday. Now that tip may not help for this year, but it will in the future. Believe
5 Tips on Handling the Holidays with Tweens
by Lori Sciame December 8th, 2025 | Seasonal, TweensPresents...food...concerts...decorations...religious observances...parties...pageants...and STRESS. The hype surrounding the holidays begins around November 1, and the frenzy doesn't end until after January 1. This makes for a LONG holiday season. Adults have experience dealing with the holiday blitz. However, children have a more difficult time handling the pressures surrounding this fun, yet emotionally exhausting, time of the year.
As a parent/guardian, you can assist your tween with battling the emotional upsets that may erupt during the holiday season. Read this informative posts for five tips on how to assist tweens
Say Thank You, Dear
by Gary Hays December 1st, 2025 | Communication, Elementary
Especially with the holidays upon us, this is the perfect time to reiterate to your child, the value and importance of proper communication. This is a time of family. If yours is akin to the typical one, you will be spending at least a portion of your time with relatives, some of whom you only see once a year. And goodness forbid, you be the family member who is remembered throughout the remainder of the year as the one with unruly and unmannered children. Not that your children would ever dare
3 Ways to Bond Over Family Dinner
by Joe Lawrence November 24th, 2025 | Preschool, SeasonalFamily dinners are one of the best, if not the best, ways to bond. There is something about sitting down as a collective group that brings us all closer together. However, when you have a preschoolers or toddlers, it does not always feel like bonding as much as it does a survival exercise. There are a couple of things we can do to introduce some sanity
5 Cooking Tasks to Assign to Your Toddler
by Marnie Bii November 17th, 2025 | Infants/Toddlers, Seasonal
Toddlers love to be included in the fun of cooking meals and desserts for the family. Cooking teaches your toddler a number of important skills, including counting, measuring, and fine motor control. Mixing up meals and desserts can even have
Cooking with the Family
by Sam P. November 10th, 2025 | Seasonal, Teens
I love cooking with my family. I think it is such a fun experience and a great bonding opportunity. Whether it is just baking a batch of cookies with your mom or a full course meal with your stepdad, it is always a fun and loving time. Even if you aren't a great cook or if the food burns, it doesn't really matter in the end because the experience was such a great time. I grew up cooking with my mom so I may be a bit biased, but I
How to Make Cooking Fun: Tweens
by Lori Sciame November 3rd, 2025 | Tweens
"Food, glorious food, hot sausage and mustard!" These words from the musical, Oliver, certainly convey a child's love affair with food. For children, eating is usually viewed as the fun part, while cooking the meal can seem like drudgery. A good parent knows, however, that children must learn how to cook in preparation for adulthood.
Set a goal to begin cooking with your tween in order to promote this important life skill. You will find in addition to spending quality time together, it
Alternatives to Trick or Treating
by Lori Sciame October 27th, 2025 | Elementary
Many young children have active imaginations. Because of this, Halloween may be an especially scary time for them. Some little ones love to dress up and head out on Halloween night with mom and/or dad to go trick or treating. But for those who sometimes mix reality with fantasy, walking out into the night may be too overwhelming. For these children, parents must find trick or treating alternatives.
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Fall Fun with Your Preschooler
by Lori Sciame October 20th, 2025 | Preschool
Fall offers lots of opportunities to bond with your preschooler while having both an enjoyable and educational adventure. From apple orchards to local museums, there's plenty to do - just you two! Don't underestimate the value of one-on-one time with your child. He or she will appreciate having your full attention.
Apple orchards provide plenty of opportunities for fun. Pick apples with your child, while also talking about
4 Toddler Friendly Halloween Events to Enjoy
by Marnie Bii October 13th, 2025 | Infants/Toddlers, Seasonal
Halloween can be an overwhelming holiday for the littlest kids in the group. The dark atmosphere, scary costumes, and long walks all tend to keep toddlers from truly enjoying this awesome holiday. You can reinvent the holiday by embracing a
Managing a Busy Schedule: From the Teen’s View
by Jacob P. October 6th, 2025 | Teen Perspective, Teens
As an involved teenager, my life has always been exceptionally busy. This past month or so, though, my life has become even busier than ever before. Currently, I am heavily involved in school (where I am taking four AP classes, in the middle of a high school football season, applying to colleges, and trying to balance a social life and a girlfriend in there). This fast-paced lifestyle has been hectic, but there are also some major upsides to it.
Time management
The first
Morning Routines: Keep Tweens on Track
YPI Editors September 29th, 2025 | Seasonal, TweensTween years usually mark the start of middle school. Many middle schools have a start time that is earlier than elementary school, which equals an even earlier start to the day. Depending on your child's sleep pattern, an earlier start also may equal a grouchier start. However, once the earlier start becomes routine, it will be easier.
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