Children thrive on imaginative play, and playing outdoors connects them with nature. At my house, I encourage my son to play outside as much as possible. Some days he complains that there's "nothing to do," despite the forgotten basketball goal and lonely scooter lying in the yard... you know how it goes. I've been so inspired by these DIY outdoor play spaces--mud kitchens, tents, and musical spots--that I'm motivated to create one for my son at home, and at my preschool, too! I love that most of these are inexpensive to build and wouldn't take longer than one Saturday afternoon to make. … [Read more...]
We ditched cable 5 years ago–and we’re still alive!
[This post contains affiliate links.] When my son was a toddler and the income from my photography business was slim, my husband and I took a look at our budget and wondered where we could make cuts. There were some things we weren't willing to give up, but cable TV (or satellite, which was our only option out in the country--I will use the words cable and satellite in this post interchangeably ) was no longer bringing us much joy. We weren't the type of couple to commit to watching a new TV show together on a weekly basis. Either one of us would be busy or just not interested in … [Read more...]
Top 5 Benefits of Playing Pokemon Go with My Son
**This post contains affiliate links. If you're alive and you've used the internet for more than five seconds in the past week, you've heard about Pokemon Go, the mobile augmented reality game that's getting adults and kids alike to flock to the streets in search of Pokemon, the adorable "pocket monsters" with names like Pikachu and Jigglypuff. Released in the US on July 6, this game has already beat out Tinder for the most popular app on the market. It's drawing more people toward local businesses, and even improving some players' mental health. Speaking for myself, I was going through … [Read more...]
To My Sensitive Child:
To my sensitive child: It hurts me that you're going through such a hard time. I wish I could take away all of your negative feelings and thoughts so you could see how truly amazing you are. You are special because you feel things so deeply. You have complex thoughts that many kids your age can't comprehend. You are capable of a wide range of emotions that mirror those of a much older child, or even an adult. But you are easily overwhelmed, and sometimes the world around you often seems unsafe. To a sensitive child like you, sometimes it's too much to take in at once. You worry more than … [Read more...]