Do you know how my kindergartener celebrated the holiday season and the start of the winter at school? By watching the movie “Rio.” This is a movie about a parrot who is smuggled by dealers into the US. If that doesn’t scream HAPPY HOLIDAYS, I don’t know what does. Good grief. What are we doing in the schools for young kids during the holiday season? I’ll tell you. We are completely skirting around holidays to avoid offending someone, and are instead losing out on some very teachable moments. What if we were to embrace and celebrate our cultural differences, instead of hide from them? What if we used the holiday…
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Bonfire
Spring in Michigan is a beautiful time. Grass turns green, flowers bloom, birds chirp, and everything seemingly comes alive again after a dormant winter. Tonight after we got our little ones asleep, quick like a ninja, I exited the house into the fresh spring air. I was thrilled by the idea that for about 30 minutes, the dogs and I would enjoy some peace and solitude on a beautiful spring evening. Pure Michigan beauty. Crisp air, slight breeze, not a car in sight, and more stars in the sky than I had noticed in months. Mostly likely because I hadn’t taken the time to notice them. They have probably been there all along…
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Hyacinth Toddler Craft
Spring is here! In my mind, I’m ready for beautiful flowers to start growing! In Michigan’s mind, we have a while yet. To make it “feel” like spring, my 3-year-old and I decided to make a hyacinth craft project. I asked my daughter what kind of flower she wanted to make. We saw hyacinths in a magazine a few days ago, she LOVED them, and so she said she wanted to make some! So, here we are. Cue simple hyacinth toddler craft! Hope you enjoy! Supplies: White card-stock paper (any size works) Green card-stock paper (or construction paper works too) Purple tempura paint Round sponges or bottle cap (if your toddler can be careful…
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DIY Snow Paint
Want to know how to make a paint that is fluffy like snow, dries with a puffy texture, and is a super fun sensory experience for your kiddo? Read along for a tutorial on making Snow Paint! Materials: White glue Shaving cream Glitter Peppermint essential oil Bowl Spoon and/or paint brush How to Make: 1. Dump equal parts white glue and shaving cream into a bowl. 2. Shake some glitter into the bowl (white or silver works well for the snow look). 3. Add 1 drop peppermint essential oil. It makes it smell better than glue and shaving cream, and gives it a wintry scent. Completely optional. 4. Lightly stir…
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Dear Husband Across the Room
7:30 pm, my husband and I begin the bedtime routines with our 2 girls. Our 3-year-old brushes her teeth, takes a bath, then it’s jammies, stories, and songs. It’s typically the same most nights, with the occasional derailment. Ok, we always get derailed. She wants a carrot to munch on in bed, she has to go potty for the 10th time, she needs a different stuffed animal, she wants her other water bottle with the robots NOT the butterflies, she wants the soft sheets not the scratchy ones, the list goes on. I sing her to sleep in her big girl bed, give her a butterfly kiss, then I sneak…
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To the Mom in the Yoga Pants
I walked into the grocery store… I walked into the grocery store the other day while babywearing my 6 month old and walking hand-in-hand with my 3 year old. We made it to the store in one piece, easily braving the snowy parking lot, and went in the store. It was rejuvenating, after the sleepless night we had before, and the crazy departure from the home that took 2 hours. My 3 year old asked politely to get into the cart, my 6 month old on my chest was all smiles, and I even remembered my shopping list and bottles to return. I was feeling optimistic and relaxed. Within 3…
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The Science of Oobleck-ing
What is Oobleck? Oobleck is an easy-to-make substance that has some interesting physical properties. The liquid-like slime is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid. Many common liquids like water and alcohol have a constant viscosity, but Oobleck can be liquid when held loosely in your hand. It can also act like a solid if it’s hit with something. The name comes from Dr. Seuss’s 1949 children’s book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, which is about a king who is so bored with the weather in his kingdom that he wants something completely new to fall from the sky. If you want to make this fun, completely new substance with your kiddo, check…
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You’ve Been Demoted: A Letter to All My Babies
Demoted: when someone has been given a lower rank or less senior position To All of My Babies, This letter is to my babies. I have 5 of them. Sure, three of them are “just” fur-babies, but nonetheless, they are all still my babies. Dear Bosco – the cat I got in grad school, I adopted you from a family who was moving to Australia, who almost gave you to the pound. You were there for me during one of the most difficult parts of my life. I was getting a Master’s degree. You sat on the couch next to me through all hours of the night while I studied, and said nothing.…
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Valentine’s Day “Love” Craft
My 3 year old loves to paint on canvases. Lately we’ve been having fun with masking tape and acrylic paint. We’ve created some holiday decor for the house that is gorgeous and 100% painted by her. I wanted to share the Valentine’s Day “LOVE” craft we did together today. Supplies: Sponge brush or paint brush Canvas (any size) Scissors Masking tape Egg carton Acrylic paint (red, purple, white) Paint smock Glitter Instructions: 1. Mom spells “LOVE” on the canvas with masking tape. Make the letter edges as sharp and even as you can. 2. Put paint smock on your kiddo. 3. Pour some acrylic paint into an egg carton. We…
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It’s OK to Cry Over Spilled Milk
“Don’t cry over spilled milk.” It’s a familiar statement. We were told by our parents, they were told by their parents, and it just keeps going back. While the intention of this statement is debatably a good one, I still struggle with the idea. It’s OK to cry over spilled milk. Taken literally, let’s explore the statement. A child who recently learned to use a fork and sit at a table in a booster chair, spilled her glass of milk. As parents, we try to stay calm, and we clean up the mess. If we are teaching our children to be independent, we may ask them (even at an early age), to assist…
