By Susan Maushart In a recent Australian study, four in ten mothers describe dinner as an “unpleasant experience,” with the meal usually ending in an argument. At the same time, 76 percent agree that sit-down meals strengthen the family’s communication (and possibly its vocal chords), according to a recent survey of more than 16,000 mothers […]
Why Creativity Matters for Kids
By Clark Burbidge The importance of creativity in our lives has been supported by study after study, but in our current public school system, the curriculum rarely supports creative thinking in our children. Too often, we find standards that are driven by tests, or by the desire to deliver curriculum in the most economical way. Such […]
News You Can Use: Are Music Lessons Good for Kids’ Brains?
By Lela Nargi Likely you remember a scenario like this: a young you, looking forward to dinner and TV after a long day at school, scrambling to finish your homework by dim winter’s light, only to hear your mother’s admonition, “Time to practice!” Unless you were a true music aficionado, you probably wanted nothing more […]
3 Misconceptions About Moms & Work-Life Balance–Busted
There’s a lot of contradictory and downright erroneous parenting info floating around out there. We’re not afraid to tackle it head-on! If there’s one thing moms know absolutely it’s that finding just the right balance between work life and home life can be a challenge. But are there prejudices we bring to this equation that […]
Crafty Kids: Floating Container Ship
By Chris Barnardo A super quick and easy model to put together, this floating container ship is made from a couple of old dishwasher or washing machine liquid bottles, along with a few other bits and pieces. There’s plenty of fun to be had both making and playing with it—kids love naming their ship, writing its name on […]
Crafty Kids: Nifty Back-To-School Projects– with Tape!
Duct tape crafts have been hot for the past couple of years because a) they’re easy to put together and b) pretty much every child loves tape! You can help boost the excitement for back-to-school in your kids and tweens with these two fun (and useful) crafts from our friends at Duck Brand Tape. Chalk Circle […]
Crafty Kids: Straw Rockets
This sweet, summer-celebratory craft from our friends at Kiwi Crate is great fun when you’re wrangling a whole group of neighborhood kids who could use a little (but not a lot!) of structured activity. It’s super quick and easy to pull together, and gets (and keeps) the whole gang outside. What you’ll need: Several pieces of […]
6 Must-Pack Must-Haves for Your Sleepaway Camper
By Julie Cole If you’re sending your kids to sleepaway camp this summer, you’ve probably already received the standard camp packing list. But there are a few other essentials that probably didn’t make it onto that list, that newby campers especially will be thrilled to have on hand. 1. Glow Bracelets. These are a great solution […]
How to inject Family Fun into a Summer of Work & Camp
FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF THE MILLER & FRIEDLANDER KIDS PLAYING CARDS By Lela Nargi Summertime, which we’d so love to think of as carefree fun-time, can too often be an extended period of regret for those working moms and dads who can take few vacation days to spend with the family. But do the post-school […]
Summertime Siblings: What’ll It Take to Stop the Bickering?
by Lela Nargi You’ve spent the better part of the school year taking deep, cleansing breaths as your kids nagged and picked at each other. You sipped (or guzzled) wine in a search for calm as they battled for supremacy over who would get the coveted first shower after soccer practice. You intervened gently—and sometimes […]