My picky eaters are in love with GREEN FOOD: here’s how I did it
I’ve blogged before about how my kids are the pickiest eaters on the planet. I’ve tried sticker charts, bribes, threats, beatings (just kidding!), but so far the best tactic has been giving my kids the job of the “Taste Tester.” Initially I was skeptical my kids would participate, but they totally LOVED it.
Odd parent out: how it feels when your kid isn’t anything like you at all
Isn’t it interesting how we struggle with our own identities through our children? We want them to be like us. By that, I mean, our vision of who we are — you know, all the good stuff. I know that as my own daughter has grown and developed her unique sense of self, her individuality, her very strong-willed personality, I have always looked for those moments of me in her.
Six tips for creating awesome care-packages for children away from home
While I was growing up, I spent a lot of time away from home. I can tell you now, whether I was away for school, camp, high school summer jobs or even when I moved on to university, nothing helped my homesickness and general well-being better than when I received a care package from home. I was recently helping a friend put together a package for her high school aged child studying abroad when I realized that not everyone was in situations growing up where they were receiving care-packages.
The Arizona book ban matters: to my kids, your kids, and kids all over the world
The ban on ethnic studies and ethnic literature in Tuscon, Arizona matters to your children. It matters even if they are not growing up in the Southwest, like my children, with names like Joaquin, Rodrigues, Donaciano, and Aragon. It matters even if they aren’t in the spectrum of browns redacted from history books. It matters even if they would never have read the authors and titles spirited off library shelves in Tucson.
A Pi Day bonus: one teacher’s thoughts on why math matters
“You’ll need it to balance your checkbook” or “What if you wanted to re-paint a room of your house?” are phrases that we would often hear repeated to us when we asked “Why we will ever need any of this math?”. While these uses are just as relevant as ever, these answers not only leave today’s learners unsatisfied, but also do not address the essential needs of math in today’s working world. As parents and caretakers, we should be careful to not confuse arithmetic with Mathematics.
It’s Pi Day! Let’s talk about how awesome math is for your kids
Growing up I was totally one of those kids that read early, talked early, all that jazz — but hated math. I can’t even pretend that I just strongly disliked it, as my feelings were those of straight-up loathing. If I have to place the beginning of this hate-hate relationship, I can safely say it started when I got my first B in sixth grade in algebra.
How can we deal with middle school meltdowns?
My oldest child, 12 years old, is in his first year of middle school. Without warning, we have hit an academic brick wall. My once mostly straight A student is now failing half his classes. He’s bombing tests and not turning in work. While I have done my absolute best to keep in contact with his teachers and have talked with him repeatedly about the importance of good grades and writing things down, I feel like I have led my little horse to water but he’s refusing to drink.
An offbeat auntie Santa Monica outing
Ooooh we’ve received a little more photo magic via Two Bright Lights again! This set of photos is of photographer Ilene Squires‘s best friend and her niece and nephew. I love the idea of an auntie or uncle (or family friend!) having his or her own photo session with the kids — it’s something you don’t see a lot!