Category Archive

big kids

Preschools and learning environments inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach

Jenny at Let the Children Play has been running a three-part series about Reggio-inspired preschools. This caught my eye for a few reasons: 1) I’d never heard of Reggio-inspired anything, 2) I’m always interested in different kinds of preschools, and 3) some of these are just really amazing to behold.

Crap, it’s cancer: parenting during a health crisis

My husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer in February 2011. He turned 40 only one month before. I’m only 31. We have a six-year old daughter and a three-year old son.

Recommendations for your kid’s first camera

When thinking about purchasing a camera for a child, there’s a few options to first consider — including budget. I’m going to break down a few different affordable (all under $100) and kid-friendly camera options for all budgets and design tastes.

How can we explain his brother’s autism to our four-year-old son?

My stepson, A, is 11 and autistic, and my younger son, M, is four. M has just started to question why A isn’t “like his friend’s big brother.” When M asked “Why won’t A play with me? Does he not like me?” it struck us that we really didn’t know how to explain autism in a way that a four-year-old would understand.

Tips for acing your kid’s birthday party

My daughter is ten and my son is seven, so we’ve had a LOT of birthday parties over the years. Most of them have been incredibly fun and very special. With birthday parties for kids, you never know what can happen. Seriously, we’re talking about little ones so expect the best… but prepare for anything.

How do you feel about being Facebook friends with kids?

My first encounter with kids on Facebook happened a year ago when one of the boys in my daughter’s class sent me a “friend” request on Facebook. He was nine years old. I’m Facebook “friends” with one of his dads, so I accepted the request. This has me wondering: do you think it’s ok to be friends with a minor on Facebook?

Step in during kid conflicts or let them handle it themselves?

As the mother of a long-haired boy who has already had feminine-flavored insults thrown at him by other kids, I’ve already had to make choices on when to step in to help him handle the situation. I wonder, though: how do you decide when to let your kid(s) fight their battles, and when to stop potentially damaging situations?

11 artful activities to try with your kids

If you’ve been scouring the internet or your local library for fun art activities for your kiddos, look no further than The Artful Parent. Today Jean shares eleven of her favorite kid-friendly, warm-weather artistic pursuits. Note: step-by-step directions can be found by clicking the link associated with each activity.