Thinking of my ‘tween: should I be for censorship?
I’ve always prided myself on my support of free speech. While I don’t agree with what everyone is allowed to say, I do support their right to say it. My whole philosophy is coming under fire with my oldest son’s foray into the “tween” years.
How to DIY a marble run with PVC pipe and not much else
I recently I picked up Do-It-Yourself Early Learning: Easy and Fun Activities and Toys from Everyday Home Center Materials at my local library and realized I had found my new favorite kid-related book. I turned one of the projects into a marble run… and here’s how I did it.
5 beautifully illustrated children’s books you’ll want to read over and over again
Children’s books that both tell beautiful stories — whether they’re of small yet courageous mice or artists flitting around Paris in the 1920s — have always captivated me and been part of our bedtime reading ritual. Here are few that I especially adore!
I’m worried the daughter I placed in open adoption will resent my future kids
My partner and I are 18 days away from beginning to try to conceive — as happy as I am, I’m also scared out of my mind. I’m not worried about raising a child, but I’m worried about how my first daughter will react to my pregnancy after I placed her into adoption.
7 ways you can entertain your kid with nothing but a few pieces of cardboard
Cardboard is kind of the greatest toy-you-might-not-realize-is-a-toy EVER: there are endless possibilities! It’s so easy to come by! I can almost promise you that at least one grocery store in your town or city has a few boxes just LYING around, waiting for a family to come along and swoop up to turn into beautiful creations. You can also craft your own cardboard furniture if you ever get a hankering… the stuff is practically magic!
A Super Mario Brothers-themed birthday party for a six-year-old
I am FREAKING OUT about this Mario-themed birthday party! The crew played games, ate piranha plant pops, and basically had my dream birthday party. Amazing.
Ruminations on the future of colleges: where will your kids be in fifteen years?
College is not necessarily about receiving an education, though this can still be achieved. Instead, college is about trading the least amount of work required to receive one of those job-granting acronyms: B.A., M.S. and so on.
6 family-friendly tips for placing an emergency phone call
If you live in the United States you know that three digit, potentially terrifying phone number. Indeed, I’m talking about the 9-1-1. We all know it, and we all hope we’ll never have to be the ones to dial it. As a 911 call-taker and dispatcher, I love my job even though it’s sometimes stressful, scary, or overwhelming.