Getting crafty with a toddler: flower press fun
I’m trying to come up with creative things my two-year-old and I can do together at home. I feel like I’ve been a little too focused on go-go-going all the time (mostly because he developed a habit of asking “Go in yellow car now?” each morning) and not really making sure that he’s cool with just… kicking it at the homestead. I wanted something we could do no matter what the weather was like, and then it hit me — a flower press!
Convincing my five-year-old daughter that boys can like pink
We’re friends with a family with a somewhat gender-variant son, Q, who likes pink and wears his hair long. Our five-year-old daughter, Leigh, has played with Q a few times, and thinks he’s fabulous, and specifically asks if we can play with him again after we see them. She also insists that he is a girl.
Taking a trip out of the country without my kid rocked my world
I feel I’ve done a great job (or at least, one that I am very happy with) maintaining a sense of ME since becoming a mother, but it’s good to see that my son also has a sense of HIM that doesn’t depend on whether or not I’m there, physically guiding him through it. It’s a comforting thing to know that if you leave for a day or seven that your child will keep trucking on — and to know that he or she will also be over the moon when you get back.
Bright and trippy cooking aids that will make your kitchen fun(ky)
Ariel introduced me to Wanelo a few weeks ago — it’s basically like Pinterest, but actually has things you can BUY on there. So instead of spending a few hours “pinning” items that you’d own in your dream world, you can spend a few hours buying items you can have in your real life.Searching for kids’ products will bring you endless delight — Wanelo has a huge collection of some of the wackiest products around.
An easy recipe for natural homemade mosquito repellent
My friend Michelle sent over this super helpful recipe for making your own natural mosquito spray. I say “super helpful” because Michelle and I both live in the southeastern United States, where humidity and mosquitoes reign supreme this time of year. Since I’m sure quite a few of you contend with these flying beasts as well (I know they do good things, but COME ON), I figured it could help a few of you, too.
Simple ways to make your own art supplies
The idea of making your own chalk had me scratching my head and wondering: if you can make chalk, what other kind of art supplies can you make? I love the idea of creating the means of another creation — that is, constructing the materials you and your kiddos will then use to create art. Here are a few of my favorite arty recipes, starting with the chalk.
The rewards of spending your early twenties as a child caregiver
The kids I work with are constantly teaching me love — their wordless dependence on me reminds me of a life I knew years ago. My relationship with each of them reminds me of the one I had with my oldest sister. Though the situation was certainly different, her yearning to fulfill me is much like the way I feel for these children whose lives are so intertwined with mine.
Tips for taking a nature walk with your kids — anywhere
Luckily, you don’t have to live in the middle of nowhere to appreciate a good nature walk — you just have to pay attention to the nature around you. Taking your kid on a nature walk is a great way for both of you to learn more about the place where you live, and it also encourages a sense of curiosity that’s going to serve your tyke well later in life. And if you’re a stay-at-home-mom like mine was, nature walks beat the pants off of sitting around the house.