A Mom and a Job. Raising Happy, Busy Kids
Boredom Busters, Parenting Tips and Honest Advice for Moms Who Do It All
Parenting does not come with a manual, but it does come with a lot of moments where you wish you had one. This is where you will find practical, honest parenting tips drawn from years of experience both as a mother and as a classroom teacher. From handling big emotions to building strong communication with your kids, these posts are written in plain language for real parents navigating real life.
Screen Time Alternatives for Kids That Actually Work (And Why Your Child’s Brain Craves Screens in the First Place) Every summer, we pack up the car and hit the road for a long family road trip. No TV. No phones. No videos. Not even music videos in the car. I know. I can hear you…
(Boredom Buster Ideas That Actually Work for Little Kids AND Teens) “Mom. I’m bored.” I hear those three words and something in me immediately twitches. It’s 10am. Breakfast is done, a puzzle is finished, and we have already had the great orange juice debate of the morning. And somehow, SOMEHOW, my child is bored. If…
How often do you hear the word social emotional development? What is social emotional development and is it important to develop that in our children and students? Social emotional development consists of the child’s experience, expression, and management of emotions along with the ability to establish positive and rewarding relationships with others (Cohen and others…
The ins and outs of building a relationship Building a lasting relationship takes time and skill, yet is well worth the effort. When we invest wisely and we are focused on the steps of building a relationship right we will reap many benefits. Knowing how to build relationships will take you far beyond the classroom…
The power of questions: Asking questions is a skill. If you ask purposeful and intentional questions you will get many wonderful responses and answers. If you just ask questions without much purpose or not expecting a reply, do not expect a good answer in return. Why should you ask questions? questions builds problem solving…
Step by step practical advice to build your child’s self esteem: Hey, want to make your child feel good about themselves? Start with validating your children. When children feel secure and feel they have parental approval their self esteem soars. They are willing to take risks and try many new things. This starts a cycle,…
Building your child’s self esteem and ego need not be as difficult as you think it is. How to build your child’s self esteem and confidence: We all want happy and confident children. Confidence does not happen overnight, it is many actions piled on top of one another to get to a strong sense of…
Want to know what is going on with your child, yet not sure what it is? You have a feeling something is going on and you cannot figure it out. Your child may not be acting him/herself and you want to know what is bothering them. Your child may not be very verbal or does…
A consistent approach in the running of your home or classroom helps children prepare for the next act. They know what to expect and when to expect it. It enables and gives children the gift of being prepared. Consistency helps children be aware and attuned to their surroundings, thus giving them the key to better…
What is Emotional Intelligence? Emotional Intelligence in Children: What It Is and How to Teach It (Without a Psychology Degree!) Ever watch your kid completely lose it over the wrong color cup and then 20 minutes later go comfort their friend who’s crying? That right there? That’s emotional intelligence at work. Most of us grew…