Gratitude Practices for Children and Families

Gratitude Practices for Children and Families

You’ve probably heard people who regularly practice gratitude are happier. “Gratitude not only makes people feel good in the present, but it also increases the likelihood that people will function optimally and feel good in the future.” (Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life). Feeling grateful isn’t […]

Back to School Activities

Back to School Activities

The first week of school was always one of my favorite weeks to teach. We created routines, talked about what we were going to learn, shared our interests, and got to know each other. It was important my students and I used our first days together to set the stage for what was to come. […]

Celebrating the Winter Solstice

Celebrating the Winter Solstice

When my children were little, we celebrated Christmas much like my husband and I did when we were growing up. Presents, food, travel, and (limited) time together were the focus. While we definitely have some special memories, what I remember most about those early years is feeling overwhelmed. We didn’t have a lot of extra […]

How to Make Downtime a Priority

How to Make Downtime a Priority

Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity. Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime, Scientific American When I had my first child, I ignored the advice to rest when he napped or played quietly. I believed […]

Meal Planning Made Simple

Meal Planning Made Simple

Dear Reader, do you meal plan? I’ll be the first to admit that over the years I have tried all sorts of tips and tricks to make chores and the mundane easier. No matter how many different ways I’ve tried to embrace cleaning schedules, batch cooking, and coupon clipping, they don’t work for me. Meal […]

Creating Connections with Our Children

Creating Connections with Our Children

At the top of our stairs, a little double-sided easel, half chalkboard, half whiteboard, is balanced on the banister. It appeared there a few days ago. On one side, my daughter’s eight-year-old handwriting scribed, Good Morning Mom. On the other side, she wrote, Good Morning Sophie. Next to the easel is a piece of chalk for me […]