I spent this past weekend declutter my book collection and donated dozens of science experiment books to a local science teacher. My husband and I both have degrees in science and we loved sharing an assortment of fun science experiments with our children when they were young. It makes me sad to say goodbye to that time in our lives but I'm happy the excitement will live on in another generation. I thought I would share with you our favorite kitchen science experiment for kids as well as a few others I found that can teach a few valuable … [Read more...]
Hey Kids, Did You Hear That? Probably Not!
February 23, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
Have you ever stood in the room with your child, spoken to them, and have them completely ignore you? I cannot tell you how many times something like that has happened in my house. Selective deafness is a problem that plagues most children at some point in their life. If you have ever wondered how to get your kids to listen better, I am sharing some tips from BusyKid that might help solve your child's listening problem. How to get your kids to listen! Last May, a study was done on the human attention span and it revealed that our … [Read more...]
Life Tips for Millennials When Choosing A Professional Path
February 3, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
For those of you who are not aware of this, I am the parent of one teen who is beginning his search for the right college and thus, the right career path. It is a rather terrifying time of life, actually, but these life tips for millennials will come in handy. I remember my own days of trying to find the right college and decide what I wanted to do with my life. It was very intimidating and since neither of my parents went to college, they didn't have a lot of guidance for me to help me make my decision. I have been trying to help my son … [Read more...]
How to Connect with Your Teen and Bring More Peace to Your Family
January 9, 2017 by · Leave a Comment
When my children were small, it was relatively easy to connect with them. A few minutes building a LEGO castle or coloring in a princess coloring book was pretty simple to accomplish and they were always happy to participate. Learning how to connect with your teen, however, can be a bit more challenging. Teens are often busy or tired or in a bad mood or just plain not interested in hanging with mom and dad. But, teens really need you to connect with them, whether they realize it or not. Staying connected with your teens means that they … [Read more...]
Tips for Car Shopping for Busy Parents of New Teen Drivers
October 26, 2016 by · Leave a Comment
This discussion about tips for car shopping has been sponsored by Capital One but all opinions expressed here are my own. Several months ago, my son got his learners permit and he is in the process of taking Drivers Education and becoming a real life driver. To be honest, the entire concept scares the heck out of me! We live in a very large metropolitan area with congested highways and drivers who think they are actually on a race track. We had always assumed that our kids would inherit our 16-year-old pickup truck as their first car but … [Read more...]
A Mom’s Take on Raising an Introverted Child
September 25, 2016 by · 14 Comments
For 16 years I have been raising an introverted child and it is just as stressful for me now as it was when they were toddlers. Many years ago, my family went up north for a family wedding. My son was 5 and my daughter was 3. We were staying with my brother in law and with all of the siblings in town there were a lot of kids underfoot. At one point, we shooed all of the assorted cousins outside (who ranged in age from toddler to about 10) and watched as they played. A huge crowd hung around the play gym, digging in the sandbox or swinging … [Read more...]
Online Safety for Teenagers Presents Unique Challenges
September 21, 2016 by · 5 Comments
Keeping my kids safe online when they were young was pretty easy. The computer is in the living room and they had no cell phones or other electronic devices. They also had no idea what the term 'search history' meant and had even less of a clue about how to erase it. Online safety for teenagers presents unique challenges that you just don't have to deal with when your kids are little. Both of my kids now have smart phones, Kindles, way too much time alone and are more tech savvy than I am. How do I keep my teens safe online when they have … [Read more...]
Teen Safety Tips for Traveling Abroad
September 2, 2016 by · Leave a Comment
This discussion about teen safety tips for traveling abroad is sponsored by Wearsafe for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. This year, my daughter is a Freshman in the high school band. We found out last year that the high school band would be traveling to Europe this year to march in the New Year's Day parade in front of the Queen. Sounds like an amazing opportunity, right? Sure. Except that my daughter is only 14 years old and I am not that keen on her traveling abroad at such a young age. I might be an overprotective mom but that is … [Read more...]
Tips for Surviving High School Every Teen Should Know
August 1, 2016 by · Leave a Comment
In one week, my daughter starts her Freshman year of high school. I can't believe she has grown up so fast! I find myself searching online for first day of high school tips to make the transition a little easier. Elementary school was easy. Middle school presented a whole bunch of unique challenges. What will high school bring? I want my daughter to learn how to survive Freshman year to make her next few years absolutely fabulous. I know I can't make it perfect for her but here are a few tips for surviving high school that I want her to … [Read more...]
Tips for Raising Teenagers: Keeping the Lines of Communication Open
July 29, 2016 by · 2 Comments
People think that the terrible twos are challenging but raising teenagers is even harder. I am constantly seeking out tips for raising teenagers in an effort to keep them on the straight and narrow. I used to think that raising toddlers was the hardest thing I was going to have to do. I was sorely mistaken about this! My kids have entered that phase of their lives where I am beginning to suspect that aliens have taken over their bodies. Most questions that I ask them are answered with an eye roll or a grunt and look of ambivalence. … [Read more...]
