Brain Breaks That Don’t Cost a Dime: The Secret to Saner Afternoons

Some people are very anti games, games you play on the phone or computer. But these games get a bad rap. Did you know that they literally use tetris to help prevent PTSD developing after trauma? They can also help with ADHD; I have an easier time focusing on certain things when playing an easy […]

GPS Trackers For Kids & Pets That Won’t Break The Bank

If you have a kid that wanders (like I had when my youngest was a preschooler) or you have a dog that sometimes sprints, you might think about ways to keep them safe and find them just in case. Here are some of the best GPS trackers for your young child and pets that are […]

Supporting Student Mental Health: The Role of School Psychologists

School psychologists can be life changing in the lives of many students. Many times children in special ed programs learn valuable life skills in sessions with these school psychologists. Other times, kids that are in regular school programs meet with school psychologists for therapy sessions to deal with their mental health issues. By being part […]

Why Your Child’s Creativity at Home Matters More Than Grades

Growing up, all my parents cared about were grades. They made me feel that if I got good grades, that was what made me lovable, and if I didn’t get perfect scores… Well, lets just say that that was part of why I unschooled my kids, because I wanted my kids to have a love […]

Sneaky but Smart: Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Veggies

Know that saying of “I used to be the perfect parent, before I had kids?” Well, that applied to me not only before I had kids, but all those things I thought I knew everything about when I was a newer parent with fewer and younger kids… as my kids grew up and as I […]

How Teaching Kids Programming Can Help Break the Poverty Cycle: A Personal Story

When I got married at 18, without any way to support myself, and my then-husband, at 20, had no real means to provide for a family, we were setting ourselves up for failure. My son recently asked what we were thinking—how we planned to support ourselves—and honestly, we weren’t thinking about it. Ridiculous, I know. […]

Innovative Ideas for Building a Family-Friendly Greenhouse

Growing plants and gardening are great for everyone, especially children. There’s a reason many schools include therapeutic gardening in their curriculum—there’s nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and growing your own food. Unfortunately, I’m not great at growing things (I’ve written about my many — mostly failed– attempts over the years to grow things) […]

Supporting Parents Through Mental Health Challenges in the Family

Parenting is not for the faint of heart. While there are many obstacles that parents face when raising kids, health issues likely rank high among them. And within health issues, dealing with kids’ mental health challenges presents its own unique set of difficulties. Mental illness can stem from a variety of factors. In some cases, […]

Baby Monitor That Will Save You A Lot Of Money And Hassle

I remember the first baby monitors I saw- we had some in my childhood home so my parents could hear my little brother or sister when they were napping in their room. As a parent, I didn’t use baby monitors, because my kids co-slept with me, and we lived in a very small house where […]