The Slime Craze is Causing a Glue Shortage

Has your child taken a sudden interest in slime? It seems to be the newest, hottest, trend among children, tweens, and even some teenagers. The slime craze is so popular that it is causing craft stores to run out of glue. Slime is a homemade substance that can be made in any color. It starts out sticky and becomes a gelatinous substance that can be pulled, stretched and squished. There are plenty of recipes and photos of slime on Pinterest. A pastel rainbow colored version is called “unicorn poop.” Some kids are making slime that corresponds to a holiday (such … Continue reading

Lighthouse Parenting Provides Stable Beacons

Lighthouse parenting is one of many different parenting styles. The overall goal with this parenting style is to provide your teenagers with a stable beacon that they can turn to for guidance. It is a balance between protecting your teens from harm and giving them the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. The lighthouse parenting style was created by Kenneth Ginsburg, MD, MSEd. He has a book called “Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love With Expectations and Protection With Trust”. In the book, he describes lighthouse parenting by saying that parents should be like lighthouses for their children, “beacons of … Continue reading

Don’t Do Your Child’s Homework for Them

One of the biggest complaints of students of all ages is the amount of homework they are assigned. This is true for kindergarteners, college students, and everyone in between. Teachers expect that the students will do their own homework, perhaps with a little help from their parents. You don’t do your children’s homework for them, though, right? An article in The Telegraph reveals some surprising things about who is really doing the homework that teachers assign. The information comes from a poll of 2,000 parents who had children between the ages of 5 and 15. The research showed that in … Continue reading

Apps for Busy Parents

Parenting has often been described as a full-time job. Moms and dads have to organize children’s schedules, find kid-friendly places to eat, and remember all the things that their family needs from the grocery store this week. Fortunately, there are apps that can help busy parents to keep track of everything. Here are a few to try. Mom Maps Mom Maps helps moms and dads find places that are appropriate for family fun. There are over 28,000 locations supported by this app. It gives you directions to parks, playgrounds, children’s museums, kid’s indoor play areas, kid’s restaurants and more (including … Continue reading

Learning to Love Your Body

We all know that motherhood comes with a price. Your body goes through a remarkable transformation as it prepares to grow another human being. If you are like most of us, you probably have a few battle scars to show for it. I’ve gotten used to my tiger stripes, but I still struggle with my post-pregnancy body. It’s been almost 5 years since I had Logan and I’m still not to my pre-pregnancy weight. I envy my friends who walk out of the hospital looking like a model in their size 2 jeans again. When I left the hospital I … Continue reading

Your Presence is the Best Present

Forget about the fancy triple chocolate cookie pops, the pricey heart covered Build-a-Bear, and the massive red and white mylar balloon bouquet you were planning to gift your child with this Valentine’s Day.  Save your money and present your son or daughter with your presence on February 14th and in the days, weeks and months that follow. While candy, stuffed animals and shiny inflatables typically rank high on a child’s Valentine’s Day gift wish list, most kids would likely trade in the treats for one-on-one time with mom and dad. Life is hard enough for youngsters, so knowing that they … Continue reading

Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself

As a mother it is natural to put our children’s needs above our own. While there is nothing wrong with this, it is important to remember to take care of your needs as well. Your kids need a healthy mommy to take care of them, which means like it or not, you can’t push your needs aside anymore. You have to take care of yourself, so you are still around to take care of them in the future. As a woman yearly exams are crucial. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how healthy you think you may be, there’s … Continue reading

How to Talk to Your Kids about the Economic Crisis

“How can I talk to my kids about the economic crisis?” It is a common question that most parents face today. As prices on consumable goods rise, from food and gas to the cable bill, and families feel themselves pinched, even the youngest children are starting to notice that things around them are changing. Neighbors and friends may be moving away, favorite stores and restaurants may be closing, and everyone seems to have to sacrifice something they enjoy just to get through this time. Parents should see this time in our history as a teaching moment, but the lessons should … Continue reading

Is Your Child a Born Giver?

  Does giving come naturally to your child? Headaches, anxiety and gray hair don’t count. Rather, consider whether or not your child is innately predisposed to be generous with his possessions without being prompted? As we countdown to Christmas, we’d all like our children to remember that it is better to give than receive.  However, a new study found that most kids tend to be selfish with material items, unless they know their generosity will be seen by others. The research, recently published in the journal PLoSOne, suggests that children as young as five years old strategize ways to advertise … Continue reading

Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money? {Part 2}

In part 1 of, Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money?, I covered how to create a blog posts that attract readers.  Creating good content is the first step to creating a quality blog.  I cover this in Blogging Tips and Tricks as well.  Today, I want to cover a few more background areas before discussing opportunities, so hang in there.  When I say profitable with regards to your homeschool, I do not simply mean financially. Let’s start by exploring what makes a good homeschool blog. The competition is fierce.  While you need to be aware of what your competitors are … Continue reading