The following post is from Jennifer, a lifelong educator: The Lessons of Common Sense How many times have you asked yourself, “What was that child thinking?!?” We can laugh at some of the predicaments a preschooler gets into. As a child gets older, though, poor decisions can turn serious or even tragic if he or…
The following post is from Jennifer Burke, a lifelong educator: How Much Should You Tell the New Teacher? With a new school year beginning, some parents ask, “How much should I tell the new teacher about my child?” For some, it’s easy; your child’s education has been smooth sailing. For parents who have weathered a few…
The following post is from Jason & Jennifer Bruce of New Season Design: The back-to-school season comes with all sorts of different emotions... excitement, fear, anticipation, eagerness, and anxiety. And those emotions aren't just for the kids! It's hard for many parents to make the back-to-school transition. There are lunches to pack, homework to oversee,…
The following post is from Katie of Kitchen Stewardship: When you start making changes in your family to a more whole foods or eco-friendly lifestyle (or both!), one major struggle is always, “What do I do with the stuff we don't eat/clean with/cook with anymore?” Many of us also have frugal sensitivities, so boxes of…
The following guest post is from Leigh-Ann of Intentional By Grace: Please and thank you are the magic words. But what about before kids can talk? What about when everything they say comes out in grunts and babbles? Can they learn to say “please” and “thank you”, or are we doomed to just accept the…
The following post is from Lisa of The Pennington Point: Covering Your Books with Paper If you're like me, you have a bunch of odd books. I don't have the heart to get rid of paperbacks, bright colors, and torn bindings...but I don't have the heart. After all, I may want to read that again…
As a new mother, I was sure I would teach my daughter to use the potty before she was two and read at three or four years old. Ha. What I've discovered as she's gotten older and we've added more children to our family, though, is that I prefer the lazy approach to parenting, which…
I've mentioned before that I had three junior high and high school teachers who each contributed to my success with their negativity rather than encouragement. Instead of building me up, like teachers are supposed to, they really did the opposite, both to my face and behind my back. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about…
The following is a guest post from Amanda of Not Just Cute: Homeschooling Is Not Optional All parents should homeschool their children. What I just wrote may surprise some people, particularly given that I have taught in the public school system and have my son registered to begin kindergarten this fall at our local public…
These days, there are tons of ways you can keep track of your book collection, from online library systems to detailed Excel spreadsheets. But if you -- like Monique, who emailed me this printable suggestion -- would rather just keep a simple written list, then this printable is for you! You can fill it out…