Do you love the smell of fresh bread? And the tenderness and flavor of bread just out of the oven?
Unfortunately, I am not much of a bread baker.
Fortunately, the book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day answered just about every question I have about making bread. And yes, you really can bake bread in [...]
I am always looking for good wholesome family entertainment. With a barrage of junk out there, even those supposedly kid-friendly shows, I am very careful.
When I saw Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, it met with my approval. (Click on the image to watch the trailer.)
When my children were little, we read the book with [...]
Let’s end 2009 and begin 2010 with a giveaway!
How many of you are making a new year resolution to eat healthier? Or a resolution to keep a tighter budget? Or a resolution to eat out less?
To accomplish all those worthy goals, here is a book that is invaluable: The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook. Every [...]
I don’t do a lot of product reviews unless it’s
something really good.
Here is one that is really good, and you have a chance to win one too!
Billy Fun Wheels would make a great Christmas gift for children 2 years old and up. Well, the truth is, both my 14-year-old daughter and I had fun [...]
Have you had to make a move with your children?
As a real estate professional for over 20 years, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing families excited about moving into their own home. But I’ve also seen children not so excited.
It’s a big change for children, and unknown territory can be intimidating.
Elena’s Big Move, a children’s [...]
No money for a big vacation? No problem. Summer is still a great time to create some memorable time for your family. Pool parties, beach, sleepovers, camping – plan a summer that one day you will look back as the good ol’ days!
On a hot summer day, nothing beats hours of fun in the pool. [...]
I just finished reading Brenda Nixon’s newest book The Birth to Five Book – Confident Childrearing Right from the Start. I have the privilege of interviewing Brenda on my next podcast coming up next week to talk more about this book.
I found this book full of practical advice for dilemmas that parents of young children [...]
Have you been asked yet?
I have and I said YES right away!
When a Girl Scout asks you to buy Girl Scout cookies, how can you refuse?
Supporting cookie season means helping to support girls that will someday become the strong, successful women in our community. Many successful business women today say they got their start selling [...]
I’m rather health conscious when it comes to snacks. We don’t eat chips or cookies or candy. Hot dogs and donuts are 2 main culprits I keep out of my house (but I admit, they taste good and we splurge once a year!)
Now I just discovered pistachios as a healthy snack with lots of nutritional [...]
We know that kids say and do the darnedest things. Phillip Done has captured them from his years of experience as a 3rd grade teacher in his book 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny – Life Lessons from Teaching.
If you’ve ever wondered how in the world a teacher survives 6 hours a day, 5 [...]
It is true that swaddling your baby helps them sleep better.
When I had my babies, the hospital nurse taught me to wrap my babies tightly in a receiving blanket. (I kept one of those hospital blankets for memories!) When the baby is nice and snug, he feels secure and warm, just like in your womb [...]
It’s not just turkey and pumpkin pie.
Celebrating the holidays provides a natural avenue to pass on our beliefs to our children.
I highly recommend reading this book together as a family – Thanksgiving – A Time To Remember by Barbara Rainey
This book tells not only the historical story of the Pilgrims, but it recognizes God’s [...]
There’s something wrong with the way American kids are being raised today.
Dr. Anne Pierce in her book Ships Without a Shore: America’s Undernurtured Children challenges commonly accepted notions about parenting such as nannys and daycare workers, hyper-structuring, and how Baby Boomers have affected the way we raise our children.
Dr. Pierce gives us good insights [...]
Yes, REALLY!
Why would you need a resume for your child that young?
What would you use it for?
What would you even put on it?
And who’s going to read a resume of a young child?
I was very skeptical when I interviewed Kris Manley, author of the book Resumes for Children 17 Years Old and Under. But after [...]
In our modern world of e-everything – electronic checkers, electronic puzzles, electronic Buzz Lightyear! – my kids loved our old-fashion rocking horse.
We didn’t have a fancy rocking horse; it was a hand-me-down from my sister after her kids outgrew it. The paint was wearing off, but my kids loved it.
Old-fashion toys stimulate the imagination. Kids [...]
Have you read the classic How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie?
It’s been more than 10 years since I read it, and I am reading it again.
I am recommending this book for every parent.
The timeless principles in this book has made this a top seller since it was written in the 1930’s. [...]
Male high school teachers have a very tough job. I especially feel for their wives.
When 17 and 18 year-old girls wear tank tops, tight clothes, and short shorts, do you think the men teachers, even the most moral ones, would notice? How can the wives of the teachers compete with these young beauties?
Recently at a [...]
Would you agree it is hard to buy presents for kids nowadays?
Would they actually appreciate the present or would it end up in their garage sale next month?
I personally refuse to purchase the overpriced toys that advertisers try to entice you to buy. I know every kid has on their wish list an electronic game. [...]
I highly recommend this book. It’s full of practical advice to parent with confidence. Taking proactive steps to avoid the pitfalls of parenting an adolescent instead of just troubleshooting is what we need today.
Have you ever wondered what causes juvenile delinquency? Is your child beyond control, or exhibiting problem behaviors you feel powerless to correct?
Written [...]
“I’m bored!”
“What can we do?”
“Why can’t I watch TV?”
This book has great ideas of what to do when your children need to keep busy:
You can probably come up with more ideas of your own. But for the price of less than 15 cents for each idea, this will save you time and energy, for those [...]
If you have a child who isn’t experiencing success in school, don’t assume it’s exclusively your child’s fault. After all, who decided that the only way to learn was to sit in straight rows, or listen to a teacher lecture, or concentrate quietly for long periods of time?
Isnt’ that comforting to hear those words if [...]
“Stop fidgeting! Sit nicely to do your homework!”
“Don’t stay up so late! Wake up early to finish your work.”
“I’ve told you a thousand times! Why aren’t you listening to me?”
We tend to expect children to all learn in the same way. We expect them to sit quietly while doing their homework. They should rise and [...]
“Get off the computer!” “Don’t watch so much TV! ” “Stop playing video games!”
Then what are they suppose to do?
You want the children off those electronic devices in order to do what?
We would like our family to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company instead of each member doing their own things and acting [...]
I am not big on getting toys for children.
Most of the toys are marketed to the parents. They look cute and pretty that parents think the kids will be entertained with the toys for hours. But frankly, kids don’t play with toys.
What children want is a person to play with. And since adults don’t really [...]
Every baby needs a swing for some down time.
My children really enjoyed the swing, up to about six months old. However, I had to catch myself from putting my baby in there too often. It is tempting to use it as a convenient babysitter.
Here are some guidelines to make the most of the Baby Swing:
When [...]
