“I want the other one!” my two-year declared as I took his usual favorite, Little Blue Truck, off the bookshelf. “I want the one in the attic!” I knew exactly what he was referring to: Little Blue Truck’s Christmas. We’d loaded it upstairs with all the tubs of Christmas lights and ornaments. The…
My “baby” is now 20-years-old. I consider myself to be a fairly good gift-giver, but his 20th birthday had me stumped. He is living in an apartment at college, semi-independent, cooking his own food and cleaning his own bathroom. He doesn’t need “things” from me, and he is hesitant to ask us to spend…
Looking for a unique way to share the love of Christ with others this holiday season? Consider picking up “The Blessing Nisser”bu local author Kirstie Marx. The Blessing Nisser Check out this article from WRAL about Kirstie and her book: Shifting the focus for kids to giving this Christmas.
HolidayTraditions_Phases
Making friends and keeping them are important life skills. Just like learning to walk, talk, self-feed, and potty-train, there are steps that babies, toddlers, and preschoolers will master as they learn the skill of making and keeping friends. It takes a long time to learn these skills. I mean think about, we’re still developing…
If you ask me, any phase that involves sleeping through the night is far superior to any that doesn’t. Add uninterrupted REM to the fact that most three-year-olds are beginning to learn how to dress themselves, go to the bathroom in an actual toilet, and tell you what…
Who really knows what provokes that mischievous glint in the eye of a four-year-old just moments before they deliver the kick that makes the block tower tumble? I suspect it’s something about the thrill of destruction combined with the wondrous spectacle of discovery. Four-year-olds blend the reckless abandon of toddlerhood with the wide-eyed…
The transition from summertime to back-to-school can happen so quickly that we’re already in our new routine before we even realize it. Below are some suggestions for how to create an intentional and meaningful back-to-school rhythm for a kid in each phase. Preschool: BacktoSchoolRhythm_Pre_single Elementary: BacktoSchoolRhythm_Elem_single Middle School: BacktoSchoolRhythm_MS_single High School: BacktoSchoolRhythm_HS_single
Life can be challenging and unpredictable. And, if you’re parenting a two-year-old, you’re guaranteed this year will have plenty of both. That sweet baby who used to cuddle in your arms has not only learned how to walk but now he can run away from you—and fast. That little angel whose smile used to light…
Toddlers get a bad rap. Sure they whine and throw tantrums. But can you blame them? There’s a lot going on in those pint-sized bodies. By age two, your little one will grow to half their adult height—something they’ll spend the next two decades reaching. And their shape will morph from one designed for…