When my boys were 3 and 4 years old, we enjoyed reading the book Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The incredible tale of the town Chewandswallow and the food that falls from the skies to feed the people who live there. When we saw the previews for the new movie coming out we were [...]
Something clicked inside me at the end of winter, something that had never quite lined up before but does now. It’s like the recessive farming gene (I am indeed from a family who farmed until the mid-20th century or so) suddenly turned on, allowing me not only to dream about growing, but also to get [...]
When you think mom guide, chances are images of What to Expect and Dr. Spock or someone similar pop into your head. But The Rookie Mom’s Handbook: 250 Activities to Do with (and Without!) Your Baby is different. It’s filled with 250 things that you can do with or without your child. In other words, [...]
With two cats in our house, it’s no surprise that my 10-month-old daughter frequently hears the phrase, “Do nice, Maddie, gentle.” She loves leaning her head on the fluffier cat, and using her as a pillow. Something the cat isn’t too fond of, but is growing more and more patient about as each day passes. [...]
Let’s face it: first time parents need all the help they can get! I certainly did. Everything worried me — from whether my son was developing at the right rate to how having a child would impact my relationships. But many books are geared and written towards either both parents or moms. How about a [...]
My three-year-old son, Will, loves to read. He is psyched every night to see what book we are reading. My one-year-old daughter, Paige, on the other hand? She’d rather toss the books in the air or grab them and eat them.
Still, even if it’s just for biting, I like Paige to have books that are [...]
If there is one thing that I’ve learned from Cate, it’s that sometimes you have to keep the change going (although, she admittedly isn’t fond of change per se). That point was abundantly clear when my kids and I recently found ourselves in a reading rut. We need a book every evening before bedtime. And [...]
My six-year-old son and I are about 40% of the way through our 100 Book Challenge, and we’re going to have to really keep at it if we’re going to reach 100 by Christmas. I think we can do it. Luckily with new books arriving from kind publishers regularly, we are never at a loss [...]
Truth be told, I didn’t learn about Poingo until we received an e-mail a few weeks ago, but now I’m glad that we were introduced. Targeted for kids aged 3-7, Poingo is a soundbook that brings words to life with its accompanying pen. Once you turn the pen on and point it to the beginning [...]
At a recent LeapFrog event this weekend, their educational toys were described as “vitamin-sprinkled cupcakes.” They are toys that are still fun for kids but sneak in a little lot of learning on the sly. The other day my son was playing their SpongeBob Square Pants game, but was also counting money and making change [...]
