Kids Paint Workshop at Riverview Superstore
Paint workshops are all the rage – and I totally understand why! Trying to envision how to create a painting anyone would actually want to hang on their wall is WAY beyond my skill set,…
Category: Ponders
Welcoming Reggio to our Classrooms
I walked into an elementary school classroom last week – and felt immediately relaxed. The classroom was filled with homemade wooden shelves and tables, even a few tree trunks as seats. Every bin was a…
Seven Local Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
There’s ONE thing you need to know about choosing the perfect Valentine’s Day Gift – don’t ASK the other person what they want!! Mamas especially are tapped out when it comes to making decisions for…
Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas from the Chocolate River Farmer’s Market Vendors
If shopping local is close to your heart this Valentine’s Day, a great place to start is with the vendors who frequent the Chocolate River Farmer’s Market! Riverview’s Chocolate River Farmer’s Market is spending the…
18 Tips for Decluttering & Organizing Kids’ Toys
The start of a new year – heck, a new season! – always has me itching to declutter and organize our house; post-Christmas, the first focus is most definitely the kids’ toys! We did some…
My Word of The Year for 2018
Rest. Let’s pick that as our ‘word of the year 2018,’ shall we? My social media feeds are full of people setting intentions for the New Year, many opting for the practice of choosing one…
Our Homemade Christmas Gift Tradition
Our homemade Christmas gift tradition isn’t an attempt to save money; we often end up spending as much or more on supplies than we would a store-bought gift! And I know we could put just as much thought into a purchased gift – and that we sometimes create something homemade that is the equivalent to a last-minute desperation purchase! What I love about our homemade Christmas gift tradition is that it forces us as a family to think deeply about each other and ourselves. It helps us as parents instil the idea that the value of an object is not in its price or its perfection, but in its intent. And I’ve realized it’s teaching all of us the importance of embracing our creativity. Each year we give ourselves the opportunity to explore a skill we might not otherwise use all year – sewing, woodworking, writing, drawing, or whatever else we dream up.
Fun Ideas for Snow
Folks, I’m here to tell you how to plan ahead to make your first snow days the BEST days with some simple fun ideas for snow play! These are great ideas for creating some family…
3 Tips for Gentle Parenting during the Holidays
Wouldn’t it be lovely to make it through the holidays without losing our cool as parents? Parenting Coach Alison Smith has three tips to help you be a gentle – and sane! – parent this year….
Introducing a Growth Mindset in the Classroom
There might not be report card boxes for optimism, resilience, persistence, flexibility, and empathy, but read between the lines of the comments and you’ll find them.