Each week we give our boys an allowance. We don’t tie receiving this money to anything in particular. We consider doing chores and helping around the house to simply be part of living within our household; it is not reason for payment. I think it’s important for kids to have their own money to spend, and I think the time to start an allowance is whenever they begin to realize the purpose and power of money.… Continue reading
10 Ways to Encourage Imaginative Play in Children
Do you want to encourage your children to engage in imaginative play? In that case, I’m generally of the theory that less is more.
Kids do not need fancy costumes or toys in order to pretend. While this picture shows my son thoroughly decked out in a costume, kids can have just as much fun without such things. Dirt, sticks, rocks, and anything else they find outside are generally enough. … Continue reading
Sprouts: Healthy to Eat and Easy to Grow
My 9-year-old son grew some chia sprouts as part of a project in which he was learning about families of plants.
It was extremely easy to grow the sprouts. He half-filled a small container with potting soil. He sprinkled a bunch of chia seeds over the top of the moist dirt. He then set a folded up, wet paper towel directly on top of the seeds, covering them completely. … Continue reading
Working Alone Instills Confidence in Kids
Last week my 4-year-old decided to build a block tower. He wanted to build a tower that went “way above [his] head.”
First, he asked if I could build the tower with him. However, I was busy cooking. I told my son that he would have to wait until I finished or he could do it on his own.
Then he went to ask his big brother’s assistance. … Continue reading
The Wonder of Sleeping Outside
As a child there always seemed to be something magical about sleeping outside. There are different sounds. The light is different. There are different smells. The air feels different. When we’re outside, particularly during the night, our sense attune to all of these things that are mitigated or filtered out entirely by sleeping inside a building.
You can, of course, get this feeling by heading out on a camping trip. … Continue reading
Learning by Building a Treehouse
My boys have talked about building a treehouse for years. My older son, in particular, has been captivated by the idea of building his own outdoor living space. And after much planning [mostly on the part of my husband], it finally happened over Memorial Day weekend. There is now a beautiful treehouse deck in our yard.
My husband designed the base and railings, making sure that everything met his strict standards for safety. … Continue reading
Grain-Free Breaded Zucchini Spears (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
We seem to be in a vegetable rut lately; always eating the same vegetables prepared in the same ways. So the other day I decided to try something new: breaded zucchini spears.
While the outside breading didn’t crisp up quite as much as I’d hoped, the final spears tasted great and were different from what we’d been consuming.
Everyone liked them, and, importantly, they were very easy and quick to prepare. … Continue reading
Happy Mother’s Day!
A very Happy Mother’s Day to all of you Enchanted Mamas. You make every day fascinating, and the world a better place.
Screaming and Yelling, by Maurice Sendak
When everybody screams and yells
Who calms them down?
Who rings their bells?
When everybody screams and yells?
The enchanted one. That’s me.
When everybody screams and yells,
There’s nothing to do!… Continue reading
The Work of Imaginative Play
I love watching and listening to my boys engage in imaginative play. And when they are imagining worlds together with their friends, it gets even better.
I firmly believe that play is the work of childhood, and that imaginative play is one of the fundamental reasons why play is so important. Kids can learn so much through engaging their imaginations. … Continue reading
The End of an Era: Saying Goodbye to Library Story Time
After over 9 years of attending library story time every Monday morning (unless we were out of town, of course), our weekly routine is changing. As we prepared to leave for story time last week, my youngest son declared, “Mama, I think I’ve outgrown story time. I’d rather read our own books.” It’s a big shift.
I started bringing my oldest son to story time when he was a tiny infant. … Continue reading