Today, Heather shares a cool craft that encourages independent play:
We recently discovered Perler Beads and absolutely love them! My 5-year-old Emma adores any and all arts and crafts. Perler Beads are small, colorful plastic beads that fuse together when ironed. Your child creates a design by placing the beads one by one on a reusable pegboard template. The kit we purchased came with 5 pegboards (circle, square, heart, star, & hexagon). Kids can either follow example patterns or simply let their creative juices flow.Today, Heather shares a cool craft that encourages independent play:
We recently discovered Perler Beads and absolutely love them! My 5-year-old Emma adores any and all arts and crafts. Perler Beads are small, colorful plastic beads that fuse together when ironed. Your child creates a design by placing the beads one by one on a reusable pegboard template. The kit we purchased came with 5 pegboards (circle, square, heart, star, & hexagon). Kids can either follow example patterns or simply let their creative juices flow.
Today, Kate shares a great lead for city dwellers without a backyard:
“For those of us raising children in the city, opportunities for old-fashioned run-around and recreation time can require a bit more planning than for those in the suburbs or country. My neighborhood has several nice playgrounds and small parks, but I have no backyard and no place to store equipment or allow my daughter to race around without my supervision. For those looking to provide their kids with chances to bounce and run in the heart of the city, Boston is fortunate to have Hill House, an organization devoted entirely to recreation of all types for little ones.
Teaching Laurel empathy has always been very important to us, not only to help curb age appropriate but hurtful behaviors such as biting and hitting, but also simply to help her learn how to be a good friend and family member. And while she has embraced these lessons since toddlerhood (in daycare she always was quick to give a hug or rub a friend’s back if they were sad), we know we’ll need to revisit these themes through her young life. And for parents of tweens, here’s an interesting way to help teach compassion to kids: Generation Cures.
Welcome to Boston Mamas Rock! – where we’re giving a voice to fabulous local mamas, whether they be entrepreneurs, avid volunteers, stay at home moms, moms who have closet talents, authors, media professionals, politicians, professors, etc. Read on for today’s interview with Molly Deschenes, mother of almost two, craft blogger, and think tank/grant writing expert. Then go ahead and nominate yourself or a friend!
Today, Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses offers tips on managing breastfeeding when returning to work:
“For a new mom, returning to work can be stressful, and the thought of continuing breastfeeding can seem like an overwhelming task. But with advanced planning and the support of your family and workplace, it’s possible to combine breastfeeding and working, and it will benefit all parties in several ways.
Today, Jules shares a recipe to get your salmon mojo running:
“Salmon is my favorite food (see another recipe here), and because it’s a sturdy fish, it really can stand up to both bold and subtle flavors. Rich in omega 3 fatty acids (which are good for the cardiovascular system), this recipe is simple in flavors but packs a punch with its fresh herb mojo and accompanying radicchio salad.
Today, Kristin recommends craniosacral therapy for kiddie constipation relief:
“If you told me 20 years ago - in my riot girl days of bartending, dancing for two companies, traveling through Europe, etc., etc. that one of the main conversations in my life would be about poop, I would have laughed hysterically in your face. And now, here I am, deeply entrenched in poop (or lack thereof) talk.
Welcome to Boston Mamas Rock! – where we’re giving a voice to fabulous local mamas, whether they're entrepreneurs, avid volunteers, stay at home moms, moms who have closet talents, authors, media professionals, politicians, professors, etc. Read on for today’s interview with Marjorie Druker, mother of one and chef/co-owner of the New England Soup Factory. Then go ahead and nominate yourself or a friend!
I’m a huge fan of all things independent, and especially love discovering indie bakeries. And yesterday, while visiting the Franklin Park Zoo – on what ended up being daddy giraffe Beau’s birthday – Laurel and I were thrilled to sample the generosity of West Roxbury’s Sugar Bakery, which donated 1500 cupcakes (seriously!) for the party. Moist, delicious, and piled high and beautifully with fabulous buttercream, these confections offered a sweet finish to a lovely morning of animal education and appreciation.
Sugar Bakery, 1884 Centre St., West Roxbury; Tel: 617-327-8427
Today, April shares a cool, kid friendly home art solution:
“Over time, we've collected a bunch of art for our daughter. Not all of it is meant for kids, but all of the content is kid-available. Some of it is new, some of it is from my own collection when I was a child. We choose art that we all will like, so it fits in to our home - nothing super childish and nothing that's so out of reach that she doesn't fall in love with it. In keeping with art that is both high quality and within my daughter’s grasp, we recently created a gallery just for her, and just at her height. To look at "her art," she doesn't need to be lifted up high or crane her neck. The gallery is doorknob and toddler-level. That means she's free to peruse, stare, and wonder at any time.
Today, Evadne shares ways to teach kids about the life cycle:
“Over the summer, we borrowed a book from our local library called From Caterpillar to Butterfly. It was about a classroom's experience of observing the metamorphosis process, and it was a complete hit with my 3.5-year-old son. He became ‘one’ with the class as we read how the children watched their pet caterpillar grow, molt, then form a chrysalis, and about their anticipation as they waited for their caterpillar to emerge as a beautiful Painted Lady butterfly.
Welcome to Boston Mamas Rock! – where we’re giving a voice to fabulous local mamas, whether they're entrepreneurs, avid volunteers, stay at home moms, moms who have closet talents, authors, media professionals, politicians, professors, etc. Read on for today’s interview with Christine Crowley, mother of two and co-founder of Sugabettens Baking. Then go ahead and nominate yourself or a friend!
This summer largely felt like a busy blur; one exception being a fabulously relaxing vacation we took with friends in Maine. During this trip my friend Anne made an amazing chicken salad; it’s a family recipe that she approved of my sharing here.
Today, Suz shares information about a funding program for individuals and families with developmental disabilities:
"Raising a child with a developmental disability can be both challenging and empowering. The MDDC’s Consumer Empowerment Funds Program is a hidden gem that grants up to $500 towards the cost of attending meaningful conferences and events within the state that benefit your efforts of living with a developmental disability. The goal of this program is to promote the empowerment of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families by assisting them in their efforts to achieve independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion.
Sometimes I wonder how being raised by a pair of psychologists impacts Laurel. Jon and I definitely have had moments where we stop and listen to ourselves speak, and wonder whether we’re just flat out being too verbose with her. But a couple of new books from Free Spirit Publishing make it clear that others are talking a similar talk, and to saner effect. Today, I’m reviewing these titles - Ready for Bed! and Ready for the Day! - in conjunction with the Parent Bloggers Network.
This past weekend we hosted Laurel’s 4th birthday party, and while it differed significantly from her previous parties in size (6 instead of 20 kids), it shared the same sense of themed imagination as in past years. Year 2 was an “everything yellow party” (all food and decorations were yellow), year 3 was a “rainbow color party” (tie dye), and this year was a “nature fairy party.”
Welcome to the 8th installment of Boston Mamas Rock! - where we're giving a voice to fabulous local mamas, whether they be entrepreneurs, avid volunteers, stay at home moms, moms who have closet talents, authors, media professionals, politicians, professors, etc. Read on for today's interview with Liz White, mother of two and mortgage broker turned gifting aficionado. Then go ahead and nominate yourself or a friend!
Almost as if she knew that my 4 year old already is discussing wedding plans with her pals, today, Kate reports on the Peabody Essex Museum’s exhibit, Wedded Bliss: The Marriage of Art and Ceremony, which wraps this weekend north of the city: