Today, Debbie (also of Two Adopt Two) shares five tips for how to engage kids in chores:
We've all likely experienced one of these scenarios: We're folding laundry while the kids read, watch TV, or horse around, and we wonder, Why don't they help? There's always housework and our kids have tons of energy, but somehow we don't ask for help. Or we do ask for help but when our kids don't follow up, we don't enforce the need for them to do chores.Today, Debbie (also of Two Adopt Two) shares five tips for how to engage kids in chores:
We've all likely experienced one of these scenarios: We're folding laundry while the kids read, watch TV, or horse around, and we wonder, Why don't they help? There's always housework and our kids have tons of energy, but somehow we don't ask for help. Or we do ask for help but when our kids don't follow up, we don't enforce the need for them to do chores.
Today, Carole Arsenault of Boston Baby Nurses shares advice regarding caffeine consumption while breastfeeding:
As a lactation consultant, one of the most common questions breastfeeding moms ask me is whether or not drinking caffeinated coffee will affect baby's sleep. While it's a difficult question to answer with absolute certainty, weighing this particular diet choice is important, as babies and parents alike need all of the uninterrupted sleep they can get!
I love cooking, but like many parents, on weekdays I need dinners to come together fast (often one handed while I haul around Violet, whose latest great delight is honking my nose repeatedly). We've been in a bit of a food rut, so when my friend Kristin Appenbrink at Real Simple asked if I would participate in a blog relay about their stress-free month of dinners, I was like, um yes, I need ideas for a stress-free month of dinners!
Today, Judy (also of Talking Thirty) shares five ideas for engaging kids in volunteerism:
As someone who has spent the past decade working in the field of philanthropy, it's incredibly important to me to raise kids who understand the importance of showing compassion for others and acting on that compassion. However, it can be difficult to find local volunteer opportunities that are age-appropriate and do not require long-term commitments (which may not be realistic for many at this hectic stage of life). I've done some research, though; here are five Boston-area volunteer opportunities that family members can participate in together:
Today, Priya shares six tips for planning and communication related to balancing work and trying to conceive:
Waiting longer to start a family has increasingly become the norm and for some good reasons. Women are pursuing advanced degrees in increasing numbers and the decision of how to balance career with motherhood is a complicated one. (I trust by now you have all read Anne-Marie Slaughter's article in The Atlantic, which I thought did make some great points about this.)
When I was in New York for BlogHer, I was thrilled to celebrate my friend Gretchen Rubin at her book launch party (if you're interested, here are some very happy photos!). I loved reading The Happiness Project and am now immersed in Gretchen's new book, Happier at Home (given how crazy things have been with work and general household minutia these days, I've been particularly tuned to the marriage chapter). Gretchen is awesome -- so warm and down to earth and smart. She's going to be reading at Brookline Booksmith this Thursday at 6pm; I hope you'll be able to attend. We all deserve to be happier at home!
A month from today I head to Ethiopia as part of ONE Moms. I went to get my first round of vaccinations this week and while I was waiting, I inhaled the Ethiopia culture report shared by the travel clinic. And today I wanted to take a cue from Asha (the candor of her post hit a nerve for me) and share some facts about Ethiopia and ONE. I shared many of these facts with Laurel (who accompanied me to the clinic) and she was fascinated by it all. This trip will clearly be a game changer for me, not only for personal reasons but because it has already made me realize that I need to share more of the world with Laurel.
There have been a lot of yummy endeavors underway in my kitchen this summer, thanks to my Stonyfield Summer Kitchen Camp series (through which I share recipes that are not only tasty, but also encourage kids to have fun in the kitchen). A few weeks ago I shared three kitchen camp posts (pudding pops, vegetarian BBQ, rainbow parfaits) and today I wanted to share the final two posts in the series. Try something new over the long weekend, or really, these recipes are good any time of year. Enjoy!
Today, Hillary of Mass Audubon shares a primer on odes:
My four year old has a completely irrational fear of bugs. One measly little ant comes into sight and you'd think we were being attacked by a swarm of bees. Full disclosure: I'm not a huge fan of bugs myself. But I feel it's my duty not to pass my crazy on to her. Plus, the more I learn about bugs at work, the less I fear them. So when I see a cool, completely harmless bug, I try to bring her around.
Today, Kate shares a great chapter book series that will inspire a love of mysteries:
My 6-year-old daughter has been slow to warm to chapter books, and I can't say that I've rushed her to move away from the lush and thoughtful world of picture books. Recently, though, we received a bag of hand-me-down chapter books, including several volumes in Marjorie Sharmat's wonderful Nate the Great series.
One thing that has become very clear in the 3-4 months that I have been wrestling with Violet's eczema and potential food allergies is that I am not alone. So I was grateful to have the opportunity to chat with Dr. Wayne Shreffler (Director of the Food Allergy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital) about allergy prevalence, prevention, and daily practice. We only had a short window of time but covered quite a bit. The following are key takeaways that I wanted to share with you. Thanks to everyone who has weighed in about allergy struggles via Twitter and Facebook!
I have developed a deep appreciation for many things in the six years since I started this blog, and two of those things are photography and daily reflections of gratitude. So when my talented friend Tracey Clark told me she was writing a photography book called Elevate the Everyday, I thought, this sounds divine. And the book is just as delightful and artful as I imagined it would be, given Tracey's general thoughtfulness about life and her experience with publishing (among her publications is the lovely Expressive Photography).
Ten days ago, I did something incredibly -- and somewhat unexpectedly -- impacting. I walked a runway with a wonderfully talented, diverse, and ready-for-anything group of women bloggers in BlogHer's first fashion show. And while yes, from the perspective of a working mom who usually has 15 minutes to take care of clothes, hair, and makeup (10 of which typically involve prying Violet off my leg or out of my cosmetics drawer) it was awesome to be styled and beautified, this event ended up opening the door for an amazing conversation with Laurel about body image, confidence, and -- in a phrase best reflected by my friend Karen Walrond -- the beauty of different.
Things have been a little hectic here so I haven't had a chance to share my Stonyfield Buzz Blog posts. I'm writing a series called Summer Kitchen Camp, through which I share recipes that are not only tasty and fun, but also encourage kids to become facile in the kitchen (yes, one of these days your kids will make you dinner!). I have a couple more posts forthcoming, but today I wanted to share three posts that have gone live so far. So. much. yumminess. Also, I should really issue Laurel props for being a fantastic helper, both in the food and photography (she's a very patient model!) domains. Thank you, Laurel!
Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) shares a recipe I totally want to make this week:
I've always loved rice krispie treats. I've always loved s'mores. The combination? Divine. This is one of the easiest and most crowd pleasing desserts in my repertoire. They come together very quickly, travel easily and well, and kids and grownups alike clamor for them. Also awesome? My kids love helping in the kitchen with these treats and my son who is allergic to nuts can also indulge. Enjoy!
Today, Kate shares a lovely book to inspire kids to use their hands:
My kindergarten-age daughter loves yarn. She likes the colors, the fibers, the feel, and she finds a surprising number of ways to incorporate it into her art projects and imaginative games. I find bits of yarn all over the apartment, often sticky with glue or sparkly with glitter or decorating her dolls. In the past few weeks, she has actually made the leap to being able to knit on her own -- haltingly and with lots of dropped stitches -- giving both of us the pleasure of watching her take a step toward independence and the joy of knowing a craft.