This week is the last week of school in my hometown of Sioux Falls, SD and after spending the last school year in and out of schools in the district, I decided to write a letter to these teachers to let them know that I’m grateful for the work they do, day after day, even […]

Last week, I went to one of those coffee and canvas events. These events—especially the variety involving wine—are very popular in the Midwest right now. But I had never been to one. Nope. I avoided them like the plague. Why? Well that’s easy… I’m the worst artist anyone could ever imagine! Sure, I can draw […]

Have you ever sought out an answer to a parenting question on Dr. Google? If you have, you know that there’s A LOT of parenting advice out there. Some of it is great and comes from people with the education and/or experience to actually talk about the topic with some authority. Some of it is […]

During my childhood, I was a very respectful child. I was the student that all teachers loved. I was the friend whom all moms wanted their kids to have. I was the kid that all adults appreciated. How did I become this kid? I don’t give the credit to myself; I give full credit to […]

One of the qualities I love most about my family is our ability to find a way to play no matter where we’re at. As children, my cousins and I spent our childhoods making up games and activities like ball tag, escape in the dark, and of course the combination of the two, ball tag […]

There are plenty of parent shamers out there. But I don’t want to be one of them! So much of what I write about in my blog is about helping busy parents to gather the information they need to make informed parenting decisions. It comes from a good place in my heart, with hope that […]

Divorce is difficult. It’s tough for you as the spouse, whether you’re struggling to get away from your spouse or desperately trying to keep the relationship intact. It’s hard on mutual friends and extended family, who now have to figure out where they fit in with you and your ex-spouse, sometimes resulting in an obligatory […]

Adults want kids to listen to directions, show respect towards adults and comply with authority. Respect for authority and compliance with the rules established by those in positions of authority are the most popular expectations from adults that I’ve come across in my life, and it is consistent between parents and non-parents alike. Adults want […]

This weekend, while dancing with my friends at a wedding reception, I noticed a little boy roaming the dance floor, investigating his surroundings. While the room was in movement around him, dancing to the booming music, this little boy, probably around age 4, was looking and learning. He looked on one side of the stage. […]

In the last few weeks, I’ve shared some activity ideas to use with picky eaters. I showed you how to make art projects out of those dreaded foods and how to create sensory experiences with the foods that those picky eaters hate. The entire goal of these activities was to decrease the pressure on the […]