Creating a Family Mindfulness Practice Mindfulness, or the act of being fully present and accepting our own emotions without judgement, has been practiced for thousands of years. With roots in Hinduism and Buddhism, it’s often connected to meditation, yoga, and even spiritual enlightenment. And the benefits are wide-ranging: It can help rewire negative thought patterns, decrease stress levels, and increase…
By: Cascia Talbert The life of a mom can be exhausting. With so many responsibilities, itseems that there can never be enough caffeine. But just because you’reso busy as a mom doesn’t mean that you should never have free time. Infact, it’s important that you have “me time” constantly in order torelieve the stress of modern day motherhood. Finding me time can betough for…
By: Keri Danielski As you dream of your child’s future, you might have this question looming over your head: How am I going to pay for my child’s college education? As parents, we know that the earlier you start a college fund for your kids, the better. If you’re not sure what other ways you can financially prepare for the coming college…
By: Beth Ann Mayer Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month. For 31 days, we take time to highlight the contributions women have made and continue to make to our society. Schools may incorporate Women’s History Month into their curriculums, but experts believe it’s important to talk about it at home, too. “It focuses on the social-emotional development of being…
By: Aliza Friedlander My mom is a licensed physical therapist, and when I was growing up, she was always around. When my sister and I were younger she stayed home full time and as we got older, she worked in a way that gave her flexibility, opting to do at home health care as opposed to working in an office.…
By: Abby Freireich and Brian Platzer The pressure you feel about your children’s reading is wholly understandable. Pediatricians and educators are constantly telling parents to prize literary skills. And with good reason: Early reading has been associated with a host of positive outcomes, not only academic, but social and emotional, too. So when kids falter as readers, parents often feel…
By: Betsy Bozdech of Common Sense Media Race, like many other big issues, is something that comes up again and again in movies, from inspiring stories about unforgettable leaders to wrenching documentaries about civil rights. Whatever your family’s racial background, you can use movies like the ones below to begin or continue conversations about race. Movies can help underline key messages like…
By: Diana Spalding Before having a baby, maternity leave as a concept was pretty mysterious. I had many pregnant coworkers who took maternity leave—they’d just leave one day, we’d get word they’d had the baby, and then a few weeks or months later they’d return, looking tired but proud and very excited to show us photos of their new baby. I realized…
By Rachael Coopes From the moment a woman finds out that they are pregnant they arrive on a new, foreign battlefield. Long before the ‘terrible twos’ and ratbag teenage years, there is a smorgasbord of emotions and challenges new and expectant mothers must face with warrior strength. Like the mythological yoga heroes that have gone before them, pregnant women need to…
By. Brian Platzer and Abby Freirerich Students love nothing more than being “done.” The sense of relief we educators see when a test is turned in or recess has arrived is unmistakable. Adults can relate: Who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of completing a project or being freed from a meeting? But as you know, your student’s eagerness to be done often causes…
