Nicholas is six-and-a-half now, but I just found a post I made to a discussion board three years ago, answering the question, "Has your child invented any words?" I'm glad to see it again because I had forgotten 3 out of 5 of these! Pretendstructions. When Nicholas gets tired of his parents knowing all the … Continue reading Words my three-year-old made up
Meal Planning When I’m Not the Cook
For a few years now, I've been seeing lots of blog posts about the advantages of meal planning, i.e. figuring out what you are going to eat days or weeks in advance so you can make optimal use of your groceries and get meals on the table on time. Fine, sounds good, but everyone writing … Continue reading Meal Planning When I’m Not the Cook
An Unexpected Find in the Thrift Store
Recently, I bought at Goodwill two anthologies of Calvin and Hobbes, a comic strip I enjoy reading to my six-year-old son. When we started reading the second one, Weirdos from Another Planet, we were surprised to find the following note written in metallic gold pen inside the front cover: Dear Corey, It was really fun … Continue reading An Unexpected Find in the Thrift Store
Traffic Safety for Little Kids
We live on a quiet street, but just around the block is the main street of our neighborhood, which has lots of traffic, parallel parking along both sides, and lots of intersections where right turns on red are allowed. Only some of the intersections have traffic lights and walk signals. There are lots of useful … Continue reading Traffic Safety for Little Kids
Cauliflower leaves are edible!
Our CSA farm does not trim the outer leaves off a head of cauliflower because they help to keep the white part of the cauliflower clean until you're ready to eat it. The farm newsletter had mentioned from time to time that these leaves are edible, too, and we'd tried substituting them for kale in … Continue reading Cauliflower leaves are edible!
My grandmother got a few things done.
My paternal grandmother would be 100 years old today, if she were still alive. She died in July 1991, when I was 18. Her name was Janette, so we grandchildren called her Janmother. Janmother was an outstanding high school student but never went to college. She married just after turning 20, and at times she … Continue reading My grandmother got a few things done.
Walking to School
Happy Walk to School Day! My son and I walked to his school this morning, and his father will walk him home this afternoon. He's in first grade. Sometime during his years at this K-8 school, he'll begin walking by himself, but for now I am enjoying the walk and the time with him. We … Continue reading Walking to School
Sleep Strategies for Babies, Children, and Parents
Our son is six-and-a-half years old now, and while we've sometimes had trouble with his sleeping habits, in general we feel that the plans we made before he was born, influenced in part by the amazing books The Continuum Concept and The Family Bed, have worked out pretty well. Disclaimer: We have only one child. … Continue reading Sleep Strategies for Babies, Children, and Parents
How do you explain death to a young child?
My response to this question won't work for everyone, but I think most parents can adapt it to explain the beliefs they want to convey to their child. You also can learn from my experience and avoid leaving out a crucial fact about death, as I did! Nicholas first asked about death a few weeks … Continue reading How do you explain death to a young child?
7 More Product Recommendations
Here are the previous 7. These are things I really like. I am not affiliated with any of the companies, and I was not asked to write these reviews or compensated in any way. 1. Pentel Clic Eraser. This handy desk accessory, which I use every day both at home and at work, solves the … Continue reading 7 More Product Recommendations
How to get more out of Communion
I feel kind of silly posting a tip for religious fulfillment as if it were just another tip for better living, but I did learn this from a bishop (so it's sort of official!) and it really has made a big difference in the way I experience Communion and maybe even in the way God … Continue reading How to get more out of Communion
Why my child is not allowed to watch Teletubbies
Attention, readers: The tone of this article is exaggerated for humor value. Although it does describe a potentially serious side-effect of watching a program that I personally find unbearably irritating, not every detail is intended literally. If you feel angry after reading it, please take a deep breath and step away from the screen. Comments … Continue reading Why my child is not allowed to watch Teletubbies
The Magic Bullet does NOT work for me!
That's strange; I thought Works-for-Me Wednesday this week was supposed to be a "What's not working for you?" edition, but the hostess has explained how to make a burlap wreath that apparently works for her, and now that I think about it, last week she explained why online calendars don't work for her. I must … Continue reading The Magic Bullet does NOT work for me!
You think YOUR job sucks?!
Hey, I'm not about to claim my job is worse than yours. That correction fluid misadventure was about as bad as it gets. I really like my job, actually, and often notice how lucky I am to be able to use the restroom, drink coffee, get online, or receive a personal phone call anytime. Lots … Continue reading You think YOUR job sucks?!
Mama, what happened on September 11?
If you haven't heard this question from your child yet, you're likely to hear it any day now. As the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks approaches, I'm seeing and hearing more commemoration than in the past eight years. My son asked about September 11 two years ago when the newspaper vending box showed a … Continue reading Mama, what happened on September 11?
Bullying: an article I wrote, and three I don’t have to write
Although I am discussing my work here, the point of view is my own, and this is not an official statement of the Pittsburgh Youth Study. As the data manager of a long-term research study, I recently helped to write this academic paper: Bullying Perpetration and Victimization as Predictors of Delinquency and Depression in the … Continue reading Bullying: an article I wrote, and three I don’t have to write
Masoor Dal (Indian Lentils) with Carrots
This started with a recipe I found online, but we've made some adjustments. The most interesting (though not authentically Indian) one is adding carrots, which turns this from just a high-protein main dish into a full meal. It's easy and pretty quick to make. It's vegetarian and can be made vegan, it's gluten-free and nut-free, … Continue reading Masoor Dal (Indian Lentils) with Carrots
Spaghetti Sauce, August 20 Version
This is part of my ongoing documentation of spaghetti sauce variations. Like the sauce I made around this time last year, this one contains the seasonal vegetables we happened to have on hand, but they were a little different this time. This sauce has about the maximum basil flavor I can stand. Here are the … Continue reading Spaghetti Sauce, August 20 Version
All-Ages Game Night: A great community event!
I ran an All-Ages Game Night at my church last month as both a social event for our members and a way to connect with our community (and maybe attract some new members). It was easy to do, extremely inexpensive, and lots of fun! My family loves games and owns enough to fill a large … Continue reading All-Ages Game Night: A great community event!
Links, Links, Lovely Links!
UPDATE: Visit my Pinterest board for more links! I am going to try doing all the updates over there starting in 2013. Pinterest can be used by anyone; you do not have to get a Pinterest account to see and click on the links. If you have any trouble using the page, please comment on … Continue reading Links, Links, Lovely Links!
The Earthling's Handbook 