One of the hardest things about the summer is getting kids to practice the skills they’ve acquired during the school year so they don’t lose the knowledge learned. It’s true that kids’ knowledge slips when they don’t use their math and reading skills. To prevent the summer slide, it’s important to find age appropriate content…
Education
7 Reasons Why Kids Should be Allowed to Read Captain Underpants
I partnered with Scholastic to share this Captain Underpants giveaway Yes, you read that correctly. I know you probably dislike Captain Underpants for the potty humor and misspellings that fill the pages of the graphic novel but if your child is clamoring to see Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (in theaters on June 2),…
Everything, Everything: 3 Things to Discuss with Teens After the Movie
“Mom,” Emily said breathlessly waving a copy of Everything, Everything at me from the couch. “This book is SO good. You have to read it before we go to the screening!” Emily is an avid reader who devours books but her new love of Everything, Everything is right up there with her obsession with The…
8 Steps for Teaching Middle Schoolers Not to Smoke
This is a sponsored post “I don’t understand why people smoke,” Emily said as we had just exited a cloud of smoke exhaled by the person in front of us. “It causes black lungs and does other bad things to your body” my middle schooler stated as she shook her head and talked about the…
How to Build in Summer Learning in Fun Ways to Prevent the Summer Slide
This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing and contains affiliate links The school year isn’t even close to over but I’m already thinking of summer. Summer camps, summer vacations, and combatting the summer slide by helping my kids prepare for a new grade. This year Thomas will graduate from elementary school and as he moves…
8 Things Kids Can Learn from a Brewery Tour
Yes, I am the kind of parent that brings their kids on a brewery tour and I didn’t do it just for the free beer. In fact, I skipped the samples all together which might make you wonder why I even bothered to go at all. When I was planning family activities for our spring…
3 Things to Think About Before Starting Piano Lessons & Piano Buying Tips
Every day Thomas comes home from school and shares what National Day it is. Shared on the announcements every morning, we’re reminded of ones we should honor (National Thank a Mail Carrier Day, National Carrot Cake Day, and National Puppy Day) and schooled on the more obscure ones like National Bunsen Burner Day, National Tile…
Teaching Kids About Growing Up Chinese American in San Francisco with An American Girl Story – Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance
This is a sponsored post As a child of the 70s who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, watching An American Girl Story — Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance was like a peek into my childhood. The newest American Girl special tells the story of Ivy Ling, a 10-year-old Chinese-American girl…
Kids, Reading & Technology! Square Panda Facebook Chat Recap (w giveaway)
This is a sponsored post When I was a teacher, I always dreamed of working with cool tech companies who made great products for kids and these days it’s always a thrill to partner with amazing brands whose devices empower our kids to learn through engaging learning experiences that are just right for them. Square…
Join Me & Square Panda to Talk Kids & Reading on Facebook this Sunday, 3/19 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
This is a sponsored post When I began looking for my first teaching job straight out of graduate school, I remember my mom suggesting maybe first grade shouldn’t be my first choice. She was a lifelong educator who knew the pressure that came with teaching kids how to read. I ignored her advice and jumped…
