I’ve always thought blogging could serve as the perfect teaching tool for my kids because there’s so much they could learn by having one of their own. Over the summer we were supposed to start a blog about our 5 year old Yellow Labrador, Oliver. The kids and I thought that since Oliver gets far more…
Education
How Captain Underpants Books Encourage a Lifelong Love of Reading
This weekend when we were at the National Book Festival, my kids were thrilled to visit Scholastic and find that they were handing out Captain Underpants posters and temporary tattoos. It’s no secret that my kids are fans of Captain Underpants and while the potty humor and misspellings by characters George and Harold don’t make…
Why We Volunteer in Schools & Volunteering Made Easy with VolunteerSpot {sponsored}
As a former teacher, I know first-hand how helpful it is to have parent volunteers because it wasn’t until my third year teaching that one of the moms signed up to be my room parent and come in every other week for an hour. A recent article in Slate wondered if American parents spend too…
Seizing Teachable Moments to Talk About Underage Drinking {sponsored}
I’m a big fan of seizing teachable moments to have age appropriate conversations with our kids as they ask questions about all sorts of topics. One topic that comes up when we go out to eat often involves alcohol. Our daughter who loves to read often peruses the beverage list. Our son looks around at…
New 5 Little Monkeys App Reinforces Learning for Toddlers and Preschoolers {giveaway}
While the Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood has launched a campaign against app manufacturers who market educational apps for babies, there’s no doubt that apps designed for toddlers and preschoolers can be used to reinforce early learning concepts. The possibilities of well-designed interactive apps to help teach numbers, colors, letters, letter sounds, and even sight…
Back to School Shopping at Office Depot {sponsored}
We’re in the final stretch before school starts and this is the week we’re enjoying last five days of summer while getting back into a normal bedtime routine and making sure we have all the school supplies we need for the start of the year. Over the years Office Depot has become our primary destination…
Office Depot Star Teacher Program: Recognizing Teachers for Commitment to Education {sponsored}
I was recently asked if I missed teaching. While there are things that I miss like watching my kids make incredible progress during the school year, there are things that I don’t miss. Like spending my own money on classroom supplies. The years that I had my own classroom it wasn’t uncommon for me to…
Get Organized with momAgenda for Back to School (w. giveaway) {sponsored}
Even though we’re still soaking up summer rays and enjoying the last of our carefree days, the start of the school year is on the horizon and it’s time to get organized. For many years I’ve relied on my momAgenda products to keep me organized. As a momAgenda Council of Media Moms member, I received samples to…
Office Depot Rewards Provides Flexible Member Benefits {sponsored}
As a savvy consumer, I like to maximize every dollar we spend by signing up for member rewards programs that help defray expenses on future shopping trips. I figure if I’m spending money, it’s always nice to get some back! I’ve always been a fan of program because it made it easy to accumulate points…
{Sponsored} 5 Ways Parents Can Help Teachers at the End of the School Year
As the school year draws to a close, the teachers in your children’s lives can use your help to get through the final stretch of the year. Disclosure: I am working as a consultant on the Office Depot REAL Change #TeachersChangeLives campaign and am compensated for my involvement that includes this post. All opinions are my own….
