I accidentally made up a great way to start teaching your child the ABCs before they’re even three years old. I did some random things with my firstborn that seemed to work beautifully, and now I am doing them intentionally with my second child. While it’s probably not what you’ll read about it in the official literary guides, it’s a simple set of strategies that really click with little minds! Read on to see how to teach the ABCs to your toddler – and have fun! Continue reading
Tag: book (Page 2 of 3)
So you’re stuck at home with kids. It sounds like the plot of a horror movie. Maybe the kids are sick. Maybe you’re sick. Maybe the car croaked. Maybe you have to wait all day for a delivery or a service. Maybe you’re broke. Whatever the reason is, you’re stuck at home… with kids. But it doesn’t have to be a miserable nightmare! I’ve put together an extensive list of fun things to do together. So until you’re out of home quarantine, rest easy. I’ve got you taken care of. Continue reading
It’s Thanksgiving week! And here at Real Simple Mama, what better way to give back to my parenting community than with free ebooks!
I’ve made all of my parenting ebooks free to download from November 20-24; that’s right, you can pick and choose one, some, or all of my ebook titles:
- Real Simple Motherhood: The Fourth Trimester (compilation of most of the other books below)
- What Do I Really Need for a Baby? A Real Simple Guide to Newborn Gear
- What Happens to my Baby After Birth? A Real Simple Guide to Newborn Medical Procedures
- Happy Healthy Baby: A Real Simple Guide to Newborn and Infant Care
- An Introduction to Healthy Baby Sleep
- What is Babywearing?
- Disposables or Cloth?
- Breastfeeding or Formula?
- Weaning Your Breastfed, Bedsharing Child
That’s nine ebooks! All for those who are expecting, or who have a baby to care for.
I don’t make any money off of my books this week, even though they’ve taken hundreds of hours to research and compile. These are the books I wish I’d had when I was first pregnant and raising my babies!
So please share this article, or the link to my amazon author page, so that together we can help as many parents as possible! My goal is to make all moms and dads feel encouraged, confident, and educated in everything from newborn care to weaning.
Thank you for your support, and Happy Thanksgiving!
School is starting and we are doing our first “Playroom Tour!” Check out what we actually have in our playroom – these are the toys which have passed our safety and quality tests, and have passed the kids’ own tests as well. There are photos and a video tour, as well as item names and descriptions. Come see what’s in our playroom! Continue reading
It’s time to start reading more “big kid books” to my four year old. These stories have more depth, more advanced vocabulary, and require a longer attention span. I think he’s ready, and I’m excited to share so many great titles with him! But I want to check for his comprehension as we go. Here I’ll share the meaning and benefit of listening comprehension, some of the titles we’re reading together, as well as an outline for a listening comprehension lesson that you can do with your child (including a free printout!). Continue reading
I think almost every parent at some point feels that they have too many toys for their kids. It seems like no matter how much cleaning and reorganizing, selling and donating, threatening and taking-away we do, we end up with multiplying toys.
As our family looks to downsize and simplify, we notice that our kids enjoy their imaginative toys the most. These are the toys which inspire open-ended, creative play. (And as a bonus, they rarely require batteries or make loud noises!) I’ve compiled my kids’ favorites and the smartest buys, so read on for the best toys to inspire imagination – and I hope that they help your family pretend, create, and play together! Continue reading
My son, my oldest child, is almost four years old, and he’s not the baby anymore. His toddler sister still breastfeeds and requires a lot more attention (and supervision) than her calm, obedient older brother. This is great for me as a stay-at-home mom; but it also means that my son gets left behind sometimes, just because he’s older and can be trusted, forgotten about while his sibling wreaks havoc left and right.
Lately I’ve made more of a conscious effort to get quality one-on-one time with my son. He needs it, and so do I. Here is how to make time for your oldest child. Continue reading
Guys, I finally did it! I read an entire grown-up book, all by myself! This is the first novel I’ve completed since my four year old was a newborn and I binge-read the Game of Thrones series on my iPad while midnight nursing. And since Bunmi Laditan’s book, Confessions of a Domestic Failure, just happens to be about a stay-at-home mom who tries to be everything and succeeds at nothing, I knew I had to write an honest review for you all. Continue reading
My son is almost four years old, which means I need to get used to calling him a pre-k aged child! My very own preschooler is absorbing all he can about our world, and is reading little by little. My husband and I, as certified teachers, are already looking to develop rigorous and fun lessons to do with our kids as they grow.
With perfect timing, Greg at Education.com contacted me about showcasing a quick-and-easy lesson plan to help pre-k kids get excited about reading. I’m proud to show you this simple activity which you can do at home with your preschooler!
If you’re a parent, you know that people can sometimes tell you things which are not helpful at all (and instead, drive you crazy or stress you out). My great friend Marie, who helps parents over at Create Balanced Life, has some words of wisdom on this. Here’s what she has to say about that one annoying thing people tell new parents – her least parenting advice – and what to think about instead. Continue reading
