Parenting
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The Ups and Downs of Homeschooling: A Newbie’s Perspective
More than one million children are being homeschooled in the United States, and it seems that number is growing. While the motivation for homeschooling varies from one family to the next, there’s no doubt that it is becoming more common, and more accepted. I have a son in kindergarten that is lucky to be at one of the best schools in the district. However, as our experience with the public school system grows, we are leaning closer to the decision to homeschool in the fall. So what are the benefits and disadvantages of homeschool? As I dig deeper into my research I find that the biggest disadvantages are determining…
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The “Decide to Drive” Program Increases Awareness About the Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted Driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. ~National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Lately I have been thinking a lot my driving – especially while driving around with my daughter in the car. A good friend of mine was driving her four kids and turned her head back to look at them for one moment and the next thing she knew, the wheel went up onto the curb and the car flipped on its’ side. Thankfully everyone was okay but her story demonstrated to me how it can only take a moment of distraction for an accident to occur. I put my cell phone in my…
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Be The Person You Want Your Daughter To Be
A Kick In My Gut One afternoon, my six-year-old wanted to go outside to play. It was unusually warm outside so I sent her to her room to change into shorts. It seemed like a simple task but when I went to check on my daughter and found her aimlessly searching through her drawers I was impelled to ask, “Why is it so hard to pick out shorts?” Her answer was a kick in my gut. “I don’t like my legs.” She said it so matter-of-factly, I asked her to repeat herself. No, I was not mistaken. The child I have tried so hard to shelter…
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A Book Review: Where On Earth?
My son was given the book Where On Earth? by Dorling Kindersley (DK Publishing) as a gift from his grandmother after undergoing minor surgery. He loves maps, and so this book was entirely fitting. As a curious soul, he plunged into the extraordinary pages that are full of photo maps (more than 80 of them!) that include both amazing photography and brilliant illustrations. A Perfect Book for Explorers! Each fact-filled page features a map with a unique focus. The book is broken up into six categories: Land, Sea and Air; Living World; People and Planet; Engineering and Technology; History; and Culture.…
- Awareness, Creativity, Culture, Fitness, Food, Giveaways, Inspirational Moms, Parenting, Play, Slideshow, Wellness
Inspirational Mom Samantha Barnes of Raddish
Since my daughter has been little we have talked about the importance of eating well. Having studied nutrition for many years I know how important it is for her to eat a balanced diet. Having said that, she is a connoisseur of sweets. She would be quite satisfied with eating sugary foods at any time of the day! I do have my work cut out for me but something I appreciate are companies that help parents teach their children about healthy eating. Raddish box, a monthly subscription package, provides carefully illustrated family friendly recipe guides, skill cards to help families learn culinary basics, creative activities, list of required groceries for the…
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Family :: Best Places to Visit in Southern California
My family moved to California when I was in kindergarten. Before that we lived in Austin, Texas but both my parents were from the Midwest and they told me it had always been their dream to live in sunny California. So when my dad was offered a job in Fresno, California, they jumped at the chance to realize their dream! We moved to Orange County while I was in second grade and I ended up living here through my college breaks. After attending college in Northern California, I travelled and lived abroad for about three years in Asia, but I came back home to Orange County in my late 20’s. My husband and I purchased our first (and present) home about…