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0 comments on "Summer travel with kids"

If you’re taking off for the beach, mountains, river, camping, or just a day trip, you want to make sure you’re well-prepared with health and safety supplies, and some entertainment for the road. Here are my top ten packing list essentials (plus links to some other great ideas!):

  1. Sun screen and bug spray. Nature is a beautiful thing, and you don’t want to spoil your enjoyment with burns or bites. I personally like to start with a citronella candle, and then some natural repellent in case they are persistent. Depending on the age of your kids, they may like putting their lotion on themselves, with you doing a final check (same as with teeth brushing).
  2. Snacks and water. Let them pick out some of their favorite choices, and then add in whatever you need for nutritional balance. On a long hot trip you can put ice in their water bottles too. If they drink juice, you can plan ahead and make some ice cubes that will be colorful and add a bit of special flavor. (Just make sure you rinse out the bottles right after to avoid gunk getting dried in the straws.)
  3. Medications. Always a good idea to have some ibuprofen, anti-histamine, and something for upset stomach on hand. Full Suitcase has a more comprehensive list of supplies for a first aid kit.
  4. Wipes. I don’t know any parent who travels without these, but I couldn’t leave them off the list! Very Well Family has more ideas for critical items you might forget, along with some important safety tips.
  5. Stroller. Even if your big kid doesn’t usually use one, extra long walks can get tiring for them and you don’t want to end up carrying or stuck with a melt-down halfway through. (P.S. I got this idea from the Minimalist Traveler, they have some other great suggestions too.)
  6. Car toys. Their favorite music and audio books go a long way to keeping them from boredom. Fidget devices, drawing materials – including their own map to decorate, and anything that’s new to them (and that you are confident they can manage using on their own without frustration) can be helpful. My brother and I liked to play simple I Spy games – looking for colors, shapes, or animals along the way. This could be even more fun with a set of binoculars or a paper towel roll “telescope”. The Mama Notes suggests bringing a metal cookie sheet to use with magnets or post-it notes, and a few other great ideas.
  7. Ball & bubbles. Taking breaks along your route frequently might seem to make the trip longer, but getting the wiggles out at rest stops could make all the difference in keeping kids’ emotions balanced.
  8. Camera! Make sure to upload your phone photos before you leave so there’s plenty of space for new memories. Let you kids take some pics too so you can see what they are interested in and they’ll remember what was important to them.
  9. Their favorite…. blankie, binkie, bedtime book, jammies, toothpaste.
  10. Your favorite… face cream, snacks, bedtime book, jammies, and anything else that makes you feel cared for on what is bound to be a slightly stressful and super fun adventure!
  11. Since my kids are a bit older, I’m probably forgetting some key items for the younger ones. Fantabulosity has a checklist for you!
0 comments on "Making learning visible"

sometimes it be that way

I’ve been trying to jump on spare moments I have to keep building this site. I just looked at some of the work I did last week in a rush, and saw: an upside down photo;–>
a mismatched link format (I like the embedded one better I think)… and then glancing back at some of my older posts and cringing at either the content or production value.

I contemplated taking down the first few entries, but then decided it could be valuable to show the messiness of the creation process.
I visited a museum once that had a room full of pages with hundreds of iterations of the same drawing, and it was so validating to recognize that the masterpieces hung on the walls of the other museums were the culmination of a lot of mistakes and practice runs.

So I’ll eventually clean up the graphics and text as I learn the technical side, but my older, less experienced work is going to stay. Because I think it’s actually great that I look back at things I’ve written and cringe; it means I’m growing.

0 comments on "My 5 favorite no-cook, no-dish meals!" 






I am so excited to share today this list I’ve been working on for months! I personally have a huge aversion to dishes, a kiddo who’s not a super fan of most fresh veggies, and I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder that has led me to focus on foods that keep my body and nutrition balanced. 

So, I’ve worked hard to prepare meals that my whole family loves, that limit the number of dishes required for preparing and serving, and that keep us all healthy! Here they are:

1. Caprese – This is the simplest fresh meal I can put together with just three ingredients: tomatoes, sliced tofu, and basil. Drizzle with high quality olive oil and balsamic, sea salt and tri-color pepper (I leave the pepper off of a few for my toddler).
2. Breakfast Mezza – My mom turned me on to this simple, decadent morning meal of cucumber spears, salted, and hummus. Drizzle some olive oil and lemon on the hummus, and fresh salt on the cucumbers. Amazing. (You can also add bell peppers, carrot slivers – prepared with a peeler, sliced mushrooms or any other veggies that you and your kids enjoy.)
3. Lentil dip and crackers – This one came from my brother. At Trader Joe’s (and also now Safeway), you can buy pre-cooked bags of lentils. Mix with a tub of bruschetta to make a savory, protein filled dip to serve alongside your favorite crackers or chips. This is a great to bring to a potluck. 
4. Sandwiches. Okay this is one is kind of obvious, but it gets me so much mileage I had to mention it. My go to is almond butter with cinnamon and jam or banana slices. My little one loves veggie slices (I like the ones made with white beans and kale (at Trader Joe’s) versus the soy based ones.), and Daiya Cream Cheese. I like to add tomatoes and cucumbers. Sprinkle on some nutritional yeast or your favorite spice blend. Perfect car snack, easy breakfast on the way to school, or add a fruit salad with cinnamon and lemon juice for picnics.
5. Burritos. Spread refried beans, sprinkle black beans, corn, shredded carrots, cabbage, and lettuce, and salsa. Add veg-based sauces and cheezy sprinkles as desired. 
Note: Depending on the tortilla you choose (whole wheat, sprouted grains), the wrap can crack when you fold it. Leaving it out on the counter to soften a bit helps, or – only slight cheat here on the no-cook theme – you could heat them on the stove top or in toaster oven for a few minutes before assembling. 

Okay that’s it. Hope you enjoy. I’ll add more as I come up with new ideas, and feel free to share in the comments if you have other favorites. 




			
		


	



						
					
						
						


	
		


			


									
                    								0 comments on "Pro tip #1. Clean the bathroom while they bathe"							


			

			
		


		


							

IMPORTANT NOTE: This message is intended for caregivers of children ages 3+





Any younger and I would not take my eyes off them. With 3-5 I would say **do not ever ever leave the bathroom even for five seconds just to grab something really quick** 






Just do what you can do with what you already have in there, whether it’s wiping the counter with a baby wipe or washcloth and some hand soap, picking up a few random things that have fallen on the floor, or swirling out the toilet with the brush, even if you don’t have the spray – you can always do a more throrough job later when you have more time.






You may need to take breaks to assist with cleaning or to “watch this”.If the bathroom is clean and kiddo is happily playing independently, sometimes I use this time to check emails, write blog posts (as I’m doing now 😄), or do some fancy makeup just for fun!






I think it’s also important to mention that ultimately, my goal would be to be present in the moment, playing with kiddo throughout the bath, taking the opportunity to have meaningful conversations and observe their play, and then inviting them to practice cleaning the bathroom with me — which we do occasionally, as with the rest of the house; I try to strike a balance. Sometimes I just have to get it done to keep the evening flowing toward bedtime. 

			
		


	



						
					
						
						


	
		


			


									
                    								0 comments on "Play with your kids"							


			

			
		


		


							
If you have a busy day ahead, you may be tempted to put off playing until the work is done. But here’s the thing: the more you try to get the kids out of your hair, the more they will demand your attention!


So you have two choices:


1. If there is any way to include them in what you are working on, let them join you! It may take a little more effort in the beginning to train them to do tasks like folding socks, hand towels, and their own pants, or washing dishes, but they will love the sense of accomplishment and genuine contribution, and eventually they will actually be helpful in getting it done faster.


[Side note: Washing dishes?! Are you kidding? Nope. I resisted it for a long time too, sure that my one or two year old would break half of them.


What finally tipped me toward trying was realizing that I myself had broken a fair number of dishes through carelessness, either washing dishes or knocking them off tables, so what’s the harm if he breaks some too. And do you know that he hasn’t broken one?


It turns out that a high percentage of the dishes aren’t even breakable (silverware, pots and pans, plastic containers, wooden plates and bowls… and recently we were given some metal cups as well); and with those that are actually fragile, he’s adorably careful. If he were to break one, I would take care of the broken pieces and then continue letting him work. (Just as I would not banish myself from ever using dishes again just because I broke one.)


Okay, on to the next option.


2. Play with them first.


When you spend as little as 5-15 minutes on the floor with them, you will have accomplished two important things. First you have filled their cups with your focused attention. Second you have gotten them started with ideas that they will likely continue exploring on their own as you go about the next item on your to-do list.