Tag: school
The Family Hibernation Syndrome
I love mornings. They are peaceful and cozy and the time when my brain is ferociously at its finest. I get twice the amount of things done between 5 and 8 a.m. that I do the rest of the day. But, lately, something has changed. This change pretty much happens every year right after Thanksgiving. [...]
Is Pokemon the Scourge of the School Yard?
I can say with confidence that hate is not a strong enough word for the way I feel about Pokemon. Long before our oldest showed up at home with a few cards in her pocket begging for more, it lived darn near the very top on my list of things that satan invented in order [...]
My Kid Got Her Potty Mouth From Me
Ummm, yeah. There I was, dropping the big kid off at school, having a relatively normal, sane, happy-go-lucky sort of day when it happened. The teacher pulled me aside and asked me to consider making some adjustments at home. Gasp, I thought. What could we be doing at home that was making such an impact [...]
Easy Family Dinners – Meatloaf Muffins
Let’s face it. Time is a commodity when the kids are starving after a day of school, you are exhausted from the general chaos of raising a family, working, being human, and there is still so much to do at the end of every day. Cooking big dinners is rarely on the to-do list. Dinner [...]
Top 10 Things Not to Say When Meeting New Parents at School
Our kids are back in school and many of us are learning the ropes (i.e. politics) of the school yard. We’re learning to use our inside voices, temper frustration with the reality of 300 small kids in one place, stop and think before talking to the first person that walks into our kids classrooms. Lots [...]
Kids Not Sleeping Well? Get Them Outside
I‘ve been reading a lot lately about how to help kids sleep better as I’ve been trying to figure out if it’s even possible to get mine on a somewhat matching – or at least complimentary – schedule. There’s everything from relaxation techniques (which so aren’t working in this house) to the old read-em-a-story trick [...]
Is Starting School the End of Childhood?
I‘ve been avoiding reality for a while. The whole idea of sending our oldest daughter off to school has me silently cheering for regaining some personal space in my life and allowing her to regain some of her own and – on the other side – remarkable sadness in the face of the stark reality [...]
First Rule of Parenthood – Nothing Planned Goes That Way
When I first found out I was pregnant with our oldest daughter – like so many moms – I spent every waking moment (and a few sleepy ones too) learning everything I could about becoming the best possible parent in the universe. I was determined to make that tiny person’s life as amazing as possible. [...]
Lunchbox Ideas – Go For The Thermos
Editor’s note: Good Morning, I’m always looking for lunch ideas to keep us interested instead of eating the same thing day after day. Thank goodness Christy Aune from Kids Konserve is here today with some great ideas on how to trade the lunch box for the thermos during the winter to jazz up those noon-time [...]
The Techno Family – Giving In to the Call of the Cell Phone
I’ve known for years now that the time would come when I’d have to acquiesce to my oldest daughter’s constant requests to connect to the virtual world through her own devices and that time has just slapped me right in the face. What it really came down to though, was the cost of trust. Let’s [...]
Back-to-School 2010 – Important Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe
Editor’s note: We take a break from the giveaway madness this week (it’s been so fun) to talk with StreetSmart Kidz Canada Managing Director Steven Baird this morning about keeping your kids safe as they head back to school. Helping your kids and yourselves feel confident about their safety on the walk or bus ride [...]
Back-to-School 2010 – More Easy Lunchbox Eats
Getting back into the habit of packing a house full of lunches every day is, well, possibly the least fun part of the whole back to school gig. It’s a routine which can make your kids groan at the thought of “What could possibly be in there today?” Or, it can be an exercise in [...]
Time to Give Your Kids Immune System A Boost
Editor’s Note: While we are gearing our kids up for getting back to school, one thing that’s easy to overlook is getting their insides ready to go as well. The school year is what we refer to as the “Goo Season” around our house where the kiddo brings home everything that the classroom can hand [...]
Back-to-School Craft – Daily Schoolwork Organizers
Whether your kids are off to public school in September or you’re gearing up the house for another year of homeschooling, getting them into a routine that allows them to be organized, know a bit of what they are learning about every day and feeling confident that they are getting all of their school work [...]
Books To Make Sure Your Readers Are Ready
If there is one bit of advice that teachers and veteran parents alike pass along this time of year, it’s that moving your kids back into school mode is made a bit easier with a trip to the book store for some pre-classroom reads. We’ve reviewed some great tween books for the older crowd this [...]
Homeschooling – A Look At Theme-based Learning
It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten a chance to talk about homeschooling here on OBE. For the last year or so, we’ve been mulling around our educational options for the tiny person and it wasn’t until this month, actually, that we solidly moved forward with our plans to home-school. It’s not that I [...]
A Waldorf Kindergarten
Editor’s Note: Happy Saturday! This morning we have Waldorf educator Rebecca Watkin giving us a look inside a Waldorf Kindergarten class. Here she is: When I think of my own Kindergarten year my memory is a bit foggy. To me it is virtually the same as Grade One, but without the desks. There were stations, there [...]
Public Ed – The Scoop on Split Classrooms
Editor’s Note: Good afternoon! If you missed our morning post you can find book reviews on salmon learning books HERE. This afternoon we have three experienced teachers Marieke Holtkamp, Michelle Honeysett and Eileen David giving us the scoop on public school multi-grade classrooms. Here they are: At the end of the summer, that buzz of back-to-school jitters becomes more and [...]
Homeschooling – Car School
Editor’s Note: I am sad to announce that this is Rosina’s last homeschooling column with Our Big Earth. Life is a busy, happy, complete place for her and balance is the key to anything good and true in life. So, she is off to pursue more homeschool, family-focused goodness and we’ll all be looking forward [...]
Summer Reading Together
Editor’s Note: Mom and CV teacher Helen Oliphant has dropped by today to lend us a hand getting into the learning that happens away from the classroom this Summer. She kicks it all off with tips on how to help your kiddos get reading, with a little help from mom and dad. “Thurs. June 2, [...]
