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Parenting Archives
A Kitchen Table Conversation: Uncle Dan’s Report Card at Unity Temple on the Plaza
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 at 9:22 am
A Kitchen Table Conversation: Uncle Dan’s Report Card in Kansas City.
Parenting, no doubt, it’s the hardest job you will ever do! How do you teach timeless values of personal responsibility, positive relationships, and self-discipline?
For the first time ever join with parents, grandparents, teachers and community leaders in a lively parenting conversation right here in Kansas City. Leaders Adele Hall, Debby Ballard, Dr. Gayden Carruth, Jerry Wykoff, Ph.D., and Tom Bloch join Rainy Day Books’ Founder and President, Vivien Jennings, and co-authors Barbara and Bob Unell in this unique, first-ever panel discussion.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Unity Temple on the Plaza (707 W. 47th Street, Kansas City).
Read more about how the book inspires parents to teach timeless values here.
Admission Package: $14 plus sales tax includes a copy of Uncle Dan’s Report Card, one stamped admission ticket and one guest admission ticket. Read more about the event.
How Many After School Activities are Your Kids Involved With?
Sunday, August 14th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
It’s that time of year, back-to-school!
Many of my mom friends have mixed emotions about school starting. On one hand it is good to get the kids back to routine and on schedules and we are so tired of having to break up fights or listen to whining. But on the other hand we will definitely miss the days of summer, not having to be anywhere at any specific time and having the company of our little people.
It is the time of year when parents are busy updating calendars – desk calendars, dry erase boards, Google accounts, smart phones and more. My friends with three or more kids have such crazy schedules. It makes me exhausted listening to all the places they have to be during the week: sports, music lessons, scouts, religious ed, community service projects, tutors, and the list goes on and on.
Although our kids are young (8 & 6) and don’t have too much homework yet we still limit their extracurricular activities. They are each allowed to play one team sport and do one music or art activity per semester. We want the emphasis to be on learning and socializing and we love that they still have lots of down time and time for creative play. This year our daughter wanted to play on both rec and competitive soccer teams. Two soccer teams for a first grader? After three days of deliberation (I won) we decided on just the rec team this time around. There’s always second grade right?
I really enjoyed this article “Family Happiness and the Overbooked Child” published by the New York Times last week. There are several great points in the article. One of my favorites: “A lot of parents are exhausted by their own overparenting,” said Bryan Caplan, an economics professor at George Mason University. “They make so many sacrifices and are so stressed out by driving around so much that they explode at kids for changing the radio station.”
Another great point: “And we have to move away from the idea that if we do not start children early, they will not reach their full potential. After all, we know the human brain doesn’t fully mature until around 25, Professor Doherty said.
I hope you have a great back-to-school season and your calendar does not stress you out! I would love to hear about your extracurricular activities! Post your comments below.
My Kid Gets Anxious
Monday, July 18th, 2011 at 11:16 am
My 8 year old gets anxious with new situations.
My first born loves routine and schedules. This is a kid who tries to eat the exact same thing every day, gets up early even if he stays up late, and sits at the same kitchen chair for every meal and snack.
We try to push him out of his comfort zone within a safe environment. Last week he started a new morning day camp. The first day I parked the car and walked him to his counselor. The second day was time for the circle drop off. I kept reassuring him that “he could do it.” He kept saying “Mom, park the car.” and “Mom will you be here to pick us up?” His little sister was telling him “It will be fine.” I could see every muscle tighten up as his anxiety escalated. I attempted to focus on his role as big brother, you know, “Walk your sister to her counselor first.” The door opened and he flat left his sister and ran to the basketball court to get to his counselor (about 20 steps away).
We are 30 days out from the start of a new school year and today he asked, “When do we find out about our teacher?” I know his wheels are turning in his active little mind. The boy never stops thinking.
Last year when I was preparing for our Parenting Expo I asked the elementary school counselor to tell me about some issues she saw with the 5-11 year old kids. You know what she responded? THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS ANXIETY …followed by AND THE PARENTS MAKE IT WORSE.
Do you have an anxious kid? I would love to hear your tips below. Also check out our Q&A from Allan Gonsher at Kids-Incorporated.
Parenting and Child Anxiety
Wednesday, July 6th, 2011 at 11:03 am
Thank you to Allan Gonsher for this guest post.
Parents want their children to thrive and make every effort to help them grow and succeed. Every year brings new milestones and experiences, and of course, challenges. They can happen at home, daycare, or school and can cause family or relationship difficulties, school issues, and behavioral problems. Sometimes parents feel overwhelmed and frustrated, often seeking additional to help sort out how to tackle these problems.
Even without outside challenges, some children may have difficulty expressing their feelings and emotions. As a parent, it is hard to see your child struggle and the cause may not be clear. In the following Q&A, you will see my response to a parent whose child is dealing with anxiety, which is a common disorder that strikes millions of adults and children worldwide.
QUESTION–
My 7 year old son seems to be struggling with anxiety and panic…any suggestions that can help the little guy? He is smart and a bit of a thinker, which I think is leading him to over-think. He is not one for relaxing and winding down which isn’t helping him. I have put him in touch with the school psychologist and of course we love him to pieces and support him, but he seems to lack confidence and has a low self esteem. I have gotten him into Karate, which he loves and is very good at, and he enjoys playing baseball in the spring. Are there any books, movies, or websites that would provide me with some tried and true coping skills for a young child?
ANSWER– provided by Allan Gonsher, LIMHP, LSCSW, RPT-S
Ten Time-Saving Tips to Make Your Life as a Busy Mom Easier
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011 at 8:37 pm
I have been thinking about how busy we all are. Summer is no different. If anything, us moms are busier. Trying to juggle our summer fun while still doing all our errands and cleaning our toilets. I was chatting with a friend yesterday about all the things we are planning on accomplishing this summer – home projects, work projects, visiting new places, and more. In Overland Park, Kansas we have been out of school for three weeks already. The time is just flying by. Then I saw this question about time saving tips from SocialMoms and I thought I would contribute my tips.1. A see-through pantry: A huge time consumer is not knowing what you need at the market. We reorganized our pantry by purchasing see-through containers. All packaged goods (pasta, cookies, crackers, nuts, etc.) get poured into containers and the packaging is recycled. It is super easy and quick to visually see what is running low instead of having to pick up each box and shake it. It is so worth the investment.
2. Organized grocery lists: I am totally a pen and paper person so I made checklists on the computer for all the markets I shop at. Items are listed in the order I shop (produce, dry goods, meat) with all the typical items I purchase. This way it is customized for our family in the order I travel through the market. I have a list for the supermarket, one for Costco, and one for Whole Foods. I save all those flyers and school papers and print my lists on the back of them. You can also download grocery list apps for your smart phone.
3. Prep produce: Buying pre-cut up salads, veggies and fruits saves time but is expensive. Purchase items on sale or in bulk and take time to prep. We eat salad almost every day. To make it quicker for our family to eat healthy I buy things like lettuce and carrots in bulk and wash, dry and cut them up to last for four or five days. I can just grab the ingredients and toss a salad together pretty quickly.
4. Cook double meals: For summer we grill organic chicken breasts in bulk. It is great cut up in salads and tacos for another meal or two later in the week. We make ground turkey meatloaf with oatmeal, organic egg, and organic ketchup. We make two large ones and freeze one. Each one is good for two meals for our family of four. We do not ‘meal plan’ but that is also a great way to save time and money.
5. Buy healthy convenience foods: Summer means spending time on the run with your kids. Your health shouldn’t suffer for lack of time. One of our pantry staples is Annie’s organic pasta mixes like macaroni and cheese. Yes it costs a bit more but there are no artificial colors and yucky preservatives. Our freezer is stocked with The World’s Best Veggie Burgers and yes my kids eat them!
6. Make a laundry routine: Divide things like laundry tasks into shorter chores. In less then five minutes the hampers are emptied every morning and laundry brought to the laundry room. Kids can certainly help with this! We have three bins for sorting. Typically I put one wash in while the kids are eating breakfast. Sometimes two loads can be done before we leave for the morning. Kids are in charge of putting their clean clothes away in drawers and closets.
7. Create an electronic schedule: If you or your spouse travel for business it can be challenging to keep everyone’s schedule. We use Google calendar and add our personal schedules, kids games, play dates, etc. Grammy can also see it from her house to remind herself of where we will be.
8. Create a visual calendar: During the school year we have a large dry erase calendar at our garage door entry. Each family member has a different color marker and we make a large monthly calendar of every one’s commitments. We like the visual tool to all see what the plans are for the week and who needs to do what.
9. Make a home for everything: If you do your daughter’s hair in the downstairs bathroom then put the supplies there. In other words, put things in the place that make sense for your family. The reason clutter piles up is because there is no “home” for the stuff or the place it belongs is in another inconvenient part of the house. There is no right or wrong way to organize your home – do what makes sense and works for your family.
10. Clear the clutter: Anyone who cleans their home knows that it takes a long time to pick up the clutter. Even if you have a cleaning service, how long do you spend picking up clutter before the cleaning person arrives? We make 15 minutes “team Keller” time where everyone has to pitch in and put things away. We are not allowed to just move items (you know from kitchen island to another counter) they have to be put in the correct place. Picking up clutter each day makes cleaning time much faster.
I hope you can make your life less stressful and make more time to play with your kids. By the way I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here. And you know if I win I will be passing it on to one of my lucky readers!
Happy Summer!
Field Trip Friday: Week 3 – Museums
Thursday, June 16th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
We have been having so much fun accompanying our friends from Smart Mom University on their virtual Field Trip Fridays taking place this summer from June 3 – August 5. It’s not too late to join us. It is a great way to get out, see something new and make memories with your kids. And if you can’t visit on a Friday, pick the day that works for you!
Last week we visited the Lazy H Ranch in Kansas City to learn about horses. We also came up with a fun list of places to visit. Check out all the fun photos on the Smart Mom University Facebook Page.
This week the theme is MUSEUMS. See weekly themes for the entire summer here.
There are so many great museums in the Kansas City metro. But we know moms sometimes just want to stay local. We have comprised our list of museums in Johnson County, Kansas. These museums not only appeal to kids but they are also budget friendly. Pack a lunch and enjoy your outing!
ART:
1. Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Located on the campus of Johnson County Community College at 12345 College Blvd. in Overland Park, KS. This small scale museum has FREE admission. It is a great size to give young children a taste of the arts. The museum is open Tue, Wed, Thu and Sat from 10 am-5 pm, Fri from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sun 12-5 pm. They also offer two-hour art classes for kids for only $15 ($10 for Friends of the museum). See their website for details.
2. Kansas City Jewish Museum of Contemporary Art. Located at 5500 W. 123rd Street (inside Village Shalom) in Overland Park, KS. The gallery is FREE and open to the public Tue-Fri 11 am-4 pm and Sat-Sun 1-4 pm.
3. Irene B. French Community Center Gallery of Art. Located at 5701 Merriam Drive in Merriam, KS. Opened Mon-Thu 9 am-8 pm, Fri 9 am-4 pm, Sat 9 am-3 pm and Sun 2-4 pm. There is also a historic memorabilia room on the third floor. FREE.
HISTORY:
4. Johnson County Museum. Located at 6305 Lackman Road in Shawnee, KS. Summer hours are Mon-Sat from 10 am-4:30 pm. Little ones will love their interactive Kidscape exhibit. On Fridays in the summer the museum offers a drop-in art program for kids 4-8 years old. It is from 10 am – noon and costs $3 per child.
5. Shawnee Town. Located at 11501 W. 57th Street in Shawnee, KS. Open Tue-Sat from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. The Visitor’s Center Gift Shop is open Mon-Fri from 9 am-5 pm. Learn what it was like to live in Shawnee, Kansas in 1929. Look at the farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, chicken coop, school house and more! $3 per adult and $1 per child.
6. Shawnee Indian Mission. Located at 3403 W. 53rd Street in Fairway, KS. This 12-acre national historic landmark is open Tue-Sat from 9 am-5 pm. $3 adults, $1 kids, under 5 is free.
7. Lanesfield School. Located at 18745 S. Dillie Road in Edgerton, KS. Open Fri-Sat from 1-5 pm. The Lanesfield School Historic Site is part of the Johnson County Museum.
8. Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. Located at 1200 Kansas City Road in Olathe, KS. Open Wed-Sat from 10 am-4 pm and Sun 12-4 pm. Visit the historic house, site grounds and Heritage Center. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-11. Olathe residents get $1 off admission. Admission is free on their Family Fun Night scheduled for every Thursday from 6-8 pm through July 28th. Check the website for details and other special events and camps.
9. Leglar Barn. Located at 14907 W. 87th Street Parkway in Lenexa, KS. Open Tue-Fri 10 am-4 pm and Sat-Sun 1-4 pm. Admission is FREE. See the Leglar Barn Museum, Prairie Schooner, Sod House, Frisco Train Depot, Strang Line Waiting Station and the LHS Herb Garden.
10. Gardner Historical Museum. Located at 204 W. Main Street in Gardner, KS. The museum is open Sat-Tue from 1-4 pm and Fri 4-7 pm. Admission is FREE. Each room of the house is filled with artifacts to highlight Gardner’s early heritage.
11. The Ensor Park and Museum. Located at 18995 W. 183rd Street in Olathe, KS. This seasonal historic site is open weekends May, June, September and October on Sat-Sun from 1-5 pm. Marshal Ensor was a teacher in Olathe in the early 1900′s. The 1890 farm home is filled with family furnishings and amateur radio equipment.
12. Historic Oxford Schoolhouse. Located within Ironwoods Park at 147th & Mission Road in Leawood. One of the oldest schools in Kansas. Open Sat 11 am – 2 pm and Sun 1-4 pm. Visit the school and talk with a costumed docent. FREE admission.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM:
13. Wonderscope. Located at 5700 King Street in Shawnee, KS. This interactive museum provides hours of fun. Summer hours are Mon-Sat 10am-5 pm and Sun 12-5 pm. Admission is $7 for ages 3 and up and $4 for 1-2 year old children. Check their website for concerts and other special events.
Field Trip Friday: Week 2 – Animals
Thursday, June 9th, 2011 at 11:23 am
We are happy to be accompanying our friends from Smart Mom University on their virtual Field Trip Fridays taking place this summer from June 3 – August 5. It’s not too late to join us. It is a great way to get out, see something new and make memories with your kids.
Last week we checked out plants. We came up with a great list of places to visit. Check out all the fun photos on the Smart Mom University Facebook Page.
This week the theme is ANIMALS. See weekly themes for the entire summer here.
These are some of our of our favorite places to see animals: Read the rest of this entry
Field Trip Friday: Week 1 – Plants
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 at 9:27 pm
School is out and we are gearing up for a fun summer. We will be joining our friends from Smart Mom University on their virtual Field Trip Fridays taking place from June 3 – August 5 and posting photos on Facebook. We hope you join us! See their weekly themes here.
This week the theme is PLANTS.
Looking at plants can be as simple as taking a walk around a friend’s backyard or your local park. If you want to go on a field trip we have listed six of our personal favorites in Johnson County and the last two on the list are places we are looking forward to visiting.
1. Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Located at 8909 W. 179th Street in Overland Park the Arboretum offers trails through natural ecosystems, botanical gardens, including a children’s discovery garden, and an environmental education visitors center. No plants or insects may be collected or removed from the Arboretum. It opens at 8 a.m. and is free! Restrooms are located inside the visitors center.
2. Deanna Rose Farmstead. Located at 137th Street and Switzer Road in Overland Park. If you have little ones this popular hot spot has a small discovery garden just their size. Spend the day and visit the petting zoo, one-room schoolhouse and Indian encampment, feed the baby goats, play on the playground and have a fun-filled day. The Farmstead opens at 9 a.m. and costs $2/person (over age 1) on Friday-Sunday. It is free Monday-Thursday.
3. Antioch Park. Located at 6501 Antioch Road in Merriam. Antioch Park is an old park with mature trees, fishing ponds and walking paths. There is a nice playground and the popular Dodge Town Play Area. Dodge Town is a group of small child-sized building structures that the kids love to run in and out of. The restrooms are located not too far from Dodge Town.
4. Heritage Park. Located at 16050 Pflumm Road in Olathe. This park has a beautiful lake that we just love to walk around. Bring a picnic and sit under a nice tree and then visit one of the two playgrounds.
5. Ernie Miller Nature Center. Located at 909 N. Highway 7 in Olathe. Ernie Miller offers a great walking/hiking outing for young families. There is prairie, meadow, forest and stream habitats to explore. Visit the gift shop for a trail map. The park opens at 9 a.m. Restrooms are located inside the visitor center.
6. Prairie Oak Nature Center at Ironwoods Park. Located at 14701 Mission Road in Leawood. Stroll through the garden and take a walk on the two-mile walking trail. After your walk check out the exhibits inside the Nature Center. Have a snack at the picnic shelter which is conveniently located just steps from the playground and restrooms.
7. Sunflower Nature Park. Located at 103rd Street & Edgerton Road in De Soto.
8. Kill Creek Park. Located at 11670 Homestead Lane in Olathe.
Rainy day alternatives: Visit one of the many public libraries in Johnson County and take out some nature books. Go online to Kansas Native Plants to look at photos and learn about plants native to our area.
Tips on what to bring: Magnifying glass for seeing up close, specimen bags for bringing home (where permitted) plant specimens, leaves and pine cones which are great for crafts, hand wipes or hand sanitizer, water and snacks. Please be careful not to touch anything poisonous. It definitely won’t be a fun field trip if you come home with poison ivy!
These are just some of our favorite spots to see trees and plants. Does your family have a favorite spot? Please comment here and let me know!
Another School Year Comes to an End…and Field Trip Friday
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
I’m not sure when my kids got so big.
This past August I really looked forward to the start of the 2010-11 school year and to be able to do my errands and chores without dragging two kids along. My mother-in-law told me, “Once the kids go to public school the years fly by” and boy was she right. As a stay-at-home, work-at-home mom I have had the privilege of attending every class party, helping out in the classroom, and seeing my kids for lunch whenever I was in the mood. But the year really did ZOOM by.
Now we are a few days away from the last day of school and gearing up for summer. We all look forward to staying in our pj’s for a few minutes longer in the morning. Grace no doubt has hundreds of creations in her head that will come out in paintings, drawings and various sculptures. I have been busy saving empty toilet paper tubes, boxes and fruit bag netting. Ben too has hundreds of creations in his head although his come out in block structures, written books, and an occasional music composition.
Ben and Grace have their scheduled Monday through Thursday morning theater and music camps for a few hours per week. We all get cranky if we don’t get out of the house by 9:30 a.m. (and I would still rather do errands by myself). We leave plenty of free time for creative play, swimming, catching up with friends, tending our vegetable garden, and exploring new things to do in this great community.
Last summer we spent most Fridays taking day trips to visit some great places in the Kansas City metro. This year we are so happy to join our friends at Smart Mom University on their virtual Field Trip Fridays. Now we will have a theme each Friday to guide us into finding new places to explore. We would love for you to join us! We will give you our local suggestions for the weekly theme and upload our photos to the Smart Mom University Facebook page.
Here’s looking forward to summer 2011!
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