‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)
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‘Sweet Treat Hunt”, Fun Way to Cheer Up Kids ~ Giveaway Too! (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Hello my friends!! Many of you are getting ready to start school, but here in Tennessee, school has been in session for two weeks. I know – CRAZY! So for us, the fun has begun. I think starting school is a mixed bag for most kids. It never seems to be the easiest transition for everyone. Some of my kids have not had the best beginning and have struggled for different reasons. Not everything has been school related. Some of it is just normal icky things that life throws your way. But a struggle is still a struggle. Needless to say, it’s been a tough couple of weeks. Watching them struggle has reminded me of the challenge of being a mom.

One of the hardest things about being a mom is knowing that we can’t fix EVERYTHING. We have to watch our kids face challenges, we see them struggle to make sense of things, we see their heartaches, and there’s only so much we can do. But, the key is that there ARE some things we can do.

‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)
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‘A Person’s A Person…’ ~ Dr. Seuss Printable Quote (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Hopefully, you’re all rested and recovered from the busy 4th of July weekend. My birthday is the day after the 4th, so we’ve been extra busy. Good, but busy!

A few weeks ago my boys and I went to Seussical the Musical with my mom and sister. Have any of you seen it? If not, you really should. You can often find it at local theater companies, and I know our high school did it one year as well. My three boys (ages 3 and 6) were so entertained! The characters, the outfits, and the music are infectious!

Horton from Horton Hatches the Egg and Horton Hears a Who is the main character in the musical. There’s a line in one of the songs that comes from Horton Hears a Who. It says, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” I used that quote all of the time when I was teaching first grade, and now that I’m a mom I use it even more.

The Humble Chair ~ Building Kid’s Self-Esteem (she: Veronica)
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The Humble Chair ~ Building Kid’s Self-Esteem (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Recently, we’ve had some kids struggle with a few different things. They haven’t been major things, but to THEM, they have felt HUGE. I’ve watched as these struggles have worn away at their self worth. I started looking at each of my children and realized that there are many things that tend to whittle away at their feelings of worth and value. So, I decided it was time to do “The Humble Chair”.

WHAT is the “Humble Chair”?

It’s a simple activity that allows you to focus on building someone up.

Children & The Comparing Syndrome ~ “I Can…” Can (she: Brooke)

Children & The Comparing Syndrome ~ “I Can…” Can (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Right now the big issue I’m dealing with at our house is the comparing/competition syndrome. I have twins, and it’s probably something I’ll constantly be dealing with with these two boys. They are best buddies, and get along amazingly well, but there are those moments. All you mothers out there know these moments. Moments when one of your twins (or any child) scores three goals at Saturday’s soccer game, and the other scores none. Moments when one twin notices the letter (reading level) on the back of brother’s home reading book is higher than his. Moments when one twin gets invited to play at a friend’s house and the other doesn’t. Moments when the younger (not quite 5) cousin from out of state comes to visit and can read chapter books when your kindergarten twins can’t. I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea.

A few months ago I was at my parents’ house and ran across a little book that had simple ideas for nurturing your child’s self esteem. There was an idea in the book I loved. It was called the “I Can…” Can. It’s as easy as it’s name suggests.

Creative Games to Motivate Kids to Clean (& My Easter Pictures!)
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Creative Games to Motivate Kids to Clean (& My Easter Pictures!)

ByMariel

This is the current state of my playroom… … times that by five, and you’ll have the whole picture.  Wanna see the girl’s bedroom??  No, you don’t.  I promise.  It doesn’t matter how much my girls clean up, how many motivating lectures I give, how much they get in trouble, how great the reward is…the…

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Raising a Baby Diaper Free ~ My Experience With Infant Potty Training (she: Jackie)

ByMariel

My name is Jacquelyn Stollarchek. LittleOwlCruncyMomma is a blog about me, my life, my thoughts and my experiences. It contains information about nothing in particular and everything in general. I talk about whatever I am thinking about at the time. I am, among other things, a wife, a mother, an explorer, a dancer, an actress,…

Motivating Kids to Read & Favorite Books!
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Motivating Kids to Read & Favorite Books!

ByMariel

To read about my latest motivation chart, that encourages my kids to read, read, read, stop by Make and Takes (where I contribute regularly)! In the meantime, here’s some of my kid’s latest and favorite books (most of my their favorite books happen to be the ones that I read aloud.  I don’t know if…

Homeschool on Tuesdays: Memorizing to Challenge Our Minds
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Homeschool on Tuesdays: Memorizing to Challenge Our Minds

ByMariel

I haven’t researched this idea, at all.  I just don’t have time.  But, it stands to reason that challenging your mind, by memorizing, really strengthens that brain muscle.  And, who doesn’t want a super-buff brain?  Brain challenges, like math??  No thanks.  Puzzles?? Sure.  Memorizing stuff??  Hmmm…. To be honest, I never thought much about memorizing…