connect:

Foster connections with your kids, your spouse, your community, your world.
  • Stand Up For Girls Big and Small

    During the lead-up to having my first child, I asked lots and lots of questions. I wanted to hit the ground running as an excellent mom. At the time, I didn’t know any new moms, so I asked the old timers. “Don’t worry, you’ll know exactly what to do,” they told me. Well, that was a big fat lie! Perhaps in the same way we forget the pain of childbirth, we forget how difficult every stage of parenting is as we pass into the next phase of difficulty. READ MORE >>

  • Play Pretend Spa

    Sometimes when I come home exhausted from a long day I find it very beneficial for my kids and me to play “Pretend Spa.” They’re having a blast and I’m getting a free backrub. Mwa Ha Ha. I discovered this game when my daughter was ready to drop her nap but still needed some down time in the afternoon. READ MORE >>

  • Dream Journal: Helping your Kids to Fall Asleep Peacefully

    When one of my kids started getting worried about monsters right before bedtime, Dr. Anne Marie Albano suggested I create a dream journal for both my kids. The project has spawned peaceful evenings, a family tradition and a treasured keepsake. You can start with any notebook, and it’s nice to have your child decorate the cover.  READ MORE >>

  • Glow Ball Story Time: Spending Relaxing, Creative Time with your Kids

    One of my favorite things to do with my kids is turn off all the lights and sit in a circle either on a bed or carpet and play “Glowball Story Time." Whoever is holding the Glow Globe gets to start. They begin the tale and then pass the ball to the person on the right, who continues the story, adding their own individual flourishes.  READ MORE >>

  • Barbie Angst

    Before my husband and I had children, we were excellent parents. We would tsk parents who allowed their children to play with Gameboys while out to dinner: "Dinner is family time." We would tut parents who allowed their vehicles to become children's home entertainment centers: "Those catatonic children are literally letting the world pass them by." Our children, whilst fictional, would never be amongst these casualties of modern culture. READ MORE >>

  • Barbie: From Desperate to Divine

    My battle with Barbie lead me to a wonderful discovery. Part of my problem with Barbie was the lack of non-trampy clothes she had to choose from. In Mattel's defense I've seen when girls are given the cool jeans, full-coverage jacket and comfortable flat shoes option only to quickly turn back towards the hot pink, silver and sparkled mini-dress and toe-pinching stilettos.  READ MORE >>