…and it Feels Different Already. Giving your kids a phone feels like preempting their childhood. Ever felt regret before doing something? Every study shows that smartphone use among teens correlates with increased mental health issues. Conversely, the research shows that 74% of those teens feel happy away from their phones. The obvious answer seems to be…
Category: Parenting
Welcome to our parenting hub, where we navigate the joys and challenges of raising the next generation. Find expert advice, relatable stories, and resources to guide you through every stage of parenthood.
Declutter Your Home and Mind with the Kakeibo Method
Do you have too many things? You have a minimum of two junk drawers jammed with expired coupons, playing cards, legos, and unclassifiable items you can’t toss in the rubbish because it must fit somewhere. If you are like us you have a basket or two with letters, keys, and indecipherable notes that was intended…
The Marvel of an Ordinary Life: Embracing Simplicity in Parenting
The Ordinary Revolution in Parenting: Rediscovering the Magic in Everyday Moments In a world obsessed with extraordinary achievements, FOMO, and keeping up with the Joneses, William Martin’s words from “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching” resonate deeply: “Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the…
Part TWO: Transforming Classroom Learning with AI
Creating a personalized AI learning assistant for each student, as I wrote about in part one, might seem a little daunting. especially for educators who are not particularly tech-savvy if there are any of those left. Teachers figured out tech, especially AI quickly. To start this project much of what you’ll be creating will be…
Part One: Transforming Classroom Learning with AI by Tailoring a Lesson Plan for Every Student
What are We Talking About? The focus of AI is often how students will use it to cheat by having it write papers for it. Students cheating by copying work will always be an obstacle. It’s easier than ever to if a student cheated. The reality is teachers use AI just as much if not…
How AI is Transforming Education: Engaging Students while Empowering Teachers
Across the US, AI fears have rendered knee-jerk AI bans in some schools. Fortunately, many of those schools have reversed their decisions. Many schools have embraced AI and have included the tech in their curriculum. This is the correct answer. Obviously, generative AI is raising valid concerns among educators about plagiarism. That’s the first thing…
What I used for Every Science Project – Kenner’s Iconic Girder and Panel Building Sets
If you were a kid in the 70s or 80s, you probably remember Kenner’s iconic Girder and Panel building sets. These classic toys consisted of plastic girders, panels, wheels and other parts that could be slotted together to construct elaborate imaginative structures.
In their heyday, Girder and Panel sets were a hugely popular toy, advertised on TV and allowing kids an engaging, open-ended building experience. But by the mid-80s, the sets were discontinued as video games and Lego emerged as hot new toys.
While Kenner no longer makes them, the creative spirit of Girder and Panel lives on through modern compatible pieces and building sets. In this post, we take a nostalgic look back at the history and legacy of these fondly remembered construction toys. Relive the magic of slots and beams!
A Day in the Life: Exploring the Wonders of Shelburne Museum with Julian
There is an indefinable magic that pervades certain places, making them feel like they are set apart from the world, living and breathing snapshots of times long past. The Shelburne Museum in Vermont is one such place. My son Julian and I have often found ourselves losing hours in the hallowed rooms and gorgeous outdoor…
Dee Dee McGee and Her Musical Knee
Have a scab-picker living under your roof? Imagine what would happen if instead of blood, loud music was released each time the body’s healing powers were interrupted. Here’s a poem about a young girl with a proclivity for picking scabs, and how her knee took it to the next level to stop her. Dee Dee…
The Scary Derrière – How to Quit the Potty Talk.
Mister Keister couldn’t keep a job so he’d have to bum money from family and friends. They’d say Keith Keister when are you going to grow up and quit the potty talk and he hit bottom.