Well, we’ve survived the Polar Vortex and are halfway through January already. But where I live there are still two long months, an then some, until we start seeing signs of spring. We need a bit of hope to hang onto, right? Here are a few articles to bring warmth and light to your month.
What will 2014 bring? Your kids might not be old enough yet to appreciate the value of making resolutions. But that doesn’t mean they can’t make the most of anticipation. Check out my article “This is the Year” (in Space City Parent, and several others) for ideas on how to mark the milestones and special events in your family’s life in the months to come.
If you need some ideas of activities to plan for the year, I’ve got 25 to get you started. Our Kids San Antonio shares with readers my “25 Things to Do Before They’re Grown.”
Tired of eating out? Too wiped to think of what cook? I offer my favorite strategy for planning a month’s worth of meals (as in the method I use myself) in this month’s issue of Wilmington Parent. My article is called “Easy Menu Planning.”
If you’re just plain tired, maybe you need to replenish yourself by nurturing your spirit. Depending on what you’re like, that nurturing can come in a variety of forms and from different sources. I tap into four common (and accessible) ones in “Soul Support” found in one of Chicagoland’s own parenting publication, Family Time.
With three children and a conservative budget, I’ve had the opportunity to host several dozen at-home birthday parties. Over the years our whole family has learned some key tactics that have kids saying, “this was the best party ever” each year. And I’m not afraid to share what we do. Find out what (and a few tips from a party expert) in “Birthday Party Basics” published in Western New York Family.
Finally, although it doesn’t seem possible, pretty soon it will be time to sign up for summer camps and decide on summer and fall sports. If your child hasn’t settled into a favorite extracurricular activity yet, you may want to read “It’s a Match.” I collected advice from one of the top parenting experts in the U.S., along with that of a mom of two whose seen her kids find a niche. In the January issue of Pittsburgh Parent.
