Modern families are busier than ever. With hard-working parents, kids in multiple after-school activities (many folks still aren’t listening to the advice from experts to lighten their loads), higher academic standards and rigor, and the bustling business of simple day-to-day life, family units are often exhausted and grumpy trying to do it all. And in […]
Time to Play: Purposeful is the New Random Read More »
As a young man growing up, I was often taught that vulnerability equaled weakness. This common theme has played out in several different situations from academics, relationships, athletics, and now even into parenthood. Now you would think that this is a correct way of thinking. The less vulnerable you are, the safer you are. The
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My 9-year-old girl loves to play alone in her room. I peek in at her during her playtime, and I notice she enjoys imaginative play the most. Because her sibling is 10 years older than she is, she has gotten comfortable with playing by herself and using her imagination to create her own world. As
Time to Play: Incorporating Everyday Life into Imaginative Play Read More »
Childproofing is no easy feat for any parent. Not only is it imperative for household safety, but it also helps to maintain sanity as well. Despite all of my concerted efforts to babyproof our home, somehow in the last few weeks I have fished out rogue Christmas tree needles, scrap paper, and tiny Legos from
Time to Play: Babyproofing the Play Area Read More »
It’s getting warmer outside, and the threat of snow is lessening. It’s time to start thinking about how to entertain the kids outdoors! My autistic son loves being outside, and there are quite a few toys that can help him with key skills he needs to work on while enjoying the sun. Here I’ve listed
Five Toys for Outdoor Fun for Kids with Special Needs Read More »
Last spring, we transformed our backyard into a play and relaxation space for our family. We hadn’t done much with the yard other than make sure we had green grass and space. In Florida, you can begin to sow your seeds as early as February or March, so we got busy and started getting our
Time to Play: Spring Gardening Read More »
I am now the mom of a full-fledged teenage boy. Maxwell is my first born of two dudes and has always had a very playful spirit. He’s got a little brother, and having him around has meant that Max has been able to continue to play with certain games and toys that would otherwise have
Time to Play: With Your Teen Read More »
I never knew the type of person I’d be during a time of crisis. It turns out, though, I’m an equal mix of crazy and calm—or so I’m told. Over the past year, my family has had a slew of medical misfortunes. From my husband’s anaphylaxis episode to the baby’s epilepsy diagnosis and subsequent episodes,
Time to Play: Playtime During Our Time of Crisis Read More »
If your child is anything like mine, he or she is probably invited to a lot of birthday parties. Kids love inviting their friends and classmates from school, and it makes for a fun birthday experience for everyone involved. But there is a certain etiquette required for birthday parties, including what type of gift to
7 Things to Consider When Buying a Birthday Gift Read More »
I met my husband when I was 15 years old. We dated for nearly five years before we wed, which was immediately after I graduated from college, and have now been married almost 22 years. We’ve truly grown up together. We knew each other as goofy teenagers, dazed and confused twenty-somethings, deep-in-the-trenches-with-little-kids thirty-somethings, and on to
Time to Play: With the One You Love Read More »
My autistic son loves anything and everything that spins. Helicopters, cars, fans, pinwheels, you name it! If it spins, he loves it. A lot of kids on the spectrum “stim” on spinning. Stimming is short for self-stimulatory behavior. Almost all autistic kids do it in one form or another. It could be the sterotypical hand
Stimming on Spinning! Read More »
Cold weather can make it hard to find fun things to do with the kids. Every weekend may start to feel like Groundhog Day. So how can you keep kids active in the winter? Try a family bowling night! Bowling is a fun activity for children as young as 4 years old. The rules are
Time to Play: Family Bowling Night Read More »
Now that the dust has settled after the holidays, like many families we’re left wondering: what are we going to do with all of these toys? Having been urban dwellers for so long with little to no storage space, organization has long been a trivial task for me. And just as soon as we’ve gotten
Time to Play: Making Sense with Playroom Organization Read More »
January in Chicago is typically a bit challenging to say the least. It’s not so much the mountains of snow that cause our severe cabin fever, although we definitely get our fair share. No, it’s more the long stretch of Midwestern bitter cold and blustery air that makes a mom want to remain in bed under a heap of blankets or snuggle up by a fire for days on end.
Time to Play: When It’s Too COLD Outside Read More »
We recently moved, and I was quite nervous to go through the process with an autistic child. Routine, structure, repetition are all things he craves. Change is something he avoids so change is something I try to avoid. I can’t think of a bigger change for a 4 year old than moving! A lot of
Moving Tips With Special Needs Kids Read More »
Another wonderful holiday season is now in the record books, as we are getting adjusted to a new year and a new beginning. If your kids are anything like mine, they probably received a lot of toys from Santa and his elves, causing some organizational challenges in everything from bedrooms to playrooms. But the clutter of too many toys doesn’t have to stop you and your kids from enjoying their playtime. Purging the play area and making way for their new toys by recycling their old toys will not only make you feel better about your kids’ spaces, but it can also do some good in your community.
Time to Play: 5 Unique Ways to Recycle Your Child’s Old Toys Read More »
Social play is a great way to teach children about important moments in history and the diverse fabric that has shaped American culture. On January 21, 2013, we will be honoring Dr. Martin Luther King for MLK day. The holiday offers parents a great opportunity to teach their children about Dr. King. There are a variety of ways to engage and educate your children that are fun and incorporate play, reading skills, and active, hands-on learning.
Learning About Dr. King Through Social Play and Service Read More »
Even though I’ve been with my husband for well over 16 years, we’re still novices at creating our own holiday family traditions. We’ve spent many holidays driving from the NYC area back to our hometown, Va. Beach, doing the family juggle, often sacrificing our time with friends to savor time with our family. Now that we have our own brood, living away from our hometown and navigating the holidays has been an adventure to say the least. When we started our family five short years ago in our beloved Hoboken, NJ, we called NYC our backyard. We’d traipse the city streets during the holiday season, navigating the foot traffic without hesitation. We’d take in the lights, sights and sounds on every corner. City life during the holidays was our gift to our firstborn, and now, even as suburbanites, immersing our kids in the grandeur of the city is an absolute must.
The Good, the Bad and the Sleepy: Creating Family Holiday Traditions Read More »
With winter break quickly approaching, I know many parents are wondering what to do with the kiddos this holiday. There are holiday menus to plan, Christmas gifts to finish buying, and plenty of work to be done before family arrives or trips are taken. Even though we live in Florida and enjoy the outdoors, I admit we tend to hibernate in the winter. To keep myself and the children entertained and active when the weather is chilly, I try to find a variety of indoor activities to keep the children entertained and busy without getting cabin fever. Here are a few suggestions of three fun things to do during winter break.
Three Fun Activities to Do During Winter Break Read More »
When my boys were little, I had one on one time with them all day long. I chose to be a “stay at home” mom and our days were packed with play and parks, and classes, and snacks and naps and more play. It was non-stop crazy and super tiring, but the best of days
As a mom raising a bilingual and bicultural child, I’m well aware of the importance of play for so many aspects of my daughter’s development. We know that immersing her in the Spanish language in fun and engaging ways is the best way for her to absorb the language. Not only do we want her
5 Ways to Discover Other Cultures Through Play Read More »
Visiting Santa in a busy mall with waits of an hour and music blasting, only to have the kids climb up on the same lap hundreds, if not thousands, kids have already sat on that week can be stressful. Now, consider taking a child with special needs into that situation, and the stress that naturally
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On the heels of Thanksgiving, a time when we underscore the importance of gratitude and giving thanks, it was my kids who reminded me to be extra grateful this year. Our little family had quite the extraordinary year: the birth of the baby in January, my husband’s anaphylaxis episode in February, the baby suffering a
Teaching Kids Gratitude and Charity in the Face of Adversity Read More »
Tis the season for big ol’ family gatherings. From Thanksgiving through New Years Day many of our houses will be brimming with relatives ages 8 to 80. And if you happen to be hosting any of these events, then it’s your job to make sure everyone has a grand old time and that all of
Time to Play With the Relatives! Read More »
