When I started teaching I remember finding a book called "There". The front cover was beautifully illustrated, greens of all hues and tones, and a little boy with a fishing pole standing on a rivers edge, with trees all around. I found the book at Smiths Grocery Store of all places. I stood in the store reading this book and was immediately enamored. I had to have it! The book talked about "there", "what is there", "where is there", "what happens when you get there", "what does there look...

"Mommy, can I go play!" this is a statement we all hear every day, most of the day. What do children actually learn while they play? Let's break down a few ideas. Because our adult brains forget how to play and that's why we get old. When your child plays with dolls, stuffed animals, or action figurines, they: mimic behaviors from home, school or TV use imagination to create scenarios use social skills to have back-and-forth conversations life skills to dress, clean, shop and work When your...

If you know me, you know I have three sons and they are my entire world. I speak of them often as they continue on their journeys in their older 20's and younger 30's, still trying to navigate this thing we call "life". This life can be difficult and as a parent, all I prayed for is that I did right by them when they were little. I'll admit, when they were teenagers, I had my doubts I did right by them. To this day, I think "wait...they are strong, confident, young adults who still ask me...