Holidays are a time of family, friends, and passing on traditions to children. The songs, the sparkly celebration lights, families coming together – everything says that this is the most wonderful time of the year. And most of the time, it is. Although at other times it can be extremely stressful! If you have young…
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Do you have memories of dressing up like Pilgrims and Indians for the annual Thanksgiving school play? Many Americans grew up hearing the tale of the First Thanksgiving repeated by books, teachers, and parents and came to accept this as fact although many of us are now realizing that this story has little basis in…
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Learning the truth about Thanksgiving As I’ve mentioned before, teaching children about Thanksgiving – and even celebrating it – can be extremely problematic once you look beyond the myths that have been perpetuated about it for generations. The traditional narrative of the Pilgrims with tall black hats and “Indians” wearing headdresses (what is it about…
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The rage lives in my hands, rolls down my fingers clenching to fists. I want to hurt someone. I am tears and fury and violence. I want to scream and rip open pillows, toss chairs and punch walls. I want to see my destruction — feathers floating, overturned furniture, ragged holes in drywall. Minna Dubin, The Rage…
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How do you feel about getting outdoors? Do you look forward to it and love every minute of it while you’re out? Or do you dread it…the cold (or heat, depending on where you are…), the bugs, the dirt (the dirt!)? And what about the endless questions that you don’t know how to answer: “What’s…
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As a white parent, I feel very conflicted about wading into a debate about Black History Month. Plenty of people have argued that we shouldn’t confine our study of Black history to just one month (and that it has failed to bring about any improvement in race relations, and it wasn’t intended for White people…
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It seems like every holiday has an aftermath when you’re a parent. Dressing up in costumes can be fun at Halloween, but then you have to deal with the negotiations over how much candy is too much candy. Our children receive gifts on their birthdays, but then we’re embarrassed when they refuse to thank the…
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Notes: This is a guest post from Evelyn Nichols M.Ed of Mighty Bambinis and explains the reasoning behind the questions found in the YPM Preschool Visit Checklist, which you can download and take with you on preschool tours – it’s relevant for children ages ~1-5. Also, check out the recently released podcast episode that explains…
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The new year is (almost!) here and that means one thing: new year’s resolutions. Some 68 percent of us set a goal (though we often give them up, too), and most of us vow to eat healthier, exercise, and save (more) money. But since 91 percent of Americans surveyed say that family is the most…
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Everyone’s favorite time of the year is almost here: big family gatherings; beautiful holiday decorations; lots of delicious food… Everyone’s most stressful time of the year is almost here: big gatherings of family members with different political opinions; beautiful holiday decorations that need to be kept out of the toddler’s grasping hands; endless treats to…
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