After our excessive screen time over winter break, I knew we needed a change. So I’ve put some new routines in place. I didn’t “announce” it to the kids so they wouldn’t feel like something was being taken away. Instead I tried to make it fun and implement new ideas little by little. Then something… Read More Less screen time with older kids and preteens
I wanted a way to hide the big black box! The new TVs with frames and digital art are cool, but expensive and I wanted an option that worked without having the TV on all the time. So I decided to make a frame with art canvas panels that open like binary doors. And you… Read More DIY hidden TV art frame
Because we’re at our forever home now, I’m making all my house dreams come true. You probably think I’m talking moulding and built-ins and gardens. Nope! I’m talking disco lights in the living room and cheap home movie theater! This movie theater space is SO fun. I’m not even kidding. I love it more than… Read More The cheapest home theater
This is a packed post with how to paint a chalkboard wall, free door sign and how to plan for a room kids can grow into. I’ll show you how we’re focusing on activities instead of more toys with things like foosball, book wall and movie projector. Our playroom sees a lot of kids and… Read More A playroom with less toys and more activities
A few weeks ago I deleted all our Roku kid channels but two — PBS Kids and National Geographic Kids. There are several reasons that led me to this decision and have me considering a tv-free summer. Is that possible!? My kids watched way too much tv during our move. It allowed Marcello and I to… Read More Is a no-tv summer possible?
I used to have a lot of nightmares. Truly terrifying scenarios and stories would invent themselves in my mind while I was sleeping — sometimes on a nightly basis. “What is wrong with me?” I wondered. “Is there something dark inside of me?” I was a grown adult who was, at times, scared of the… Read More How to stop nightmares
This is my second time potty training. My first time, I potty trained my oldest son at about two years and three months. I read a couple articles online and gave it a go. We had a few messes, but he caught on fast and was fully trained in two or three days. I thought the second… Read More Potty training 101
I have not watched all preschool shows, and I have not seen every episode of the shows listed here (thank heavens!). These are just some ideas to help moms and dads also looking to guard what their impressionable little ones are watching. Luca didn’t know what a monster was until I let him watch a couple… Read More Favorite innocent preschool TV shows