By Therese So, here I am. On the brink of puberty. Hormones bouncing around like a popcorn kernel in the spin cycle, pre-acne, noticing the opposite gender...only this time, it's not me: it's my daughter. By announcing her "crush" a few months ago, it proves this: transitioning from her previous crush on a fictitious cartoon character to a human, an admittedly … [Read more...]
Skippyjon Jones in Chicago, Dude!
By Therese Using my very best Spanish accent, in a muy muy soft voice, I told my Mega Fan daughter that we were going to see Skippyjon Jones in Cirque de Ole at the Apollo Theater in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. She may not be a toddler any longer, but that doesn't keep her from loving every Skippyjon book that author (and uber talented illustrator) Judy Schachner has … [Read more...]
I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont: A Confidence-Building Book for Kids
By Therese Cyberbullying, shaming and group hazing are all sadly commonplace today--not that this is new. Bullying has always happened, but social media and smart phones have made bullies' reach even further and more personal. Gone are the days when a picked-on child could run home, close the front door, and have some reprieve for a few hours. Now bullies can stalk, publicly … [Read more...]
Toddler Shampoo and Body Wash Trials (Shampoogate 2016)
by Felice Lately I’ve been trying to find an all natural shampoo/body wash for my 3-year-old son. We had previously been using just a basic Suave body wash that is inexpensive and it did seem to work, however, I don’t like that it has a lot of chemicals in it that probably aren’t the best for my him. So, I went on a hunt to find a wash that smells good, lathers … [Read more...]
Review: Family Challenge by Spin Master Games
by Therese I bought this game for my 8-year-old daughter to play with her father and I so we could have something fun, different, and engaging to do together after Christmas festivities settled down and we'd no doubt feel the post-holidays blues. So, we cracked the box open, smiling and anticipating "kicking butt" and having a great time challenging each other. I read through the … [Read more...]