Who didn't have a favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal that they loved as a young child? In fact, a third of adults admit they can’t bear to part with their own childhood toy, according to research published in the Journal of Cognition and Culture in 2010. If you have a toddler, you may observe
Fun Summer Reads For All Ages
As a parent, you don’t want your kids to be bored over summer break. You also don’t want their boredom to lead to reading loss, which can happen when your child does not read for a few months. To help encourage your kids to read over their vacation, I’ve compiled a list of fun summer
ACPS Starts the Free Summer Meals Program Next Week
Alachua County Public Schools will be providing meals to families over the summer now that school is officially out with the Free Summer Meals program. Beginning June 3 and continuing through the summer until July 26, the district’s free grab and go meals distribution will be available, according to the Alachua County Public Schools Food
Pawsitive Pet Chores Your Children Can Learn From
Feb. 20 is National Love Your Pet Day! Do you feel it is about time your child adopted a sense of responsibility? If so, there’s no better opportunity than adopting a pet! Children enter a new realm of responsibility at this age. They no longer need someone to tie their shoes or clean up after
ACPS Posts Updated School Calendar
Today  Alachua County Public Schools released the calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. That means time to updated those family calendars with all the important school dates and vacations times. This updated calendar reflects the current start date for all Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) which will be August 12. The last day of school
Should Your Kiddos Learn Computer Programming and Coding?
English, history, science and math are typical subjects your kids take in school. But now, there is a new course to add to their curriculum — computer programming and coding. That’s right. Starting as early as kindergarten, kids are learning to program computers. Either through apps, games or lesson plans from programming companies, coding education
How To Maintain a Happy Home With an Empty Nest
In the fall of 2019, approximately 9.9 million students attended colleges and universities, and 70% of them chose a school within a 2-hour drive of their home. Coincidence? I think not! While some parents rejoice in their new freedom, some dread the day they experience sending their child off to college or when they move
4 Tips for Healthy Cafeteria Lunches
Candy, chips and other tasty but not-so-healthy foods are appealing to people of all ages – especially children. If your child doesn’t bring a lunch to school, they get the freedom to choose what they want to eat in the school cafeteria. The lunch line leaves the fate of nutrition in the hands of your
Teaching Them Playground Etiquette
At 6 years of age, I ventured onto a cold school playground in Hartford, Connecticut. The mulch was red underneath my small Puma shoes, and I stared at the lack of leaves in the oak trees. To be honest — I was scared. Everyone knew their way around the playground. I didn’t. So, I decided
Fun Stay-At-Home Activities to Strengthen Your Toddler’s Motor Skills
There are many activities you can do while at home to help enhance your toddler's motor skills, which will help pave the way towards them being more independent. Every milestone is a triumph and as your child begins to advance their skills, you’ll see them improve in more ways than one – cognitively, socially and