Old MacDonald Had a Farm...

Mary, Age 4
Benjamin, Age 2


I have been terribly negligent about doing the 3Rs this summer! But the start of summer hasn't meant that learning hasn't taken place. Instead, the little ones have been engaging in all sorts of hands-on learning experiences and summer camps.

Last week the little ones wanted to learn about farm animals. My husband suggested that we take the kids to the Ide's farm (good friends who live in Iowa) to let them see, hear, and smell farm living at its best! The kids had a wonderful time. Our lovely hosts, Dan and Barb, packed more hands-on experiences with farm animals then should be allowed in one day, but oh how our kids loved it!

We left Kansas City and headed north toward Iowa. Along the way, up in northwest Missouri, our kiddos got to see the giant wind turbines that many farmers are beginning to install to harness electricity.





Upon our arrival, we were treated to a delicious lunch of honeybaked ham, homemade mac-n-cheese, fresh fruit, and cut-out sugar cookies. Then we were off! Our first stop...feeding the baby calf, who lost its mother, with a giant milk bottle.









Before we could make it to the pasture to ride horses, Benjamin discovered the farm implements.









Finally, we could ride on something that moved! Mary rode on Patches with Dan and Barb's daughter, Emily. Benjamin rode on BEN with Dan. They loved it!







Next, we packed into the pickup truck to tour neighboring farms. Here our little ones got to see Holstein dariy cattle and get up close and personal on a chicken farm. Whew...that was stinky!









By now we're beginning to feel hot and tuckered out. What to do...what to do...how about a leisurely ride in a kayak?!




I love this photo of Ben because it shows how much kids need to to touch and feel their environment to learn about the world around them.

And to end a perfect day...a cookout in "the timbers" complete with smore-making!






We are so appreciative and grateful to the Ides for showing our children such a wonderful time. Mary is still asking when we are going to move to our own farm! Your kindness will forever be remembered.

To see what other purposeful parents have done with their kiddos this week, please click here. You will surely be impressed with what's been happening in Tot Schools this week!

Super Summer Swap!

I just learned of a great summer activity happening over at Superheroes and Princesses and Life of a Dairy Queen. It is a Super Summer Swap.



Basically, it is a way for your child to connect with a summertime pen pal and learn more about the life of a child in another state or country! For more information and/or to sign up please visit Life of a Dairy Queen or Superheroes and Princesses. Sign up ends TODAY so hurry on over!

Adventures in Babysitting

(photo credit: Google images)

The highest result of education is tolerance.
Helen Keller, 'Optimism,' 1903

Last night my little ones had the opportunity to experience diversity in action. A good friend had tickets to a dinner theater restaurant and invited me as her guest. The only catch...Daddy was on duty. So, my dear friend's daughter offered to babysit.

Micah is a dream babysitter. She's responsible. She's mature (in her 20s). She's totally hands-on with the kids. Oh, and did I mention she's also visually impaired? Micah has been legally blind since birth.

Now, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I had some apprehension about Micah babysitting. All of her prior babysitting engagements with my little ones involved at least one child in a mobility-controlling device (i.e swing, bouncy seat, exersaucer) and/or her parents at home in case of an emergency. But this time, I was going out with the parent and Micah was on her own with one rough and tough toddler boy and one flighty, flirty princess. She did great and so did my kids.

The beauty of it, is that my children were being schooled in the art of tolerance without knowing it. No artificial lessons done through picture books or color pages; no circle time with a special "guest" speaker; just real life interaction with a sweet and caring soul who happens to be visually impaired. In fact, my children seem not to even "see" that Micah is visually impaired. A life lesson for me as well!

"I Love You Rituals" From Green Thumbs to Stinky Toes

"Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the stars and the mountains above. Let them look at the waters and the trees and flowers on Earth. Then they will begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education."
David Polis

Recently, I was sharing with a fellow blogger about one of my favorite early childhood educators, Becky Bailey, Ph.D. Dr. Bailey has spent her lifetime devoted to working in early childhood education and is the author of several books and DVDs.

One of my favorite books by Dr. Bailey is I Love You Rituals. This book is full of fun activities (nursery rhymes, fingerplays, silly interactions, etc.) for parents and children (birth to age eight) that "boost brain potential, encourage cooperation and caring, promote learning and literacy, increase attention and decrease power struggles, and build bonds of unconditional love."

In her book, Dr. Bailey talks about how each of us (as parents, spouses, teachers, etc.) have a choice every moment of every day to be "fully present and loving or available yet disconnected." She recommends the use of rituals that foster and encourage parents to be truly present in the moment.

A few rituals that we have developed in our home include the "bath, books, bedtime" routine, but individualized for each of our children. Our first-born is old enough to recite her Catholic bedtime prayers and so we have ritualized bedtime by adding prayers and butterfly kisses to the routine. Our youngest, still in a crib, has a ritual with us that includes kissing his "stinky" toes. He repeatedly puts his feet through the bars for "foot kiss". These ritualistic behaviors help both our children to feel loved and cherished, safe and secure, especially at bedtime.

During the day, the little ones and I have also created some nature rituals. Each morning we check the bird feeder and add seed if necessary, check the magnolia tree for blooms, and venture out to the raised vegetable bed to see the progress of our efforts. This daily ritual helps to connect my children with the Earth.

For more information on Dr. Baily, her early childhood philosophy, and I Love You Rituals please visit her website on Conscious Discipline. I found several of her books available through Amazon.com at reduced and/or used prices. I'd love to know what rituals you have created with our little ones.

Little man loves to help mama water the flowers.


Little lady was the motivation behind our raised planting bed.

Birds of a Feather...

Around our household, summer is definitely a time to slow down and enjoy freedom from "the schedule". This was especially true when I was teaching full-time outside of the home, but is applicable now as well. (There is something so romantically old-fashioned about sipping lemonade on the wrap-around porch while chasing the fireflies at night...instead of the old "bath, books, and bed routine!)

That being said, I do want to encourage my little ones' sense of discovery and love of learning even if the daily routine is a bit more relaxed. So, with input from my kiddos (ages 4 & 2) I came up with weekly themes that pique our curiosity. Our themes are open-ended, meaning that if we want to extend "bugs and butterflies" an extra week we can and the majority of our "learning" is through play.

Recently, I discovered a wonderful blog authored by a mom who certainly exhibits the philosophy behind purposeful parenting. Like me, she was a former classroom teacher. She now is a full-time stay-at-home mom who, in addition to her parenting duties, continues to wear the "teacher" hat as a homeschooling mom to a 7-year old, 3-year old and new baby daughter. Her blog 1+1+1=1 is host to all sorts of creative ways to make learning meaningful to her kiddos, especially when they are "tot" age. Her weekly "TOT School" post also provides an avenue for other moms to share what they have done over the week to make learning fun through hands-on, interactive "lessons". I am excited to join her each Sunday as we take a look back at how we made learning meaningful for our kiddos.

This past week our summer learning theme was about birds in addition to the continuation of bugs and butterflies from the last week of May (after all, birds love to eat insects). We checked out lots of delightful fiction/nonfiction books from the public library as well as did some crafty fun. My kids loved making birds nests out of coffee filters, leftover Easter basket grass and jelly beans (fresh!), as well as out of chocolate, peanut butter and Chinese noodles (see recipe here). But probably our most favorite thing to do was to add seed to our bird feeder, water to the bird bath and sit quietly as we watched the meadowlarks, finches, and bluebirds visit our "bird sanctuary". In addition to learning to appreciate nature and all of God's creations (including those insects that little man HATES) my two practiced the art of sharing and turn-taking.

As I didn't discover 1+1+1=1 and Tot School until late Friday night I didn't do a very good job photographing this past week's activities. I did get a few of my kiddos filling up the bird feeder and bath. To see what other creative moms did with their kiddos last week, click here.

"Where did it go?"


"It's in here Benjamin."


"This is how you add the water," said Big Sister to Little Brother.

Parents as Teachers

Long before becoming a parent I was an educator. And long before becoming an educator, I was an aide working in a U.S. Congressional office. It was during my years working for U.S. Senator Kit Bond, (R)MO, that I became familiar with a unique early childhood program, piloted in Missouri, known as Parents As Teachers.

As their name suggests, Parents As Teachers advocates that PARENTS are their child's FIRST and BEST teachers. The mission behind the now federally-funded program is to provide parents with support and materials for their developing child ages Birth to 5-Years. Besides receiving hand-outs on everything from addressing aggressive behavior in toddlers to weaning off the pacifier (advice I CLEARLY have not taken myself LOL), the program also offers Parent Educator visits, playgroups, guest speakers, and developmental screenings.



Why, might you ask, should one participate in this program when there are tons of books and magazines published on child development and a world of information at your fingertips? The answer for me was as simple as human interaction. I loved our Parent Educator visits (every other month) and so did my kids! They could not wait for Miss Jaime to bring her bag of tricks (puzzles, beads, nesting cups, baby board books, etc.) and I could not wait for an hour of adult-interaction, advocacy, and validation that I WAS doing it RIGHT!

And even though I hold a teaching certificate in elementary education, I believe that I benefited greatly from participating in the Parents As Teachers program. I would especially encourage any first-time parent to take advantage of this FREE early childhood program offered through their local school district. Services differ by state (based on federal and state funding), but most programs do offer day and evening Parent Educator visits, playgroups, speakers etc. For more information on Parents As Teachers, you can visit their National Resource Center here or contact your local school district. Remember, YOU are your child's FIRST and BEST teacher!

These photos were taken by Daddy at a "Daddy's Night" Parents As Teachers event sponsored through the DeSoto School District. I would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall at this event!

The Candle of Learning

Welcome to my new blog "My Curious Kids". As a former classroom teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mommy, I often find myself looking for a creative outlet in which to share my love of teaching, joy from parenting, and awe/excitement as I observe my two little ones discover the wonders of life!

I was not one of those kiddos that grew up knowing they wanted to be a teacher. Rather, I entered the field of education in a round-about-way...at the urging of a college professor. Education was actually a career change for me as I spent my first eight years after college graduation in the public/governmental sector.

It was a career change that I do not regret! The last 10 years of my professional career have been spent in the early childhood and public school classrooms. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades and obtained a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction.

But my greatest achievement (still on-going!) has been the conception, birth, and rearing of my two little ones. With all of the educational and professional success that I have experienced in my life, I had no way of knowing that my husband and I would face a decade-long struggle with infertility. Fortunately, we have been blessed twice over...our daughter, Mary Catherine was conceived via in vitro, and our son, Benjamin, is what the specialists term a "bonus baby". No medical intervention necessary! In addition to our two precious miracles, we have five sweet souls in heaven watching over our tiny family of four.

Mary and Benjamin are the reasons that I have stepped out of the classroom and into the family room full-time and the motivation behind this blog. I hope that by sharing with you my experiences as a classroom teacher, mother, and parent-advocate you might feel empowered about the decisions you make as the parent of an early-childhood or elementary-age child. After all...PARENTS are their child's FIRST and BEST teacher! I, too, look forward to any ideas or tips that you have discovered and are willing to share that ignite the "curiosity wick" in your child's "candle of learning".


Blessing #1 in the water discovery zone, Magic House (St. Louis, MO)


Blessing #2 driving the "cozy coupe" INSIDE on a 90 degree June day.