Saturday, April 28, 2012
Life with three kids under four, and discovering our "new normal."
My youngest daughter is now two-and-a-half weeks old. My mom, who was generously here to lend a hand, has headed home. Life as a family of five is starting to settle and soon we will begin to figure out our new normal. Several weeks ago, a dad proudly holding his newborn daughter told me that parenting three children was tough, but not as tough two children. While that initially sounded backward, I think I am starting to understand what he meant. It is hard to obsess over details when you have three small kids. Juggling a newborn while engaging my toddler and preschooler is quickly teaching me that micromanaging is no longer possible. It’s amazing how creative and spontaneous little people can be when you’re not coordinating their every …
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Pencil in a trip to the library, a great place for kids.
I love our little Duncan Branch of the Alexandria Public Library. I think it's one of the great unsung heroes of our town. With book fairs and the summertime Kids Quest program, there's always something cooking. September kicks off the library's back-to-normal story time schedule, which is a fun way for local parents and kids to meet up. On Mondays, there is a storytime geared for babies only (0-11 months) at 11 a.m. Ages 1 to 4 can come on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. for stories and songs, which is perfect for siblings. On Thursdays, children ages 12 to 24 months have Mother Goose Time at 10 a.m., and ages 3 to 5 can come on their own for storytime at 11 a.m. They also have occasional foreign language story times, and bedtime stories …
38.827491
-77.061056
James M. Duncan Branch Library
2501 Commonwealth Ave, Alexandria, VA
/articles/story-time-is-back
1380902
/locations/5262145
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
An afternoon at the new King Memorial is a moving experience and a great door for conversation.
On Monday, my best friend and I took my two small girls to see D.C.'s newest memorial honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I left feeling inspired and contemplative. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial is located at 1964 Independence Ave SW, on the western bank of the Tidal Basin. While there, I noticed an amazing diversity of people absorbed in various aspects of the display. Some studied the quotes, many took pictures in front of the statue, and others paused in quiet contemplation. It all seemed very fitting. I highly recommend a trip to see this memorial, not only for the tourist experience but also for a great opportunity to engage kids in conversation on race and human rights. While my 3-year-old may not fully appreciate …
Saturday, August 27, 2011
With a little forethought, a rainy day can be a great adventure.
All this talk about Hurricane Irene has me thinking about indoor things to do with my family this weekend. As a little kid in Texas, I had the opportunity to experience some pretty fantastic weather. My fascination with weather comes from my dad, who has a special knack for capturing the excitement and novelty of storms. It was fun, and I hope to pass that fascination on to my kids. So, what is there to do on a stormy day? I say go with it, make it your weekend theme. With storms come wind. So, if there are any nice (lightning free) periods, go outside and fly a kite. Or, stay inside and make a wind chime out of string, a metal coat hangar and random clanky objects such as spoons and pie tins. For the smaller kiddos, have them scribble…
Saturday, August 20, 2011
We could learn a thing or two from our kids' imaginations.
My daughter and I were recently coloring. She dictated colors as I scribbled. Despite my suggestions, the people ended up blue—and the cat, green. Being a well-trained adult, I often find some part of myself yearning to correct her. Sunshines should be yellow. Grass should be green. Then, thankfully, my inner toddler kicked in with a timely gut check. In my daughter's world, there are purple sunshines and blue trees. And who's to say she's wrong? Definitely not me. My husband recently added an impromptu story to our nightly two-book ritual. In the stories, our girls drive submarines and fly planes. They invent time machines and visit with aliens. While I'm getting pretty good at coming up with something interesting, I was surprised …
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Giving kids age-appropriate responsibilities can set them up for success, but an actual tidy home may have to come later.
My 2-year-old likes to be involved in everything. While her natural enthusiasm can occasionally border on obsessive, my husband and I have found that—when focused—it can actually be a fantastic opportunity to teach responsibility and build confidence. Getting our toddler involved in household chores first became very important just over a year ago when our second child was born. We wanted to make her understand that she was a valued member of our family with big girl perks and responsibilities. We did that by including her in everything we could think. She helped with diaper changes and washed the baby's feet during bath time. As she has grows and develops new interests, we encourage her to do more. She carries forks and spoons to …
Dana Damico
10:54 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012
Congratulations, Jessica! I'm so glad to hear you all are happy, healthy and settling into a new groove. Embrace the chaos! more ›