“We worked SO hard in school, and it paid off with two great careers. Now we can afford some of the good things in life. As parents we’re a little older, a little busier, and a lot more tired than we’d like. We really need some ideas (and a nap).”
Rest easy. The skills that got you to the top of your field will get you through this too! Try these teachable moments. Then invent some of your own!
Go outside and touch grass, trees, leaves, cement, and stones. Talk about how each one feels. Compare smooth and rough textures. Show your daughter both a rock and a pebble. Talk about how they’re made out of the same thing. Ask her to tell you which one she thinks weighs the most.
Teach your young child a love of language by offering him intriguing words—even if, at first, they seem too big for him to handle. For example, you might say, “This flower is incredibly beautiful.” Later say, “Isn’t it incredible that an insect as big as a bubble bee can fly?” Before long, ‘incredibles’ will float back and forth to you from your little sponge. Try these fun words: Flibbertigibbet (it means scatterbrained.) Rumpus room. Now come up with your own.
Laundry time can be learning time. Compare your son’s pants and your husband’s pants, and ask your toddler which one is the longest. Folding socks can be a lesson in colors, counting or matching. You can also teach the concept of a pair.
Love to take pictures? Why not give your child a disposable camera the next time you’re having a day together? Print and frame her photos and display them along with family favorites. What a boost to her self-esteem!