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Let Children Make Mistakes and Grow Up
When my grandchildren, Jack and Maggie, were small, I helped them make a chicken basket for Easter. It was made of two paper plate halves glued together. The pattern had the chicken facing sideways, with one eye glued on and a wing drawn on one side. When it came to gluing on the eyes, Jack had a fit because in his...
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Your Spark Station Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect, It Just Has to Work for Your Family
One of my favorite books is Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I’ve read it a number of times and seen several movie versions. I first read it in high school, and while most of my peers were bored stiff, I was mesmerized by the writing, the language, and the humanness and tragedy of the characters. There are many themes in...
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You Don’t Have to Know Everything to Help Your Child Learn
Whether your children learn at home, in a public school, or in a private one, you have probably felt this worry: “I don’t know enough to help them.” Some of us did well in art but were slow in math or loved science but hated English. Some parents have a degree in engineering but are clueless about English literature, and...
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Everyday Learning Ideas for Every Family
Some time ago, I read an article called “Afterschooling,” written by a mom who was also a teacher. The idea is simple: learning doesn’t stop when the school day ends. Parents can use after-school hours, weekends, and summers to help kids stay sharp, fill in gaps, or stretch further when they’re ready for more. It works whether your child is...