Integrating Feelings: Moving Day

This time of year, families are selling/renting homes, moving, and changing kids comfort in what they call home. You can find many people setting up for garage sales and big moving trucks in the driveways. Often times, kids feelings get overlooked as to what is really happening. Talking about what is happening, even if you think they don't fully get it, will help decrease stress.





Kids can then take a paper and decorate what they would want their new room to look like.

You might even get lucky in the box search to keep the kids busy while you pack. You can entice them that when they get to the new home, they will be able to decorate it. Which will keep them busy while you unpack, for a while.

Integrating Holidays: Memorial Day

The last Monday of May is a time when the grills might be fired for the first time. This marks the beginning of Summer and the end of school. However, the last Monday of May is Memorial Day. It was previously known as Decoration Day, but still recognizes the American solders that have died while in military service.

Since children will be outside this weekend, have some outside activities to play.
1. Collect large rocks with washable paint (red, white, and blue) and let the kids paint them. Place them around a gravesite of a soldier.
2. Enchanted learning has a great idea that will help decorate your BBQ area.
Visit: Enchanted Learning


Vocabulary words you can help the kiddos understand are:
veteran, honor, memorial, cemetary, May, sacrifice

Discuss them and help them understand the words in a sentence. These books will also help them learn.

Integrating Careers: Armed Forces Day

Armed forces day is celebrated around the world. According to Wikipedia

"The day was created in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five U.S. military branches – the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard – following the consolidation of the military services in the Department of Defense."

I love ABC books that describe what a persons job is like.



For many families, deployment is a hard topic for children. Here are a few books that help with that.


One of my favorite Christmas books, which helps my writing series, "The night before Christmas."


Thank you men and women for your dedicated service.
We love you.

Integrating Careers: Nurses Day

On May 12th, it is Nurses Day. It is one of the professions where I really am so grateful for their knowledge. They assist doctors in important surgeries and give reassurance to little children who have to give shots. (And moms that have to watch their little babies receive their first shots.)

So in honor of them, why not talk about them at home? Who knows, you might give a child an idea for a new career they never thought about.




An easy activity to follow would be a thank you letter for your personal nurse or someone you know that is a nurse. They would sure appreciate it.

Integrating Holidays: Mother's Day

Hallmark is going to make a lot of money this week. Why shouldn't they!? Dads, we are going to honor our favorite ladies: mom. Here are some books you can read to the kids to get them excited, ready, and wanting to make lists for what to do for mom.






Of course afterwards, to encourage writing, have them write out a list of things they can do for mom. For the younger kiddos, have them draw pictures while you write what it represents. You can pick the top items. Making and writing a mother's day card is also something you can do. Enchanted Learning has wonderful card making ideas!
Finally, dad, I bet if you took the kids out for an afternoon at the movies or bowling alley and left mom at home, she would not feel left out. You might even drop her off at a friend's house, so she doesn't end up cleaning!