Peter – Peter is the dad of three kids, ages 5, 2, and 2 months (at the time of this writing!) He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science, and currently is the co-owner of WonderBrains. His playful creativity directs the business and his family time. Peter’s biggest gift is finding new ways to motivate children to learn, especially in the face of resistance.

Susan – Susan is a mom of three kids (see above) and married to Peter. She is a part-time stay at home mom, and a part-time co-owner of WonderBrains. Her favorite part of parenting? Seeing the world through a child’s eyes, again. The best example? Upon seeing his baby sister for the first time (swaddled), her oldest child asked, “Does she have legs yet, or does she still need to grow them?” Susan holds a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science.

Judy – Judy is a mom to two boys, ages 7 and 2, and gets most of her expertise through her experience with them. She is also currently a prekindergarten teacher in a privately owned preschool, but her teaching experience ranges from three year olds through seniors in high school. She holds a Masters in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction and Library Science. Judy’s passion is finding new and different ways to unlock the potential in each child.

One of my goals this summer was to get my son somewhat over his intense fear of bugs.  And that is exactly what it is – INTENSE. 

In the past, we’ve tried holding insects and other critters for him to see (we’ve never made it to touch), but even that is almost too much for him.  However, I want him to appreciate and respect nature and other living creatures, not necessarily FEAR them.

Then, we came across something so simple, I couldn’t believe how quickly his tune changed.

We gave him a bug jar.

Now, a bug jar doesn’t need to be anything fancy.  It can be a plastic tub with holes punched in the lid for air.  Ours however, was bought…a plastic jar with a lid and mesh sides.  You can also get quite extensive with your collection containers, depending upon how serious of an entymologist you may have on your hands.

Within an hour of having his newly acquired jar in hand, our older son found a most interesting beetle (better known as the common “stink bug”) on our sidewalk.  He opened his jar, gingerly held a stick on the ground for the beetle to climb, then quickly but gently put the stick in the jar, closing the lid.  And that’s when he became a different child.

An insect that would have normally sent him screaming for the hills was now sitting on his lap, separated from his skin by some plastic and a mesh screen.  And, he LOVED it.  We found our insect book (because when you are trying to teach your child to handle their fears, you invest in every possible tool) and looked up our specimen, determined how he lived and what he ate, watched him crawl around over dinnertime, and then we released him to the wild, also known as our flower bed.  The next day, our son was back out there, searching for his “new friend!”

Since then, we’ve caught a mayfly, a dragonfly, countless roly polies and an earthworm (short term, though…he needed the dirt!), and my son has been intricately involved in each bug’s turn in captivity.  We even watched the mayfly molt on the side of the screening!  And, through it all, we’ve learned more about “bugs” than we ever thought possible, and more importantly, we’ve learned to respect our bugs.

He still isn’t willing to do much touching, and I’ll still be the one to chase the houseflies out of the house and get the spiders out of the corners, but they might have to take a turn in the bug jar before we let them go now.

Wonderbrains carries an excellent line of insect collectors.  Be sure to check them out!

“Just one more, Mom!”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard this during a day, I could retire early.  Just one more sandwich.  Just one more push on the swing.  Just one more kiss goodnight.  Just one more song…one more book…one more, one more, one more! 

Well, it’s MY turn.  Here are the things of which I wish I had just one more…

• one more hour each morning BEFORE the kids get up.  I could get so much more done (on my Sudoku puzzle) if I just had some more time!
• one more gene to burn about 500 extra calories a day.  I figure that’s how many extra calories I eat off of the kids’ unfinished plates, and I really could use some help getting rid of those!
• one more bathroom.  I wouldn’t mind cleaning toilets if I could just have one more place to try and hide from my kids.  They already know where my bathroom is…no point in hiding anymore in there.
• one more hug.  Even when the day is at its worst, when my kids give me a hug, all the bad stuff melts away.  I can always use one more hug.

What are your “one mores”?

We were on our way home from our restaurant of choice (because they have an indoor play yard) with the kids one night, when our 2 year old son started shouting in a desperate voice, “DAD!  DAD!!!!”  Our immediate response was to find out what was so distressing that warranted a call reserved only for blood-related injuries.

As it turns out, the kids’ meal toys were being put to good use as pretend play was abounding in the back seat.  My husband and I were reproached for interrupting the “show”.  And, once we squared away that we were, indeed, not needed at the moment and could continue the drive home, all was right in the back seat again.

Pretend Play is one of the benchmarks of toddlerhood.  For their entire lives up until this point, children focus mainly on how toys work and how they feel/taste/smell/sound/look.  But, somewhere around the time that language acquisition explodes and children discover their vocal capabilities, they find that they can CREATE voice.  They can create many voices.  And, they can manipulate the course of events in a new world called imagination.

The thought processes involved in engaging in pretend play are phenomenal.  Not only is the child creating a character in their mind, but they are transferring that mental information into concrete action.  Many of these scenarios stem from real-life events or what they experience through external stimulation (books, TV, plays, even people-watching in a park). Sometimes, though, they are completely created off the cuff by the child.

How amazing it is to remember a few months ago where our child was happy to bang his belongings into the back seat window, leaving us with the fear of losing the window – and now?  Now he’s creating his own little world with his own mind, learning how the real world works and how things interact with each other.  He can safely try out newly acquired words and phrases.  And, he is using higher-order thinking by representing one concept with an object.

Next time you “catch” your child in one of these imaginary worlds, step back and watch the wonder of the human brain at work.  Pretending is definitely more than its cracked up to be!

These were the first two words out of my older son’s mouth after a mere 2 days into our summer vacation.  Frankly, I am surprised he lasted that long!  This is definitely my child that blossoms with routine and structure.  There must be a schedule, an expectation, an upcoming activity or an event or he cannot fully function.

Even on summer vacation.

Lucky for him, I am much the same way.  I thrive on routine (gee, wonder where my children get that trait?).  I am a to-do maker, a scheduler, a list follower.  And, when that routine isn’t in place, it is easy to have the old feeling of the doldrums settling in for the long haul.

Over the years, though, I have equipped myself with some quick and easy ideas to keep my child in check on those “boring” summer days.  They involve little preparation, and most of the supplies can be found around your house.  Best of all, they are perfect for summertime.

*PAINT THE TOWN!  Grab a brush (the bigger the better, and I always knew I’d find another use for the roller brush I couldn’t stand when I was painting the living room) and a bucket of water, then head outside.  Paint the car.  Paint a fence.  Paint each other!  And cool off at the same time.

*SCAVENGER HUNT!  This is definitely tops with my son.  Create a list of things for your child to find in and around your home.  You are only limited to whatever is in your area.  We’re keen on finding worms and roly polies outside, while our top inside choices are paper clips, small toys, and dryer lint!  Drag out those magnifying glasses and thinking caps and get hunting!

*LEARN A CLASSIC GAME!  Pick Up Sticks was one of my favorite games while growing up, primarily because of the challenge and the thought process involved in uncovering each stick without disturbing any others.  And, you aren’t limited to the actual game set to play the game.  Use whatever you have around the house: straws, toothpicks (with older children), and even crayons, pencils or markers.

*MAKE YOUR OWN POPSICLES!  While these do take time, anyone can make a popsicle.  All you need is a container and a stick.  We have been known to use ice cube trays, egg cartons, and paper or plastic cups.  And, as for sticks, plastic spoons are fun (toothpicks also work for older kids in small containers).  And, what to put in it?  Kool Aid is always a hit here, but even a water popsicle is great, as long as you and your child are making them together.  Add a couple of drops of food coloring to make them more exciting. 

As we all kick off summer, I hope your days are filled with more YAY! moments and not so many I’M BORED ones.