I couldn’t be more delighted to share some very big news… My first kids’ cookbook is here! Almost. “Super Simple Baking for Kids” comes out on March 19. There are 55+ kid-tested recipes packed in here, every one of them baked by my own rascals last year, from muffins to cakes, scones, pizza and pies. We…
I’ve felt fat my whole life. Here’s what I’m telling my daughters so they can skip that.
“You’re looking pretty fat, Charity!” My grandpa used to say this when I came to visit as a kid. That was his actual greeting. A scrappy little girl with skinny legs and a poochy tummy, I looked like Eloise. Just substitute a mobile home on a tiny farm for the Plaza hotel and there I…
Stop saying “let me know if I can help”, and Just Take A tired friend’s kids for the day
That’s what I finally did and it was amazing. Not just for my friends either. Do you have a friend who’s going through a rough patch? With a new baby? A sick partner? Or just your average overwhelming modern life? I’ve had two families from church on my mind for a while now and here’s…
How Chores Changed My Kids: Plus Age-by-Age Appropriate Chores for Kids Under 10
We have four small kids, ages three, five, six and eight and after lots of trial and error, have finally settled on a chore system that everyone can follow and doesn’t ADD more stress to our lives. Chores are good for building character Why chores? Why not let kids be kids? Because it’s good for…
What to Put in Care Packages for People Experiencing Homelessness
What’s best to put in care packages for people experiencing homelessness? It was a couple of summers ago when my kids came bursting through the door clutching Ziplock bags full of granola bars, water bottles and more. “We made Good Samaritan Bags at church!” they roared. “They’re care packages for the homeless to keep in…
8 Ways to Give Back as a Family
There’s something so magical about the holiday season that brings out the best in people. Our list of ways to give back is certainly not comprehensive but if you’re trying to teach kids about generosity this year, these eight ideas will get you started. Pack “Good Samaritan Bags”. Fill large zip-top bags and keep them in…
You won’t always like dinner, and other life lessons I want my kids to learn
“So, what are the kids eating?” my friend asked, wandering into our kitchen. All I could do was stare at her blankly. My husband and I were hosting a dinner party for a handful of families, each with small children in tow. We weren’t there yet though. Pregnant with my first baby, I was totally…
How to get kids to try new foods: 8 Things I learned from the book “The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for each week of the year”
Hey, are your kids good at trying new foods? Let’s say you finally make that slow cooker recipe from the video you saw on Facebook. If your kids are like mine, a typical response might be any one of these: Thumbs up! One begrudging bite Small bodies slithering down their chairs like they’ve suddenly lost every last one…
Is your child hungry, or just tired? Why I stopped feeding snacks to kids who need rest instead
What to do when “Mommy, I’m hungry” really means your kid is tired. Once I started paying attention to how much sleep our kids were getting — and what happened when they didn’t get enough — it really clicked. The connection between being hungry and being tired. And it’s one that I want to course…
Why I don’t obsess over “healthy” food for kids (and what I focus on instead)
It’s true. I’m a food and parenting blogger with four small kids, and I’m still not focused on finding the “cleanest” ingredients, or stocking lunch boxes with this month’s list of super foods for kids. Just back off, okay bone broth? Like other moms who’ve had it with frantically bouncing back and forth between kale and…
The case for playing instead of “exercising”: How to hook your kids on staying fit for life
Our kids don’t “exercise”, they play. And it makes all the difference. As part of this month’s focus on teaching kids to take care of their bodies, today we’re talking movement! The Mayo Clinic says kids need 60 minutes of exercise a day (but not continuously) to thrive. But it almost sounds ominous. Like another…
Teaching kids character, one bite at a time
And just like that, I’m back. It’s been a long year off consulting full time for a giant non-profit organization. Helping them tell their story. Now I’m here again to continue with mine. This year we’ll talk about food, and plenty of it. Good-for-you food, kid-friendly food, easy food. But I’m also moving deeper into the…