Hopping on the gif train. Pick 3-4 gifs that highlight your week. Let’s play!

Ok, I took the day away yesterday. I hope you all had a lovely Saturday. Some of you may recall, I’m also a play advisor for a company called Discovery Toys. They have some of the best educational toys I’ve seen. Anyway, yesterday I was set-up at a local school for their spring fundraiser, introducing our toys and our community to local families. Let me say, the desire for play and more human connection is strong. Here are two of the most popular toys. Why do you think they are so appealing? How did you spend your weekend?

I keep saying that cooking, conversation, and play are the keys to our community and then realized, I’ve been neglecting the kitchen. Now, some of that is due to Mr. Science having been in Chicago for a month but mainly it’s me, being lazy. I’m going to fix that today. Since we were talking about boredom earlier, time to bring some fun into the kitchen. Lets bridge the gap between "nothing to do" and "doing something together." Your Assignment: Invite your child into the kitchen while you’re prepping a meal or a snack. No big "lesson" planned, just invite them into the rhythm of the work. Now time to get them involved: 🥔 For the littles: Give them a bowl of water and a whisk, or let them "scrub" potatoes. It’s sensory play that feels like helping. 🥗 For the middles: Let them be the "Official Taster" or the "Salad Architect." 🎙️For the tweens and teens: Invite them to be the Kitchen DJ. They pick the music and manage the vibe while you both handle the prep. What’s the "vibe" in your kitchen today? What was on the playlist?

Did you know, that when kids (or let’s be real adults) cling to screens it’s often because they are seeking a "flow state". You know, that feeling of being totally immersed in something. What if we could offer a similar state through play? Here’s your prompt: ⏲️ Set a timer for 10 minutes. No more, no less. Tell your child (no matter their age): "I have 10 minutes where I am all yours. What should we do?" The Rules for the Adult: 1. You must say "Yes" (within reason/safety!). 2. If your 5-year-old wants you to roll on the floor, you roll. 3. If your 15-year-old wants to show you a weird meme or a 10-minute "lore" video about their favorite game, you watch and listen without critiquing. How did you spend your 10 minutes? Did they surprise you with what they chose? I’d love to know.

Okay, I’ve noticed that almost every post in our feed starts with me. Here’s my challenge to the community. Starting 2/22 and ending 2/28 at 11:59 pm CST I Challenge you to make an original post sharing a win, sharing a tip or expertise related to parenting, or asking for help/advice. For everyone who posts, I’ll enter you into my Magic wheel of prizes and send a surprise picked just for you. I’m excited to hear from you! @Allan R., @Betty Jo Winters, @Brenda Chilstrom, @Janell Bitton, @Catherine McDowell, @Celia Kibler, @Daniel Cavaretta, @Erica Sisco-Dube, @Erin O'Neill, @Shelma Erikson, @Karen Gibson, @Jacqueline Hutchinson, @Janice Shoults, @Katya McEwen, @Lisa Vanderveen, @Mukkove Johnson, @Ramona Zihlke, @Shannon Boyer, @Yu-Tzu Huang If I missed tagging you, it’s not intentional. Please join us.