Category: meet a parent

Feeding Traditions: Meet Line Daems

[ 3 ] 11.8.2012 | Leah Kent

Feeding Traditions is a series of interviews that explore the rich connections between food & family. When we talk about food, we are often talking about our history, culture, and traditions. Why do we eat what we eat? Who taught us how to cook? What recipes are linked in our minds with special occasions and everyday dinners? And what memories and skills do we hope to pass on to our children?

Feeding Traditions will give us a peek into our neighbors’ kitchens and celebrates the work we do to gather our loved ones around the dinner table. And it highlights the memories we all have formed around spending time with friends, family, and food.

Today Skill It interviews Line Daems.

read full story

Simple Summer Strategies for “Sensory” Kids

[ 5 ] 6.12.2012 | Carolyn Dalgliesh

I would like to welcome new contributing writer, Carolyn Dalgliesh, a professional organizer and “sensory” mom. She is the founder & owner of Systems for Sensory Kids, a leading-edge organizing model that teaches parents how to tap into systems, routines, and visual aids to organize and empower their rigid, anxious, and/or distracted children. Carolyn also does professional home and small business organizing through Simple Organizing Strategies. A native Rhode Islander, she lives in North Kingstown with her husband and two children. Although I long for a break from the school-year bustle, “sensoy” kids and others often benefit (and even thrive) on a bit of structure. I welcome Carolyn’s advice on how to “organize” our summer. – Anisa

read full story

Batchbook Superhero Contest Winner: Kidoinfo

[ 0 ] 5.24.2012 | Anisa Raoof

Totally awed and humbled that I’ve been granted “Superhero” status thanks to the folks at Batchbook. In honor of National Small Business Week, they selected me as one of their customers they feel deserved this award because of “my unflinching work to make the small business universe a better place.” Although I’m not in the same league as The Avengers (as my sons pointed out, since I do not have a cool suit like Iron Man or Black Widow and I did not gross a bazillion dollars last weekend), I try my best to make my community a better place by connecting families with local happenings and fun things to do with their kids offline. I first learned about Batchbook shortly after I launched Kidoinfo and realized I needed a better way to manage the myriad of people I meet on the playground, around town, and online. Thanks to Batchbook, I have made many new friends and business connections and am able to manage these connections to better run my business.

As a thank you, Batchbook delivered these awesome cupcakes to my doorstep yesterday. Deliciously made by Sin.

read full story

Creating Family Traditions: Teny Gross shares his ideas

[ 0 ] 12.29.2011 | Anisa Raoof

alternatives to participating in traditional holidays and commercialism:

• Set limits and establish a sense of proportion. Holidays always evolve, and are a mix of traditions (Christian holidays for example are a mix with Roman traditions). Our kids write letters to Santa and know that they will get 1 gift from Santa only and a few from us. (Luckily for the kids, their grandmothers do not always comply.)
• We get our Christmas tree on the weekend of our anniversary to share this special time with the kids. We buy the tree that we think no one else will pick. We choose the one that is crooked or homely so it has a home for the holiday.
• We do not give presents for Channuka. We celebrate the Jewish traditions in a noncommercial way.

read full story

Creating Family Traditions: Wendy Lawton’s Top 10 List

[ 1 ] 12.28.2011 | Anisa Raoof

traditions: tips / resources

Search your soul, your heart, and your memory bank for what is cherished. What values, ideas, and moments are most important to you? Make a list. Build traditions around the top of that list.
Traditions should be unique to you. Lather, rinse and repeat Step One.
Involve your family. What traditions do they want to continue, tweak, add? ‘Cause they’re, um, on this train, too.

read full story

Creating Family Traditions: A few of my favorites

[ 0 ] 12.27.2011 | Anisa Raoof

We celebrate, discuss and honor many religions and cultural celebrations in our home. We decorate a Christmas tree, light Hanukkah candles, attend a Seder annually at a friend’s home, and when my father fasted for Ramadan, we made a paper chain to symbolize how many days were left in his fast. Our kids are growing up knowing that people have different beliefs, religions, and traditions.

read full story

Creating Family Tradtions: Beth Curtin’s tips + resources

[ 0 ] 12.22.2011 | Anisa Raoof

recipe: Christmas Roll Cookies
2 cups flour
1/4 t. salt
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Combine flour and salt with a wire whisk. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed…

read full story

Handmade Holidays

[ 6 ] 11.20.2011 | Amy Hood

I like to make things; I always have. Through the years, my skills have grown, which certainly makes giving a handmade gift easier. But I sought to give handmade gifts long before I could sew or knit. I think back to student Christmases, or the years I worked for a non-profit, when my budget fell far short of my gift-giving list. I framed my own photographs to give to family. I baked homemade bread and packaged it with delicious organic butter. I made fudge. I worked, in other words, with the talents I had.

read full story

Parenting Simply: Rhythm

[ 4 ] 11.7.2011 | Allison Abramson

Today I welcome Allison Abramson as a new contributing write to Kidoinfo. A certified Simplicity Parenting© Group Leader, Allison is helping Rhode Island families slow down, and make space for the simple joys of childhood. In her monthly column, Allison will share ways we can reduce the chaos in our daily lives by making small, do-able changes at home that will strengthen family connections and create more time for fun! She lives in Providence with her husband and two little girls, where she blogs about their journey toward a Peaceful Life.

read full story

Hair Grows Back. Kids Don’t.

[ 2 ] 9.18.2011 | Guest Contributor

On Wednesday, September 21st, my daughters, Grace and Fiona, are going to shave my head. Their mom’s bald head won’t be a new sight for them. I shaved with the inaugural team of the 46 Mommas Shave for the Brave in LA last September in an effort to raise awareness of pediatric cancer and help fund a cure. We continue to work toward our $1 million goal and 46 new Mommas – all moms of kids with cancer – will come together this year in DC at Union Station and go bald.

read full story