5 Wintry Experiments for Your Kids

Winter is a magical time for children and you can enhance their appreciation and understanding of the season by conducting simple, but serious science investigations right in your own home. Give your children a head start in mastering basic scientific methods of study by teaching them to investigate their world through prediction, observation, hypothesizing, estimating and recording their findings. Here are five simple snowy science experiments guaranteed to be both fun and informative.

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Coping With a Chronic Family Illness

If you or another member of your family is coping with a serious illness, you know the impact it can have on your children as they confront the anger and anxiety that can come with changing roles and routines. While each family's situation is unique, there are some common strategies that can be helpful for kids when another family member is very sick and undergoing treatment.

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Get Your Kids to Mind Their Manners

Today our children are subjected to a barrage of rude behaviors on TV, in song lyrics, in video games and online. If you want your children's manners to reach a higher standard, how do you counteract those external, powerful influences? You do not have to be Emily Post to encourage good manners in your family. A few simple tips can keep manners and kindness top of mind and spark ideas about customizing manners to suit your family.

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Help Kids Cope With Nightmares

It's a scene that rattles new parents and frustrates seasoned ones: your child screams from his bedroom in the middle of the night, startling you awake as you scramble to his room and find him sobbing and scared because of a nightmare. While we can't prevent nightmares from occurring altogether, we can take steps to better comfort our children after nightmares and establish bedtime routines that experts believe reduce the frequency of nightmares.

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The Value of Cultivating a "Yes Brain"

Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., is co-author with Daniel J. Siegel of the best-selling book "The Whole Brain Child" and, more recently, of "The Yes Brain Child: Help Your Child be More Resilient, Independent and Creative." Katherine Reynolds Lewis interviewed her on how parents can equip their children to thrive.

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The Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore

Between October 6, 2018 and September 1, 2019, the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is hosting a major exhibition, "Parenting: An Art Without A Manual". As per the museum's press release, "The hope of this exhibition is to deepen collective understanding of the challenges and importance of parenting ... "

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Volunteer on MLK Day of Service

Want to know the secret to a kinder, more compassionate world? Start setting the example when your children are young. To instill a sense of empathy, you can engage in volunteerism as a family to role model a generosity of spirit, time and materials. The upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is a great place to start. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your family volunteer project, and help your child gain lifelong compassion and an understanding of human dignity.

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Want to Succeed in a Sport? Play Another One

Young athletes, and more specifically their parents, often view specialization as the only means of achieving "success" in their sport. That simply isn't the case. Novak Djokovic, for instance, insists that the flexibility he gained from skiing improved his tennis game. So, as you consider what sports to choose, remember that it will give your child the chance to try something new. It will give them new friends, new skills and will exercise their bodies in a new way.

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Why Sleep Away Camp?

While you may feel apprehensive about sending your child to overnight summer camp for the first time, you might be surprised by the positive transformation you'll see at the end of the camp session. Not only does overnight camp provide kids with the opportunity to make lifelong friendships and life-changing memories, studies show that overnight camp also improves overall happiness in many children and can help kids learn how to navigate social situations later in life.

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Winter Resolutions That Bring the Family Closer

Winter is a quiet time for reflection. As the embers of holiday cheer fade, it allows us to see the things that need to be fixed. According to a recent survey, the average family spends only 34 minutes together on weekdays. Like fresh fallen snow, winter gives us a chance at new beginnings. Take advantage of winter's slower pace to reconnect with each other. If you need some inspiration, take a look at these 12 ideas.

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