Big Kids

Looking back at my earlier parenting years, I can (sort of) laugh about all the nights spent awake, asking trusted Google questions like “ How can I get my baby to sleep through the night” or, “My daughter isn’t...

Located in the heart of historic Greenwood Park at the former Science Center of Iowa, Bergman Academy is an accredited non-profit private school, providing 3-year-old through 8th grade secular education. Class sizes feature a 16:1 ratio and emphasize differentiated guided...

I think I’m having issues with my kids getting older. It may be because my oldest started jr. high this year. Or because I have a new niece that I have been getting to snuggle with lately. The contrast between...

It's the most wonderful time of year! I love the smell of fall leaves and pumpkin spice candles/lotions/coffee/everything. I love tall boots, warm sweaters, and mittens for sports games. I love that my kids are back in school and...

I’ve been philanthropic in some way since I was very young. When I was 8, I scraped together literal pennies to donate to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. I collected them in a coffee can and handed...

Crayons. Everywhere. On the table, under the table, possibly a piece in her mouth. The resident toddler prefers them scattered everywhere. Perhaps that's how she best creates.  A little voice at the side of my bed wakes me at 1:30 a.m....

Let me start off by saying that my title is misleading. I don't think preteens (or young teenagers, for that matter) should have any privacy online. None at all. Hear me out. I am a teacher, so I realize the digital world can...

I took piano lessons from Kindergarten through my senior year of high school. The first few years were definitely a struggle—I hated practicing, I didn’t like my teacher, and I thought it was some kind of punishment that I...

Bedtime - Help Your Child Get Their Best Rest Back to school schedules are in full gear as we settle in to new routines. As parents, you know how important sleep is to growth and development for healthy kids. Here...

Back-to-school time is one of my favorite times of year. I get nostalgic about the excitement I felt as a girl and even as a college student every fall. Fresh starts. New pens and post-its. The crisp, clean pages...