Moms Inspire Learning

8 Ways to Balance the Scales of Parenting

There's no doubt that parenting is full of pressure these days. So many of us feel like we can never do enough for our children. Whether we stay home with them, or work full time, guilt seems to be a thorn in many of our sides.

If there was a perfect way to balance it all, what would our lives look like? I'm not so sure. You have to be careful with the word "perfect." It's really a useless word, isn't it? I mean, really. People can shine for a moment, but for a lifetime? Come on.

The Web of Genius in Children

"Be obscure clearly." I can't stop thinking about E.B. White's quote.

The author found his genius in writing, and once he wrote, "I can't remember any time in my life when I wasn't busy writing."

But is genius so often spelled out like the words woven into Charlotte's Web? True magic reveals itself in mysterious ways, so why should genius be any less extraordinary? 

Honest Tea, Honest Quotes

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." ~E.B. White

Isn't that a great quote? I found it inside an Honest Tea bottle cap. I love the Black Forest Berry flavor the best. It has less sugar than most other teas, and comes in a glass bottle (the ones in the glass seem to taste better).

Since E.B. White is one of my favorite children's authors, I decided to look for some more of his quotes. Here are a few more (from Brainyquote.com) that I love:

What color is your genius?

Imagine if, for just one day, every single person on the planet shared the best version of herself with the world. I'm not just talking about people smiling and being nice to each other (although that alone would be pretty amazing). I'm talking about people turning their inner genius inside out for all the world to see.

Wouldn't it be incredible to see everyone doing what they were meant to do? There would be no competition or jealousy; we'd all just do what we love most, and share our unique gifts with those around us. 

A day like that could only exist in a book, a movie, or a blog post.

When Lemonade, Math, and Creativity Collide

Economics and entrepreneurship aren't the only things you can learn with lemonade. In Barbara deRubertis' early reader, LULU'S LEMONADE (Math Matters), children (between the ages of 5 and 8) learn not only about measuring liquids, but how to turn a boring day into a creatively delicious one.

As Mattie and Martin toss around ideas in an effort to cure their boredom, they decide to enter a cooking contest. But who wants to cook on such a hot day? The solution is to make lemonade. What a perfect way to spend a hot summer day. And no stove is needed!

Are You Driving Through Stop Signs?

©iStockphoto/Christian Pound

I went for a walk around my neighborhood recently, and I passed a few stop signs. Each time I did so, I watched as at least one car approached. Out of 8 cars, only 2 of them even attempted to slow down! Now, I can hardly consider 8 cars to be statistically significant, but it happens every time I take a walk.

So, I got to thinking (walks and fresh air are great for that). First of all, how many of those cars had children in them? What kind of example are the adults setting for them? Second of all, why are people in so much of a hurry that they can't follow the traffic rules?

It occurred to me that there are many other types of stop signs that many of us are passing through on a regular basis. Here are just a few that come to mind:

The Fire Within

When I was a teenager, I worked at a frozen yogurt store in a small town on Long Island. I was by myself one day at the counter, when in walked Billy Joel! He lived nearby when he was married to Christie Brinkley.

I grew up listening to his music, and my heart probably skipped a beat when he walked in. He asked what flavors we had, and we didn't happen to have his favorite flavor that particular day. So, after a polite and brief conversation, he turned and walked out the door.

Did I ask for his autograph, or tell him how much I enjoyed his music? No. Even celebrities deserve some element of normalcy.

Lighting the Candle of Creativity

If I were to throw the word "creativity" out at you, what image would come to mind?

I think of art, or people who like to draw, paint, design, write, etc... I suspect many people would.

Of course, an image of preschoolers playing, building, and creating also comes to mind. That's when it all starts. So why does it seem to fade as we get older? How can we prevent that from happening?

Please read with a child today, and every day...

Happy International Literacy Day! I hope you find some time to read with a child today and every day.

Find out more about this special day, and how you can help promote the cause, through these links:

More Fun Sports-Related Reads for Tween/Young Teen Boys

When GreenGuy found out that a favorite author, Tim Green, had not one, but two new books out, we had to drop everything and go get them! I'm always happy to see my see my son reading and enjoying his books because as I've said before, he's such a positive role model.