Your children may be well-behaved, but even an everyday sweetie can turn sour on a long road trip.

As Modern Parents, we are constantly trying to balance screen-time. On a recent adventure, my husband Shad and I decided we weren’t going to bring our iPad. We stocked the car with books, markers, paper, and more. Our girls did just fine.

We on the other hand, were frazzled by the time we arrived at our destination. We usually use the “quiet time” the iPad creates between interactive projects for a casual impromptu coffee date.

We realized that the iPad is just as much for US as it is for THEM.

Bring activities & games on your trip, but if your drive is *really* long, don’t be ashamed of letting your children plug-in.

Below are three ways to keep your tech time educational:

1. Allow ONLY educational videos. If you make this a strict rule when your children are young, it is easy to accomplish without any hassles. If your children are older and this simply won’t fly, go with an every-other-video alternative. Additional tips:

• Reduce temptation. Remove shows that will distract your child from being happy with this rule.
• Keep it fresh. Stock iTunes or your DVD case with high-quality educational options. Stop by the library for a plethora of good titles.
• Let your child feel in control of the situation. Let them make choices. Only offer options that are acceptable, “Would you rather watch Electric Company or Wild Kratts?”
• Pick a standard statement and stick to it. If your child asks to watch something different continue to calmly use that statement over and over again, “Your welcome to watch educational shows on the iPad.”
• Bring head phones! Sometimes children need their own mental space. Be sure to bring some comfortable headphones for your children. We have this pair and our girls love them.

2. Get a well-done audio book from the library. Pick something you can enjoy as a family. You’d be surprised how many wonderful children’s novels you can get as audio files. If your children are old enough, I highly recommend Harry Potter. We have Mary Poppins on CD for our trip. If you are checking out discs from the library, be sure to make your reservation in advance to ensure you get your title on time.

3. Stock the iPad with educational apps. Banish Angry Birds. YES, sure… it helps children understand trigonometry. Take it off anyhow. Get some fresh kid-approved games. Check out these 9 awesome educational apps.

If you start to feel guilty about your little couch potato in the back seat. Keep this quote in mind:

“The greatest gift you can ever give another person is your own happiness.”
― Esther Hicks

Don’t be afraid to mix in a bit of technology on long trips. It will keep your little ones entertained and you sane. You’ll both be “Happy Campers” when you arrive at your vacation destination.

Happy Trails,

PS: What is your child’s favorite educational show or app? Let’s chat in the comments.
Thanks to Shawn of Awesomely Awake for sharing the aforementioned quote.

Let’s Lasso the Moon is proud to be an Amazon affiliate.  Click here to read our full disclosure.

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Ah, summer.

Families are busting out the bikes and I’ve noticed an interesting trend.

The kids are wearing helmets.
Mom is wearing a helmet.
Dad, well…

Maybe it’s just in my town or just an anomaly
and the limits of my personal experience aren’t
reflective of  societal norms.

The point is that I keep seeing helmetless dads with helmeted families.

If your kids are like mine, they won’t ask you why you’re not wearing a helmet.
They’ll tell you, “You’re making a bad choice,” or better yet, say
“We’re welcome to go biking as soon as you put on your helmet.”

Here are some responses you can use:

1. “Let’s bike to the ice-cream stand!”
2. “Look kids, if I wear a helmet, Phil will make fun of me. You don’t understand the social pressure of a 42-year-old man in the real world. I don’t have the emotional strength to deal with that right now.”
3. “You’re right, maybe I should wear a helmet. It’s that show verses tell thing. I get it! Huzzah!”

Hope that helps.

Happy biking,

The post Macho Macho Dad appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

Sunshine streams in and a quiet hum fills the room.
I see her expression and it makes me smile.

My daughter is in her zone of concentration.

My first instinct is to walk over and compliment her on the Kiwi Crate project she is working on. I fight the urge and sit tight. In the book The Artful Parent, Jean Van’t Hul cautions, “The world needs more and better creative thinkers.*” Yet, our children live in a world of constant distractions: television, video games, computers, extra-curricular activities, etc.

Q: How can we help our children become better creative thinkers with such an overabundance of stimulation?
A: When you come across a small moment of concentration, nourish it. Pretend your child doesn’t exist.

Below are 3 ways well-meaning parents accidentally break their child’s concentration:

1. Praise. When you see your child diligently working on an art project, if you’re like me, your immediate response is to go over and give a compliment. Hold your tongue. Save your praise for after the streak of concentration has naturally broken.

2. Observation. Do you remember that old 80s Rockwell tune, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me”? The feeling that someone is watching you can break concentration. Think about how frustrating it is to have somebody read over your shoulder! Try your best to avoid eye contact. Keep an eye on what he is up to with quick unintrusive glances.

3. Jumping up to help. Many well-meaning adults often rush in to “fix” things. In The Absorbent Mind, Maria Montessori explains that a child’s interest is more often based on the joy of overcoming difficulty than the simple task itself.

In other words, remember:

Our job as parents is to raise happy and competent adults. Short-term frustration grows into long-term independence.

Earlier this spring when Kiwi Crate discovered we were studying archeology in preparation for a summer trip to the Black Hills, they graciously sent our girls a “Dig into Dinosaurs” box. When the package arrived, I did what any working mom would do… I hid it.

I wanted to save it for that inevitable breaking point. You know, the moment when you simply need 20 minutes to yourself to finish a project, get dinner started… find your sanity. I stashed away “Plan B” knowing that within the green crate was EVERYTHING needed to entertain my daughter — all organized neatly within it. (AKA: no searching for pipe cleaners, glue sticks, or scissors.)

You’d think, since I’m a parent, the smile captured below is what would make me *love* Kiwi Crate, but it’s not.

THIS is the face that won me over:

I was tempted to check in, ask her if she needed help with directions, praise her fossil clay work… but I held back.

This is what I heard for the next 45 minutes.

{silence}

I needed 20 minutes to find my sanity. Kiwi Crate scored me 45.
Throw in a project so engrossing that it elicits this type of concentration?

I’m smitten.

PS: Need something to entertain your kids RIGHT NOW? Stop by Kiwi Crate’s free DIY Ideas collection on their website for
101 free kids crafts, educational projects, and recipes.

If you’d like to have a Kiwi Crate on hand for a rainy summer day, check out the sweet deal below.

*Citation permission: From The Artful Parent, by Jean Van’t Hul © 2013 by Jean Van’t Hul. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston, MA. RoostBooks.com

Information Source: The Absorbent Mind, by Maria Montessori

Disclaimer: Let’s Lasso the Moon is proud to work with Kiwi Crate as a partner for growing curiosity & creativity. This post contains affiliate links.

The post Foster Your Child’s Ability to Concentrate appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

There’s just one tiny glitch. . .
Vacations are hard on children.

There, I’ve said it.

But seriously. . . Think about the strain vacations put on a child: traveling in a hot car, sitting still on a plane, taking in all the new surroundings and strange faces, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, and coping with an uprooted family routine. With all these variables, even a dream vacation is bound to create some stress for your child.

Much of the tension for children comes from their feeling a lack of control over the situation.

So, once you get unpacked and settled in at your vacation destination, try to let your child relax
and gain back some of that lost control by being in charge for a while.

Here’s how:

Step #1. Give out an official title — Bend your knees, get down to your child’s eye level, and let him or her know in plain words, “You’re the official Family Leader this morning/afternoon.” Most children will grin from ear to ear at hearing these words.

Step #2. Truly turn the tables — Give your child the responsibility of keeping track of YOU. Say something like, “As the leader, it’s your job to always know where Mom or Dad is. Until lunchtime/dinnertime, YOU are in charge of watching ME.” (Even though you’re handing over this duty, be sure if your child gets distracted, he or she is still safely in your view.) Here’s some specific ideas of vacation Yes Moments:

~If you are at an amusement park, have your child decide which ride to go on next. Go get in line — even if you’ve already ridden it 12 times. Even if it has a SUPER LONG line. Even if it’s inappropriate for their age. Let the You-must-be-this-tall sign say “No” instead of you. That’s real-life teaching at its best.

~If you’re eating at a restaurant, have your child give his or her own order to the server. Consider planting fun suggestions like, “You’re in charge here. Should we order dessert first?”

~If you’re at a sandy beach, have your child be the head architect and you be his or her minion. Nothing pleases a child more than saying, “Dig, Mom! Dig!”

~If you’re hiking, have your child set the pace. Stop for every acorn.
Admire every leaf. And be sure to avoid saying, “Come on” or “Hurry up!

Step #3. Mean it — Don’t say it unless you truly mean it. Let your child really take the lead with where you go and don’t go, with what you do and don’t do. Follow through with your Turn the Table game and play by the rules.

While a commitment to the game is necessary, may I offer a few caveats:

• Offer leadership within limits. Don’t make it a “Yes Day” (Are you familiar with this popular children’s book?). The average child can’t handle a full “Yes Day” successfully — especially while on vacation. Don’t set your child up to fail. Pick a designated period of time. You can loosely say, “this afternoon” or you can be more specific and say, “for an hour.” Children will benefit from a period of yes moments. They don’t need an entire day where they get every crazy thing their little hearts desire.
• Have a Bailout Plan. Most children are well behaved when designated as the leader. If there is a meltdown or any serious problem, simply pull out your Love & Logic card. Kindly say to your little one, “This is so sad. Don’t worry. We can try again tomorrow.”

So, why not give ’er a try? Handing your child back a little control over an unfamiliar environment can really help calm nerves.

Where are you traveling this summer? Do you need help brainstorming safe Yes Moments for your child during your family vacation? Let’s chat in the comments.

PS: Thank you to Tiffany Dahle of Peanut Blossom for sharing the first two vacation photos. Find more travel tips from Tiffany on her site and on her Pinterest boards: Wanderlust, Road Trippin, and Simple Disney Magic.

Also, this summer our family is heading to the Black Hills. We are excited to hike in this national park. Here are six of our favorite Melissa & Doug toys for discovering nature! Click the image to see the full collection of Sunny Patch adventure toys.

Every Thursday through July, the Melissa & Doug blog — The Playtime Press — will give you the inside scoop from three top-rated blogger moms on their favorite tips & tricks for families on the go. Whether your travel plans include visiting a nearby city or heading clear across the country, your child will savor all the exciting adventures to be had along the way.

Be sure to pop on over to Pinterest to see the Melissa & Doug Traveling with Kids board!

2013 Blog Ambassador: Let’s Lasso the Moon is proud to be part of the 2013 Blog Ambassador program. We worked hard alongside Melissa & Doug as an affiliate to explore fun ways to keep children inquisitive and to promote classic creative play. This post does include affiliate links. Click here to read our full sponsorship disclosure.

The post Yes Moments appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

Call me a Luddite. 

Then the game changed, I found Instagram. Suddenly I was able to share photos of the girls with their grandparents in different cities, to SEE into the daily lives of online friends, and to capture everyday memories without hassle.

There is no happiness; there are
only moments of happiness.
{Spanish Proverb}

Last week I shot my 1,000th Instagram. Below are 100 of my favorite random moments of happiness.

Are we connected on Instagram? I’d love to see your everyday moments. You can find me here:
instagram.com/letslassothemoon

The post There Are Only Moments of Happiness appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

Mothers. How do you express eternal gratitude to someone on one day of the year? It seems sort of insignificant, doesn’t it?

The older I get, the more I struggle with gift ideas for my mother.  Yet, I know that, for my mother at least, what she really values is the gift of my time.  Fleeting time from her full-time working, part-time blogger, all the time parent, daughter.

Whether you live next door to your mother, or thousands of miles away,
this is a unique gift of time that will last through the entire year.

Gather all of your supplies: stationary, envelopes, pens, and stamps. Set aside a couple of hours.  Then write.  Short notes, long notes.  Share your words of thanks, words of wisdom, words of inspiration.  Whatever suits your own personal relationship with your mother (after all, we are all different, aren’t we?)  I recommend writing twelve notes in total (one for each month of the year), then addressing and stamping all of the envelopes in advance.

This makes things easier, because let’s face it, we all have good intentions, but this is exactly the type of project/commitment that gets dropped after a couple of months if you don’t plan in advance. 

Mail the first envelope for Mother’s Day and include a note explaining your intentions (or let your monthly notes be a surprise).  Set a reminder in your calendar for the first of each month thereafter and pop your notes in the mail accordingly.

Printable Stationary Inspiration (featured above):

Vintage Hanky Notecards | Eat Drink Chic
Have a Happy Day postcards | The Green Gal

Just Because Card | Susan Connor Design
Sweet pink and yellow notecards + envelopes | That’s Happy

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Meet Alison
Alison Butler writes The Petit Cadeau, a weekly blog about thoughtful gifting.
She loves snail mail, handmade gifts, and tea.

Connect with Alison online →
Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

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PS: Want to create custom envelopes? Stop by The Petit Cadeau for a DIY washi tape envelope tutorial.

The post Mother’s Day Gift that Last Throughout the Year appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

They say, “April showers bring May flowers” and our Seattle skies have definitely been rainy this month. But over the last few weeks, those sprinkles have often been mixed with sunshine, making the perfect recipe for rainbows. My boys {3.5 and almost 2} and I get excited every time we discover one.

Since I love creating learning activities based on things my boys love most, it was the perfect time to make a colorful alphabet rainbow that my oldest could use to playfully practice the ABCs.

You can download your own
free copy of the printable here.

How We Played

To start, I asked him one of my favorite questions, “What do you notice?” {I’m always blown away by the things he shares!} He immediately started naming letters he recognized: “Here’s an E!”

After sharing a few observations, I suggested that we point to each letter as we sang the ABC song.

26 letters later, I asked him to point to all of the red letters and then the blue ones.

We continued playfully exploring the letters of the alphabet for a few minutes using the prompts listed at the bottom of the sheet. Then I handed him a second copy of the rainbow that used big, capital letters. The learning continued with new observations and prompts.

The bright rainbow colors and touchable letters entertained my son for nearly 15 minutes. And now we’re anxiously awaiting our next rainbow sighting!!

Are you ready to enjoy your own rainbow hunt with the kids? Click here to download your free copy of the printable.

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Meet Malia
Malia is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay at home mom who shares hands-on reading, writing and math games at Playdough to Plato. Stop by to download a free set of alphabet tracing cards and follow the blog by email. Don’t forget to check out Malia’s last guest post Head, Shoulders, Knees and Post-Its. Huh?!

See all of Malia’s Guest Posts →
Connect with Malia online:  Facebook | Pinterest | Website | Google+ | Free email updates

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The post ABC Rainbow Game appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

Today I am over at Melissa & Doug sharing 3-Steps to Ensure Your Don’t Need a Vacation FROM Vacation.  One way to ensure your trip is stress free is to involve your children in planning the adventure. A family meeting is the perfect opportunity to empower your children by letting them be involved in vacation decision making.

Don’t panic. I am not suggesting you give your child free reign. I recommend following the Love & Logic approach in this scenario; offer your child choices you’ve already approved.

Below are a three tips to ensure your family meeting
about vacation-planning is successful:

• Do your research first — Attend your family meeting prepared to show your children activities, destinations, and choices that you’ve already reviewed. Come to the meeting with circled activities in brochures and websites already loaded on your computer.
• Avoid using the word “no”—  If your child comes up with an alternative activity, try to be positive. Buy yourself time by simply ending your discussion with, “We’ll have to research that option a little more.” If, however, the suggestion clearly isn’t appropriate, let your child know (using as few words as possible) and then ask, “Would you rather do [Option A] or [Option B]?”
• Use yourself as an example — Say things like, “I really was hoping to do [Option X], but it’s a bit too pricey for our budget. So, instead I’m choosing between [Option Y] and [Option Z] for my must-have activity.”

Not sure if these tips will work with your family? Let’s chat. Explain your hesitations below in the comments, and we’ll brainstorm solutions together.

PS: Thank you to Robert S. Donovan for sharing these amazing photos under Creative Commons. Sometimes I am just floored by people who generously share their work with us. Love his work too? Pop on over to his SmugMug page to purchase prints. He has a gorgeous collection.

The post Involve Your Kids in Trip Planning appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

1. “Oh girls, I accidentally forgot to give you one of your presents. I was cleaning and
I found it today.” *Let’s just say a Christmas gift in the middle of April generates a tad bit more excitement.

2. We started the morning off with a date at Starbucks. Mmmm, dual cinnamon rolls.

3. Three hour commute, BroStache never gets old.

4. Enjoyed the sunshine and lunch out on the town.

5. We stormed the state capital before heading to the theater.
*Movie Fanatics: Does this photo remind you of a set of classic hotel twins?

6. First row of the Mezzanine is the place to be when watching a show with children.

Want to know how we prepped for this adventure? Click here for 5 Tips for Fostering a Lifelong Love of Theater.

Question of the Day:

Have you seen any shows or musicals with your children recently?

The post Mary Poppins {in an Instagram} appeared first on Lasso the Moon.

Quinn smiles and waves from Lane One, “We’re doing flip turns!”
I give her a thumbs-up and stick my flipper-clad foot out of the water and say,
“I get to use flippers,” in a subtle ha-ha tone. I’m an insufferable one-upper.
Gotta work on that.

“Fins, Daddy.”
Whatever, know-it-all.
Gotta work on that.

I don’t like swimming. It hurts.
I’m not very good at it.

The choice was to sit and watch my girls for an hour and a half of swim team practice or to join the adult swim group being offered in the adjacent lanes. I managed to not puke after my 400 yard warm-up. I should have shaved my arms, legs, chest, and back to make it all a little easier. I had thoughts of buying a Speedo, but they were undoubtedly fleeting.

After the session, I complain to the girls about sore muscles, but I joined.

I want to learn and get better at things,
to show them how great it is
to learn and get better at things.

They’ve started to complain about sore muscles.
That’s what we swimmers do.

PS: Zina wrote a post sharing 7 Tips for Raising a Little Fish and making swimming lessons fun. Go check it out.

The post In the Next Lane appeared first on Lasso the Moon.