It goes without saying that teachers are some of the hardest working professionals out there. Not only are they wrangling and educating our kids five days a week, but they often pay for the supplies out of their own pocket. With a new school year upon us, we asked teachers what kind of items they can always use in the classroom and here’s their wishlist.
Disinfecting Wipes
We love these Lemi Shine wipes because they are bleach free, made with biodegradable ingredients and kills over 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
Whether its having enough paper to print out worksheets or its used as a craft, teachers love having a stock of paper on hand. You can give the gift of paper easily on your next Target run by picking up a box for less than $20.
Hand Sanitizer
We've all come to value the importance of hand sanitizer the last year and a half––especially teachers. Help them stock up easily by grabbing a few extra bottles on your next Target or Walmart run, or order a huge bottle from Macy's to keep little hands clean.
Glue Sticks
For some reason, glue sticks are always in short supply, especially for kindergarteners! During back to school shopping, large packs are usually on big specials where you can snag 12 for less than $5. Your teachers will thank you!
Crayons
When you can find a pack of crayons for $4.99, why not shower your classroom with several boxes? Whether its for your kindergartener or fourth grader, crayons are always in high demand!
Paper Towels & Tissues
Spills, sneezes, messes, oh my! When it comes to paper supplies, school districts often shop quantity over quality––and can still run out. Teachers are always open to softer tissues and thicker paper towels if you can donate.
Single Color Packs of Construction Paper
Teachers will ALWAYS use packs of construction paper, but sometimes the most popular colors (like around holidays) aren't always in supply from the school stash. You can help by picking up a single color pack of larger sizes like 12x18 and gifting to teachers a month before the holiday approaches.
Treasure Box Items
We may not understand the draw of a sticky hand, but a full treasure box in the classroom is a huge help to teachers and students. Help your kiddos teacher with a donation of incentive items like fidgets, squishy toys and finger boards, all for less than $20.
Dry Erase Markers & Erasers
Little learners love to use small whiteboards in class, but erasers can either be terrible quality or in short supply. Grab a huge pack of pens and erasers on your next Amazon order to keep the dry erase fun going!
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Are you dreaming of snowy scenes, improbable romance, quaint small towns and cheesy but enjoyable dialogue? Then we’ve got the scoop for you! Hallmark has announced its annual Christmas in July event, featuring new movies and binge-worthy classics.
Starting the weekend of July 10, tune in to catch Crashing Through the Snow, starring Amy Acker and Warren Christie. Maggie (Acker) joins her ex-husband and his girlfriend Kate for a getaway to Aspen, Colorado. Before you wonder about the logistics of vacationing with an ex, don’t worry, love is still in the air. Maggie meets Kate’s brother (Christie) and we have to imagine sparks flying on the ski slopes.
Also on July 10, you can binge some of your favorite Hallmark Christmas selections from 2020, including Love, Lights, Hanukkah and A Tree Grows in Colorado. The following weekend, tune in for “Soap Sunday” because obviously Hallmark movies are exponentially better with soap opera stars. Keep an eye out for Cameron Mathison in The Christmas Club and Jesse Metcalfe in Christmas Next Door.
Finally, on July 24 and 25 you can start your countdown to the holiday in earnest with some of the greatest hits from Hallmark. Crown for Christmas,The Nine Lives of Christmas, and Christmas Under Wraps! Similar, but just different enough to keep you glued to the screen. Grab the wine, popcorn and enjoy some self care!
When it comes to home improvement projects, they don’t have to be complicated or require multiple trips for supplies. In fact, for these beginner design projects, you most likely already have the materials you need lying around, plus, they’re so easy, kids of any age can lend a hand (or two). The best part? You’ll get an interior design upgrade while spending some quality time with your kiddos without spending a ton of cash. Talk about a win-win scenario. Keep reading to see them all.
Brown terracotta pots can be so, well, boring. Give those beloved plants a brag-worthy container with materials you most likely already have laying around your house—think scissors, tissue paper and glue. Who would have thought that these basic materials could have you and your kids quickly transforming those ho-hum planters into their very own design statement?
Good to Know: While you can use plain white glue, grab Mod Podge if you can. It's an all-in-one type of glue that not only acts as a binding agent, it also seals and finishes your projects, makes them waterproof, and safe for outdoor use.
Project length: A few hours to let the coats of glue dry between applications.
Part science experiment part boredom buster, this spin-art-inspired project will cast rainbow rays on hot summer days. And if rainbows aren't your thing, choose a color scheme that matches your room decor—alternating black and white or blue and white stripes will look super chic.
Good to Know: You'll need to remove the grill front of the fan, which may require a screwdriver, and you'll thank us later, but please let the paint dry fully before checking out your handiwork.
Project Length: A couple of hours to let the paint fully dry before re-assembling the fan.
We understand the struggle—you have a blank wall in your home that is calling out for some artwork, but you want something personal and meaningful rather than a poster print you can find on Amazon. Well, nothing is more personal than using those little hands in your home to create a colorful alphabet art piece. If the whole alphabet seems overwhelming, just pick one or a couple of your favorite letters and collage them together.
Good to Know: If you are going to complete the whole alphabet, handprint the same colors at the same time. So, if you are starting with red, handprint all the red-based letters first.
Length of Project: A couple of "letters" can be finished in under an hour, but the whole alphabet may take a couple of days to complete depending on your kid's patience level.
For less than $15, your kids can customize and transform a basic white lampshade into a stunning conversation piece—bonus points for matching it to their decor.
Good to Know: The trick to achieving the ombre look is to saturate the top of the lampshade with spray paint and then let the paint disperse down the shade, where it will fade to white.
If you have a kid, you probably have an IKEA LACK table in your life. But this workhorse of a furniture piece (arts and crafts table, snack and dinner table) doesn't have to look like it came from a big-box store. Brainstorm with your kids about which game they love the most, and transform this piece of furniture by using self-adhesive vinyl in classic game board colors.
Good to Know: Plan to seal the vinyl with a clear topcoat to protect the vinyl from getting torn or rolling up at the edges.
Length of Project: A couple of hours to measure, adhere vinyl and seal.
Click here for the how-to. (Tip, the IKEA directions for this project default to Swedish but just click translate and you'll get the easy how-to in English).
Before you donate that used piece of furniture, see if you and your home improvement kids can breathe new life into the piece by upcycling it with this clever DIY painting project. Decide which colors and what type of design you'll use, and then with just a sponge brush and fabric paint, you'll miraculously have a new chair in the house the kids can fight over.
Good to Know: Kids can design and cut a sponge into a shape—a star, a heart or a cloud are all good ideas—and use that to create a pattern on the chair.
Length of Project: A few hours to let the paint dry.
This project combines all the things we love about an easy home improvement project—learning a new skill and recycling materials you already own to create something new. This t-shirt rag rug is ideal for someone who has been saving (or refusing to depart with) their t-shirts for nostalgic reasons. You can keep the color palette tight by choosing t-shirts in just two-to-three colors or you can use everything you have—there are no rules here.
Good to Know: A combination of 15 men's and women's t-shirts makes about a 30-inch rug.
Length of Project: Depending on how quickly the braiding is done, plan for this project to take a couple of hours over a couple of days.
Everyone needs a spot in the house to hang their favorite pictures, awards and artwork. Enlist the kids to help create their own memo board above their desk. They can help measure, cut the cork to fit the space and glue them into place.
Good to Know: While these bloggers choose to back the cork with a wood backing to minimize pinholes in the drywall, you can skip that step if you are okay with potentially having to fix the wall down the road from overzealous pinners.
You've heard of tie-dye but have you tried ice dye? This DIY project is more like a science experiment, but whoever said home improvement and science don't mix? The cool effect is part watercolor, part marbleization, part tie-dye, and we couldn't be more excited to try this with our kids. First on our project list? A couple of throw pillows and then a plain white duvet cover.
Good to Know: This project can be messy and dusty—plastic gloves and a mask are essential for everyone involved in this project.
Nothing improves a home more than some good old curb appeal. But those unsightly rain barrels, while a good thing for the environment and your plants, are typically not so pleasing to look at—until now, that is. You can make your own if you don't have one already, but don't stop at just a plain old barrel. Grab the kids and paint, and decorate your container to be a bright spot—rather than an eyesore—in your yard.
Good to Know: Choose exterior paints and think about sealing the outside so your design can last season after season.
Mother’s and Father’s Day is around the corner and Workman is getting ready to drop the cutest gifts. This year, instead of the traditional flowers and ties, the publishing house is sharing two new adorable fill-in books from kids to their parents.
Each book is packed with color, prompts that are easy for kids to follow and a letter to parents from their child. Kids get to use their own words and drawings to tell mom and dad just how amazing they are. Some fun prompts include “your favorite animal is ______” and “you are terrified of ______” so kiddos can tell the complete story.
You’ll also get a sheet of full-color, illustrated stickers, and a die-cut cover so littles can draw a picture or glue in a photograph.
You can purchase the books about mom and dad starting Mar., 30 on Amazon for $9.95 each.
While many parents start looking for a daycare as soon as they find out they are expecting some parents are delaying preschool or daycare and are choosing to start with a nanny. Before the age of two babies can get a great deal of social interaction from just their immediate family and a caregiver. Eventually, parents start to look at daycare to provide an opportunity to truly practice playing with others.
With the onset of COVID-19, many parents have been forced to delay their toddler’s entry into daycare or preschool. Also, with fewer in-person classes and storytimes available, toddlers are missing out on valuable opportunities to practice their social skills and interact with other kids their age.
A big concern for parents who are delaying preschool or daycare is that without the typically structured setting of a daycare or class their child is going to fall behind. However, there are things you can do at home with your child to help mimic some of the things they would learn at daycare. Practicing these things right now will help your child be more prepared when you do feel ready to send them.
Keep a Schedule or a Routine
Daycares tend to follow a routine or a schedule at all ages. This helps the child understand what to expect and not be taken by surprise when it’s time to end one activity and transition to the next. Parents can implement a similar routine at home. Every minute does not have to be planned out but having fixed times for meals, snacks, rest, and free play can help establish calm and order at home. It also helps kids gain independence as they begin to anticipate what’s next and take pride in knowing what to do next.
Practice Sharing
Let’s say you’re coloring with your toddler and he or she demands the red crayon. It can be easy to quickly hand it over to avoid a massive tantrum but that’s not going to teach your child how to interact with his or her peers. Instead, tell your child that you are still using it and will hand it over when you are done. Then take 10-15 seconds to finish up and give your child the crayon. They will start to learn how to ask and how to wait when someone is not done using an item they need.
Establish Mealtime Rules
It might be ok for your child to walk around the house with a snack in one hand and a favorite toy in another but at daycare, it’s expected that they sit down and eat nicely with others. Snack time and meal times are a chance to connect with others in a different way than they do when they play. Create a routine where you eat meals together at the table. Perhaps serve certain items family-style so that your toddler can help practice serving themselves and others. You can even infuse math into snacktime by helping your toddler count crackers or pretzels for both of you!
Encourage Independence
At daycare, your child will be one of several which means that they will not be able to ask the caregiver to do everything for them. Find ways to help your child become more independent. Here are a few skills to work on:
Can they take their shoes on and off or can they at least bring you their shoes and socks?
Can they put on their coats themselves? (Tip: Google “coat flip trick” for an easy way to teach this)
Can they throw out their own trash?
Do they help clean-up when it’s time to end an activity?
Do they help with chores like putting away laundry or wiping down a table?
Do they know how to ask for help?
Can they wash their hands with soap?
Practice Using Messy Materials
As a parent, we often avoid activities that have a high likelihood of making a mess. That includes things like glue, paint, glitter, markers, etc. While parents love receiving a homemade craft from their child they also love it when their child makes them at daycare and they don’t have to be the ones to clean-up. However, it’s important that you give your child plenty of opportunities to practice using messy materials. Learning how to use things like glue and scissors is an important milestone in childhood development. Teach your child how to make a mess responsibly by putting down a mat or using a tray to help contain the materials. Invest in a child-sized smock or keep an old large t-shirt handy when doing things like painting. Lastly, make sure you are not cleaning up alone. Your toddler will love the opportunity to wash brushes in the sink and sweep up sequins (warning: there is no magic vacuum that is able to pick up all the sequins).
Delaying preschool or daycare is a tough decision for any parent. But you shouldn’t focus too much on how much your child is missing right now due to COVID-19. Providing a safe and loving environment at home will help your child grow even without the presence of peers. Remember that most parents are going through the same thing as you so it’s likely that being around peers will be a new experience for many children. Lastly, children are incredibly adaptable and will quickly get up to speed when they do have the chance to be more social.
Shefali Shah is the Co-Founder of Upfront, the company that makes prices public and searchable in the daycare industry. She was formerly at Google and loves exploring new cities, making elaborate recipes, and finding reasons to celebrate with family and friends. Shefali resides in Baltimore, MD with her husband and two small children.
7 Reasons Why You Should Never Reveal Your Baby’s Name Choice
We’ve all been there…that exciting moment when you and your spouse finally determine what your babies name will be. Perhaps you have a few options, maybe a boy version and a girl version. The name is occupying your thoughts and you have this secret that just seems too good to keep between the two of you.
It all starts out innocently enough. You are at a gathering, and several months pregnant. Someone will ask you the standard pleasantries… “You look great how do you feel? Do you have any morning sickness? Boy or Girl? Have you picked out a name?” The logical part of you quickly sends a signal to your brain saying “Don’t tell anyone this name we picked out. Nothing good will come of it. Keep it a secret as long as you can. Come on it’s only a few more months!!” And just like out of a cartoon where you have a devil and angel on each shoulder that other more emotional, do-it-if-it-feels-good portion of your brain says “YES! Tell them! You love that name and should feel so proud of what you came up with. It’s the best name ever and who wants a secret anyway. Besides its perfect they will love it!! Do it! Tell them!”
I am here to tell you why keeping that name a secret for just a few months longer is always the best option. I had a friend who had 10 sisters and female cousins in her age range growing up and in order to make sure no one ‘stole’ a baby name each Christmas they would be allowed two names that they could save. They would put the names down on a piece of paper, read them out loud to the group, and then put them in a safe. Once the name had been written down it was yours. I’m not saying you need a vault but hear me out as to why it may be better to keep this wonderful news to yourself.
1. It’s a fun secret to keep with just you and your spouse: It can be a thing just for the two of you. While everyone else is calling your baby “Baby XYZ” or “the little one” the two of you can rush home after a night with friends and say the name over and over. You can tease each other when one of you almost slips up and refers to the baby by their name, correcting yourself quickly (my husband did this several times and I was always impressed at how fast he recovered).
2. Nobody will ever love it as much as you do: Let’s face it, unless the person you are telling the name to has THAT EXACT NAME they will never love it as much as you do. And why would they? It’s not their baby, it’s not their name choice. They will like it of course, but it will never be the response you want which I imagine if you are like me at all sounds something like “OH MY GOSH THAT IS THE MOST PERFECT NAME I HAVE EVER HEARD! YOU HAVE STRUCK THE BALANCE BETWEEN CLASSIC AND MODERN, WHIMSICAL AND SERIOUS, CUTE AND CLEVER. THIS NAME SURELY WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY”. Yeah that won’t happen.
3. Everyone will ask if you named baby after most famous person with that name: You know this drill. You’ve likely pulled it on many of your friends and co-workers and probably didn’t realize you were doing it. It goes a little something like this.
Person 1: We are naming our baby Brad. Person 2: Oh like Brad Pitt? Person 1: No Brad is my husband’s middle name.
Or this…
Person 1: We are naming our baby Celine. Person 2: Celine… after Celine Dion? Person 1: No, Celine is Latin for “Heaven”. Person 2: Oh Ok.
4. You will learn the weirdest person someone knows with same name: Now I am guilty of this time and time again, even if I don’t say it out loud. But I know many people who do. Here is how it goes: “Oh you are going to name the baby Patrick? <Long Pause>. I knew a Patrick in elementary school. He used to eat my glue”. The *only* time this strategy pays off is if you happen to know the coolest person the person you are telling ever knew, and if your baby shares that same name. That likely won’t happen. It will always be a glue-eaters name.
5. They might take the name for themselves: I know this probably won’t happen. People are good and know how important naming will be. But you do run the risk if you tell of THINKING they stole the name. Likely they already had it chosen for their future child and when you spilled the beans they didn’t want to rain on your parade saying “That’s going to be our baby name too in the distant future! Our kids will be twinsies and now will both get to go thru life putting their last name initial after their first name from now until senior year”. Nope. They won’t say that. And then in 5 years when you have long moved away or switched jobs you will be trolling on Facebook and will see that “Oh my gosh they copied my name”. Not worth it.
6. Once baby is born people can’t object or give other suggestions: When a baby is born they more or less lock in the name. Even if it’s a terrible name, or the glue eaters name outsiders will simply look at that beautiful baby, hear the name and say “I love it. It’s perfect”. Bingo.
7. So few surprises in life keep this as long as you can: In today’s society everyone wants information all the time regardless of how relevant it is. People love a spoiler. I’ve clicked on articles with the headlines “You won’t believe what happened on last night’s episode of Game of Thrones- Spoilers Ahead” and I don’t even watch that show! I just love a good spoil. Your friends and family, no matter how much they beg to hear that name, will be delighted when the baby is born and they get to hear the unveiling of the name. It’s very royal family. And everyone loves a well-kept surprise.
Once your little bundle arrives, be sure to capture all the sweetest moments—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.
Janelle is a Pacific Northwest native who escaped the rain and now resides in the Bay Area with her husband and their two sons. A tech industry leader by day and a craft mommy reheating up leftovers by night, just balancing a house of cards as best as she can.
With the amount of time many of us spent in loungewear this year social distancing from friends and family, it’s not surprising that we also spent much of our free time glued to the television. From streaming movies to kiosk rentals, Redbox just released their top rentals of 2020. While there are a few no-brainers that made the list, you may be surprised that there are actually a handful of family-friendly flicks. Read on for the full list and then hop on over to our story all about the best 100 movies kids need to see before they grow up.
Jingle bell rock the holiday season with an easy Christmas wreath. We’ve gathered up 20 affordable simple wreaths to make yourself, from reindeer wreaths to horizontal wreaths to easy wreath making for kids. Whether your Christmas decorating style is simple and classic or bold and bright, you’ll find out how to make a Christmas wreath like a pro. Put on your favorite carols, grab your glue gun, scroll down to get started.
We love craft projects that are easy to make and make an elegant statement, and this lovely wreath is both. The aptly named Simple Circle Wreath on store-bought macrame hoops plus seasonal greenery. Plus, it'is easy enough to make that you can create a trio—or more—in less time than it takes to watch Frosty the Snowman. Find out how to make one of your own at Alice and Lois.
Make a candy-colored wreath perfect for Whoville with a bag of bright balloons. It's an easy fun take on the traditional Christmas wreath. Even the biggest Grinch won't be able to resist it. A Subtle Revelry shows you how you can make your own.
You will be parent of the year after baking this delicious gingerbread wreath. We love that it's a fun, festive twist on the traditional gingerbread house. Plus, your kids can get in on the action by decorating gingerbread boys and girls. Bonus? The key ingredient for this edible wreath is Pillsbury's refrigerated gingerbread dough, so even reluctant bakers can make it. Simply roll the dough, cut out shapes with your fave holiday cookie cutters, and layer them on top of an edible wreath. Find the step-by-step instructions here.
MADE Everyday offers up an Acorn Wreath that uses - you guessed it - acorns to create a modern, streamlined look. This DIY wreath doesn't require much in the way of craft skills, but since you have to glue them on one by one it may take an afternoon. Once you're done gluing, you can customize the color to match your holiday decor. Put on your favorite holiday music, get out the hot glue gun, and jingle all the way to MADE Everyday to find out how to make your own.
Impress Dasher, Dancer, and Vixen with this easy DIY reindeer wreath. Pom-poms add a fun touch, and the bells will jingle each time your door opens. Jess at Make and Do Crew shows you how to make your own and add a touch of Rudolph to your Christmas decorations.
Rows of ribbon plus hot glue = an easy DIY wreath. Pick up a few rolls of extra-thick grosgrain ribbon and a wreath form, and follow the step-by-step instructions from Kimbo at A Girl with a Glue Gun. This wreath is also super-affordable, leaving lots of pennies left over for fun stocking stuffers.
Want to add sparkly fairy light fun to your front door? Simply add a strand of lights to any store-bought wreath to make it extra special. In five minutes flat, you’ll have a festive decoration to dangle from your door. Head to Lights4Fun for the step-by-step and photo inspiration. Twinkle twinkle, little wreath.
This wreath includes a fun activity that also gets kids out of the house! Gathering pine cones from the backyard or a local park will provide most of the material for this peppy wreath. Plus, this one comes together for less than $10! Hop over to Make and Do Crew for the full tutorial from DIY wizard Jess.
Make a big statement with a huge wreath that takes a little time, but not a lot in the way of specialized crafty skills. Buy out all the ornaments you can find at the Dollar Store in your fave colors, and get gluing. This beautiful, bold wreath will be one you'll love to use year after year. Sweet Pickins Furniture will tell you how to get it done.
Everything’s more fun in color—especially when they’re extra bright colors, like those in this paper wreath from A Subtle Revelry. Plus, all the cutting required is good practice for your kiddo’s fine motor skills. Start on your way to delightful color block décor by following the DIY details here.
Bubbles of festive burlap come together to create a base for candles in this tabletop wreath. Add a few golden baubles, and you’ll have a centerpiece that will last you until the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. Get the directions for exactly how to scrunch up that burlap at Adina Justina.
Looking for a nontraditional way to spruce up your front door? Gather up greenery to make a dangling horizontal wreath, and then visit Minted Julep for all the steps to build this refreshing wreath. You'll have a simple, organic shape to brighten the inside or outside of your holiday home.
Got crafty kids? Look no further. These sweet mini-wreaths from Say Yes are a project you and your sidekick can tackle together with little more than a bag of cranberries and a seasonal soundtrack of your favorite carols. Plus, these combine place cards with bright wreaths for holiday-perfect place settings.
Nothing Bundt Fun
Amber Guetebier
If you want some bling for your door but don't have a lot of time, take a peek at this cool upcycled wreath. Using an old bundt pan, ribbon and a little flair, it’s nothing bundt fun for your little helpers. You can even skip the painting step and go with copper or silver to make it extra easy. Get the whole tutorial here.
An eco-friendly take on the classic rag wreath, this version requires the yellow or white pages, paint, and lots of glitter. Get the whole tutorial over at scrumdillydilly.
If you can't possibly imagine making a wreath without evergreen boughs, then this basic wreath tutorial from Delia Creates is just the ticket. Snag a few loose trimmings from your fresh tree, grab twinkle lights, and head over to Delia Creates to discover the secret way to create a perfect circle.
Bells will be ringing, are you listening? Give your jingle bells a place to hang with this charming front door decor. Gather a blank wreath form, burlap, and silver bells—you'll be on your way to holiday cheer in no time. Don’t think you’ve got what it takes to whip up your own? After taking a peek at the how-to over at The Nerd’s Wife, we’re betting you’ll change your tune.
Another creative take on holiday wreaths, this button wreath thought up Jackie over at Happy Hooligans is a great project for a crafternoon with the kids. You’ll need buttons of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Grab the tutorial over at Happy Hooligans.
Is there anything a mason jar can’t do? These adorable wreath ornaments are the work of Sarah, the crafter-mind behind Sadie Season Goods. Using various types of materials and trimmings, you can easily whip up your own. Psst! These make great gifts! Skip over to Sadie Season Goods for the how-to.
This year will be remembered as many things, but one of them will be the year that the word “lockdown” became a pervasive part of our lexicon. The world’s first glimpse into what life almost permanently inside might be like was when chilling photos emerged from China of apartment doors being welded shut. It could never happen to us, though, thought many of us, here in the West at the time. Boy, were we wrong.
I’m from Melbourne, Australia, the city that has to date endured the world’s longest and strictest lockdowns. Right now, we have technically eliminated the coronavirus, an enviable achievement indeed. But what we had to endure to get here was crushing, oppressive and, quite frankly, one of the biggest challenges I think most parents have ever faced. Despite that, my main takeaway has been that it has made me a better parent. Here’s why.
When our premier first announced that we would enter our second lockdown in July (after already having endured a 50-day lockdown earlier in the year), parents everywhere in my state let out a collective moan. The lockdown we entered, which became increasingly stricter over the weeks that would follow, involved all children learning from home, all parents working from home, the closure of all restaurants, and the closure of most outdoor public spaces (including all playgrounds, which were taped shut with barricade tape). Initially, the lockdown was meant to last 42 days. 42 days at home with the kids and not much to do, I bemoaned. Netflix will get a workout, I thought to myself.
Unlike the first lockdown, which had a sense of novelty to it, this second lockdown, which it seemed only Melbourne was experiencing, was deeply depressing. As days melted into weeks and weeks melted into months, it became obvious that we weren’t beating the coronavirus. As such, our government made the lockdown even stricter. After about five weeks, we were only allowed out of our house for one hour a day, and we were not to go more than five kilometers from our homes (and we weren’t allowed to drive to the local park, either. Driving to exercise wasn’t allowed). We were only allowed to go to the grocery store once a day and we had to go alone. Councils even taped off local park benches so we couldn’t sit on them.
In the beginning, I have to say, I was a terrible parent. Every morning I would be glued to my phone, checking the latest coronavirus numbers and getting stressed about our lack of progress, all the while totally ignoring my children. After I’d checked the news, I’d inevitably get trapped in a cycle of feeling sorry for myself. Everyone in Australia (and seemingly, the world) was out enjoying their summers and living their lives, while I couldn’t even go back to the grocery store if I forgot something. My children, aged two and four, would inevitably get sick of their toys, books, and YouTube by lunchtime, and we’d all spend the afternoon frustrated and over it. It seemed like we’d tried every craft activity, we’d baked every cake, and we had built every blanket fort there was to build. They were over it. I was over it. I started to get a tiny bit resentful of all the non-parents in my network. They could get fit, learn a new skill, or even write a book! I remember thinking, while I’m stuck at home arranging toy cars in a line for the twenty billionth time.
About six weeks after the lockdown started, I woke up with a bit of scratchy throat. Throughout the day, it got quite a bit worse. I was absolutely terrified that I had caught the virus, and even more terrified that I’d somehow passed it to my unwell father, who I had been caring for and would be considered high risk if he caught it. I also knew that if I had it, I’d have to quarantine myself in a bedroom for two weeks so I wouldn’t pass it on to my family. That thought terrified me too. My husband’s job didn’t enable him to look after the kids and at that time, babysitters weren’t allowed, so I had no idea what we would do.
I lined up for three hours that afternoon and got the test. They said it would only take 24 hours to get the results. I went straight home to bed and didn’t sleep at all that night. What if?
The next morning, my test results arrived. Negative. I was so relieved. And suddenly, what stretched out in front of me didn’t seem like such an ordinary day. It seemed like a day where I could be profoundly grateful for what I did have.
After my coronavirus scare, my attitude toward being stuck at home did change for the better. There were many days where we did the same things and I can’t say I found them any more interesting. But there were also some quiet moments when my children were playing together where instead of feeling frustrated, I just felt lucky. Lucky to have two healthy children. Lucky that my family was safe. And lucky, I think, that when the lockdown did eventually end after a punishing 112 days, the outside world waiting for me would seem even more vivid and exciting than ever before.
In our most frustrating moments, when every day is the same and it feels like there is no hope in sight, it is difficult to be a great parent. But what lockdown taught me was that my children were better—and I felt better—when we tried to be grateful.
Teigan is a passionate nature lover, traveller, ballet dancer, writer, mom, wife and the proud co-founder of Ethicool Books. After losing her mom when her son was five weeks old, she's determined to make the world a better place by encouraging children to take action on the world's big issues.
What if there was a DIY Worry Box that helped reduce your child’s worry, improved her sleep, and gave you a fun activity to do with her? What if the idea behind the craft was based on research-based strategies that successfully lowered anxiety? Would you be interested? Of course!
More than ever, we need help reducing our anxiety. Research shows that the mental health toll on children (and their parents) from the pandemic is growing. In other words, our children are showing ever more symptoms of anxiety, poor sleep, and feeling lonely and uncertain. With online school, we expect anxiety to only get worse. In addition, many parents are with their children 24/7 and are desperate for activities that will calm their kids. A DIY Worry Box offers a way to keep the worries in check, improve sleep, AND make a fun craft.
As a child psychologist who specialized in work with anxious children, I often had kids write down their worries and put the paper in a “Worry Box.” The relief for most children was immediate because they could name their worry, write it down, and then put the paper into a closed container. The worry was contained and felt more manageable. Initially, I used a simple box with a lid and named it the Worry Box. With the writing of my children’s book on worry, the Worry Box was enhanced to be a child-created monster that can be as unique, crazy, or silly as the child wants.
The simple-sounding idea of putting a written worry in a Worry Box (containment) comes from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is widely regarded as the most effective way to manage anxiety in both children and adults. Before learning to make the Worry Box, let’s learn more about containment and why it is so effective.
Containment
Containment is one of the basic principles of CBT. An analogy can help to understand it better. Imagine a yellow dandelion flower. The immature seeds are contained within the yellow flower and are not reproducing. But when the flower changes to a white fluffy seedhead, the mature seeds scatter in the wind.The seeds are no longer contained and they spread everywhere! Soon there are hundreds of new dandelions. If only you could contain all those seeds before they spread.
Now imagine that the mature dandelion seeds are worries. With the slightest provocation and without a container, worries can scatter everywhere. The worries can spread to bother a child (or an adult) anywhere and anytime. If you were just able to hold the worries in a container, they would feel manageable. You know you CANNOT contain mature dandelion seeds, but you CAN contain worries!
How to Make a Worry Box
Children will feel more in control (and have fun) if they are the ones to make their own container to hold their worries. You can make a worry box out of any kind of container. This Worry Box is designed to look similar to the big green Worry Monster in the author’s book. The difference between a Worry Box and Worry Monster is that the Worry Box holds your worries for you (a good thing) and the Worry Monster takes the worries in so he can grow bigger and scare you more (not so good).
For this Worry Box, supplies include a tissue box, chenille pipe cleaners, wiggle eyes, glue, an egg carton, acrylic paint, markers, stapler, puffballs, and foam sheets.
1. Paint the tissue box with acrylic.
2. Cut the foam to make teeth and hands.
3. Stick pipe cleaners into the box sides for arms and then staple the hands to the arms.
4. Cut and glue an egg carton for the top of head and glue on eyes.
5. Stick a pipe cleaner in for the sign and write “FEED ME WORRIES!”.
That’s it! A tutorial on how to make the box will be available on my website.
Your monster could be any color and have anything added to it. There are endless ideas on the internet. Let this monster be your child’s creation. The important concept is to have a mouth or a slot where your child can insert a paper with a written or drawn worry.
How to Use a Worry Monster Box
The Worry Box is ideal for preschoolers through teens. After the box is made, show your child how to use it. Tell her that when a worry pops up, she can write or draw the worry to put into the monster’s mouth. If necessary, you can write the worry for her, but you shouldn’t get into a big discussion about the worry at that time. The main ideas are that the child is learning to contain her worry with very little adult help and the worry is being released from the child into a container. Tell your child that any number of worries, big or small, can be put in the monster’s mouth.
Ideally don’t peek at the worries, instead make it a safe place for your child. Then set up a Worry Time (another form of containment in time) each day to discuss the worries.
To help with sleep, have your child write down her worries just before bedtime and then put them in the Worry Box to be safely held. She can also put the Worry Box under her bed so she can write down worries that might bother her in the middle of the night. Children often have great success with this.
Of course, you want to help your child with his or her worry and sleep problems and you want to have fun with your kids. So get out your crafts and get to work!
Sally Baird, PhD is a retired child psychologist and co-author of a new book titled Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kids’ Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries. See her website at www.drsallyb.com. If your child has worries about COVID-19, you may want to read Dr. Sally’s blog on helping kids who worry about the pandemic, school, illness, and so much more!
I am a child psychologist who specializes in children's anxiety. I just published a top seller children's book titled Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries. I love sharing ideas about decreasing worry in children, especially now. I also love to hike and bike in beautiful Pacific NW.
