Category Archives: mental health

Gavin Progress Report – Snowboard Edition

Posted on 2015/02/15 by circuskitchen

Sunday, Feb 15th 2015 Since last month Gavin and I have been on a journey around his academic life, ability to work and development of FOCUS. This recent jag started a month ago when his teachers sat me down to … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, forgiveness, health, love, mental health, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged beginner snowboard, Everybody Cooks Rice, Executive Functioning, Frank Einstein, Gavin, goal jar, Intrinsic Motivation, marble jar, stages of grief, work choice cube | 4 Comments

What I Did Last Night

Posted on 2015/02/08 by circuskitchen

Saturday, February 7th 2015 As I biked home from the juggling convention through snowflakes and snowscapes in our beautiful city yesterday with my husband towing our kids all zipped up in their esteemed “chariot,” it occurred to me that it … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, forgiveness, health, mental health, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged ClaraJane, Jenny the Juggler, Jenny the Juggler and ClaraJane, Juggling Convention, Juggling Festival, juggling soccer balls, juggling work and kids, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, MIT Juggling Club, Public Show, working mom | 3 Comments

Montessori Math: BONUS POINT

Posted on 2015/01/31 by circuskitchen

(à propos last post) BONUS POINT: Did you notice that 10 x 10 = 100, and is represented by a square? As in 10². Or “ten squared.” Like, it’s a SQUARE. Coincidence? Nope. Look at 10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000. “One … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, health, mental health, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged bead chains, cube, cubed, golden beads, it makes a cube!, it makes a square!, Mind Blown, Montessori, Montessori Math, never realized that!, square, squared | 6 Comments

Tobin Times: Math Morning

Posted on 2015/01/30 by circuskitchen

Friday, January 30th 2015 A couple times a year the parents are invited into my kids’ classrooms to observe some curriculum in action. This day was MATH MORNING. And if somehow (like us) you weren’t the beneficiary of a Montessori … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, food, health, mental health, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged 1st Grade, 1st Year, 4-digit addition, Children's House, First Year Student, golden beads, Growth Mindset, learning, Lower Elementary, Math Morning, Montessori materials, Montessori Math, snack time, Tobin Montessori | Leave a comment

Mama, Did You Know?

Posted on 2015/01/25 by circuskitchen

AKA: A day in the life of learning from your babies KIDS. January 25, 2015 [At rise: Jenn is chauffeuring the children home in the car.] CJ (3 y/o): Mama, did you know that persons are amomos? [“animals”] Me (44 y/o): … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, love, mental health, nature, parenthood | Tagged driving your kids, echidna, kids say the cutest things, learning from your kids, out of the mouths of babes, platypus, spiny anteater | 1 Comment

Dear Teacher from Gavin

Posted on 2015/01/23 by circuskitchen

Friday, January 23rd 2015 So, do you know the politically correct term for “problem child” in school? Ya know, the kid taking up all the Assistant Teacher’s time in class due to lack of cooperation with the program? I … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, forgiveness, health, love, mental health, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged BOKS, exhausted mom, Gavin, grade school intervention, Growth Mindset, Intrinsic Motivation, kitchen sink parenting, letter to teacher, making a difference, parenting tool box, parenting tools, Playful Parenting, problem kid | 3 Comments

Daddy Cake

Posted on 2015/01/21 by circuskitchen

January 21, 2015 Ridiculous. Adorable. And my favorite part is actually the official “passenger” in this scene; the brother. So beautiful and lovely how he is delighting in the hilarity of his sister’s antics. *Love sigh.* Daddy Cake [52 seconds]:

Posted in childhood, domestic life, family, food, health, love, mental health, parenthood, patience | Tagged baker's man, candlelight dinner, ClaraJane, DLove, inside Daddy's sweatshirt, Patty Cake, two-headed monster | 1 Comment

Terrible Lizard Pancake Art – Live Edition!

Posted on 2015/01/19 by circuskitchen

Monday, January 18th 2015 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) This morning upon waking, Boy is grumpy, but wisely angling for PANCAKES. Daddy gives him enough directives to perform some perfunctory mise en place. During this time, Girl conducts me through getting … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, faith, family, food, Friendship, health, love, mental health, parenthood, patience | Tagged Best Way to Get a Child's Attention, brother reads to sister, next onslaught, pancake art, sibling harmony, Sit Down and Look Comfortable, strength for the next onslaught, Terrible Lizard, Wise Daddy | 4 Comments

GROWTH MINDSET: Here We Come

Posted on 2015/01/16 by circuskitchen

January 16th 2015 Ready or not, I am embarking on a campaign to promote Growth Mindset within my kids’ school community, and our lives. So, welcome to the journey! Here is an introduction, and the first of many inspiring videos … Continue reading →

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, faith, family, forgiveness, health, love, mental health, nature, parenthood, patience, work | Tagged Carol S Dweck, engaged parenting, grow your brain, Growth Mindset, Khan Academy, learning from parenting, neural pathways, Tiger's Ed, Tobin, You Can Learn Anything | 2 Comments

Kids and Money: “10 Do’s and Dont’s”

Posted on 2015/01/15 by circuskitchen

Just found this great 10-point slideshow nailing it. I (we!) need all the financial literacy help we can (reasonably) get. I humbly recommend clicking through this slideshow from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekjg45gkji/how-to-raise-financially-savvy-kids-2/ “Don’t use credit cards around kids.” AMAZING IDEA!

Posted in childhood, domestic life, education, family, health, mental health, parenthood, patience | Tagged financial literacy, financial literacy for kids, handling money around kids, how to handle money, raising financially literate kids, raising financially savvy kids, teaching kids financial literacy | Leave a comment

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