help your kids stay connected

Help Your Kiddos Stay Connected While Social Distancing

Even though kiddos are back in school, whether bring and mortar or virtual, their daily schedules are still very different than before. Maybe they haven't been able to see their best friends, teammates or grandparents for months on end? Help your kiddos stay connected with their loved ones during this time of social distancing with

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Gainesville Playgrounds Are Reopening

Find Out Which Gainesville Playgrounds Are Reopening This Week

The City of Gainesville announced last week that some Gainesville playgrounds are reopening. The new phase of reopening started last week on October 16 with a few playgrounds reopening, and the remainder of the playgrounds are scheduled to reopen this week on October 23. City leaders and officials still encourage and recommend the use of

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Babies' Language Development

How Does The Way We Talk Affect Our Babies’ Language Development?

There’s something about babies that brings out this unfamiliar voice and vocabulary. Suddenly, we’re speaking in a higher pitch and making up words like “boogly googly” and “nosey wosey.” But, how is this affecting our babies' language development? Brandee Charles, a speech-language pathologist who works with preschool and elementary-age children, said this type of talk

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Community Input on Rezoning

ACPS to Hold Two Meetings for Community Input on Rezoning

Alachua County Public Schools has scheduled two meetings to allow community input on rezoning some elementary schools in Alachua County. School zoning lines are to be redrawn due to a new elementary school in the southwest Gainesville area that is currently under construction and scheduled to open in the fall of 2021. The first community

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Modern Day Fairy-Tale Books

5 Modern Day Fairy-Tale Books for Your Kiddos

Fairy tales do not always have to be about a damsel in distress waiting for her prince to save the day. Modern day fairy tale books prove that there is more to life than just aspiring to find your perfect prince or flawless princess. These books reflect the importance of love, but they also illustrate

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Parents to Get Proper Sleep

Why Is It So Important for Parents to Get Proper Sleep, Too?

“Get your sleep now!” Soon-to-be parents hear this phrase often before they have their first child, and they learn it immediately soon after their baby is born. We know that newborn sleep is definitely affected, but new studies have shown that this extreme sleep deprivation can actually last until your child starts kindergarten. Indeed, this

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favorite Pregnancy Podcast

6 of Our Favorite Pregnancy Podcasts

A podcast is like a close friend... full of information, humor and real-life situations. From politics to education tips, podcasts come in many different topics for just about everyone. We’ve rounded out our favorite pregnancy podcasts for you baby-waitin’ mommas, so grab your headphones and get listening! Pregnancy Podcast by Vanessa Merten This podcast is

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Parenting Failures

Parenting Failures: Learn How to Turn a Negative Into a Positive

Parenting failures. No, we’re not talking about the funny memes and gifs we see on social media, but actual parenting failures that can cause repercussions for families. Now, more than ever, it’s easy to feel like a failure of a parent. Think about how highly connected we are through our phones, social media and networks

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Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for free

In November, Kiddos Can Visit the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for Free

Children under 12 can visit the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for free during the entire month of November! Parents can bring up to five children to the zoo for free with the purchase of one adult ticket. This promotion also includes other discounts, and there is no coupon necessary. Leading up to November, the zoo

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Nylee Alston, Nationwide Essay Contest

Local Student Athlete Wins Nationwide Essay Contest

Local Eastside High School senior, Nylee Alston, was one of just 10 students across the county to win the United States Tennis Association Foundation’s National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) nationwide essay contest. She was chosen for top honors out of 1,000 other entires and will be getting a $5,000 award. Nylee has been participating

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