Valentine ideas

4 DIY Valentine Ideas for the Whole Family

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is easy to get carried away in planning things for your partner, but this year, spend the days leading up to February 14 making Valentine ideas for your family, with your family. Valentine Heart Chalkboard Inspired by Pottery Barn for kids, Crafts by Courtney shows us how

Read More

Black History Month

Black History Month: Celebrate With These Books!

This month is Black History Month! The theme this year is "African Americans and the Arts" including "visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression," according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Books are an art, and there

Read More

Tween's Privacy and Safety

Dear Diary: Balancing Your Tween’s Privacy and Safety

Somewhere between elementary and middle school, your tween will stop talking to you. One day she might have been giving you every last detail of the latest gossip at school, and the next day she completely shut down, giving only single-word responses to your questions. It is frustrating as a parent, but this is normal

Read More

Girl sitting against couch looking stressed

How Can Social Anxiety Hinder Our Children?

Around the stage of prepubescence and teenage years, some children can also experience various social and mental health conditions. Social anxiety disorder is one such condition and is described as an intense fear of social situations that may cause a child to be analyzed by others. Children suffering from social anxiety disorder feel intense anxiety

Read More

winter-proof gardens

Weeding Out the Weather: A Guide to Winter-Proof Gardens

While a Florida winter feels like a summer vacation in comparison to neighboring states, you don’t want a wilting winter wonderland. Plants freeze in some parts of North Central Florida if temperatures drop enough. Proper care makes all the difference for winter-proof gardens to survive and thrive during a cold snap. Prep your plants Although

Read More

Money Saving Apps

Money Saving Apps at Your Fingertips

We use our smartphones all the time. Like it or not, from connecting to scheduling to entertaining to capturing all the important moments, they seem to be here to stay. And since they are always at our fingertips, we might as well use them to save on everyday purchases! There are lots of free money

Read More

Strawberries

The Season For Strawberries is Here!

‘Tis the season for sweet, juicy strawberries! With the winter months subsiding and spring approaching, everyone’s favorite fruit is ripe for the picking – so bring the kids along and pick some yourself! Click here for our list of strawberry u-pick farms and festivals! Strawberries are actually the first fruit to ripen in the spring,

Read More

strawberry

Strawberry Picking in Gainesville and Beyond!

Excitement is in the air as strawberry picking season approaches. Visit these local places with your loved ones for strawberry-picking fun! We will update this list with more information about local farms as information is acquired! Florida Strawberry Festival February 29 - March 10, Plant City Add this premiere event in Plant City to your

Read More

Gross Things

Ewww! Gross Things Kids Do

Kids sometimes do gross things that shock and appall adults. These cringe-worthy habits are part of the developmental process, but just how bad are they? PICKING NOSES Children often stick their fingers up their noses to extract those pesky boogers. Picking your nose can lead to nosebleeds, not to mention all the germs they introduce

Read More

nontoxic playdough

Make Homemade Nontoxic Playdough For Endless Fun!

Playdough has been the favorite squishy substance of many toddlers all over the world for years! The Play- Doh® that we all know and love was accidentally invented by Joseph and Noah McVicker in 1955 while the two were trying to make wallpaper cleaner. Play-Doh® was marketed a year later by a toy manufacturer, and

Read More