What I Found in My Garden
This morning, I discover an unusual sight in my raspberry bushes: the bumblebees appear to be sleeping. They attach their fuzzy legs to the berries and just relax. I can’t believe it! Normally, I won’t even get near the berries because of the frenzy of bumblebee activity. They never stop moving as they dart in […]
What’s in Your Fun Box?
I’m watching a mother bring out her “fun box” for her children during a long meeting. The “fun box” contains modeling clay, puzzles, interesting snacks, drawing supplies, costumes, or any variety of objects to delight children when they have to be where they don’t want to be (hospital waiting rooms, rainy days, situations requiring stillness […]
Take a Minute
I’m officially overloaded with work obligations and writing tasks. As I sit at my computer, I become annoyed by my cat, Louie Von Whiskers, who knows the exact moment when I start to type on my keyboard. This crazy cat believes that my computer work signals his need to nap across the keyboard. I push […]
Your 30 Minutes of Free Time
I ask my students what they would do if I gave them 30 minutes of free time. What if I let class out early? How would they spend their time if I gave them recess? With unexpected minutes given them, they’d drink more coffee. They’d study more for the exam at 10:00 AM. They’d prepare […]
A Taste of My Own Medicine
For all my talk of releasing children into nature, with nothing but pure imagination and the grass beneath their feet, I’m not one to take any time–as an adult–away from technology to just relax outside with no plan, no agenda. Is nature only good for the young? What would happen if I joined them? How […]