by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays, parenting
Some people enjoy buying Christmas gifts for their family, but for us it’s a task that often feels a little bittersweet. As early childhood educators, we’ve seen too many companies use dubious research to falsely claim that their toy will make a child smarter. What...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays, parenting
I was talking to another mom this morning. She was stressed. Her work hours doubled in the past month. She’s juggling work and also homeschooling both her young children. Her oldest child is transgender and is transitioning to different pronouns, way of dressing and...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays, parenting
A few years ago I wrote a blog post that got a bit of attention about WHY to tell kids the truth about Santa. Since then, every year around this time, people continue to find that post on the internet. How we deal with Santa in our family goes against popular opinion...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays, parenting
In a few days we leave to go “home”! :) It started out feeling like a fun adventure. Now it sounds like sheer craziness… A 30-hour train ride to get to LA for Christmas, then a plane flight to Texas for New Year’s and another flight to get home. Visiting family on...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays, parenting
First off, I want to acknowledge that although I grew up celebrating Christmas, not everyone does. Secondly, I’m questioning the long-standing Christmas tradition of telling kids “If you aren’t good, Santa won’t bring you any gifts” and shining light on how to talk to...read more
by Cecilia Hilkey | holidays
Your kids are at home on winter break. Your in-laws are coming to town or you’re visiting them. You’ve still got cooking, laundry, and house cleaning to do. Your child’s emotions are amplified from the norm–he’s so excited he can’t sleep, she’s scared of Santa...read more
