Free Valentine Printable Lesson Plans and Activities

Does this sound familiar? You've been working all day (and most of the night) and you're still not done. It's Valentine's Day. Your kids will be home from school in 15 minutes, demanding to know "what we're doing for Valentines?" and you still have a mountain of work to do. Before you crawl in a corner and cry, listen. Here's what to do. First, dry your eyes. You're not a bad mom because you didn't plan a full-blown Valentine party. Kids don't need that. Elementary kids probably partied at school and are sugared out anyway. Next, read this article. I've linked to gobs of free printable Valentine themed activities. Print these, pop a DVD (yes, it's okay to do that), distribute crayons, make some quick heart-shaped (healthy!) sandwiches and finish what you need to do. And for goodness sakes, you busy mom you, take some and relax. Take the kids out to eat or order pizza. Free Valentine Printable Lesson Plans and Activities

How to Cope with SAD and Winter Blues

Do you feel a sort of depression after the New Year that lasts until spring? If so then you may be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Online writers and work at home parents are particularly prone to SAD. In many parts of the world, the months of November to March are long, dark and cold. As the temperature drops, more clouds form. Clouds of course block the sun. The short days keep us in darkness longer time each day. The affective component of SAD is the gloomy feeling that some may experience with lack of light. We also get less vitamin D when the sun is not visible. Some may feel eye strain or even headaches due to the extra work our eyes must do to compensate for the lack of light. When days are darker, we can rely less on natural light. Many of us spend much of our day working under fluorescent lighting which can have negative and depressing effects on us.  How to Cope with SAD and Winter Blues

Activities for Bored, Winterbound Kids: Crafts-travaganza Party

Winter is finally getting serious in our area. Kids are loving the big snow drifts! But below-zero wind chills force some parents to keep kids in the house. Schools cancel recess if it's too cold. Excess times indoors makes for restless, irritable children. Looking for cheap, indoor activities for bored, winterbound kids? How about a crafts-travaganza party?  Activities for Bored, Winterbound Kids: Crafts-travaganza Party