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How to Make Bouncy Balls: A fun, hands-on science lesson
If your child is slime-obsessed, you will want to check out this spin how to make slime. While the ingredients are the same, the result is different and exciting! Here you will learn how to make bouncy balls. This simple kids activity is perfect for hands-on learning to teach children about chemical reactions. One of […] Continue reading
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Front-Loading, Redirection & Connection: 3 powerful strategies for your strong-willed toddler
All toddlers can be willful and even difficult. However, you may find you’re parenting a strong-willed toddler if your child tends to be prone to power struggles, is highly emotional and is determined to a fault. Fortunately, there are three powerful positive parenting strategies that will improve cooperation and calm tantrums in the most […] Continue reading
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School Principal says to follow these tips for a successful start to kindergarten
It is bittersweet to send your child off to school for the first time. On one hand, you’re excited for this milestone. On the other, it’s heartwrenching to send your baby out into the real world. In order to help both parents and children feel ready for kindergarten, I assembled ten dos and don’ts for […] Continue reading
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3 Golden Rules to Give Your Child the Best Summer Ever
When it comes to summer activities for kids, you don’t need to plan or spend too much. In fact, the way to give your child the best summer possible is incredibly simple. Find out how below. One of the highlights of my summers growing up were back-to-back sleepovers with my best friend, Meghan. Her parents […] Continue reading
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There is an undeclared war on childhood. This is how to stop it.
There is a higher incidence of child stress, anxiety and disorders than ever before. This is how to change the course and improve your child’s life. My two oldest children bound off of the school bus. Their backpacks bounce with their gate. They’re grinning from ear-to-ear, elated to be home and see me. Because the […] Continue reading
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When Children Fight, This is the Opportunity You Won’t Want to Miss
When children fight, we want it to stop. And for good reason, we want our kids to be safe and get along. This opportunity is a game changer. Instead of trying to stop sibling rivalry, it resolves it. Here you’ll learn how. Get a printable cheatsheet with these tips below. When I found out I […] Continue reading
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Extracurricular activities for kids: Why science says less is more
With summer holidays approaching, it’s natural to worry about our kids’ boredom. No one wants their kids spending the summer fighting over the iPad or in a state of complacency. It doesn’t help that this time of year, Facebook newsfeeds are punctuated with articles about ‘The Summer Slide.’ They warned that some students experienced academic regression as a result of being away from school for so long. Continue reading
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Parenting a Strong-Willed, Highly Sensitive Child: What You Need to Know
Parenting a strong-willed, highly sensitive child is challenging. We want to preserve their spirit while effectively parenting them. This is how to work with your child’s temperament, improve cooperation and celebrate who they are. If you have a highly sensitive child, people may describe them as being an “old soul,” intuitive, and shy. My daughter […] Continue reading
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How to stop backtalk and restore peace in your family
For a parent, one of the most humbling and frustrating experiences is when your child backtalks or disrespects you. This powerful approach is rooted in positive discipline and will calm the most disrespectful behaviour and stop backtalk. Get a printable cheat sheet with this technique at the bottom of the post. There are times parenting […] Continue reading
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The Lonely Mom: How to Conquer This Feeling and Engage a Village Again
If you feel like a lonely mom, you’re not alone. As many as 90% of moms report feeling alone. Find effective ways to be a happier mom and re-engage the village around you. This post I, Alana, co-authored with best-selling author Rebecca Eanes. I had hundreds of online acquaintances, thousands of Instagram followers, and over […] Continue reading
About Me
Hi, I’m Alana. When I’m not nursing cold, stale coffee, I usually can be found with the baby on my hip, barefoot, and racing after my two older kids.
Thanks to a degree in psychology and a free-range childhood backing onto an expansive evergreen forest, positive parenting and play-based learning are my passions.