"Like that bottle we've been saving of California wine,
We keep getting better with time"

Better with Time by Emily Scott Robinson (such a beautiful song!)

How's it going Reader?

Many people make resolutions in January, but as a student and then a teacher I found my time for reflection and renewal landed in August. As we enter the new school year, your child may feel the same. So let's dive into some simple goal setting for kids.

• Plan it out: Thinking a year out is hard for adults, but for a kid that doesn't if their birthday is next week or in 6 months this is nearly impossible. If your child is under the age of 8, set weekly goals. If they are older, try a month at a time. If you want to make a yearly goal, then have check points to reflect and reset along the way.
• Set it up: Use a book about goal setting to explain why this is so important. For younger kids, I love the classic The Carrot Seed (it's a metaphor about growing, so you'll need to fill in the blanks). For kids 7 and up, I love Ambitious Ninja.
• Write it Down: Once you make a goal with your kiddo, you need to be all in. Write it down, display it, and check in every few days. This is can be a short check in (under 5 minutes).
• ⭐️ S.T.A.R. goals: set goals that are reasonable and you can track actual growth with. I love the STAR method:
  • SPECIFIC – What exactly would you like to achieve?
  • TIMELY – When would you like to accomplish this? How often should you check in or track the progress?
  • ACTION ORIENTED – How will you do this?
  • REALISTIC – Is this a reasonable goal to set?

Goal Ideas: tie their shoes, ride a two wheel bike, read ___ books every month, Go to sports practice ___ days a week, play outside ___ days a week, complete ___ chores

What's New?

📚 For the Grandparents: Thanks for MoreThanGrand for featuring me on their blog! I shared How Grandparents Can Help Grandkids be Kindergarten-Ready. MoreThanGrand really understand the voice of modern parenting to show grandparents how be the best supports possible.

🎙️ For the Parents: Come see Ready or Not: Here Comes Kindergarten! Saturday August 17 at 2:30pm. I'll go over simple tricks to prepare your 3-5 year old for school both social emotionally and academically. If you're local to Charlotte I'd love to see you there!​

Things I Love

👗 Cute and Comfy: I bought this beautiful maxi dress. It's lightweight, has a smocked back, and with a jean jacket will transition perfectly from summer to autumn. I got the blue, I think it might get it in another color! I'm 5'4 and it goes to my ankles.

📚 Back to School Books: If you've got a cutie going back to elementary school soon, I love the books The Crayons go Back to School (part of the Day the Crayons Quit series). If you've got a nervous kiddo, try First Day Jitters. A lot of teachers read this and make "Jitter Juice" for kids on the first day.

Stay Wonderful ✨