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Catherine and Peter study up on penguins on our way to the New England Aquarium today.

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I have found that the best time to read parenting books, especially those dealing with behavior and/or discipline issues, is during times of smooth sailing. In the moment, quick fix ideas from books when I’ve been knee deep in poor communication and frustration never seem to work long term for me.

Lately, I’ve been rereading How to Talk so Kids can Learn and it remains the most practical and effective parenting advice book that I have read. I find that a refresher course now and then keeps fresh communication suggestions at the top of my head, instead of the quick or unhelpful comments that tend to spring to mind first.

There are few parenting books (or ‘teaching kids’ books) that I have really found useful. This is one of only a couple that I turn to again and again and feel like I can recommend to others who love and interact with kids. If you find yourself yelling or turning blue from asking or are getting frustrated while talking with your kids, I would really suggest finding a copy and giving their methods a try. We have seen our interactions with our children become more respectful, less confrontational and more enjoyable all around.

(I should mention that the authors wrote another book before this, How to Talk so Kids will Listen & How to Listen so Kids Will Talk, that much of this book is drawn from. I don’t think I have read it, simply because our library doesn’t have a copy of it on the ‘parent’s shelves’ in the children’s room and, with two chatty kids in tow, I rarely make it upstairs to where the grown ups books are kept! I have a feeling it is awesome, too.)

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Fuzzy, low light, self portrait to remember how happy we were with our post dinner, surprise trip to the EF Ferris wheel.

It was a very last minute adventure into Boston that got us home after bedtime. There were some complaints and a little poor behavior chalked up to being “so tired”, but the excitement and the views of Boston during sunset totally made it all worth it.

{The free ferris wheel ride is open again on Thursday from 10-4 in North Point Park.}

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The girls and I enjoyed our first visit to the Science Museum in three months today. We had a great time revisiting our old favorite exhibits and passing comment on all the things that have changed since we were last there.

This tortoise seemed as much intrigued by us as we were with him.

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We had another awesome get together with some of our homeschooling community today. One of the older girls brought her face book and paints.

Thanks to her skill (see Catherine’s panda?), and her generosity in letting the other kids give it a try, there were few who left the park unpainted.

Here are some things Catherine painted on herself and others:
Frog (that was mine!)
Dog
Orca
Thunderstorms (on each of her legs)
Hailstorms (on each of her arms)
a Snake

I’m sure there were more. The crowd at the face painting table made it hard to see! All of us moms just watched and smiled. They all needed baths before bed, but their creativity flowed in awesome ways!

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This is the first house that we have lived in, since Peter and I married, that has windows at the right height for looking out of. We are all enjoying it, but especially the smallest among us!

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Sometimes there are moments that just take a parent’s breath away.

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Smile when you see it!

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Play imitating life.