Author: Julie Meyers Pron

The winter can be gloomy, so it can be nice to escape the monotony and head out on the road for some adventure. Whether you’re skiing the Rockies, visiting Disneyland, or heading south for some fun, it’s a good idea to do some homework and think about what you might want to do on a winter vacation. Look no further because some of the best winter vacation spots in America are right here: A Phoenix Escape If you want to get away from a dreary, snowy winter, both Phoenix and Scottsdale have a lot to offer. Go for a hike…

“I assign 30 minutes of reading each night,” said my 6th grader’s reading teacher at Back to School Night. Then, he shrugged and finished his sentence. “But we all know that reading is the lowest priority for the kids, and they aren’t doing it.” Say what?! Nope. My husband and I weren’t happy with that at all. Reading is what comes first in our family, and there’s a good reason for it: we’ve always embraced and encouraged reading, and a reading teacher who isn’t going to do that is a genuine concern for our family. Reading relaxes us; it keeps…

Why are wordless books so important for reading and child development? Never discount the importance of wordless books in childhood. Through wordless books, children learn the art of storytelling and unique thoughts as well as necessary pre-reading skills. Plus 9 must-have picture books for your library Growing up, my mom and I ventured to the local library at least once a week. It was a tiny, two-story building with the children’s books and story hour hidden upstairs. These were the days before people set up workstations at small libraries. Little research was done on this one. It was, simply, a…

This post was co-written by Julie and SocialMonsters, offering ideas for teen travel with families and independent teen travel. Traveling during the developmentally crucial stage of adolescence can help your kids become smarter, more successful, and more compassionate as they grow into adulthood. Taking advantage of opportunities for adventure and exploration is key to children learning to adapt to new environments, seek questions and answers and learn to communicate with and become sensitive to people outside their normal existence. Travel Will Make Kids Smarter The U.S. Department of Education found that longer time spent traveling with the family has numerous positive…

Winter finally hit us last week, and now that we’re dealing with freezing temperatures and looking ahead to months of frigid conditions, ice, and snow, I’m no longer dreaming of a White Christmas. Rather, I’m dreaming of a winter vacation someplace warm and tropical. To prepare for that delightful, dreamy break from Old Man Winter, it’s important to pack certain items and prepare the home for time away. So for those who are lucky enough to make that winter vacation to a dreamy getaway come true, here are tips to prepare our winter lives for a tropical escape. Gather Your…

Hermione is such a strong character in Harry Potter. She has wit, smarts, and courage. Where would Harry be with Sally Hermione? So when I was sent the Patronus Charmballa Bracelet from Joseph Nogucci Jewelry to review, I had to create an entire look around it. And I wanted to imagine Hermione wearing this bracelet. But a grown-up Hermione. When I put together looks, I like to smatter in a little bit of imagination. I am constantly getting ideas from books I read. This bracelet is made with charms from the Harry Potter books – so if you are a…

When it comes to travel planning, my husband and I usually try to relax by a fireplace on a cold day in the winter, tablets in hand, opening our electronic calendars, and discussing open weeks for vacation and family events. Our goals are to share what we want to do for our vacation time, what our vacation objectives are, and try to fit in as much as possible. We brainstormed for a bit. We vaguely look at prices and budgets. Then, I usually go home to research and, in time, bring it all back to the table to discuss progress…

As I finish up a relaxing one and a-half-week summer vacation, one that went off the grid (conversations included “What?! There was a hurricane three nights ago?!” and “Huh?! Everyone is evacuating the island we’re making our way to because it’s shut down!?”), I’m reflecting on what made it so peaceful, relaxing, and far too quick. I love a great theme park trip or a vacation full of exploring big cities, but a truly relaxing vacation means moving into another home and doing nothing but living and enjoying the ones you love most. Benefits of a vacation home rental No pressure There was…

Are you a goal-setter? Individually, I’m not much of one. I set short-term goals, such as I’ll clean my desk today or I’ll have my taxes completed by next week, but annually, I rarely set goals. As a parent, however, I learned that setting family-focused New Year’s Resolutions is healthy and helps parents and children to work together to achieve. January is the prime time for setting New Year’s Resolutions and goals for families. Usually, children are prompted to set goals in school independently. So working on goals as a family will help your children make another home-school connection. At home, to increase…

For me, this always happens at the last minute. Everyone is finally packed, the car is completely loaded (like… completely), and the kids are belted in for our multi-hour road trip to a fun destination when we realize I haven’t yet purchased a thank you gift for our host and hostess. While stopping for a bottle of wine is usually a doable fallback, after spending two weeks of vacation at our family vacation home in Maine, I created a new list of gifts to help me be a bit more creative the next time I need a housewarming gift, based on…