We can help! We have put together 3 simple questions you can use every night at family dinner that will lead to connection and conversation at your family dinner. The best part is that these questions can be used daily and will create a tradition for years to come.

As teachers, we know the importance of asking questions. 

We know that a well-worded question will lead children to make the connections they need to increase their learning. 

We know that the right questions feel natural and beg to be answered. 

In fact, good questions just cannot be ignored. 

Teachers are so confident in the power of questions that they usually start the day by posting an essential question on the board.

So why not take a page from a teacher’s lesson plan and use these 3 questions to ask at family dinner? 

After all, a question is often the quickest way to connect after a long day. And what better place to do that tan at the dinner table?

Try these 3 fun family questions that will allow for connection and conversation at your next family dinner.

Question 1: What Was Your Rose?

A rose is a highlight, something positive that happened, or a success that someone achieved that day, something you enjoyed, or something you were proud of.

Other ways to ask this question:

• What was the highlight of your day? 
• What went well for you today?
• What happened today that you are proud of?

Question 2: What Was Your Thorn?

A thorn is a challenge you experienced or something you can use more support with.

Other ways to ask this question:

•  What was stressful in your day today?
•  Was there a part of your day you wish you could do-over?
•  Do you need support with anything that happened today?

Question 3: What Was Your Bud?

A bud is a new idea that is growing, something you are looking forward to knowing more about, or something you are looking forward to experiencing.  

Other ways to ask this question:

•  What experience are you looking forward to? 
•  What are you still working on?
•  What are you looking forward to learning more about?

Grab this free infographic and post these as your family’s essential questions to ask at family dinner!

Want even more fun questions to ask at dinner? These are fun conversations starters for your family to use at the dinner table or anywhere! Check out our digital download Questions to Ask at Family Dinner.

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Each coupon has a silly activity, a special privilege or fun activity to do with your child and can be “cashed” in at any time! It is sure to become a new tradition in your family!

This pack of coupons also comes with blank Easter coupons where you can add your own ideas. The kids will love reading through their coupons after their egg hunt on Easter Sunday.

Looking for more Easter Printables? Download our Easter printables free for an Easter coloring book.

The post Easter Egg Filler Idea-Printable Easter Coupons (and Easter Printables Free) appeared first on The Family Keystone.

In this post we share 6 reasons why you should be using a gratitude jar for kids.

1. Using a gratitude jar is a way to connect by recording happy moments you experience together as a family. Naming and calling out those moments that you enjoyed lets your family know you appreciated the time you had together. As teachers we have seen that children recall the smaller moments they spend with their parents as the ones they are most grateful for. Things like watching a TV show together, going on bike ride, or baking something together rank higher on their list than the big trips and present they receive.

2. Writing down the moments you are grateful for gives you another chance to connect at the year’s end. On New Year’s Day you can empty out your jar and read over all the moments you experienced together. We think you’ll be surprised at what moments were the most special to your family.

3. Starting a gratitude practice helps your kids learn resilience – a much needed skill in today’s world. On some days we have to force ourselves to find the good. As our kids learn this through a gratitude practice they are learning how to be resilient in trying times. When you set out to look for things to be grateful for, you find them.

4. Reduces materialism. You are helping your kids to learn what truly brings them joy. As we said earlier, children value time with their families more than most parents realize. When they see that the moments they most value are based on togetherness and not ‘things’ they learn what really matters.

5. Builds mindfulness. Mindfulness is a key to reducing stress and anxiety. In order to find things to be grateful for you have to be aware of your own feelings and what is going around you. As we raise our children part of our job is to teach them ways to be mindful in their daily lives.

6. Doesn’t feel natural at first? Keep going anyway. Paying attention to life’s positives can train you to notice more of them. A gratitude practice can feel strange at first. You can be tempted to simply record the big things you are grateful for – your house, your family, your job, and so on. But as you refine your practice you are forced to find the little things that matter. The more you recognize these, the more you’ll see them everyday.

Making your own gratitude jar for kids is simple. Grab our gratitude jar printables to make the process even easier. Just remember that building human connection doesn’t have to be complicated but it will always be meaningful.

The post Why You Need a Gratitude Jar for Kids appeared first on The Family Keystone.

5 Simple & Meaningful Ways to Support Someone with Cancer

1. The first instinct most people have to support someone with cancer is to send food. And this is for good reason. Food is nourishing inside and out. It’s a way to take one thing off their plate while reminding them that you are there alongside them in their journey. That’s why our first idea is to deliver a home-cooked meal. We really love this easy and healthy Chickpea Tomato Soup from Skinnytaste. The list of ingredients is simple, it tastes great, and it is filling enough for a meal. Soup is warm and comforting so it’s usually our go-to when bringing someone a meal.

2. The treatment for cancer can be tough. If your friend is undergoing chemotherapy we highly suggest making a chemo care basket. We add items like gum, mints, drinks, chapstick, meditative coloring books and small games. You can put it all together in a tote bag with supportive words. It is nice to include socks and a blanket to remind them that you are sending comfort and warmth their way.

3. Mail a handwritten note every few days and tuck in an inspiring quote. A few years ago a friend of ours was facing breast cancer and we felt a little helpless. The only thing we could think to do was to mail a card with encouraging words every few days. We found cards that were a mix of inspiration and humor to send her way. Truthfully, it helped us as much as it helped our friend. We needed to feel like we were doing something to let her know she was thought of by us daily. 

4. You can send along a basket of baked goodies with notes of encouragement. One of our favorites are these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. This is a nice way to show your support while also remembering the caregivers who also need to be cared for.

5. Are you bringing your friend or family member to their doctor or chemotherapy appointments? They might need these words of encouragement during that time. You might even feel a loss of words and these can help. Tuck one in their pocket, their bag, or tie them around a lollipop. 

The most important thing to remember when supporting someone with cancer is that during hard times people need to feel soothed, seen, and supported. If you keep those three things in mind, any gesture you give will be well received.  

We offer printable quotes and notes to attach to whatever it is you are sending your loved one. You can find them in our Ways to Connect During Hard Times section of our shop.

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What’s the best gift for mom on Mothers’ Day? Spending time with her! Here are ideas for special things to do on Mother’s Day. This list is from two seasoned moms for our fellow moms to get exactly what they want.

Eat a meal together– Take mom out  to her favorite spot for brunch or dinner. If she doesn’t like the holiday crowd at the restaurant, order in or make something special in your own kitchen. But make sure mom doesn’t have to do the cooking OR the cleaning on Mother’s Day!

Wine tasting – Spend the afternoon sampling some wine! If it is a beautiful day, take her to a local winery for some flights. Or, purchase a variety of bottles and host a testing at home. Don’t forget to pair with some yummy snacks!

Work on a puzzle together – Purchase a pretty spring puzzle for mom and spend the afternoon putting it together. 

Go on a picnic – Pack a basket and visit a local park or nature preserve and enjoy nature and your mom!

Have a tea party – for the tea loving mom, a sophisticated afternoon of tea and cookies would make her day extra special.

Create a Family Mission Statement – who does mom care about the most? Her family! Use this quick activity to connect and create a family mission statement with your words to live by.

Take her shopping – instead of stressing over the perfect gift, simply take her out and let her pick something out she will really enjoy!

Plant a garden -This time of year is the perfect time to start planting. Take a trip together to the garden center and spend the day gardening.

Bake something new – Bond over a new recipe and spend some time in the kitchen baking a delicious treat. Make sure you clean all of the dishes for mom!

Hit the Farmers’ Market – Take a walk around the local farmer’s market and taste test your way through. Pick out some fresh ingredients to bring home to make mom a special dinner.

Pamper yourselves – take mom out for some manis/pedis or create a spa day at home!

Take a Hike – Being outside in nature is good for the soul! If it is a nice day, go for hike or a stroll at a park.

Create a gift for mom –

The whole family can get involved in creating this special Mother’s Day Gift. – A Handprint Art Kit.  It makes a beautiful keepsake and will capture a moment in time when there are small hands still in the house. It also make a great Mother’s Day Gift for a Grandmother! You can even get the fur babies involved in this one!

Making a piece of Handprint Art is a special experience and would be a very meaningful activity to do on Mother’s Day. Just remember to clean up after since it’s Mom’s special day!

If you’re looking for a quick and fun gift you can print out these free printable Mother’s Day Coupons. They are meant to be personalized with color. The download also includes an envelope you make yourself. There are two blank ones to create your own coupons.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE MOTHER’S DAY PRINTABLE COUPONSDownload

Just remember that what mom wants most is to spend time with you! As long as you spend the day being present with your mom, she will be thrilled!

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Passover is most known for the food we eat (or can’t eat!). But there is great meaning behind the holiday. The story of Passover can be gory at times so we wrote this kid friendly explanation to share with your kids—or those adults who need an easy refresher of what Passover is and why we celebrate it.

What is Passover in a Nutshell

Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the freedom of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Jewish people were slaves under King Pharaoh. Before the Jews fled Egypt, their firstborn children were “passed over” and spared from death, giving the holiday its name “Passover.”

How to Tell the Story of Passover to Kids (and how to celebrate)

Over 3000 years ago, a wicked Egyptian king forced the ancient Jewish people to work in the extreme heat making buildings and carrying massive bricks. They were treated as slaves by Pharoah and his men. This meant they had little food or water and were beaten. King Pharaoh was so evil that he even killed their baby boys.

One mother, afraid for her baby boy, floated him down the Nile River in a basket. She loved him dearly, but she wanted him to live. So, when Pharaoh’s daughter found him, named him Moses, and became his mommy, Moses was safe and became a prince.

The Ten Plagues

While this is a series of punishments it can actually somewhat entertaining for kids.

God sent 10 plagues to Egypt to punish Pharaoh to free the Israelites. The first 9 were:

1. Blood
2. Frogs
3. Lice
4. Flies
5. Cattle disease
6. Boils
7. Hails
8. Locusts
9. darkness

With the last plague God intended to kill the firstborn of man.

To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their homes with lamb’s blood so that the angel of death would pass over their houses. 

After the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally gave in. “Go! Leave!” he yelled. The people were happy but didn’t trust Pharaoh and were afraid he would go back on his word again. They quickly grabbed their dough before it had time to rise and followed Moses into the desert with only this “matzo” for food.

On the seventh day of their journey, they came to the Red Sea. They were exhausted, and the water was impossible to swim across. They were scared because Pharaoh’s army was chasing them. That’s when God gave Moses the power to part the sea by raising his arm. The Jewish people crossed the water, and when the soldiers followed, the path closed, and the sea drowned Pharaoh’s men.

Once they were safe, Miriam, Moses’ sister, led a group of women in gleeful song and dance. Their positive energy was contagious and the ancient Jews rejoiced in their newfound freedom. For the next 40 years, they traveled through the desert until they reached Israel, where they enjoyed freedom.

The Seder Plate

These are the foods that are traditionally placed on a Seder plate: 

Karpas – parsley to remind us of spring. 

Salt water – to remind us of the tears the people cried in Egypt. 

Roasted Egg – a reminder of the festival sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Maror – a bitter herb like horseradish to remind us of the bitterness of slavery

Zeroa – a roasted bone (or red beet) to remind us of the Passover sacrifice that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem 

Haroset – a mixture of fruit, wine, and nuts to remind us of the bricks that Pharoah forced the Israelites to make. 

Fun Ways to Celebrate Passover with Kids

A fun game during the Seder is “Hide the Afikomen.” You can start of your Seder by hiding the letters to Afikomen ahead of time and have the kids search for the letters.

We hope this year, you’ll enjoy a meaningful Seder meal.

The post What is Passover and Why Is it Celebrated (and how to explain it to kids)? appeared first on The Family Keystone.

But this family was so different.

They had consciously decided to reframe his diagnosis as a gift. They explained all the reasons why being autistic made him incredibly unique. In turn they raised a confident and loving boy who knew how truly special he was.

But in reality, not every family handled a diagnosis or a label this way. There were many that shamed their children for who they were. Those children didn’t have the freedom to just be. And for those children, school was their only safe place. 

Well run classrooms are a place where children can be open and honest about who they are. Good classrooms celebrate differences because they know that is what makes us great. 

In fact I spent 20 years teaching about why a country that was a melting pot was so amazing. I taught about how lucky we were to have the freedoms our forefathers wanted for us. 

So as a teacher and parent, it hurts my heart to know that right now in our country we have taken this right away from some of our educators. 

If you’ve been following the news you know that Florida passed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to prohibit teachers from teaching about gender, sexuality, and critical race theory in the younger grades.

Which means those teachers don’t have the freedom to use their words in the way they see fit. They can’t use their professional judgment to decide how and when to discuss important issues. It means they can’t help children develop their self-esteem and confidence during the time they need it the most. 

Which is so sad because teachers are amazing mirrors for children. They can help them see who they are in their most crucial developing years. 

We know that there is power in words and that a simple strong statement will make all the difference for these youth that are struggling. 

Every single time we use our words, out loud or written, it matters.

Here are our some of our favorite affirmations for confidence that parents and teachers can use right now to affirm the children in their lives:

• You don’t need to be perfect to be loved
• You are enough
• You can choose to be confident today
• You are beautiful inside & out
• Your voice matters
• Trust in your decisions
• You are a warrior
• You can be anything you want to be
• You are making the right choices
• There is no one else quite like you

Copying one of these onto a scrap of paper takes minimal effort but will mean the world to a child who needs to hear it. Teachers can hand them out as children arrive at school or as they are leaving for the day. They can give them out to kids to hand to other kids that might need them. But the point is that the benefits of affirmations for confidence far outweighs the moment’s effort it takes to share them – written or out loud.

If you would like a set of 64 affirmations for confidence, you can get them here.

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My youngest is in Kindergarten.

My oldest is in high school.

And my middle guy is navigating 7th grade.

I guess I should also mention my husband heads off to school everyday to teach middle school PE and health.

All that leads to a range of emotions daily. My whole family just started having semi-“normal” school days when they went back to school without masks.

But I wish fear of Covid was the only thing I had to worry about.

There’s also that war going on.

Plus Florida and Texas are threatening all the freedoms this country was built on.

Let’s not forget climate change, schools shootings, and teenage suicide.

Whether you follow the news or not (I try not to), it finds its way to you.

Being a mother, a wife, and a human being with big feelings in this current world (a super sensitive enneagram type 4!) is not easy.

I have to send my family out into that world. They no longer get to stay with me all day, napping upstairs while I could protect them from the outside world.

I miss those quiet hours when they were home more than they were away.

But now they live in that world. They see what goes in that world (thank you Tik Tok) and there is no way to slow down time or build a bubble around them.

So I find myself looking around and trying to figure out how I can pack all my love and protection inside those lunchboxes every morning. Sometimes I cut a strawberry into a heart, add a piece of chocolate, or send a note…anything to let them know I am thinking about them.

There’s an awful lot riding on those lunchboxes. Sometimes I wonder if those small acts of love might be a bit more for me than it is for them. It lets me hold on just a little bit longer. 

Because somedays lunch is all we’ve got.

To get a set of these quick and easy printable lunch notes CLICK HERE.

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Kids of all ages love the spirit of St Patrick’s Day and enjoy getting into the holiday!

So, let the shenanigans begin with some of our favorite activities for St. Patrick’s Day!

Create a Leprechaun Trap

There is nothing more exciting than the prospect of catching that pesky leprechaun so he can take you to his pot of gold. Have your kids plan out their ideas and then find things around the house to build their trap. This is one of our favorite ways to use up all those Amazon boxes! But beware, those tricky leprechauns are known to get out of the traps…but often leave chocolate coins on their way out.

 Scavenger Hunt for St. Patrick’s Day

Send your kids on a hunt with this easy to set up scavenger hunt. All the clues are done for you with easy directions to help you set it up. Once the kids solve all of the clues, have a special treat is waiting for them! This activity is a simple one that creates so many great memories.

Printable St Patrick’s Day Activities

Word searches are fun for all ages. This is perfect activity for a class party! Grab our St. Patrick’s Day wordsearch HERE.  There is an easy version for Ages K-2 and a more challenging word search for grades 2-8.

Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day Gifts

Spread some the luck of the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day! Download these printable cards and show someone how lucky you feel to have them in your life! Attach them to some shamrock shaped cookies or Irish soda bread. Our local grocery store sells the most delicious Irish soda bread. Don’t overcomplicate it – it’s the thought that counts. Your kind gesture will be sure to make someone’s Irish eyes shine big!

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