Mirror, Mirror, on the wall... it's not always about being fairest of them all! While none of us wants to encourage a prideful or narcissistic mindset, we all want our daughters to see themselves as we see them: fascinating, delightful, and full of potential. Not only do we desire for them to appreciate their own beauty, but we also want to surround them with attractive surroundings that mirror their own allure. While all our girls' bedroom collections possess their own unique features, the …
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Does it matter if your child sleeps with the light on? What if she's afraid of the dark? How can you help your child get a good night's sleep? A little bit of chemistry mixed with some practical tips will have you and your child on the way to a peaceful night's sleep in no time. Why a Dark Room Is Important Did you know that children sleep most soundly when they're in a completely dark room? An understanding of how our brains respond to light and darkness is important to helping …
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What does your family do when you're stuck inside this winter? Chances are, you're more likely to veg out in front of the TV together or retreat into your own digital worlds. That's fine for some of the time, but too much can just be too much. And when you mix a little creativity with a smidgen of effort, you might just surprise yourselves and have more fun than you thought you would! If you're ready for a few ideas that also help you get a leg up on this year's resolutions, read on! …
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When we think of "education," we often think of school and school work, and most Americans outsource the lion's share of their children's education. Whether or not you're among the relatively few who choose to homeschool your children, your family's attitude about learning is incredibly important! We've talked before about what you can do to encourage occupational skills and STEM-related skills, so this time we'll focus on the wonderful world of words (like how I did that?). Letter …
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Even though it can be quite fulfilling (triggering those happy chemicals, again!), not all screen-free family fun has to result in some kind of goal being reached. In fact, some of the most enjoyable family times you can have aren't productive at all — they're just plain fun! To get you started, here are some ideas. Just-for-Fun Games From boxed games like " Pie Face" and Pictionary to old favorites like charades and hide-and-seek, we're not really talking about strategy here …
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Whether you've resolved to reduce your family's screen time this year or simply know you need to spend a little more time interacting with one another, sometimes ideas can be elusive. That's why we're helping you get the wheels turning with this "Screen-Free Family Fun" series! From silly to productive, there's no end to the purposes you can assign to "family time." One of the many functions from which you can choose is some form of service. Whether you think of it as "paying it forw …
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When it comes to fostering happiness, even more important than looking in the mirror is the process of self-reflection. There is a similarity, though: It's pointless to look into the mirror if you're not going to do anything about what you see. While the process starts with a sense of self-awareness and introspection (see Part 1), if it ends there, it will likely contribute to a negative self-image, frustration, or even the beginnings of depression. In order for self-reflection to be …
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Full disclosure: We're going to get a little philosophical with you here, but hang in there: we will connect the dots for some practical application that relates to fostering happiness. Despite competing perspectives on the origin and nature of mankind, it seems the one thing on which philosophers and scientists can all agree is that self-reflection is among the chief characteristics that differentiate humans from all other living things. So when we excuse foolish behavior by saying, …
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You don't have to be a design professional in order to create an inviting space for your child — or even a surprisingly stunning one! Establishing a visual focal point for the room is a key part of the design process, and it's something even an amateur designer (a.k.a. you) can do! It's all about creating visual contrast and drawing a person's eyes toward a specific area of the room or even a singular design element. As we have discussed in a previous post, the space or item that you …
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Perhaps you tend toward minimalist décor ideology, in which your tendency may be to make nothing in the room draw a person's eye toward it: All is plain, streamlined, and flat. On the other hand, maybe you lean toward the opposite extreme — a style-intensive scheme, where every corner of the room screams for your attention. If you have a penchant for either design style extreme, the problem is the same: Your room may lack a focal point. Focal Point, Presented By definition, a …
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