Parents as Teachers Magazine Blog

Sploochie and The Big Ragoo At some point, little kids begin to recognize that Mommy and Daddy have more than one name. That point for C actually came several months ago — if you asked her what Daddy’s name was, she would readily reply “Brian” — but sometime about a couple of weeks ago it [...]

Continue Reading When Children Learn Mom and Dad Have Real Names

If there’s one way the daughter does not take after me (besides that whole American Idol thing), it’s that she does not like to read. She says that reading just isn’t “her thing” and that she should not be forced to pick up a book for pleasure when she has to read so much “junk” [...]

Continue Reading Eighth Grade Reading Level

I was just at the local What-passes-for-a-supermarket-in-Vienna where I bought two 500cc bottles of Diet Coke, bananas and Kaiser Alexander pears. No idea who Kaiser Alexander was, but his pears look like little butts. I was going to show you here, I even scanned one in on my office scanner, but it didn’t capture the… [...]

Continue Reading Lying to Children to get them to Behave

Neanderthal: (driving along) “You-make-me-feel—so-emotional…” Homo sapiens sapiens: (Vocally rolling eyes) “Dad, you’re singing.” Neanderthal: “Huh? Singing? Doh, me no sing.” Homo sapiens sapiens: “I’m trying to hear my CD.” Neanderthal: (Grabbing CD box from daughter, who has been studying liner notes with the intensity of a biblical scholar with a new Dead Sea scroll fragment) [...]

Continue Reading Neanderthal vs Homo sapiens sapiens

Make one batch vanilla pudding. One batch chocolate pudding. Pour both puddings into one large bowl, in several layers. Chill. Serving tip: (carefully) plop the pudding out of the large bowl onto a plate, place in center of table, give each guest one spoon. This is fun to watch at birthday parties, but also enlivens [...]

Continue Reading Tiger Pudding Recipe