Memorizing multiplication tables is one of those walls in math. Kids either scale it or struggle with it, and if you're a kid who struggles with it, it will become the thing that holds you back even though you may understand the higher order math processes that you learn later. Some people brush this struggle... Continue Reading →
"Mom! Give me your phone, and I also need the iPad!" Excuse me? Before I flipped out on the 10-year-old, I suggested he rephrase his "requests" and put some explanation to it all. "Oh. Right. May I please* use your phone and the iPad? I was telling Johnny** about that Zeno's Paradox thing, and I want... Continue Reading →
I sometimes think that great mathy moments with my kids must require a certain amount of planning and preparation. But they don't. Not always. The following version of the simple game Memory is familiar but with a twist to reinforce your child's recall of 10 addition facts. Here's what to do: Get a deck of... Continue Reading →
It's past midyear in the school cycle, and time to check in again with your child's teacher if you haven't. Most likely you have only had one official "Parent / Teacher Conference" up to this point. That just may be the only one you get! (If your child attends a school with more than one... Continue Reading →
This morning there was a lull in the minutes before we walked out the door to head to school. With a 9-year-old and 6-year-old, it's rare to have any kind of lull, so I took advantage of it. "Hey guys, how can you make 3?" The 6-year-old lifted his pointer finger and drew the numerical... Continue Reading →
No. Don't teach your baby math. Seriously. But do expose your baby to interesting things that spark her curiosity and allow you to observe her explore. And if you can do that with mathy things, why not? Luckily for me, I have an 18-month-old niece to play with. While her mother was absorbed in a... Continue Reading →
Are you wondering what to do with the kids now that they are home for more than a week for the holidays? Yes, Christmas occupied you for a bit. And maybe you've got something fun going on for New Year's Eve. But what are you going to do with them in between? Something fun...something educational...something... Continue Reading →
Each year I expect this will be the year that I feel organized and composed for the holiday season. I will have gifts bought and wrapped without feeling time pressure or financial lunacy. I will have cards sent, menus chosen, and guests invited at the appropriate times (i.e. not the week before Christmas.) Of course,... Continue Reading →
C'mon, you can't help it. You HAVE to say "who do we appreciate?!" It's one of those automatic things that just happens. (I am willing to concede that perhaps this only happens if you've grown up the U.S. and have had some exposure to cheering for a team.) You might roll your eyes at it,... Continue Reading →
I am holding on to the belief that it is possible to take my kids somewhere - out to dinner, on a car trip -- without having to hand over an electronic device to keep them occupied. To that end, I am always on the lookout for little things to have at the ready in... Continue Reading →
mathy moments 