Chelsea Day

Water baby

17 Unique Ways to Have Fun in the Water with Baby

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We all know that it’s important to introduce baby to water early on so they get comfortable and learn to swim at an early age, but sometimes parents are stumped about how to do that if they don’t have a pool or tub. Never fear! There are tons of ways to make waves. Try a sink soak, play around with a faucet or seek out one of the water features available at local parks. We love taking our boys to creeks and streams here in California. The kids have a blast, and it’s a great way to teach them about water movement and safety.

Gray laundry room, sink, washing machine

14 Creative Ideas for an Outdoor Laundry Room

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Our laundry room is getting a BIG makeover. Things have been a bit tight here at the Day farm as our household count rapidly grew from three to six (seven, if you count my nomad sister who’s currently taking up the guest room). I’ve been mulling over the idea of an outdoor laundry room for awhile, and after visiting a ton of spots on the East Coast my wheels started turning.

Transitional Kindergarten

What to Buy for Transitional Kindergarten or Pre-K

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My 4-year-old is going into Transitional Kindergarten in a week. Cue the dramatic mom tears! Actually, as a former elementary school teacher, I’m thrilled with the idea. Schwarzenegger signed the Kindergarten Readiness Act into law in California in 2010, changing the enrollment date so that all kids would be at least 5 when they enter school here. The law also created Transitional Kindergarten (or ‘TK,’ which is often called Pre-K or PK in other states) to bridge the gap between preschool and kindergarten for students whose birthdays fall just short of the cutoff date. The idea is that older 4-year-olds need more mental stimulation than a typical preschool or daycare might provide, but they aren’t ready for the full structure of kindergarten.

Self-reliant nighttime routine

Our 4-Year-Old’s Self-Reliant Nighttime Routine

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I’ve talked a lot about nighttime routines recently. Having a well-defined evening routine and reliant bedtime is one of the things that helps keep me sane as a parent. I think a lot of us start with the very best intentions, but wind up falling off the nighttime routine wagon and landing in one of two camps: the moms and dads who do everything for their kids at night or the moms and dads who do very little for their kids at night. I remember when I used to babysit, I’d go from a household where a 3-year-old was brushing his own teeth and tucking himself in to a household where a 10-year-old still expected the toothpaste to be smeared on by an adult.

Healthy lunch foods with the kids

14 Healthy Lunch Foods to Stock up On

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It’s back to school time here! People frequently ask how the kids manage school when our business requires a lot of family travel. I shared some of our frustrations and schooling solutions last year. We’ve taken a blended approach by keeping our son in public school and using the district’s contract learning program when we feel it’s appropriate, opting out of certain things that don’t work for him and supplementing with our own curriculum at home. There were a few bumps along the way, but we got into an awesome groove by the end of the year. We’ve been continuing our at-home lessons through the summer and it’s been such a joy. Sometimes I really do think that I could teach them myself.

Managing Siblings in the Water

6 Tips for Managing Siblings in the Water

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We’ve been spending just about every day lately at the beach or by the pool. It can be kind of a challenge to keep the whole crew engaged, entertained and safe in the water when you have a spread as we do from ages 6 to infant. Today, we’re sharing how we explore water play with siblings of varying ages.

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