Play Dates

November 19, 2013November 15, 2013 ~ shelli ~ 4 Comments

Note: This column was published on November 13, 2013 in the Barrow Journal. I don’t remember going on “play dates” when I was a little kid. When we lived in Oklahoma, I ran across the street to play with a friend who lived there, and when we lived in Colorado, I had a friend down … Continue reading Play Dates

Where to take kids on a rainy day in Athens, Georgia

November 20, 2011July 15, 2013 ~ shelli ~ 7 Comments

My kids love 123 Jump, which is a place with toys and several inflatables. I like it because it's low key, quiet (that is, no music playing), and if we go during the week, there's usually not many other kids there.

The Benefits of Storytelling

September 27, 2011June 3, 2012 ~ shelli ~ 14 Comments

I've been spending the last few weeks thinking and writing about storytelling because I value the importance of storytelling for my children and community. I thought I would wrap up this series on storytelling by brainstorming several reasons why storytelling is so valuable for children and adults. I hope you might contribute to my list by adding your reasons in the comments section.

Two Stories I Made Up For My Five-Year-Old — to Show That YOU Can Do It Too!

September 26, 2011September 30, 2013 ~ shelli ~ 10 Comments

We are not telling these stories to sell them. It's a one-time love offering to our children. Get your ideas anywhere! It doesn't have to be original or told with perfect diction. If it's a bad story, don't worry. You'll forget it and tell another one the next day.

How I Use Storytelling to Enrich the Lives of My Children

September 21, 2011June 3, 2012 ~ shelli ~ 12 Comments

Take away the pressure to create a good story and simply speak about what you love, where you would like to be, what you'd like to be doing and with the kind of people you love, and you create a beautiful fantasy that both you and your child can dream on and keep with you throughout your day. And then, of course, you might start to notice how your life parallels the lives of your characters...

Book Review: Tell Me a Story by Chase Collins

September 18, 2011June 3, 2012 ~ shelli ~ 6 Comments

Stories do more than entertain. When I had children, I knew I wanted to use stories to enrich their lives with the wisdom that they could impart. Children listen to stories much more readily than they do to lectures.