Happy Earth Day from your friends at Bur Bur and Friends. 

Visit our site to learn fun and simple ways to create a healthy and GREEN environment:

http://burburandfriends.com/parents-educators/going-green/

By Kakie Fitzsimmons

When I was a young girl, my mother gave us the gift of affirmations. We taped them to the bathroom mirror and our bedrooms so we could recite them before we went to sleep. It was a great topic of conversation. Recently I pulled some of my own together and allowed history to repeat itself. It''s funny how sometimes we do something with the intent of helping others and we realize it helps us as well and everyone wins. We are enjoying the discussions in our household about what our affirmations mean to us and why we think they are important. (more…)

By Kakie Fitzsimmons:

As parents, how often have your kids asked you for a pet? There are so many reasons we can tell ourselves to wait. In our family we have had a dog for three years and now we can't imagine life without her. There are great resources out on the internet to help you in choosing a family pet that fits your lifestyle. If you have been considering a family pet below is some information we pulled together. There are numerous benefits to take into consideration. 

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It’s always the little things that we love most and remember best about the people in our lives. Kind, supportive words spoken. The friend you know who gives the biggest, warmest, best hugs. The simplest kind gesture that brightens your day.

Even though my husband works hard to support our family and regularly maintains and repairs countless things around the house, it’s often a sweet little text message that he sends that reminds me how wonderful he is and how blessed I am.

The same is true with our kids. It’s most often the seemingly little things that nurture their sense of self worth and instill in them a sense of thankfulness for being your child. I know that’s true for me as I think back to my childhood. A sense of being loved resonates as I think back to walking in the house after school and it truly was the simple things that reflected that love … being greeted by my dog, a snack waiting for me on the table, my mom smiling and asking how school was. Simple. Important. Memorable.

Here’s 4 very simple little things you can do to make your child feel very special and loved:

1)    Try not to be on the phone when they come home. A wise older woman once told me that when your kids walk in the door, they have something to say and if no one is available, it never gets said. We all need a (more…)

Not too long ago, our whole family spent a weekend together at a lake cabin. Because my daughter’s boyfriend came along, my three kids shared a bedroom together. As I was tossing extra blankets on my 18, 21 and 23 year old kids, I teasingly asked if they wanted me to read them a bedtime story too.  My daughter started reciting word for word the lines from “The Owl and the Pussy Cat” children ’s story book and my sons joined in and completed the entire story that I regularly read to them when they were little.

Sometimes it takes twenty years to fully recognize the value of your family routines and priorities. That was the case for me that night. Experiencing one of those movie flashback scenes in my mind, I recalled those nights lying together in bed with their favorite blankies, bears and books.

Here’s the funny part …

The movie flashback scene that was playing in my mind was the unedited version. The pictures weren’t all Hallmark and Norman Rockwell images. My husband worked evenings, so bedtime story time happened on my watch and I was always tired and spent. My kids fought over which children’s books we were going to read, who got to lay next to me, who was touching who, who was breathing too loud and no matter how many positive children’s books I read, always begged (more…)

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
– Diane Loomans

Looking back over my years of parenting, one thing is visible from this vantage point and it’s this: Within each and every day as a parent, there’s at least one completely priceless moment that needs to be found, captured in your heart and treasured.  Most often, this “buried treasure” is camouflaged and hidden among the seemingly ordinary and mundane events of life. Bur Bur and Friends multicultural children picture books and multicultural children's toys help you and your child discover those moments together while exploring the outdoors, being active and experiencing new adventures.

There’s still more winter to be had with undoubtedly more snow and with it, more outdoor adventures to share with your child. Ya know how there’s no two snowflakes alike? Well, there will be no two seasons alike with your child either – so embrace this winter with your child! Make more snowmen, more snow angels and find more buried treasure together!

Try these fun winter activities (that also encourage preschool exercise and childhood fitness!)
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By Rebecca Flansberg, "Franticmommy"

Here we are again. The days are shorter and the nights seem looonnngggerrr. Day seem to run together mainly because it’s dark when you get up, and dark when you get home. Welcome to Winter my friend. Do you think we could have any more snow this year? – it surely has been a record!

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