The Reluctant Homeschool: Our Educational Journey Thus Far

I spilled the beans in a previous post that we’ve become educational outliers – we do school at home now.

Even before I became a homeschooling mama (reluctantly, as the title reveals), I was intrigued by the educational choices of various families. I truly enjoy reading and discussing the rainbow of perspectives on everyday experiences that are common to all people (food, clothing, education, hygiene, medicine, relationships, etc.). I am fascinated by the differences, encouraged by the similarities, and drawn to each story’s underlying reasons.

In case any of you are cultural anthropology nerds like me, here’s the why and how of our homeschool journey.

History

I grew up thinking homeschooling was both completely awesome… Stay home all day! No drama! No PE! …and absolutely horrid… Would I have to wear denim and turtlenecks? Would I fit in if my hair didn’t reach my rear end? My mom doesn’t drive a 15-passenger van.. is that ok?

I was never homeschooled as a child, and I never intended to homeschool my own children.

As an outsider looking in, I thought homeschooling was WAY too much work. I’d rather have my kids go to school. They could leave for half of the day, and I could get a job doing something I enjoyed during school hours while earning some extra money (hilarious, I know).

Homeschooling was definitely out of the question.

Math

When we moved to Germany in 2010, we thought it would only be for one year. That year turned into two, and that two turned into four. When we would visit the US, I would talk to my old friends about what their kids were learning in school, and what their educational experiences had been like (see? nerd!). It was through these conversations that I learned American kindergartens teach kids to read.

WHAT!?

German kindergartens do not teach their children any academics, only useful skills like how to manhandle power tools, chop potatoes to make soup, and scrounge around the forest for seriously cool sticks. And, even if they did teach the kids to read, it would be in German. Duh.

I suddenly realized that if (okay, WHEN) we moved back to the US, I could end up with a first-grader who was unable to read, write, or do basic math.

I felt for my children. I did not want them to be the weirdos that didn’t know anything about schoolyard politics, the latest cartoons, how to speak decent English or six year-old slang… AND they would be illiterate.

No, no, that would not do.

Homeschooling in Germany is illegal, but I figured the Germans wouldn’t mind as long as my boys went to German kindergarten, too. So, that’s what we did. German kindergarten in the morning, English homeschool in the afternoon.

English

I started with the book How to Teach Your Children to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I set my expectations low (finish the book) and got to work. Eventually, I added a math workbook, taught my son how to write English characters, and I even sprinkled in some fun activities based on the Five in a Row series.

You guys, to my utter astonishment, it worked. I cannot even express to you how mind-blowing this achievement was.

Full disclosure – we had our share of tearful, hair-pulling, fist-raising moments. But, my kid could read! And write! And do maths! And he didn’t hate me! (yet..)

At this point, I still was not on board the homeschool full-time train. When we landed in the US last October, I again met up with my friends for good ol’ what’s-your-kid-up-to chats. Alpha was now in first grade, and I wanted to know what “normal” first-graders were learning… Spelling. Science. Spanish.

CRAP.

It was then that I started to feel the tides turning. I panicked a bit, thinking about all of the things my child didn’t know. We still were technically homeless, and I had no idea how long it would be until we were settled.

Putting my sons in school and then pulling them out whenever we traveled to look for jobs was just not an option. In my own childhood, I attended 18 schools in Kindergarten-High School. I know from experience it’s terrible to constantly be the “new kid.”

I began to realize that perhaps it would be better if we homeschooled for the rest of first grade to help with the transition and then Alpha could go to the local elementary school.

 

Geography – Mapping Out a Plan

I scrambled to put together a loose plan of what we could manage while on the road when we had no permanent place to live and could only take what would fit in our car. We worked on plus and minus, long and short vowels, print and cursive whenever we could.

When we finally moved to Arizona for a job, I looked into the local public schools and the many wonderful charter school opportunities in our city. But, I just couldn’t bring myself to register my kids at any of them.

With a husband working all day and all night to keep one lecture ahead of his classes, a house to unpack and organize, four years of paperwork to catch up on, waves of reverse culture shock to tame, and countless other tasks to figure out and do on my own, there was one thing I could not manage – getting three kids and myself out of the house every day, twice a day, for school.

This is in no way a complaint or meant to disrespect or discount the MANY parents that do this every day. Both homeschooling and organized institutional schooling are hard on families in different ways. I know I/we are blessed with choice, and I do not take that lightly.

Once my mind was made up to give this homeschool thing a go, I bought legit curriculum and made legit lesson plans. Slowly, we worked our way up to a full load (well, for a first-grader).

I encountered the usual whining and complaining here and there, but on the whole, I felt like this experiment was still working. My kids were learning, and (surprise, surprise) I actually liked being with them. There was just one problem.

Charlie.

Spelling… T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Oh, my dear Charlie. This kid keeps me laughing, guessing, and fuming all day long. He craves attention, and when he does not get it, we all pay.

Charlie is not interested in addition or spelling rules. Charlie does not want to play quietly in his room while his brothers learn addition and spelling rules. Charlie wants to be in.your.face.all.day.long.

Fill in the blank… Homeschooling is a ______________.

At first, I did the bulk of our school day in the afternoon while Charlie napped. That worked well, but it left me with NO quiet time to recharge. As an introvert, this was a recipe for a very mean mama and seriously stressed kids. I felt like I could tackle just about anything if I could only have an hour or two of quiet several afternoons a week.

In our new circle of friends, I started asking if any teenagers would be interested in being a mother’s helper to my absolutely charming two year-old (hey, he’s potty trained! No diapers to change! That’s got to count for something, right?).

Thank God, I was able to find two great kids willing to come over a few times a week in the morning to gain experience and a little pocket money in exchange for hanging out with a bossy awesome kid.

Science – Experimenting

Okay, that was last school year, but will we keep things the same for this year?

Yes… and no.

I absolutely agree with this post by Tsh from The Art of Simple. I love the idea of evaluating each child, each year. I am in no way anti-school, and I am not ruling out a public or charter school possibility for the future. However, for second grade and kindergarten, Alpha and Bravo will stay home.

Oh, and Charlie? He’s already signed up for preschool. 🙂

What kind of school do your kids attend? Would you change it if you could? Have you ever tried homeschooling? I would love to hear about your options – even if you think I’m nuts – and what you like and dislike about your current education situation.title photo source

Traveling Mercy: Take Action Against Human Trafficking

It’s Valentine’s week, and whether you are into the holiday or not, the hearts and flowers are everywhere – love is in the air! I’m pausing my not-quite-lovey-dovey Parisian series today for an important message from the heart of a very dear friend of mine.

Tiffany Pastor and I met over 10 years ago when we were both living in Orlando, Florida. We became fast friends, especially when we realized our husbands already knew each other. We’ve traveled together on a fun Caribbean cruise, driven halfway across America together, and literally weathered storms together (hello, Florida hurricanes of 2004!).

And now, Tiffany has written a novel about human trafficking with the intention of bringing awareness to this heartbreaking reality.

Though the book is set in America, human trafficking is an issue that affects people, and especially travelers, everywhere. I invite you to read her words today, and I personally ask you to support not only the launch of her book but efforts to eradicate slavery wherever in the world you may be.

The Background

Maybe you have heard the statistics…

• 30 million people are enslaved globally, funding a $34 billion industry.

• An estimated 300,000 prostituted children live on the streets in the United States.

• 900,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year.

• In America, 2300 children go missing every day, and 2/3 of those will end up in the sex trade.

The numbers are staggering and numbing.

Even with our best intention, we might say: “Wow, there are so many of ‘them’.” However, the moment we categorize the victims of human trafficking as a ‘them’ we have unconsciously held their sorrow at arm’s distance.

With compassion we might serve ‘them,’ or give to ‘them.’ We might fight for ‘them.’ But we would stop at nothing if it was one of US.

I realized this brokenness reached one of US one day when traveling. I was given a glimpse into a little girl’s life. She was in danger, and no one seemed to help her. I looked her in the eyes, and made a call to report my suspicion.

When I think of human trafficking, I don’t just think of the numbers anymore. It’s not a ‘them.’ It was HER. I picture her. Now, I picture the faces of people I have met, people with stories so heart wrenching that I can not stop fighting for freedom, because I know they are one of US.

The Story

CHILDREN of the CITY is a novel about human trafficking in America. It transforms the numbers of statistics into the personal connection to someone’s story. People may not feel they know a victim, but when they open the book, these characters come to life before them. It changes the issue into a heart’s cry for justice.

Many people feel compelled to make a difference but they don’t know how to respond. CHILDREN of the CITY spreads awareness that opens our eyes to the communities around us, and becomes a tool to share in the hands of readers.

A call to action at the end of the book features tips and signs to be aware of, as well as a list of non-profits who which to get connected.

When the book is released, 40% of all author profits will be donated to freedom fighting organizations.

What Can I Do?

The book will release in April 2014, and a Pre-Release Launch has just begun! Incredible doors to spread the story are opening up. As future events and conferences welcome the story into their venue, the cost of accommodating a print-run for the book falls to me as the author. That is why pre-ordering your book now really matters!

As you purchase the book, the funds will give us the ability to say “YES” to each opportunity and walk through those open doors with the book in hand.

Take a moment to check out the theatrical book trailer:

Ready to take a stand against human trafficking by supporting CHILDREN of the CITY? Pre-Orders are only available until February 24. Click here to contribute.

Anyone can buy the E-Book for $10. This donation or pre-order is a tangible vote that says “I CARE! And I won’t put up with it!” It’s a small price for a huge impact!

If you prefer a paper copy or would like to order multiple copies for a book club or resources for small group discussion, you can also do that here. We have perks at nearly every price point as a way of saying THANK YOU for taking a stand for the enslaved among us.

Thank YOU!

Thank you for sharing the story! Thank you for donating, and thank you for being a freedom fighter together. I am honored to stand for justice with you!

I’ve just ordered my copy – now it’s your turn! Please check out CHILDREN of the CITY’s website to learn more about Tiffany and this life-changing novel. You can also like COTC on Facebook here.

IKEA Hack: Expedit Lego Duplo Table with Storage

Welcome back reader friends!  I trust you’ve had a nice long holiday break, wherever in the world you are.  We spent a wet week in Paris (more on that later), and now I’m dealing with a very particular toddler who has decided two naps per day is tooooo many.  Oh, joy.

Luckily, the little stinker has found his happy place smashing up his Christmas present – a Lego Duplo table that Doc Sci and I made from an Ikea Expedit shelf.

I was inspired by the Lego Playhouse I saw here.  However, I had a slightly different vision of what would work better for our family and apartment.  I wanted the table to include space for storage, and I wanted it mobile.

I absolutely loved making this gift for the boys, and I know your kids would be thrilled to receive this, too.  So, today I’m sharing how we did it.

Supplies:

• Ikea Expedit 4×4 shelving unit
• Ikea Expedit set of casters (2, optional, if you want the table mobile)
• Ikea Dröna boxes for storage
• Two large Lego Duplo building plates (bauplatte) for the top
• Four small Lego Duplo building plates for the middle shelf*
• Strong glue like E6000 or UHU Kontakt Kraftkleber
• Small Duplo bricks (2×2) in assorted colors (optional)

*The large Lego Duplo building plates are too big to fit on the lower shelves (but, they are perfectly sized for the top!).

We could’ve bought them anyway and cut them to fit, but I wanted a lower stress option (what if the cut looked bad?  What about the rounded corners?).  We found smaller boards on ebay (none available on amazon!).  The size I used is 12×16 knobs as seen below.Actually, I bought all the Lego Duplo building plates on ebay.  Those suckers are crazy expensive, and I knew my boys wouldn’t care if a few of the knobs showed a bit of wear and tear.

Assemble the Shelf

First things first – put your Ikea Expedit shelf together!  I don’t think you need much help here – the shapeless nonverbal figures in the instructions should tell you everything you need to know.

Add the Wheels

Wheels are completely optional.  I wanted them because we have a very small apartment, and Big Foot takes a 3-4 hour nap in the boys’ room.  I thought it would be nice for the older boys to not have to carry out armfuls of toys to play with while the little one sleeps. Just as a side note, it’s not necessary to use Ikea’s casters.  If you find wheels that suit your fancy elsewhere, just use those.

Again, I was going for low stress.  The wheels are competitively priced (at least in Germany), fit the Expedit shelf perfectly, and have a locking wheel which is crucial if you don’t want your playhouse running away from you.

A drill is handy to have when attaching the wheels, but it’s not critical.  Doc Sci was too lazy to bring ours up from the cellar, so he used good old fashioned elbow grease.

Glue the Boards

Decide where you want to position the boards, and glue them down one by one.  A few tips…

• If you bought used boards, clean them first before gluing!  I totally forgot to do this (you can see it in the photo), and it was a pain in the you-know-what to scrub in between those little knobbies after they were cemented down.
• It’s helpful to have two people glue the boards simultaneously in case you need to shift them slightly to ensure proper spacing.
• Use Duplo bricks to attach adjacent boards together (see second photo below).  This will ensure you get the spacing correct.  If you glue the boards with the edges flush, they will be too close!
• Pile heavy books on the boards while the glue dries overnight.  Keep the Duplo bricks in place during this time, too.

Add Storage and Decorate

Zip your bins together, and fill them with your bricks.  I put a few extra of the bigger building plates in one of the bins so that play didn’t have to be confined to the table.  They do fit, but only at an angle.

I attached some colorful 2×2 Duplo bricks around the edges for decoration and to encourage “out of the box” play.

I liked the idea of laminating paper scenes and placing them inside the middle shelf.  However, I didn’t have time to do this, and I wanted to see how my boys would use the table first.

If I end up adding the pictures, I’ll use velcro tabs on the back of the laminated sheets so they can switch them out.  I’m thinking they would love the ability to rotate between airport, fire station, police station, post office, zoo, construction zone, and city scenes.

I added some vehicles, buildings, and people (all from ebay, of course) to make the gift super sweet for them.

And… You’re Done

That’s it – easy peasy!

We gave the boys this table as a joint gift.  We’re resisting the draw of the regular, smaller Legos as long as possible since Big Foot still puts everything in his mouth.  My hope is that this table will help the Duplos remain cool just a bit longer.  So far, so good!

Would your kids like this table?  What other variations can you think of to customize it for your family?

Do Vegas Up Family-Style: 5 Kid-Friendly Activities

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My memories of visiting Las Vegas as a child are of endless subdivisions and eternal buffets.  The Strip then wasn’t what it is today, and the best thing we found to do was play arcade games inside Circus Circus. 

But, boy things have changed!  As today’s guest writer Kendra Thornton points out, Las Vegas may surprise you as a family-friendly (and budget!) destination. 

Do Vegas Up Family-Style

Believe it or not, Las Vegas is one of the family-friendliest places to travel in the United States. While you may associate Vegas with the more adult-themed activities that have led to its negative reputation, it is important to know that much of this is just hype.

Las Vegas may be marketed toward those who will spend freely as they imbibe in libations; however, this can easily work toward your advantage.

Businesses frequently make it cheap to travel to and stay in Las Vegas because they know that most adults will spend big money once they hit the casinos and clubs. This makes it easy for you to utilize cheap travel packages to take your kids on less-expensive and family-friendly cultural activities that I have included on this list of my favorite Vegas hot-spots.

1. Chill at Serendipity

If you have never had frozen hot chocolate, then you are in for a treat. In the rest of the country, everyone else may be warming up to a mug of hot cocoa. However, drinking it cold Las Vegas style will be a thrill for your kids. At Serendipity 3, the fun is just beginning when you walk in and are greeted by funky décor and an exciting menu. Enjoy your frozen hot chocolate as you plan your next grand adventure.

2. Thrill at Adventuredome

Inside Circus Circus you’ll find the Adventuredome, a five-acre theme park that is sure to dazzle your kids. Here, roller coaster enthusiasts from all over the world come to find their thrills. Enjoy world-famous rides such as the world’s only indoor roller coaster with a double loop and corkscrew. Then, have fun rock climbing. Those who are less adventurous will also love the arcade.

3. Lounge on a Hoover Dam Houseboat

Even if your kids have seen it all, they still have not yet had the thrill of enjoying a stay on a houseboat. A houseboat on Lake Mead can be rented for a single night or several days. In addition to being an event to be remembered, this can also be less expensive than traditional hotel stays. On a Hoover Dam houseboat, you have lodging and entertainment covered. Then, you can take in the view while enjoying the nature-side of Las Vegas vacations.

4. Experiment with Indoor Skydiving

It may or may not be your kids’ dream to jump out of a plane. Here your kids can try it out in the safety of an indoor space. This thrill is achieved by using a wind tunnel to mimic the effects of an actual skydiving experience. As a parent, you can enjoy giving your kids a great thrill while making sure safety is a priority. As an added bonus, this is even less expensive than the real thing.

5. Experience a Venetian Winter

If you would have never thought Las Vegas could be a winter wonderland, then be prepared to be surprised. At the Venetian, the halls will be decked for the season this winter. Here, you can enjoy an ice skating rink. Then, listen as real-life carolers sing holiday melodies as they roam the halls. Every night, they serve spiced cider so you can sip and enjoy the sights while visiting with your family.

This year, experience an unbelievable vacation full of holiday surprises in the amazing city of Las Vegas. Although they may say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, your family will be too delighted with their adventures to keep them a secret. Whether you explore the Hoover Dam or dine on a divine frozen hot chocolate, every moment will be savored. By exploring the other side of Vegas, your family will always remember their time in this amazing city as one of their fondest memories.

Kendra Thornton is the former Director of Communications at Orbitz. She lives in Chicago with her 3 wonderful children and loves sharing travel stories and advice from her extensive experience traveling the world.  Follow her on Twitter here.

What other bloggers are saying about family-friendly Vegas:

• Wandering Off: Kid-Friendly Las Vegas Activities Part 1 and Part 2
• Have Baby Will Travel: Baby-Friendly Las Vegas
• Dotting the Map Baby: Toddler-Friendly Activities in Las Vegas
• TLC Parentables: 10 Family-Friendly Things to Do in Las Vegas (And 3 to Avoid)
• Las Vegas Kids: Las Vegas Attractions for Kids, Children and Families (a huge list!)

Would you take your kids to Vegas?  Which one of these activities would your family enjoy the most? 

Is Tuscany Kid-Friendly? The Good, The Bad, and 3 Ideas to Engage Little Travelers

If you’ve been hanging out around here for the past month or so, you’ve been inundated with posts describing our adventures in Tuscany.  Perhaps you’ve been inspired to make your own Italian memories in the near future.  But, wait – will the little ones even like it?

Is Tuscany kid-friendly?  The simple answer is yes.. and, at the same time, no.

This region of Italy offers many exciting things for kids – castles, knights, bikes, and hikes – in addition to the awesome food.  What kid doesn’t like pasta, pizza, and gelato?  And, to be fair, there are a few attractions aimed at kids (here’s a handy list).

But, logistically speaking, Tuscany is a parental nightmare. A few examples of what you might experience in Tuscany with kids in tow:

• Pushing a pram here is utter insanity.  Streets are incredibly steep, sidewalks nonexistent, and often a set of stairs is the only way up or down to an attraction.
• Safety.  Streets, even “pedestrianized” ones, can be dangerous for little ones.  Vehicles zoom by, and often leave you with only a few inches of room to tiptoe along.
• Bathrooms.  Facilities are hard to come by, and often cost money (up to 1 euro per visit!).  Some towns only have squatty potties… which are super fun when your child needs to go #2 and there’s no other toilet around… not that I know what that is like or anything…
• Changing tables.  I only remember two places that had such a luxury; both were in Firenze (Coin on Via dei Calzaiuoli and the former Prenatal store on Via De Brunelleschi if you’re interested).
• Diapers, wipes, and baby food.  Expect to pay premium prices on a very limited selection of products.
• Kids meals.  What are those?  You’ll only find these novelties at overpriced touristy restaurants that usually don’t offer authentic cuisine.  The same goes for high chairs.
• Museums.  Tuscany is FULL of no-touch art and history.

Are you welcome to bring your kids along almost anywhere you go in Tuscany?  Yes!  Italians are not annoyed by or hostile toward children.  You won’t be shooed or shunned.  After all, their culture places a high emphasis on family.

However, you will have your work cut out for you.  Just because you can bring your kids, doesn’t mean they’ll want to go everywhere you do.  Plan your itinerary carefully (check out my tips here), and give lengthy consideration to the personalities, needs, and interests of your particular children, even more than usual.

If you need help, ask lots of questions on TripAdvisor, and mine the Frommer’s Tuscany, Umbria, & Florence With Your Family guidebook for helpful hints.Here are three things that helped to keep my boys happy in the humdrum and make our travels more interactive:

1. Binoculars.  Thanks an obscure comment in the Frommer’s guidebook, I purchased inexpensive binoculars from Amazon.de in advance.  I presented them to the boys during the long car ride from Germany; the newness and fascination held their interest for hours.  I then encouraged the boys to use their trusty field glasses inside churches, at museums, and when surveying the landscape at various panoramic points.
2. Digital Cameras.  We have an old, somewhat-busted Canon Elph that has become the kids’ camera.  It still takes pictures, but it’s not reliable enough for me to use anymore.  Just giving the young ‘uns something to do while you walk through yet another hill town is priceless. Arrows Sent Forth has a great post on turning your kids loose with an old digital camera.
3. Journaling.  Almost every evening, we asked the boys to tell us their highlights from the days’ activities.  I made notes, and I also asked them to use Travel Turtle’s Free Printable Journal Page.  They really enjoyed being part of our nightly discussion and making something to preserve their memories of Italy.  Also check out Travel Turtle’s journaling prompts for kiddos and adults as well as how to make your own journal.

With a good measure of forethought, you CAN have a wonderful family holiday in Italy.  Just don’t, uh, wing it.

For an insider perspective on the question of whether or not Tuscany is kid-friendly, check out what At Home in Tuscany has to say.

All right, your turn – I want to hear from you!  Have you taken your kids to Tuscany?  Why or why not?  If you haven’t been yet, would this be a place you’d want to visit as a family?

Six Tips for a Successful Visit to the Uffizi Gallery with Kids

Flip through any glossy Renaissance art book, and you’ll keep bumping into the name Uffizi.  Huffity, puffity, what?!

The Galleria degli Uffizi in Firenze was built in the 16th century for the extremely exciting purpose of hosting… meetings.  That’s right, the world’s largest treasure trove of Renaissance art is housed in a glorified office building.  And one that’s only partially climate-controlled at that!

Because of its impressive collection and international fame, experiencing the Uffizi Gallery can be an exercise in patience and/or a real pain in the you-know-what, depending on how you look at it.  Add children in this mix and you might have a real mess on your hands.  But don’t be discouraged – a little advance planning is all it takes to make your visit run smoothly.

Here are my six tips for an enjoyable afternoon at the Uffizi with your kids and some really amazing art:

1. Buy your tickets online in advance.  Waiting times for walk-up visitors are generally measured in hours.  Don’t waste precious time tapping your toes.  Instead, book tickets online (and several weeks in advance, if possible).  Many websites sell tickets to the Uffizi, but the only official site can be found here.  Children under 18 are FREE.

2. Visit at lunch time or later in the day.  The biggest problem inside the Uffizi is the constant swarm of tour groups.  You’re less likely to constantly bump elbows in the Botticelli room when the crowds are tasting the tagliatelle at a nearby trattoria midday or sipping wine at sunset.

I’ve seen musings here and there warning that Tuesdays are busier days.  We tried Thursday, and the mob seemed more manageable.

3. Purchase a picture book containing (almost) all the works.  If you’re not shelling out for a human guide or an audio tour, I highly recommend a coffee table book containing the all the works displayed in the Uffizi.  If possible, buy the volume in advance, and leaf through it with your family.

Allow each person to pick their favorites.  Discuss common themes in the art.  Jot down questions, and look up the answers online if you’re not art history savvy.  Make a list of “must-see” works in case you do end up lost in a sea of yellow neon Florence: The Big Bus Tour t-shirts.  If you need a little help with your list or coming up with questions, check out this excellent post from ArtTrav.

But, what if you are trying to go paperless and just can’t handle one. more. book. in your house?  Alexandra Korey of ArtTrav has expanded on the post I’ve linked to above in her recently published e-book, the Uffizi Art History Guide, and newly released IOS app available here.  Inside you’ll find an excellent Renaissance art history primer to help you understand and appreciate what you’re seeing.  She covers the most important works in each room, and includes questions for engaging with the pieces.T-Rex and I flipped through our book on the train ride into Firenze, chatting about what we saw.  Inside the museum, I was amazed at how many images he remembered (“Mama, this one is in our book!”).  We also enjoyed talking about which paintings surprised us by their scale or fine detail.

Where do you find such a book?  Well, the real kicker is that the Uffizi Gallery itself sells a wonderfully thick volume… but you have to go through the museum to get to the shop and buy it.  Instead, try ordering it off Amazon before you leave home.  I was a little late to the ball game on this one, so I bought one on the street in Firenze for 12 euro.  Not the best, but it got the job done.

4. Make a beeline for the bathroom before you begin.  If the presence of plentiful toilets marks a place as “kid-friendly” in your book, I’m sad to say that the Uffizi will let you down.

Take the kiddos for a potty break immediately after you pass through the metal detectors.  Do not proceed upstairs to the gallery until you’ve emptied the tanks!  You have forty five rooms to clear before you hit the next set of bathrooms.  Yeah, you’re welcome.

5. Plan on a pit stop at the cafe.  Gawking at all the art in those forty five rooms is sure to make little tummies rumble.  As expected, the cafe is seriously overpriced.  You can save a bit of money by ordering at the counter and eating while standing.  The same food costs more if you need to plant your bum on a seat.  Of course, you can bring your own grub, and the terrace adjacent to the cafe provides a birds eye view of the Palazzo Vecchio.6. Reward good behavior at the gift shop.  Fueled and ready for part two, head downstairs for foreign painters and special exhibitions.  You may start to wonder, when will it end? Trust me, your kids will echo your thoughts out loud.  Now’s a good time to pull out your “must-see” list and check off any remaining works.

If you made it this far without any meltdowns, hand out hugs and euros.  The souvenir shop at the Uffizi is presented in pieces, and everyone will find something to suit themselves… even if they’re not all that into art.

Should you visit the Uffizi?  YES!  Should you take your kids?  YES!  Well, I think so.  Okay, only you can decide that, and in the spirit of full disclosure, I only took T-Rex (he’s 5 1/2) with me.  Kids younger than this who are not napping during your visit or angelic girls with golden curls will most likely be bored and restless.  Regardless of age, interact with the art.  Don’t just have a look and move on.

For best results, follow the six tips above, and enjoy your visit!

What about you?  Have you visited the Uffizi?  Would you take your kids?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

This post is part of Our Tuscan Family Adventure: Two Weeks of History, Culture, Food, and Fun in Italy series.  Click on the link to view our bucket list and recaps of each excursion!Disclaimer: I was graciously provided a review copy of Uffizi Art History Guide – Unanchor Travel Guide by Alexandra Corey several weeks after my visit to the museum.  As always, opinions are my own.  At this time, I do not use affiliate links.

Happy 1st Birthday, Baby!

I’m sure I’m not the only mama out there that breathes a HUGE sigh of relief at the arrival of baby’s first birthday.  I always feel like it’s such a miracle to make it to one.

This special moment is a milestone of the best kind, one that can’t be criticized, analyzed, or compartmentalized.  No matter what your baby is doing – eating, sleeping, crawling, walking, somersaulting, bungee jumping – the first birthday is a day for the whole family to celebrate.

Big Foot’s arrival was a bumpy one; but, I thank God every day that through it all, we made it through with a healthy baby.  I know we are so blessed, so lucky, to have the biggest complaint lie in almost 8 months of sleepless nights.

This is a season of wonder for us.  This cranky baby who took 7 months to decide that life outside the womb was okay, even good, now shrieks with laughter and joy.  We are amazed at his determination to walk as early as possible and to perfect his balance in order to chase after the big boys.  As the big 1 approaches, we are so thankful for this bright-eyed boy built of solid muscle and trimmed in pinchable pudge.

In his first year of life, our wee traveler-in-training has visited 8 countries and 4 US states, crossed the Atlantic four times, traveled by train/bus/car/and plane, made his mark at 8 castles, and sneezed at one of the highest mountain peaks in Europe.  That’s a busy 12 months for such a little guy!

We love you, Big Foot, and we look forward to the many adventures to come over the years.  Happy birthday, baby!

P.s. – In case you are wondering about the photo… For all the emotions this kid has in him, he barely blinked at the sugar high served to him on a plastic orange platter.  No glee – no tears.  I guess this is preparing me to expect the unexpected from this little man!

Thanksgiving Point Gardens Tulip Festival with Kids

I’m taking a break from BeNeLux posts today to recap a recent outing to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens Tulip Festival in Lehi, Utah.  We’ve just returned from three weeks in the US, and Salt Lake City was our first stop.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens.

Thanksgiving Point is a attraction complex located just 30 minutes outside Utah’s capital that includes the gardens, a golf course, museums, a farm, shops, and restaurants.  Since my boys are still a little young to be interested in museums, I aimed to visit the gardens and add the farm if we had time (we didn’t).

Perfect!

Parking is free, but admission is rather steep ($10 adults / $8 children weekdays and $12 adults / $10 children weekends).  However, we mostly did free things in Salt Lake City, and I really wanted to see some dang tulips since we missed them at Keukenhof.  We coughed up the $36 and determined to enjoy ourselves.

Pretty, pretty.

After visiting THE best place for tulips in the whole wide world, Thanksgiving Point’s Tulip Festival rather underwhelmed us.  The bulbs were planted in narrow swaths along the paths throughout the park.  I had hoped for a field full of ’em, but sadly, my expectations were too high.

Most of the tulips were along the paths and mixed in with other kinds of flowers.

What I had hoped for was a big fat field. This was the best bunch of blooms.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to see some unique varieties: pointy petals, frilly edges, gigantic blooms, creative coloring.

Danger – formidable flowers ahead!

Besides the tulips, our favorite areas were the Creek Garden, the Italian Garden, and the waterfall with adjoining Mountain Garden.

The Creek Garden with lovely flowering trees.

The Italian Garden – up, up, up!  Wheelchairs and strollers can access the top via a “back door” path.

View from the Vista Mound Garden.

We had hoped to see the Secret Garden (a replica of the garden in the novel of the same name), but Screech and T-Rex had had enough.  We needed to find the Children’s Discovery Garden right quick, or we were going to have a massive meltdown on our hands.

T-Rex is growing up, entertaining himself by taking pictures instead of making mischief.

His photo of a birdhouse, one of many in the Gardens.

Entrance to the Children’s Discovery Garden is included in the regular admission to Thanksgiving Point Gardens.  However, parents who would like to just visit the children’s area can purchase a separate ticket at a reduced rate ($6 adult / $4 child).

I’m always eager to reward my boys for good behavior at an adult attraction (such as the Gardens) with a trip to something more their style.  Even though I wasn’t completely mesmerized by the tulips, I thought surely the Children’s Garden would be a hit.

Wrong.

Noah’s Ark on dry land.

The Children’s Discovery Garden must be a fantastic place in summer.  Since the main feature of the kids area is a large Noah’s Ark splash pad, the place can be rather dull in chilly weather.  Sure, there are a few educational things for kids, one very small rope jungle gym, and a modest sand pit (no playground!).

But mama to mama?  This place ain’t worth its salt in winter.

The sand pit… paltry by German standards, but the best cold weather kid entertainment in the Children’s Garden.

On a brighter note, the gardens are definitely stroller and wheelchair friendly.  Should you want to upgrade your ride, golf carts and Segways are available to rent.  Restrooms are located throughout the park as are water fountains.  We brought a picnic lunch, but a cafe serving sandwiches and salads is located at the main entrance.

Stand out.

Would I visit Thanksgiving Point Gardens with kids again?  Probably not… unless it was free.  It wasn’t amazing enough to earn the steep admission.  However, I would be up for giving the farm a try.  Maybe the horses, cows, chickens and such would tickle our fancy enough to open our wallet.

Have you visited Thanksgiving Point Gardens?  The farm?  What was your experience?

Visiting the Kinderkookkafé in Amsterdam

The Kinderkookkafe, where kids are the star of the meal.

I live with a five year-old aspiring chef.  T-Rex constantly asks me if he can help cook dinner, bake a cake, make pizza, etc.  His kindergarten allows children to prepare a meal every Wednesday for the whole class, and it’s rather dramatic if he can’t participate.  So when I heard about the Kinderkookkafé in Amsterdam, I knew we had to go!

The Kinderkookkafé is a unique cafe in Amsterdam where children run the show.  Each child selects what he or she would like to eat, prepares the dish, helps place it in the oven (if applicable), serves the food, and cleans up afterward.

The cafe hosts cooking classes and birthday parties on weekends. The children congregate in the open kitchen for instruction and then play while the food bakes.

Menu choices include lunch items such as ham and cheese croissants, open face sandwiches, and pizza to desserts like cupcakes and cookies to simpler snacks of carrot and cucumber cut-outs.

Standard menu choices are pictured, but daily specials are written on the blackboard.  The top photos represent the finished product, and the bottom photos help children to select all the required ingredients.

Both of my boys chose to make pizzas.  The menu card showed what items they needed to collect from the self-serve area to create their meal.  With dough, sauce, cheese, vegetables, flour, rolling pin, and pan in hand, they got to work.

First step – smear liquid butter all over the pizza pan. Really.

T-Rex and Screech had a blast doing everything themselves.  Doc Sci observed that the hardest part about a visit to the Kinderkookkafé is actually letting the kids do everything themselves.  Perfectionists will squirm when their child puts all of the cheese in one spot and doesn’t cut up the bell pepper.  Not that I know anything about that…

Ready to bake!

I must say that there’s not a whole lot to entertain the little ones while their food bakes.  I noticed a stack of books and a table with paper and colored pencils.  In warmer weather, the children could play outside in the little attached playground.

The cooked pizzas were rather crispy (food safety?), but neither of my boys noticed or cared.  It didn’t take long for the chefs to devour their masterpieces.

Food prices are reasonable; the pizzas cost about €3,50 each and most other dishes cost less than that.  I assume that the cafe makes most of its money from adult refreshments (coffee, cake, etc.).

Bathroom cleanliness was questionable.  The sinks were rather stopped up from all the dough bits washed off of little hands.  T-Rex almost overflowed the basin.  Let’s hope the staff uses separate facilities and keeps the kitchen cleaner than the restroom.

The staff members spoke English and were happy to answer all of my first-timer questions.  When I was mixing up a bottle for Big Foot, one of the women working there walked over and offered to warm it up for me.

The Kinderkookkafé concept is brilliant, and it’s obvious that the place has had great success.  I highly recommend stopping here for a meal or even just a snack when visiting Amsterdam with kids.

Have you been to the Kinderkookkafé?  If you had the opportunity, would you enjoy going to a restaurant where your children prepared and served the food?

Headed to Amsterdam?  Check out our Snapshot of Amsterdam with Kids, and don’t miss a visit to Keukenhof Flower Gardens!

Disposable Baby Diapers in Germany

Several weeks ago, I gave you a snapshot of the options for jarred baby food in Germany.  But eventually all that food is going to come out the other end, and you might want to be in the know about what kind of products we have here to cover your (baby’s) bum.

In short, the two main disposable diaper options in Germany are Pampers and generic store brands.  I have never seen Huggies diapers (only a strange, stray box of DRY wipes), nor do we have Luvs or Seventh Generation.The diapers are sized similarly, but the weight ranges are in kilograms.  Whatever US diaper size your baby wears (1,2,3,4,5,6) will most likely be the same in Germany.  As for cost, I did a quick comparison of the German Pampers prices with the American Pampers prices on diapers.com, no sales or coupons.  When you convert euros to dollars, the diapers work out to be about the same price in both countries.

If you’re looking to save some money, the generic disposable diapers at dm are actually of decent quality.  Grocery stores like Lidl and Aldi also sell store brand diapers, but I would only use these in a pinch except for the Lidl pullups which are similar in quality to the dm ones.We used Pampers diapers for all three boys (including Big Foot who was born here in Germany) when they were newborns, and then switched to generic diapers once they hit size 3 (except for when we used cloth diapers which I really, really miss).  On any given day, you can find dm diapers on Big Foot’s bum, and we have personally used the dm pullups as well.  Speaking of pullups, the options for underwear-style diapers are the dm ones I mentioned and Pampers Easy-Ups.  For older children, DryNites are also available.For those that want to go a more environmentally friendly route, dm also sells chlorine-free diapers.  They are cheaper than Pampers and a little more expensive than the generic dm brand.And, for summer and trips to the pool, dm sells their own brand of swim diapers.  I haven’t seen any Pampers swim diapers, but they may be lurking in large grocery stores that I rarely visit.Though we have less choice than in America, I think this actually makes diapering decisions easier.  I’ll take three decent options over fifteen mediocre ones any day.

Have you tried disposable diapers in Germany or elsewhere outside the US?  What was your experience?