By: Sandy Churchill As 2016 draws to a snowy close and 2017 lingers on the threshold, the timeless sensation of resolutions comes to mind. As parents, we share a potential spirit of reflection, evaluation, and future promises to do better somehow—to keep doing what is working, for sure, but also to embrace change, improvement, … More Resolutions for Good!
By: Sandra L. Churchill Amidst perhaps the most toxic presidential election cycle in history (or at least the last century), we have seen political angst and divisive outbursts tearing at our daily peace, as families, as citizens, as colleagues, as friends and as neighbors. Get Active As a family, we’ve found this … More Political Survival
By: Sandy Churchill Amid political conventions and daily scandals circling the upcoming presidential election, it seems tough to find good news and maintain optimism. “He said/she said” accusations, press bias, cynicism, and lack of character fill the airwaves and conversations seem dotted with dejected spirits and disbelief on the state of our country and its … More Hope Remains
By: Sandy Churchill Upon returning from a recent game conference in Columbus, Ohio, our family was encouraged and recharged from life’s stresses—thanks to three and a half days of games, games, and more games. These are not video games—nor are they the simple-stream variety of Monopoly, Checkers, or Candyland. They are European-style board games of … More Let the Games Begin!
By: Sandra L. Churchill Summertime offers a lovely opportunity to tour local parks and enjoy nature’s best treasures. I recently visited the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston with my son and a couple of his friends. The site was featured recently as part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays program, which … More Hidden Treasures at Boston’s Arnold Arboretum
By: Sandra L. Churchill Drive-in movie nights usher in memories of meatball subs and pajama-clad kids climbing on top of the station wagon to watch films under the stars. As a family, we’ve continued the tradition—with a longer drive since drive-ins are few and far between—with our own children. We tote lawn chairs, coolers, blankets, … More Embracing Summer with Drive-In Memories
By: Sandra L. Churchill Recent encounters at playgrounds, grocery stores, and libraries have brought me into conversations with parents who work full-time, part-time, or as stay-at-home moms and dads. I frequently connect with homeschoolers, traditional schoolers, and private-schoolers. My teaching and playdates span accommodations for ADHD, gluten-free, and lactose-intolerance, and I observe discipline styles that … More Choosing Respect
By: Sandra L. Churchill My husband and I are often greeted with bewildered looks when we confess our love of camping. Truth be told, we’re not diehard, sleep-on-a-rock-by-a-river types who frequent the most rustic of trails with no access to a bathroom. We love to camp in “moderate conditions” as a family. Some would even … More Happy Campers
By: Sandra L. Churchill With eagle-eye precision, our oldest daughter slips a turquoise blue piece into place, finishing a much-anticipated sky section of a vibrant Peanuts scene for her Charlie Brown fanatical mom. We pushed closer to the scene before us, nearly elbowing each other into place as we jockeyed for position to complete our … More Puzzle Time: Piecing Together Family Memories
By: Sandra L. Churchill It’s a bit awkward to lump my husband and me into a group of people that we’ll refer to as “oldies but goodies.” When did that happen? There are days I still feel like a teenager… Oh, well, there’s a silver lining in everything—memories, shared experience with a whole class of … More Oldies But Goodies
Community Voices for Health 