Category: Education

When we ask our children, “How was your day,” we’re often met with a one-word answer like “fine” or “good.” To get a more meaningful response and to truly connect, try using open-ended questions. Instead of them giving you a simple yes or no, these questions encourage your child to provide details and reflect on their experiences. This approach transforms a routine check-in into an opportunity to understand their world, build stronger communication, and show them that their thoughts and feelings are important. By moving beyond simple questions, you create a space for real conversation and a deeper bond. So instead of “How was your day,” try one of these:

1. What was the best/worst thing that happened at school today?
2. What was the most interesting/funny thing you heard today?
3. What challenged you most today?
4. How did you help somebody today? How did someone help you?
5. What made you smile today?
6. Tell me about something you read today.
7. What are you looking forward to at school tomorrow?
8. What new vocabulary word did you learn today?
9. Rate your day on a scale of 1-10. Why did you give it that rating?
10. Tell me/show me something new you learned today.

These types of questions invite your child to share the full spectrum of their day—the triumphs, the challenges, and everything in between. By asking questions that require more than a one-word answer, you’re not just getting information; you’re building a bridge of communication. This practice shows your child that you value their thoughts and feelings, which creates a safe space for them to open up. Over time, this consistent effort to connect will strengthen your bond, transforming a simple check-in into a meaningful daily ritual that nurtures your relationship and helps your child feel truly seen and heard.

At the start of every school year, I see posts on many mom groups that I am a part of questioning the school supply lists. “Why do I have to send in two packs of dry erase markers or ten glue sticks? Why do I have to buy Clorox wipes, sanitizer and tissues for the classroom?” And what makes these mamas most irritated is that they’ve been informed not to write their child’s name on any of the supplies they send in.  

Welcome to communal school supplies, my friends! Whether you realize it or not, this concept isn’t new. I know it can be a little overwhelming to look at your kid’s school supply list and see 28 additional supplies you need to buy when really all you wanted to buy was a new backpack. 

But.schools.need.your.support. 

I know I don’t have to tell you that educators aren’t paid enough, so if you have the funds and means to help them out, why wouldn’t you? Teachers spend quite a bit of their own money on their classrooms (supplies, decor, etc.) If your problem with communal supplies stems solely from you disliking that your child won’t have the supplies you bought and nothing at all to do with you being able to afford them, then please get over yourself.

If you’re really so gung ho about Johnny having his own supplies, then fine. Let his teacher know. But when Johnny runs out of his 12 pencils in the first month of school, which you intended to last all school year, what would you like Mrs. Smith to do? Let him sit there without a pencil? Give him a zero because he isn’t prepared for her class? Or would you prefer him to be able to grab a pre-sharpened pencil from the classroom stash that the rest of the parents have sent in? Even if you think your kid will be fine without a set of communal school supplies in the classroom, they will absolutely benefit from these supplies, too. Why? Because their paper is going to run out, they will use all of their glue sticks, and their crayons will break. This is where you should realize that community matters. 

There are parents who drop their students off with an empty backpack- no supplies in tow. Be the parent who goes above and beyond to buy extra supplies for the class- just because. Community matters. 

Wouldn’t it be satisfying to know that any child who’s suffering at home or having a hard time getting what they need doesn’t have to worry about not having a pencil when they sit down at their desk? Community matters.

Some of you will still be upset about the idea of sending in school supplies for the classroom; you’ll be mad that the teacher asked for a red, yellow, and green folder when Johnny only wanted sports ones. And you’ll really blow a fuse at the thought of being responsible for taking care of “somebody else’s child.”

But it takes a village, and you yourself need a village-  a community. And that community is built by sending in an extra pack of tissues, a spare box of pencils, or ten extra glue sticks.

Community starts with you; community matters.

Please comment below if you know of any other good books about diversity to add to the list. I would recommend that you also read children’s books by diverse authors (not necessarily about race) to expose your children to unfamiliar writers/ writers who don’t look like them.

1. Sister Anne’s Hands- Marybeth Lorbiecki

2. Teach Your Dragon about Diversity- Steve Herman

3. A Kids Book About Racism- Jelani Memory

4. Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation- Duncan Tonatiuh

5. Shades of People- Shelly Rotner and Sheila Kelly

6. The Other Side- Jacqueline Woodson

7.  We are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders- Harry Belafonte

8. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans- Kadir Nelson

9. The Proudest Blue: The Story of Hijab and Family- Ibtihaj Muhammad

10. Mixed: A Colorful Story- Arree Chung

11. Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness (Ordinary Terrible Things)- Anastasia Higginbotham

12. Ruth and the Green Book- Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Gwen Strauss

13. All Because You Matter-Tami Charles

14. Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America- Emily Easton

15. Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down- Andrea Davis Pinkney

16. God’s Dream- Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams 

17. Desmond and the Very Mean World- Desmond Tutu

18. The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story- Aya Khalil

19. Skin Like Mine (Kids Like Mine)- LaTashia M. Perry

20. This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World- Matt Lamothe

21. I Am Enough- Grace Byers

22. Happy in Our Skin Paperback- Fran Manushkin

23. A Child’s Introduction to African American History: The Experiences, People, and Events That Shaped Our Country- Jabari Asim

24. Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice- Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard
25. The Day You Begin- Jacqueline Woodson

We are just coming off of the long holiday break where kids were home bothering parents for the 12th snack and screaming, “I’m boorrreedddd!”

We don’t allow devices on weekdays, but I bent the rules a little and allowed an hour of device time here and there throughout the break, particularly for my oldest two kids- Quinn and Demi. (Poor Max has the iPad as his full time babysitter sometimes. Sue me.) I let them choose how they want to split their device time. Of course they always want to use it all in one sitting. When it was time for them to shut it off, Quinn immediately began to complain that he was bored. I told him that he’d better figure out his life because he’s not getting any electronics. He sat for another 30 minutes acting as though his life was ending due to having a bad case of nothing to do. I didn’t budge. I again told him that he needed to figure something out. Demi had already moved on to making me a five course meal in her play kitchen.

While I was doing the laundry, Quinn came over and helped me fold and put away clothes. After that, he took it upon himself to clean the toy box. He then cleaned his room. After he couldn’t find anything else to clean, he decided that he was going to use his legos, train tracks and books to build a “supercool racetrack where [his] Hot Wheels could do stunts.” HIs inventiveness was kicking in, and I liked it.

How often does your child use their imagination? Is it as much as you did when you were little? Remember playing doctor, teacher, house, and cops and robbers? You’d swear we were legit characters in those roles because we played them so well. As an educator, I can tell you that students lack critical thinking and problem solving skills. That is because they simply struggle to use their imagination. Children need to be afforded the opportunity to develop their own ingenuity. Allow your children to play! No, not video games. I’m talking real play. Allow them to do sidewalk art with chalk, paint, build with blocks, mold with play dough, do science experiments and dress up in costumes. (Tip: Buy costumes for the low, low after Halloween.) Let them kids make a mess, Sis. Let them go outside! Explore nature and bugs. Turn on the sprinkler and let them run through it. Let them fly a kite. Let them mimic an airplane and pretend they can fly. 

Be honest. Are you providing your children enough opportunities for this type of play? They should not be spending hours at a computer, watching television or playing video games. Hell,  watching other kids on YouTube makes them passive participants enthralled in someone else’s fun instead of creating their own. Sidenote- I think I’ve finally caved in to creating a family YouTube channel. Pray for me.

Being enrolled in sporting activities definitely allows them to develop their skills, but they’re not necessarily developing creativity. Don’t let them bother the hell out of you when they’re bored. Give them a cardboard box and have them create something. If your child complains of boredom, force them to figure out for themselves how to fill their time. I guarantee if you stress this enough, their creativity will soar! Who knows? You could be molding the next creative billionaire.