Big Kids

In today’s world, the minute a woman finds out she is pregnant for the first time, she has a vast array of helpful resources at her fingertips. There are books, websites, and online support communities for every stage and...

How to do Arizona Halloween Fun with older kids! After spending years going to pumpkin patches and other fun Halloween events all around the Valley, my kids have just outgrown the little kid activities. But they are not old enough...

The fictional character Anne of Green Gables said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” And I couldn’t agree more. As a desert dweller, October is finally the month when we can actually say summer...

We’ve all done it. In the course of running late, and gathering up kids, their stuff, and our keys, we’ve driven off and 10 minutes later have realized we’ve left our phone at home. The sinking feeling can quickly...

In our family we have three weeks of back to school. Three. First, my third grader goes back. Then, my 11th grader. Then, my college student. (Did I just type that?) If I am only 32 years old (in...

There are many articles out there today that have moms boasting about how they keep their kids home from school.  In an attempt to curb stress, parents allow their children special days to wander museums or sit on the...

Kid in the Corner is a local non-profit dedicated to "helping each Kid in the Corner feel connected to and supported by the community." I heard Kid in the Corner founder, Francine Sumner, speak a few years back and...

Let me begin by saying that I am an introvert. Any other introverts out there? You know, the one who mobile orders coffee so you can sneak up to the bar, grab your coffee, and walk out with hardly anyone...

Parents of teens: Raise your hands if you can’t wait for the seemingly endless days of kids sleeping until noon, daily requests for money, hours of video games, wet beach towels on the floor of every room, and the...

As a middle school teacher, I see my share of goofy and/or dangerous trends. Kids have needlessly planked across desks, swallowed spoonfuls of cinnamon, and spontaneously burst into Fortnight dances in the middle of class. The most current trend...

Ahhhh, the splash pad. Like most young children, my kids love the splash pad. It is pretty much an Arizona childhood tradition to spend a hot afternoon cooling down with springs of water shooting all over the place. No little kid...

The details of the college admissions cheating scandal have been trickling out in the news for more than a few weeks. Parents with kids who have applied to college in the last several years, or who will be applying...

Hi fellow mama. I want you to know that you are amazing. You put your heart and soul into parenting your kid(s) and although you often go unnoticed, I see you. I see how you stressed over choosing the...

Many years ago, after my first child was born and I became fascinated with the whole birthing process, I became a certified childbirth educator. I loved helping couples overcome their anxiety about birth and making their journey to parenthood...

SMB was so honored and excited to attend the MassMutual #FutureSmart event in downtown Phoenix recently. Over 3000 children were invited to the Phoenix Suns' Talking Stick Arena to learn all about planning for a successful future. The host...

Miss Behave is a girls clothing store located at Fashion Square Mall that has fashion-forward clothing for young girls ages 4 to 14 years old.  If you have any daughters/nieces/little ladies in your family, you know that they can be...

Tis' the season to be thankful! We are blessed beyond measure. Blessed to live in Arizona and have a mild winter. Blessed to have babies we can watch grow. Blessed to live free. But how do we ensure our...

If you are a parent of a preschooler, then you know you're less than year away from the first day of Kindergarten. Fall is the beginning of Open Enrollment in public schools with applications already being accepted for the...

We’ve all seen them. We’ve definitely all heard them. Perhaps on occasion we’ve even been one. I’m talking about the loud and obnoxious “Sports Parent.” On the mild end of the behavior spectrum, they’re the ones loud-talking in the stands...

It seems there are precious few things as highly anticipated as sending one's child off to Kindergarten. What a mixed bag of sentiments - nostalgia, nerves, grief, excitement disbelief... We do our best to capture it all in grinning,...

Can you believe that summer is over and the kids are back in school already? You may have had this "conversation" a dozen times by now: How was school? Good/fine/whatever. We’re all happy to hear that school was “good.”...

As we approach the beginning of Kindergarten, I want to tell you how proud we are of you!  You have grown so much and it is hard to believe you are spreading your wings a bit more each day....

Summer flew by and it’s that time of year where the kids are gearing up to head back to school. Being in a new classroom with different friends or even in a brand-new school is very scary and intimidating...

It's never easy to be the new kid. Unfamiliar faces, an unexplored campus, and seemingly strange dynamics all await your child on day one, and they know it. Imagine your child skipping happily into a new classroom, making ten...

Summer in Arizona. Also known as the “Desperation Months” when we parents attempt to keep our kids busy so that we can maintain at least an ounce of our sanity. Often, this means our kids are trying out new...

Soccer is BIG here in Scottsdale, so chances are if you have kids, you're spending time at soccer games. We love watching our kids play and have a passion for something like soccer. This sport teaches them teamwork, the...

One of the many reasons I wish we had smartphones when my kids were little is that I would have liked to log the number of hours we spent at the playground. Both my son and daughter were born...

May is when we celebrate our teachers. It's a special time to thank them for everything they have done for our children all year. Just like we challenge ourselves to be thankful all year, not just on Thanksgiving Day,...

Traveling with kids can be BRUTAL, but we all got to do it. So use our tips and tricks to make the journey a bit easier, and GOOD LUCK!  Travel Tips & Tricks {SMB TIP: We also love all these local...

DIY Savings Bank Supplies Shoe Box Cardboard Scrapbook Paper Stickers Decorative Tape Packing Tape Glue Scissors (adults!) Step 1 - Find a Box We picked a sturdy preschool sized shoe box that was already pretty cute.             Step 2 - Make Cardboard Dividers Use...