Articles written by Sara McGrath
All 73 articles written by Sara McGrath
How to Prevent Flu Virus Infection: Alternatives to H1N1 Swine Flu and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines
Category: Diseases/Viruses
Vaccines are not the only way to prevent flu virus infection. Several simple steps can prevent the spread of infection after exposure. more...
The Truth About Christopher Columbus and America: A Columbus Day Lesson Plan
Category: Curricula/Lesson Plans (general)
On the second Monday in October, educators across the continent tell children a story about the discovery of the Americas. more...
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Homeschooling families may fall anywhere along a spectrum from structured approaches to ones which do not resemble school at all. more...
Putting Pressure on Preschoolers: Early Childhood Education Gets in the Way of Learning
Category: Educational Issues (general)
Young children need direct interaction with the concrete, physical world. That means generous amounts of freedom to touch, taste, smell, listen, watch, and explore. more...
A Homeschool Lesson Plan on Money: Online Games and Printables to Teach Kids About Currency
Category: Homeschool Curricula
Money is more than dollars and cents, earning, saving, and spending. Money has a long and interesting history. more...
Unschooling and Natural Learning: Relaxed, Eclectic, and Child-Directed Homeschooling
Category: Homeschooling (general)
With a structured approach at one end of the homeschooling spectrum and a radical unschooling approach at the other, each unschooling family falls somewhere between. more...
How to Have a Painless Labor and Childbirth: Natural Techniques for an Easy Birth Experience
Category: Childbirth - Labour & Delivery
Whether a woman uses a tried natural birth method or arrives at her own unique approach, any woman can experience a painless, joyful childbirth. more...
Category: Homeschool Curricula
Homeschool parents can use a curriculum standards checklist to plan next year's course of study as well as to evaluate at year's end. more...
Internet Safety for Children: Help Kids Learn to Stay Safe Online
Category: Kids Educational Activities
Children quickly become proficient Internet navigators. That is why it's important to prepare them for the potential dangers on the Web. more...
The Law of Attraction for Children: Mindfulness and Presence for New Age Kids
Category: New Age Beliefs
New age teachings have entered the mainstream and spiritual teachers such as Eckart Tolle, along with Esther and Jerry Hicks have created books specifically for children. more...
Conventional Parenting May Increase Unhappiness: Happiness Declining for People in the West
Category: Attachment Parenting
A BBC opinion poll declared people "less happy." If people in the West are unhappy, how did they get this way? Some people point the finger at conventional parenting. more...
Video Games as Learning Tools: Computer Games Help Children Learn a Variety of Skills
Category: Kids Games
Not just educational games, but computer and video games of all kinds make learning fun for children. more...
Home Made Shampoo and Conditioner Recipes: Make Your Own Natural Hair Care Products
Category: Hair Care Products
For consumers who want to avoid chemical ingredients and additives in commercial shampoos and conditioners, homemade recipes may provide a safe, inexpensive alternative. more...
Earth Day Printables: Reuse and Recycle Coloring Pages and Activity Sheets
Category: Kids Holiday Activities
Use paper wisely. Earth Day is a day to learn about environmental conservation and sustainability. more...
Easter Printables: Print Out Easter Activity Sheets, Coloring Pages, and Clip Art
Category: Kids Holiday Activities
Printable Easter activity sheets and coloring pages are free, quick and easy, and fun to do. more...
Fashion Design Resources for Kids: Fashion Games, History, Careers, and More
Category: Kids Activities (general)
The Internet offers a variety of opportunities to nurture a child's interest in fashion through creative games, activities, history, and career and educational resources. more...
Tiny Teacup Pigs: Miniature and Micro Mini Potbellied Pigs
Category: Pet Care (general)
When it comes to pigs, tininess, as with beauty, is apparently in the eye of the beholder. When compared to non-miniatures, micro-mini or teacup potbellied pigs are tiny. more...
Category: Homeschooling (general)
The Web provides the ultimate variety of multimedia teaching tools and learning options for homeschooling parents and children. more...
Fiction Techniques: Character Development: Bringing Substance and Depth to a Story's Characters
Category: Writing Novels
Well-developed characters play an integral role in both character-driven and plot-driven novels. more...
Online Dress Up and Makeover Games: Fashion, Style, Room Decor, and Dollhouse Websites
Category: Kids Games
Deceptively simple fashion games provide hours of fun for children, while inspiring creativity, individuality, and increased self-awareness. more...
Writing a First Draft: Getting it All Down Through Question and Answer
Category: Writing Techniques
A good first draft is a creative mess that will later be crafted into an attractive story form. more...
Wikispaces for Teachers: An Online Resource for School and Homeschool Teachers and Students
Category: Online Student Resources
A wiki (Hawaiian for "fast") is a web page designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or edit content, in other words a simple online database. more...
Learn to Read Websites: Online Games and Activities for Early Literacy
Category: Kids Educational Activities
Books are not the only way to learn to read. Many children teach themselves to read with the aid of online games and activities designed to foster early literacy. more...
Online Fashion Games for Kids: Dress Up, Makeover, Fashion Design, and Style Websites
Category: Kids Games
Paper dolls have gone high tech with online dress up, makeover studio, fashion design, and beauty salon games where kids can style avatars, characters, and celebrities. more...
Green Jobs – Medical Transcription: Home Employment in the Healthcare Industry
Category: Training/Professional Development (general)
Working at home is good for individuals, families, and the environment. Individuals pursuing authentic home employment may consider a career in medical transcription. more...
Early Germ Exposure Boosts Immune Function: Cleanliness May Weaken Immunity and Promote Illness
Category: Autoimmune Disease
Clean living may not equal healthy living. Some scientists suggest that too little germ exposure inhibits healthy immune development and promotes disease. more...
How to Boost A Child's Immune System: Beyond Vaccination
Category: Holistic Nutrition
Parents can do several things to boost a child's immune system in order to protect against infectious diseases and minimize chances of adverse vaccine reactions. more...
Treatment for Postpartum Breast Engorgement: Relief for New Breastfeeding Mothers
Category: Breastfeeding
Three to five days after giving birth, many new mothers experience breast engorgement which can lead to painful clogged milk ducts and mastitis if left untreated. more...
Vitamin D Deficiency in Breastfed Babies: Sun Exposure, Breastfeeding, and Rickets
Category: Breastfeeding
Vitamin D deficiency in mothers and breastfed babies may more accurately be called sunlight deficiency combined with environmental pollution. more...
Safe Fish and Seafood During Pregnancy: Healthful Omega-3 Fats Support Pregnant Skin
Category: Pregnancy & Childbirth (general)
Eating healthful dietary fats, such as those found in fish and seafood, is among several practices that support optimal hydration and support of a pregnant woman's skin. more...
Alternative Vaccination Schedules: Selective and Delayed Immunization Options
Category: Vaccinations
Alternative vaccination schedules incorporate selective and delayed vaccination to reduce the risks of adverse reactions and vaccine injury. more...
How to Make Homeschool Lap Books: An Easy Craft Project and Learning Activity
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Using a file folder, paper, scissors, and glue, homeschoolers can create lapbooks to enhance their learning experiences and create keepsakes for presentation and review. more...
Food Colorings and ADHD in Children: New Research Supports Link Between Food Dyes and Hyperactivity
Category: ADHD/ADD Treatments
Activists petition to ban artificial food dyes after new research supports a link to ADHD in children. more...
Sign Language for Babies: Infants Can Use Hand Signs Before They Can Speak
Category: Infant Toddler Development
Using signs allows infants to easily communicate their needs and wants, reducing frustration, and to enhance bonding with those who use signs to communicate with them. more...
Hiking With Young Children: Getting Outdoors With Kids Under Five
Category: Family Travel (general)
With patience and flexibility, parents can continue to enjoy hiking while spending quality time with young children and fostering a connection with the natural world. more...
The Problem of Peer Orientation: Losing Children to Their Friends
Category: Inter-Child Relationships (general)
Today's parents take for granted that their children will at some point reject parental authority, shun their company, and turn instead to their peers for guidance. more...
Homeschool Learning Blog: Use a Blog to Create a Free Learning Website for a Child
Category: Homeschooling (general)
A blog is a type of website with a format that works well for creating a children's learning website. A homeschool learning blog can be created in three easy steps. more...
Category: Holiday Kids Crafts
Spooky Halloween costumes and decorations can become joyous festivities to honor departed ancestors. more...
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Several homeschool styles, such as Waldorf and Enki, incorporate circles and rhythms into their daily routines. more...
Category: Homeschooling (general)
The unschooling lifestyle gives children the freedom and flexibility to intuitively learn in the easiest and most enjoyable way for them. more...
Unschoolers Learn Naturally Through Play: Unschooling is the Natural Method of Learning
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Mohandas Gandhi once said something to the effect of "One should not confuse the habitual with the natural." One can easily apply this sentiment to learning. more...
The Unschooling Case Against Teaching: Coercive Teaching Methods May Inhibit Learning
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Unschoolers typically avoid the word "teach," because of its association with coercive teaching methods. more...
A Healthy Pregnancy Diet: Good Sources of Protein, Iron, and Healthy Fats for Pregnant Women
Category: Pregnancy & Childbirth (general)
A healthy pregnancy leads to an easy, joyful childbirth experience, and a healthy, happy baby and postpartum mother. more...
Online Math Games for Kids: Children's Educational Websites to Improve Basic Math Skills
Category: Kids Educational Activities
Interactive, multimedia websites engage children and make learning math fun. more...
How to Print a Blog as a Book: Converting CSS and HTML Documents to Printable PDF Book Format
Category: Blogs
Print any blog as a book with the aid of common word processing software. more...
The Charlotte Mason Method of Homeschooling: A Classical Approach to Educating the Whole Child
Category: Homeschooling (general)
The Charlotte Mason Method of educating children is popular with homeschoolers, although it was not originally conceived as a homeschooling method. more...
Personalized Online Games and Videos: Customize a Character with a Child's Photo
Category: Kids Games
Add to the fun of online games and videos by uploading a child's photo to create a personalized character. more...
Anemia During Pregnancy: Iron Deficiency is Common Among Pregnant Women
Category: Prenatal Health
A pregnant woman, as well as her growing baby and developing placenta, need extra iron to support a rapidly increasing blood supply. more...
Breastfeeding and Diapering Products: Baby Care Products for New Mothers
Category: Infants & Toddlers (general)
New parents face many, often confusing, choices among nursing pads, breast pumps, breast milk storage containers, bottles, diapers, diaper bags, and baby slings. more...
Fashion Apprentice Downloadable Game Review: Free Trial Downloads of Popular Fashion Games
Category: Video & Online Games (general)
Play along with Anna as she works her way up from boutique apprentice to famous fashion designer. more...
Child Abuse Memoirs and Autobiographies: Why People Read and Write About Childhood Abuse
Category: Writing Autobiography
One might ask, "Why would anyone want to read about another person's horrible childhood?" Yet, these so-called "misery memoirs" are abundantly written and read. more...
Kid-Safe YouTube Videos with Totlol: Totlol Protects Children from Inappropriate Adult Content
Category: Kids Activities (general)
YouTube hosts plenty of great videos for kids, but protecting children from inappropriate content is not easy on the YouTube website. That's where Totlol comes in. more...
Dora the Explorer Grows Up: Nickelodeon's Dora Goes Straight from Preschool to Preteen
Category: Preschool TV
Dora the Explorer is getting a fashionable makeover, a move to the big city, and group of new friends. more...
Radical Unschooling: Focus on Whole Life, Happiness, and the Law of Attraction
Category: Homeschooling (general)
Rapidly gaining in popularity, a new brand of radical unschooling incorporates the Law of Attraction. more...
Rethinking First Foods for Babies: Safe Choices when Starting Solids with Infants
Category: Infant & Toddler Health
Baby cereals and mashed sweet potatoes, once widely recommended, are no longer generally considered safe choices. more...
Valentine's Day Printables: Print Out Cards, Envelopes, Coloring Pages, and Clip Art
Category: Kids Holiday Activities
Printable Valentine's Day cards and envelopes are free, quick and easy, and fun to make. more...
Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques: How to Improve and Polish a Final Draft
Category: Writing Techniques
A good final draft is a story in which every element has been pushed to its absolute limits. more...
George the 140-Year-Old Lobster: Extraordinary Animal Stories
Category: Saltwater Fish (general)
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals championed for George the 140-year-old lobster's freedom, and won! He was released back into the ocean off the coast of Maine. more...
The Pescetarian Diet: Pescovegetarians Add Fish and Seafood to the Vegetarian Diet
Category: Nutrition (general)
Begin with the term vegetarian and add the optional prefixes lacto (dairy), ovo (egg), or pesco (fish), as applicable. Pescovegetarians are fish-eating vegetarians. more...
Online Games for Preschoolers: Learning Websites for Young Children
Category: Kids Games
Interactive websites aimed at toddlers and preschoolers combine basic computer skills with traditional early childhood educational skills. more...
Is Santa Claus Real?: How to Answer the Santa Question
Category: Kids Holiday Activities
Beyond giving a simple yes or no answer, parents may consider the consequences to children of how they approach, interpret, and inevitably answer the Santa question. more...
How to Care for Cast Iron Cookware: Seasoning, Using, and Cleaning Heavy Iron Pots and Pans
Category: Healthy Cooking (general)
Well seasoned and cared for cast iron cookware is naturally nonstick, durable, versatile, and inexpensive. more...
Letterboxing With Children: Craft a Signature Stamp and Solve a Letterbox Mystery
Category: Kids Games
Crafting stamps, following clues, solving puzzles, and hiking all combine in the Old World traditional activity known as letterboxing. more...
Dangers of Microwaved Food: Quick Cooking Alternatives to Microwave Ovens
Category: Nutrition (general)
In 1989, the University of Minnesota issued a warning against heating breast milk or infant formula in a microwave oven. more...
Natural Methods of Labor Induction: Safe Ways to Induce Labor at Home
Category: Childbirth - Labour & Delivery
If the cervix is ripe and the baby is at least 37 weeks gestational age, labor can be induced safely and naturally at home. more...
Belly Rings for Pregnancy: Preservation of Navel Piercings During Pregnancy
Category: Pregnancy & Childbirth (general)
Pregnant women need not remove navel piercings. With appropriate jewelry and skin care, women can preserve their piercings throughout pregnancy. more...
Vaccines and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Making Educated Decisions About Immunizations
Category: Vaccinations
Understanding vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases is an important step in making informed decisions regarding vaccinations. more...
Home Care for Seborrheic Dermatitis: Prevention and Natural Treatment of Eczema
Category: Eczema
A common form of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis affects the oily areas of the body, primarily the scalp and face. Several natural treatments can be found in the kitchen. more...
Effects of Anti-Sexism Training in Schools: A Switch in the Poles of Gender Inequality
Category: Gender Inequality
In an attempt to eliminate inequality between the sexes, some parents and teachers actively discourage traditional gender identification in young children. more...
Nurturing a Child's Intuition: Inuitive Development Through Self-Awareness
Category: Self-Awareness
A child develops intuition through reflection and contemplation of daily experiences. In a fast-paced culture, the child finds little time for introspective activities. more...
Meditating with Children: The Many Benefits of Child Meditation
Category: Meditation Techniques
Children benefit from meditation, too. With a little guidance from a parent or caregiver, children of all ages can meditate easily, anytime and anywhere. more...
Toxins in Breast Milk: Chemical Pollutants May Harm Babies
Category: Breastfeeding
In response to reports of chemical pollutants found in human breast milk, some mothers have begun to question the safety of breastfeeding. more...
Time-In Versus Time-Out: A Positive and Compassionate Alternative to Punishment
Category: Peaceful Parenting
Time-in is the new time-out. Parents and caregivers seeking positive and compassionate alternatives to harsher forms of discipline are turning from time-outs to time-ins. more...
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