BLOGS

Adventure Us: Roanoke area day trips, Part I

Now that we are finally getting gorgeous fall weather, the time is right to plan some weekend day trips to enjoy the beautiful scenery and unique attractions within driving distance of Roanoke. So, here are a few fun day trips that our family has enjoyed over the past few years, in the hopes that your…
Read More

Virginia’s Native Allspice

This fall we noticed, for the first time, some bushes with bright red berries dotted across our nearby woods. Thanks to the reputation of hollies, poke berries, and other brightly colored inedible wild plants, my first thought was “poisonous!” But after doing some research, we have made quite a contrary discovery. Say hello to spice…
Read More

Roaming Roanoke: Little Green Hive

For this edition of Roaming Roanoke, we visited a popular coffee and smoothie bar – Little Green HIve! It is hard to believe that summer is winding down! Some are already back in school and others will go back soon! I feel like my kids just got out of school and we still have months…
Read More

The 5-Minute Answer: What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)?

By Marissa Siegel, Owner and Speech-Language Pathologist at Rising Star Speech and Language Services You may have seen someone write a note to communicate their order at a coffee shop. Or maybe you’ve seen someone use a device that speaks for them according to the buttons they press. These are examples of augmentative and alternative…
Read More

How the New Normal Brought Back Family Dinners

The COVID-19 virus most certainly brought the world to its knees and created a new normal for most families; working at home was suddenly a new and welcome change for many parents, and family dinners are making a comeback. It’s a difficult job juggling work-at-home duties, chores around the house, pet needs, wrangling the kids,…
Read More

Home for the Holidays: Billy and Kelly Smith’s Adoption Story

November 2, 2012

Billy and Kelly Smith met at Pinkerton Chevrolet where they both worked in 1996. They fell in love and were married two years later, with hopes of starting a family together. Their dream came to a halt in 2002 when Billy was diagnosed with cancer. As Billy endured rounds of chemotherapy, the couple was told…

When Should My Child Start Seeing A Dentist?

November 2, 2012

  Good news today! While looking at your child’s cute toothless grin you notice their first tooth has erupted. This is a time of excitement, and you grab the camera to capture this moment in your child’s life. This is probably the first time that you have thought about finding a dentist for your child…

Fingerplays for Preschool

November 2, 2012

SILLY WAYS TO SING & STRENGTHEN LANGUAGE SKILLS Traveling this Holiday Season? Or just want to keep a toddler awake on the way home from the grocery store? Or need to keep children entertained while waiting for an appointment? Here are a few fun music games for kids of all ages that teach while they…

bigstock

You Don’t Need Antibiotics

November 2, 2012

I’m sick but my Doctor will not give me antibiotics, why?   The fall allergy season is in full swing and cold and flu season are just ahead.  This is the time of year when people tend to get sick with upper respiratory symptoms.  Sometimes it is hard to tell if your runny nose and…

Growing Up inthe Valley- Kids Eat Free!//bigstock

Kids Eat Free

September 1, 2012

It’s a no brainer, Free Food AND you don’t have to do dishes?  Kids Eat Free (or cheap!) all over Southwest Virginia! We’ve organized all the local restaurant kid’s meal deals for you- so you just have to pick the food you’re in the mood for! We covered restaurants from Roanoke, Lynchburg, Salem and New…

Changing Education: 7 Habits for School

August 31, 2012

Synergize—a lot of adults may not apply this word to their daily lives, or for that matter, even know what it means; however, kindergartners at Botetourt County’s Colonial Elementary sure do. The word became a “bragging point” for principal Tammy Riggs as she described how The Leader in Me, a book by Stephen Covey, had…

Back to School Hearing Test

August 31, 2012

It’s back to school time once again, and parents across the Roanoke Valley are trying to prepare their children for the new academic year by providing all they will need for success. New backpack. Check. New shoes.  Check. Pencil case.  Check. Hearing test…? Everyone knows that good hearing is essential for young children to develop…

Getting Ready For School

August 31, 2012

Did you know proficient reading by the end of third grade is a significant predictor of future academic and life success?  However, learning to read well begins long before a child enters elementary school.  According to literacy experts, reading proficiently results from a combination of experiences and skill building that begins in the earliest years…

Kindergarten Nerves

August 31, 2012

The best way to deal with first day of school nerves is to minimize them as much as possible beforehand. Even if your child has seen their older siblings go to school, it’s still an entirely new experience to them and can be very scary. Thankfully there are lots of ways to help ease their…

Ease Back into School

August 31, 2012

I say it every year. I’m going to have my children continue reading at least a few nights a week in the summer. Two weeks before school starts, I’m going to get them back on a good bedtime schedule. My oldest just started the 5th grade, so I’ve had plenty of time to get it…

Share This:
water-fight-children-water-play-51349

SEE YOUR AD HERE!

CLICK TO FIND OUT HOW!