A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

Once in a while I like to remind moms to “clear the coffee table.” What I mean is that you should clear off a space that is taken for granted in your house and put something out that is surprising, new, novel or has been overlooked for a long time. Perhaps there’s a bucket of Legos that has gathered dust in the basement. Bring it upstairs! Maybe you have a collection of art postcards that you haven’t thumbed through for awhile. Scatter those over the coffee table.

Poetry books, decks of cards, the game mancala, paintbrushes and watercolor paints, new pencils, note cards, disposable cameras, a birding field guide, binoculars, chess or checkers, a mini white board and markers, bean bags, beads and wire to make bracelets, an assortment of shells and fossils, teatime essentials (like mugs, teabags, a muffin mix and poetry), picture books from the library, jacks, back issues of National Geographic from the library, a new DVD… any of these can spark a train of activity that leads to learning.

If you notice that the morning habits have become dull, “clear the coffee table” (or whatever space you can dedicate) and set out some new items to stimulate your kids (and yourself). Would love to know how it all worked out!