Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're enjoying this very welcome warm up! It has been so gratifying to see the persistent snow piles dwindling down! Anyway, it's been a fascinating week on the web this week, as you'll see from this week's Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome -- enjoy! And also, you have until tomorrow to enter to win $500 for you + $500 for a friend via an Instagram giveaway I'm co-hosting with some lovely friends! Be sure to enter to win!

- A mom holds her kids accountable for their bad behavior via an amazing use of social media.

- The science of why you should spend your money on experiences not things.

- Four personal style lessons.

- Wonder Woman gets her own sneaker!

- You can play Pac-Mac inside Google Maps right now.

- Why kids are getting more agressive on the playground.

- There's a modern problem afflicting our friendships and it's time to talk about it.

- Getting girls excited about science.

- How to get kids interested in coding + 7 free resources that teach how to code.

- A 9-year-old's letter to Obama about putting a woman on U.S. currency -- and Obama's response.

- Why America's obsession with STEM education is dangerous.

Image credit: 9 plants you can totally neglect via Pinterest

When I went to college, private tuition was in the $20,000/year range and I remember people saying that it was impossible that families would be willing to spend more than $100,000 total on college. Well, tuition rates are well beyond that and it's a daunting matter. Today, contributor (and financial professional) Sandra Gilpatrick shares 4 key tips for how to start saving for college (also be sure to check out Sandra's article on how to teach kids to budget!):

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From Sandra:

If you are planning on paying for your child's college education, it will likely be one of your most expensive goals. How do you tackle this financial monster? Here are 4 tips to help you get on your way.

1. Get compound interest on your side! If you can put smaller amounts toward investment earlier, you can make compound interest work for you. Click on my quick video explaining compound interest to learn how it can help you reach a future goal, like college tuition. The longer you wait to invest for college, the more you’ll miss out on compound interest, and will need to make larger deposits later in order to make up for lost time. But remember, if you owe money (e.g., credit card), this same concept can work against you. If your credit card has an interest rate of 20% (compounding monthly) on a $20,000 debt you would pay over $4,000 per year to the credit card company.

2. Flip small moments into opportunity. When my son lost his first tooth, I didn't research the tooth fairy’s going rate. I expected that inflation had increased the amount from a quarter when I was a child, so I asked him to choose between one dollar now or $100 invested in his college investment account, a 529 plan. Without hesitation he chose to have $100 for his lost tooth invested toward college. I asked him why and he said, “Saving now will put me ahead.” That’s a simple summary of compound interest. Twenty teeth will discipline me to invest an extra $2,000 in his 529 plan, and assuming a 7.5% rate of return on $2000 for 10 years, you would just about double college funds available to $4000 (you can use the Rule of 72 for quick estimates). My son astutely asked if he would get more for his larger molar teeth. I may use that occasion to increase my funding!

3. Start as soon as you can. As with most financial goals, the earlier you start investing, the more time you have to take advantage of compound interest. Today a typical private New England college costs around $63,000 per year. That is only tuition, room, and board, not all the extras. According to collegesavings.org, if you have a 7-year-old, the current annual increases will translate into about $102,288 yearly tuition beginning ten years from now (i.e., his or her freshman year in college). If you start saving when your child is a baby, investing about $10,380 per year or $858 monthly will get you toward your goal. If you wait until age 9, however, you'll need to almost double your annual investments to $18,391, or $1,532 per month.

4. Make investing a family affair. When I was pregnant, I started a 529 plan with myself as beneficiary, and changed my son to the beneficiary once he was born. In retrospect, a 529 plan contribution would have been a wiser baby shower request than most of the gifts I didn’t use for more than five months. I’ve been encouraging my son’s grandparents to contribute toward his college, instead of buying him toys for his birthday and holidays. Admittedly, it's not the easiest battle to win, but I've made some progress! 

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Are there specific financial topics you’d love to see Sandra address? Drop me a line at christine@bostonmamas.com to let me know!

To learn more about Sandra, visit SandraGilpatrick.com. Third party posts on this profile do not reflect the views of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness. Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Image credit: piggy bank via FreeDigitalPhotos.net; large graphic by Christine Koh

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're having a good weekend so far, despite this wacky weather. If you haven't yet checked out the Weekend Roundup, be sure to do so since there are 25 event options to consider. And meanwhile, if you're looking to cozy up with some interesting reading, here's what caught my eye this week for Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome. Have a great rest of the weekend and see you back here on Monday!

- The world’s best teacher lives in rural Maine and doesn’t care about test scores.

- How Tim Gunn spends his Sunday.

- 8 powerful questions we should ask ourselves immediately.

- How Ethiopia managed to supply water to 48 million people.

- Tom Hanks reenacts all of his films in 6.5 minutes.

- Corporate volunteers can be a burden for nonprofits.

- “Yoga pants are ruining women” and other style advice from Fran Lebowitz.

- I don’t care if my son goes to college.

- How to design an edible landscape.

- 17 modern myths that are making motherhood miserable.

Image credit: ultimate stain removal guide via Pinterest

Today, Amy Lage shares wisdom re: bedtime battles:

Does your toddler or preschooler stall bedtime with “just one more [glass of water, book, kiss, etc.]” requests? Once you have entered the land of “just one more” it can be hard to leave, as you tend to get in deeper and deeper each time you give in. The result is later bedtimes, overtired kids, and frustrated parents. Today I want to share 6 tips for getting bedtime back on track.

1. Start your bedtime routine a bit earlier

While 2-4 year olds can be difficult to reason with, an overtired kid is likely beyond negotiation. Start the bedtime process early enough so your child can be asleep before overtiredness (and a bigger struggle) can set in. Many parents define their child’s bedtime as the time they get into bed, but bedtime actually is the time they fall asleep. So if you know your child needs to be asleep by 7pm, start your routine so that you can tuck them into bed by 6:45pm. The earlier you start, the less of a production bedtime will be. 

2. Ensure that day time sleep is conducive to your child’s sleep needs

A daily nap serves an important role in your child’s nighttime sleep as it allows them to fall asleep in a rested state – the state that is necessary for a good night's sleep. While toddlers and preschoolers need a daily nap, if your child is fighting bedtime, evaluate their daytime sleep. To be most restorative, naptime should begin at about 1pm every day, as this is the timing that corresponds with their circadian rhythm (internal body clock). As a child nears age 3, I sometimes see that it is necessary to cap their nap and wake them by 3-3:30pm to preserve an easy bedtime.

3. Explain why sleep is important

Kids this age love to ask "WHY?" Use that curiosity as an opportunity to explain why sleep is so important! For example, explain that sleep allows our body to stay healthy. Compare sleep to food (our body needs healthy food to run and it also needs healthy sleep to learn and grow). Explain that sleep gives us the energy to do fun things (park, soccer, swimming, dance, gymnastics, etc.). After a few improved days of bedtime routine, plan a fun outing and explain that you are doing it because everyone is well rested. If your child likes reading, read books about sleep. Some of my favorites include, Things I Love About Bedtime, Why I Love Bedtime, and When It's Time for Bed, I Have a Plan.

4. Set rules and boundaries clearly

Rules make kids feel safe. Kids will challenge rules, but they count on us to tell them right from wrong, safe from unsafe, etc., and push rule boundaries to ensure that you are there to reassure and correct them. Set rules and boundaries around sleep. For example, create a poster that lays out bedtime routine expectations (e.g., bath, pajamas, 2 books, a sip of water, 1 song, 1 big hug, 2 kisses, sleep until morning). Have your child decorate the poster, and read the sign together each night to solidify the routine. Note that this is a rules, NOT rewards, chart. Kids shouldn't be rewarded with prizes for following everyday rules; the reward will be feeling great the next morning!

5. Give them a say

A big part of “just one more” behavior stems from your toddler or preschooler wanting to exert their independence. Give them a say in the process to help them feel involved and empowered. Let them choose their jammies and which stuffed animals to sleep with. Allow them to make decisions when it comes to their own behavior. As odd as this sounds, giving them permission to exhibit behaviors that you actually don’t want (such as crying), will help these behaviors go away, simply because they have a choice in the matter. If you say, “It’s bedtime, please don’t cry,” they may cry only because you told him not to and it's their job at this age to be contrary. Instead, say “It’s bedtime. You can choose to cry or not cry but either way it is time for you to go to sleep.” Sounds odd, I know, but it works!  

6. Be consistent

This final step is key! You must consistently enforce whatever rules you create, so your kids know exactly what is expected. If you allow your kids to break the rules, even once, they will know now that if they push and push they may get their way. So BE CONSISTENT. Remember that they are in place for a reason – to make sure everyone is easily drifting off to sleep on time and getting the sleep they need!

Amy Lage is a contributing writer at Boston Mamas, a certified pediatric sleep consultant, and founder of Well Rested Baby.

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you’re having a great weekend. Today we’re finishing up celebrating Violet’s fourth birthday with a playdate with a couple of her friends from school. Man, I wish I had realized earlier on with Laurel how awesome small friend birthday gatherings are! Anyway, better late than never! Meanwhile, lots of interesting content around the web...enjoy this week’s edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

- Why I’m a public-school teacher but a private-school parent.

- The ghost children in the wake of China’s one-child law.

- Why are white people expats when the rest of us are immigrants?

- Gender equality bake sale causes stir at Utah high school.

- A doctor discovers an important question patients should be asked.

- Why children need chores.

- And also, the four-part chore solution.

- My talented friend Gabrielle is coming to Boston as part of her book tour!

- Why the 9 to 5 life is hard for creative people.

- I couldn’t afford to lean in.

- Social media’s small, positive role in human relationships.

- How much (or little) the middle class makes in 30 U.S. cities.

Image credit: triple layer hot chocolate cake via Pinterest

Today is Violet’s 4th birthday and I’m finding myself rather emotional. Her pregnancy was unexpected, the 58 hour labor remains vivid in my mind, the ride over the last 4 years has been crazy, and each exasperating moment with Vivy inevitably is counterbalanced by a sweet or hilarious one. I’ve also learned some things the second time around, and I’m grateful for the lessons, which I want to share with you today as part of the Lessons Learned series.

1. Don’t let pride get in the way of accepting (or asking for) help. Why was it so hard for us to accept or ask for help? While I’m certainly mindful not to take advantage, I’ve let go of any deferential pride issues in this department!

2. Individual differences are just as they should be. Parenting Violet has been a completely different ballgame than parenting Laurel. At first, it freaked me out, but I now know that their differences are just as they should be.

3. Having another kid helps your older kid(s) spread their wings. By necessity, we have needed to encourage Laurel towards more independence. It was a tough shift; after all, she was the focus of our attention for 6.5 years, but I know it has helped her grow immensely. She is so confident and capable now; it’s a joy to watch her tackle new challenges and help around the house.

4. Every decision impacts the family system. Whether it’s decisions about my travel, Jon’s client load, Laurel’s extracurriculars, or Vi’s playdates, every decision impacts the family system and we need to make choices accordingly. It’s really helped me evaluate my choices in a less (admittedly) self-centered way.

5. No is more important than ever. If you’ve read Minimalist Parenting you know I’m a big fan of people learning to say no. And it’s more important than ever as your family grows. There will always be more opportunities; don’t fear no!

6. Store-bought is totally fine. I do love baking from scratch, but, well, TIME. I’ve realized store-bought is totally fine, and in fact, when Vi asked for munchkins for her school birthday treat, I was relieved, given my workload this week. Best $7.99 I ever spent.

7. Letting your kids work it out is a gift. I have a low patience threshold when it comes to sibling squabbling. I quickly realized that whenever I tell Laurel and Violet to go work it out, I’m gifting them with practice in conflict resolution.

8. Reading together is still really, really important. Both of my girls love books and come to think of it, it’s really one of the few quiet, totally focused things we do together. I read a lot with Vi (she’s very forthright and will dump a pile of books in my lap) and I’ve also started reading with Laurel again. It does wonders for both of their moods.

9. Relationships matter more than ever. Whether it’s your spouse, immediate family, or friends, nurture your relationships. Go on a date. Go out for a meal (you do, after all, need to eat). Call someone on the phone. Nurturing your relationships will make you a happier parent. Trust me.

10. Your kids want you to do less. Ultimately, your kids want you and your undivided attention, not all the fancy trappings you’re trying to create for them (well intentioned as they are). It’s a win-win for everyone. JUST DO LESS. Vi and Laurel both are happier when we’re just hanging out together, and my phone has been stored accordingly.

Image credits: Christine Koh

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a great weekend! If you're looking for something to do this weekend, be sure to check out yesterday's Weekend Roundup; there are lots of St. Patrick's Day and Pi Day related activities, in addition to other programming. Meanwhile, if you're looking for some interesting reads, here's what caught my eye on the web this week for Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome. Enjoy!

- Mother and child are linked at the cellular level.

- Giant chunks of ice wash ashore on Cape Cod.

- How to drive across the United States and hit all the major landmarks.

- Brides throwing cats apparently is a thing.

- The best present ever for parents of a newborn.

- Parenting a tween: an exercise in presence.

- On being read as white.

- Derek Zoolander and Hansel hit the runway. #epic

- What turned a promising chef into a bank robber?

- Dogs believe in karma too.

- The greatest (party) generation.

Image credit: how to make words out of wire via Pinterest

Today’s Lessons Learned essay comes from Brittni, a dancer and visual artist from Grafton, MA. Brittni also works with preschoolers and in this moving essay, she shares lessons she has learned both from working with preschoolers and self-identifying as a highly sensitive child. And goodness, this piece definitely resonates with me, given that parenting my fiery sensitive Violet has taught me so much.

Dear Grown-ups,

First of all, thank you. Thank you for trying so hard. I know I am a handful. I know I am confusing. I know that sometimes I make you want to pull your hair out. I am not your average child and so most of the techniques and habits used successfully with other children do not apply to me. So please allow me to supply you with a few tips that will make both of our lives a little easier:

1. I apologize for my seemingly unexplained tantrums. I feel so much love, fear, wonder, anxiety, joy, frustration...It is often too much for my little heart to handle and I have to let it all out. I have yet to develop coping strategies or ways to express my intense feelings, so I resort to long, loud, and tearful meltdowns that probably make you feel quite helpless. Please try to be patient with me. I am just as confused as you are during these episodes. Long loving hugs and a soothing voice will bring me out of my object-throwing ear-splitting drama-fests.

2. It means the world to me when you validate my concerns. I do realize I have more concerns than the average child, but if you can make an effort to acknowledge them and make me feel understood, we are likely to skip right over a potential hurricane meltdown (see above).

3. Raising your voice three octaves just to speak to me is not necessary; I can hear you just fine at a normal pitch. Also, a little space please. Do you bring your face within centimeters of your fellow adults’ faces when asking them a question? I certainly hope not because it would probably make them feel just as claustrophobic and invaded as it makes me feel.

4. Please stop calling me shy. The more you call me “too shy” or “too quiet” the shyer and quieter I become. You express concern that I never talk, but when I do talk you look at me like I just performed a stunt, which makes me feel very self-conscious. I will talk when I want to talk, but mostly -- for now -- I just like to listen.

5. Please do not force me to do an activity that I don’t want to do. Picking me up and putting me on the swing against my will on the preschool playground, or telling me I must sing with the rest of the group makes me feel utterly powerless. I will do things on my own time. When I am ready, I will hoist myself onto the swing by myself thank you very much. And I will sing with the group once I have memorized all of the words in the song; that's just the way I operate.

6. Disciplining me with a loud voice, angry eyes, and assertive body language is overkill. When I have done something wrong, I know even before you say anything because I am so very sensitive to your mood and body language. When you are disappointed, I am flooded with guilt and have therefore been sufficiently punished. A few words explaining why what I did was wrong, or even just a moment of meaningful eye contact is often all it takes.

7. Let me create. All I need is a box of crayons and some paper and I am golden for the rest of the afternoon. I am at my happiest when given the freedom to explore my creativity.

8. Finally, I will always be this sensitive. I will always feel everything intensely and I will always be a handful to both myself and to my loved ones. My saving grace is that empathy, creativity, and compassion are traits that tend to come with being highly sensitive. So if you can hang in there and be patient with me now, I will try my best to return your efforts as I get a little older.

Sincerely,

A very small person in a very big world

Do you want to submit a Lessons Learned essay? See submission guidelines here.

Image credits: Christine Koh

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend. I'm starting to crawl out of the crazy that was the first sixth of this year (seriously, what was up, first sixth of the year??) and absorb things on the internet again (ironic, I know, given that I'm an internet publisher), so I want to get back to Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome regularly. Enjoy this week's installment and see you back here on Monday!

- A tribute to one of my beloved college professors.

- Go on and back these cool dolls for boys.

- I was in tears over these hilarious stock photos with Vince Vaughn.

- Loving this cool educational partnership between Scholastic and my beloved ONE to help families to learn about energy poverty.

- Can family secrets make you sick?

- This post made me want to start reading with Laurel again.

- Worrying about stuff is a sign of intelligence

- An indie bands stands up to McDonald's no budget offer.

- Dirty little secrets of tidy families

- Have you ever thought about starting a capsule wardrobe? This is basically what I do (but didn’t realize there was a name for it!

Image credit: peanut butter millionaire shortbread bars via Pinterest