Parenting

Navigating school choice: How seven Arizona families found the right educational fit

Jill Partridge has one child. So when it came time to enroll him in school, she wanted to do it right. She toured seven...

Rejecting the pressure to be Pinterest-perfect

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” fruit kabobs? Check. “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” cookie-and-milk bar? Check. “Goodnight Moon” pies? Got ’em. I started planning...

Celebrate both your child and charity with birthday parties that give back

Birthdays are a wonderful time for celebrating with family and friends, and as parents, we want to make our children’s birthdays as special as...

Books are still being banned? Celebrate the freedom to read

When I see the phrase “Banned Books Week,” I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seems absurd, in the Internet Age, to think...

12 healthful tips for dining out with kids

Last year for the first time, Americans spent more money at restaurants than in grocery stores, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Who’s leading the...

Junk in the Trunk is big business for local mompreneurs

Lindsey Holt and Coley Arnold are sitting in a modern concrete-and-glass office space near Scottsdale Airport, eating salads on vintage chairs pulled up to...

Grandparenting in the tech age is still about sharing our family stories

My cellphone alarm beeped at 5:30 Tuesday evening. Time to video chat with Grace and Finley, my 6- and 4-year-old grandchildren, who live in...

Books that celebrate grandparents — on Grandparents Day and every day

Grandparents. They are the hot sauce on our ribs, the fancy sprinkles on our cupcakes, and, if we are truly lucky, the whipped cream,...

Families Giving Back: At-home projects help Free Arts for Abused Children

Looking for creative ways to get your family involved in volunteering? Worried you don’t have the time it takes? Families Giving Back, a nonprofit dedicated...

Changing Hands offers Grandparents Day Build-A-Book events

Sunday, Sept. 11 is Grandparents Day. What a lovely idea for a holiday --- setting aside a day for grandchildren to celebrate the special-ness of...

American Girl debuts civil-rights era doll, hosts “block parties”

American Girl at Scottsdale Quarter will host events this week to mark the release of its newest BeForever historical doll/character: Melody Ellison. Melody is a talented...

Twin is role model at Phoenix Children’s Down Syndrome Clinic

Julia Banahan of Phoenix is an ambassador for the Best Buddies of Arizona program, a choir member at St. Thomas the Apostle Church and...

Childhood anxiety: ASU program gives kids coping skills

I notice my 10-year-old daughter fidgeting as she memorizes her lines for summer-theater camp. “I’m nervous, Mom. What if I can’t remember all the words?”...

Family game night fosters togetherness, memories and skills

This vision of my dad is burned in my brain: The family is seated around the kitchen table, playing the game “Killer.” The object...

An unexpected joy: Home schooling a child with learning differences

When I first considered home schooling, it wasn’t because I thought it would be fun. It sounded like another obligation piled on top of...

Better Business Bureau urges caution with Pokémon Go craze

There’s no question it’s hot right now. Pokémon Go, the augmented reality game played on a smartphone via its global-positioning system, has reportedly been...

PARTY ARTICLES

Money Lessons from Birthday Parties

Teaching Kids the Value of Gifts & Gratitude Between the cake, balloons, and wrapping paper tornado, birthday parties are often all about fun, but they also provide the perfect opportunity to teach kids early lessons...

Time to Paw-ty

Celebrating your favorite furry friend Call me crazy, but when my husband and I adopted our first dog together, we threw her a birthday party complete with cake, streamers, guests, appetizers, games, and more. Was...

Unique Ways to Host a Joint Birthday Party

My brother and I have birthdays that are just one day apart—his on March 3rd, mine on March 4th, and our oldest brother just a few weeks later on March 21st. Fast forward 31 years...

Out-of-the-box Birthday Party Ideas in Phoenix & Tucson

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Birthday Traditions & Clever Theme Ideas

Childhood birthdays are unlike any others. I have fond memories of waking up on my birthday morning anticipating all the fun that was in store. With three kids who had birthdays all in the same...

Out-of-the Box Birthday Party Ideas

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Party Etiquette

Whether you’re hosting a party or attending one, you may be wondering—do people really RSVP anymore? What about goodie bags, are those still a thing? Do I need to stay with my child at...

How to Throw a Birthday Party that Won’t Break the Bank

I remember the days when birthday parties consisted of colorful balloons, streamers, a simple cake, and the classics like musical chairs and tag with a few friends. Times have changed and suddenly it feels necessary...

How to do a drive-by birthday party

As we get deeper into quarantine, people have gotten creative with birthday celebrations. One result: the drive-by birthday party.

Home pool party? Hire a lifeguard!

Drowning happens silently and quickly. That’s why children are at risk even when — and sometimes especially when — adults are nearby. Even a "designated pool watcher" can avert his or her eyes for a...

Hiking birthday party

For a child who loves adventure and outdoors, turn a hike into a birthday party.
Tour de Liam, Biking birthday party theme, bike race, outdoor activites, arizona parties

Bike race birthday party

When there are lots of neighborhood friends who love to ride their bikes together, host a birthday party that feels like an official bike race.

Island birthday party

Pool parties are popular in Arizona. Make a stylish upgrade at your next birthday party by incorporating décor and details that will transport guests from the desert to a tropical island paradise.

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