Carolyn Savage
Carolyn is a professional writer, proofreader, and editor living in Bend, Oregon with her husband and two pre-teen daughters. She has a background in wildlife management but switched to writing and editing when she became a mother. With her experience working for a small publishing company, as a freelance proofreader, and as a mother she shares insightful stories that support parents and grandparents.
She is the daughter of Raising Families co-founder Rick Stephens and holds the rank of black belt in taekwando. In her free time she loves reading fantasy novels, learning to craft from her enormously talented children, and then teaching what she’s learned to her enormously talented grandmother.
Posts by Carolyn Savage
Teaching Kids Where Food Comes From: A Parent’s Complete Guide to Food Education
Age: 5+Time: 30+ minutesMaterials: depends on activityFocus: community engagement Summer is the perfect time to teach your kids where their food comes from. It doesn't just magically show up at the grocery store after all. Somewhere there's a farm that grew that food and people who took care of it. There are people who had to harvest that food, wash it, sort it, load it into trucks, and bring it to you. Learning where food comes from helps all of us, including our children, make more informed choices, can help expand our food palettes, teach us to be more thoughtful about our
10 Essential Healthy Habits for Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Happy, Balanced Children
Age: 4+Time: 15+ minutesMaterials: depends on activityFocus: family communicationBuilding healthy habits for kids is one of the most valuable gifts you can give your child. These foundational practices go far beyond just eating vegetables and getting exercise. When we talk about healthy habits for kids, we're looking at the complete picture of your child's well-being, including their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. As parents, we have an incredible opportunity to model these behaviors and create lasting positive changes in our children's lives. The healthy habits for kids that you establish now will become the building blocks for their future success
Cooking With Kids: A Complete Guide to Family Kitchen Adventures
Age: 3+Time: depends on recipe and where you get the ingredientsMaterials: depends on recipeFocus: life skillsOne of the most rewarding and educational activities families can engage in together is cooking with kids. This simple yet profound activity offers countless benefits that extend far beyond the kitchen, creating lasting memories while teaching essential life skills. Kids who are comfortable in the kitchen are more likely to cook at home as adults and make meals from scratch. Kids who learn to cook are also more likely to make their own food instead of asking you to make it for them. It’s a win-win!Why Cooking
8 Easy Family Home Improvement Ideas
Age: 1–2+Time: 15+ minutesMaterials: depends on activityFocus: develop your family team Your home is for the entire family. It only makes sense that the entire family should help with the upkeep. Even starting at a young age, kids can help with some family home improvement projects. Not only will your home be taken care of and look better after the projects are done but also your child will have learned some important life skills in the process. Not sure where to start? Keep reading to see our list of eight family home improvement ideas to do with kids of all ages.Family
7 Practical Ways to Teach Work Ethic to Kids
Age: 3–4+Time: 15+ minutesMaterials: depends on activityFocus: develop family communicationA good work ethic doesn’t just happen. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help your child develop their own good work ethic. Here are seven things you can do to teach worth ethic to your child.Ways to Teach Work Ethic to Kids Model a good work ethic. Pay attention to what you’re modeling to your kids. How do you talk about work? From your work that pays the bills to household chores, your kids are watching you and developing their views of work based on what they see you doing.
