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
Paying with Cash Can Help Your Child Understand Money
Age: 5+Time: 15+ minutes to plan, all day on your Paying with Cash DayMaterials: paper, pen or pencil, and cashFocus: life skillsThe concept of money can be tricky for kids to understand, especially when everything is done online or with a card. Paying with cash is an excellent way to give kids a tangible way to understand just how much things cost.How to Get Ready for Your Paying with Cash DayBefore your Paying with Cash Day, let your child know that you’ll be having a day where you’ll pay with cash for everything. Explain to your child that you want them
5 Ways to Promote Art Appreciation for Kids this Summer
Age: 5+Time: 30+ minutesMaterials: depends on activityFocus: community engagementAs summer quickly approaches, promoting art appreciation for kids is a great way to engage your kids and keep them learning (without them realizing it) while they are on break. Even if you’re not an art aficionado yourself or don’t live in a large city, you can still teach your child to appreciate art.Ways to Promote Art Appreciation for KidsBelow are five ways you can promote art appreciation for kids this summer. Music in the park. Take a look at the calendar of events for your community. See if there are concerts in
2 Easy Ways to Teach Kids about Money
Age: 3+Time: 30+ minutesMaterials: fake money (from a baord game or DIY)Focus: family communicationTrying to teach kids about money isn’t always easy, especially when most things are paid online or with a card. It’s hard to grasp just how much money something is when it’s just numbers being said by the cashier. Here are two easy ways to teach kids about money.Share Where the Family Money Comes From1. Talk with your kids about where the family money comes from. Do your kids know how you and your spouse earn money? Explain to your child how work (or your time) is
6 Things to Do for Mother’s Day
Age: 2+Time: depends on activityMaterials: depends on activityFocus: communicationIf you’re looking for things to do for Mother’s Day, look no further. We have a list of six things to do for Mother’s Day that is sure to have something for just about any mom.Things to do for Mother’s DayThese can be tailored to involve just you and your mom or the whole family. It’s up to you what your Mother’s Day will look like. 1. Have a heartfelt chat with your mom. Make a cup of tea or coffee (or pour a glass of wine, depending on the time of day)
1 Simple Way to Connect with Your Kids
Age: 4+Time: depends on activityMaterials: depends on activityFocus: family connectionWhen they’re young, it’s not really an issue to connect with your kids. In fact, it’s usually an issue of disconnecting from them so you can have a few minutes to yourself. This changes as they get older, though. That’s when we really need to focus on keeping that connection strong.Family Meetings Help with ConnectionAs they enter their teen years, it’s developmentally normal for kids to push away from their parents and connect more with their friends. That doesn’t mean you don’t need to connect with your kids anymore. In fact, it’s
