midweek mentions:
- The love/hate of STAAR testing; mostly hate. This week Emma Grace is taking the STAAR test (a state wide test) in reading and math. I totally get that the state desires a way to measure students academically across the state, but I hate what it has done for both teachers and students. For teachers is forced them to teach to the test because their job depends on how their students perform. I hate it for the kids, too, because it causes them such unnecessary stress. It’s a tough place to be as a parent, too, in regards to how to guide your child through it. For us, we’ve taken this approach: we’ve coached Emma that we always do our best at anything and everything we do. So, we want her to show up well-rested on test days and perform her best. We’ve also tried to reduce any and all stress by letting her know that this assessment does not hold any weight on future – it doesn’t affect her grades or getting into college. It’s a measurement tool for the state and that’s it. We do not care one bit how she does. So, cheers to all of you parents navigating this same situation!
- As y’all know, I’ve been trying to develop a good morning routine. One of the things that lends the best results for me in how I approach my day is meditation. It so helps me to set my intentions for the day and approach my current situations with gratefulness and calm demeanor. I highly recommend giving it a try. The CALM app is my favorite app for guided meditation.
- This is for all of you that, like me, don’t have a good thumb. If you’re looking for a flower that loves the heat and doesn’t require a lot of water, try Lantana. We’ve had it in our front bed for several years and it comes back year after year. It does well in a bed or a pot! I highly recommend it.
- What is it about a candle – like water – that is so calming? Are you a candle person? For me, lighting a candle when I come home is as automatic as flipping the light on. This is my favorite clean candle and this is my favorite Target candle.
