Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in austin, TX

Savvy Austin Welcomes Melinda Ressling on the Montessori Method

by Nicole Basham

July 20, 2009

Reggio Emilia, Play-based, High / Scope, Waldorf, Montessori....trying to read up on all of the different types of preschools, in addition to working, folding laundry, shopping, sleeping, spending time with your significant other, and oh, PARENTING, can be daunting. Sometimes it helps to ask an expert.

Several mama friends have raved about the St. James Episcopal School, which is located in East Austin near the intersection of 183 and MLK and accepts children who are 2 1/2 and potty trained by September 1st. St. James is a reasonably priced, full day Montessori program with a diverse population of students and staff members. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying families.

I am thankful that Melinda Ressling, a Guide at St. James, agreed to answer my questions about the Montessori method.

Mixing Business & Pleasure at First Texas Honda

by Nicole Basham

July 05, 2009

Running errands. Getting a haircut. Going to the dentist. These are things that I always do first thing in the morning or at night, when my husband can watch our son. They can be done with a preschooler in tow, but I find are SO much easier solo.

Savvy Austin Welcomes Heart of Texas Lab Rescue for Bringing a Lab Home

by Nicole Basham

June 29, 2009

Is your family complete? No, I'm not masquerading as your mom or your well-intentioned Aunt Judy seeing if you are having another child. I'm wondering whether you have considered adding a furry friend to the mix.

My husband had a Golden Retriever before we met, and she passed away about a month before our son was born (sad and strange, although we feared it would not have gone well). After our son was about a year old, we decided it was time for a dog. After doing some research, we found Jake (or Jakey, as our son affectionately calls him) through Heart of Texas Lab Rescue (HOTLR). We had a wonderful experience with HOTLR, and I'm very happy the Board President, Margaret Hutson, agreed to be our guest this month here at Savvy Source Austin. HOTLR is always looking for foster homes, and since Labs are a very popular breed, they are also unfortunately the most prevalent breed found in the shelters.

Starting a Babysitting Co-Op

by Nicole Basham

June 16, 2009

Hope you are enjoying your week so far. Today is Tuesday, which means it's List Day here at Savvy Source.

For today's list, I'm writing about a way to save your sanity, and, just maybe, your pocketbook: how to start a babysitting co-op. I spoke to a friend on a listserv I'm on, who helped start a co-op a bit over a year ago here in Austin. Here is what she shared with me:
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Savvy Austin Welcomes Barb Steinberg for Talking to Kids About Sex

by Nicole Basham

May 05, 2009

It's a rough world out there. Disease, death, poverty - the list goes on and on. As an adult, it's hard enough to deal with these issues, but as a parent, we must walk a fine line between sheltering our children andtalking about the tough stuff. So here in the City Guides and on the national blog in the coming week, we'll be giving some perspectives on how to navigate these difficult discussions.

On the Road Again: Staying Sane During Your Next Road Trip

by Nicole Basham

April 28, 2009

Summer will be here before we know it, and if you are like our family, you'll do at least one road trip before Labor Day. We'll actually be heading to Port Aransas in a few weeks so we can take advantage of off-peak rates and smaller crowds to enjoy the Texas coast. With that in mind, we've already started thinking about our four-hour car ride and how to make it as painless as possible. So, for today's List, here are some tips from our family to yours on making your next road trip a success:
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Where Mamas of Two Get Four Thumbs Up

by Nicole Basham

April 21, 2009

Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source, and for today I compiled a list of places to go where two kiddos can be entertained. That said, as you might have gathered, I only have one child, so I relied on my awesome mama friends for suggestions. Thanks to Lori, Heidi and you others (you know who you are!) for sharing these great tips! Here goes...

Savvy Austin Welcomes Andria Stanley for Taking Photos of Children Outside

by Nicole Basham

April 12, 2009

Wildflowers in bloom, Easter dresses and delightful Springtime weather present a bevy of opportunities for the perfect photo op. Yet another mama I met at the Austin Bloggin' Mamas Social was Andria Stanley, who started a forum for parents "taking pics & talking life", Studio Parents. Andria attempts to stay sane on a daily basis in Austin, where she writes about her two children, love of fashion, (sometimes) perfect husband, and more, on her personal website Andria and Co.

I'm excited to have Andria guest blogging today to share tips on where and how to get the best outdoor shots of your children.

It's My Party: Where to Find Kids' Party Supplies in Austin

by Nicole Basham

March 03, 2009

You have a date. You have a venue. You have one excited preschooler. Now, where to get your party supplies?

Tuesday is List Day here at Savvy Source, and as we prepare to celebrate the third birthday of our little Munchkin, I wanted to suggest the best places locally to make your party easy and memorable! Here goes:

• As much as I like to buy local, I can't host a social event without a trip to Costco.  Read more...

Carrie Contey on Reflecting, Goal Setting, and Slowing Down

by Nicole Basham

January 29, 2009

The toughest job in the world.  You hear it again and again, and until you are a parent, you don't realize how true it is. Enter Carrie Contey .  Carrie offers coaching, classes and workshops covering virtually every challenge you may face as a family.  I took a class over a year ago from Carrie called "Bonding, Boundaries, Brain and Behavior: Understanding Your Growing Toddler" which  Read more...

What Matters & What Doesn't to My Little Austinite

by Jonathon Morgan

January 06, 2009

This month's theme at Savvy Source is Resolutions and Reflections, and Tuesday is List Day. Today's list is about what really matters to preschoolers - and what doesn't. For a local spin, I've chosen to reflect on the Austin sights that my preschooler really digs (sometimes literally!) and what I've been surprised he hasn't taken to...at least not yet. Top 5 Austin Institutions My  Read more...

Peace on Earth

by Jonathon Morgan

December 11, 2008

The hardest part about the holidays for me this year is being "present" during our family time. It seems nearly impossible to sit down for a meal or to help my almost-three-year old son with an activity without shifting my attention, and instead thinking about the gifts I need to make & send, how I still need to get that flu shot, or that I MUST renew my drivers license before our  Read more...

Being shy in an outgoing world

by Julie Holden

September 22, 2008

The dictionary defines shy as, among other things, "bashful; retiring; easily frightened away; timid; suspicious; distrustful; reluctant." None of those are very friendly terms, are they? So what's a good strategy for a parent whose child has been labeled as "shy"? This came up recently on the Austin Mama's list , and the responses were universally helpful. First, I'll admit I face this problem  Read more...

Just moved to town?

by Nicole Basham

June 23, 2008

For a while there, it seemed like I was living in a new city every 2-3 years. I know the upheaval, the travel, and all the new faces can be disconcerting at first -- but on the bright side, Austinites are the friendliest group of people on the planet, and will usually go out of your way to make you feel at home. That said, the city is still small enough that finding information on family  Read more...