By Traci S. Sanders Remember when you thought you were always right? No…I’m not talking about the teenage years, although I’m guessing, that could also apply. I’m talking about the single digits. You probably see this with your kids, this absolute “It’s True!” attitude that you can’t argue with and get very far…at all.  In… Read more

By Traci S. Sanders A present every month! If I had told my children this when they were younger, they would have been (in order): ecstatic, reflective, doubtful. As my son liked to say: “What’s the catch?” And here it is: One present a month…including December. When my friend told me this great idea, if… Read more

By Traci S. Sanders My dad and I shared many things; yet, I only recently learned that the way we read was one of them. I discovered this while sitting with family friends who asked me what I was reading. Pulling my book out of my purse, with turned-down corners marking nearly every page, they… Read more

By Traci S. Sanders As Thanksgiving approaches, we tend to look back, grateful for all that was; then forward, grateful for all that is and will be. How interesting that the word itself follows this same path, reminding us that it is the last part of the holiday’s name, and then the beginning, that gives… Read more

By Traci Sanders A true story… When I was little (like 5 to 7 years old little), my mom had me give my friends underwear for their birthday. I kid you not. We would go to the store and pick out “cute” (my mom’s word) underwear in those plastic packages where each pair was layered… Read more

by Traci S. Sanders Here’s an amazing statistic from Warren Berger (amorebeautifulquestion.com):  Did you know that between the ages of 2 and 5, children ask about 40,000 questions?  This got me thinking about one of the ways the very young learn – they point – which I like to think of as the original question… Read more

by Traci S. Sanders When my kids were young and a bright conversation turned cloudy; or they asked one question ten different ways looking for the answer they really wanted; or, more often than not, when they procrastinated because they didn’t want their day to end, I would say “The End…New Story…”  This worked really… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Birthdays are milestones, for the young and old alike. For some, it is a celebration; for others, a reflection. I’m in the middle of all these birthdays; actually, a bit over the top. Yet I find myself in a peculiar place, going through what is, by all accounts, for the very young… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Want to hear one of the best ideas out there? Not so long ago, I walked into a restaurant and the guy behind the counter starts sharing his friend’s story. Here it is: Every time his friend received money – for birthdays (starting with the first) and holidays, his dad took half.… Read more

Traci S. Sanders I like to think that history does not so much repeat itself; it echoes. As we celebrate the holidays this year, I find myself drawn more and more to this phrase, for every holiday has its traditions, yet none stay the same. As I place gifts around the tree, they look similar… Read more

Traci S. Sanders During the holidays, a sense of nostalgia always washes over me. That’s when I open The Box. It’s not a gift anyone else would want. Full of scraps, scribbles, receipts, ticket stubs, even plastic toys that could only come from a gumball machine, it puts a smile on my face every time.… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Character or plot? When I asked my fifth grade class what was more important to them, almost all said character. Why? Because it made them care, not just about those on the page, but about the world they inhabit. I’ve thought about this a lot since the Coronavirus began. It has, in… Read more

Traci S. Sanders You know those kids that are natural-born athletes? I’m not one of them. Yet, even those who stay in the shadows have their day in the sun. And mine was in softball, specifically the summer of my 7th grade year. It was a really hot day, nearly ninety degrees. My team had… Read more

Traci S. Sanders I remember the day I got glasses. One moment I saw the world one way; the next, another.  In essence, life came into focus. And my perception, the lens in which I viewed this world, forever changed. Then I thought about it. Yes, my perception changed, but more so, my prescription. My eyes… Read more

Traci S. Sanders As parents, we focus on our children’s milestones, but at some point, as the clock moves forward, we learn of our parents’ as well. Not only those milestones that began when we were born, but those that occurred long before we entered the world. These moments are no more poignant than after… Read more

Traci S. Sanders My father always told me that the big things in life, like holidays, celebrations, and vacations, are wonderful and should be treasured – they are the bricks. He also taught me that these moments are not the most important. The most important, he liked to remind me, are the small ones, daily life’s unsung… Read more

Traci S. Sanders As a school librarian, I read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo to my third grade class. They loved it. Trying to find a book to read to them after we finished Despereaux was met with a lot of shaking heads – they simply couldn’t compete. One student summed it up best: “I miss Despereaux.”… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Wherever you are, you’ll hear it – the generation gap. Today, at a college football game, was the latest. College-age son (heading to game that started an hour ago): “Mom, can you look on your phone to see the score?” Mom: “Why don’t we just go in the stadium and be surprised?”… Read more

Traci S. Sanders There is always a first. There is always a favorite… We capture them in photos; we treasure and protect them. They are our child’s past – an extension of who they are and, perhaps, a glimpse of who they will become. I was thinking about this the other day, because I realized… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Looking at childhood photos with my children often results in two sounds: “Awww” for the cute ones and “Ahhh!” for the, let’s just say, awkward years. Case in point…my first haircut. Right before my family moved, my mom decided that my sisters and I should get a Dorothy Hamill haircut. Unfortunately, I… Read more

Traci S. Sanders Do you still have your favorite toy? I wonder how many of us can say yes or – even more telling – show the actual favorite, and if not in person, at least in pictures. For many of us, I would guess it was a stuffed animal. And while it may be… Read more