A few things of late I’d like to pass along. Right now, my family and I are headed back from our first real family vacation. I’ll write more about some of that later on.

1. Back in the day. First, a photo. I took this of an old-school playground on the beach in Fairhope, Alabama. My children loved playing on it, though they were a bit wary of the rickety teeter totters made of wood. (The town also had a very cool contemporary and accessible playground near the downtown square.) Is there anything better than a playground ON the beach?

 

beach playground, beach vacation, family vacation, Fairhope, Alabama, Rhonda Franz, Captain Mom, Saturday Session

 

2. Habits: we’ve got bad ones, we need good ones. Gretchen Rubin writes about habits (and a new version of personality types) in new book, Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of our Everyday Lives. I found it a fun and intriguing read. I like it when someone can explain why we do what we do, and how to change up for the better. Here’s a great article about her book: Better Than Before: A Psychological Field Guide to Harnessing the Transformative Power of Habit. Part of my vacation was a bit of a break from habit, other times, I needed to stick close to my normal.

Saturday Session, a new book, Gretchen Rubin, Captain Mom, Rhonda Franz

 

3. Got skills? I’ll be coming back to this article: Nonacademic Skills Are Key To Success, But What Should We Call Them? I’m most excited about the use of the word, “grit” in this piece. Learning and academics are important, but I want my children to gain much more as they grow than school learning and book knowledge. Helping them attain those skills isn’t a easy. At least for me.

What skills do you think are most important for your children to learn?