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Hi, I’m Sharlene!

A mother of 5 boys, grandmother of 12, and author of Good Music Brighter Children. I started the blog, “good parenting brighter children” to share my 40+ years of experience swimming in the delightful (and sometimes shark infested) waters of parenthood. It’s been quite the experience and one I want to share.

Hopefully, you find this blog helpful and inspiring as you travel your own unique parenthood journey.

the latest from the Blog

Amazing Reasons Why Grandparents are Important to Teens

9 Super Fun Ocean Activities for Grandkids & Grandparents

How to have Fun on a Nature Study with Grandparents

How to Have Fun with Dinosaurs at Grandparent’s House

How to Discover Bugs and Insects with Grandparents

43 of the Best Family Picnic Ideas to Last a Lifetime

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❤️MATH, SPATIAL AWARENESS & ART PROJECT—WELC

❤️MATH, SPATIAL AWARENESS & ART PROJECT—WELCOME TO SIDEWALK CHALK! I like activities that simultaneously teach a skill or increase intelligence. This time our teenage grandkids created geometric designs using sidewalk chalk. 🟦What skills & levels of intelligence are involved? —SPATIAL—the kind of intelligence of Albert Einstein! And the kind of intelligence needed for solving problems in the minds-eye! 🔴Make it more challenging by giving your teen grandkids a paper with different geometric designs to incorporate into their artistic designs—for extra points. 🟩Then give them sidewalk chalk & painter's tape and let the creativity begin! 🟧Divide into teams & allow 45 minutes from start to finish to create something amazing. 🟣Criteria for judging? –how many geometric shapes did they use? How creative was the final design? Was the execution clean & neat? Did they finish on time? 🔴PS: We also shared with our grandkids about one of their ancestors who invented dustless chalk! ❤️More details here: link in bio

❤️CUPCAKE WARS—WITH TEEN GRANDKIDS! TEACHES

❤️CUPCAKE WARS—WITH TEEN GRANDKIDS! TEACHES TEAMWORK AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS 🧁More than likely your teen grandkids have seen different food shows on TV 💚🧁Cupcake Wars is one! 🧁Here’s an idea to do Cupcake Wars with your teen grandkids for a fun experience that will teach them teamwork and problem-solving skills—using cupcakes! 💙Divide your grandkids into teams 🧁Give each team 30 undecorated cupcakes and a cardboard base to build their design on. 🧁We made up 8 bags of frosting in 8 different colors and with 8 different cake tips. 💚Each team was allowed 45 minutes to create something the judges (their parents) would be blown away by! PS: don’t forget to award prizes! ❤️🧁Get all the details here: link in bio

❤️REASONS WHY GRANDPARENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO TH

❤️REASONS WHY GRANDPARENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEIR TEEN GRANDKIDS 💙This week, the focus is on activities you can do with your TEENAGE grandkids! We did these during our family reunion. 💚Each activity took no more than ONE hour of their time each day. ❤️If you’re a grandparent with teenage grandkids, you’re important to them, and here’s why… 💙Studies have found that grandparents can offer emotional support and unconditional love to their grandkids during these teen years. 💚According to Arthur Kornhaber, MD, founder of the Foundation for Grandparenting and author of “The Grandparent Solution,” during the tumultuous teen years, a grandparent’s role is even more important. ❤️And Dr. Karl Pillemer of Cornell University says, “Research shows that as many as 9 out of 10 adult grandchildren feel their grandparents influenced their values and behaviors.” 😀So—to grandparents everywhere—we are important to our grandkids—the small ones and the big ones! ❤️Stay tuned tomorrow (and the next 10 days) for fun activities you can do with your teenage grandkid—at a reunion, family get-togethers or visits. 💙More info here: link in bio

💙🐳FISHING AT A FISH FARM! 🐟Going to a fi

💙🐳FISHING AT A FISH FARM! 🐟Going to a fish farm with your kids or grandkids can be a dangerous experience! 🐠I’m writing this from the funny farm (or should I say the fish-farm). 🐳Okay, if you choose to go to a fish farm—be assured that everyone will catch a fish—but not just one… 🐠We gave all the grandkids their own fishing pole (our first mistake)—which they immediately cast into the water and in less time, you can say, “Jack Robinson,” everyone caught a fish. 🐟We patiently took each fish off those stupid hooks (stabbing our fingers repeatedly) and when we turned our backs to help another grandchild—the first one threw her line back into the water. 💙Catching another fish. 🐳Ten minutes later and with enough fish to feed the 5,000—we packed up the grandkids and sailed out of there! 🐠We sent the fish home to their parents 🐟PS: These pictures do NOT do this experience justice. It’s impossible to take pictures, de-hook fish and keep all the grandkids smiling—I’d like to see Houdini try 💙💦🐠Click on the link in my bio to get my sanity-saving advice on how NOT to catch 60 fish at a fish farm

💙💦MAKING A CORAL REEF OUT OF COLORFUL ROLLED

💙💦MAKING A CORAL REEF OUT OF COLORFUL ROLLED PAPER 🐠Here’s how to make an authentic-looking coral reef out of different colors of rolled paper (and drive yourself crazy in the process). 🐳I’ll let you in on a little secret—the rolled paper does NOT stay put! It unravels (even if you tape it) so be prepared, after your kids/grandkids roll them into little coral reefs, to hot-glue them in place on a piece of cardboard. 🐟Let the kids/grandkids add ocean stickers (after you’re done burning your fingers trying to get the paper to stand up and behave)! 🦀PS: I can think of easier ocean projects—but these did turn out pretty cute--finally! ❤️💦Details: link in bio 🐳Inspiration; @artbar

Here is an amazing video my filmmaker son, Brandon

Here is an amazing video my filmmaker son, Brandon filmed/edited while on vacation in Banff | Jasper Canada this summer. When I look at this, I’m reminded that Brandon was already in love with cameras and filming when he was his son’s age (4). And his little son in the film—my grandson—loves to RUN! Brandon filmed this with his phone. What a beautiful world we live in

💙💦ALCOHOL PAINTINGS, A SEASIDE & FISH! 😀

💙💦ALCOHOL PAINTINGS, A SEASIDE & FISH! 😀Okay, if you think you’re using vodka to make this ocean picture—think again! You’re using 70% proof Isopropyl alcohol—you know—the kind you clean up a bloody leg with—not the kind you drink to forget your troubles. 🐠Here’s how to make these gorgeous ocean/fish pictures: *🐳Paint different sections of watercolor paper with liquid watercolor paints—don’t let the colors touch * 🐟While the paper is still wet, use a paintbrush and shake some alcohol on the painting. Watch an amazing texture appear—this is your ocean *🦀Drop dots of acrylic paints on white paper and smear them across the paper *🦑Take a comb and create zig-zag lines and swirls across the page. This is your “fish texture.” 🐠Let it dry, then cut out fish from the comb painting and glue it onto your alcohol ocean. 🐳One of the pictures shows different close-ups of the amazing textures you can get with a comb. 😀Promise—this project will not make anyone tipsy! 💙💦🐳Details: link in bio

💙💦BAKING S’MORES ON THE BEACH 💚Have yo

💙💦BAKING S’MORES ON THE BEACH 💚Have you ever BAKED anything in the great outdoors? 🐠When our kids were little, we camped in the mountains or at the beach. I also had the hair-brained idea to take along a portable oven to bake an apple pie for the perfect nature experience. 🥧Those apple pies attracted every wild animal within a 100-mile radius! 🥧I’m dead serious… 🍏Sitting in the middle of nowhere; peeling apples and making a crust so my kids could experience a freshly baked apple pie on top of Mt. Everest or in the middle of sandy beaches—what was I thinking? 🍪Here is an easier idea—make & BAKE s’mores on the beach (or in the mountains) in a portable oven—you won’t be peeling apples & mixing a crust from scratch—but you will attract wild animals (they may be your kids/grandkids). 🍪You need –graham crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows, chocolate chip cookie dough, and a portable oven. 🍪Best of all—these s’mores taste amazing—probably that gooey cookie on top! Or maybe it’s because it’s baked outdoors… ❤️Our grandkids actually made these in our kitchen (bummer) because since we moved from CA 7 years ago—we can’t find anything in our garage (that oven is lurking in there somewhere)! So—we used our oven in the kitchen. 🍪However, I included a picture of what the oven looks like—it has a temperature gauge on the outside—very easy to use! Inspiration for the cookie s’mores: @mothercould (she made hers in the kitchen) 💙💚Link to the oven & recipes here: check the bio

💙PAINTING THE OCEAN IN 3 EASY STEPS 💦This w

💙PAINTING THE OCEAN IN 3 EASY STEPS 💦This week, it’s all about ocean activities with kids & grandkids. 🐳We did today’s activity 2 years ago—and it’s bound to bring the ocean to your front door! 🐟Just 1-2-3 easy steps: 🐠First—have your kids/grandkids paint an ocean on canvas—--and let them blend colors to create a textured real-life ocean! 🦀Psychologists say that children who like mixing colors are calmer and more connected to their emotions… 🐡Second, dye some seashells—recipe on the post 🐠Third—make chocolate coral reefs in the kitchen—all you need is chocolate & pebble ice. 🐳Glue it all together and you have an ocean suitable for framing! 💙💦🐳Get all the gritty details, recipes & more here: link in bio

FUN BOOKS ABOUT NATURE & MORE… Complete your na

FUN BOOKS ABOUT NATURE & MORE… Complete your nature experience and add a few books to read to the mix! These are our favorites! We also completed our nature adventure and made nature murals, fizzy stars, cardboard rainbows & more! Check out the details here: link in bio

💚NATURE’S TOYS: MUD, STICKS & WATER & A NATUR

💚NATURE’S TOYS: MUD, STICKS & WATER & A NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT 🪨Ask any kid and they will tell you their favorite “toys” found in nature and MUD, STICKS & ROCKS! Plus, these toys are FREE! 👣Find a place in nature where your kids/grandkids can play with mud, sticks, and rocks and they will happily play for hours! 💚We have an amazing canyon near our home where our grandkids can play with nature’s best toys—mud to dig in; sticks to float and rocks to throw! 💦We bring along a few plastic boats they can sail down the river and they’re hooked. 🌊And for good measure—we added a nature scavenger hunt—a great way to polish off the day! ❤️💙💦Check out the details here: link in bio

💚PAINTING ROCKS & MAKING MOUNTAINS! 👣Have y

💚PAINTING ROCKS & MAKING MOUNTAINS! 👣Have you ever been on a nature walk and seen painted rocks or rocks with inspirational messages on them? 💙They’re called “kindness stones” or “kindness rocks.” They were painted by someone who likes to leave inspirational messages on rocks found on hiking trails. 🪨If your kids/grandkids are older, you can make kindness stones or you can do what we did with our “little” grandkids. 🚶‍♀️Go on a nature walk and have each of your kids/grandkids find 10-12 rocks of different shapes and sizes. 🪨Paint them all different colors and then provide them with a sturdy piece of cardboard they can use to create a mountain range with their rocks. OR if they want to get real creative—a mini-Stonehenge! 💚It’s all about having fun in the process! ❤️🪨Details: link in bio

💙KIDS & GRANDKIDS IN THE KITCHEN: MAKING AN EDI

💙KIDS & GRANDKIDS IN THE KITCHEN: MAKING AN EDIBLE GLACIER 🌊Have you ever heard of edible glaciers? I made up this title and recipe 30 years ago when I was reading books to my sons about glaciers and wanted them to make their own glaciers in the kitchen. 💦They are super easy to make—you need blueberry Jell-O, blueberries, whipping cream, pineapple chunks, and Oreo cookies—yes, I know—junk food! 🌊The Oreo cookies = dirt, the blueberries = rocks, the pineapple chunks = pieces of floating ice and the whipping cream is snow! 🫐The best part is watching your kids/grandkids' eyes get big when you pour the hot water on the Jell-O and it turns BLUE! This is a no-brainer fun activity! 💙💦🌊Details: link in bio

❤️MAKE A HIKING STICK 💚Kids & grandkids LO

❤️MAKE A HIKING STICK 💚Kids & grandkids LOVE to hike! They also LOVE sticks! 💙Put the two together and you have a walking stick! 😀These are easy to make and oh, so much fun! 👣Go on a walk and find the best sticks, ever. Sand them and remove all the sharp points. 🚶‍♀️Next—have your kids/grandkids wind their favorite colors of yarn around the area they will be holding their sticks. It will create a nice soft place for their little hands—plus increase their bilateral coordination skills. ❤️That’s it! You’re done! 👣Now, take your kids/grandkids on a hike and try out those new walking sticks! 💙👣Details: link in bio

❤️Our third son Brandon LOVES movies! And, he’s loved them since he was a little boy and could barely talk. 🎬He ended up graduating with a double major in film & philosophy and works in the film industry. 🎬Now, as a father, he wants his little boy (who just barely turned 4) to love movies as he does. 🎬So, instead of teaching him the A-B-C’s of “A is for apple and B is for ball,”—he taught him the alphabet according to famous movie directors. 🎬Take 1.54 minutes and watch my darling little grandson recite from memory all different movie directors to the tune of A-B-C! 🎬A movie legacy in the making!

💚GO ON A LISTENING WALK IN NATURE! 🐝This we

💚GO ON A LISTENING WALK IN NATURE! 🐝This week it’s all about activities you can do in nature! 🦋First—this is an “oldie-but-goodie” we did a couple of years ago with our grandkids. It’s a great way to help your kids/grandkids learn to listen to sounds found in nature. 🌟If you’ve ever been camping at night—you KNOW there are amazing sounds in nature! 🪁My inspiration for this activity came from the book, “The Listening Walk” by Paul Showers. 💙Give your kids/grandkids a paper with pictures of different kinds of sounds they can hear in nature (or even in the city) Go on my post and download my colorful list for FREE. 🕸As you go on your walk—mark off all the sounds you hear. 🌳This activity increases observation, listening, and verbal skills. 🍄To make it more fun—attach 2 different “bracelets” to their wrists—one a masking tape bracelet they can use to attach a treasure or two on their walk and another candy bracelet to give them energy along the way! 🌸Finding fun doing the simplest of things! ❤️Details: link in bio

❤️THE BEST BOOKS ABOUT DINOSAURS! 💙🦕Her

❤️THE BEST BOOKS ABOUT DINOSAURS! 💙🦕Here are some of our favorite dinosaur books. The links are in the bio. Also, included this week were making pancake dinosaurs, dancing to dinosaur music, painting wooden dinosaurs & more! 💚🦖Check it all out here: link in bio

❤️SCAVENGER HUNT: SEARCHING FOR DINOSAUR EGGS

❤️SCAVENGER HUNT: SEARCHING FOR DINOSAUR EGGS 🦖What kid doesn’t LOVE a scavenger hunt? Make this one unique—search around the house and yard for dinosaur eggs! 🦕You need plastic eggs, LED tea lights, and little plastic dinosaurs—that’s it! 🦖Fill the eggs with a dinosaur and tea light then, hide them all over the house, and just before your kids/grandkids run off to find the eggs—turn on the LED light so the eggs light up! 🦕This is a fun EVENING activity—with dinosaur eggs “glowing in the dark.” 💚🦖Details: Link in bio

❤️ASPHALT ARCHEOLOGY—DIGGING FOR DINOS 🦖

❤️ASPHALT ARCHEOLOGY—DIGGING FOR DINOS 🦖Kids love to pretend play so here’s is an activity they can pretend they are archeologists and dig for dinosaur bones. 🦕Years ago, when my sons were little, I created this asphalt archeology project for them—now I’m doing it with the grandkids. 💙You need a sandpile, plastic bones, and big paintbrushes. 🦖Explain that when archeologists dig in areas where there may be dinosaur bones, they are very careful not to damage the fragile fossils—so your kids/grandkids can ONLY use paintbrushes to dig for the bones in your sandpile. 🦕The first time I did this, I cooked a whole chicken, deboned it, washed the bones in bleach and then wrapped them each in plastic—DO NOT DO THIS! Way too much work! 🦖You now have Amazon—save your sanity and order plastic bones from them (link in bio) 💚🦖Details: link in bio

❤️ARTSY PASTA DINOSAURS 🦖This is a fun art

❤️ARTSY PASTA DINOSAURS 🦖This is a fun arts & crafts activity that we’ve done many times. 🦕All you need is a dinosaur template and lots of different colors and shapes of pasta (it’s super easy to make your own colored pasta—recipe on the blog). 🦖Cut out dinosaurs (in fun colors); glue them on a black piece of poster board and then help them come to life by gluing on lots of colors and shapes of pasta. 💙Easy-peasy! 🦖A great activity to develop fine motor skills, and bilateral coordination. 💚🦕Details: link in bio

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