15 First Day of School Picture Ideas to Start the Year Off Right

by Nikki WalshAugust 4, 2023

Sidewalk chalk is always a favorite

Whether your kid is heading back to the classroom or starting the year at home, it’s important to snag a memorable back-to-school picture of all ages and stages. From cool props and backdrops to DIY picture frames and chalkboards, scroll down to discover 15 first-day-of-school picture ideas and tricks that are as easy as A, B, C.

Cool School Bus

Take the wheel to get fabulous first-day photos with a quick pic before they get on the school bus. Whether they stand on the street with the open bus door or figure out a way to get to a bus before the school year starts, we're sure your little student will roll with it. Don't forget to add cute school supplies as props!

Chalk It Up

first day of school picture ideas — Amazon

With chalkboard paint and a little creativity, you can make a unique family photo prop. Simply order the chalkboard, like this one from you can get on Amazon, and throw in chalkboard markers to complete the project. It’ll be fun to look back over the years to see how your little one has changed.

Talking Frame

Put the back-to-school crew in the right frame of mind with this easy DIY talking picture frame. We love Apple's and ABCs how-to, with just an old picture frame, paint and stick-on poster letters (you can find at the dollar store). Announce that first day and get a big smile!

It's a Match

Let sibling personalities shine through with matching outfits. Younger siblings who are still at home can feel part of the back-to-school festivities by wearing matching outfits like the big kids. If you like to sew, find a fabric that fits everyone and follow Melissa Esplin's matching tees idea.

RELATED STORIES: These Before & After School Pictures Are Aww-dorable

Strut Your Stuff

Let your little one express their style in their back-to-school picture and if that means a mismatched outfit or a pair of sassy shades, all the better! We love this free-spirited shot by JoopaShoots Photography that captures this kiddo’s personality.

Go Green

Short on time? Go green. Find a bush or shrub that makes a background frame around your little scholar for a perfectly-framed shot. Bonus points if you can find a spot that has flowers to add a pop of color. Remember to take several shots and have them stand big and strong with a smile on their face.

Crazy Crayons

How cute is this photo frame prop from Surviving a Teacher’s Salary? In addition to being a fun craft to finish off your summer with, it’s super easy.

Scholarly Props

Have fun with props—got an old typewriter or a stack of textbooks lying around? They’ll be the perfect backdrop for your mini photoshoot. Add in a pair of faux glasses, and you’re in business.

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Pop of Color

Want to make a quick and easy backdrop? Click through to Lovely Indeed's colorful backdrop that adds a festive hue with streamers. You can change the color to their school colors or match their first day of school outfits to change it up.

Sky’s the Limit

Take some of that sidewalk chalk the kids have been using all summer and switch things up with a new point of view. It will remind your stellar student that the sky is the limit.

Two Birds, One Sign!

Does anyone else forget to keep up with that growth chart hanging behind the bedroom door? Use one as a backdrop, and you’ll know exactly how much they’ve grown by the end of the school year. For inspiration, check out how to double-down on the adorable over at Jonesing2Create.

Parents in the Picture

While you watch in awe as the kids mature, you also change from parents of preschoolers to—somehow—soon-to-be grads. As one future mom reminds us, it’s important to document your own evolution along the way. Later, the kids will thank you.

After-School Special

Hooray! They made it through the first day! Be sure to commemorate that moment, too, along with all its relief and excitement. That feeling of hearing the school bell ring and knowing a fun afternoon awaits captures a special essence of childhood, doesn't it?

RELATED STORIES: Make Family Photos Less Painful with These 5 Tips

Video Star

Press record and ask the questions you’d usually save for the sign—grade level, favorite things and the most timeless of inquiries: what they want to be when they grow up. With a live interview, you’ll capture even more—the voice, the gestures, the giddy charm—about this age and time. After all, by next year they’ll have gone and grown up all over again.

Mommy and Me

First-timer? Ease the transition with matching outfits (like Mamma Carly's pics!) to show you're on the same team. Pick a nice background and grab some scholarly props to make this an Insta-worthy back-to-school shot.

For those simply wanting to share moments with friends and family without making it a public display, there are safer options like the Tinybeans app (you can learn more and download it here!), which puts parents in total control of who can see and interact with photos and videos.

—with additional reporting by Taylor Clifton

A SAHM’s Salary Would Be Over $184K (If She Actually Got Paid)

by Shahrzad WarkentinMarch 8, 2022

We all know that the “job” of a stay-at-home parent is really like a million jobs rolled into one—but how much would a stay-at-home parent make if they were paid? A new study puts quite the price tag on parenthood.

Using data on a selection of jobs that equate with all of the daily tasks that come with being a stay-at-home parent, Salary.com came up with a median annual income for 2021. And, drumroll please… stay-at-home parents should be making a whopping $184,820 a year. This amount was up over $6,000 from the pre-pandemic medium.

Photo: Matthew Henry via Burst

So what’s the job description of a stay-at-home parent? Salary.com pulled information on several different positions including accountant, CEO, coach, dietician, event planner, janitor, plumber, psychologist, teacher—and many more to come up with the salary fitting for the demanding role.

Of course, ask any stay-at-home parent and they’ll tell you that you can’t put a price on being able to stay home with the kids.

You can calculate your own salary by using this salary wizard.

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29 Facts about Babe Ruth to Share with Your Kids

by Amber GuetebierMarch 7, 2022

When it comes to baseball there are a few names that ring out louder than the sound of the ball hitting the bat. Arguably one of the most famous is Babe Ruth. Read on for some interesting history about the Sultan of Swat.

1. Babe Ruth was born on February 6, 1895, as George Herman Ruth.

2. But for decades he thought his actual birthday was February 7th, 1894. He only discovered his real birthday after applying for a passport for a trip to Japan in 1934.

3. Ruth was sent to a Catholic Boys Reformatory school at the age of 7. Each child was trained with an industrial career. Ruth was trained to be a shirt maker.

4. Young George Ruth played baseball at the school, thanks to encouragement by the monks.

5. For a time, young Ruth lived above what is now Camden Yards in Baltimore, above one of his father's saloons.

6. He was signed to the major leagues at the age of 19.

7. He is the only baseball player in history to have the last name Ruth.

8. He was the first baseball player to hit a home run in the All-Star game, at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933.

9. Why Babe? Some say it’s because Ruth was so young when signed to MLB he required legal guardianship and was “adopted” by one of the monks. Others say it was just because he was still merely a babe.

10. His other nicknames included Bambino, the Home Run King and The Sultan of Swat.

11. He began his career as a pitcher: Ruth was both a left-handed pitcher and a left-handed batter.

12. He was the first highest plaid player when in 1930, his salary hit the $80,000 mark.

13. Ruth played for the Boston Red Sox (1914-1919), the New York Yankees (1920-1934) and briefly the Boston Braves (1935).

14. In six seasons with Ruth, the Red Sox won three World Series titles. In 107 seasons without him they have won four.

15. Babe Ruth had what many consider to be his finest season in 1921. He hit .378/.512/.846 with 59 home runs, 171 RBIs and 177 runs scored. The home run and RBI totals were single-season records.

16. While the myth surrounding the "Curse of the Bambino" states Ruth was sold to finance the musical No, No, Nanette, it was, in fact, the musical My Lady Friends, which benefitted from the sale.

17. At an exhibition game (a “for fun” or charity game) on April 2, 1931, a 17-year-old female pitcher named Jackie Mitchell struck Ruth out (Mitchell then went on to strike out Lou Gehrig.)

18. Babe Ruth was knocked unconscious during a game at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. He hit a concrete wall trying to catch a foul ball.

19. Although many believed him past his prime, on May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth played one of his final games in the major leagues hitting 3 home runs in a single game. He retired the next week.

20. In 1914, he married Helen Woodford, a coffee-shop waitress he met on his first day in Boston.

21. Babe Ruth only had one child in his lifetime. He had a daughter named Dorothy Ruth with Juanita Jennings.

22. Babe Ruth retired in 1935 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. He was one of the first five players to be inducted. The Yankees retired his famous number 3.

23. Upon his retirement, he was the career record holder in home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks and strikeouts.

24. The Sultan of Swat played 2503 games in his Major League career. During that time he had 2174 runs and stole 123 bases. Of his runs, 714 were home runs. In 1927 alone he scored 60 home runs. (This was the world record until Hank Aaron hit 755 in 1974 and Barry Bonds reached 762 in 2007 for the all-time record.)

25. In 1922, you could get chocolate-covered ice cream balls called Babe Ruth Home Runs. They cost 10 cents.

26. The candy bar, Baby Ruth, is most likely named for Babe Ruth. The bar was formerly called Kandy Kake but the name was changed right around Ruth’s rise to popularity. Because “official” permission was not requested, the company (then the Curtiss Candy Co.) denied that Babe Ruth was the namesake. However, in 1995, the Babe Ruth estate licensed his name and likeness for use in a Baby Ruth marketing campaign with Nestle.

27. Babe Ruth appeared as himself in four different movies. In one, he lost 40 pounds in order to play a younger version of himself.

29. Yankee Stadium opened on April 18, 1923. Ruth hit the first home run there, earning it the name “The House that Ruth Built.” In 1947, Happy Chandler declared April 27 officially Babe Ruth Day, and Ruth addressed the crowds at Yankee Stadium. At the time, Ruth had already been diagnosed with throat cancer.

29. Babe Ruth died at the age of 53 in 1948. For two days, his coffin was laid in state (open casket) at Yankee Stadium for fans to pay their final respects. More than 100,000 people attended.

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Forging a New Path despite the Stereotypes

By Heather Merrick

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

November 3, 2021

In the US, the assumption from the day my child was born has felt like I’d either a) surrender years of costly education and hard work to her and my partner OR b) essentially pay a nanny to be a third parent so I can ignore our home life and burn myself out at work. Both are incredibly disempowering.

“But isn’t option A what you want, you Housewife?” No, because I’m not a Housewife.

“But isn’t option B what you want, you Career Woman?” No, because I’m not a Career Woman.

I’m a human being, with accomplishments, goals, dreams, and aspirations. I’m a child of a Head Start pre-K teacher. She and my father both worked hard to afford private elementary school, a choice they felt was best for me at the time. I got into Bard, Bennington, and most of the other fancy “alternative” colleges, but my family couldn’t afford to send me there. So instead I worked my butt off in high school to earn myself a full ride at a public liberal arts college in Florida. When I wanted to pursue grad school to learn more about technology and move out of Florida, I took out a massive student loan that crippled me financially for the next 12 years. I finally paid it off, partly by doubling my salary within five years through grit, determination, and a real need to get out of that hole on my own. (And by my own, it also included a heaping cup of white privilege and marrying a cis white male partner, which in so doing doubled my income yet again.) I do not want to throw all of that away.

I also do not want to ignore my child in favor of a job at which I am ultimately disposable, like all other “at-will” employees in this country. It is hard to describe how deeply I longed to have a child and hold her in my arms for years and years. The reality of parenthood is much harsher than the rosy image I had of it, sure, but I still cherish every moment and love her to the moon and back. Parenthood is an opportunity to me, not a burden. I’m not outsourcing one of the most joyful aspects of my life that I have planned and yearned for.

“Geez, you sound angry.” Yes, I am angry, as I should be. (Female anger is not something to be feared, by the way. Anger is an emotion like all of the others, and one that all mothers in this country are currently very much entitled to feel.)

Yet again we are dealing with a complete failure of our government to provide even a modicum of financial and emotional support for women. The underlying message? “Your life is not worth more than your output.” As Jill Filipovic wrote about much better than I could, “Free Female Labor is The Plan.”

When I heard about the “glass ceiling” in my 20s, I always imagined it was something that I would slowly rise up to and softly bump into. That has not been my experience. Instead it’s a heavy glass pane that gets slammed into your head, knocking you out, dizzying you. It’s been three years since my daugther was born and I’m still looking around in a daze and unsure of what the hell happened.

So what am I doing about all of this? Well, I started a community called Seattle Parents Club. It’s a free, open, and supportive space for parents of all genders and families of all shapes to join together online and off. We now have more than 60 wonderful members, and I hope you will join us if you live in the Seattle area.

I’m also doing my best to not go for option A or option B, but rather forge my own path away from both, towards Other, Not Pictured Here, etc… I want my daughter to see that the format of her life is not a few decades of achievements and infinite opportunities followed by a sudden narrowing of her choices, none of which fit. That’s not what any child should see when they look at the roadmap ahead of them. Watch this space, I suppose, in terms of what that “Other” really looks like. Again, I’m only human. I’m just figuring it out.

By the way, if this post seems hurried, it’s because it is. I formulated most of this in my head while taking a shower, as my husband rushed out the door to drop off our daughter at daycare. I’m writing and publishing these words in the approximately 15 minutes of free time I have between getting ready and starting work. Is that the ideal way our family’s mornings would be? No, but like I said, I’m still forging the path.

—Heather Merrick

This post originally appeared on heathermerrick.com.

Heather Merrick

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Heather Merrick lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and a tailless cat. She leads customer support teams for startups by day and manages the Seattle Parents Club by night (or, to be more accurate, very early in the mornings). She loves podcasts, gardening, photography, and toddler crafts.

Your Paycheck for Mom Life Is Worth 6 Figures, According to New Data

by Sarah ShebekMay 7, 2021

In a dream world, you’d get paid to be a mom. And if you did, new data from Salary.com finds that you’d be making a fair market salary of $184,820, based on an average of 106 (!) hours of work a week. Of course, that doesn’t take hazard pay or retirement into account.

Those hours worked are up from 96.5 hours a week pre-pandemic and 75% of moms report putting in even more time––117 hours a week to be exact. With the additional burden of schooling and working at home, the most time-consuming and expanded roles reported were Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Operating Officer (the role that makes sure everyone else is following the plan).

For the past two decades, Salary.com has surveyed tens of thousands of stay-at-home moms and working moms to determine the value of the job if it was paid fairly. Moms report their work profile across 20+ roles that make up the most time-consuming tasks from chauffeur, to CFO, to cook and more. Salary.com analyzes the hours spent and assigns an hourly wage rate to each role.

“In a year like no other, moms went to extraordinary lengths to keep things together on the home front, working, on average, 15.1 hours per day, seven days a week,” said Mary Crogan, Vice President of Marketing at Salary.com. “That’s an incredible workload, and one that encompasses everything from C-level responsibilities, to help desk manager, to teacher. It’s fitting that their salary value continues to rise, nearing the upper echelons of Corporate America.”

Of course, mom life doesn’t actually bring in a paycheck because no amount of money could compensate when the work you do is invaluable. But the next time someone downplays your role in the household, just remember you can tie a dollar amount to your hard work—and there’s data to prove it.

—Sarah Shebek

Image courtesy of Salary.com

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A Christmas Tree with a 53-Year-Old History

By Betsy Bozdech

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

December 17, 2020

Photo: Fran Bozdech

It was buried away in the attic, boxed up alongside the other miscellany of 53 years of marriage and 35 years of living in the same house. But its lights—all except one—still twinkle as brightly as they did when it was first unpacked from my mother’s suitcase in December 1967, when she and my dad spent Christmas together in the Caribbean as honeymooners, and she brought it along to surprise him.

Just a foot and a half tall, the little artificial tree played various roles in our family holiday history. For many years, it brightened up the bathroom I shared with my two brothers, helping us feel festive as we brushed our teeth and washed our faces in the December weeks that felt so long to kids who were dreaming of new LEGOs, Barbies, and G.I. Joes. Other times, it served as a seasonal nightlight for tired relatives snuggling up in the many-times-reupholstered sofa bed after Christmas Day celebrations full of gifts, games, laughter, and feasting.

It has a wooden block stand now, rather than the old tripod base that gradually lost its stability. And instead of the handmade origami ornaments from that first Christmas (paper was durable and easy to pack), it’s adorned with mini glass balls and a small tinsel garland from the dollar store. But the tree shines as cheerfully as ever in my parents’ kitchen this December, reminding them that although it’s been more than 50 years since they last spent Christmas just the two of them—no kids, no grandkids, no siblings, parents, cousins, or —no matter what, they still have each other.

They’ve had their ups and downs in the five-plus decades since they said, “I do.” Just 21 and 23 when they got married, they grew up together: She put him through medical school on a teacher’s salary, and he dared her to leave the safe familiarity of the Midwest behind and move to California. After one painful pregnancy loss, they had three healthy, (mostly) well-adjusted children, who’ve grown up and had kids of their own—in the space of eight years, my parents went from having zero grandchildren to six, all of whom love spending Christmas at Grandma and Poppa’s house, where the stockings are always hung by the chimney with care, and cousins always get matching PJs on Christmas Eve.

Even before the world turned upside down because of the pandemic, the last year and a half was an especially challenging one for my parents. In September 2019, my dad had a stroke, and their lives changed dramatically overnight. Thankfully, he’s come a long way toward recovery since then, but it’s not an easy road to travel, and it’s hard on both of them. It’s become even harder since March when social distancing and stay-at-home orders meant that visits from family and friends became much fewer and far between. Now in their 70s, they’re both high risk, and nobody who loves them wants to put them in danger. They appreciate this.

Which is how they find themselves, for the first time since 1967, planning to celebrate Christmas alone. We’ll all schedule time to Zoom with them, of course, and we’re all planning to make the same recipe for Christmas dinner—my grandmother’s homemade spaghetti. But the big house that’s usually bursting at the seams will be awfully quiet on Christmas morning. And with no gaggle of grandkids expected, it didn’t make sense to put up a big tree, so my mom’s thoughts turned to the little one from way back when. She dug it out of the attic, gave it its dollar-store makeover, and set it up where my dad would see it after an afternoon rest—surprising him again, 53 years later.

All those years ago, they never could have imagined what Christmas 2020 would have in store for them—but every single one of those years, they’ve spent Christmas surrounded by love and light. And it may look a little different this time around, but that hasn’t changed. Like the honeymoon tree rescued from the attic, the Christmas spirit is persistent, and like the family my parents built together, it will always be there for them.

Betsy Bozdech

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm a mom of two living in the Bay Area and working as an editor at Common Sense Media. My kids love screens, LEGOS, screens, books, and screens. I also love screens, but I love my kids more. I'm a runner, a reader, a TV watcher, and an ally.

How I Went Back to School as a Parent & You Can Too

By Kim Ennis

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

September 22, 2020

It sounds overwhelming already, I know. Just the thought of returning to school is difficult but now as a parent?!? Whether you are looking to complete a college degree, sharpen your skills, get your Master’s degree or even a PhD, I am here to tell you, from my own experience, it’s possible, even as a parent.

Here are just a few tips on things that have worked for me over the two and a half years. I began my degree with a 5 year old, 3 year old and a newborn. As a full-time working mom to three young boys, I know that it is possible and so worth it.

Remember you can still chase your dreams while chasing your tiny humans.

1. Find the right school. First of all, one positive out of this pandemic is that online learning has become even easier and possibly even less expensive than ever before. My first recommendation is to look into all possible resources for the degree that you want to obtain. You can look into local community colleges, state universities and even all-online universities such as DeVry, Northeastern, and University of Phoenix.

What matters most, is if you are looking for particular credentials or a specific degree (such as an MBA) make sure the school is accredited. It may be less expensive to earn a degree online but it may not be from an accredited institution. The database of postsecondary institutions and programs can be found here. Also, if you are seeking education or skills but not necessarily a degree, one can look into a variety of online resources and credentialing like digital badges or even certificates from places such as Linked In Learning, Khan Academy, edX, Skillshare and Coursera.

Next, is the biggest tip I can give.

2. Make the time. If you have decided you want to work toward a degree and invest in your own education, you have to set aside the time. First, think of the things in your week that suck a lot of time out of your day. Examples could be a hobby, social media, your favorite TV show or a book that you are reading, etc. I learned very quickly the time to yourself will need to be replaced with time for school.

Clear out the non-essentials: You may need to shed some responsibilities temporarily such as PTO, your side-gig, or can someone help you carpool? I think exercise is still very important and so I don’t recommend letting that go. Look at your week and see where you have some “time thiefs” and try to scale it back. You may need to plan ahead and ask others in your life to help a little bit here and there with your kids too—cousins, siblings, grandparents, neighbors, etc. A few hours here and there will really help you out to finish a paper or take an exam.

3. Carve out the time. Now that you have thought about shedding some non-essential obligations from your week, decide when you will fit in school. To me, this was very easy to figure out as a parent. Here are some quick suggestions that may work for you: your lunch hour, evenings after the kids go to bed, (or early mornings if you are an early riser), and Sunday afternoons are great for project/group work. Remember, it is valuable to be very intentional with your time. I like to make sure that I am not studying all weekend and letting the boys just watch TV all day. I will say to them, if you play nicely and let Mommy get her homework done, then we can go to the park afterwards. Doing something really fun after study time is rewarding for everyone!

4. Embrace your new normal. Once in school, it may feel like it hits you hard at first. But remember, it won’t be this way for long. I tell everyone I know, just like with anything else that you have accomplished in life, pretty soon it will become part of your new normal. School and class work will be part of your every day and honestly, the quiet hour or two to myself here and there throughout the week feels like a luxury. Your partner or spouse will be a big help in allowing you to set aside class and homework time.

5. Remember to network. This may be harder to do virtually but still very possible to chat during a Zoom class or stay in touch with those in your group for a project. Also, connect with them via LinkedIn. Talk to your friends, family, and colleagues about your educational goals. It isn’t bragging. You need their support and insights! You won’t believe the network you will build or the connections you can make by talking to others about your decision to go back to school. Also, I always recommend staying in contact with your professor during class and even after. They are there for you and are a tremendous resource.

6. Stay motivated! Keep your eyes on the prize. I cannot wait to graduate in May. I am so excited and this helps me to stay motivated when I feel like I can’t stand another minute of an economics or finance lecture. Always remember why you began in the first place and what you plan to get out of your degree—maybe a new job, a promotion, salary raise or a transition into another field. One day at a time, class by class and before you know it, you will be ready to graduate.

Congrats on your decision to push yourself, invest in yourself (and your family!) and think about the good example that you are setting for your children. My kiddos like to join me, watch a few minutes of a lecture and ask me what I am working on. It is very healthy to let them know about your classes and why you have chosen to go back to school. They are part of your journey too!

This post originally appeared on Life, Love & Little Boys blog.

Kim Ennis

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Located in Bloomington, Indiana I am a wife, full-time working Mom to 3 boys, a part-time graduate student & a writer. I am also an optimist, problem solver, peacemaker, gardener, runner and a crazy-busy mom just trying to enjoy each moment. I truly value my friends, family and my mommy tribe.

What Does the Future of Childcare Look Like?

By Andie Huber

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

June 1, 2020

Photo: Photo by Zoe Graham on Unsplash

We had the opportunity to interview Tim Allen, the CEO of Care.com, the digital platform that provides comprehensive solutions for finding, managing, and paying for childcare and more, about what life might look like this summer and how working parents can navigate the future during this new, quarantine-style world.

How do parents navigate going back to their workplaces while schools and daycares remain closed?

“One thing that’s been abundantly clear to everyone these last few months is that childcare is simply essential for working parents. That means that access to childcare will be critical to our economic recovery. In fact, in a recent survey, we did with our members, of the more than 1,000 who responded 98% said childcare is crucial for them to get back to work. With daycares and schools closed, we expect that more families will look to hire in-home caregivers as parents return to their workplaces. In-home care is in abundant supply with a workforce of professional nannies, displaced teachers, daycare workers, and college students. In addition, having one person come to your home to care for your children is far less daunting to some parents right now because it enables them to more closely manage the number of people with whom their kids are in contact and to control the environment with things like regular handwashing.”

What are you hearing from parents about those concerns going forward?

“They are concerned about bringing caregivers into their homes and concerned about their kids going back to daycare. In our survey, more than half said they wouldn’t feel comfortable putting their child back in daycare and ¾ of those parents say they’re now more likely to hire in-home care. As a parent myself, I get it and expect that this will be an on-going discussion in most households for many months. At the end of the day, each parent has to make the decision that best suits their family.”

What do you think the childcare landscape will look like in the coming months?

“Clearly there will be changes inside daycares to control class sizes, interactions and the ability to keep things sanitized. Exactly what they will look like remains to be seen; we’re watching some of the European countries who are slowly started to re-open. And again, with daycares closed and even after they reopen, we anticipate many families will turn to in-home care as their new childcare solution.”

What about the summer?

“Many camps and summer programs are canceled. While it’s true that many camps and traditional summer programs are canceled, there is actually some good news: we parents have some time to solve for that and make alternate arrangements. One of the most challenging aspects of the last few months was how quickly schools and daycares closed. Overnight, we were all scrambling to be stand-in teachers as well as parents all while trying to work. Now with the luxury of a little advance notice, we can make new plans. Not surprisingly, most of the camps and extracurricular programs are being adapted for a digital world. We have a service—Care.com Explore—where thousands of classes and programs are now available virtually. From music to video production to art to science…it’s all there and you can put together a pretty fun summer for your kids.”

If parents are hiring nannies or sitters, what should they do to ensure a healthy environment, given the pandemic?

“It’s essential that parents and caregivers have candid conversations on this and are clear about expectations while on the job. When a caregiver is in your home and with your child, you have the right to set the house rules. For clarity, we encourage parents to have a nanny contract where everything is mapped out from salary and hours to responsibilities and yes, to expectations about maintaining certain protocols surrounding COVID-19. We encourage both families and caregivers to follow the CDC protocol guidelines and, on our website, we have recommendations on specific questions to ask during the interview process to help ease concerns.”

What else should parents think about going forward?

“The parent/caregiver relationship is unique. On the one hand, the caregiver becomes a part of your family; after all, you’re entrusting them with your child. On the other hand, you’re now a household employer and that comes with certain obligations, like paying your caregiver over the table. Our Care.com HomePay team often hears from parents who are concerned that their caregiver won’t want to be paid on the books and here’s what we counsel them:

Paying your caregiver legally is more than just the law; it’s protection for the caregiver, someone who is now a part of your family. During these last few months, while parents have been home, caregivers who’d been paid legally had access to paid sick leave, paid time off, and unemployment benefits, as well as any help offered by the federal government. Those were real benefits and real dollars at a time when it was desperately needed. As parents look to hire in-home caregivers, we urge them to start the relationship on the right foot: paying above board. Is there anything else you’re hearing from parents right now? Knowing how intertwined care and work are, we were curious if these last few months have influenced how parents think about childcare from a policy standpoint, so we asked some questions in our survey and the results were eye-opening. A whopping 92% feel that childcare is something that should get more attention from the government and 68% said that childcare policies will impact how they vote in the election this November. I think it’s fair to say that childcare is a topic we’re going to be talking about for quite some time.”

Andie Huber

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

A lifest‌yle writer whose work can be seen in Red Tricycle, Money.com, Livestrong.com and Redbook. When she’s not checking out new events, museums, and restaurants to keep her and her kids entertained, she can be found wandering around flea markets and thrift stores looking for cool vintage finds.

What Happens if My Kid Curses in French? (& Other Daycare Questions)

By Keren de Zwart

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

May 25, 2020

My kids each started daycare at a respectable three months old, thanks in large part to our country’s generous maternity leave policies [sarcasm intended]. Lucky for you, since they’ve been going to “school” for basically their whole lives, I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about all things daycare and how to get the most out of the parent-teacher conference for your one-year-old, which, as it turns out, is not a joke.

Bilingual Language Development. My husband is fluent in French and speaks to the kids sporadically in the language. If my toddler curses in French, are the punishments the same or does she get a pass for being so culturally advanced?

Television. Me: How many hours of TV per day is considered appropriate for a 3 year old? Teacher: You mean minutes? Me: Er, sure… let’s go with minutes.

Misbehavior. How many times can my baby bite someone before he gets expelled from school? Does that stay on his permanent record or is there an expungement process?

Dietary Restrictions. No peanuts. I totally get that. No cupcakes/cookies/sweets, even for holidays? Weird, but let’s go with it. McDonald’s as the school-chosen celebratory meal after you forced me to buy organic-only foods for the food drive? Now we’ve got a problem.

Teacher Turnst‌yle. Are we part of a social experiment seeking to understand the long-term effects of what happens when my child’s favorite teacher mysteriously and permanently leaves? Why is there never any notice? Why is it never the one with the scary eyes who makes my kid cry every morning?

Separation Anxiety. How much judgment is happening behind the scenes when I drag my child into school kicking and screaming, one shoe on, hair unbrushed, and I kind of slide her through the classroom door so she can’t hang on to my suit as I close it behind me? What about the times I bribe her into school with chocolate milk and a donut?

Financial Investment. It was daycare or a college fund and society looks down on leaving your newborn at home alone when you go back to work, so what kind of return on investment can I expect? If my kid turns out to be a total failure, decides to skip college and make a career in underwater basket weaving, or otherwise decides to pursue something I can’t brag about, is there any kind of refund?

But seriously, if your teacher can laugh about the craziness with you, somehow love your kid the same way you do despite a minimum wage salary and very little appreciation, and still mold those little minds and (figuratively) whip those little beasts into socially acceptable children, then you’ve found a winner.

Keren de Zwart

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Keren is a business owner x2 (flat-fee lawyer and digital marketing operations) in active pursuit of the elusive work-life balance. With a couple of demanding jobs, a husband who travels for work and two little kids, she maintains her sanity by reading and engaging in inappropriate banter with friends, family and strangers.

Can You Believe It? The Game of Life Is Celebrating Its 60th Anniversary

by Jennifer SwartvagherApril 29, 2020

The Game of Life has been a game night staple since its debut in 1960. Hasbro is excited to celebrate the beloved game’s 60th anniversary this year. Check out these little-known facts about the iconic game.

60 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE GAME OF LIFE FOR ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

The inspiration for The Game of Life game was the word “Life” in the Milton Bradley

Company’s 1860 game, “The Checkered Game of Life”.

“The Checkered Game of Life” from 1860 mirrored the ups and downs of Milton Bradley’s

own career.

In 1959, Milton Bradley acquired the rights to The Game of Life game.

In the original set of rules players could exact revenge on another player, this is not the case

in today’s version!

“You will learn about life when you play The Game of Life” was the original television advertising jingle.

Playing The Game of Life game is designed to parallel a person’s life.

The Game of Life game was first introduced in 1960 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the

Milton Bradley Company.

The Game of Life game shares its birth year with Etch A Sketch, Bubble Wrap, the first Xerox

office copier, the aluminum can, and the advent of the birth control pill in the United States.

Hasbro acquired The Game of Life game from Milton Bradley in the year 1984.

351,815 copies of The Game of Life game were sold in the first year. It was considered a huge success.

Wholesale price total was close to $1M ($982,619) total sales for the 1960 edition. The unit

price was $2.79.

The iconic The Game of Life game spinner used today was inspired by the spinner used in “The Checkered Game of Life” 1860 version.

The Game of Life game charted fresh territory for board games when it was first released

with a three-dimensional board and integral plastic spinner.

The original The Game of Life game tokens weren’t made out of plastic, but they have always been cars!

1 hour is the average amount of time it takes to play The Game of Life game.

Players have a 10.45% chance of landing on the “Pay Day” space and getting paid!

The game was meant to be educational. The purpose was to finish the game with a peaceful retirement based on having made proper moral decisions.

There are 6 car tokens for players to choose from – blue, purple, green, yellow, red, or

orange.

There is currently 1 (in US only) available licensed version of The Game of Life game for sale.

The Game of Life game is played in 59 countries and has been translated into 26 different

languages.

Surveys show that the board game is owned by half of US households with kids ages 8 – 17.

The Game of Life game is considered the most recognized board game in Japan and South

Korea.

The board game is part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of American

History and SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION’S Archive of Family Life.

The board game was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2010.

In 1994, Acura developed a television commercial which focused on an Acura Integra driving along The Game of Life game path.

$6 – Retail cost of The Game of Life game in 1960.

$120 – Current value of the original 1960 version of the game.

$130,000 – Salary earned by a Doctor, the highest paying career card in the game.

$3,115,000 – The highest sum of money that a player can earn in The Game of Life game,

taking into account that the player lands on all of the spaces that give money and that the player has the highest salary amount.

$22,300,000 – Total amount in The Game of Life game box.

+$1,000,000,000 – Lifetime retail sales of The Game of Life game worldwide!

In the 1960 edition of the game, Doctor (Salary $20K), Teacher (Salary $8K), Journalist (Salary $10K), Lawyer (Salary $15K), Physicist (Salary $10K), Bachelor’s Degree ($6K) were all original “To college” careers (designated by where you landed on the board, not cards).

If you chose to skip college and go “To business,” in the 1960 version, your salary would be

$5K.

14 – Different types of housing options in the game for players to choose from.

16 – Career cards for players to choose from in the game.

52 – Pegs (26 Pink and 26 Blue) in each The Game of Life game.

134 – Spaces on the game board.

Players can purchase automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, or buy stocks during

their turn.

Players can take out Bank Loans during game play, but they must be paid back if you retire!

How much money players earn during game play depends not only on the amount of their

salary but how often players land on your career space.

In 1992, The Game of Life game was updated to include Life Tiles which reward players for

recycling their trash, learning CPR and saying “no” to drugs.

The Game of Life game families play today was invented by Reuben Klamer.

Reuben Klamer was 37 years old when he invented The Game of Life game.

California is home to Reuben Klamer, the inventor of The Game of Life game.

Though he resides in California now, Reuben was born in Canton, Ohio.

The Game of Life Jr. game was launched in 2014, allowing players ages 5 and up to join in on the fun.

In 2015, The Game of Life game was updated to include 16 new career cards inspired by kids including, Video Game Designer, Race Car Driver, Singer, Fashion Designer, and more.
In 2014, Hasbro introduced Game of Life: Electronic Banking, which had an easy-pay

electronic banking unit and eliminated the use of cash in the game.

The Game of Life Electronic Arts Mobile App launched in 2009 and The Game of Life

Marmalade Mobile App launched in 2016.

To date there are over 2.5 million downloads of The Game of Life Mobile App.

In 2017, Hasbro teamed up with TripAdvisor to bring vacations to the iconic The Game of Life game for the first time.

In 2018, The Game of Life game allowed players to add a cat or dog to their family as they

moved around the board.

The current edition of the classic game includes pets and vacations, two necessities to enjoy life.

In 2019, Hasbro partnered with Amazon Prime to create The Game of Life: The Marvelous

Mrs. Maisel edition game inspired by the hit TV series.

The Game of Life game has been spotted on Saturday Night Live and a number of TV shows where the game is played by the show’s characters.

Hasbro paired with TV network the Hub Network in 2011 to air The Game of Life as a family

game show.

In 2018, Hasbro introduced a Parody version of The Game of Life game titled; Game of Life:

Quarter Life Crisis.

Whenever players land on a “baby” space in the game, they must add a baby peg to their car, it’s not optional.

You can get fired or have a mid-life crisis during the game, it’s not optional!

Players can choose to retire at Millionaire Estates or Countryside Acres, they are the only two options in the game.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Hasbro

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