Author: Pragmatic Mom

I am a mom with three kids and a husband living in Newton, MA. I graduated from Harvard University with a degree in HIstory and Science. I went to The Anderson School of Management at UCLA for my M.B.A.My background is entrepreneurial. I started several companies and currently serve on three boards including for my elementary school and preschool. I was a SAHM for nearly 8 years, and went back to work part-time just recently. Now I work almost full time as a WAHM for a consumer electronics start-up in Boston.My blog is my outlet to read children's literature which is my great secret pleasure, and to document any interesting and/or useful information that I acquire as I parent. My kids are quite active and pursue many interests collectively including soccer, gymnastics, rhythm gymnastics, karate (Chung Kook Doh), ice skating, Chinese, Spanish, flute, piano, T-ball, book clubs, and art. In my free time, I have been doing kickboxing, vinyasa yoga, zoomba, and I am trying to learn Spanish as well.Learning about SEO and how to blog has been a really fun enterprise albeit very time consuming. I started a bloggers group that meets weekly called www.coffeeshopbloggers.com. The S.O.S. on SEO. We share our collective frustrations and knowledge from blogging.Now you understand the Type A parent I am...hence the tagline my blogger friends came up for me for my blog:Type A Parenting for the Modern World
Maple Sugar, maple sugaring, where to go in Massachusetts for maple sugaring

Maple Sugaring Adventures!

Posted on by Pragmatic Mom

I can’t believe that I’ve never taken the kids maple sugaring! And they really want to go so I researched places near and far in Massachusetts to make it happen this year! Right now I am leaning towards The Warren Farm. I am glad that they charge admission. This means that they take their tour seriously and I love that they incorporate the history of Native Americans’ who first tapped the sugar maple. I am also partial to Drumlin Farm. We have been going there for years for visits and school field trips and they do an amazing job of engaging kids. Have you been maple sugaring? What is your favorite place? Please leave a comment.

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Jerry Shereda keeping kids active in winter snowshoeing pragmatic mom

How To: Keep Kids Active in the Winter

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My Dad Friend from work sent me the first link to Back Country Skiing and in doing so, I discovered this great blog by a Harvard Mom who now writes this blog for the Appalachian Mountain Club for kids while pursuing her love of rock climbing and back country skiiing. Winter is starting to drag on here at our house, so this is my pep talk to myself and the kids to embrace winter by trying something new like cross country skiing, snowshoeing, or new sledding hills.

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Books for Kids Who Hate Reading

Books for Kids Who Hate Reading

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I discovered this really excellent list of books to hook reluctant readers by SchoolBusProject.com. I love how it’s organized by topics and also that it has a range of books within each topic for different ages and abilities. Finally, I love how the books are so well chosen out with many award winning books across a whole jumble of children’s book awards as well as books that I know kids truly enjoy. Even if your child is not a reluctant reader, scan the list. There are discoveries waiting to be made here!

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A Wrinkle in Time 50th Anniversary Edition Blog Tour PragmaticMom Book Jacket cover

A Wrinkle in Time: Can You Believe It’s Been 50 Years?!

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I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time about — dating myself — 35 years ago and how much I loved this book and this author. It was as if entire worlds opened up for me; suddenly science was something mysterious and exciting, as it should be, not something to toil over and memorize. Is it because it’s a tale of a classic theme of good versus evil; light against dark? No, there is so much more to this book. Madeleine l’Engle is not just a great storyteller, but a scientist, dreamer and philosopher.

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