Category: Parenting

How to Prepare for College Sticker Shock

If you’re still changing diapers and wiping spit up off your shirt, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is your baby heading off to college! But when the time comes, many parents are alarmed by the costs associated with higher education. By starting to save for post-secondary education early, parents can be more prepared to avoid college sticker shock.

Why Co-op Preschool Could be a Great Next Step in Your Parenting Journey

When deciding between childcare options, there are so many things to consider. Co-op can be a natural “next step” after Newborn or Baby Peppers groups. Co-op preschools are a great way to continue learning and practicing parenting strategies in a safe and accepting environment. PEPS families already understand that there’s value in raising children “in a village,” and co-ops are a great way to continue that practice. Read more about the benefits of co-op preschools.

Best Practices for Employing a Nanny 

If you choose to hire a nanny to provide childcare in your home, it may feel strange to think of yourself as an employer and your home as a workplace. When you hire a nanny, you are subject to legal requirements and other responsibilities as a domestic employer. Hand in Hand Domestic Employers Network shares best practices around legal requirements, benefits, and more for families employing a nanny.

Raising kids in an increasingly digital world  

Sometimes parenting recommendations from experts feel nearly impossible to implement in daily life. Screen-time is one of those challenges for many parents. PEPS Sponsor Kidovo offers a personalized, interactive app that helps children engage with tech in a healthy and educational way. 

Sarah Simmons of Methow Valley Midwifery holding a stethoscope to a newborn baby’s chest.

Cultivating Connections in the Methow Valley 

Becoming a parent can be an isolating experience no matter where you live. But how does living in a rural area impact the experience of new parents? As a PEPS Network Partner, midwives at Methow Valley Midwifery are bringing parent support to new moms in the Methow Valley.

Building a Family Culture With Teens 

Adapting to the changing relationship with kids as they go through adolescence can be daunting for many parents. When your baby isn’t a baby anymore, finding ways to connect can be challenging. One mom shares her tips for building a family culture with teens by embracing this phase and meeting adolescent children where they are right now.

A couple looking at paperwork together. Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels.

Spring Cleaning Your Estate Plan

Spring is a time of fresh starts. While you’re purging your closets or deep cleaning your kitchen, consider adding estate plan maintenance to your spring-cleaning checklist. Read tips from Megan Gebhardt of Gebhardt Law Office on which aspects of your estate planning documents you should tidy up every year.

It Takes a Village 

A representative from Washington Education Savings Plans (WA529) shares the tangible ways she and her husband saved for their children’s post-secondary education, as well as the less tangible ways they instilled values of saving, goal-setting, and pursuing dreams in their children through consistent conversations and a village of support surrounding their children.