Cubby Archive: Feb 24, 2021

An Ingenious Idea for Socially-Distanced Play Dates

As a parent considered very high-risk, in this past year we could not take shortcuts when it came to safety. That meant, all social gatherings for my kids always included being outdoors, wearing masks, and keeping at least six feet apart (if not much farther). And I found myself wondering: How do I enforce the rules while still encouraging effortless fun?At first, it was a challenge.

Jessica Goldman Foung

Feb 24, 2021

This One Tiny Change Made My Daughter’s Pandemic Birthday Extra-Fun

Staring down a pandemic summer without a single playdate or vacation, our youngest started clinging to the one thing she could look forward to — her August birthday. She was so excited to turn 4, we had to start a countdown calendar a month and a half out, marking off each of the 48 days until the big day. So the pressure was on to think of a safe celebration that would live up to all that pent-up anticipation. Our parameters: no guests from outside the household, and no leaving home.

Shelley Mann Hite

Feb 24, 2021

I Bought a Flock of Chickens During the Pandemic — and It’s Been Amazing for My Kids

Shortly after shelter-in-place began last year, so did the wild pandemic shopping. (Remember that phase?) Everything from used bicycles and basketball hoops were swooped up from second-hand neighborhood sites and new recreational equipment was back ordered for weeks and months. Meanwhile, people were adopting cats and dogs in record numbers. A video went viral of shelter volunteers in Florida celebrating the first time they’d adopted out every single pet.

Chantal Lamers

Feb 24, 2021

This Family of Four Shares an Incredibly Organized 170-Square-Foot Pink Converted School Bus

“There are seven days in a week, and someday isn’t one of them” once read the letter board hanging in the kitchen of “Someday” the bus, which is home to Jennifer Bateman, her wife, Kaitlin Porter, and their two kids, Canyon (age 14) and Oakland (age 4).After downsizing from a 4,000-square-foot home, they now share a 170-square-foot school bus conversion (or “skoolie”).

Adrienne Breaux

Feb 24, 2021

This Simple Trick Keeps Apple Slices from Browning (It’s Magic)

One of the biggest challenges of packing my kids’ school lunches was seeing — and cleaning up — the food that came back home. Not only was it a major bummer to see food go to waste, but it also left me wondering if my kids spent the afternoon hungry. Sliced apples — beloved by my kids at home — used to always come back in their lunch boxes uneaten.

Meghan Splawn

Feb 24, 2021