Books, kindness, learning activities, and more. Trying to raise a smart, self-sufficient child while having a net-positive effect on the world.

Apr 9, 2014

Have a Babymoon the Second Trimester

If you are contemplating a vacation during your pregnancy, I recommend going during your second trimester. You may be too overwhelmed by nausea during the first trimester to really enjoy yourself, especially if you’re going to nice restaurants and want to order…

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Dec 16, 2014

Gift Suggestions to Help Kids Explore the More “Techie” Fields

When I was pregnant, one of the things I liked doing was hounding my friends for toy ideas. On average, my friends have a masters’ degree each, some having PhD’s and a handful with “only” a bachelor’s degree. Many of them…

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Feb 21, 2015

Immunize, Immunize, Immunize… and Filter the Water, Too

“It really is almost a crime to allow your child to go unimmunised.” — written by Roald Dahl in the 1980s. He lost his daughter to measles before a vaccine was available. I read a bit about Dahl’s letter and his experience losing his…

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Jun 1, 2014

Sharing an Article

I want to share this article: “Babies’ Immune Systems May Stand Down to Let Good Microbes Grow.”

Breastfeeding keeps babies more shielded from getting sick because of things like antibodies being passed from the mother to the baby. However, that doesn’t shield the baby…

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Aug 12, 2014

What We’ve Been Reading: August 2014, Age 6 Months

Items I’ve been reading with my daughter recently include:

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Dec 24, 2013

Belly Meditations

My daily rituals have changed during pregnancy, but one change I’ve found particularly useful for me mentally, a kind of meditation. Instead of taking a shower every morning, I often take a quick bath after breakfast. This keeps me off my feet for a few minutes and gives me time to try to…

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Jan 23, 2016

Recommendation: A Working Girl Can’t Win and Other Poems by Deborah Garrison

I recently rea

d A Working Girl Can’t Win: And Other Poems

by Deborah Garrison, and I recommend it for other working women.

Lauren Havens in Raising a Smart Kid

Mar 31, 2017

Pets as Part of a Child’s Religious Training

As a Unitarian Universalist, I believe that there is an element of divinity that resides in all of us and that all life is worth respecting. By learning to treat an animal with respect and to care for them, my daughter is learning to treat all life…