JAK CHAT

Acts of Kindness by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann 'Tis the season! And can I say, from my vantage point there is no lack of goodness going on. Whether it be an 8 year old with a toothbrush drive (see last week's JAK Chat blog), a group of women who dine together for the benefit of empowering impoverished women and girls, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Make-A-Wish Wisconsin (see end of this post) or simple random acts of kindness, the season of giving is in full swing. I caught a segment on the news this morning about Catholic Charities launching this "Ripple" campaign where today people parked in downtown Milwaukee might've received a filled parking meter by members of the organization. You, my friend, are invited too..."Make a ripple-and grow the circle" Read More I know there are a lot of you out there already planning out your Advent acts of kindness, getting your kids engaged in paying it forward all for the sake of...

A Lotta Blessings, A Lotta Food, A Lotta Saving, A Lotta Needs by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann What can I say? There are so many things for me to be thankful for: great health (well, mostly, see closing commentary), awesome family, supportive friends, an amazing God, our country's freedoms,and of course, this business I call Just Add Kids and all of you who have found value in what I pour my heart into. Yupper, I'd say that's A LOTTA!For many of us, Thanksgiving comes with stuffing a bird as well as stuffing our faces. That's me, most years. This year? Well, once again I refer you to my closing commentary! READ MORE... After today's festivities, my sister, brother, mother and I will engage in our annual perusing through the Black Friday (or whatever you can call it now that it all starts before Black Friday) store fliers, looking for those deals that fulfill our December/January/other birthday and Christmas present lists. It used to be so easy. Now it'...

It's not about the STUFFing by JAK guest blogger, Toby Mueller, of Raymond Thanksgiving is a time for....well.....to be thankful. Part of being thankful is reflecting on the blessings that you enjoy in your life. Too often we tend to look at others who have more money or a better job or a faster car or a bigger house. But is that really what we should be thankful for? Is life about that kind of STUFF? Read More... This Thanksgiving, think about the non-STUFF stuff. What are you REALLY thankful for? Deep down in your heart, what do you value most? Things like family, friends, that sunrise you saw yesterday, the phone call from someone you haven’t spoken to for months or a hug from a dear friend. The things you can’t buy should be a treasure in your life. Giving should have the highest priority in your life. That is where your thanks giving should be. Don’t get me wrong. I know that we all need STUFF.  Like food. So I want to share with you two events that will be happening on Thank...

Sponsored by Sonnenberg Consultants What is the missing piece to the puzzle of Autism?  No one really quite knows. Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys *Autism prevalence figures are growing * More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined * Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. * Autism costs the nation $137 billion per year * Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases *Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism *There is no medical detection or cure for autism ( Autism Speaks ) We have a solution.  We can help find that missing piece. We are  Sonnenberg Consultants . Read more... We are a company that focuses on the needs of the family and the children. We offer intensive services for families in Wisconsin and Illinois and other services outside of these states. Our program molds around family life and what is b...

Campaign Platform: Family Fun! Wherever it may be! I had a reflective moment while at my kitchen table carving pumpkins with my babies, now 8 and 10 years old. (My 15 and 17 year olds were, well, not around, even though they knew Saturday night we were going to get the daunting task done).  Let's face it...the end result (the prized lit jack-o-lantern on the doorstep) is always rewarding, but the process seems to be endless careful carving and scraping out of the seeds and guts. Faster than we know it, there may come a future Halloween that I am carving my own pumpkin, sobbing, because my babies are grown and out of the house. Wait where's this commentary going?! Back to family fun.... Read More in JAK Chat... My point with that is, take your family time where you can get it. Whether that's gutting pumpkins or game time at your kitchen table, tapping into any one of the awesome free events at our local libraries, getting out and enjoying a sport activity/production/special ...

A Nice Family  Gathering                                                                    Sponsored by Racine Theatre Guild and  Written by Managing & Artistic Director Doug In stenes My stock answer to anyone asking me to state my favorite kind of play is: "The one I'm working on now." And that is true.  But if you really pushed me, I'd say that my favorite plays are those that tell a story that can make you laugh one minute and put a tear in your eye the next. Welcome to  A Nice Family Gathering, READ MORE ...  a play that, first of all, is just plain funny. Yet the story of this kooky and somewhat dysfunctional family will also get you a bit choked up. We all bring our own family experiences to a story, and Phil Olsen’s comedy hits close to home for me. I am a husband and a father of two, so I identify with how a father communicates with his family. I also recently saw my own father turn 94, and I don’t know how much time I have left with him. So I also iden...

Breastfeeding in Public. Again. by JAK guest dad blogger, Toby Mueller,  from Raymond Let me just say right off the top that I think that breastfeeding IS beneficial for children.  Let me say it again just in case you didn't hear me...I THINK THAT BREASTFEEDING IS GOOD FOR KIDS. What I don't get is why do it in public? READ MORE... Yes, covering up helps. But why not doing it in a corner or somewhere not right in front of me. This seems to be a recurring theme in my life as a stay at home dad. I am at an event with my daughter.  She is of at her activity while I am watching her from a windowed room.  I am sitting by myself reading when a mom with an 8 month old comes in and sits down across the table from me.  We make small talk about our girls and as we are talking, she starts to prep for feeding time. Right there as we are talking! Is there a protocol for this situation? Do I keep up the conversation? Do I look away while still talking?  What do I do? I can't end the conv...