Porch Conversations

Last week, two of my boys left the library carrying stacks of books. One couldn't wait to get home and start reading. Before we had even pulled out of the parking lot, he was already flipping through the first few pages. The other was mostly excited about the Lego display near the front door. As we loaded everything into the car, I found myself laughing because that little moment pretty much sums up reading in our house. My boys couldn't be more different when it comes to boo

What if "I'm bored" isn't a problem to solve, but a skill to develop? "I'm bored." If I had a dollar for every time one of my children said those two words, I could probably cover our entire summer snack budget. Like most parents, those words usually send me straight into problem-solving mode. I start suggesting activities, pulling out crafts, planning an outing, or mentally scrolling through every idea I've ever saved on Pinterest. After all, hearing "I'm bored" seventeen ti

If you’ve been here for a while, you may have noticed that Wonder & Light feels a little different lately. Before I say anything else, I want to say this clearly: I haven’t abandoned the mission that started all of this. Not even close. Meaningful learning for children still matters deeply to me. Developmentally appropriate education still matters deeply to me. The science of reading still matters deeply to me. Curiosity, creativity, literacy, hands-on learning, and wonder-fi

If I’m honest, the New Year usually starts with a pause for me. Not excitement. Not dread. Just a pause. The calendar flips, people start talking about goals and words for the year, and I find myself sitting with my coffee thinking, I don’t actually know what I want this year to be yet. My planner is already filling up. Practices, appointments, work deadlines — things that won’t move no matter how nicely I ask them to. So while January is supposed to feel like a clean slate,

If you’ve ever lived through infertility, you already know this: it’s not just a medical condition. It’s a whole life season. It’s the calendar reminders, the timed blood work, the hormone injections, the pharmacy receipts, the early morning ultrasounds before work, the awkward exam tables, and the silent prayers on the bathroom floor where you stare at one pink line instead of two. Those pink lines feel so tiny, and yet they carry the weight of the whole month. For seven yea

She stares at the page. The answer is there — she knows it’s there — but the numbers keep slipping out of order. Her pencil hovers. Her...

There are books everywhere in our house. In the car, in the living room, piled on nightstands, tucked under pillows. It isn’t by accident...

Some of the deepest questions my kids have ever asked me haven’t been during family devotions or bedtime prayers. They’ve been crammed in...

I had a 7-minute “conversation” with my five-year-old this week about why he couldn’t bathe a dead lizard. And I wish I could say that...

Let me set the scene for you: The washer is on its fourth “re-wash” cycle because I forgot to flip the clothes. Again. There are dishes...

When Big Emotions Live in Little Bodies (and You’re the Safe Place They Crash Into) There’s no soft intro here. My boys feel big . I’m...

A stick, a cup, a button, a pinecone, and a kid with time. That’s all it takes to spark genius. Loose parts play might look simple—maybe...

By Amanda, Founder of Wonder & Light Learning Co. "We weren’t created to stay clean. God made us from the dust—what a gift to let our...

Why 'I don’t know—let’s find out' might be your parenting superpower We live in a world where everything is one swipe away. Dinner?...

A story about waves, weariness, and the treasure God reveals beneath it all. I just wanted him to find a shark tooth. That’s how the day...

Why noise, mess, and a million questions might just be the best thing for your child’s growth There is never a quiet moment in my house....

The story behind our summer of wonder It all started just a few days before summer break officially began. I was on the hunt for a summer...

Encouraging children to discover through unstructured play I love being a mom. I love being a teacher. And honestly? Sometimes I feel...