Michelle Parrinello-Cason
Michelle is a homeschooling mom of two who lives in South City with her husband, kids, two cats, and a dog. Her family loves reading, hiking, and art. She runs Dayla Learning, a place for online classes and curriculum in the humanities. She likes to write about education, work-life balance, and exploring all the wonderful experiences St. Louis has to offer.
“Mommy! Do You Think I Can Jump From Here?” Thoughts on Raising a Daredevil
“Mommy! Do you think I can jump from here?” My daughter is yelling this question at me from the top of some playground structure, and my heart skips a few beats as I look...
You Can’t Work and Homeschool . . . Can You?
“You can’t work and homeschool, can you?” I’ve heard this question so many times.
I’m a homeschooling mom (as I’ve talked about before), but that wasn’t the plan. If you had asked me even six...
Fun You Should Try: The Candle Fusion Studio
What’s your favorite smell? A rain-soaked beach? Lilacs in the sunshine? Fresh, clean laundry that’s just been taken down from the clothesline? You just read some words, describing smells, and I bet you could...
Learning to Sift Instead of Pour: Mental Health Awareness Month
You know how when you open the pepper shaker you have two options? You can sift, or you can pour.
Well, I’m a pourer. It’s how I’ve always lived my life, and it’s served me...
Take Your Kids to the People’s Joy Parade!
It’s almost time for one of my absolute favorite events in St. Louis: The People’s Joy Parade. This delightfully eclectic and amusingly bizarre display of talent, creativity, and pizazz winds its way through the...
“Hey Google, Please?”: Manners and Robots
This morning, my 2-year-old son was frustrated as he tried to get our Google Home Mini to play "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." He has successfully gotten the device to decipher his toddler rambling one time,...
Morning Baskets: A Great Routine Addition for Any Family
I had never heard the term "morning basket" before I started homeschooling, but then I saw it everywhere. It's now something that I incorporate into our routine, but I wish I had known about it...
How To Make Those Resolutions Stick
Did you know that 80% of New Year's resolutions will fail by February? That's a pretty depressing thought to start a new goal, but it doesn't have to be so grim. In fact, a...
One Day At a Time: My Life as a Working Homeschooling Mom
I’m a married mother of two (8-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son) who homeschools and works both out of the home (adjunct college professor) and from home (freelance writer). I have no typical day, but...
Giving the Gift of Experiences to Enjoy All Year Long
No one told me that parenting would come with so much stuff. It starts with the baby registry, the claustrophobic sense of overwhelm as you stare down forty-five varieties of pacifiers and sixteen different...