Ranessa Doucet
Ranessa is a mom of two, a six-year-old boy and seven-year-old girl. She grew up in Charlestown and now lives 15 minutes North of Boston with her kids, husband Pete, and pug Suki. She has her Masters Degree in Elementary Education, and she taught third grade for many years. She is working on getting certified as a Reading Specialist. She’s also a consultant for a company called Pure Haven Essentials which provides wonderful non-toxic products, check it out at www.purehaven.com/Ranessa. Her Loves: writing, reading, cheesy reality TV, yoga, dancing, chocolate, hanging with friends and family, and spring in Boston. She Could Do Without: long winters, whining, centipedes, and uncomfortable jeans.
Tips for Taming Tattling
The problem my children have is deciphering which situations require tattling. For example, your sister breathing on you or your brother stealing your seat does not require me to get out of the shower to solve the 'problem.' They should be able to solve some of their own problems by now, am I right?
5 Reasons to Raise Kids With a Dog
Dogs are ALWAYS happy to see you. They will listen and console without judgment. The simple act of petting a dog brings a sense of calm and helps relieve anxiety. Who doesn’t need more love, comfort, and stress relief in their lives?
Raising Confident Girls (and Boosting Our Own Confidence)
We are so hard on ourselves, as women, and we hold ourselves to standards none of us can achieve. When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and thought you were beautiful or had belief in your abilities? In the world of social media, we tend to have a skewed perspective. Everyone’s life seems perfect, and everyone looks beautiful under the veil of an Instagram filter. If we are judging ourselves harshly, our daughters will do the same. We need to be kinder to ourselves, so they know how to be kind to themselves too.
5 Ways to Raise a Book Lover
Let your children see you reading. It can be hard to put down the phone and pick up a book or leave the laundry for later (OK, maybe that’s not too hard). I know you may be interrupted 100 times and it may take an hour to get through a page, but it’s worth a try. Our children, especially when they are little, want to do what we do. If they see us reading for enjoyment, they will see it as something fun and want to do it too.
Winter Survival :: Indoor Activities in Boston and Beyond
Life with children gets tricky in the winter. If your kids are anything like mine, they need to get lots of energy out on a daily basis. We don’t do well sitting at home all day. When it’s below freezing, and you can’t send your kids outside to play in the yard all day, how do you survive the long winter months?
I have some great indoor activities to share with you!
Christmas Wasn’t So Magical
I’m not going to lie; this holiday season wasn’t all that magical. It wasn’t the Hallmark movie script I had in my head. I had big plans to make Christmas cookies, drive around to see the lights, have the presents beautifully wrapped with time to spare, build a gingerbread house, decorate the tree while singing Christmas carols, and attend all the holiday parties. Here’s where my plan got foiled: I have kids.
Stress Less This Christmas :: An Alternative to the Elf on the Shelf
I found it was causing me to focus on the negative. I was always pointing out the bad behaviors and repeatedly telling my kids they needed to shape up or the elf would tell Santa. I started to feel like the elf wasn’t for us, and we needed a change.
How to Raise Kind Kids
It’s exhausting and draining to get sucked into the tornado of comparison. And I think sometimes we lose sight of the importance of teaching our kids kindness.
October Bucket List
I have created a simple, low maintenance, October bucket list. These are the things that make me feel like I'm truly experiencing autumn in Massachusetts.
That Mom (the One With the Kid Having a Public Tantrum)
We’ve all been That Mom at some point; the one everyone is staring at because she has a child throwing a tantrum.
A Separation Anxiety Story
It’s the beginning of a new school year, and the issue of separation anxiety may be on your mind. This topic hits close to home for me.
5 Reasons It’s Cool To Have Children Close In Age
If you had asked me a few years ago if I would recommend having children close in age, my answer would have been a resounding, “No!”
The Year With No Birthday Party
I was gearing up for my son's fifth birthday party, and I was starting to stress. I typically start out excited to plan a party and full of elaborate ideas. But when the day...