the take home folder volume 85

nail care / video game break / fall + halloween book list / teacher treats / + more

welcome to the take home folder

This week I really noticed the sun going down earlier. If I want to get in a walk after dinner, I better get out there quickly as golden hour is already ticking, ha. Are you feeling ready to snuggle in a bit for fall and winter? I’m dreaming of cool mornings, sweatshirt weather, apple crisp, leaf piles, soup, and flannel sheets. What a gift to experience the changing seasons.

my sunday questions

What is something I can do for our home?

What is something I can do for/with my family?

What is something I can do for myself?

Today for me it’s clean sheets on all of our beds, a family walk or bike ride, and clearing off my desk for a fresh start to the week.

here’s this week’s take home folder, enjoy!

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one // nail talk

my nail MVPs

I treated myself to a gel manicure for my sister in law’s wedding. It was nice to not have to worry about my nails at all on our trip. But by day 11, I had a peeling polish situation on a couple of nails and ultimately decided I didn’t want the upkeep of gel.

Back to my little low-maintenance routine. Aside from weekly clipping, filing, buffing, and a bit of cuticle management, I use these 3 things:

Kur nail concealer - 2-3 thin coats rivals the look of a salon mani

Seche Vite topcoat - I have used this for over a decade and think it gives the nicest and strongest finish

Cuticle cream - a few nights a week before bed makes a huge difference

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two // teacher treats

Our first teacher treats of the year went out on a gloomy Monday morning. I kept it simple with their favorite cold drink and candy. Cost was under $8 total but I hope it brightened their day.

Don’t know your kids’ teachers favorite things? Have them fill out this teacher favorites questionnaire and you can go off of it all year.

FAQ: How do you get the treats to school?

I just send them in my kids’ backpacks and tell them to give it to the teacher or leave it on their desk.

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three // video game breather

playing a round of Mario Kart at Target is sometimes a nod of appreciation for good behavior, manners, and patience while grocery shopping/running errands with mom.

Video games and screen time in general is a touchy subject.

On one hand, we know that kids being on screens too much can lead to missing out on actual life. Things like playing outside with friends, engaging in conversation as a family at dinnertime, regularly getting enough movement and sunlight, being out in the world, trying new activities, etc. Nowadays, many kids feel “bored” when they’re not actively on a screen. Regular things like standing in line at school or waiting for food at a restaurant feel almost torturous when kids are used to the constant dopamine hit of gaming.

On the other hand, video games are fun and a great way for kids to connect with friends and siblings. My brother played a bunch of video games as a kid/teen and is an upstanding citizen as an adult. 😉 Also want to acknowledge that sometimes screens/video games give adult caretakers a break. Very valid and sometimes needed.

I don’t think that video games are going away so I’m on team “we have video games but mom and dad control the content and the frequency”.

1-2x a year, we do a month-long video game detox. I always know it’s time for a breather when my kids have a hard time getting off of their games, bicker while playing video games, seem super grumpy after turning it off, or ask for video games more often than our regular cadence. (Regular cadence here is ~30 minutes 4-5 times a week. This cadence will surely ebb and flow as they grow- but at ages 10 and 7 it feels right for our family.)

We took the month of August off of playing our Nintendo Switch and it was a breath of fresh air. They are always bummed when I initially tell them we’re taking a break, but quickly forget video games exist as an option. During this time, we do still let them watch TV (again, we control content and frequency) and don’t mind if they play video games at friends’ houses (which happened 3x in August).

This is a highly nuanced subject and I don’t have all the answers. Simply sharing that detoxing from video games at home a couple of times a year has been a positive experience for our family.

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four // seasonal books to put on hold at the library

We had forward facing bookshelves in our playroom for years. Since reimagining the playroom, I've opted to put seasonal books in a basket right by our cozy reading chairs. It's worked well!

It’s a really fun time of year to read with your kiddo(s). Don’t miss these titles over the next couple of months.¹

Fall themed

Storm by Sam Usher

It’s Fall by Renee Kurilla

The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming

Sweep by Louise Greig

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

Hiking Day and Apples and Pumpkins both by Anne Rockwell

Not Fall themed but lend themselves perfectly to reading in the fall:

Nothing Ever Happens on a Gray Day by Grant Snider

Windows by Julia Denos

Halloween/spooky season:

Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins, my all-time favorite

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Pumpkin Jack by Will Hubbell

A Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall

Little Blue Truck’s Halloween (board book) by Alice Schertle

See the Ghost* (early reader) by David LaRochelle

Aggie and the Ghost* by Matthew Forsythe

Creepy Carrots*, Creepy Pair of Underwear*, Creepy Crayon* all by Aaron Reynolds (not Halloween themed but very popular and checked out year-round in the elementary school library).

The Skull* (creepy chapter book) by Jon Klassen

*not Halloween specific

New release Halloween/Spooky Season: (I made notes on the ones we’ve read)

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin (sooo cute, if your kid is afraid of the dark, read this! Would also be a perfect October but not Halloween-themed read aloud.)

Little Boo by Maddie Frost

Spoops, The Little Spirits of Halloween by A.J. Locascio (the illustrations are amazing. My 7 year old said this is his fave new Halloween book. Heads up, it’s a bit long.)

Evelyn Witch Gets a Pet by Beth Ferry (7 year old loved. Cute story!)

Chicka Chicka Tricka Treat by Julien Chung

Murray’s Howl-o-Ween by E.G. Keller

The Zombees by Justin Colon

This Year, a Witch by Zoey Abbott (Quick read with a little surprise where the girl who was so excited to be a witch for Halloween is afraid of her own reflection.)

they’re all linked here

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five // food for thought

"If I were to ask you to name what you love most in life, how long would it take to name yourself?" - Christopher Celeste

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see you right back here next week,

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1. there are SO many fall and Halloween children’s books. This is not an exhaustive list. I instead chose to highlight our favorites and share new releases.