Soul Sustenance - Anne’s Songs: Words from the Father’s Heart

“Anne’s Songs: Words from the Father’s Heart” by Anne Shostrom Collins speaks to a familiar reality of parenthood: loving a family deeply often means carrying hopes, fears, and questions that cannot always be answered.

Through devotional songs and personal spiritual reflections, Collins explores the importance of turning to God during seasons of uncertainty. Her writing touches on prayer, perseverance, surrender, and the quiet strength that comes from trusting a greater plan, themes that can offer meaningful reflection to parents as they navigate the responsibilities of family life.

Collins began recording songs, messages, and spiritual impressions in 1976 following what she describes as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What began as a personal practice continued throughout the decades, capturing moments of spiritual insight alongside the experiences, challenges, and changes that shaped her life.

For parents, some of the collection’s most resonant ideas center on letting go of fear while continuing to care, guide, and pray for those they love. Parenting can bring circumstances beyond anyone’s control, from worries about a child’s future to difficult seasons that test a family’s patience and faith. Collins’ reflections encourage readers to meet such moments not with certainty about every outcome, but with trust, prayer, and perseverance.

The collection also presents surrender as an active expression of faith rather than a passive acceptance of circumstances. For those raising children, that perspective can be especially meaningful. Parents can offer guidance, protection, and love while recognizing that some aspects of their children’s journeys ultimately remain beyond their hands.

Rather than offering step-by-step advice, “Anne’s Songs: Words from the Father’s Heart” creates space for contemplation. Its songs and reflections invite readers to pause amid the demands of everyday life, reconnect with their faith, and find reassurance during moments when family responsibilities feel overwhelming.

At its heart, the collection celebrates the belief that difficult seasons can still hold opportunities for growth, that prayer can provide strength when answers are unclear, and that hope can remain present even when the future is uncertain. For parents seeking spiritual encouragement alongside the everyday work of caring for a family, Collins’ writings offer a reminder to keep faith at the center of the journey.

“Anne’s Songs: Words from the Father’s Heart” is available through Reading Glass Books bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major online retailers.

About Writers’ Branding

Writers’ Branding is a full-service self-publishing and author development company that helps aspiring and established writers professionally publish, promote, and market their books. Through a network of publicity specialists, book evaluators, editorial professionals, and creative marketing teams, the company provides authors with strategic support designed to enhance visibility, strengthen their brand, and connect them with literary agencies and traditional publishing opportunities.

For more information, visit www.writersbranding.com.

Parenting Pointers - How to Raise Healthy Eaters Without Putting Kids on a Diet

By Kimberlie Le, food scientist and co-founder of Prime Roots

Getting picky eaters to eat healthy foods is hard work. Add in the stress of morning rush hour, busy schedules, expensive groceries and the fact that kids want snacks every 15 minutes and it can seem like a thankless task.

But most of the easiest foods to grab on the go are ultra-processed and kids are lacking fiber in their diets. This doesn’t mean you should overhaul your entire pantry or start restricting the foods they love. A better approach is to focus on what you can add to meals — more fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein and other nutritious foods — rather than what you need to take away. It helps round out meals while still leaving room for the foods kids crave, which can make healthy eating feel more sustainable long term.

• Start with the foods they already like. You don't have to revamp every ingredient in your child's lunch to make it slightly healthier. If they like snack boxes, try Parmela's Munch Boxes, which offer a plant-based spin on a familiar product kids already eat. You can also recreate this at home with crackers, fruit, hummus, vegetables and a protein. Kids tend to be more receptive to foods they already know, so start there.

• Don't force them to try new foods, but keep offering. If a child rejects a food, it's unlikely they will suddenly gain interest in it, but introducing new foods consistently and pairing them with something they like can help. Letting them choose their own fruit at the grocery store or involve them in making choices about what to put in their lunch or prepare for dinner can also spark their interest in food.

• Look at what packaged foods your child eats most often. No one is saying you stop buying boxed foods altogether, but if you're going to continue purchasing items in a box or bag, consider the nutrition information. Deli meats are a common source of protein for children interested in sandwiches, wraps and snack boxes for lunch. They're classified as carcinogenic and nitrates/nitrites in processed meats cause cancer. This means that even "natural" or "uncured" products that use celery powder as a source of nitrates need to be limited. If your family eats deli meats regularly, try to limit these as much as possible and always look for products with no nitrates or nitrites, such as Prime Roots.

• Limit all-day snacking. Snacking is a good way to introduce more foods into a child's diet. However, frequent grazing can make kids less hungry at main meals and cause them to eat smaller portions. Kids eating a variety of foods throughout the day also helps them feel full and satisfied on fewer calories. Snacks can also be a great place to start when it comes to fiber. Foods like fruits, vegetables, whole-wheat crackers, legumes, nuts and seeds are all good sources of fiber and can help kids stay full longer.

None of this has to happen overnight. Kids don’t need a perfect diet and parents don’t need more things to feel guilty about. Focus on the foods that your family is already eating, look for easy ways to make slight changes, and encourage a more varied diet without making meals into a battleground.

Book Nook - Soulful Sanctuaries: Cultivating Sacred Spaces

 This fall a new book helps you create an outdoor space that feels meaningful and restorative. Soulful Sanctuaries: Cultivating Sacred Spaces by Janaki Sandy Gaal (The Collective Book Studio/September 22, 2026) offers a fresh, deeply meaningful approach to having a garden, one that goes beyond planting and design to embrace mindfulness, spirituality, and personal transformation. Through a unique blend of practical guidance, meditative practices, and heartfelt storytelling, Janaki—known affectionately as “The Rose Lady”—invites readers to reimagine their gardens as sacred spaces for reflection, renewal, and connection to the natural world.

 

In Soulful Sanctuaries, cultivating a garden becomes both a practice and a metaphor for life, making the book unique by integrating spiritual exploration into the gardening experience.

 

“Gardening has always been essential for me, a place where I can listen, reflect, and grow both outwardly and inwardly,” says Janaki. “I wrote Soulful Sanctuaries as an invitation to slow down and reconnect—with the earth, with ourselves, and with something deeper that often gets lost in the rush of daily life My hope is that readers will discover that their gardens—no matter the size—can become spaces of peace, healing, and meaning, and that by tending their garden, they are also tending to their own hearts.”

 

Janaki is the spiritual name given to her by her friend and beloved spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, with whom she collaborated on the book Polishing the Mirror, How to Live from Your Spiritual Heart. She

brings a thoughtful and grounded perspective to the intersection of mindfulness and everyday life within the pages of Soulful Sanctuaries.

 

This book is an especially meaningful generational collaboration with her daughter, Rebecca Gaal, whose photography and creative vision helped bring the project vividly to life, creating a rich and immersive reading experience rooted in both family and spirituality.

 

“This book would not exist if it weren’t for the devotion and capabilities of my daughter, Rebecca Gaal. Becky offered to be my project manager, and her creativity and talent as a photographer brought a unique beauty to these pages. She has been part of this garden since before she was born and helping to make this book a reality feels like the completion of a beautiful circle of a lifetime.”

 

Drawing on decades of experience as a celebrated garden designer and consulting rosarian, Janaki shares expert insights on organic gardening, sustainable practices, and year-round cultivation. From spring planting to autumn harvests and even the quiet introspection of winter gardens, the book encourages readers to engage with nature in every season.

 

Janaki makes spirituality accessible and personal, encouraging readers to discover what resonates most deeply for them, even guiding them in creating garden altars that reflect their intentions and beliefs. “The inner spirit feeds life in the world. The garden and everything you do becomes an expression of your inner work.”

 

Soulful Sanctuaries is the perfect gift for gardeners, spiritual seekers, and anyone looking to create a more intentional and restorative living space. It is both an inspiring guide and a keepsake volume—one that readers will return to season after season.

 

Janaki Sandy Gaal is an author, educator, gardener, and longtime student of Ram Dass. Her reflections explore the connection between spirituality, nature, and everyday living. She knew from a young age that she wanted to relieve suffering, first as an ICU nurse and later by opening her garden to the public. She is an Organic gardener, Garden Designer and Consulting Rosarian. She learned that helping others connect with the beauty of nature inspired an irreplaceable kind of joy. Through her writing and teaching, Janaki encourages readers to cultivate reflection, presence, and healing through simple daily practices, including gardening, cooking, and connecting with the natural world. She lives on the island of Maui in Hawaii surrounded by Ohana.

 

Rebecca Gaal is a creative strategist and visual storyteller with a background in environmental science, public health, and visual communication. A Fujifilm X Photographer, her work has been exhibited and published internationally in outlets including The Nature Conservancy, The American Scholar, Harvard University Center for the Environment, Adobe, and the National Institutes of Health. Rebecca serves as Director of Partnerships at the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network and as Executive Producer of Wild Rescue, an IMAX 3D film exploring the intersections of wildlife and human worlds. She partners with organizations, publications, and brands to create imagery and campaigns that translate complex environmental ideas into compelling visual stories. Gaal lives in Ventura, California.

 

The Collective Book Studio is a woman-owned, full-service publishing studio that works with authors, brands, and companies to create, develop, and publish high-quality books. With a focus on innovative content and striking design, The Collective Book Studio offers a unique approach to the publishing process, providing clients with expertise and collaborative support from concept to creation.

 

The Collective Book Studio, based in Oakland, CA, publishes high-quality lifestyle, gift, and children’s books. Their books are distributed by Simon & Schuster, a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages. For more information, visit www.simonandschuster.com

Parenting Pointers - Back-to-School Anxiety

The return to school can bring excitement, but for some children it can also trigger anxiety. Symptoms may look different by age—from bedwetting, irritability and nightmares in younger children to difficulty concentrating, emotional outbursts, loss of confidence, or reluctance to try new things in older kids. Changes in routines, new teachers, academic pressures and social challenges can all contribute.

For parents, recognizing these signs and knowing how to respond can be challenging. Adi Wallach, CEO of CalmiGo, can offer practical, age-appropriate strategies to help parents identify anxiety early, create supportive back-to-school routines, and give children tools to manage overwhelming moments.

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

What are some signs of back-to-school anxiety in children?

After a long summer break, going back to school can be exciting, but that excitement can also come with anxiety. Some nervousness before a new grade, teacher, or building is a completely normal response to change and usually settles on its own within a few days. The signs to watch more closely are the ones that are intense, persistent, or noticeably out of character for your child — that's often the difference between ordinary jitters and anxiety that may need more support. Symptoms may look different depending on the age of the child – it could range from bedwetting, irritability, and nightmares in younger children to difficulty concentrating, emotional outbursts, loss of confidence, or reluctance to try new things in older kids. A common symptom of anxiety in kids is getting stomach aches before going to school.  Changes in routines, new teachers, academic pressures, and social challenges can all be contributing factors to back-to-school anxiety.  It’s important for parents to watch for the signs and to be attuned to them so that they can provide guidance and take additional action when necessary.

How can families help manage some of the fears and worries around the transition back to school?

When children express their “worries” and feelings of anxiety, parents need to name the emotion – saying something like “it sounds like you are worried” is important so that feelings are labeled for the child, and they can become emotionally aware of their feelings. It's also helpful to do a simple check-in — asking your child to rate how anxious they feel on a scale from 1 to 5. This isn't a formal test, just an easy way for younger children to put a number to a feeling they may struggle to describe in words. If the anxiety is minor – which is also very normal – some encouraging words could be all they need to feel confident and face the day. However, if anxiety symptoms are significant, it's important to look at why. Consider whether there's an underlying cause and, where needed, address it with your child and the school. As a general guide, most back-to-school jitters ease within the first two to three weeks; it's worth checking in with your child's pediatrician or a mental health professional if the anxiety lasts longer than that, worsens over time, leads your child to refuse school, or begins to interfere with their sleep, friendships, or family life. Some ideas for kids facing more moderate to severe anxiety could be having your child see a therapist where they can discuss their worries and get tools on how to manage it. Effective tools include keeping your child active through moderate exercise, limiting sugar and caffeine (which can contribute to anxiety), and practicing deep breathing. Deep breathing can be a very effective tool to manage symptoms of anxiety. We developed a device called CalmiGo that can assist a child in managing anxiety and panic attacks with deep breathing. The device has a sensor embedded in it that learns the child’s specific breathing patterns so it can guide them to breathe in a way that maximizes the calming effects. In order to calm down, long exhalations are critical because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system. With CalmiGo, children can achieve a sense of calm in under three minutes so that they can continue on with their day. It is also a solution they can take with them to school and use when they need it.

What are some things families can do when kids feel overwhelmed? Understanding why a child is overwhelmed is the first step. Families and parents, in particular, have the role of supporting their child, which may mean being a parent advocate at the school (if there is an issue at school), or it may mean providing the necessary tools for kids to manage that feeling of overwhelm, along with the encouraging support for them to continue using those tools. Laying out a clear plan for the day so a child knows what to expect can be very effective. When kids are anxious, surprises can be very upsetting, so having a clear plan for the day and giving them a warning in advance if there are changes could help prepare them so they have less anxiety if there are schedule changes. If a child is overwhelmed by sensory stimuli in the environment, you may want to provide tools or products that minimize sensory overload.

Music Minute - Ocean Way Festival (9/26-9/27, Santa Monica Beach)

Ocean Way Festival, the first major music festival on Santa Monica Beach, is bringing some of Los Angeles’ most celebrated and beloved restaurants directly to the sand.

Taking place September 26–27 on Santa Monica Beach, the festival will unfold with the iconic Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Ocean providing the backdrop. While Ocean Way will feature a high-profile roster of musical performers, including headliners The Killers and Olivia Dean, alongside Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime, and more, its food and beverage program is a destination in its own right.

For its inaugural edition, Ocean Way Festival has assembled a culinary lineup of more than 25 restaurants and eateries, with strong representation from Santa Monica and the Westside, giving food lovers a concentrated taste of one of Los Angeles’ most dynamic dining communities.

That connection to Santa Monica extends well beyond the festival setting. With 15 of the participating restaurants and concepts based on the Westside, Ocean Way puts local businesses at the heart of its culinary program, giving festivalgoers a chance to experience the chefs, flavors, and independent businesses that help define the Westside’s dining scene.

A Who’s Who of L.A. Dining


The inaugural culinary lineup brings together an eclectic mix of restaurants and concepts representing the breadth of contemporary Los Angeles food culture

It is a lineup that reads like a food lover’s tour of Los Angeles: tacos and Thai, pizza and fried chicken, sushi and onigiri, seafood and sandwiches, doughnuts and shaved ice, coffee and tea, alongside a diverse selection of plant-based offerings. 

The emphasis on Westside restaurants reflects Goldenvoice’s commitment to the beachside community hosting the first-ever Ocean Way festival — supporting local businesses while giving festivalgoers an opportunity to discover the restaurants and culinary talent found just beyond the festival gates.

Rounding out the culinary experience, Santa Monica’s Offhand Wine Bar will curate a cozy wine bar inside the festival, where guests can enjoy good people, good vibes, and great wine alongside the diverse lineup of food on the sand.

Proper Beach Club guests will have all-day access to Santa Monica Proper’s food and beverage program, featuring dishes from Calabra and Palma alongside the property’s signature cocktails. Menu highlights include Lamb Belly Taco, Lobster Corn Dog, Proper Paloma, and more.

Cabana guests in the Dune Lounge by Kelly Wearstler Studio will have access to a mix of Mediterranean and seafood dishes, including King Crab Salad, Caviar Fried Egg, Salmon Cones and more.

The Westside’s Food Scene, Served on the Sand

Santa Monica and the broader Westside have long been home to a distinctive restaurant culture — one that blends the casual, creative, and globally inspired with the laid-back sensibility of coastal Los Angeles. Ocean Way Festival brings that spirit directly to the beach.

With 15 Westside favorites on the bill, the festival offers local concertgoers a chance to experience hometown restaurants in a completely different setting. For visitors, it is an opportunity to sample an extraordinary cross-section of Los Angeles dining without leaving the shoreline.

The lineup includes established favorites alongside newer and highly specialized concepts, from Tacos 1986 and Kogi’s unmistakable L.A. street-food energy to MICHELIN-recognized Cobi’s tropical Southeast Asian-inspired cuisine; from James Beard Award-winning chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill to the pizza offerings of Prince St. Pizza and Triple Beam Pizza; and from Sweetfin’s signature poke bowls to Shrimp Daddy’s playful take on shrimp.

Global flavors run throughout the lineup, with MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-rated Khan Saab, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, Bun & Mi, Gokoku, and Onigiri & Kuramoto Shavery bringing Pakistani, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese influences to the festival.



For those looking beyond meat and seafood, Maneatingplant, Mac & Yease, and Cena Vegan add distinctive plant-based fare, while Sidecar Doughnuts, Odd One Out Tea, Gokoku, Cafe La Vecindad, and other concepts round out the vegetarian experience with sweets and specialty beverages.

Not Your Typical Festival Food

Ocean Way’s culinary program is built around the idea that festival food can, and should, be something worth seeking out. Ocean Way has curated a collection of distinctive restaurants and concepts with loyal followings, individual culinary points of view, and distinctly L.A. identities.

Food trucks from Kogi,  Mac & Yease, and  Menotti’s– an exclusive Premium Pit offering—will also roll onto the sand, bringing another element of the street-food culture that has become a defining part of the Los Angeles dining landscape. The result is a festival food program with enough variety to make eating part of the itinerary.

An Oceanfront Table

Few settings could be more quintessentially Santa Monica for this gathering of restaurants. Festivalgoers will experience the culinary lineup directly on the sand, with the Pacific Ocean stretching beyond the festival grounds and the Santa Monica Pier serving as an iconic backdrop.

For participating restaurants, Ocean Way also offers an opportunity to introduce their food to a major festival audience while celebrating the culinary community that makes Santa Monica and the Westside such an important part of the greater Los Angeles dining scene.

A New Festival with a Food Story of Its Own

Ocean Way Festival is making its debut with an ambitious music program led by headliners The Killers and Olivia Dean, alongside Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime, Durand Jones and the Indications, Alvvays, SG Lewis, 54 Ultra, Hiatus Kaiyote, BLOND:ISH, Poolside, Hot Chip DJs, and more, perform across two nights, but its culinary lineup gives Angelenos and visitors another compelling reason to put the inaugural event on their calendars.



Twenty-five restaurants. One beach. One iconic Pier. And a very good reason to come hungry.



Ocean Way Festival takes place September 26–27, 2026, on Santa Monica Beach. For the full culinary lineup, tickets, and additional information, visit OceanWayFestival.com.

ABOUT OCEAN WAY FESTIVAL

Ocean Way Festival is a two-day celebration of music, California culture, food, wellness, design and community, taking place each September on the beach in Santa Monica. Produced by Goldenvoice, the festival brings together world-class artists, local businesses, thoughtful hospitality and one of the world’s most iconic coastal settings to create a distinctly Santa Monica experience.

ABOUT GOLDENVOICE 

Goldenvoice, creators of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival, operates successful Los Angeles and Bay Area music venues including the Fonda Theatre, The Roxy Theatre, El Rey Theatre, The Novo, Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, The Regency Ballroom and The Warfield. Goldenvoice holds exclusive booking deals at Brookside at The Rose Bowl, Santa Barbara Bowl, Mountain Winery and Frost Amphitheatre. They also have produced events such as Desert Trip, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Cruel World, Just Like Heaven, Power Trip and many more. Beginning as an independent punk rock promoter in the early 1980s, Goldenvoice grew to be the preeminent alternative promoter in Southern California by forging strong relationships with both bands and music fans. Currently, Goldenvoice promotes over 2,000 concerts a year in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada plus recently adding North American tours to their growing list of accomplishments. For additional info, please visit www.Goldenvoice.com.

ABOUT CITY OF SANTA MONICA

An 8-square-mile beachside city on the Westside of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica blends the charm of a seaside town with the adventure, art and style of a vibrant cityscape. Home to approximately 90,000 residents and welcoming millions of visitors each year, Santa Monica is known for its iconic beaches and Pier, award-winning restaurants, thriving tech, hospitality, and wellness industries, and leadership in sustainability. The city is in the midst of a renaissance, revitalizing Third Street Promenade, attracting major events and activations, and reimagining public spaces and city services. In addition to Ocean Way Festival, upcoming highlights for the city include a Swiss Winter Village on the Santa Monica Pier in partnership with Fever this winter and an ESPN broadcast center on the beach during Superbowl week in 2027, as well as hosting several country's hospitality houses during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Area Attractions - Boston Children's Museum and Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWsem Discovery Days (9/18-9/20)

Boston Children’s Museum announces their participation in Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days on September 18 through September 20, in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days is back in 2026 to encourage attendance in children’s museums across the country while celebrating the power of imagination and play. 

Participating museums will incorporate Gabby and friends, in varying ways by location, into their respective programming and spaces as they seed and nourish a love of discovery. Grab your wings because Fairylandia is calling. Cue Boston families exclaiming, “Hey Gabby, take us to Boston Children’s Museum!”

Boston Children’s Museum will be hosting a Meet & Greet for a second year with the Gabby costume character on September 18 through September 20. Children and families are invited to participate in this Fairy-tastic day.
 
“We are proud to be partnering with DreamWorks Animation for a second year to inspire playful learning for children and families throughout the US. ACM and DreamWorks Animation share key values as they relate to the value of imagination, curiosity, and playful learning,” states Arthur G. Affleck, III, executive director of the Association of Children’s Museums. “Like children’s museums, Gabby’s Dollhouse emphasizes social-emotional learning and showcases compassion, curiosity, creativity, and teamwork. We’re excited to bring the fun from Season 13’s Fairylandia to create magical experiences at museums, too. ACM is so excited to be partnering with DreamWorks Animation to shine a spotlight on our member museums across the country.”

In addition to the costume character Meet & Greet, Boston Children’s Museum will also present paws-itively magical Gabby’s Dollhouse themed activities featuring Storytime, find the Gabby Cats scavenger hunt, dance party with DJ Catnip, and making Hamster Kitty Fairies.

Activities will be happening on Friday, September 18, Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20 from 9:30am-3:30pm each day. FREE with paid Museum admission! Advance reservations are required. 

Please visit https://BostonChildrensMuseum.org/meowseum/ for more information as capacity will be limited.

For a list of all participating ACM member locations and more information about Gabby’s Dollhouse, please visit GabbysDollhouse.com. 

Follow Gabby’s Dollhouse!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbysdollhouse/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabbysdollhouse/
Website: https://www.gabbysdollhouse.com

DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse
Since the debut of DreamWorks Animation’s hit series Gabby’s Dollhouse, kids around the world have been having one big sprinkle party with Gabby and her friends. Created by celebrated storytellers Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey and now streaming on Netflix, Gabby's Dollhouse is a mixed media preschool series that unboxes a surprise before jumping into a fantastical animated world full of adorable cat characters that live inside Gabby’s dollhouse. Rooted in growth mindset, Gabby’s activity-based episodes encourage flexible thinking and learning from your mistakes. The show has charted as a top 10 TV series in 63 countries on Netflix and has become a top preschool brand across the globe, inspiring an award-winning toy line, publishing, home, apparel, and more, as well as original music, a top-rated app and a growing YouTube channel visited by millions of fans weekly. Gabby’s Dollhouse continues to expand through Universal Destinations & Experiences theme parks, global fan experiences, live events and much more. Any adventure can unfold when we play in Gabby's Dollhouse!

Association Of Children’s Museums (ACM)
ACM is the foremost professional society supporting children’s museums in developing rich environments that stimulate children’s natural playfulness, curiosity, and creativity. With more than 500 members in all 50 states and in 19 countries, ACM champions children’s museums and together enrich the lives of children worldwide. As a global leader, advocate, and resource for the field, ACM and our member organizations strive to build a better world for children and serve over 30 million visitors annually. Started in 1962, ACM recently marked its 60th year of impactful service to children, families, and children’s museums.

About Boston Children's Museum
Boston Children’s Museum engages children and families in joyful discovery experiences that instill an appreciation of our world, develop foundational skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. More information about Boston Children’s Museum can be found at www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org. Follow the Museum on Facebook and Instagram

Hours and Admission
The Museum is open Wednesday–Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is closed on Tuesdays. On the first Saturday of each month, the Museum opens at 10:00 a.m. Advance tickets and reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends, holidays, school vacation weeks, and TJX $1 Sunday Afternoons. Admission is $24 for adults, children ages 1–15, and seniors. Children under 12 months and Museum members are always free.

Parenting Pointers - We’re Raising Generation AI. Here’s What Parents Need to Do Now.

I spent about 15 years working in technology before my life took a very different turn. I went from tech executive to stay-at-home mom, then back into the classroom as an educator, and eventually became the founder of Kid Laboratories. Somewhere along the way, the question I asked about technology changed. Instead of simply asking, What can it do? I started asking a much more important question: What is it going to do to our kids? 

When generative AI arrived, I went down the rabbit hole. I studied technology, read the research, read Ethan Mollick’s Co-Intelligence, and listened to educators, technologists, and researchers. Much of what I learned eventually became part of my book, Future-Proof Kids: 10 Minutes a Week. Our children aren't simply growing up with AI. They are becoming Generation AI, and keeping them in a bubble isn't an option. 

So, what do we do as parents? I don't believe we should panic about AI, but I also don't believe we should hand our kids a chatbot and say, “Well, this is the future. Good luck!” Our job is somewhere in the middle: educate, guide, question, and talk. You don't need to become an AI engineer, but you do need to understand the basics. Know that AI can sound incredibly confident and still be wrong. More importantly, understand the difference between AI supporting your child's thinking and AI replacing it. 

In Future-Proof Kids, I call this the TYT: Ten-Year Test. When technology enters our home, I ask: If my child uses this regularly for the next ten years, what might it develop—and what might it replace? Is it strengthening a skill or outsourcing one? Is my child using AI to become a better thinker, or is AI beginning to do the thinking for them? For me, the goal is simple: co-intelligence, not co-dependence. 

And then we have to talk about it. Apparently, the birds and the bees weren't enough. Now parents also have the bots, the chats, and the facts. Ask your kids what they're using. Try AI together. Ask questions like, “Do you think that's true?” and “How could we check it?” Talk about when AI is useful and when it crosses a line. AI literacy shouldn't be one awkward conversation we check off our parenting list. It needs to become part of family life. 

One MIT Technology Review piece about kids' attitudes toward AI particularly caught my attention. What I found encouraging was that young people weren't blindly embracing the technology. They seemed to have their own internal “cringe meter.” Some were comfortable using AI for learning or experimentation but much less comfortable when it replaced something personal, creative, or authentically human.

There is another side of that cringe meter parents should notice, though. Kids seemed much less bothered by AI when they were simply playing with it, particularly experimenting and creating images. That may seem harmless, but image generation can be substantially more computationally intensive than text generation. And there is another resource I'm equally protective of: our children's attention. Every hour spent generating pictures or disappearing down another digital rabbit hole is an hour not spent drawing, playing outside, being bored long enough to invent something, or simply talking face-to-face with another human being. 

Perhaps one of the most valuable questions we can teach our kids to ask about any technology is: What am I gaining from this—and what am I giving up? 

The reality is that AI is going to be in our children's classrooms, phones, entertainment, creative lives, and future workplaces. The question isn't simply AI or no AI. The more important question is whether our children encounter it educated or uneducated, guided or unguided, thinking critically or simply accepting whatever a machine gives them. 

I've now experienced this issue from three very different perspectives: technology executive, stay-at-home mom, and educator. Those worlds have collided in a way I never expected, and I'm still learning alongside my kids. But I've become convinced of something: We don't have to know everything about our children's future to prepare them for it. 

We need to educate ourselves enough to enter the conversation, keep human connection at the center, and teach our kids to question the machine rather than simply obey it. And sometimes, we need to close the laptop and let them struggle, create, play, and figure something out for themselves. 

Because we're not simply raising kids who know how to use AI. We're raising humans who need to know when not to. 

Elena Czarnowski, M.Ed., is a former technology executive turned educator, author, and founder of Kid Laboratories. She is dedicated to helping parents prepare the next generation with practical education in AI, money, critical thinking, and character.