Articles written by Eva Smart

What is Helium

About me - Eva Smart

In all that I do as a wife, mother of 3 gorgeous children, business consultant, charitable worker, I strife to fulfill my mission: to create healthy environments for children, their parents and their communities.

I have studied both child development and business.

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Education > Early Childhood Ed Will "universal preschool" for 3- and 4-year-olds improve academic achievement over the long term?: 1 of 16
Voluntary Pre-K programs have already proven to be a great success in many states. Universal Pre-K would be a huge advance for our country.Pre-K recognizes the the majority of children's capacity for brain development occurs during our early learning years.Early literacy and early math numeracy is vital to a life-long ability... More..
Arts & Humanities > Dance Styles Square dancing and its benefits: 1 of 11
Top 10 Square Dancing BenefitsAlamande left and do-si-do, swing your partner, round she goes! The American Square Dance is a important part of our cultural history. Square dancing is good, old-fashioned fun and a lively way to spend time, and there are many benefits to this activity.Square Dancing is an Americanized version o... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Diapering How to prevent diaper rash: 3 of 26
911 RASH POLICE!In my child care center, we have become so good at fighting diaper rash we call ourselves The Rash Police. Diaper rash is nasty, causing children to itch, feel as though their skin is burning, and puts them at risk for infection. Here's how we fight the rash:1. Nip it early. At any sign of redness anywhere in ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) Magical realism reading recommendations: 1 of 8
I fell in love with the magical world of Central and South American novels through the recommendations of my dear friend Elisa. Just as she shared other lush parts of her Mexican culture with me, she taught me about a genre of literature called MAGICAL REALISM. Magical Realism is a genre first explored by master novelist Gabr... More..
Jobs & Careers > Stress & Time Management Late for work: The best excuses: 1 of 8
Dogs, kids, keys, traffic, car problems, parking-these are all very typical excuses. They are sometimes truthful, though there are other things that keep people from being timely-fights with spouses, phone calls, sleeping in. The best excuses by the best slackers (and as a supervisor, I've known plenty!) come with props. It's... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Problems Parents Face How to stay informed about toy recalls and safety alerts: 1 of 7
STAYING INFORMED ABOUT TOY RECALLS & SAFETY ALERTSToy safety information is critical for parents. While our product safety laws and pre-sale testing is supposed to ensure safe materials and construction, recent massive recalls have shown us that those protocols are not enough. Parents are lobbying their legislators to toughen... More..
Health & Fitness > Pediatrics Guide to over-the-counter head lice treatments: 2 of 12
SURVIVING LICE WITH OVER-THE-COUNTER TREATMENTSLice can be a plague that makes you WISH for locusts! Lice are unfortunately a subject I know quite a bit about, because I've spent my life as a director of child care centers, where lice are a constant risk. Children are always, literally, in each others' hair, so one louse can ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Tips How much allowance should your kids get?: 5 of 28
I have two very different children. One burns through cash as though his pockets are endangered by storing money. The other is a calculating shopper and a dedicated saver. Each are learning about money, in his own way, in his own time, with his own mistakes. Allowances are one teaching tool my family uses to help facilitate d... More..
Business > Marketing How to write a strong value proposition: 1 of 5
How to Write a Strong Value Proposition* What is a value proposition? *"Value Proposition" is business lingo for the way that you describe the value of your goods, services or company to someone else. Usually value propositions are aimed at potential buyers to convince them to choose your company or product from the vast ocea... More..
Food & Drink > Recipes (Other) Recipes: Halloween-themed edibles: 1 of 5
Halloween is a fun time for children of all ages. The best Halloween recipes fit the Halloweentheme, celebrate autumn and are fun to make and to eat.Here are some must-make favorites in my home. Many of them also have been kid-approved by the children in my child care center. Cooking is a fantastic holiday activity for childr... More..