Jill
Jill is a born and raised Wisconsinite. She grew up just outside of Madison before heading to northern Michigan for college. Afterwards, she returned to Madison where she married her high school sweetheart, Micah, and earned her PhD in Educational Psychology. Micah and Jill live just outside of Madison with their two children, Levi (5 years old), and Alice (3 years old), and they all love sports and being outside. When Jill isn't enjoying the local Madison parks and activities with her family, she loves to play board games, and relax at home with family and friends. Jill is a busy mom, an active member in her church, and enjoys her job as an Associate Professor of Psychology for a small liberal arts college.
Thank You Letter to My Kids’ Teachers from an Online Instructor
I’ve taught online for over a decade, although all of my online teaching experience has been with college students. I teach in-person, online, and hybrid, sometimes all at the same time. I know what...
Top 10 Ways Our Family Keeps Busy at Home
Early elementary school is a time for running and jumping and playing with friends, but in the time we are in, we have to adapt. We love play time, but my spouse and I...
5 Tips for Talking to Kids About Politics
With another election season coming up, and a very divided nation, politics are bound to come up. Kids are likely to hear, at some point, people talk about politics and political issues. Plus, kids...
Virtual Learning with a Smile: Making the Best of It
The news came down… we are starting the fall with virtual learning. I had a lot of mixed feelings, but was ultimately relieved that I didn’t have to make the decision and that all...
6 Things I Wish My Online Students Knew | From a Teacher
I’ve been teaching college students for well over a decade. In fact, part of my job has been to not only teach college students, but to advise instructors on good teaching methods, so I’ve...
Where in the World is… a Map?
I grew up in a time where we would commonly bike to our friend’s house during the summer, and all around the neighborhood, while my parents were at work all day. I knew every...
Let’s Change Social Distancing
Words matter. What words we choose matter, especially when it comes to difficult times. There are whole fields of study in psychology and other disciplines that focus on how word choice can change people’s...
Resisting the Race for Reading
I’m the first to admit, I’m very competitive. I have always loved games and love to win. For better or worse, I’m competitive by nature.
This competitive streak sometimes becomes problematic, especially when it comes...
Don’t Go To Bed Angry: Newlywed Relationship Myths
I’m sure you’ve all been to a bridal shower where everyone goes around and gives advice to the bride-to-be. (Am I the only one who finds this insanely awkward?) Anyway, at nearly every bridal...
Easy Alternatives to Screen Time When You Need a Break
I’m sure many parents have heard about the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to avoid all screen time until a child is two years old, then, if used after that, use it sparingly. Even...
The Princess Dilemma
When we found out we were pregnant with a girl, we got loads of hand-me-down clothes. There was the occasional “little princess” onesie, and we swiftly put it into the donation pile. Others might...
The Whisper of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is often referred to as the cancer that whispers. This is because its symptoms are often quiet and go unnoticed, which results in 70% of cases being discovered in the later stages...