Shari Zook

Shari Zook lives in Meadville, PA with her husband Ryan and their current count of six children, four of whom were born to their family. Shari is a pastor’s wife, a foster parent, and a friend. In her spare time (which is in short supply), she enjoys reading quality literature, growing fragrant herbs, baking delectable cakes, and blogging at Confessions of a Woman Learning to Live. Shari can be contacted at [email protected].

22 Contributions

When You Think You’re Doing It All Wrong
Publication Date: 2021-01-28 | File type: Blog Post

If you’re on top of the world, this letter is not for you. Come back soon, on a day when Read More...

Old Fashioned Games for Dreary Days
Publication Date: 2020-11-05 | File type: Blog Post

In our neck of the woods, “November” is our shorthand for “bleak days with unremitting gray skies and lots of Read More...

Preschool Preview
Publication Date: 2020-09-04 | File type: Blog Post

When four- and five-year-old children think about school, what do they imagine? Do the smatterings they hear from older siblings, Read More...

Sensory Therapy at Home
Publication Date: 2020-07-30 | File type: Blog Post

When my son turned one, his throttle got stuck on full speed ahead. He moved constantly, took off running on Read More...

Technology Detox
Publication Date: 2020-05-19 | File type: Blog Post

As a foster parent, I regularly come into contact with children who have been raised with technology as their wet Read More...

Finish Line
Publication Date: 2020-05-11 | File type: Blog Post

Perhaps the only thing worse than flubbing the end of a project is not being allowed to complete it at Read More...

What We’d Like Our Teachers to Hear
Publication Date: 2020-02-28 | File type: Blog Post

On a quest to hear from young people and understand our Christian schools’ strengths and weaknesses, I recently conducted a Read More...

What is Bullying? And Does it Happen Here?
Publication Date: 2020-01-17

A study in questions “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as Read More...

Christmas in the Hands of a Child
Publication Date: 2019-12-20 | File type: Blog Post

The wise men are flattened this morning, not by the glory but because a small person has pillowed their heads Read More...

Fun by the Stack: Great Titles for Beginning Readers
Publication Date: 2019-09-13 | File type: Blog Post

I love books. I could dream them and wear them and eat them for breakfast. I have a special place Read More...

Colors of the School Year
Publication Date: 2019-08-16 | File type: Blog Post

Blue plaid for first-day dresses, carefully sewn by loyal mothers. Blue for vibrancy, excitement, stability: the color of winners. Blue Read More...

Preventing the Summer Slide
Publication Date: 2019-05-30 | File type: Blog Post

It’s summer vacation! Yay! Let’s sleep in till noon, watch videos, and hang out on the living room couch. Or Read More...

Thank You, Teachers
Publication Date: 2019-05-22 | File type: Blog Post

For the hours of energy poured into your students over the past nine months–thank you. For waking up every morning Read More...

Navigating Transition Times
Publication Date: 2019-01-25 | File type: Blog Post

Every object, said Mr. Newton, tends to remain at rest, or to continue in a straight line until compelled to Read More...

What Parents Want Most from Teachers
Publication Date: 2018-11-21 | File type: Blog Post

What parents want most from teachers. Hm. Is this even a thing? Isn’t this like asking what a woman wants Read More...

How Can Parents Support Teachers? 12 Things You Can Do
Publication Date: 2018-10-19 | File type: Blog Post

One of the greatest gifts I have been given is the input of other adults into my children’s lives. Many Read More...

Three Connecting Toys
Publication Date: 2018-09-28 | File type: Blog Post

Children love building, from their first wobbly stack of blocks all the way up to 3D puzzles and erector sets. Read More...

I Was Six Years Old
Publication Date: 2018-08-24 | File type: Blog Post

I was six years old, with pigtail braids down my back, when I began my first day of school. Our Read More...

ChildLine
Publication Date: 2018-08-17 | File type: Blog Post

In the past few years, a spotlight has turned on child abuse, particularly child abuse in the places where children Read More...

A Dozen Writing Leads
Publication Date: 2018-08-08 | File type: Blog Post

Have you ever wondered why children, who generally love to talk, have a hard time translating their vibrant, imaginative chatter Read More...

Getting Children on Board
Publication Date: 2018-07-18 | File type: Blog Post

“Come, children. Let’s get those four loads of laundry folded and put away,” said Mother. “Sure, Mom, I’m glad to Read More...

Raising Children Who Love to Read
Publication Date: 2018-06-15 | File type: Blog Post

When my son was four years old, he read his first chapter book alone: Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims. I Read More...

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