Ye the Teach

03/05/2026

“I really stuck.”
“I have to pee.”
“I have to poop.”
“I so really very hungry.”
“I need to go see Dada.”
“I can’t want to go to sleep.”
“I can’t want to lay down.”
“I need a snack.”
“No. I like to move it, move it.”

Just a few of the combo negotiation pieces we get from our toddler when it’s naptime or bedtime.

But, how are y’all though?

02/13/2026

FREE Resource for Homeschool Parents

Part of what makes the relationship between the school and the home work is when the school shows it cares about the families of their students. Oftentimes, this looks like providing free resources for families to help with family members who are not school-age.

Use this resource as an attachment in an email or newsletter to help parents prepare their littles for school. Check out my Guide to Family Literacy to foster literacy at all ages.

Part of what makes the relationship between the school and the home work is when the school shows it cares about the families of their students. Oftentimes, this looks like providing free resources for families to help with family members who are not school-age. Use this resource as an attachment in...

02/13/2026

Did you know you could do this in Chicago?

The library system in Chicago is LIT and is always providing quality events for littles and their families.

Here are a few things we’ve been able to enjoy from our local library:

- A FREE petting zoo [Beverly Branch] with exotic animals for my daughter’s second birthday 🎉
- Free access to museums, the zoo and other Chicago staples 💫
- Check out a variety of books and have them be auto renewed after the 14 day period 📚
- A circus made up of teens at the Kelley Branch in Englewood😱
- Make connections with people passionate about their work so much so they know my daughter on a first name basis 💕
- Receive FREE books just for being there ☺️

Your local library probably offers so many amazing things and you’d never know it!

Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already!

P.S. If you’re in Chicago, I recommend the Kelly Branch in Englewood. They’re good people! ❤️

02/11/2026

I watched ‘Gullah Gullah Island’ for the first time as an adult.

My husband and I make it a point to show our toddler shows and movies from when we were younger. I’d never seen this one, but always heard people speak highly of it.

As usual, I started doing some background on the show and found one of the main cast members, Natalie Daise wrote and published a book in 2023.

You can find it at the link below: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250849663/okrastew/

This rhythmic, joyous picture book from Natalie Daise, the co-star of the hit Nickelodeon show "Gullah Gullah Island," celebrates a special day of father-son...

02/10/2026

I’m in a weird place about reading, at the moment.

I’m trying to find its proper place in regular existential reality.

I find I enjoy it thoroughly with my toddler. On my own, I’ve long stopped having the attention span to give myself to it.

I struggle with how singular of an activity it can become—how inward and isolated it can make us.

I suppose it can have great value when we wrestle with the ideas embedded in the stories and find something to contribute to society.

It’s difficult for me because I don’t see us do this. We either take everything too literally or we stop before finding the nuance or complete picture of an idea.

I am starting to think reading, as a shared activity, is an incredibly powerful tool. I get why people have book clubs.

As the wife, mom and queen of my castle, I think it’d be cool to curate a family book club as our children get older. But, we’ll see.

I started thinking about this when I sat and read aloud a lot of my recent writings to my husband and our two daughters. They all fell peacefully asleep and we all rested well that night.

Something about that night energized me and I long to replicate that.

How do you and your family enjoy reading? Is it together or separately? Do you visit your local library?

02/08/2026

This month’s freebie is hereeeeee:

Some of y’all are already thinking about what you’re going to do differently next year—that could be classroom management, lesson structure, new supplemental materials, etc.

Whether you save this for next year or you do it as an activity with your students now, it’s a chill way for students to set goals, be creative and for a class to get on one accord. Think of it as a reset if you’re using it in the middle of the school year! 💫

Use this printable to creatively ground students in their goals for the school year. ...

02/06/2026

Our daughter LOVED this book!

We checked it out from our local library and read it every night until it was time to return it. See if your local library carries it! 💫

123 Cats: A Cat Counting Book 🐱
By: Lesléa Newman

02/05/2026

I really think this stage of our toddler (2.5) saying ‘no’ is a different beast entirely and honestly, I don’t know what to do or say most times.

All I think is, “What you mean ‘no’?” And my brain is just dead at that point.

What do y’all do when your toddler says ‘no’ when you really need them to say ‘yes’? 😅

02/04/2026

What to do if your child can’t read (at the moment)

Source: Ye the Teach

For more parenting and teaching insight, follow .the.teach on Instagram and TikTok 💫

02/04/2026

Garden Marcus’ YouTube channel for kids is just the thing you need! 🌱💫

It’s low stimulation and teaches children (and adults) a few things about nature through home gardening.

I’ve watched quite a few shorts and watched the episode below with my toddler (2.5) and she thoroughly enjoyed herself. WE enjoyed ourselves.

Be sure to check it out and subscribe! 🫶🏾



https://youtu.be/oF3z_tNVllU?feature=sharede

Join Garden Marcus to learn all about kindness! We'll explore the garden, move, sing, plant flowers, and more while learning about kindness in the garden. Re...

02/02/2026

Your local library might be your best source for free books. 📚

Here’s another book our toddler (2.5) is enjoying that we got for free from the Chicago Public Library.

As a mom, I’m always nervous about pop-up books and whether or not they’ll last. But, this one is holding up just fine.

Get to your local library—if for no reason other than being in one of the last free public spaces in our society.