Gifting the Village

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

“It takes a village to raise a child” is one of those sayings that sounds nice until you become a parent. Then, you realize just how true it is.

Behind every thriving child is a whole cast of supporting characters. There are teachers who spark curiosity, therapists who celebrate hard-earned milestones, coaches who build confidence, caregivers who provide comfort, and countless others who cheer from the sidelines every step of the way.

While the holidays naturally inspire us to focus on family and friends, they’re also the time to recognize the people who make up our children’s village. These are the individuals who invest their time, energy, expertise, and heart into helping our kids learn, grow, and thrive throughout the year; extending far beyond the classroom, playing field, therapy room, or after-school program.

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Things We (Would) Love: Patti’s Gift Guide

| Patti Webb

Every year, I’m constantly going through my list, trying to find gifts that are the right amount of practical and unique and looks like I really spent time figuring it out and isn’t the same thing I get them every year. Like you’re trying to one-up yourself each holiday.

For 2027, Troy and I are taking the girls to Disney World over their late winter break. It is understood that this trip is multiple present occasions rolled into one. But obviously, they aren’t going present-less on Christmas morning. Thus begins what I want to call “The holidays are still fun without a million gifts.”

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Things We (Would) Love: Mary’s Gift Guide 2026

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Is anyone else just kinda meh about the new gift options lately?

So much online Gift Guide content seems like the same old stuff repeated across 50 influencers. Usually we’re like “will my (insert loved one) even like this?”.

I’m sure everyone loves receiving new and improved socks or yet another body wash set. And no shade if you really do want the AI sticker box or kids table saw. But for Child(ish) Advice, we haven’t really seen anything new that hits that sweet spot of 1) fun, 2) OT-driven, and 3) won’t end up forgotten two weeks later.

So to give ourselves a break and maybe push our past Guides a little bit (2025, 2024, 2023), we’re doing our usual Things We (Would) Love posts and giving you something a little different leading up to Thanksgiving and the holidays.

Enjoy!

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Child(ish) Reads: All Toddlers are Scorpios

| Patti Webb

When I saw this Forthcoming book listing, I thought it was the perfect way to end our Halloween posts.

All Toddlers Are Scorpios: An Astrological Guide to Your Adorable Tiny Terror by Johanna Gohmann. Blending parental exasperation with cosmic insight, Gohmann breaks down toddler personalities by zodiac sign—offering a starry-eyed (and slightly frazzled) look at the joys and mysteries of raising tiny humans. The profiles of each zodiac sign include sections dedicated to best (and worst!) toddler playdate matches; toddler’s preferred music, snacks, and toys; parent-child zodiac compatibility; and hilarious illustrations throughout from cartoonist Emily Flake. Whether you are raising a tenacious Taurus, a balanced Libra, or, yes, a hell-raising Scorpio, this is a book that lets parents laugh at the sheer insanity of sharing their home with a tiny terror.

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House Slytherin

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

…Or perhaps in Slytherin
You’ll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends. – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Thanks to Harry’s perspective, many readers associate Slytherin with the villains of the story. In reality, the house is far more complex than its reputation suggests. While its founder, Salazar Slytherin, held the controversial belief that magical education should be reserved for students from magical families, his personal views do not define the values of the house he created.

At its core, Slytherin was founded qualities that can be used for both great good and great harm depending on the choices of the individual. These include:

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