Watch as we say goodbye to the place we have called home for 16 years and see if you can spot yourselves! Click the picture below to see our farewell on our Facebook page. Also, if you haven't done so already, please like us on Facebook.
There are many benefits of early education in preschool programs because the most important growth and development in the brain happens by the age of five. The early years are the learning years and a child's ability to be attentive and to follow directions emerges in those early years. Structured...
Happy Father’s Day! Every day should be Father’s Day. Or maybe I should say every day should be Dad’s Day. Because there is a difference. Fathers are 50% responsible for our arrival here on earth. Dads are 100% responsible to stick around and see us through. Father’s sometimes choose not...
I’m sure that I’m not the only person who has been struggling during this unprecedented time in our lives. Not only do we have anxious feelings about potentially catching Covid-19, but studies have shown that staying inside for long periods of time can also be bad for your mental health!...
I have Faith. My Faith assures me that things will get better, hopefully, sooner than later. Faith in knowing that God is in complete control…of all of us, which includes the doctors, the nurses, the scientists and all the other angels that are steadfast in their assignments to find a...
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday falling on the third Monday of every January, which in 2020 will take place on January 20. The day also celebrates King's birthday (January 15), honors his legacy and shines a light on civil rights. The holiday was approved as a...
I’m sure that every parent has some experience with the dreaded topic of “screen time.” Almost every child I know has some kind of electronic device such as a tablet or a phone. My own household has had it’s “screen time” drama, when I had to pry my 9-year-old daughter’s...
We live in a busy world full of seemingly non-stop appointments and commitments. Most families must live in a two-income household in order to afford the current cost-of-living. This means that parents deal with getting their children to and from school, doctor’s appointments, after-school activities, getting homework done, and getting...
Volunteers are a blessing! Volunteers are blessed! Volunteering is good for the heart and the soul because you are taking the time out of your own busy lives to help someone in need. You’re helping someone and you’re getting a real feel-good in return. No work is small, and volunteers...
Giving Tuesday is coming soon, and at Youth Village we know that while it is important to always offer a helping hand to children in need, it is just as important for children to learn that they should give back as well. That is why we are getting the children involved...
Most of the parents that I know are way too hard on themselves and constantly worrying about their abilities as a parent. We check our children’s grades and if we consider them below standard than we wonder what we have done to fail them. We look at their messy rooms and think...
Nellie Bogar and Valerie Bogar were guests on a local TV show on Cox Channel. Check it out here!
I have spoken to a few parents in the past few weeks who have children that are struggling academically. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what to do or where to go. I want to start out by saying that you are NOT ALONE! School is harder than...
Below is an email that I received from one of our parents telling me about a text message from her late father-in-law, Pastor Charles Sansom of Ft. Walton Beach who passed away in September of 2018. I am so grateful and moved by her testimony and very happy that all...
I found the following on Facebook on September 6, 2019…. author unknown. "One of my friends asked, "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports”? Well I have a confession to make; I don't pay for my kids to do sports. Personally, I...
I recently went to a workshop that focused on trauma-informed care. The purpose of the workshop was to give caregivers information about what trauma is and how it affects young children for the rest of their lives. I learned SO MUCH at this workshop and I wanted to share a few things...
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="1764" img_size="full"][vc_column_text] Friday, August 16, 2019 3:30 PM Our Youth Village, Inc. Groundbreaking Ceremony yesterday was amazing! God is so good! We thank everyone who came out in person and also those who could not but was there in spirit to support us! We thank our Guest Speakers: Pastor Larry N Boldin of...
School begins in Okaloosa County on August 12 and most students are required to read between 20-40 minutes each school night, depending on what grade they’re in. Relatively speaking, that’s a very short time for us adults, but some kids might scream “oh no, not reading!” but they think nothing of...
Summertime is quickly coming to an end and it’s time to start getting our kids ready to go back to school. Some parents are overjoyed at this time of year, ready to get back to school routines and saving money on childcare costs. Other parents are more stressed as it...
Almost 20 years ago I had a dream that I couldn’t and wouldn’t let go of. I didn’t even know how it would come to fruition. I just had faith in the Lord and kept putting one foot in front of the other. I wanted to have a safe place for kids...
Below is an essay that I wrote back in August 2014 and the NWF Daily News published it in their Guest Column before the 2014 school year began…and it bears repeating (with a couple of minor modifications). Parents: the following is written to you with love. Parents, before school...