Helping Your Child Handle Toxic Friendships
Cultivating healthy friendships in the adolescent and teenage years is vital to stable mental well being. It's important for kids to have healthy friendships, when kids are constantly surrounded by negativity, there is no room for growth or even happiness. As a parent, be aware of who your child's friends are. Especially if your children are younger. When a relationship is toxic there are signs that will show. Such as a child seeming more withdrawn or with a lower self esteem than usual. If a child has gotten increasingly quiet and even jumpy or fearful, these can all be signs…
Getting Kids Involved in Spring Cleanup
With the last of the snow melting away, the time for spring clean up has come. It doesn't just have to be a job for mom and dad however. Kids can easily get involved with the spring clean up and it can even be fun! The level of yard work will definitely depend on the area that you live in. While kids can't use branch trimmers or clippers, there are things that they can do to help out. While you rake out the dead leaves and foliage, kids can put gloves on and put the waste in either the compost…
Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner With the Kidlets | #thanksgiving
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner with the kidlets in tow is no easy task, but it is doable. Thankfully, there are quite a few ways that kids can actually be a big help in the kitchen. Let's start with the little ones, kids six and up can help measure out and pour ingredients for pie. They can wash potatoes for Grandma's creamy mashed potatoes, they can help decorate pies and casseroles, and can fetch ingredients. Older kids can help open cranberry and cream corn jars, help prep side dishes, make the stuffing in the microwave, help wash the baking dishes, and can…
My two year old likes to color… on important things. | #parenting
Whoever said that the baby of the family will be a breeze because you've "been there done that" already ----- was absolutely crazy. I'm just going to say it. I'm ready for my two year old to go ahead and skip three, four, five, and be six years old already! Man, I feel much better saying that. This is no joke! Kiddo number one is a girl. As an only child, she was fairly easy. It wasn't until we started adding siblings that she starting being a problem, but her toddler years were pretty much without incident. The teen years,…
Getting Your Kids in the Kitchen
Teaching your kids to bake and cook is a life long skill that you won't regret showing them. I remember working in the kitchen with my mom when I was as young as six. I was so proud when I tossed my first salad on my own. Getting your kids into the kitchen can be a fun bonding time for parents and their kiddos, not to mention cooking together promotes sibling bonding. Remodel your kitchen to make it kid-friendly with Limitless Renovations. However, in homes with limited space, such as narrow block house designs, the importance of a well-designed kitchen…
Keeping Kids on Track Academically this Summer | #education
Every kid looks forward to being free from school and spending the entire summer doing nothing. However, studies are showing that kids experience a loss of academic skills over the course of a summer filled with vegging out in front of the TV. But thanks to a few sneaky ways to learn while having fun, you can keep your kiddos ready for a new grade in the fall! Sign up for reading clubs or programs at your library: Getting your kids to read over the summer is a huge accomplishment. Make it even more fun by signing up for reading programs…
Healthy Summer Snacks for Kids | #snacks #healthy
With summer comes the longer days and the endless struggle of trying to feed hungry little munchkins. This is especially a challenge if you don't have the budge for prepared items, or have picky eaters. Here are a few tried and true snack ideas that kids are sure to love. Frozen grapes- Wash and remove the stems from a bag of grapes, line a cookie sheet with waxed paper and place the grapes on it. Place in the freezer over night. The next morning you'll have an easy and healthy snack for the kids! Fresh fruit cones- Fill ice cream…
What You Need to Know About Cyber Bullying | #bullying #cyberbullying
Technology is a device that can be used for the greater good of society, but there is a darker side to it as well. Schools have been dealing with bullies and aggressive students for decades, however, many kids are turning to the internet to pick on their peers. This new form of peer bullying is called cyber bullying, and it happens to one in three teenagers. And out of every ten children who experience cyber bullying, only one will tell their parents when it occurs. Cyber bullying is often done anonymously via nasty YouTube comments, or Tumblr messages. The aspect…
Ways to Get Your Kids Motivated | #parenting
Motivating kiddos to work, or to get anything done can be a huge challenge. Growing up my mom would always come up with the most ingenious ideas to get all of us working. One thing that never seems to fail when it comes to kids, is having a goal to work towards. Even if it's something small, such as homemade Popsicle for dessert, goals are a great way to get the kiddos to stop whining and start working. For example, if the yard or basement is in desperate need of cleaning this spring, one idea is to motivate kids is…
Why Your Teen Should Volunteer this Summer
Everyone talks about volunteering as an important part on a senior's college application, but what about other aspects of volunteering? Volunteering is something important in any teenager's life, and not just because of how great it looks on a college application. The most important part of volunteering is the ability to give back and to do good in your community. Whether it's something as simple as looking after kids in the children's church on Sunday, working at a food pantry once a week, collecting items for a shelter, or even visiting seniors. There are so many ways to encourage your…