October is National Bullying Prevention Month. This is an important time to remind your children to not judge or act mean to anyone and to always appreciate differences. How do we prepare our children for a diverse world and teach them to celebrate differences? We can raise children to respect and value people regardless of the differences between us. Teaching acceptance may be easier than you think! Model Acceptance and Tolerance – Be the first person or family to try to help someone who looks like they feel out of place. Encourage your child to have many different friends from different cultures and interests. Walk the Walk- Create opportunities for your children to interact and make friends with people who are different than them. A powerful lesson is to ask them to imagine … [Read more...]
5 Easy Ways to Entertain the Kids at Restaurants. (Do I dare say without a screen.) GASP!
We’ve all been there! Your child is hungry and fussy and the food has not yet arrived. What should you do? Yes, it’s tempting to pull out our cell phones or tablets to quickly keep our child occupied, but this doesn’t teach them to sit and behave properly at a restaurant. Teaching our kids how to behave in a restaurant setting is an important part of parenting. We know it’s hard for them to sit still so we need a plan. A go to restaurant plan to help hold their attention span – quiet games and activities to keep them happy and entertained – and yes all screen-free. Here are a few of my favorite ways to keep them busy at restaurants without the screens: Napkin Decoration! I love crayons because it only takes a few and a napkin and you are all set! Challenge the kids to a … [Read more...]
A Festive Backyard Field Day with Good Sportsmanship!
Jumping, hopping, racing, throwing—who doesn’t love a summer field day? A backyard filled with games, activities and kids is a fantastic excuse to get together with friends. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Use what you have and set up some good old-fashioned backyard fun. It will provide hours of entertainment. And parents, what a great way to reinforce good sportsmanship with your kids! The first step is to organize teams to help promote cooperative play. Then set up a variety of games. And finally, weave in a good sportsmanship lesson! Here are a few tried-and-true ideas to get you started: THE GAMES Bean Bag Toss – Kids love throwing anything! Use large bowls or buckets as the target and have the kids toss. Don’t worry if you don’t have bean bags—use other items as … [Read more...]
St. Patrick’s Day Kids Crafts
You don't need to be Irish to enjoy the crafts and decorations of St. Patrick's Day. There's something about bright, colorful rainbows and cheerful, little leprechauns that can make anyone smile. Today we've gathered a bunch of fun and easy St Patrick's Day crafts that you can make with your kids! /1/ Puffy Paint Leprechaun - This looks like enough fun that I may want to join the kids in craft time! /2/ Pot O' Gold at the End of the Rainbow - I love to find a craft that uses "old school" craft supplies. I mean, how much fun are pipe cleaners and sequins! /3/ Rainbow Sensory Collage - This craft is perfect for little hands. You could gather the supplies for them, or go on a scavenger hunt for little things in all colors of the rainbow together. Either way, the … [Read more...]
Tips for Raising Money SMART kids
Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world Money, money, money Always sunny In the rich man's world Aha-ahaaa All the things I could do If I had a little money It's a rich man's world Yes, I admit I am an Abba fan! The ‘Money, Money, Money….” lyrics is something that I often have an urge to sing when my kids ask for the moon. But in all seriousness, I do recognize the importance of teaching my children about personal finances. They will, without a double, encounter a time in their life when they need to truly understand how to budget and the value of money. It’s never too early to teach our children about money and the importance of savings. I’ve narrowed it down to what I call ‘The Tree S Lesson’ – Save, Share and Spend! How to Save? … [Read more...]
Top 10 Trick-or-Treat Rules for Kids (with Style and Safety!)
Here are our Top 10 Trick-or-Treat Rules for Kids (with Style and Safety!) It’s that time of year when kids get super excited to wear their costume and quickly begin bouncing off the walls. To keep your little trick-or-treaters safe and polite, we’ve put together some simple rules to review with your children. Obey the Halloween code. This means only go to houses that are well lit and look like a Halloween friendly home. Try not to disturb anyone after 8 or 9 pm. And never go to a dark house – the code for any more trick-or-treating! Respect personal property. Use the right path to the house and don’t jump through bushes and landscape to get to the door. Only knock or ring the doorbell once. If no one comes to the door move on. They may be in a sticky situation and … [Read more...]
