Children are not the most tactful people in the world, especially when they’re very young. They don’t understand that staring is rude, so it’s up to us to teach them. Here are some ideas you can use instead of simply saying, “Honey, don’t stare” when someone is different. Read the rest of this entry

Schools have had bullies since public schools started. Either they picked on the other students because they were bigger, or because they needed to feel better about themselves by putting others down. The problem hasn’t stopped; in fact it has gotten worse in recent years. You may be wondering if your child could be getting bullied at school. Read the rest of this entry

Well, it’s nail-biting time. Your teen has just passed the test and has received a license to drive. Whether you taught your teen to drive or a driving course was taken, your teen now feels ready to drive to school.

Driving to school encompasses a myriad of rules and regulations, not only those mandated by law, but by parents as well.

* Always wear a seatbelt.
* Never talk on a cell phone while driving.
* Do not drink and drive at any time.
* Do not engage in putting on makeup while driving.
* Do not comb hair while driving.
* Do not eat or drink while driving.
* Do not blast the radio or CD.
* Do not use the horn unless absolutely necessary.
* Park in a safe area at school or use their parking lot, if applicable.
* Follow all of the rules and regulations of the road, including:
o coming to a full stop at stop sign
o adhering to pedestrians crossing the road
o stop at a yellow light and not try to drive through it
o if a school bus has its stop sign poised at the out position, stop and wait until the bus moves before driving
o always check front and side mirrors for approaching cars
o always signal before making turns
o turn on headlights during inclement weather
* Ensure no one is behind or in front of you when parking.
* Observe all street signs and speed limits.

Since this is the first time your teen is using the car to drive to school, it is understandable that you are a bit anxious. However, trust in the fact that your teen fully understands all of the rules of the road, has driven responsibly with you, and has followed your every direction.

Cell phone use is only for emergencies. Parking the car and then making a call is recommended. Teens know they are responsible for their actions. If they falter in any way, there is always public transportation. You can be sure they would never want a parent driving them to school, so they fully understand their actions have consequences.

With the start of school getting closer, parents will be taking their children to purchase school clothes and supplies. Many parents want shopping with kids to be made easier and less stressful. The following tips may help accomplish this yearly task. They can also be helpful when going shopping with your children at other times. Read the rest of this entry

When children reach elementary, middle, and high school, they will be bombarded with homework assignments, reading, papers, reports, and a myriad of tests. It is important for preschoolers to have preschool learning skills and learn at their own pace. The pressures in later years will come soon enough.

In order to reinforce your child’s learning experience and help them to absorb what is learned in preschool, you can utilize some techniques at home in a fun and unique manner.

Reading to them at bedtime is a great way to increase their listening skills. Let them choose the book they wish you to read to them, and mix it up by reading the entire book one night, and asking them to either tell you what the outcome will be or to complete sentences they may remember.

To help them with their motor skills, purchase some drawing paper and crayons and have them create pictures in whatever genre they choose. To aid them in their listening skills, play a game such as Simon Says. This enables them to follow directions which can enhance their skills at preschool as well.

Another way to increase their skills is to ask them what they learned in preschool and to show you either verbally or through drawings. Mix up the discussion by asking if they made any friends, what are their names, and if they got along. Let the child lead the conversation, and if you find he or she doesn’t want to talk about it, let it go for a day or two.

Above all, experts advise parents not to overdo it by constantly asking questions or direct them to do a particular task. They are children, after all, and they should be allowed to play as children in order to clear their minds and just enjoy being a child.

It happens to all of us, whether we want it to or not, we grow up and so do our children. The day will come when they lose that wide-eyed wonder about Christmas and Santa Claus. It seems like kids are outgrowing him younger every year.

So what do you do when a child asks the dreaded question, “Is there really a Santa Claus?” While you don’t want to lie to your children, they may not be ready to let go of that part of childhood.

One approach is to just tell them the truth. Tell them the history of Saint Nick, and the origins of the traditions surrounding him. Read “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” which dates back to 1823 and explain how we get a lot of our modern ideas about Santa Claus from that poem. You can go on to explain that some grownups pretend to be Santa Claus, like an actor on a TV show, to keep the tradition alive as a fun part of the holidays.

Sometimes kids hear the truth about Santa from older siblings, cousins or school friends. They come home and ask about Santa. You have to decide if you’re going to tell them the truth or wait awhile. If you continue to let them believe in Santa, they may go back and tell the others that they are wrong, possibly even call them a liar. The kids could counter with the fact that their parents are the ones who are lying.

Another approach is to answer their question about Santa with your own question. Ask them, “Well, what do you think?” Let them go through the process of deciding for themselves if Santa is real or not. Many kids will surprise you with their thought process of figuring out Santa. Children as young as four can figure out that reindeer can’t fly.

If a child deals well with the transition to no Santa Claus, you have to decide what to do if there are younger siblings still in the house. You could tell your children about the traditions. You could let the older sibling help play Santa. This way they are still involved in the fun and feel all grown up because they are in on it. The child could get to stay up a little later and help put things in the stockings and leave gifts under the tree from Santa. You might even let them have some of the milk and cookies. Some families even have a letter from Santa, thanking the child for the snack. Let the older sibling write (or type) the letter.

Different children mature at different times, so that question may need to be answered sooner than you think. However, some families have told their children from the beginning about Santa to avoid the “trauma” of finding out the truth. If you’ve been teaching them about real and fantasy from the beginning, through stories and movies, the transition will be less traumatic, for you and them.

Experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After you have been asleep for eight or more hours, your body needs to “break the fast” experienced by sleeping. You want healthy breakfast ideas for busy families. Luckily you have many options to consider. Read the rest of this entry

Backpacks are a necessity for today’s students to carry books and school supplies. They come in many styles and colors, but some doctors are concerned about possible health issues with them. When it’s time to buy a backpack for your child you may want to consider these tips on how to choose a backpack for school. Read the rest of this entry

Shapes are in everything. From buildings to furniture, shapes are put together to create other shapes. Once kids learn about their shapes, they will begin to see them everywhere. Here are five ways in which you can teach a child to recognize their shapes:

1. The first way to teach children about shapes is through visual learning. When I was young I had a toy with shapes cut out of it. It also came with other shapes that were supposed to fit into the holes. Over time this idea has evolved into a round ball with shapes cut out of it. The shape pieces are made of plastic instead of wood, but the concept is still the same.

As the child plays with each shape, call out the name of the shape. They will repeat it. The more they play they will learn to recognize the shapes.

2. This same toy can also be used for the second way to teach shapes. This teaching involves fitting the shapes into the holes. Each shape has its own space on the ball. A round piece will not fit into a square hole. Now that they can name the shapes, they must learn how to match shapes with shapes. Show them this by holding the shapes piece next to the proper hole and then dropping it in.

3. Using posters is another way to teach shapes. These posters can be purchased from a toy store or you can use a poster board and create your own. If you use your own, create animals, houses, automobiles, and trees using different shapes. This helps children begin to see the shapes within the main shape. For example, a house is made up of a rectangular frame or a square frame with square windows. Some windows are round like the doorknob. There are many shapes to see.

4. The fourth method is to have a shape scavenger hunt. This teaches children to identify shapes in their home. Give a child a shape from your bag of shapes. Ask them to find other shapes like that one around the house. Count the number of shapes they are able to locate. If they can see the shapes hidden in your home, they can identify them elsewhere.

5. Use educational tapes and DVD’s to teach shapes. Kids like the bright colors and talking animals portrayed on these shows. The animals ask the audience children if they see a particular shape. Your child can walk up to the television and point to the shapes they see. After a few minutes, the animals will identify the right shape and offer encouragement for those that found it.

You’ll likely be surprised by your child when they learn their basic shapes. They will see the car wheels as circles and the car as a rectangle (more or less). Your handclaps will reinforce their learning.

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It seems today’s society is becoming totally apathetic to the world around them. Many children in particular are more concerned with playing the latest video game and don’t really pay much attention to the environment around them. It may seem hard to get your children to show an interest in the world around them, but you can get them to care if you start early and take small steps. You may not make a difference overnight, but you may just make a difference in the future of the planet.

The first step in raising your children to be eco friendly is to be eco friendly yourself. You can tell your children to be respect the environment all you want, but you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t practice what you preach. You may not be Captain Planet, but you can start with small steps to get involved. Follow the practices of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Use natural and environmentally friendly products. Get involved with local organizations that help protect the environment.

Once you’re involved in eco friendly practices, start getting your kids to help as soon as you can. You can start out simple by having them put their own recyclables into the bin, or even have them ride along with you when you take your bin to the recycling center. You can have them help you build a compost pile, or just go shopping with you at the organic food store. When I was a child, my mom would get me to pick up trash that was lying around, and I still pick up trash I see to this day. Just remember to start small and work your way up to bigger steps.

The people who do the most to help the environment are the ones who know the most about it. That’s why it’s important to start your child learning about the world around them early. While you should do your best to teach them on your own, you can also get some help from the experts. Many zoos and nature centers offer educational classes for children as young as three years old. These can be a valuable resource in helping small children start to learn about the environment and to expand their knowledge as they get older.

Get your child involved in volunteering. If you work or volunteer for an environmental activist group, get your children involved as soon as they are old enough. Many areas offer volunteer organizations for teens and young adults. The first place to look is with the places where you found classes for young children. The most important part is that your child gets involved on a larger scale than just within your family. This also helps them meet other people their age who also care about environmental issues.

While children will inevitably be resistant to volunteering and doing extra work or chores at some point or another, they will still gain an appreciation for their environment that will last their whole lives.

We want our children to know how to handle money properly, and it’s never too late to start teaching them. One way to make learning about money fun for smaller children is to play a shopkeeper’s game. Not only will they have fun setting up shop, if you have play money on hand, it can be a real learning experience. Read the rest of this entry

Children are excited when the school year draws to a close. However, as parents, we want our children to continue learning. You may be looking for great places to pick up some summer learning. The following list will help you incorporate learning into summer fun. Read the rest of this entry

As people grow up and their interests expand, quite often they’ll settle on one or two hobbies that provide them with hours of enjoyment. Try finding hobbies for your children to enjoy and you may be in for an interesting lesson. Read the rest of this entry

It’s exciting when your toddler starts eating solid foods. You get to introduce her to lots of new things. There will be foods she likes and ones that she doesn’t. But many toddlers develop an aversion to new foods or only want to eat one certain food at every meal. This often happens around the infamous “terrible twos.” Some parents fear that their child will not get proper nutrition if they are picky eaters.

What many parents don’t realize is that toddlers do not need to eat as much as you might think. Growth slows down around two years of age, often resulting in a decrease in appetite. So your active two year old might fill up with just a few bites.

A lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet is also a source of concern for lots of parents. These food groups are trouble spots for many toddlers, and they do contain lots of healthy nutrients. But as long as the child is growing normally, there is usually no need to worry.

Introducing New Foods

It is not uncommon for a child to refuse to eat new foods. But if you offer a food consistently, your toddler will be more likely to try it eventually. Putting a small amount of the food you want her to try on her plate a couple of times each week will usually result in her taking a bite at some point.

Another approach is to ask your toddler to try one bite of a new food. Knowing that she only has to take a single bite makes it less intimidating. If she says she doesn’t like it, wait a few days and ask her to try a bite again. If after two or three times she still doesn’t like the food, it’s time to move on. Keep trying foods in the group she is lacking in until you find something she does enjoy.

Eating the foods you are trying to get your toddler to eat is a good way of teaching by example. Be sure to let her know how much you enjoy them. If she doesn’t see other family members eating the foods that she sees on her plate, she won’t be interested in trying them for herself.

Get Your Toddler Involved

Letting your toddler choose between items in the same food group makes her feel like her opinion matters. You could even let her choose some healthy foods at the grocery store. If it is her idea, she will be more likely to try it with an open mind.

Letting your child help cook is another way to get her involved in her food choices, and even young toddlers can somewhat help in the kitchen. A recipe book with pictures will allow you to choose recipes together. You can go to the store together and get the ingredients, then come home and prepare the dish. Kids are usually eager to try things that they helped make.

Picky eating is a frequent source of friction between toddlers and their parents. Setting a good example with your eating habits and casually but consistently introducing new foods may help your child broaden her horizons. If not, take comfort in the fact that picky eating is usually a phase that your child will outgrow.

f you’ve looked at the price of baby food lately, you might be surprised at how high it is. Plus, if you want your food to be organic and not full of preservatives, you have to pay even more. With a little time and work, you can save money by making your own baby foods. It’s easy and simple to make delicious, nutritious meals for your baby.

What you’ll need:

* A steamer. Don’t boil baby food; it takes away nutrients from your baby’s food. You can get an inexpensive steamer that cooks quickly and leaves all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs

* A food processor. While most people would think to use a blender to puree food for your baby, you’ll probably be sadly disappointed with the results. Blenders not only make a mess, they also make lumpy food your child may not be fond of.

* Ice cube trays, freezer bags, and lots of space. Unless you want to cook up food for your child everyday, freezing is the way to go. Instead of having to make new, you can just pop it in the microwave and be ready to go in no time. Ice cube trays are a great way to store food and make convenient portion sizes.

The first step is to wash and skin fruits and vegetables then cut them up into small pieces. This will make them easier to use later. If skinning and peeling gets tedious, you can always use some prepared food from the grocery store, like baby carrots. This way you just have to wash them and skip to the next step.

The next step is to cook your food. For vegetables, use the steamer. Once you’re done steaming, keep the water. You can add it later to thin out your food to the right consistency. If you’re preparing meat or pasta, just cook it on the stove as normal, but don’t add any oil or spices.

After your food is done cooking, you’re ready to start processing. Put the foods separately into the food processor. For pureed foods, you can leave the processor alone because it may take a while. Later on when the food needs less processing, you may need to monitor it. This is also the point where you would start fruits like banana that don’t require cooking. You could also try throwing in some of last night’s leftovers.

After your food is prepared, pour it into the ice cube trays. If you don’t have enough room in your freezer, simply put sealed food into the refrigerator until you do have room. Once the cubes are frozen, put 4 of them into a Ziploc back and put them back into the freezer. At first, you should keep the same kinds of foods in the same bag, but eventually you can start mixing and matching. For example, put in two meat cubes and two pasta cubes for a mixed meal.

When you’re ready to go, just take a baggie out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave; simple as that. If you don’t use microwaves, you can heat in hot water on the stove; just be sure not to melt the bag or cook the food more.
With just a little work, you can make great tasting, inexpensive meals for your baby.

Many parents look forward to the beginning of a new school year. However, many parents also they dread the prospects of back-to-school shopping. Some parents are experts at the basics of back-to-school shopping while others struggle with it. You can use some of these tips for back-to-school shopping so you can get the job done without struggling. Read the rest of this entry

Children all over the United States look forward getting out of school and spending the summer having fun. One activity many children look forward to is the Fourth of July and the fireworks that light up the sky. However, younger children may not be able to stay awake until the fireworks begin. These Fourth of July party ideas for kids may help them enjoy the day even if they do fall asleep prior to the evening’s light show. Read the rest of this entry

Although you may not be able to afford a summer vacation this year, there are fun summer activities for you and your kids. Here are a few Fun ideas.

Pick a tree in your back yard and lay down a blanket. Have some lemonade and cookies, and read the books you’ve checked out from the library. Take turns reading. Invite friends and their kids to join you. Make it a weekly event.

If your kids love pirates, make a treasure box with your kids. Have them scout around the back yard or beach for rocks or sea shells or any item they think would be cool to include. Have the kids make a treasure map and include some information on pirates found on the internet. Add some coins, and make a pirate’s flag with black fabric. Have the kids add their own symbols to it. Then the kids can bury it in the back yard or keep it on hand and add to it each year.

Gardening is another fun summer activity for kids. Have your kids plant their own flower garden. Talk about each flower; how it grows, how much room it needs, and then give the kids a title, such as Director of Water Resource (this would be for one kid to oversee the watering of the plants); or Director of Roots and Shoots (this would be for another kid to oversee the weeding), etc. Also, give your kids some watermelon seeds to plant. You never know what may crop up.

With baseball season just starting, why not have your Family start a scrapbook on a favorite sports team or even choose a rookie and follow his career. The scrapbook could contain photos with captions, newspaper clippings, and sports items you may already own. Make it a family tradition. Each member can contribute to the scrapbook. Perhaps mom and dad have some stories that they may want to include in the scrapbook as well.

Fun summer activities for you and your kids can be achieved with a little imagination and a lot of creativity.