New Years

Do your kids stay up until midnight? When my kids were young, we always spent new years eve at a friends house and left by 9:00 p.m. to come home.

If you go out, who babysits your kids? I was always thankful to go to a child friendly party when the kids were young. I never needed to find a babysitter on new years eve.

What are your plans?

Wishing you a all a safe and happy new years!!

Audrey :)

Daddy's Girl

When I look at old photos of me, I'm often with my dad. These photos were all taken before I was about 7 or 8 years old. After that, I was not a daddy's girl anymore. When I talk to some of my friends, even as adults they are still very much daddy's girls.

I have two daughters of my own. While both of my girls love their dad, neither of them are what I would call "daddy's girls"

What about you? Were you or are you a "daddy's girl?" What about your own children? Are the girls "daddy's girls?"

Audrey :)

Thank You's

Now that the holidays are over, are your kids asked to write thank-you notes to those that gave them gifts?

I have always allowed my kids to make a phone call to say thank you. I know other parents that require their kids to write thank-you notes before their kids can use their new gifts.

What are the rules in your house?

Audrey :)

Kids at Disneyland

I spent two days this past week at Disneyland. It really is interesting how very different children behave. Some kids were able to self entertain while waiting in line and other kids were terrors while waiting in line.

I was really impressed with the amount of kids who had Nintendo DS's and books to keep them occupied while they waited. Other kids were yelling, screaming, hitting each other and yes bumping into me at each turn.

When my kids were younger we tried to give them the tools to self entertain. Bumping into strangers and climbing where climbing isn't allowed just were not options. One woman got yelled at 3 times for allowing her child to climb on rocks in line at a ride.

If you've ever taken your kids to a place like Disneyland how do you help them pass the time while they wait in line?

Audrey :)

Children and Chores

This is a cute article I downloaded. There is no author to credit...it was on a free article site. I've had different philosophies on chores throughout the years. I'm not sure I ever looked at "learning about teamwork" as a benefit of assigning chores.

Chores Can Help your Child Learn about Teamwork and a Strong Work Ethic

Chores can help develop a sense of responsibility and self worth in your child. It should be understood by all family members that chores are expected and necessary for a household to run successfully and efficiently. Chores can help create a sense of unity and family and are a great way for your child to learn about teamwork.

It's imperative that you set parameters early on for the successful completion of a chore. Children may not perform up to snuff when they first start performing a chore, but if you show them where improvement is needed and praise them for a strong effort, the completion of chores usually becomes smoother.

Ensure the child understands the need for the chore's effective and efficient completion. Set consequences for substandard completion as a team. Make sure they see that if they don't perform their chores, it affects the other members of the team. Spouses must work together and be a strong example for their children by completing their own chores each day. And don't allow a child to undermine your authority by battling with you over a designated chore. Stand your ground and don't give in, and emphasize the consequence and negative effect an uncompleted chore has on the family.

And keep an open mind when a child wants to discuss their thoughts or express their opinions about chores. Make sure the conversation stays positive and on target.

Audrey :)

Enjoy Your Childrens Uniqueness

Each and every child is unique in their own way. Even twins are unique. I know a few sets of identical twins, yet each of the twins is unique enough that we're able to tell them apart.

As parents it's so important that we support our children's uniqueness and personal interests. I have two girls. One loved band in high school, the other loved theater. One is very clothes conscious, the other is not. One loves to watch football on t.v., the other not so much. The differences go on and on.

I remember the day my daughter said to me "Mom remind me why we don't like Company ABC" I had to chuckle as it's so true that as parents we often unconsciously pass along our own beliefs and thoughts to our children.

We need to support our children in having their own personal preferences and feelings, which may be different from our own.

I love my relationships with both of my daughters. It does take constant work from all of us to respect and honor the uniqueness in each of us.

Audrey :)

Parenting and Instruction Manuals

I recently read an article about new parents and how you're not handed an instruction manual when children are born.

It caused me to think about the one thing I wish I had known or I wish there was a manual for when my own kids were born.

I think the hardest thing for me has been when they're sick. I never knew should I or shouldn't I take them to the doctor. We had a scary situation with my younger daughter. She complained of her ear being "clogged" We went to the G.P. who said "oh it's allergies", gave us a bill and sent us home. A week later my daughter was still complaining. I called an ears nose and throat specialist who said two things:

1. he wasn't free to see her for 3 weeks and
2. he couldn't see her without a report from an audiologist

I called an audiologist I knew and was told he was booked up for 3 weeks also. I am so thankful I knew him. I said to the girl "I can call him at home tonight and see if he'll see her" She put me on hold and told me we could come in the next day. My daughter at this point had lost 60% of her hearing due to an inner ear infection. This is not your typical antibiotic ear infection, this was inner ear, much more serious.

The audiologist called the ENT who was busy for 3 weeks and got us in that afternoon. We began treatment and are very thankful that her hearing returned and the infection was killed.

A medical instruction manual as a parent would've come in handy many times over the years.

If you could've had a manual for one thing regarding parenting what would it have been? If you don't have kids, what do you wish your own parents would've known?

Audrey :)

Sleep

I read an interesting article in Family Circle. Kids who are more active fall asleep more quickly at night. Kids who were not as active took up to 45 minutes longer to fall asleep. This means that child is "losing" 45 minutes of sleep time, causing them to be more tired the next day.

I have two kids. One seems to always be tired, the other is often more rested. And wouldn't you know it, my less active daughter is the one who seems to always be tired.

Audrey :)

Wrapping Presents

I try very hard to reuse, repurpose and just all around keep my home as green as possible. This year consider having your kids wrap some of the presents in magazine pages. They can tear out the pages they like, tape them together and wrap the presents. Not only will you save money on wrapping paper and save the paper involved in creating the wrapping paper, you'll also be reusing that magazine you were going to throw away.

Audrey :)

Strangers Patting Your Pregnant Belly

Although I've been seeing it done for years now, I'm still constantly amazed when strangers go up to a pregnant woman and touch her belly. I personally have never done this. However both times when I was pregnant it was done to me. It's a very awkward situation to have a total stranger rush up to me to touch me.

For those of you that have had children, did you mind being touched? If you did, what did you say to those who were bold enough to start touching you?

Audrey :)

Smiley Face Pancakes

I was flipping through a magazine this morning and found a page of "gifts under $30" On the page was this adorable pancake pan. It's available at JCPenney.com

My kids are older now, but I can remember them ordering the happy face pancakes at IHOP many times when we would eat there.

What do you think? Would you buy this for your kids?

Audrey :)

Eating At the Table

Do you and your family have meals at the table? "Experts" list many reasons why this is the healthier choice. One reason is that people, both children and adults tend to eat less and eat healthier while at the table. Snacks or meals on the go tend to be higher calorie and we eat more as we're feeling rushed.

I've always tried to have dinner at the table, but we don't usually have other meals or snacks at the table. What about you?

Audrey :)

Kids in Crowded Places

My daughter loves Black Friday. She plans for weeks where we'll go and what bargains we'll shop for. Most years, it really is a lot of fun. This year we began our day at Old Navy. While shopping, an employee was holding a crying child (guessing her age to be 5 or 6) and yelling into her walkie talkie "code Adam, turn off the music, I repeat, code Adam" The little girl had been separated from her mother in this very crowded store.

This leads me to a question for all of you. How do YOU keep your children at your side while in any crowded place? When my kids were young enough I always had strollers. Once kids are out of strollers, it's so easy for them to wander off. What do YOU do?

Audrey :)

Talk it Through

I spend a lot of time talking to both of my kids. I'm a really strong supporter of choices. Life happens and we have to make choices. Often there no good choices so we have to make the choice that will hurt the least. Other times, every choice looks like a great choice and we know we can't go wrong with our choice.

When we are emotionally involved in something, it's sometimes hard to see all of the choices we have. That's why I suggest talking it with others and listening to the input of those closest to us. They may provide a possible choice we had not yet considered.

I've always encouraged both of my kids to talk it through and see the choices available before deciding which choice will be the best.

Do you talk through choices with your kids?

Audrey :)

Losing a Pet

This past Saturday, we had to make the decision to put our dog to sleep. We adopted him when he was about 4 years old. We've had him 12 years. He was a large dog and so we know that 16 years is more than most could ever expect.

As the days have gone on, I continue to miss seeing him in the house, at the dinner table and by my bedroom door when I get up in the morning.

We received the most loving call from his vet. We put him to sleep over the weekend and so his vet only found out when she came in on Monday. Not only did she call but one of her partners who had seen him called also. Talk about caring. Wow!!

RIP my loyal companion.

Audrey :)

Holidays and Family

I recently saw a friend who has a 2 year old. She was visiting her family. I asked if her daughter remembered the family members between visits and she said yes, because she has photo albums and they look at photos.

I think it's so cool to look at photos and talk about those family members who we don't see as often as we'd like to.

Do you do this? Do you find that it's helpful?

Audrey :)

Scrapbook Calendar

I really want to thank Lynn for asking me to guest post today. My post is about creating a scrapbook calendar. While you're there, take a look at Lynn's giveaways and be sure to post your own giveaway if you're offering one.

We've owned scrapbook and stamp supplies since my oldest child was about 3 years old. Stamping and scrapbooking are a lot of fun for children of all ages. My kids loved to make wrapping paper, gift tags, greeting cards and to create their own scrapbooks from the photos they've chosen. Both of my girls have scrapbooks of themselves from the time they were born forward.

Audrey :)

Helping Your Children Keep Things Organized

There are many times during the year when I find myself wanting to clean up and thin out. This usually happens when spring first hits and then again before the start of the school year.

I'd like to offer some tips in helping your children to keep their living spaces organized and manageable:

1. Ask them to invest ten to fifteen minutes every day picking up and cleaning up. Having the end in sight makes starting much easier for kids.

2. Suggest that your kids tackle just one shelf or one drawer at a time. If need be, allow them to work on one drawer over a two day period. On day one they can take everything out and throw out what they no longer want and on day two they can put those things they are keeping back in, in an organized fashion.

3. One week per month should be devoted to cleaning. This might include washing windows, cleaning blinds, changing sheets or vacuuming. Remember, this is all being done in ten to fifteen minute increments. So window cleaning might only happen every four to five months. Sheet changing might occur twice in a month.

4. Depending on the age of the child, you might need to help them when it comes to cleaning out their closet. We make a few piles: throw it away and give it away. If they've outgrown it, we put it in the give it away pile. If it's completely worn out, we put in the throw it away pile.

5. If your child is old enough they should be doing their own laundry. While laundry will take more than ten or fifteen minutes, this can be their cleaning for the day. My rule is they must wash, dry and remove from the dryer all in the same day. I don't want clothes sitting in the dryer for two or three days.

Messy children's rooms are a sore spot for many parents. Use these tips and see if room cleaning can go from a fight to a daily routine.

An Email

I received an email earlier tonight. I thought I'd get some opinions here on my blog. You see I've written several parenting articles. I completely understand that not all parenting styles work for all people. What I share in my articles is what's worked for me.

Well, someone (she didn't sign her name) read one of my articles and did not agree with me. The email I got from her began with:

"I don't know what planet you're from -- but you are crazy if you think I am going to allow"

It just so happens the article she read was about 18 year olds and what had worked for me and my daughter.

I thought about how this woman spoke to me. My own daughter would never speak to a stranger that way. My own daughter knows that often two people won't agree and will even have to say to each other "let's agree to disagree." My own daughter has unsubscribed to blogs where she didn't agree with the blogger. She would NEVER speak to someone as I was spoken to.

So readers, if you disagree with something you've read online and you felt the need to write the author of the words, how would you speak to them, to let them know you didn't agree?

Audrey :)

Laundry Baskets

Most people think of laundry baskets and think of piles of dirty clothes that need to be sorted, washed, dried, folded and then put away.

Laundry baskets can be used in many other ways throughout your home. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. I'd like to share some ideas with you:

1. Keep small, shallow laundry baskets by the front door for each of your kids. They can put their backpacks, homework, gym clothes and lunch in there for the next morning. Having everything in one place eliminates lost articles and frantic searches the next morning.

2. You can use rectangular laundry baskets to store both books and DVDs. We own a lot of DVDs and we've always stored them in a blue laundry basket which can be moved from room to room or even out to the garage.

3. Keep a laundry basket in your trunk to hold the kids sport uniforms and backpacks. You can also put melons or juice bottles in the basket when grocery shopping to stop them from rolling around your trunk.

4. If you have a two story house, keep a small basket at the bottom of the stairs and fill it throughout the day with stuff that needs to go upstairs.

5. Coloring books, crayons and markers have a way of being all over the place and hard to find. Store the markers and crayons in small plastic containers and then store all of the containers in the larger laundry basket.

6. We have a lot of craft supplies. We have rubber stamps, scrapbooking supplies, beads and more. Once again, having several small plastic containers all in the larger container makes finding the supplies much easier.

7. We are not garage sale people so we keep a container out in the garage to collect our items we want to give away. When the basket gets full, we can load it into the trunk of the car and bring it to the donation center.

These are just a few alternate uses for your family's laundry baskets. How else do you use them?

Audrey :)

Mom Time Outs

What do you do to get a bit of alone time?

I have always tried to get up before the kids so that I have time to check email and just be alone as I start my day.

There are so many ways to get a few hours here and there:

1. ask the other parent to watch the kids for an hour, twice a week
2. swap kids with another mom a few hours each week
3. join a gym that offers day care and enjoy a work out a few times per week
4. have your kids take part in the weekly library reading. Although you need to be there, you can invest the 30 minutes reading for yourself.

What are other suggestions and ideas you have for finding a few hours a week to enjoy something on your own?

Audrey :)

Yelling at Kids

I was shopping downtown last week. There were two women, walking and talking. They had a boy about age 6 or 7 with them. I passed by these women as I was walking up the street. About 20 minutes later as I was walking back toward my car I passed the same women and boy. They too were now going the opposite direction. One of the women was yelling at the boy to behave.

This poor kid was bored to tears. I have no idea how long the two women were talking and walking leaving the kid to trail behind. I do know it was a minimum 20 minutes.

My thoughts are a babysitter should have been hired or another child should've come along to entertain the little boy. I really felt bad for him getting yelled at when he was just bored to tears.

What do you think?

Audrey :)

Reading to Children

I've heard of women reading to children still in the womb. I've heard of women reading to young children and I've heard of women reading to older children for the purpose of keeping the reading bond.

What are your thoughts on reading to children? I did not read to my children while still pregnant, but I did read to them as they developed into toddlers. Once they were reading on their own I seldom read to them anymore.

What do you think? What have you done with your own children?

Audrey :)

Frozen Oranges

I read a tip today that I just loved. Take an orange and peel and section it, making sure to remove all seeds.

Freeze the sections. Give a teething baby a section to bite on. Not only are their gums soothed but they are getting a bit of vitamin C.

Have you ever done this? My kids are old enough my pediatrician always suggested brandy. We used brandy on both girls and it all worked out for us. What do you do for teething kids?

Audrey :)

Boys in the Women's Bathroom

I was in a public bathroom today and a mom had her son in the restroom with her. He seemed really old to be in a women's restroom.

How old do you think is too old for a male child to be in the women's restroom?

Audrey

Live Birth On the Internet

I was just reading about a woman who plans to telecast live the birth of her baby. She is 23 years old, a teacher and believes she can use the birth as a teaching experience for others.

As a parent, I'm not sure this is something I would want my children to view, meaning I would want the site showing this to clearly be marked "adult content"

What do you think?

Audrey :)

Last Names

Today, it's quite common for kids to have hyphenated last names. The child's last name is that of both their mother and their father.

It makes me wonder what will happen in the next generation. When two people marry, there will now be four last names to contend with.

What do you think of hyphenated last names? Do you have a hyphenated last name? If so, how does marriage affect that name?

When I got married I took on my husbands last name. It's hard to remember when I was known by any other name. My last name today has been mine more years than my maiden name.

What's your last name story?

Audrey :)

Crying Children

We all read about the airline that recently asked a mother to leave the plane when her young child started to scream.

What do you think? Do you think the airline was in the right or the wrong? Do you believe parents with crying children have a right to be on the plane? Do you believe other passengers have a right to a quiet plane?

I have a strong opinion here. I can't remember the last time I had a "peaceful" plane ride. Either a child was crying or a person next to me was oversized, or the person behind me kicked my seat the entire time. None of them were asked to leave the plane. I don't believe this mother should have been asked to leave the plane.

What do you think?

Audrey :)

Crockpot Chicken and Cabbage

As you know I love my crockpot. This is a very simple yet tasty recipe:

4 chicken breasts
1 cabbage cut into quarters
1 large can chicken broth
5 large carrots, cut into quarters
salt and pepper to taste

Throw everything into the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Note: I love onions so I often cut an onion into quarters also.

Audrey :)

Food In Schools

Schools throughout the country have been making food and beverage choices for their students. Some schools have chosen to go meatless on certain days. Other schools have chosen to remove soda machines.

What do you think about schools making these decisions?

Audrey :)

Listen

My tip today is to listen to your kids. Often we want to react or respond but what they want is for us to listen. We may not always agree. We may want to offer our opinions, but just as we want others to listen to us, we in turn need to listen to our kids.

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words.

I love the smell of cinnamon

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

Today, I wanted to offer some quotes by various authors about reading:

Books, I found, had the power to make time
stand still, retreat or fly into the future.
~ Jim Bishop ~

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~

Books had instant replay long before televised sports.
~ Bert Williams ~

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #19

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

Does your child like to read? If your child is too young to read, what about when you were young, did you enjoy reading?

I don't think I enjoyed reading until I was out of high school actually. And then I began loving it and still do.

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

Today, I wanted to offer some quotes by various authors about children:

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. ~Stacia Tauscher

Children make you want to start life over. ~Muhammad Ali

Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said. ~Author Unknown

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

Happy Sunday!!

Audrey :)

My Daughter's Been Sick This Week

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words. Since my blog is on parenting, I thought I'd talk about being a mom in six words.

My Daughter's Been Sick This Week

She read that eating garlic will help, so every lunch and dinner we've had garlic with our meal. I'm smelling garlic all over the house now LOL.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #18

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

This blog has been suffering from lack of posts. Share an idea you'd like to see a post about...something family, child or parenting related.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #16

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

If you have children, do you post their photos on your blog? If you're not yet a parent, do you think there is any harm in putting children's photo on a personal blog?

I have always put photos up. I've always been of the belief that if someone meant harm, they would find us. I know others don't agree. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #15

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

How old were you when you got your first checking account? If you have kids old enough for a checking account, how old were they when they got them?

My kids both got their first checking accounts when they were about 16. I didn't have my first checking account until I was 18.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #13

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

Are your kids allowed to drink soda? If you don't have kids, or if they're too young to drink soda, did your parents allow you to drink soda?

We didn't really have soda at home while I was growing up as neither of my parents drank it. I've always allowed my kids to drink it, but I don't always buy it.

Audrey :)

Wordless Wednesday - Moving

Please visit http://www.5minutesformom.com/ to participate

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words.

My daughter comes home next week.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #12

Each Friday, Kailani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer others' questions.

My question for this week:

How do your kids wake up in the morning? Do they have an alarm? Do you wake them? Do they just wake up on their own without an alarm?

My kids have been getting up with an alarm for years now.

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday #6

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

Today's quotes are on "playgrounds"

Writing is very much a playground; an artistic playground. It's the most fun thing I do.
Shania Twain

The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing
Natalie Kocsis

My father would take me to the playground, and put me on mood swings
Jay London

The main thing about how playground equipment is built anymore is they try to keep stuff lower to the ground so there's less of an impact if you fall
Bob Williams

The barn was our playground
Anne Halme

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words. Since my blog is on parenting, I thought I'd talk about being a mom in six words.

I smile when my children smile

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #10

Each Friday, Kahlani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer other questions.

My question for this week:

Did you lie to your parents when you were a kid? Are you, as a parent doing something different in the hopes your kids won't lie to you?

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words. Since my blog is on parenting, I thought I'd talk about being a mom in six words.

My daughter called from camp today!!!

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #9

Each Friday, Kahlani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer other questions.

My question for this week:

Do you believe in immunizations? When I had my children almost no one refused. Today it seems more and more parents are refusing immunizations. What are your thoughts?

Audrey :)

Making Necklaces From Fruit Seeds

I was flipping through a magazine while in the doctors waiting room the other day and I saw an idea I had never tried before.

The suggestion was to take seeds from melons, cantaloupes, honeydew and even watermelon and save them. Dry them out on a cooking sheet after removing all pulp. Then using fishing line and a smaller needle string the seeds to create a necklace.

When my girls were young we did use fishing line and inexpensive plastic beads, but never melon seeds.

Have you ever done this? Were you pleased with the necklaces? If you have not done this, do you think it's something you might try?

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

Show my Face blog hosts Six Word Saturday each week.

Here's what you do: Describe your life (or something) in just six words. Since my blog is on parenting, I thought I'd talk about being a mom in six words.

I love when kids do chores!!

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #8

Each Friday, Kahlani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer other questions.

My question for this week:

How have you instructed your children to deal with bullies? If your children are young or you don't have children, how did your parents teach you to deal with bullies?

For the most part, I'd like to see my kids ignore bullies. They tend to thrive on the negative attention. When you don't react and you don't give them the attention they often move on. What are your thoughts?

Quotable Sunday #5

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

Today I thought I'd share some quotes written by kids. I just loved them:

If you want something expensive, you should ask your grandparents.
Matthew, age 12

When your mother is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" it's best not to answer her.
Meghan, age 13

If mom's not happy, nobody's happy.
Neely, age 13

If your mom's asleep, don't wake her up.
Amber, age 10

"Guests" is just another word for "cleaning."
Chanelle, age 12

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #7

Each Friday, Kahlani, over at http://www.islandlife808.com/ hosts a wonderful meme called Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week, a chance to relax and get ready for the weekend. To celebrate Aloha Friday, you ask a question and answer other questions.

My question for this week:

At what age do you believe it's ok for your child to have piercings?

I have two girls. One of them got her ears pierced at age 8 and the other daughter at age 11. I allowed additional ear piercings once they were teens.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #6

Each Friday Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ runs an Aloha Friday. It's the end of the week and Kailani likes to ask a question and have others also ask a question.

My question for this week:

Do your kids listen to music? If your children are pre music age, at what age did you start to listen to music?

Audrey :)

My question this week is:

Spanking

The idea of spanking children has been a hot topic of debate for many years now.

I read a list today of reasons NOT to spank your child and one of the reasons offered was because your child doesn't learn good behavior versus not good behavior but rather they learn that spanking hurts and they learn to deceive and manipulate in order to not get caught again and therefore not get physically hurt.

What are your thoughts? Do you believe spanking is ok or not ok? Do you believe that spanking causes children to become manipulators?

I'm actually against spanking but I do believe in consequences and I do not believe that consequences causes children to become deceitful or manipulators.

Share your thoughts with me.

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday #4

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday. I'd like to share some parenting quotes with you:

Stop trying to perfect your child, but keep trying to perfect your relationship with him. Dr. Henker

If your baby is beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time, you're the grandma. Theresa Bloomingdale

The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Lane Olinhouse

Audrey :)

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #5

Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ runs an Aloha Friday. It's so fun to visit blogs and answer all the great questions.

My question to all of you today is:

Do you allow your kids to chew gum? If you don't yet have kids, were you allowed to chew gum at home when you were child?

Audrey :)

Happy Birthday To My Daughter

Today is my daughter's birthday. In thinking back, I believe this is the first time she has been gone over her birthday. She and her dad went to visit family out of state. If you want to wish her a happy birthday, click on over to Becca's Backyard

How do you celebrate your children's birthday, both young children and older children like mine?

Audrey :)

The "We" Generation

I read a really fascinating story today. http://tinyurl.com/n7shpe The author spoke of the "me generation" and shared an example of the we generation. Basically two boys saw another boy being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. These two boys went and bought 50 pink shirts so they and all their friends could wear pink shirts the next day.

Bullying is a huge problem in some schools. Both of my own girls faced bullying at one time or another during their school days. In some of the situations we brainstormed on how they could handle the problem on their own. In other situations such as a boy trying to light my daughter's hair on fire, I got involved and got the school administration involved.

What do you think about bullying? How did you handle bullying in school and if your kids are old enough how do you encourage them to handle bullying?

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

In previous weeks I've shared multiple quotes, but today I found one quote that I felt was so profound I just wanted to share the one:

Don't do anything you wouldn't teach your children to do.

How many times as parents do we make a decision that we know we'd never approve of our own children making? How many times as parents do we tell just a small white lie, yet our children might be punished for telling a lie?

Share your thoughts on this quote. It's something I really need to continue to remember each and every day.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #5

Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ runs an Aloha Friday.

This is my 5th week participating and I love reading all the wonderful comments everyone leaves me.

My question for this week is:

Did you use disposable or cloth diapers? If you don't yet have children, what do you think you'll use one you have children?

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday.

I'd like to share some parenting quotes with you:

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.-- Charles R. Swindoll

If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.-- Abigail Van Buren

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang up my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I knew that little things are special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed there is a God I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved.When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I LOOKED....and wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

I don't know who wrote this last one, but it reminds us that our children really do see what we're doing throughout our days.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #5

Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ runs an Aloha Friday. It's so much fun to visit everyone's blogs and see their question of the week.

Do your kids get any magazines? If so, which ones? If you don't have kids, what was your favorite magazine as a child?

Audrey :)

Summer Time

What do you do with the kids over the summer? When my kids were young they were involved in lots of camps. We have a zoo camp here that is wonderful. The kids love it and it's very reasonably priced.

Now that my kids are older, my youngest daughter is a counselor at camp herself. Last summer she stayed all 3 sessions and was gone from the day school ended until the very end of summer.

So what do your kids do all summer?

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #4

Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ runs an Aloha Friday. It's so much fun to visit everyone's blogs and see their question of the week.

So, my question this week is:

What are your thoughts on giving children a weekly allowance?

Audrey :)

Quotable Sunday

Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni hosts Quotable Sunday each Sunday. I'd like to share some parenting quotes with you:

The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them. Frank A. Clark

Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes to drain it dry. Alvin Price

Children Learn What They Live - Dorothy Law Neite

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child learns to feel shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

Audrey :)

Stores with Sales

My daughter and I went to Old Navy this morning. I really wasn't prepared for what awaited us. People were literally shaking the gate to get in when we arrived. After arriving my daughter and I split up. I knew we'd never be able to stay together. I went and picked up a few things, then went in search of my daughter. What I saw left me with my mouth hanging open. People were screaming and yelling. People had climbed the walls and were throwing flip flops of all sizes and colors into the crowds.

I was on the outskirts of this crowd, knowing my daughter was in there somewhere. For those who don't know, my daughter is 25 years old, an adult woman.

I continued to be amazed as I discovered that moms had sent their young children into this crowd. People were screaming "don't hurt the child."

My own daughter came out and was laughing at how it was no different than a mosh pit. My daughter loves music and concerts and has been in many mosh pits.

If you wanted to attend a sale like this, would you bring your children? If you do bring your children, how do you protect them from the crowds?

Audrey

Aloha Friday

Kailani over at http://islandlife808.com/ hosts an Aloha Friday each week. Aloha Friday is where you post a question once a week that readers can answer. I have found so many awesome blogs through her site.

Right now, my mom is pretty sick and my daughter is staying with her, helping her out. I am so fortunate that my daughters have such a special relationship with my mom.

So my question this week is:

What type of relationship do your children have with their grandparents, or what type of relationship do/did you have with your own grandparents?

Audrey :)

Kids and Driving

I know many of my readers have young children. I know many others have teens. One of my daughters does not drive. Prior to moving overseas, she just wasn't interested. She is very excited to get a license when she returns.

So my question today is, if your kids are old enough do they drive? If they're not old enough do you see yourself supporting them getting a drivers license at the time your state says it's legally ok?

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday

I so enjoy reading all of the Aloha Friday questions. My question for today is:

Do you allow your kids to watch t.v/movies?

I always allowed my kids to watch t.v. with some moderation.

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday

As many of my readers know, I'm in Santa Barbara and we are in a state of emergency due to fire.

My question for today is:

If you had to leave immediately, what would you quickly pack to take?

For those who want to follow the fire updates, friend request me on Facebook, I'm posting constant updates.

Audrey :)

Kids and School

When my kids were in elementary school, there were times we took a trip and I pulled the kids out of school for a day or two for our trip. At the time, there were some moms who disagreed with my decision. It was their philosophy that when you pull children out of school, you teach them that attending school is negotiable.

As an adult, there are times I just need a day off. I just need a day to sleep in and not have the many responsibilities that face us each day.

In high school, I allowed my kids an OCCASIONAL mental health day.

What about you. Do you take your kids out of school for trips? Do you allow them to miss a day of school once in a while just because? Share your thoughts here.

Audrey :)

Babysitters

Do you hire babysitters? Do you and your significant other take the time to go out without kids? I was probably one of the luckiest people. When the kids were super young my mom lived nearby and she watched the kids for us. When we moved here to Santa Barbara, my daughters old preschool aid moved up here to attend school. When my husband and I would go out, she would come watch the kids. He and I even were able to go away for weekends and she'd stay with the kids.

If you have older kids, do you allow them to babysit? Are they CPR trained and emergency trained?

I have allowed both of my girls to babysit, but only if I'm available should an emergency arise. One of my daughters is CPR trained the other is not.

Would love to hear your thoughts on using babysitters and allowing your own children to babysit.

Audrey :)

Your Kids Bedrooms

There are two very different philosophies when it comes to kid's bedrooms. Some parents believe that the room is the child's space and if they choose to mess it up, that's fine. Other parents believe that the room is in the parents home and therefore the parent will dictate how clean the room must be.

What is your philosophy? Are your kids allowed to keep a messy room? Are they allowed to eat in their rooms?

What kinds of rules do you impose when it comes to your kids bedrooms?

As you've read before, my two girls are very different. One of them has always taken pride in a clean bedroom. The other almost never cleans unless I tell her to.

Share your thoughts here.

Audrey :)

Curfews

I was very fortunate. I really never had curfews growing up. I don't recall taking advantage and so no curfew worked well for me.

My own kids were not as lucky as I was. They both had curfews. Their curfews got more lenient as they got older.

My 19 year old recently came home for a visit (she is living overseas) and she was pleasantly surprised to learn she no longer has a curfew. On the flip side I was also pleasantly surprised that she really did not take advantage and has come home at very reasonable times when she's gone out with her friends.

What about your kids? Do they have curfews? What times do you set for them to come home? Are their curfews different during the week and on the weekends? Share your parenting curfew strategies here.

Audrey :)

Where Do Your Kids Sleep?

There are so many thoughts on kids sleeping with parents versus kids sleeping in their own rooms. One of my daughters slept in my bed for the first several years of her life. My other daughter preferred her own crib and never slept with me.

You'll find experts on both sides of this issue.

Where do your kids sleep?

Audrey :)

Homework

Do your kids have a set homework time? Are they allowed to do homework when they choose to do it?

I was always pretty flexible on homework times. My kids have always had friends on both sides of this issues. Some of their friends had very set homework schedules, while other friends were allowed to choose their own schedule.

Leave me a comment, share your thoughts on homework time.

Audrey :)

Fun With Kool-Aid

Mandy has some awesome ideas for using Kool-Aid http://www.gourmetmomonthego.com/2009/02/kool-aid-fun-oh-yeah.html

She offers ideas on making lip gloss with Kool-Aid, dyeing your hair with Kool-Aid and many other ideas.

Have you ever tried any of these ideas? Do you have other ideas?

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Dinner Time

What is dinner time like at your home? One of my daughter's has always been finicky. I've never considered it a problem. Her taste buds are just incredibly sensitive. Over the years, I've always made two main courses and then side dishes that everyone shared.

I've had a few moms say they would just never cook two main dishes.

So, what's dinner like in your home?

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Ergo Baby Carrier

For those of you with infants or expecting babies soon I found a wonderful giveaway for you. http://www.givethemroots.com/2009/03/ergobaby-carriers.html is offering an Ergo Baby Carrier to one lucky winner. Good luck to all of my readers.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Spring Cleaning

For many of us, we've sampled some spring weather these last few weeks. With spring usually comes some form of spring cleaning.

Get your kids involved in spring cleaning. Prior to buying new clothes or new toys have them clean out their current closets and drawers. If they invest just 10-15 minutes each day and cocentrate on just one shelf or just one drawer, their rooms will be cleaned out in no time.

Once everything is cleaned out, it's time to go shopping and get some new items for the upcoming warmer months.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Circumcision - Right or Wrong?

I've entered into many debates online about making the decision to circumcise newborn males.

I believe it’s a parents right to make this decision. There are many reasons why parents may or may not choose to have this procedure performed on their children.

As parents we make many decisions about our children. Will we pierce a little girl’s ears? Will we vaccinate our children? Will we spank our children? When our children go against our wishes, how will we respond? Will we allow our children to date at age 12 or 13?

While I am very aware that circumcision is a medical procedure and dating is not, I believe we must make many choices as parents.

What are your thoughts? Do you believe a parent should have the right to make the decision to circumcise or not circumcise their infant son?

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Dos and Don'ts in Parenting

Over the years, I’ve had many people ask me what my “secret” is when it comes to parenting. There is no secret. Every parent is different and so is every child. There are some dos and don’ts that can certainly make the parent child relationship much more enjoyable for everyone:

Don’t speak poorly of your child to your child’s friends or the parents of your children’s friends. I’ve been really surprised over the years when a parent speaks poorly of their own child to me. These are not my “friends”. These are the parents of my child’s friends. What if I repeated what the parent said? This could cause so much harm in the other child’s relationship with their own parent.

Do allow your child privacy. Unless you have reason to believe your child is doing something illegal or dangerous, allow them privacy. Don’t read their email. Don’t look in their backpacks and bedrooms. Don’t eavesdrop on their conversations. Imagine if someone did that do you. It shows lacks of trust and hurts the relationship.

Do tell your child how proud you are. If we look hard enough we can always find fault in others and we can always criticize others. Instead, invest the time to find those things that your child does well and then let them know how well they’ve done.

Don’t threaten your children if you don’t intend to follow through. Empty Threats cause children to not trust their parents. Empty threats teach them that they can not believe the words you speak and that you don’t follow through on your words. If you tell them they won’t be able to go out with friends, follow through. This teaches trust.

Don’t put your children in the middle of adult issues. There will be times that mom and dad disagree. Don’t ask your children to get involved or to take sides. Don’t badmouth the other parent to the child. Leave adult issues in the hands of adults.

Do allow your child to make mistakes. Even as adults, we make mistakes. There is a world of difference between a mistake and a deliberate action that is not acceptable. Offer support and encouragement when a mistake is made.

Do engage in conversation with your child. I have spoken to my children about most every topic. I respect their opinions even when I don’t agree. I allow them the opportunity to share their opinions just as they will listen to my opinions.

Don’t ask a child to keep an adult secret. The best example I’ve seen is a parent making a purchase they don’t want the other parent to know about. I’ve seen the parent say to their child, “Please don’t tell mom/dad about this.” This is not fair to your child. They should never be asked to keep an adult secret.

Do allow your children a say in meals. Allow them to have nights where you make what they like. Allow them to spend time in the kitchen if they’d like to.

Do tell your child how much you love them. There is nothing more wonderful than love from a parent.

These ten tips have helped me over the years in my relationship with my children. While we have certainly had our share of challenges, we’ve also had a wonderful relationship as they’ve grown and become adults.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Teens and Swearing

Teens and Swearing

I remember the first time my daughter used a swear word in my home. I was torn between wanting to laugh at what was happening in front of my face and wanting to cry that a whole new set of “problems” was on the horizon.

As an adult I’ve gone through various phases in my life. At some times I’ve used swear words and at others times I have not. It was important that I recognized that some of my daughter cussing at home had to be that she’d heard it from me and she was testing her own entrance into what she believed was adulthood.

If your tweens and teens cussing in your home is not acceptable to you, there are steps you can take:

Clean up your own language. Let your child know that cussing is no longer acceptable in your home. They can’t swear and you won’t either. It’s very hard to tell a child that a behavior you won’t tolerate in them is ok for you. So make it a house rule, no more cussing.

Discuss what being an adult really means. As children enter into their pre-teen and teen years they are struggling with leaving childhood and entering into pre-adulthood. Talk about what this means. Cussing is not a sign of being adult. In fact, cussing will actually insult some people.

Cussing can actually lead to feelings of lower self esteem. There are some experts who show a correlation between happiness and removal of swear words from your vocabulary.

My daughter told me that everyone was cussing. If she really wanted to use cuss words, using them at school around friends was ok. Using them at home in front of me was not ok. There was also a fine line of not using them at school around adult staff that might find the words offensive.

If your child continues to swear in your presence you can begin setting consequences. Make sure to follow through. For most tweens and teens, it’s just a phase and this too shall pass.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Fun Snacks For Kids

Kids love to make their own trail mix. Fill some small containers with each of the following:

* Raisins
* Carob chips
* Nuts
* Whole wheat pretzels
* Cheerios or other cereal
* Banana chips
* Dried fruits

Then let your kids pack their own snacks from the ingredients above. They get to add whatever they want and you know their snack is nutritious.

My other favorite snack is fruit and cheese kabobs. Cut up cheese and assorted fruits and let the kids make their own kabobs. Depending on the age of the child, you might want to use short sticks so the child only gets 2 pieces of cheese. For older children you can cut larger squares of cheese and larger pieces of fruits.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Organizing Kids' Rooms: Eight Quick Tips for Moms

I found a delightful article on organizing kids rooms that I wanted to share with you today:

I always know that it's time to reorganize my home when I spend more than 20 minutes each day helping my kids to look for puzzle pieces or some other small object just so that they can continue their play. This morning, my son and I combed the carpet in the playroom and searched the toybox for the tiny helmet of his Lego policeman. When you have small children, it can be difficult to keep their things organized and to keep the clutter at bay. But an organized, clutter-free home helps everyone to feel more peaceful and relaxed. And it means you have to spend a lot less time searching for lost toys, too. Here are eight quick tips to help you to help your kids organize their stuff.

1. Get a sense of the big picture, and figure out what needs to be done first. Do a quick walk through of your home and determine where you need to start. And know at the start that this project isn't going to get done in a single day. It's best to get an overall view of the job as a whole and then choose the most pressing task first.

2. Don't go nuts buying containers and bins before you start. Before your job is done, you will likely need shelving and more than a few containers of various sizes, which you can find very inexpensively at discount stores. But don't purchase these things before you know what you'll need. I have wasted money in the past on needless storage bins -- buying two or three, when one would do -- or purchasing containers that were too big to be truly functional. Be patient and discover what you truly need. Then make a list and go to the store for these items just once.

3. Make sure your kids have the proper tools to keep their rooms tidy. If their laundry is all over the place, get them a nice clothes hamper that matches the décor of their room. Or put a golden star on their chore chart for taking their dirty clothes straight to the laundry room.

4. Put things away in logical containers. If there are too many of one item, break it down into yet another box. If you're really organized, you can create a color coding system to make things easier. Or tape a photograph of the bin's contents on the front. We have bins for Star Wars action figures and for Playmobil pirates, as well as separate bins for Playmobil knights and then another for cars and trucks.

5. As you go, you'll want to have two large plastic bags: one for charity and one for trash. I bag things right away because I find that, if I ask my kids whether they want to keep an item or give it away, they can make a decision right away, but if they continue to see that item, they are likely to change their minds. Once the decision is made, it's a lot easier for everyone if it goes out of sight.

6. Don't ask too much of yourself in a single day. For me, tackling my son's toys was one day's project -- and tackling my daughter's closet was another. If I try to do too much in a single day, I'm very likely to get in a hurry halfway through the second or third project, and I end up not being as thorough as I would like.

7. Explain to your kids the value of keeping their room organized. Children don't like to spend a lot of time looking for lost toys either. After you have organized things, make sure to emphasize the benefits of the tidy room each time they are able to successfully find their toys on the first try. You are teaching your children habits that will serve them well for their entire lives.

8. Know that this job is never truly finished. My son and I organized his room recently, meaning that we dumped out everything from his toy box to his storage shelves as well as all of the once-organized bins and started from scratch. No matter how organized you keep things, you'll probably need to do this from time to time.

Now use the time you would have spent looking for lost toys in a different way: put your feet up and relax with a hot cup of tea.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Susies-Coupons.com, where she shares discount store coupons including WalMart coupons

~ ~
Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Fingerpainting with Pudding

If your children love to fingerpaint but you don't want the mess of paint on walls and on clothing, try using pudding instead. You can use chocolate pudding or vanilla pudding with just a touch of food coloring to create several colors of "paint" for the kids to play with.

They can paint on cardboard or any other paper. Clean up is a breeze and if they put their dirty fingers in their mouth, it's just pudding :)

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Avoiding Comparisons with Siblings

Have you ever heard “oh but mom, so and so has it?” In my role as mom, I’ve heard this phrase when speaking about clothing, privileges and other material items such as bikes or computers.

When your children are comparing themselves to children outside your family, it’s quite common to answer with “things are different in so and so’s home than they are in our home.”

When the comparison is with a sibling, that answer is no longer valid. At one time or another both of my kids have said to me “but you let her do it” or “why doesn’t she have to do it?”

The answer is actually very simple. No two children are the same. Each of our children is unique in many different ways. They each have different strengths and weaknesses. They each have different perceptions and they each have their own unique personality. Each of these will play into our decisions as parents.

While it might not seem fair tonight that one child has to do the dishes while the other child does not, the word “fair” is very open to interpretation. The child doing the dishes might have just returned from a weekend get away that mom and dad helped finance. Or the child not doing the dishes might have cleaned the bathroom the day before. Fair can not happen at equal times for all children.

As a parent, if you don’t want your kids to compare themselves to each other, you also need to refrain from making comparisons between your children. One child might get better grades than the other. One child might be better at sports than the other. One child might have more artistic ability than that other. Each child is unique. Each will have those things they excel at and those things they need some assistance with.

Offer praise to each child on that child’s personal accomplishments and achievements.

When discipline is necessary, don’t share this information with anyone but the child receiving the discipline. When you speak of discipline in front of other children, it can cause bad feelings amongst the siblings.

Remember each of your children is absolutely unique. Remind them of this when they want to compare themselves to their siblings.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Young Children Being Told They Need Glasses

I’ll never forget the two days that both of my girls were told they needed glasses. One of my daughters learned she’d need glasses at the age of five and my other daughter learned of this fate at the age of twelve.

Just as adults wish to look nice and take time with clothes, hair and make-up, children are also very self conscious about what they look like. Children want to blend in, be just like everyone else. Wearing glasses take them out of the “norm” and makes them stick out just a bit.

I have a few ideas for helping children learn to love wearing their glasses. If at all possible, allow your children to help pick out their frames. The choice of frames can make a difference in whether a child is happy or not happy to wear the glasses. Choose a store that offers a wide variety of children’s frames. If you live in a small town and don’t have choices, look online. You can order the frames online and then have the lenses made and inserted locally. Often, you can even send the prescription and have the glasses made and shipped via an online order.

If at all possible, get the glasses on a Friday so that the first two and half days the child is wearing the glasses, it’s at home and not at school.

Remind your child that after a few days, no one will even notice. When a child cuts their hair, everyone notices. When a child gets braces, everyone notices. When a child gets glasses, everyone notices. In a day or two it’s no longer new and someone else now has something new going on.

Talk about how wonderful it will be to be able to see. One perk is that now the child can occasionally sit in the back and still be able to see everything going on.

Speak to the doctor about contact lenses only when the child is ready. My twelve year old did not want glasses. She wanted contact lenses. The doctor was not willing to allow them until a few criteria were met. A year later, she was allowed to get contacts and by then she wore them some of the time and her glasses the rest of the time.

It’s very normal for children to react negatively to the news they need glasses. Support for what they’re feeling is essential in helping them get used to their new apparatus.

Shop around and help your child get the best frames for their face and coloring. See if you can turn getting glasses into a fun buying experience for everyone.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

When You’re Not Crazy About Your Child’s Friends

As a parent, it’s bound to happen. Your child will bring home their newest friend so you can meet him or her and you’re at a loss for words. You see immediately that this is not a great friend choice for your own child. So what do you do?

Much will depend on the age of the child. Regardless of age, I never suggest telling your child that you don’t like their friend. I’ve never seen any good come from this strategy.

If your child is in elementary school, you still have quite a bit of control around play dates and whose house your child plays at.

I remember when my own daughter was five years old. She had a friend come over to play. I drove the child home. When we got there at the agreed upon time, the front door was locked. We knocked. No answer. We rang the bell. No answer. The mom’s car was not in the driveway. We heard the baby crying. At this point I was seriously considering calling the police. I was a bit scared for what might be going on. It was probably three to four minutes of knocking, ringing and contemplating my next move when a car sped around the corner and a teenager jumped out. The teenager was babysitting and had gone out for just a quick moment. The teen was the older brother of the five year old.

Of course I would NEVER allow my daughter to play there, EVER. I did not have to say anything to my own five year old other than her friend was welcome at our house but my daughter could not go there. The friendship actually quickly faded.

As your children grow older and enter their pre-teen and teen years, telling them you don’t like someone will only make them cling more to the friendship. Forbidding a friendship puts your child into a situation of probably lying to you. I know parents never want to think their own children will lie to them, but it happens when we create rules such as “you can never hang out with that person.”

Over the years, I’ve engaged my kids in conversation. I want to make sure my kids see what I’m seeing and if they don’t see it, I want to know what they are seeing. For example, my daughter had a friend who always stood her up or cancelled on her. We talked about it. I really wondered why my daughter continued to try and nurture the friendship and why she even wanted this girl as a friend. Through conversation I understood that the girl was very trustworthy and was a wonderful shoulder to cry on when needed.

Both of my kids have been friends with kids who had very troubled lives. They’ve both known kids who have been in various treatment centers. I never forbade friendships. Instead we’d talk about the situation, talk about how they were offering friendship to this troubled person and talk about ways to avoid the troubled behaviors.

It’s guaranteed we will not always like our children’s friends or agree with their choices of friends. How we handle our own relationships with our children is what will make the difference in how those friendships progress.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka

Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables

Have you ever made peas and carrots for dinner and put them on your child’s plate? If you have, then you now know the many ways children will hide these green and orange pieces from their plates. They will lose them on the floor. They will feed them to the dog. They will hide them in their napkin. They will scoot them under another item on their plate. Kids will try just about anything to not eat the peas and carrots sitting in front of them.

Take those same veggies and add them to fried rice or to fettuccine alfredo and all of a sudden kids gobble them down.

We love dips in my house. I make spinach dip, artichoke dip, broccoli dip and a cauliflower dip. Here are a few recipes for dips that my kids have enjoyed over the years:

Cauliflower Dip

1/2 head cauliflower 1 green onion with top, chopped into 1 inch pieces3 tablespoons sour cream (you can also use yogurt or mayonnaise)2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix (powder)

Break cauliflower into florets, for cooking. In medium saucepan, bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain well.
In a food processor, puree cauliflower and green onion until smooth. Add the sour cream and dressing mix. Process 1 minute. Put into a serving dish and chill before serving.
Spinach Dip
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed1/2 cup chopped parsley or parsley flakes1/2 cup green onion, chopped1/2 teaspoon dill seed1 teaspoon seasoned salt1 cup mayonnaise1 cup sour cream2 tablespoons lemon juice
Mix all ingredients and chill overnight so flavors can blend.
Note: I use both light sour cream and light mayonnaise and it’s still delicious.
And finally, a very simple artichoke dip:
Artichoke Dip
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack1/2 cup mayonnaise1 can artichoke hearts, drained

Cut artichoke hearts into small pieces. Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees, about 25 minutes until melted and lightly browned.

Another favorite way to help kids eat vegetables is to put the vegetables into a marinara sauce. Cut the vegetables up fairly small. They will add a wonderful flavor to the sauce and the sauce will be nutritious for the kids. The sauce can go over any type of noodle. It can also be poured over cooked fish or chicken.

My final suggestion is to start a vegetable garden. Kids love to eat what they themselves have grown. When the child has helped water, weed and cultivate the garden, it is so much fun for them to pick the vegetables and then eat them. They are so proud to eat their own work.

These are just a few alternative to peas and carrots on a plate.

Audrey :)
http://mytupperware.com/audreyoka