Parenting Tips and Ideas

Sunday's In My City

2010-03-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

I love stopping by Unknown Mami every Sunday. She hosts a great meme, where everyone shares photos of their city.

I intentionally went for a walk downtown today should I could share some photos of houses around my town. Each house is just so unique and different. Hard to believe they are all within a six block radius.

I did take others, but this is a good sampling of what I see when I walk in the residential areas of my town.

Audrey :)

Sunday's In My City

2010-03-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Santa Barbara for 16 years now. I've never been to the Mission. This past weekend, I decided it was time to pay the Mission a visit. They had an amazing museum. It was a great afternoon. Here are a few photos from the Mission

Swimming

2010-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

My daughter came out of her room today in her bathing suit. Yes, our temps were in the 80's today. Can you believe it? Do your kids know how to swim? At what age did they learn? My oldest daughter took swimming lessons quite young. My younger daughter didn't learn until she was 7 or 8. I took swimming lessons all through my teen years, actually passing the lifeguard courses offered. Today's weather really made me think of summer and swimming pools.

Audrey :)

Back to Writing

2010-03-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

http://myparentingideas.blogspot.com/2010/02/very-sad.html This was written February 13th.. I really haven't been around much since then.

I've actually missed blogging and hope I'm now back :) I've also missed reading all of your blogs and keeping up with what's happening in your lives.

So, here's today's question. How do you help your kids cope with stress? We all feel stressed from time to time and show that stress in different ways.

As I mom I have two things I want to do. One is I want to remember my kids are feeling stressed today and back off a bit. Two I'd like to offer them ideas and suggestions to help relieve the stress they're feeling.

What's your strategy when your kids are stressed?

Audrey :)

Ants

2010-03-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I was walking past the living room and saw a long line of black. When I looked closer, the ants had come in out of the rain:

What is your tip for getting rid of ants? We get them often, weather dependent.

Audrey :)

Chicken Pox

2010-03-01T18:37:00.001-08:00

Did you have the chicken pox as a child? Have your kids had chicken pox? Have your kids been vaccinated against chicken pox?

I had them as a child. My oldest daughter had them at about age 6. At the time I was pregnant and petrified. I did not know how a fetus exposed to chicken pox would affect the unborn baby. I was at both the obstetrician's office and the pediatrician's office. Everyone reassured me my baby would be fine. I chose not to vaccinate her against the chicken pox. She got them when she was about 5 or 6. We had a party with friends over and the next day she had them. Sure enough the other kids got them a week later.

What's your chicken pox story?

Audrey :)

Kids Working

2010-02-22T18:55:00.000-08:00

What do you think about 16 year olds working? Here in California, there are many laws about how many hours a 16 year old can work and how late they can work, but they still can absolutely get a work permit.

Both of my girls worked a few hours per week at age 16. The kids who worked like 20 hours per week, I'm just not sure how they did it. With homework and sports there just isn't a lot of time left.

What do you think about 16 year olds working?

Audrey :)

One More Week

2010-02-21T21:20:00.000-08:00

We have one more week left in February. Anything you're hoping to accomplish in this next week?

It's my goal to put up a few more blog posts and clean my desk at work. I started it but it really needs reorganizing.

What are your goals for this next week?

Audrey :)

Very Sad

2010-02-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

My daughter wrote the most amazing post. I thought I would just share her post here today:

A 21-year old from my town, Santa Barbara, was hit and killed by a drunk driver in Rhode Island at about 2 am this morning. He was a freshman at Brown University. He started college late because he had been serving in the Israeli Army for the last 3 years.

This was some of the worst news I could have woken up to this morning, and our whole community is just devastated. Avi was one of the nicest, most amazing people you could have ever met.

So this post is dedicated to his honor. You'll be missed Avi Schaefer.

It was me who woke my two daughters yesterday morning to tell them this horrible news. Both of my daughters knew him. He and his parents have been a part of our lives for many years. My heart broke yesterday, truly broke. As we've all asked his mom what we can do her answer has been consistant...hug each other. So I've spent the last 24 hour hugging all those whose lives were touched by this amazing young man.

As my daughter said....You'll be missed Avi Schaefer.

Audrey

Dinner Time

2010-02-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up, my mom asked that we try what she made. We were not forced to finish what was on our plate, only try it.

With my own kids, I followed my mom's example and asked them to try things.

I know many people who make dinner. If their kids don't like what was made too bad. Finish it or go to bed without.

What are the rules in your house?

Audrey :)

Sunday's In My City

2010-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love stopping by Unknown Mami every Sunday. She hosts a great meme, where everyone shares photos of their city.

I love to walk. So yesterday while out walking, I took photos of what I typically see on my walks.'

We live right by a school. So as we go out to the main street you can see the high school.

We hear sirens often at night. Thankfully we follow the local fire station on Twitter and so we know where they've been dispatched to.

We had never tired this coffee house, so we intentionally walked this way so we could grab a hot beverage at the half way mark.

Coming home we went a different route and one of the things that is cute is this bridge. We have several walking paths here and I've always loved bridges.

Whenever we walk by this tree, I always smile. I don't know who lives in the house, but i love the tree.

And those are the sites I see as I walk through not only my town, by my neighborhood.

Audrey :)

Valentine Gift

2010-02-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

Shannon from The Mommy Files hosted a valentines gift exchange. I was so excited to participate. My gift arrived today and I am so excited over the goodies I got.

My gift exchange partner is Brie. She is the owner of Brie-Fly's Blog. Look what I got. It all came inside this adorable mailbox.

When I opened the mailbox, look what was inside, candy, lip balms and a really pretty bracelet in my favorite color ever, purple

Brie, I really can't thank you enough. What a super fun exchange. I hope you like the goodies I sent to you.

Audrey :)

Your Lap

2010-02-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article about children sitting in your lap. The article spoke of the parent realizing "oh no, my child is too big for my lap."

Have you had a child outgrow your lap? If so, do you remember it happening?

My kids are 7 years apart. Basically pre second pregnancy, I was still holding my daughter and she was on my lap. After her sister was born, she was 7 years old and had basically outgrown being picked up and being on my lap.

What about your lap and your kids?

Audrey :)

Muddy Kids

2010-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nancy over at Away We Go wrote a great post about her son getting a bit muddy. She then offered a quote:

"Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being."
~ Kittie Franz

I wanted to share my comment to her with you:

Oh wow, I love the quote. There are times I've snapped at my kids and yes getting all muddy is one of the reasons. I can remember a few times snapping at preschool teachers for how filthy my kids were at pick up.

So, we decided my real problem was I didn't want the mud/dirt in the house, on the furniture and on the carpets for me to clean.

So...I always had a change of clothes and a plastic bag to put the dirty clothes in. We'd get home. They could take off the cleaner clothes without making a mess and I'd then do all the laundry. It was a win/win for all of us.

How do you handle kids covered in mud, dirt, finger paint, spaghetti sauce, etc?

Audrey :)

Do Your Kids Cook?

2010-01-27T06:41:00.001-08:00

Both of my girls know how to cook. They both know how to bake. They both help with dinners. Sometimes one of them will cook a whole meal.

What about your kids? Do they know how to cook? Do they like to cook? Do they help out with the cooking?

Audrey :)

Cussing

2010-01-22T07:03:00.000-08:00

Do you cuss in front of your kids? Did your parents cuss in front of you?

When I was growing up, my dad cussed, my mom did not.

I've gone back and forth my adult life. There have been times I didn't want cuss words in front of my kids and other times I was ok with it.

What about you?

Audrey :)

Homework

2010-01-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

How much help do you give your kids with their homework? When my kids were super young, they really didn't ask for help. When they were older, some of what they were learning was beyond what I could help them with. So, I never really helped them too much.

As I read other blogs and posts in other communities, I read of a lot of women helping their children quite a bit with homework, even doing some of the projects and research.

What about you? How much do you help your kids with their homework? How much did your parents help you?

Audrey :)

Bookmarks

2010-01-17T09:31:00.000-08:00

You can turn pretty much anything into a book mark. Use a piece of construction paper as your base. Now attach movie tickets, concert tickets, Disneyland tickets etc to the construction paper. Laminate and punch a hole in the top. Attach string, ribbon or yarn and you now have a very personalized bookmark.

Audrey :)

Do You Watch American Idol

2010-01-14T07:18:00.000-08:00

American Idol began this week. I did not watch the first few seasons, like when Carrie Underwood was on the show. But about 3 or 4 seasons ago, my two girls got me hooked on the show. Now I watch it nightly with them. If we're not home, I tape the show.

What about you and your kids? Do you watch the show?

Audrey :)

Tough Topic today

2010-01-12T19:47:00.001-08:00

One of my friends is in the hospital. This happened very suddenly. Very unexpected. She has a daughter. Very few of us plan for the unexpected like this.

So...my wonderful friends and readers....do you have a plan should something happen? I know this is a tough topic...it's just really on my mind.

Audrey :)

Volunteering with Your Teen Daughter – Quality Time Together

2010-01-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I write articles. I am not a writer. Not at all. But about 10 years ago, I was approached about turning some of my forum posts into short articles. What I found was that my life experiences were often helpful to other people. So...here's an article I submitted this past week:

Volunteering with Your Teen Daughter – Quality Time Together

Over the years, I have always looked for ways to spend quality time with both of my daughters. One idea that we love is non-profit.

There are so many ways to give to others and do it together. I’d like to share some of the ways we’ve given to non-profits while spending time together:

1. Animal shelters need volunteers. We have visited our local pound and taken dogs out for walks. What a win/win situation. The dog gets walked. We get exercise and we’re out together doing this.

2. We have a Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic here in my town. Most of what they offer are textbooks. One person reads the books while another person follows along and records. The center has a library right inside where students come and check out the recordings. So we know our efforts are helping our local community.

3. Feeding the homeless. We have a strong group here in town that gets together once a week at the shelter and feeds the homeless. We have a second group that meets once a month and hands out prepared meals right on the street. There is actually a doctor that volunteers with this group and treats those who need a doctor.

4. I have worked on mailings with both of my daughters for different non profits. Sometimes we meet at someone’s house and sometimes the mailing takes place in the non-profits office. Either way, we’re spending time together while helping the organization get their mailing out.

5. There are many organizations that ask for hand made items. We once spent an entire day crocheting small beanies for premature babies. It is a goal to be able to send out at least ten afghan squares per month to those who then assemble them and mail them out.

6. We belong to a congregation that hosts a non-profit day once a year. They offer many projects to choose from. We have always become involved either as members or leading a team if the need is there. This is something we plan for, for the entire year.

7. There are many groups that collect letters and cards to send our service men and women. Our service people love getting mail from home. Many of these men and women have not seen their families for many months. That friendly card or letter means the world to them.

Look in your own town. What non-profits exist? Where are volunteers needed? How can you and your teen daughter give to the community while spending time together? You’ll both walk away feeling great about your contributions.

Audrey :)

Other People's Children

2010-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I read an article today that really has me puzzled. The article was written by someone who believed that some times it's ok to discipline someone else's child. She gave the example of her own child. They were at the grocery store and her son was disrespectful to her. A stranger looked at her son and said "son you should not disrespect your mother."

The writer of this article believed it was completely ok for this stranger to offer his words to her son.

What I've done is if I see a mom struggling I might tell her that I like her sweatshirt or I like the kids shoes...something that gives her a few seconds to step away from the child throwing the temper tantrum. But I've never offered my own words to the child.

What do you think? Do you say something to other people's children? How do you feel about people saying something to your children?

Audrey :)

Personal Place Mats

2010-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

On your childs next birthday, have them save all of their greeting cards. Now take those cards and arrange them on a sheet of construction paper. Take the paper to your local Kinkos and laminate. Your child now has a very personal place mat for the dinner table.

Audrey :)

Overseas

2010-01-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is the 2nd time my daughter has been overseas in two years. I woke up to a really sweet email from her this morning. She left a party last night and it was snowing. As you know, we live on the central coast in California. It does not snow here. So for her, this was magical to begin 2010 with snow.

It really warms my heart that both of my daughters choose to call and email their mom and fill her in on what's happening.

What a wonderful way to start my new year.

Audrey :)

New Years

2009-12-31T07:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-29T08:41:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-18T17:45:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-11T20:20:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-08T15:41:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

Aloha Friday #16

2009-09-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

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

Audrey :)

Six Word Saturday

2009-08-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

I smile when my children smile

Audrey :)

Aloha Friday #10

2009-07-23T21:08:00.001-07:00

Six Word Saturday

2009-07-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

Aloha Friday #9

2009-07-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

Making Necklaces From Fruit Seeds

2009-07-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

Aloha Friday #8

2009-07-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-05T07:33:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-24T08:08:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

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 :)

Aloha Friday #5

2009-06-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-07T09:18:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-04T19:12:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-04-06T19:18:00.001-07:00

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 :)