Raising a Non-Picky ChildI was an extremely picky kid, I admit. I didn't think I liked anything - no vegetables or any strange or new food. I was pretty much meat and potatoes, and sweets, of course. My parents would demand that I eat; forcing me, threatening, even hitting, and withholding desserts if I didn't "clean my plate."
Thrifty RegretsNow that my children are at the stage where they were moving away to pursue their own adult lives, I find myself having moments where I am absolutely consumed with regret. We never went to Disney World.
Let Children Get DirtyI worry that too often in today's society, we are keeping kids from just being kids. It is rare that I see children outdoors, splashing through puddles and making mud pies.
Glow In Dark Star Path to BathroomI have a friend who has young children and she uses glow in the dark stars attached to the floor as a pathway to the bathroom. I thought this was such a neat idea.
Pick a ChoreTake a bin with their left out stuff in it and add a print out that says this:
Educate Yourself and OthersAs a mom of an autistic child and a grandma of two autistic children, I believe one solution is education. Educate yourself and educate others about autism.
Family Fun Without Spending Much MoneySpending less on entertainment had become a way of life. Being a single mom, working with "hungry" football players, homeschooling; and all of that before the economy went crazy.
Games to Play With Kids While DrivingWe had several games the kids enjoyed playing when they were younger and we were traveling. Most included winning money!
Teach Children That Abuse Is Not A Sign Of LoveI am sure you will be able to picture this scene quite easily: Little Anna is playing with her friends during recess at school. Little Billy runs up to her and pushes her, and runs off laughing.
Teaching Your Children About MoneyOne day while I played dress-up, I had decided that I needed to go to the "store", so wearing one of Mom's white tee shirts, a scarf, and my mom's tennis shoes, I grabbed her purse and proceeded to put my play food in a little basket.
Leftover CafeNeed a fun way to get your family to eat leftovers? We have a "Leftover Cafe" night once a week. We decorate the table with fake flowers and candles, and play some music in the background.
Taste Of Home Kids Coloring CookbookI just came across this link at Taste of Home and it would be such a wonderful project for children and parents to work on together! Not only would there be a cookbook colored by the child to cherish but it's a wonderful way to teach children to cook.
Dry Eraser to Remove Permanent MarkerMy name is Shannon and I have found an amazing, magical, cleaning assistant. You see, I have an almost 3 year old at home who loves to get his hands on permanent markers and color on things he shouldn't.
Word of the Day to Expand VocabularyTo help my kids expand their vocabularies, I've chose a "word of the day" for several years now. They get it printed on a piece of paper at breakfast, along with the part of speech. Then at dinner, they each try to use the word during our family discussion.
Practice "Stranger Danger" With Your ChildrenWhen I was visiting, I was asked to walk my granddaughter to her school bus stop one morning. As we were walking, my daughter drove by and slowed down, rolled down her window and said "Hey little girl, I sure do like those pink shoes."
Pay Your Child SupportWin the war in the end! Pay your child support. Non custodial parents: when your children are grown they will respect you so much more if they know you paid your part to get them raised.
How To Teach Your Children To CookI am helping my young granddaughter-in-law learn how to cook. I know she will come over one of her days off and I think ahead to what she might enjoy eating that would be good for her.
Take Pictures on the First and Last Day of SchoolOn the first day of school, make sure you take a photo of your child before they leave the house. On the last day of school, take a photo also so you can see how much they have progressed physically as well as educationally!
Being a Parent During Tough Economic TimesThe basic principles of survival are shelter, warmth, food, drink and hopefully love. Everything else is just WANTS.
Make A Pillow Out Of A Beloved ShirtBecause I have six kids, we tend to pass down a lot of clothes to the next sibling. My oldest son had a special shirt he simply did NOT want to let go of. Rather than pass it down to his brother, I agreed to let him keep it.
Numbering Puzzle Pieces for Easier SortingIf your children or grandchildren have several board puzzles, here is a great way to know which piece goes to which puzzle, when two or more are out at once. This works great in preschools also.
Give Out One Coloring Page at a TimeAt my son's daycare, they noticed that when they gave the kids a whole coloring book, they would color a little bit on lots of different pages, and then when someone got the book out again, they would not want to color in it because the pages were already used.
Keep Kids From Using Too Many BandagesAny parent can probably relate to the bandaid dilemma. Kids seem to think they need a bandaid for every bump, bruise, scrape or whatever they receive.
Dressing Kids in Matching OutfitsBecause of our work schedules, my husband usually gets our 2 year old son dressed in the morning. To make things easier, I made up a set of hangers with the days of the week on them.
