Do you feel your preteen or tween needs much supervision? As surprising at it may sound, the majority of pre-teens and early adolescents behave in a responsible manner. They want to show you that they have an understanding of the rules and the common knowledge of right and wrong. On the other hand, we all know that they can also act irresponsibly. And for that reason they do need constant supervision still.
When your children are away from the home they are most often supervised. Most of the day they are at school where they are obviously watched by teachers and staff. If there are camps or afternoon organizations that they belong too then there is always adult supervision as well. Then the times when they are not supervised and out with friends are when they are most prone to getting into trouble. READ More on Parenting your Pre-Teen
Happy Moms Day!
Mothers Day is a special day to really let our Moms know how much we love them. Here are a few quotes I found that help express our love for their dedication and influence throughout our lives. After all, what would we be without our Moms?
Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love. (Mildred B. Vermont)
Your arms were always open when I needed a hug. Your heart understood when I needed a friend. Your gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson. Your strength and love has guided me and gave me wings to fly. (Sarah Malin)
Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. (Oprah)
Best advice my mom gave me is "Don't let other people make the choices for you and don't let no one push you around." (Gabriela, 11, Canada)
M-O-T-H-E-R
"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.
- Howard Johnson.
Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love. (Stevie Wonder)
Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries. (T. DeWitt Talmage)READ More on Mother's Day Quotes
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Every day should be Mothers Day. Lets make sure we tell our moms and the mothers of our children how special they are to us. If you are a dad, it is our job to lead by example and show them how important Mother's Day is. Start from the very moment she wakes up to the the good night kiss. This year for example, I had my 6 year old help make breakfast and serve my wife in bed. The look on her face was amazing! And I have more surprises to come as the day goes on.What I wanted to do today is take a look at Mother's Day. Ask anyone what the most important day of the year is to them and you will get answers ranging from their birthday to Christmas to Election Day. How many will say Mother’s Day? Unfortunately, I would guess very few. For some reason Mother’s Day gets overlooked or down played a bit. Yes, there are commercials all over reminding you to send flowers or buy mom candy… but where is the real sentiment? It is so much more than a gift, or saying Happy Mother's day, it is about truly letting our moms and wives know how much they are appreciated and cared for.
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Remember dads, Mothers day is just a few weeks away, and if you have young toddlers they will need your help in making Moms day extra special. On Mother's Day its the thought that counts and actions can express love much more than expensive gifts. For younger kids its a great lesson to teach kids that money and expensive gifts don't buy love, and that love comes from the heart or buying something that has meaning and feeling behind it. Unless your kids have been saving their allowance religiously, they may not be able to afford to buy an expensive gift for Mother’s Day. However, here are some ideas for inexpensive Mother’s Day gifts.
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Random Act of Kindness: Young Teen Surprising and Spending time with her Grandma
The other day I was sitting in traffic, a drizzling, chilly morning in rush hour traffic. Everyone with their own agenda, their own problems; but as I sat there, a truck pulled up beside another pickup that was laden with furniture. A guy got out of the passenger side, walked around to the back of the loaded pickup and grabbed a part of the plastic that was covering the load but had blown loose. He quickly tucked the plastic back over the load and re-secured it. Then he ran and jumped back into the truck, waved to the startled driver of the pickup and drove off. I sat there for a moment, smiling.
We've all heard the buzzword, "random acts of kindness," and we may even try to show kindness to others. But how do we as parents instill those values in our children? It is a self centered, materialistic world that we live in and teaching our children to step beyond that is not small task. However, it is possible to teach our kids these good values and it starts with giving them a role model. Children learn what they live, so if they live with you doing random acts of kindness, they are fairly certain to follow.
A random act of kindness does not have to be a major production. Kindness comes in many different shapes and sizes – and it is free. Teach your kids by doing, but also plan some actions with your child. Talk about nice things that you can do for others. Try some of these "random acts of kindness" with your teen.READ More on Random Acts of Kindness: Teaching Children to Pay it Forward
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Most people have heard of Alyssa Milano, a household name for years. Starting out as a child actor, she has become well known as an incredible adult actress today, staring in a variety of television shows along the way. Although many people may be aware of her celebrity life, many are unaware of the other side to Alyssa Milano. You may be surprised to find out what an incredible ambassador for good this woman has been and is today! Using her fame to make a difference, she is involved in many foundations and charities, always working to help those less fortunate than herself. Here is a closer look at a side of this actress you may have never seen before.
The Actress
First, let’s take a look at Alyssa Milano the actress. She started acting when she was a child, and has gone on to be on some very popular series’ on television. Most people know her for her performance as Phoebe Halliwell on the “Charmed” show, aired on the WB. This show has been popular around the world. Other shows that she has starred in include “My Name is Earl,” “Who’s the Boss,” and “Melrose Place.” She has also recently started a new role on television in “Romantically Challenged,” on ABC.
Beyond Acting – Milano the Philanthropist Although doing an incredible job as an actress, there is much more to Alyssa Milano than the glitz and glam that comes along with Hollywood. Beyond the acting that she does, she has become an avid advocate for those in need, a philanthropist, and a humanitarian in every sense of the word. To show you the other side of this actress, here is a closer look at some of the many things she has been involved in within the past few years.
National Ambassador for UNICEF
Back in 2003, UNICEF invited Alyssa to become a National Ambassador for them. This was a result of all the charitable work she had already done for children. Since she became the National Goodwill Ambassador for this country, she has traveled to work in a variety of other countries, including Kosovo, Angola, India, and more. Alyssa has also been working on the “Trick or Treat” campaign to help raise money for children in other countries and has been a spokesperson for that cause, which is a UNICEF project. According to Milano, she plans to continue working on projects with UNICEF in the future as well. Please visit Unicef and learn more of the great work they do helping children and families: http://www.unicefusa.org/
Friendship is extremely important for kids and adults alike. After all, it's friends who share in our life and who challenge us to be our best selves. With friends we create memories that are happy and with friends we go through tough times as well. Unfortunately, some kids have more difficulties than others when it comes to making friends. While you'd probably like to get out there and make friends for your child so they aren't so disappointed, you can't. However, what you can do is help to equip your child with the tools needed to function socially and start making friends.
Each child is born with the desire to have relationships; however, every child goes about developing friendships in a different way. For many children, especially younger ones, they need a bit of help to develop important social skills along the way before they are able to make friends. Some of these skills include negotiation, communication, problem solving, empathy, and cooperation skills. There are things that you can do to help support your child as they work to make friends. Here are some tips and ideas to help your child to develop friends.
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