Summer is here already and before we know it, it will be gone. The kids will be back to school and life will go back to "normal." Why not take the time to make the most of the summer months with your kids. As parents, we have so much to do, and while yes quality time is more important then quantity, summer offers us the chance to give our kids both of those things.
I am not saying that you have to plan an elaborate get away. You don't even have to spend thousands of dollars. This week's tips are all about planning the perfect family vacation, the perfect vacation for your family that is.
Tip One: Pick a Destination Together
This is a great idea no matter how old your kids are. I think that part of the reason that so many families are holding back from going on vacation is because we as parents think that we have to make the trip to Cancun or to Disney or some other big name place. Talk to your kids, and your spouse. You may be surprised to find out that really all they want is a few days at the log cabin at their favorite beach.READ More on Creating the Perfect Family Vacation
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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 breakfest 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.Filed under Holidays, Mothers Day by
People may wonder if kids have gotten off track these days. You hear it all the time from the older generations. They think that kids these days simply aren’t as disciplined and respectful like kids used to be. You may have even noticed a change in your own child’s behavior and have wondered what the problem is.
Before we get too analytical about your child’s behavior—whether bad or indifferent—we have to take a quick peek at our own lifestyle. Lets ask a few questions. Do we work a lot? Do we work too much? How often are we home? How many times have we engaged our child this week?
Everyone's circumstances are different. One thing I am not trying to do is point the finger at anyone by saying its all parents fault that we don't spend more time with out kids. In some cases it may be, but we have to be realistic too. In this economy our bosses are placing more of a demand on us and many parents have to work two or more jobs just to make ends meet. One thing to remember, in times of stress, our kids need us more than ever and we should try everything possible to help keep the connection.
So, do we spend enough time with your kids?
Well, of course there are plenty of great kids in this world, but the world has become a busier place. Everyone works so much that it is hard to just let go, clock out, and get your butt home so that you can spend some quality time with the kids. Sometimes our busy, hectic world reflects in our children. Kids who are listless, have no interests, or who do poorly in school likely have parents who don’t spend much time with them.
It is important to understand that half the battle of winning our kids over and helping them progress through life is just being there for them. They need to see our strengths, see our weaknesses and how we handle different situations. Our kids’ eyes are always on us, and it is up to us as parents, to lead them until they are able to do so themselves.
Here are some great habits to get into when trying in order to help spend more time with our children. READ More on Weekly Parenting Tips: How to Spend More Time with Our Kids
Do you turn off the lights when you leave a room? Do you conserve water? If so, you are already doing good things to help the planet and building a better future for our kids. If you have encouraged your family to also adopt these practices, you are doing even more. Earth Day is April 22, 2009. Today! During Earth Week, thousands of people will be doing things to help the environment and “go green.” There are many little things that each of us can do to help the Earth. However, every day can, and should, be Earth Day. Try these activities and tips to help your family go green and build a greener future.
Living Green Around the House
- Plant a tree or grow a garden. Plants act as natural filtration systems. In short, they keep the air fresh and oxygenated. Keep them inside your home too to keep the inside are fresh.
- Turn off the lights. CO2 is the main contributing factor to global warming. Every time you use something electronic, use electricity, fire up your car or even take a shower (you water has to be heated) you are emitting CO2. Turn off the lights, take shorter showers, turn down your hot water heater and don’t let your car idle for more than one minute.
- Stop using plastic water bottles. You can recycle your plastic water bottles, but after being recycled several times, the plastic downgrades. Get a reusable canteen and go with glass jars for storage.
- Unplug. Electronic devices still use energy, even when they are turned off. Unplug your radio, stereo, blow dryer and television to save more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. This amounts to around $256 a year.
- Turn off the water. By simply turning off the tap when you are washing the dishes or brushing your teeth, you can save as much as 2.4 gallons of water – per minute. I admit, I am bad about this one but am working on it! I brush my teeth with my kids and they are now helping to keep me stright
- Dispose of batteries, paint, bleach and nail polish the right way. READ More on Happy Earth Day! Green Living Tips for your Family
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Local Activities For Kids
Not every family can travel during spring break. And how many of us have truely explored our own local community. We live in Chattanooga, TN, and were amazed of all the local activities we could get involved in when we moved into the area. In Chattanooga we have great parks, a sea Aquarium, a small zoo, camping, and great views, especially from Lookout Mountain.
Like us, many parents may not be able to get the week off of work, or there just might not be enough money in the budget for a trip. But that doesn't mean that your family can't have some spring break fun. There are plenty of things that you can do locally as a family. These include:
READ More on Getting The Most From Spring Break For Kids
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by Stacey Schifferdecker
My mother-in-law has been talking about for years – taking my family and my sister-in-law’s family for a cruise. But the timing never worked out until now. This year, for the first time ever, my children’s schools and my nephews’ schools have spring break the same week. So hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to Mexico we go. I am a vacation planner junky, so naturally I am hip-deep in research about the best way to enjoy our cruise and keep six kids ranging in age from 7 (the only girl) to 14 happy and healthy for a week. So here is what I have learned – check back with me in March to see how the reality lives up to the research.
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Presented by Kent Estes
Parents you need to train your children in child safety, and you need to know what to do in case a Stranger approaches them. I have taught hundreds of children on how to protect themselves from danger. We learn by doing, this is why parents need to go over these 3 simple rules that will protect their kids. You do not want this to happen to your child.
Rule #1
Rule #1, your feet, which means run away, when there is danger a child should run away. Running away is a child's best defense against danger. Teach your children to think of their feet, it will be easy for them to remember because they will always have their feet with them. Hollywood makes it look like children can beat up an adult but in reality an adult will always win. The key here is to run away from danger and this keeps you safe.
READ More on 3 Top Stranger-Danger Tips
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Many things may lead to step Parenting. Death or divorce, both unpleasant circumstances can often result in the need for step parenting. Re-marrying and subsequent step parenting require the same skills, dedication, focus and luck that is necessary in good parenting under ideal conditions. In step parenting there is a little more to consider. Let’s call these considerations steps – steps toward parenting or step parenting – sort of fits doesn’t it?
Where to start? The first Step.
READ More on Step Parenting – One Step at a Time
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By Michelle Donaghey
No doubt about it! We love waterparks, whether they are indoor or outdoor ones!
“Waterparks appeal to families who want quality recreation time in an extremely safe environment. After all, waterparks are the safest place to have fun in the water compared to oceans, rivers, lakes and even swimming pools,” noted Gina Kellogg, Director of Communications for the World Waterpark Association, Overland Park, Kansas. In fact, there ware more than 1,000 waterparks in North America with an estimated attendance each season over 70 million people.
“For families who want a safe place to place in the water that’s also really convenient, then, waterparks are the perfect answer,” noted Kellogg.
The reasons?
For families, one of the most obvious reasons for our love is that the rides are very similar to roller coaster rides found in top-notch amusement parks. Some of them include:
READ More on Waterpark Fun: Make a big SPLISH SPLASH this summer!
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Although you may not be able to afford a summer vacation this year, there are no-cost, fun summer activities for the whole family. Here are a few ideas.
Pick a tree in your back yard and lay down a blanket. Have some lemonade and cookies, and read the books you’ve checked out from the library. Take turns reading. Invite friends and their kids to join you. Make it a weekly event. READ More on Fun Summer Activities the Whole Family can Enjoy
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