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How to Make Your Pool Safe For Kids

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pool safety

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If you’ve put in a pool or moved to a house that has one recently, you’re probably wondering where you can get some toys to give the kids to play with in the water. But there’s that voice in the back of your head reminding you that the pool can also be dangerous. And indeed, everyone’s heard at least one horror story about a hapless child falling into an unattended pool. The results are never good, so it’s always a good idea to look into pool safety.

First things first: some residential zoning authorities have regulations pertaining to pool safety. These vary from place to place, so check your local laws, but they normally involve placing the pool a certain distance from your property line or installing a protective fence (normally it’s required to have a locking gate and be at least four feet tall). So, the first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure that your pool is up to code. If it is, you can start to think about what additional safety measures you’ll want to employ. [Read more…] about How to Make Your Pool Safe For Kids

Originally posted on October 1, 2013 @ 9:55 am

5 Tips for Talking to Your Pre-Teen about Hygiene

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It can be challenging or even embarrassing to talk with your pre-teen about their hygiene, but it’s important to address this conversation in a positive way. An open and honest discourse will set the tone for your future conversations about more intimate matters, so this conversation requires some preparation.

Be as Specific as Possible

Know what you’re talking about and try to be as specific as you are comfortable being. Instead of just telling a young lady that she will need to start shaving under her arms, lead into the conversation gently with some facts about what is happening to her body. She probably has some questions that she’s wanted to ask and she needs to know that everything happening to her is completely normal and that her feelings are valid. [Read more…] about 5 Tips for Talking to Your Pre-Teen about Hygiene

Originally posted on October 26, 2011 @ 2:26 am

Impromptu Gatherings Made Easy With Recipe Finder

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Recipe Finder Home Page
Recipe Finder Home Page

Some people were born hosts/hostesses, but for others, entertaining at home can be a pain in the butt. For the former group, the logistics of entertaining at home is not a source of concern. For the latter, it can be quite a nightmare. Even more so if the gathering is an out of the blue one. You know, when your partner or kid calls and tells you that they are coming home within a couple of hours, and can you please prepare dinner for their friends as well?

When faced with this situation, you can either go out and get food from a restaurant or hit the kitchen and get cooking. While the first option is always convenient, it can also mean big bucks. If I were you, I’d go for the second option and make sure that you have the right tools to make your impromptu gathering a success. [Read more…] about Impromptu Gatherings Made Easy With Recipe Finder

Originally posted on October 8, 2011 @ 7:28 am

5 Halloween Safety Tips for Children and Teens

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Halloween has long been a time of costumes and candy and chilly evenings. Given the commotion and all of the fun, it’s important to make sure that everyone is safe and aware of situations that can come up. Even teenagers need to be reminded that Halloween is an unusual night and they’ll need to be more alert to their surroundings.

halloween safety tips

Guidelines For Halloween Safety at Any Age

It’s an oldie, but a goodie….Don’t take candy from strangers. That means that kids and teenagers alike should only go to the homes of people they are familiar with and to homes that are well-lit. An obvious exception to that would be if you are going to be with them the whole time or if it’s a facility of some sort that has been set up to allow trick-or-treating. [Read more…] about 5 Halloween Safety Tips for Children and Teens

Originally posted on October 22, 2011 @ 2:17 am

Expecting Mums: Games To Keep You Busy

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This post is dedicated to our reader, Betty, who is expecting her baby next month. For many mothers-to-be, the last month or so of pregnancy can be the hardest period for many reasons. If you are a working mother, and you get to stay at home during the last couple of months (or even the last month) of pregnancy, the respite from work is very much welcome. After a while, though, you might find yourself wanting to do something – anything – to help you kill time. Even if you’re a stay at home mom (and maybe even more so), you might be interested in alternative ways to bide your time while you wait for your bundle of joy to arrive.

Here are some web sites that you might like if you’re the type who would want to spend some time on the computer playing games.

Fupa.com is a web site that features tons of flash games. They have a parenting section, which has many alternatives to choose from. Some of the more interesting ones that I saw are Childs Play Word Search Game and Parenting Word Search Game, which I think are perfect if you’re the kind that likes word games – and I sure do. There are also games for little kids, which are pretty safe for your tiny ones. You do, however, have to register for FREE. It’s like an online community of its own, with some benefits.

Another fun site that I discovered is BabyYum.com. There is just one game – Baby Yum. It’s a pretty easy flash game, where you can practice your multi-tasking skills. I love the stork, which is actually your character. For some reason, the game reminded me of that old Game & Watch game where you caught eggs that fell off the shelves, which you can find left and right. Maybe it’s the set up of the graphics. In any case, I think this is a great game to play when you have some free time.

Of course, there are other countless games that you can play online – not necessarily parenting games, but still games that are worth your while. And, if you’re on Facebook (I know very few people who aren’t), you can have all the games that you want to keep yourself busy. If you like cooking, go for Restaurant City and Café World. If you’re into fantasy, try Castle Age.

For you mums who are not into games, what do you suggest?

Originally posted on May 30, 2010 @ 3:25 pm

To Spank Or Not To Spank?

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For as long as anyone can remember, disciplining children has been a hot parenting topic. I think that we can all agree that we need to instill discipline and values in our children. The question lies in the method. How do we discipline our children? What is the right way? Is there even a right and wrong way?

For some, the Biblical principles of not sparing the rod apply. I have to admit that I see value in this principle. It has been tried and tested over the ages, and as long as certain guidelines are followed, it is quite effective in showing children that actions have consequences, and that they will have to face those consequences.

Spanking, however, has its detractors. Indeed, recent studies have shown that spanking just might prove to be harmful under certain circumstances. An article published in Pediatrics (the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics) earlier this week states that spanking young children might increase their risk for aggressive behavior in their later years. Here are the official results of the study:

Frequent use of CP (ie, mother’s use of spanking more than twice in the previous month) when the child was 3 years of age was associated with increased risk for higher levels of child aggression when the child was 5 years of age (adjusted odds ratio: 1.49 [95% confidence interval: 1.2–1.8]; P < .0001), even with controlling for the child's level of aggression at age 3 and the aforementioned potential confounding factors and key demographic features.

Bottom line: the study provides huge support to the followers of the no spanking principle.

My question is this: should we throw away the idea of spanking because of the study?

We are all still entitled to our own opinions. I am sure that there are those of you who are nodding their heads right now, agreeing with the study. I have to say, however, that I do not think that we should do away with spanking. It has a purpose, and done the right way, teaches children a lot of things.

I believe that in order for spanking to serve its purpose, we have to take note of these things:

1. There should be no sense of anger involved. We are disciplining our children to teach them a lesson, not to vent.
2. The child being disciplined should understand why he is being spanked. This is another reason parents should not spank their kids when they’re angry. The idea of cause and effect, actions and consequences, should be explained to the child being disciplined.
3. The parent should not fail to show the child being disciplined that he/she is loved despite the fact that he is being spanked. Again, this is part of the whole process. The child should understand that he is being taught a lesson, not in anger or hatred, but because it is part of growing up.

That’s my take on the spanking issue. What about you?

Originally posted on April 18, 2010 @ 9:14 am

Parent Guide to Preparing for School

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Back to school

Children can feel a little overwhelmed when they start school for the first time – or even when they go back to school after having a break all summer. What they don’t often realize is that their parents can feel overwhelmed, as well.

School costs a lot of money. While public schools are free to attend, the school supply list just gets longer and longer. Each year it seems like it costs more. And for parents with more than one child that can mean hundreds of dollars just in supplies. Most children need at least some new clothing, too, because they’re growing so quickly.

Use the Internet to Find Deals

Fortunately, the Internet has allowed parents to have another way to get clothing and supplies for their children and save a little bit of money in the process. With discounts and special codes, like Overstock coupon codes, parents can save big.

If you’re a parent and you’re looking for ways to cut down on how much you’re spending for your child’s back-to-school items, don’t ignore the power of the Internet. If you look carefully, you can often find deals that give you free shipping. If you combine those deals with other offers (where that’s allowed) or use those deals when sales are running, you can get a lot of supplies for very little money.

Save All Year Long

Rather than wait until the last minute to get school supplies, make sure to plan for them all year. Put school supplies into your budget and save a little bit each month. That way, when school comes around you’ll already have the money available.

You won’t have to worry where the money for supplies is going to come from, get a loan from friends or family, or use your credit cards. It can be a great feeling to be able to pay for your children’s school supplies from savings that you’ve accumulated.

Less Stress After Shopping

Saving and planning all year long can also help your children feel more comfortable. They won’t see you stressed out and worried about how you’re going to pay for the things you’re buying. It’s good to be able to get your children what they need and not spend months afterward concerned about paying off the accumulated bills. If you want to save for back-to-school time, add up how much you spent last year and then add 10 to 20 percent to it.

Account for Inflation

When you do add in the extra percentage, you’ll account for inflation and rising prices. If you find great deals and use savings techniques, you might not spend as much money as you had set aside. That’s a great thing, though, because you’ll have some left over for a special treat for yourself or your children. You can also put that money back so you won’t have to save up as much over the course of the next year. That might free up some of your cash each month that you can use to pay down debt or spend on other things that you and your family need and want.

Photo via She Knows

Originally posted on August 31, 2010 @ 12:06 pm

For Moms Only: What’s Your Dream Getaway?

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Practically every blog or news web site that you visit today will send across one message: Happy Mother’s Day! I will not go against it – because I believe that this day should be taken seriously and that we should honor mothers (including ourselves) with the utmost respect. However, I will also not go with the flow – I will not write a post about my musings on the significance of Mother’s Day.

Instead, I will write a list. You know, one of those things that we mothers seem to always have around. We have grocery shopping lists, to do lists for the children, to do lists for the house, and so on and so forth. The kind of list that I have in mind right now is quite different, though, and it’s geared towards moms. So, mommies out there, read up!

Let’s say you were given one day (or a week) to take a break from everything that you do daily. You do not have to worry about the kids – they will be taken care of excellently. You do not have to worry about your husband – somehow, he’ll be okay. You do not have to worry about your job – you are to be given time off (paid!). What would you want to do?

While this would probably not be happening to me anytime soon, I thought it would be a fun exercise in day dreaming. Here’s my list.

1. Go to a beach resort with modern enough facilities but without too many people around.
I’d want to spend at least a day just enjoying the sun, the sand, and the sea. I would want to spend it alone with a good book and drink some refreshing drinks while enjoying the warmth of the sun. I would want to end the day with a soothing massage and go to bed totally relaxed.

2. Attend a cooking class.
I’d want to learn new things. Some programs are offered for a single day – even less – and there are programs (such as those offered in Thailand and Vietnam) for a week. I would love to learn the real deal in terms of cuisine from these countries.

3. Spend the whole day in the spa.
Get a massage that lasts for hours, use the sauna, get a foot spa, have a manicure/pedicure – the list can go on and on. While some people take the spa for granted, full time moms (not to mention working moms) rarely have this opportunity.

Now, why don’t you tell me what’s on your list?

Originally posted on May 9, 2010 @ 10:31 am

Are You Spending More Time With The Kids?

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The Easter holidays have traditionally been the time for families to get together. I think it is practically the same all over the world – at least in those parts where Easter is celebrated. Anyhow, we went to a relatively nearby beach resort for an extended weekend, and one thing that struck me was that there were quite a lot of families there. I suppose I shouldn’t have been that surprised as this resort is well known for being family-friendly. The many other times that I have visited this place, though, I didn’t see as many families with kids. Another thing that was good to see was how much time the parents and kids spent with each other. We would be sitting there enjoying the sun and sand, and we would see other parents and their children doing the same. Even those with teenagers were having a great time with each other! (Now those with teens would know that this phase is not the easiest when it comes to parenting!)

I couldn’t help but feel happy that in this day and age of family dysfunction, I was surrounded by people who valued time spent with the family; children and parents who genuinely seemed to enjoy being around each other.

Lest you think that this is a mere impression on my part, let me share with you an article published recently in a New York Times blog. Written by Tara Parker-Pope, it talks about how family time has grown – surprisingly. She writes that while modern parents continually moan over how they do not have enough time for the kids due to all the responsibility heaped on their shoulders, a recent study shows that the parents of today actually spend more time with the family as compared to parents of previous generations.

She quoted numbers to back up her statement:

The study, by two economists at the University of California, San Diego, analyzes a dozen surveys of how Americans say they use their time, taken at different periods from 1965 to 2007. It reports that the amount of child care time spent by parents at all income levels — and especially those with a college education — has risen “dramatically” since the mid-1990s. (The findings by the husband-and-wife economist team of Garey Ramey and Valerie A. Ramey appear in a discussion paper presented in March at a Brookings Institution conference in Washington.)

Before 1995, mothers spent an average of about 12 hours a week attending to the needs of their children. By 2007, that number had risen to 21.2 hours a week for college-educated women and 15.9 hours for those with less education.

The figures for 2007 are impressive, aren’t they? If you think about a week as being 40 hours (for those who work, that’s the normal time spent at the office), half of that is spent on childcare! That number can easily rise for stay at home moms (or dads, for that matter).

Now, the question is this: how much time do you spend on your children? I suppose we shouldn’t really be fixated on the numbers alone, but it’s a great start. The year isn’t halfway gone, maybe it’s time that you re-consider the amount of time that you allot for the family.

Originally posted on April 8, 2010 @ 3:13 am