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3 Tips For Improving Your Communication With All Family Members

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Good communication is the foundation of any relationship. Especially with familial relationships, it’s vital that you communicate well so that you can develop and nurture relationships that you’ll have for your entire life. However, good communication doesn’t come naturally to everyone. So when you find that you’re struggling to communicate with someone, it’s best to go back to the basics.

To help you in doing this, here are three tips for improving your communication with all family members.  [Read more…] about 3 Tips For Improving Your Communication With All Family Members

3 Parenting Tips To Save You Time

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Time is always precious, but this feels even more true once you become a parent. Taking care of children while also dealing with work, a social life, plus anything else life throws at you – can be very stressful and start to seem impossible at times. Fortunately, there are things you can do to save yourself time so that you can spend more valuable time doing more important things. Here are 3 parenting tips that will help save you time.  [Read more…] about 3 Parenting Tips To Save You Time

Some Useful Tips That Will Help To Stay Warm in a Walk-In Bathtub

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The concept of a walk-in bathtub is a really fascinating one. Many people would think as what actually is a walk-in bathtub. To clear all their doubts and queries, walk-in bathtubs have doors attached to them. This is particularly convenient for the elderly members in the family who have problems in moving from one place to another comfortably and for some babies who do not like to be put in the bathtub directly. These bathtubs are becoming very popular with people for different reasons. [Read more…] about Some Useful Tips That Will Help To Stay Warm in a Walk-In Bathtub

Fireworks Safety

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Once a year, the warm sun shines down onto my skin while the smells of grilled food fill the air with that savory BBQ aroma. I can hear my family cheer during the bean-bag-toss as I run through the sprinklers with my daughter. I smell of bug spray and sun block. We all begin to settle down in the evening as the sun sets and we huddle together to light them. After all, nothing says July 4th in America like fireworks!

Fireworks are extremely accessible on the 4th of July; they are literally everywhere. Every year the fireworks get bigger, louder and more expensive. Moreover, while fireworks can be fun, we have to remember they are extremely dangerous. When celebrating this year, try to keep these safety tips in mind: [Read more…] about Fireworks Safety

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

Your Daughter and Physical Fitness

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Girl Sports

Studies show that girls turn away from sports and fitness once they reach the teen years. So how do we keep our daughters as interested in keeping fit as our sons keep?

It’s important to teach our children that fitness is a lifestyle choice, and that keeping fit is a life-long endeavor. For boys this lesson isn’t as difficult, but studies show that girls are less likely to remain physically active once they reach adolescence. Judy Notay, an education fitness consultant, says girls lack of interest in fitness during the teen years is quite dramatic. “With girls and physical activity there definitely is a drop when they hit around twelve to thirteen. Studies show that there’s a real dramatic drop in team sports. Girls need to be in a social, team-driven, fun environment, and with girls only.”

We can help our daughters remain physically active by role modeling and by seeing that our schools provide fitness programs that reflect the interests of girls. Rick Bell, professor of Physical Education at the University of Victoria believes that girls are less active than boys are because it’s “a reflection of what’s happening in our schools. Girls are indicating that the curriculum is not reflecting what they want in types of activities, and the manner in which competition is a part of many activities is contrary to what many girls feel is important.”

Professor Bell says many schools are beginning to offer physical education programs for girls that grab their interest. “I know of many schools that have developed dance programs, modern, jazz, tap and social dance programs, and schools that have a prominent aerobic dance program and outdoor education programs. These are programs that typically get children very active in different settings and have been very popular in getting more and more young women involved in physical activity.”

If you’re looking for a fitness program for your daughter outside of the school setting here’s what to keep in mind says Notay. “When you’re looking for a program for your daughter make sure it’s girls only, that the activity will ensure success because it meets their skill level, and that the person running the program is very positive and understands girl’s needs. Also get a group of girls together to try something new. Then they feel safer than being on their own trying something new.”

Physical activity helps our children cope with stress, prevents disease and provides fun and socialization. While helping your daughter find the right fitness program can be a little daunting, there’s no doubt it’s worth the effort.

Photo via JosephGilbert.org

Mother-Daughter Bonding

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Mother and Daughter

In Gilmore Girls, Lorelai and Rory seem to get along pretty well except for the later seasons. Lorelai had Rory when she was still a teenager so maybe that is why they get along pretty well. Their age gap is not so huge compared to other mother-daughter tandems. They even go out shopping together and borrow each others’ clothes. They talk about their relationships. They joke around like friends.

If you think that this is only possible on TV and only for moms who are not too old for their teenage daughters, think again. There are ways after all.

Start them young.

If your children would know you as someone they could trust and easily talk with, that will make them feel this more consistently. That is why it is good. However, the dilemma is that they might be too clingy later on.

Treat them as adults.

This is especially when they are already teenagers. If they know that you are trying to see them as adults, they would feel better about themselves. As if you are equals, in a way. At least when it comes to deciding on certain things for their own. Especially when it comes to dating. This way, you might even have the chance for some heart-to-heart talks.

Have fun with them.

It is true that you have to be serious with them, especially when it comes to discussing matters. But do things together like shopping, going to the salon or the spa. If your daughter likes sports like soccer or basketball, talk about the athletes and maybe even try playing it. Do not hesitate in having fun with her.

The Gilmore girls are probably not the conventional mother-daughter set up but you sure could learn much from their relationship. We are all humans and this is one thing that the daughters should see in their mothers. If you are too strict and stoic, how could they relate with you after all?

Photo via Summers

Listing The Do’s and Dont’s of Childhood

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dos-and-dontsSome times our kid’s need a little helping hand in remembering what we ask them to do. If you are a parent of a child who is old enough to start helping out around the house…You will know what I mean.

Some children just do not comprehend and know how to complete tasks from start to finish. So they ask mom or dad over and over how to do whatever it is they are attempting to do.

I thought I would take a moment and list a few things that might be great to put on a child’s list of To Do’s and To Not Do’s. Making a list and posting it in words your child can read will not only help you save all the questions. It will also help you to encourage your child to read.

Toddlers Ages 3 to 5

1. Pick up your toys.
2. Put your toys where they belong.
3. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper.
4. When you are done playing put your things
away.

Kindergartners Ages 5 to 6

1. Pick up your things in your room.
2. Put everything where it should go.
3. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper.
4. Set out your clothes for the next morning.
5. Try and make your bed.
6. Help set the table.

Children Ages 6 to 10

1. Clean your room.
2. Make your bed.
3. Put toys away and other play items.
4. Put dirty clothes in the hamper
5. Help fold and put clean clothes away.
6. Help set the table.
7. Learn to pick up around the front room.
8. Learn to vacuum.
9. Learn to dust and clean surfaces in bathroom.

Children Ages 10 to 12

1. Clean your room.
2. Make your bed.
3. Put belongings away after play or use.
4. Put dirty clothes in hamper.
5. Help fold and put clean clothes away.
6. Set the table and wash dishes.
7. Learn to clean and vacuum front room.
8. Clean the bathroom.
9. Take care of personal belongings.
10. Put your bike away or any outside items.
11. Feed and take care of a pet.
12. Take out the trash.
13. Help around the house.
14. Be willing to learn new things.

Teenagers 13 and up

1. Do all of the above listed things.
2. Help mow the lawn and pick up around the yard.
3. Do extra chores for added allowances.
4. Baby sit as you grow more responsible.
5. Clean the house.
6. Learn to cook a little.
7. Learn to do laundry.
8. Learn the value of money.
9. Do some volunteer work.

Now Don’ts For All Ages.

1. Do not break house rules.
2. Do not talk to strangers.
3. Do not go any place alone or without
your parents permission.
4. Do not disrespect other people.
5. Do not talk back to teachers, parents or
people with authority.
6. Do not leave your bike or belongings in
places they do not belong.
7. Do not go places by your self.
8. Do not leave your mess for others to clean up.
9. Do not hit, kick or bite.
10. Follow all of your parents DO NOT Rules.

I am sure you get the basic idea of what you want your child to do and to not do. Just make up a list and post it on the door. You may want to add a how to clean your room list. It is always helpful to use simple words that the kids understand and can relate too. You may want to show them where the dirty clothes go.

Just a few ideas to help make life a little easier and more pleasant on the home front.

Photo via Chromatic