Sports Week- Kick Off!

This week I have been thinking all about sports! These are all quiet sit down activities for your normally loud, constantly moving sports fan. Save them for a rainy day or another time when playing sports isn't an option.

Painter's Tape Pigskin

It's football season ( groan) and this was an easy and quick craft my son really enjoyed.

1. Gather your materials. You will need some cardboard , painters tape, a sponge paint brush, brown paint, markers and scissors.

2. Start by drawing a football. Using the painters tape tape off the stitching.

3. Paint !

4. Let dry and peel the tape off.

5. Cut it out.

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Marking time

When I posted the link to Monday's piece on my Facebook profile a friend commented that she knew someone who used the jar-and-bead method to help her child countdown days until her dad's return from deployment to Iraq. I thought this was a wonderful and tangible way to help a younger child "see" the passage of time--something so many small children have trouble doing.

Her comment reminded me immediately of a countdown calendar we made for L., when he was just barely four years old. I still have the calendar tucked into a keepsake folder containing odds and ends from T.'s surgery when she was six months old. After her nearly seven-hour operation, T. was hospitalized for five days, and I spent them all with her. On Day One out of the PICU unit I asked the hospital to change out the scary metal high-sided hospital crib for a bed, and I slept with her each night, curling my body protectively around her while she tossed and thrashed. During the day Scott's mom would bring L. by to visit, and he'd hang out with us in the hospital room, but the nights were excruciatingly difficult for him to get through. Before we left for the hospital I made a calendar, and blocked out the days we would be gone. For each day of the week I wrote in a treat he would get: ice cream one day, a small toy the next, a special outing, and so on. We hung the calendar on the wall next to his bed and attached a red crayon to a string so it could hang near the chart and X out the days as they went by.

We didn't know then how difficult marking time would be for L.; that he would go on to struggle with concepts of time, for years and years (he still does), long beyond his early schooling. Yet instinctively we had a sense that making that calendar would be empowering for him; that he'd better understand how to get through the days if he could see them tangibly, and interact with them.

We still use calendars and time charts today--perhaps not as often as we should. L.'s gotten a little better at telling time, but still struggles with time as a concept. My friend's comment the other day reminded me how important it can be to revisit some of the tricks we might have used when L. was young--a little tweaking, a little creative repackaging, and they can still go a long way in helping him become a master over his time.

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Tuesday's Tip: Make One, Make 'Em All

It is hard to believe, but we are nearly one month into first grade for R. This year, so far, has gone incredibly smooth, a lot more smoothly than I had imagined. Sure, some days R comes home exhausted, and therefore, grumpy, but most days, a little down time and a snack are all he needs to cure his “phew, I had a long day at school-itis.”

As an aside, it is amazing to me how much he eats and drinks at lunch can affect his after-school mood. On the rare occasions when he is really grumpy, I’ve looked to find a barely touched lunch or a water bottle that is still full. I have to remember that he is only 6, and sometimes he gets distracted or forgets to eat a full lunch, but I keep trying to gently remind him how important eating a good lunch is without hounding the poor boy. Amazingly, after a good snack and drink, his mood transforms back into my usual happy little guy.

While R adjusts to eating lunch at school, I am trying to adjust to making and preparing lunch every night. With our early morning deadline to make it to the bus, it is essential that I make R’s lunch or at least the majority of it the night prior. If he takes something that is going to be warm in his thermos, I pack all of his other items, and merely heat up the item before packing it up too. This whole “make it the night before” has saved me so much stress, I do not even want to imagine.

But even my best planning sometimes goes a wee bit awry, like last week when I was packing R’s lunch into his backpack and felt a little fuzzy headed. I zipped up his lunch bag thinking, “there doesn’t seem to be as much as usual in there.” Minutes after he left for the bus I found his diced kiwi (his current favorite fruit) in the fridge and threw shoes on G and I, as I ran after SPH and R to deliver the missing fruit.

All of this is to share that while it has only been a month of packing lunches, I can’t believe it has already been a *month* of packing lunches for this mom. I’ve learned a thing or two, and one tip another mom recently shared with me, I wanted to share with you.

Today’s “Tuesday’s Tip” is this:

When you pack your school-age children’s lunch, go ahead and prepare your younger child(ren)’s lunch as well. This will give you a great deal of flexibility the next day. If you decide to go to a park during lunch, you already have a lunch packed! If you want to go on an outing, lunch is ready. And even if you stay home, what busy mom wouldn’t love a lunch at the ready to give their child? If nothing else, it can help your younger ones help feel connected to their older siblings, a very good thing indeed.

SPC

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Children must feel important

Children must feel important

Ever noticed how children will keep pestering you only when you want to do some chose.Vous are more absorbed, the more they are you bug. You want just a time to enjoy your game, and they want to play for you. It can be annoying!

Truth is that they want just to be part of what you faites.Si you are having fun, they want to have fun with you. If you enjoy cooking, they try and taste too.They like to help you decorate for Noël.Ils you even try to help wrap present.

Of course, there are times that you have to say no, but to inform you that they do why not check if there are status that they can participate.For example, you're busy in the kitchen to prepare dinner and you want them around with your knives.Is it just by Peel vegetables or wash the potatoes.

If you are painting, why not too give your child a brush and it affect his own angle color?It is not as big as you space and its corner may not also be same but which is easily supported.

Do you love games of words, perhaps Crusaders? get a book that both you can make ensemble.Inviter put his puzzles where you are seated, and you can sit together as you place word puzzles each solve your games.

These may seem of little things to make them, but the effect on them is child énorme.Les love to "help". let them and watch as they astonish you with what they can do.

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Children and Teenage relations

Children and Teenage relations

You have teenage sons and daughters?This is something difficile.Imaginez all these hormones rage of your sons and daughters. This is why some parents get terribly paranoïaques on enabling them to get out. They think of the possibility of these adolescents with relationships that might be of a sexual nature.

One of the things that are important in this step is communication.Les teenagers, high school, they are subject to peer pressure. They are most probably confused on that not enough adults identities, but not children. Close the or the opposite can make things more difficult. After all, it is more difficult to deal with people when you don't know what they think.

Friends with your teenage sons and girls is probably one of the things you could do.Give them your approval.But not all.After all, as parents, that you must make sure that you always set certain limits so that they learn, and even if they fail, they is not too bad with their decisions.Apart that, being sensitive to their needs is one of the most important things you can do.

Fathers may be too critical of their daughters boyfriends or particular dates.En for ball finissants.Ou, where there is a part of the rupture of the printemps.Ce printemps.Ce would perhaps time to take the chance to know these personnes.Casser the jokes in their presence, but not to their cost so that they know that you are not this dépit.Qui knows? they would perhaps be your best buds with which you will be lot NBA.

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Parent school readiness guide

Parent school readiness guide

Children may feel a little outdated when they start school for the first time - or even when they return to school after a pause all summer.What they don't often know, is that their parents can feel crossed, thus.

School costs a lot of money that public schools are free to attend .Tandis, school supply gets fair more longtemps.Chaque year list, it seems as it costs more.And for parents with more than one child who can mean hundreds of dollars just in most fournitures.La children must at least some new clothes, too, because they you faster.

Use the Internet to search for offers

Fortunately, Internet enabled parents to have another way to get clothes and supplies for their children and save some money in the process. With discounts and specials, as codes Overstock coupon codes, parents can save big.

If you are a parent and you are looking for ways to reduce the how much you spend for articles back to school for your child, do not ignore the power of the Internet.If you look carefully, you will often find offers that give you the gratuitement.Si delivery you combine these agreements with other offers (when permitted) or that you use these offers when sales are running, you can get lot of supplies for very little money.

Save all year long

Instead of waiting until the last minute to get school supplies, be sure to plan their entire year .Placer school supplies in your budget and save a little each mois.ainsi, when school comes round you'll already available money.

You will not have to worry where the money for deliveries is will come to obtain loans from friends or family, or the use of your credit cards.It can be a great feeling to be able to pay for school supplies your children of how much you've earned.

Less stress after purchase

Recording and planning for the year can also help your child feel more at ease heavy see you stressed and worried how you will pay for the things you achetez.Il is good to be able to get your children what they need and spend not anxious months then reimburse accumulés.Si bills you want to save for a back to school time, add up to how much you spent last year, and then add 10-20%.

Account of inflation

When you add in the extra percentage, you will be taken into account for inflation and increase the prix.Si you find great deals and use techniques of savings, you would not spend so much money that you had set aside .it ' is excellent, however, because you'll have some left on for special treatment for yourself or your enfants.Vous can put money back so that you will not have to save up to as much during the year suivante.Qui can free some of your cash each month that you can use to pay the debt or spend on other things that you and your family need and want.

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Mother-daughter bonding

Mother-daughter bonding

In Gimore Girls, Lorelai and Rory seem to get along pretty well, except for the seasons later.Lorelai had Rory while she was still a teenager so perhaps that is the reason why they agree very well. Their age difference is not so enormous compared to other tandems mother - daughter heavy even out shopping together and borrow other clothes.They talk about their relations.Ils hoaxes surrounding as friends.

If you think that it is not possible, on television and for mothers who are not too for their adolescent girls age only, think again. After all, there are ways.

Start them young people.

If your child know that somebody they could trust, and easily talk, which will make them feel it more consistent. That is why it is good. However, the dilemma is that they might be too sticky later.

Are treated as adults.

It is especially when they already are teenagers.If they know you are trying to see them as adults, they feel better about themselves.As if you are equal to a manière.Au less when it comes to decide on certain things on their own.Especially when it comes to dating.In this way, you can even have the chance for some heart to heart discussion.

Have fun with them.

It is true that you need to be serious with them, especially when it comes to discussing of questions.Mais do things together like shopping, the lounge or spa.Si your daughter loves sports such as football or basketball, referring to the athletes and maybe even try to read DNA ' feel free to play with it.

Gilmore Girls are probably not conventional mother-daughter set up but sure can learn a lot from their relation.Nous are all humans, and it is something that girls should see their mère.Si you are too strict and stoic, how can they relate with you after all?

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