A monthly online magazine chock-full of insightful articles for busy mothers.

by Laura Cecil

Getting children, especially toddlers, outside to play on snow days is a challenge. Experienced mothers know that the time that it takes to dress and undress them for the experience is about twice as long as the length of the actual outdoor experience. I’ll never forget the first time that I dressed my firstborn for his introduction to playing outside in the snow.

He had been looking out the window at the neighborhood children, all older than he, and babbling on about wanting to play with them. His thinking was that I could simply open the back door and let him out. My attempts to dress him appropriately were met with some serious opposition, and I can’t say that I blame him.

First, he had his snow pants put on, with straps over his shoulders, followed by a sweater, a hooded jacket, ear muffs, a scarf, and mittens. When he was fully prepared for the trip outside, he could barely move, looking like a short telephone pole standing perfectly upright with his arms spread out from his side like cross beams. Naturally he resisted. His new cocoon didn’t feel natural, and I’m sure it didn’t help that the adults in the room were laughing a bit too loudly over his appearance.

When he finally did get out through the back door and onto the snow covered rear deck, his outside visit lasted about five minutes before the banging on the back door began. His experiment with the outdoors was over for that day. He had a frown on his face when he came back in, proclaiming loudly that he didn’t like his mittens, his scarf, his hood, or his boots. The next day, when he again wanted to join the neighborhood children outside, he was quite verbal in his insistence that he not wear the mittens, scarf, hood, or boots. What’s a parent to do?

The weather that day wasn’t too bad; the sun was out. I decided that experience would be the best teacher and determined to try a little “tough love.” I put on his snow pants and his hat, but left off his scarf, mittens, and boots, and I zipped up his jacket without pulling up the hood. He was one happy camper with a big smile on his face as he bounded out the back door in his severely modified winter wear. Five minutes later, he was back in the house crying that his feet were cold, his ears were cold, his hands were cold, and that he hated winter.

Later that day, as he stood staring out the window at the neighborhood kids enjoying their sleds and snowball fights, I explained the facts of winter life to him. That the cold could hurt him, that unlike our pet dog, he had no fur and needed clothing to keep him warm when he was outdoors. The following day, when he once again wanted to go outside, I let him decide what to wear. I asked if he wanted his mittens, and got a yes response. The same thing with the other winter wear. He was reluctant, but seemed to realize that he had to suffer with the clothing, or suffer more with the cold. He quickly adapted to the need for bundling up, and his ventures into the cold outside became of longer and longer duration.

While he learned to accept the necessity of bundling up, I learned a few things about making the needed clothing less cumbersome and easier to use. The hat and hood combination has since been replaced with a ski mask type head covering called a balaclava. It keeps his head and neck warm and allows more flexibility. (It’s also a favorite in the neighborhood, and wearing one makes him feel like “one of the guys.”) We’ve also replaced mittens with gloves, which are much easier to manipulate. We’ve also learned to keep an extra pair of gloves in the kitchen for an immediate change when the gloves that he is wearing become filled with melting snow.

It took a little time and a small dose of reality to get my child to accept the necessity of winter clothing. Forcing him would not have worked as well. Letting him go outside for a short time without adequate protection was a great natural training experience, letting him decide for himself that he needed to dress properly to enjoy the outdoor experience in the winter.

Laura Cecil, a single mother of three kids and the editor of www.Livesnet.com, a site that reviews the hot baby products and gives parents parenting tips. And her single parenting life has been totally changed since she had built this site with her friends several months ago. She really likes sharing her reviews and her parenting tips with all parents. Want to take your kids outside or enjoy a wonderful trip, let’s see if uppa vista 2011 stroller can help you or not!

by Laura Cecil

Do something a bit different this year on one of your Christmas shopping trips. Take your children with you. I know it sounds crazy, with all of the things you have to think about when Christmas shopping, but think of the fun that the children will have. I’m not suggesting that you take them out when you are buying toys for them, but surely they can accompany you while you’re buying presents for Aunt Martha or your friends at the office.

Just to be Well Prepared

The secret to an enjoyable Christmas shopping trip with the kids is preparation. Make sure that they are comfortably dressed and properly rested before you begin. You needn’t make too many specific plans for keeping them busy, because the merchants will have taken good care of providing interesting exhibits to get you and the children into their stores. And then, of course, there is the ever present Santa Claus.

Take Advantage of Children’s Interest

In my experience, the children are visually and emotionally overwhelmed by the Christmas decorations and the music when you first enter the mall or the various department stores. I’d suggest that you take advantage of this initial interest to entertain them while you make your purchases for Aunt Martha and your other friends. The children’s interest will be short lived, so finish the bulk of your shopping early in the trip and reserved the remaining time for entertaining them.

Take Them Through the Toy Department

I’ve had great success by taking the children through the toy department. This probably sounds like setting the fox loose in the chicken coop, but it certainly does capture the children’s attention, and it gives you a better idea of the type of gifts that they really would like to have. When children make up their Christmas lists to send to Santa, they usually are so excited by the process that they ask for almost anything that comes into their minds. While you’re visiting the toy department, however, they are reacting to what they see. It’s easy for a watchful parent to determine what toys interest them the most. This can be very helpful to Santa when making the final selection on a subsequent shopping trip.

Make Your Visit Exciting

Don’t try to take in the entire toy department in one visit. Break up the day. Visit the toy department for an hour or so, and find Santa’s village. All the children will want to see Santa, even those that are too young and afraid to sit with him. Don’t, by the way, force any child to sit with Santa. The child will do it on a Christmas when he’s ready. Until then, he’ll enjoy the experience of simply visiting the simulated village.

A Good Meal after Shopping is Best!

After visiting Santa, a quick meal would be a good idea. Both you and the children can eat, relax, and recharge your batteries. Get some protein into them, a treat for dessert, and a goodly supply of liquids. During lunch you can explain to the children that this would be a good time to get a gift for Daddy, or for Grandma and Grandpa. Let them know that it is important that they help to select the gifts. This will make the older children feel important and help them to learn how pleasant the experience of shopping for others can be, especially at Christmas. When you’ve finished shopping for Dad and the grandparents, you can make a final pass through the toy department before heading home.

Always Take Children into Consideration!

When you plan for this Christmas shopping experience, remember how quickly children will tire, depending upon their ages. If you have an infant, naturally you’ll be bringing a stroller. If you have a young toddler as well, you may want to consider using a double stroller, even if you must rent or borrow one. Unlike adults, who sense when they are becoming tired and can return home to rest, children will go until they drop. With a chicco double jogging stroller, you can transport the exhausted toddler without balancing him on you hip. If you plan right, and take your time, I believe that you’ll find that the Christmas shopping trip with the children will be a lasting pleasant memory of your parenting experience.

Laura Cecil, a single mother of three kids and the editor of www.Livesnet.com, a site that reviews the hot baby products and gives parents parenting tips. And her single parenting life has been totally changed since she had built this site with her friends several months ago. She really likes sharing her reviews and her parenting tips with all parents. If you want to know more about chicco double jogging stroller, just visit her site and you will get a lot of information.

by Burgh Baby

A couple of people asked for more information about the Magical, Mystical, Makes-the-Kid-More-Useful Chore Chart that we’re using. If that’s not your sort of thing, just blip-blip-blip your way out of here for today. Might I suggest an old post for your reading pleasure? Here. (Psst…the link at the end of that post still works. )

The rest of you? Behold! This week’s Chore Chart! (We’re currently calling it “Alexis’ Jobs” for now.)

I told you it wasn’t anything fancy. Well, OK, the turkey is a little bit fancy, but that was Alexis’ doing. I start out with a plain piece of construction paper, a pen, and some markers. In theory, I would print out something a wee bit fancier, but the whole project is still in flux, so it’s just as easy to grab a pen and paper as it is to bust out the laptop and printer.

So, our goal for now is for the kid to learn to take a little initiative and for her to have a positive attitude towards helping around the house. As time goes by, I plan on adjusting that goal as needed and changing the tasks to keep things age appropriate. Frankly, she’s kind of useless right now. Five-year olds just aren’t quite ready to be scrubbing toilets and dusting ceiling light fixtures. Most of the tasks she can do require a bit of rework by an adult, but we’re OK with that. We just want her to learn that she has to help around the house and that she needs to do it without making me coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.

There’s a theory floating around the interwebs that you shouldn’t pay kids for chores because they’re a part of life. I actually tend to agree with the theory. I mean, I don’t get paid to take out the trash, so why should she? That is another reason that the tasks will evolve over time. At some point, she won’t be able to get compensated for doing things that she should be doing no matter what. Hopefully.

However, right now Little Miss needs positive reinforcement to stay interested in stuff. She is most definitely one of those kids who needs some sort of confirmation that she’s doing something right if we want to keep her interested in it. That’s why there are some “Gimme” things on her task list. I really need to make sure she is guaranteed a few stickers each week so that she’ll stick with it. We also don’t take stickers away because Little Miss sucks at handling negative reinforcement. In this case, I suspect that she would give up on the whole thing altogether because she gets super frustrated when we try any sort of negative reinforcement. She has us trained, n’at.

So, every Friday night, Alexis and I sit down and look at the previous week’s chart. She counts her stickers, we work together to figure out how much money I owe her (we pay 20 cents per sticker right now–the goal is for her to end at around $5.00 each week), and then we start a new chart for the next week. (We started out trying a monthly chart, but it was too long of a period of time between “rewards.” Alexis was losing interest.)

The process for creating a new chart goes a little like this:

1. I write down a few “guaranteed” pay outs. Like I said, she needs a little positive reinforcement built into the system or she’ll give up. This week those guaranteed tasks are:

doing her homework
emptying the dishwasher (She puts away clean silverware, pots, pans, and baking dishes. She’ll get more to do as soon as she’s tall enough to put them away safely.)
clean up toys in family room (Yes, that is a guaranteed one. I have her trained to clean them up because for years I have told her that I can throw away any toys I find left out after she goes to bed. I only ever once actually threw something away, but it has stuck with her. The only problem is that I still usually have to ask her to clean stuff up. That initiative thing sure would be nice…)

Guaranteed pay outs are worth one sticker when she does them.

2. I write down a few chores that she can help with but that she doesn’t *have* to do. This week those are:

Put away clean clothes (worth 2 stickers)
clean playroom (worth 10 stickers because she’ll never do it unless I really force her to do it)
dust family room furniture (worth 1 sticker)
wash kitchen/family room windows (worth 1 sticker)

I assign a sticker value to those things based on the enormity of the task and the likelihood that Alexis will whine and cry if I make her do them. I try to make sure a few things that she considers “fun” are in the list. This week’s fun is the dusting and windows.

I KNOW. She’s a freak. I like that I can monopolize on that a bit.

3. I ask Alexis for some tasks that she thinks should be on the list. This week she picked:

Help with Christmas decorations (worth 1 sticker)
Clean kitchen table (worth 1 sticker)
Put away groceries (worth 1 sticker)
Get dressed without help (worth 2 stickers)
Dirty clothes in hamper (worth 1 sticker)
Practice reading (worth 1 sticker)

A couple of those are guarantees. She’s pretty good about putting her dirty clothes in the hamper and she is absolutely good about reading every day. I’m OK with her building a few guarantees into the chart because she most definitely also listed some things that she SUUUUUUCKS at doing.

The “getting dressed without help” thing? OMG. THAT. She has been a giant pain in the butt in the morning recently. She has no interest in getting out of bed and moving and she must know it’s making me lose my mind. Apparently she wants to work on it? FINE BY ME. I even made it worth two stickers because I really would love to see her earn a bunch of stickers that way. Initiative! I like it!

I assign sticker values to the “Alexis’ Choice” tasks based on the level of suck. I also reserve the right to change the values each week.

4. And then the Universal Rewards That Get Us To Our Mission: I add a couple of lines about how doing a task without being asked is worth a bonus two stickers and how doing a task without complaining is worth another two bonus stickers. THAT is where the money is really at for her, and that’s exactly where we want it. Initiative. Positive attitude. I want them.

5. We also randomly award stickers if she does something above and beyond during the week. For example, today she walked around the entire house collecting dog toys and then took them down to the basement and put them in the basket where they belong. I didn’t ask her to do it, but I certainly appreciated it, so I rewarded her appropriately.

Throughout the week, we tell her to give herself a sticker when she completes a task. As she’s sticking on the first sticker, we ask her if she did it without being asked. Then we ask if she did it without complaining. She’s shockingly good at being honest about those two points, so I *think* she gets it. She always seems a little extra proud as she sticks on those bonus stickers for initiative and attitude.

Eventually that lands us back to Friday when we count stickers, pay, and start all over again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

And this is where I would loooove your ideas for other chores that a 5-year old can reasonably do. So far we’ve been focused on having her take care of her own stuff, but I’m always trying to think of ways she can help the greater good. And by “greater good” I mean ME. ME. ME. It’s all about me.

I need a kid that doesn’t whine when she helps. There is no “greater good” than that.

About the Author: Burgh Baby is Michelle. She’s a New York-born Pittsburgher who grew up in North Dakota. Along the way, she meandered her way through Spain, enjoyed a stint working for Mickey Mouse, and married a Hoosier (he has a name, but she prefers to call him Mr. Husband). Finally, in 2000, she found her way to the city that holds her heart. (Pittsburgh)

Most days she can be found either chasing around a kid named Alexis, yelling at a Bulldog named Meg, ignoring a Havanese named Cody, or pretending to be a grown-up at her full-time corporate-world job. It doesn’t leave much time for sleep, but sleep is for the weak. (At least that’s what she tells herself.)

Catch her at her Blog, Burgh Baby

If you’re a proponent of the green lifestyle, having a new baby provides you with an opportunity to make a significant different in reducing some of the waste products that are having such a negative impact upon our environment. As all green living advocates are well aware, the prevalence of throwaway goods in our society is one of the primary causes of environmental damage, and products made specifically for newborns and infants are high on the list of throwaway goods. As a new parent, you have the opportunity to choose reusable green products, starting your child off on the road to green living at the earliest age. Some suggestions to help you in this endeavor are given below.

Diapers

One of the major throwaway items helping to fill our community landfills is disposable diapers. Babies go through four or more of these each day. Disposable diapers admittedly offer convenience for the parent, but the traditional disposable is no longer the only option. There are eco-diapers available that are biodegradable and can be flushed down the toilet; both convenient and green. Don’t overlook the traditional cloth diapers. They require a bit more work, but will save money in the long run.

Baby Wipes

Paper based baby wipes are another popular item used in our throwaway culture. Although there are eco-friendly disposable baby wipes available, the amount of convenience is small in comparison to the use of washcloths, which can be tossed into the daily laundry basket.

Baby Bedding

Baby bedding is certainly not a throwaway item. Normally, only one or two sets of bedding are required over the period of the child’s infancy. Even single purchases like bedding can help save our environmental resources if they are recycled. Hand?me?downs from family and friends are a great money saver. Consignment stores and thrift shops are another excellent source for little used bedding items. Simply make sure to thoroughly clean the items before using them in your nursery.

Clothing

Like bedding, clothing can be recycled, using the same cautions for cleanliness. Family, friends, thrift shops, church rummage sales, and swap meets are a few of the many sources for used baby clothing. Babies grow so quickly that their clothing can service several children before they become outworn. This is an excellent way to save money and valuable resources.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has regained the popularity that it had lost for a time. Its practice has nothing but positive effect for mother, child, and the environment. Except for a breast pump and a few baby bottles (now available made from eco-friendly materials), all of the equipment needed to provide healthful, sanitary, and correctly warmed milk is supplied by the mother. It provides important nurturing benefits, saves resources, and helps trim the family budget.

Homemade Baby Food

Store bought jars of baby food are certainly convenient, but the contents are always suspect. Extra sugars are often added to please the parent’s palate. Recalls are too frequent. Making your own baby food from fruits and vegetables that you choose will give the baby excellent nutrition and provide you with peace of mind. All you need is an inexpensive blender.

Toy and Books

As the baby leaves infancy and moves toward the toddler stage, he’ll require toys to learn motor skills and to simply gain experience with the larger world. Toys can be expensive, and there is no good reason why used toys, properly inspected and cleaned, can’t be used successfully. Books also, should play a big part in the baby’s development. Not only will mom and dad read to the child, but the child will enjoy the experience of looking at the pictures on his own. Simply make sure that the used books are clean and disinfected before giving them to the child.

These are just samples of the types of items and procedures that you can use to bring up your child in a green environment. The child will grow into this lifestyle and living green will become second nature to him as he develops. After reading this article, you will undoubtedly be reminded about ideas of your own. If you have some ideas that you think would be beneficial to others, please let us know. Sharing information can only help to foster a greener environment for us all.

Christine Allen is an editor for www.livesnet.com, a site devoted to helping people find the perfect baby gears for their needs, and offer tips on daily problems. She loves to write about parenting, baby and give advice to mums. Why not visit Livesnet to see her hot offers on Davinci Kalani 4 in1 crib and Kidsline crib bedding.

5 Important Back To School Subjects To Discuss with Your Children
by Shelly Hill

Summer is over and it’s time to get back to school. This time can be stressful for many families as they all try to adjust to new routines. You can lessen this stress and set up some guidelines by sitting down with your children for a family discussion.

Here are some important things you should be discussing with your children, before they head back to school this fall.

1. School Bus Safety – It is important to speak to your child about what kind of behavior you expect from him or her while they are at the bus stop or riding on the school bus.

2. Classroom Behavior – Let your child know what kind of behavior you expect them to exhibit while at school. All teachers expect different things from each child, remind your child to be respectful of others at all times. I think this is a good time to bring up the topic of bullying with your child. Let them know how to report this to their school officials and to you, should they know of any children who are being bullied or those who are doing the bullying.

3. Homework and Grades – If you expect your children to follow a homework routine, now is the time to outline that routine with them. I found it helpful to let our daughter know up front what the consequences would be if she did not complete homework assignments on time, or if she got unacceptable grades.

4. Stranger Danger – Your child will come into contact with many people while involved with school activities or while attending classes. It is important to go over with him or her all of the safety precautions that they need to know to protect themselves from stranger danger.

5. Family Emergency – When our daughter was young, we gave her a new family password every few months. If a family emergency would occur and we would need to send someone to the school to pick her up, they would have to provide the secret family password to her before she would even leave the school office with that particular person. Even if your child knows the person who is picking them up, it is important for that person to provide the secret family password to your child.

Heading back to school doesn’t have to be a stressful time for you and your family. Take the time out of your busy schedule and communicate with your children about what you expect from them this school year. It is important to be flexible and to have an open door policy in regards to communication.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly is a mother and grandmother living in South Central Pennsylvania and found that she could reduce back to school stress for her family by being prepared ahead of time. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her recipe blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for free recipes.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

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