Your home's outdoor area should not only be a safe haven for your children - it should be a fun place, too. On top of all that, you want your landscaping to be attractive and high quality. Can you have it both ways? Absolutely. Learn a bit about achieving child-friendly landscaping by reading more below.Enhance The Fun -Before investing in expensive play equipment, try to work with what you have. You can incorporate many aspects of your...more
I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can. I know weve all read or heard of the childrens book, The Little Engine that Could. And as a child, we might have enjoyed reading it or had it read it us with joy but as we got older we soon forgot it. Maybe we even poo-pooed it as hogwash and for kids. But its lesson, although simple can still be useful in our lives.We have a lot to learn from the all time favorite The Little Engine...more
If you take a moment to think about the successful people you know, they are generally self-aware, know how to manage themselves and how to understand and work well with others. Social skills are required to succeed in friendships, school life, community life and eventually working life, so it follows that to be successful in life personally and professionally requires social skills. There is quite a lot of research that shows that success in ones career is determined by emotional intelligence skills rather than technical or intellectual skills. In particular, Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (1995) writes that Emotional intelligence is a key indication of success in life. Even though childhood experience is a vital element in shaping Emotional Intelligence, it can also be improved and developed throughout life.A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that "personal and social skills - like self control, communication, self confidence and organisation - became 33 times more important" in determining someone's future earnings (The Guardian 6.11.06).How do we as parents teach our children the social skills...more
A good way to teach your child a sense of duty and responsibility is to assign regular chores around the house. Start out slow, perhaps one or two small tasks, and as they are mastered, gradually add additional chores one-by-one that it you expect your child to do. Give your child specific jobs with clearly defined steps and responsibilities. ...more
The last three years have been extra hard on people while a recession has run a mock across every ones life. Jobs were cut which means paychecks were cut, bills become higher or so it seemed and medical expenses became more painful as the swine flu made itself fully seen. It has been a tough last few years and many people are still trying to stay...more
Maybe I was the only one, but I don't really think so.Having more than one child can be like having a hive of bees swarming around your ears on a constant basis - chatter, chatter, chatter - in little high pitched voices.Squeals can come from delight of surprise, from teasing of siblings, or from "out of nowhere" for apparently no reason at all.Sometimes these little high pitches get into your head and all you want is some peace and quiet for five minutes. Child chatter keeps the brain waves active and alert to what's going on when you really just want silence.Monica was the middle child of seven children in her family. I learned a lesson in control from this babysitter, whose parents obviously found a way to get their kids to listen.My husband and I would hire Monica to watch our four children while we spent the day out in our boat. Sometimes we'd have a rendezvous with other couples, anchoring in a small inlet for a week-end getaway.My kids loved Monica and would ask for her as their babysitter. They were always glad to see her and always had a hug for her when she went back home.Consistently, when my husband and I came home from a night or week-end out, the house was orderly;...more
There is nothing as frightening for a mom or dad to be out in the park or shopping or be anywhere and have one of your kids be "lost" if only for a few seconds. With all the kidnappings and stories of perverts on the loose, having one of your kids...more
The topic of teen driving always raises the question of safety. Auto accidents are the leading cause of death for children 15-20 years old. One of the main reasons for this is the part of the teenage brain that controls impulsive action is not...more
Assuming there's no medical reason for a child to be sluggish, why are some children just plain lazy? Or do we interpret them that way?They sit around doing mundane activitiesThey have no interest or motivationThey become oblivious to the activity of...more
Old-fashioned manners have never gone out of style, so why don't kids practice consideration for others? I witnessed a prime example of inconsiderate behavior by a 15-year-old in whose home I was visiting. The mother was recuperating from major back...more
Are you thinking about possibly throwing a birthday party for your child sometime in the near future? If so, perhaps you are feeling a bit overwhelmed and not quite sure about how to get started with the whole party planning process. This is not a...more
Your children are, hands down, your greatest masterpieces. Beautiful beyond measure and perfect in your eyes, you want only the best for them. Designing your kid's bedroom is a labor of love. You child wants something that represents their tastes,...more