Here's an Easy Method to Get Children to Put Their Toys Away!

How many times do you constantly remind your young children to put their toys back where they belong?  Regretfully, those requests can often fall on little deaf ears.  Nonetheless, there is a  helpful way to deal with that frustrating problem.

The next time trucks, dolls, and monsters alike are scattered throughout the house, you can start by issuing a warning that any left around will go into a special box.  You might call it the NO PLAY WITH TILL WEEKEND box where the toys will remain until Saturday rolls around.

Of course, children will want to test your resolve on the matter.  You could give them an initial pass the first time it happens before seizing the toys in question.  However, the second time your children leave those toys about, then it is time to take action.

You must remain firm when you gather up those neglected toys and not allow your children access to them until the weekend as they were told.  Do not allow their complaints to weaken your reserve or no improvement to the situation will be made.

When they complain and want back a specific seized toy, then explain calmly why they cannot have it until Saturday.  Instead, you should hand them another toy, book, or get them to help you with a small chore to keep them occupied.

You will be amazed at how quickly those same children will remember to pick up their toys the next time they play with them! 

Are You Ready for Halloween?

Halloween is only a few weeks away.  Now is the time to think of costumes for your children.  You can save a bundle if you get creative and make one yourself.  

I remember when my mother turned me into a rabbit one year complete with tall standing ears.  I was in the third grade. She fashioned a white outfit with bright pink rabbits that went over my coat so that I would stay cozy and easy to spot.   For the ears, she built a frame for each ear with aluminum foil, wrapped more of the matching rabbit costume material around each side, and turned it into a rabbit helmet that tied at my neck.

I was always big for my age.  Now imagine running across a rabbit-girl with ears at least a foot tall on Halloween who must have looked like Harvey!  In fact, I won a prize that year in the school's Halloween parade.

My mother put a lot of love and effort in sewing that special outfit for me and it always brings back fond memories of the year of the rabbit. 

Sewing your own costumes can be thrifty in more ways than one. I even got double duty out of that rabbit suit later as pajamas. 

Whether you make or buy your child's costume, be sure to get something bright so he or she will stand out in the dark to avoid being hit by cars. 

Another important thing to remember is how cold it can get in the fall so pick up costumes that are big enough to fit over coats. 

Make sure you pick up a flashlight and batteries for trick-or-treating night.  Equally important is to supply your child with a material tote bag to carry candy.  Paper bags can break and cause  chaos and candy littering everywhere when they do.

I prefer taking the children out and delegating candy detail to the hubby. This is great exercise and way easier than that constant up and down with the doorbell. 

A pancho is not a bad thing to have with you.  If it drizzles, you can always throw one on your child at the last minute.

Whatever you do, just have fun and do stay safe with your child.

Need to Keep Kids Happily Occupied During Road Trips?

Making a long trip in the car with children can be a challenge.  However, if you grab a bag and pack a drawing tablet, crayons, an Etch-a-Sketch, and Play Dough and one old sheet cake pan for each child to use as a makeshift desk will work well to stimulate their imagination.  Encourage them to draw or build something that caught their attention along your journey to spark their creativity.

Try to play a game with your small children with "what if" questions to develop a continuing story.  For example, "what if" you were famous what would you want to do?  The next child has to jump in, "I would be a dancer.  Another in the car would ask, "What if the dancer broke her leg and couldn't dance, what would she do?  The plot line of the story can change in any direction.

Map out the trip with your children can be fun for them.  Show them the distance and keep estimates along the route can help improve their mathematics as well.

Guidebooks are wonderful to read together with your children.  Plan ahead of what you will pass on the road or once you arrive to your destination of what you want to see.

Pack some food for your trip to keep handy.  Fruits, cooked chicken, sandwiches, cookies, drinks are important if you need to make time.  Sometimes, you need to travel far and finding places to stop to eat or even rest stops can be hard to find.

Take care and have a wonderful Memorial Day.  Please drive safely!

Protect Yourself Against Type 2 Diabetes!

Type 2 diabetes is on the increase in this country.  Did you know that the heavier you get, the more chance you have at developing this disease?  What's even worse is this tragic epidemic is happening to our children.  However, you can lower your risk by adjusting your diet for starters. 

Nuts, nut butters and peanut butter are excellent preventive foods to incorporate into your life because of their healthy fats and magnesium.  Eat a serving of nuts in any of those forms just five times a week can lower your odds up to 30 percent of ever developing this disease.

Adding more fiber such as in legumes or whole grain cereals and breads daily can make a tremendous difference.  One study found people that ate fiber rich foods every day reduced their risk by 40 percent compared to those that did not.

Coffee is another choice you may want to reconsider and add to your diet.  Whether you prefer caffeinated or decaffeined does not matter, however, you need to drink at least three or four cups a day for this drink to do anything to lower your risk. 

One thing you may also want to avoid is regular soda.  Simply put,  if you just  drink two cans of  this sugar-loaded stuff, you also double your chances of getting kidney disease, compounding the problem. 

Eating sweets are fine when you you do it in moderation.  Also, it is a good idea to save one or two days a week for that indulgence instead of making desserts a daily routine. 

If you already have type 2 diabetes, then experts advise losing some weight often helps get the disease under control.   Exercise is also recommended. 

Unfortunately, we are becoming a sedentary nation due to computers, video games, television, and technology.  Try putting a limit on the amount of time that your child is stationed in front of the computer or television. The upcoming warm weather is the perfect time to take walks or play outdoors with a baseball, volleyball, basketball, etc. with the kids. 

The Importance of Table Talk

One of the best things I remember growing up was always sitting together with my family for dinner.  Like clockwork, we sat down around the table at six o'clock.  Mom never failed to have a home cooked meal with meat, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert. 

It seems those days are gone for many of us.  We live our lives in a rush. Today, most of us have to juggle work with family and still try to be everything to everybody from wife, employee, mother, chauffeur, maid, friend, tutor, and etc.  Many of us are too tired to cook from scratch or because of work obligations cannot even sit down together for a meal.  Husbands often are forced to work longer hours in this present economy and often miss dinner.  Even the teenagers land up eating on the run. 

However, I honestly believe eating a meal together as a  family is one of the most important ways to strengthen it.  Talking about each other's days helps children feel more emotionally stable and able to relate better.   This time is a good way for each family member to learn about each other's day, whether happy or sad.  Keeping this connection open can make a big difference.  

After this important family mealtime and all the important topics were discussed, try to have each member tell of one happy incident in their lives, to leave the table uplifted with happy thoughts.  Try this and watch how this simple form of togetherness will open the door for building an even closer family.