Tag Archives: Reliability

Teaching Kids to Be Frugal

The other day we were out doing some grocery shopping. I told the kids that they could pick out whichever cereal that they wanted (I was feeling generous, and we were at Trader Joes, a store with mostly healthy food choices). While my youngest grabbed the box with the panda bear on it, my two older kids consulted to compare prices and ounces of cereal to get the most for the money. While I was very proud of them, it might justify my pride even more when I tell you that my “older” kids were four and seven. Teaching kids … Continue reading →

Preparing a Young Child for the Hospital

Whether it is tubes in the ear for frequent ear infections or something more serious, having a young child stay in the hospital, especially when it involves surgery, can be a nerve-filled experience for both you and your child. Parents Magazine recently published an article all about preparing children when they have to go to the hospital. There is some good advice here, especially as it relates to babies and the youngest children. I’ve adapted some of the advice given as a result of my own experiences with children and hospitals. Inform yourself I always became less anxious whenever I … Continue reading →

Early Sexual Activity in Children and Teens Linked to TV Viewing

How young is too young for sexual activity? In my house it was any time before marriage, but the reality is that teens and even children are sexual active way before they or their parents are ready. Some kids as young as nine years old are taking the initiative to experiment with sexual activity, although thankfully this isn’t the norm. As scary as this is, it is important for parents to understand the various reasons behind early sexual activity. A recent study at the Children’s Hospital of Boston may offer at least one clue about early sexual activity and adolescence. … Continue reading →

Sun Protection and Your Baby

Protecting your baby’s skin is so important for his lifelong health. One bad burn in childhood can dramatically increase her chance of getting skin cancer as an adult. Baby’s skin is thin and can often burn even on a cloudy day in the shade. Here are some tips that you can use to protect your baby from the damaging rays of the sun. What type of sun protection should you choose? Sunscreen acts as a screen absorbing the suns rays, while sunblock does a better job at actually blocking out everything. There is generally no difference between the active ingredients … Continue reading →

Frugal Picnic Night

One of the favorite activities that my kids like to do as a family is also economical. Recently, I’ve made it even more frugal. Here is what we did last night and how we had a fun time for pennies. When the weather warms up, my kids are always clamoring for the park. One fun way to enjoy the park and get out of a warm house is to visit the park around dinner time. We eat dinner on one of the picnic benches, and then after dinner is done, mom and dad pack up while the kids play on … Continue reading →

Is Your Child Colorblind?

Color Blindness is an inherited condition that affects more boys than girls. It can be important to diagnose this condition early, since being color blind can affect how well a young child does in preschool. Preschool is all about colors. Not only are there the names of the colors to learn, but teachers use color in so many different lessons. A counting worksheet, for example, may have instructions to point to three green things. A preschool teacher may ask children to count out four red cars or draw a blue circle on paper. If your child cannot differentiate between colors, … Continue reading →

Modeling Your Marriage for Your Kids

The other night at dinner, our four-year old daughter got very giggly, as little girls with their heads full of princesses and glittery things are wont to do. My husband and I looked back at her a few times and shrugged it all off to kid weirdness. We returned our attention to our dinners. A few minutes later, the giggling started again, along with a question, “Are you getting married again?” “We are already married, honey,” my husband responded. “Then why do you keep looking at each other?” she asked. Okay, this conversation was now getting interesting, I thought. We … Continue reading →

How Old is Too Old to Parent an Infant?

Studies show that an increasing amount of adults are waiting to get married and have children. Subsequently, the number of first-time parents over the age of 33 has quadrupled since the 1970s. Some maintain that waiting to have children is a good thing. Many older first-time parents say that they are financially sound, patient, worldly and can enhance the life of a child better than they could have in their 20s. Meanwhile, younger parents argue that they have energy, enthusiasm and time on their side. Still, that doesn’t answer the question: How old is too old to raise a baby? … Continue reading →

Surviving Parenthood

If you follow all of the marriage experts and the relationship surveys, you would be terrified. All of this “good” advice tells us that having kids is a sure way to put your marriage in jeopardy and become unsatisfied as a couple. In fact, some of the conclusions that are released tell you that you might as well prepare for divorce when you are preparing the nursery. But I have news for some of the people behind these reports. parenthood can actually strengthen your marriage for all of the right reasons. Having children does change your relationship. It has to. … Continue reading →

How to Plan a Family Movie Night

If a typical television evening in your home is three different televisions showing three different shows at the same time then it may be time to introduce a fun family movie night. This event is a great way of bringing your family together. Here are some ideas about how to plan a family movie night. Pick a day and time This is the first step in planning a family movie night. You can choose to make it a one-time thing or have it as a regular family event. Friday nights are usually a great time to plan a family movie … Continue reading →