But They Sure Are Worth It
As much as we hate to admit it, we know our kids get bullied while at school or on social media. With school gun violence in our news often, we can feel overwhelmed. The reality is we can teach our kids how to counteract any bullying they experience. The problem is, we don’t talk about how to prepare our kids for possible bullying. I have had experience with my children experiencing bullying at school. I have some tips for you to get those conversations going.
Studies are showing that when children learn how to meditate, they learn how to handle their emotions better and are capable of self-soothing when situations arise. No matter how old your children are, it’s never too late or too early to teach them a few practices. Teaching them also ensures that you are also taking some time out to do a bit of meditative practice. Here are some of the best tips I can give you on teaching your children this invaluable skill.
A vast majority of us feel like we don’t have enough time. We wake up exhausted, run around all day, go to sleep exhausted, and barely sleep because we are thinking about the next day. We may pride ourselves on getting a lot done but we also berate ourselves about not getting enough done. Stop. Slow down. Let’s review your time management. Time management is not about cramming everything into one day, it’s about making the most of our time. Here are a few tricks I like to use to make sure that my time works for me.
How many times have we read an article on self-care and thought, “yea, but I just don’t have the time!”. Guess what? You can probably find a whole minute or two to try something to help you. I know that not all of us can find time for yoga that doesn’t involve cutting into our sleep. However, there are tiny things that no one talks about that can be done. Here are a few of my tips on things you can do now, while you figure out how to get some extra you-time.
Keeping healthy is so important to our well-being and our wallets. With some of us working non-stop from morning until night and the ease of convenience foods, we can find that our healthy habits take a backseat to all our other engagements. Unfortunately, we need to learn to put our health first and we live in a society that expects us to give our all, all the time. If you are like me, it just helps to be reminded throughout the day to make sure I am doing something towards my health. I want to share with you my favorite health apps that shoot me a reminder to take care of me. Hopefully, you will find one in this list that can be helpful for you as well.
There are going to be moments where you are somewhere, and the toddler is in a particularly horrible mood. You will think “I just want to hand them my phone so they will be quiet” and you know it will work. Then you are inundated with those “I am a bad parent” feelings and you don’t know what to do. While we all know that too much screen time can be bad for kids, we also know that sometimes it’s about your sanity. Fortunately, there are ways to combat those feelings by ensuring you provide an educational app so that Cranky Toddler is learning rather than being sucked into some mindlessness. Here are some top picks on free kids apps (without hidden in-app purchases) that are good for your kids.
Clothing swaps are becoming a big trend right now and it really is one great way to modify your closet and save money. If you are unclear of how one works, a group gathers together and brings clothes and accessories they are looking to get rid of. They literally swap clothes and anything that is not claimed can either go home with the original owners or be donated to a local thrift store (this is the most popular option). While some circles focus on clothing swaps for children, we are seeing more people do it for adult clothing as well. Here are some ways you can start a clothing swap and part ways with clothes you just aren’t wearing.
Many of us want to teach our children values in life that will bring them a sense of accomplishment and community. Feeling like a contributor to society helps combat negative thoughts about oneself and teaches each person compassion and empathy. Volunteering is one way that many adults engage in and including our children is just one more way to teach them life’s lessons. I am sharing with you just a few volunteering ideas I have used for my children and I am hoping it will inspire you to find some opportunities in your own community.
Cellphones are everywhere and it is common to see kids with their own phones. Since pay phones are obsolete, it can be a great idea to get your child a cellphone so that they can reach you at any time. Especially once they are active in extracurricular activities and building a social life outside the home. How do you choose one? Do you just opt for a smartphone to add to your plan? Before you go the simplest route you can think of, here are some things to consider and options to think about before purchasing a new line.
Talking about death is one of those things that all of us are not comfortable with doing. It’s a part of our lives and yet our society wants to focus solely on life. At some point, there will be a death in your child’s life (even if it’s not until much later!) and it will be important to carefully navigate this subject. Here are some of the ways I have introduced death to my children and developed trust so that they know they can talk to me.