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Archive for August, 2007

Moms? Are You Ready to Party Hearty?

August 18, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: Stress Management, Teenagers, Pamper Yourself, About the Family, Freebies, Healthy Living, Blogroll, Children, Parenting, Uncategorized No Comments →

It’s that time of year! The weather is still warm kids rea heading back to school and families are spending time together.

Putting together a nice party is a great way to celebrate special events in our lives.

If you haven’t visited Real Life Solutions lately, then you may have missed all of the new and informative resources that is located at the If so visit ‘Party Planning’ section:

We have tips from how to plan a party on a tight budget to how to throw the best Toddler Birthday Bash!

Be sure to visit us soon and I love hearing from you so please keep your comments coming.

Warmly -

Helping your Preschooler off on the right foot

August 17, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: About the Family, Goals, Parenting, Children No Comments →

With your child’s first day of preschool approaching, there are ways to make the transition smooth and easy.  While your child will be somewhat ambivalent about leaving you, experts advise to follow particular guidelines which will not only help your child feel secure in their new environment, but help you cope with it as well.

A few weeks before school, it is advised to go through the child’s closet and let him or her select what outfits to wear. You may even want to take your child to the mall to pick out a few additional outfits as well. Perhaps buy a new lunchbox or backpack.  Let the child choose the color and design. In addition, a trip to the office supply store is indicated so your child can pick out crayons, pencils, and other supplies she will use in preschool.

It is also recommended to discuss with your child what to expect in preschool. Some preschools allow you to visit with your child to get them use to their new surroundings. Tell your child about preschool, how long he or she will be there, and establish a route to the preschool so the child will feel comfortable before the first day.

Begin a bedtime routine a few weeks before in which you start with a bath, reading time, and going to bed early. Experts recommend reducing each routine by 20 minutes until your child becomes use to the schedule.

Make a list of things to do in the morning, by creating a colorful sign with pictures for your child’s bedroom, so he or she can the routine which may include: washing face, brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and the like.

On the first day of school, walk or drive your child using the route you had previously outlined. Accompany your child to the classroom where you can meet the teacher and introduce your child as well. If there any needs the teacher should be aware of, discuss it with her.Before you leave, give your child a big hug and kiss. Tell the child how proud you are and that you will return at a specified time.

Experts advise not to make the goodbye a long one, but a reassuring one. After you leave, you can have a good cry. Remember you can always call the school to inquire how your child is doing and relay any information you forgot to previously tell the teacher.
 

Recommended Resource: Kids Activity Calendar Weekly Activities, Crafts and Games all about the Alphabet For Your Preschooler.  Each week you will receive coloring sheets and worksheets in your email along with craft and activity suggestions and even a snack list that incorporates the letter of the week. What a fun way for your little ones to learn the alphabet and much more.Reading Solutions for Kids - Resource which aids in teaching children to read.

Zoobooks - Turn a youngster’s love of animals into a love of reading!

Back To School Shopping Tips For Moms

August 16, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: Teenagers, Self Esteem, About the Family, Freebies, Goals, Blogroll, Children, Uncategorized No Comments →

Did you know that the 2nd busiest shopping season of the year is about to start soon? That’s right, the ‘back to school’ shopping season ranks just behind Christmas as being the busiest shopping season for us all.

Summer is quickly passing us by and soon the school bells will be ringing.  I have 1 child in Elementary School, one child in High School and another child in College and if it weren’t for following some tried and true back to school shopping tips, I would be stressed out.

I wanted to share these tips with you in hopes of making your back to school shopping go a bit smoother this year. 

You can visit the article here.

Also, here are some essential tips to help your chrildren become stronger readers.

Aurelia

Teenage Eating Disorders - Do You Know The Warning Signs?

August 15, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: Stress Management, Teenagers, Working From Home, About the Family, Freebies, Healthy Living, Blogroll, Children, Parenting, Uncategorized No Comments →

Unfortunately, today’s society puts much emphasis on physical appearance and teenagers are probably the most susceptible to the thought that everyone has to be skinny to be pretty and accepted.

We, as parents, know this is not true and it’s what’s on the inside that matters most. Regardless of the amount of time and care we put into getting them to see otherwise, many teens just don’t believe this is true.

As the parent of a teenager there are many negative things that you need to be aware of and look out for in order to help your child as quickly as possible, should they get mixed up in these harmful situations. One of those is eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

If you sense your teen has a problem, but can’t put your finger on what exactly is wrong, here are a few warning signs that you might have an eating disorder on your hands. The sooner you respond to these signs the sooner your teen can start the journey to being healthy again.

Signs your teen may be suffering from Anorexia

Starvation
Fear of gaining weight that is severe and persistent
Refusing to eat or extremely restricted eating
Continual and obsessive dieting
Excessive body hair due to the lack of protein
Obsessively exercising
Weight loss that is out of the ordinary
More than normal sensitivity to cold temperatures
Absent or irregular menstruation in girls
Hair loss

Signs your teen may be suffering from Bulimia

Fixation with food
Binge eating (you may not see this due to the secrecy that normally occurs)
Frequent trips to the bathroom immediately after eating
Abusing laxatives, diet pills or both
Denying that they are hungry
Using medicines to induce vomiting
Obsessive exercising
Salivary glands which appear swollen
Blood vessels around the eyes that appear busted or broken
 

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, nearly 1 million men suffer from an eating disorder. In reality, the true number is probably higher.

Teens do not see it as a disorder nor do they want to gain the weight necessary to become healthy if they stop. In most cases, if your teen has an eating disorder, they will not admit it willingly. To them, they are never skinny enough. That does not mean an illness doesn’t exist. If you suspect your teen may have an eating disorder, contact help immediately. It might just save his/her life.

If you know of a teen or a paret of a teen that is dealing wtih this very serious issue, please take a look at our Resources for Parents & Teens on Eating Disorders and see if you find something there that may help them :)

Tips To Cut Your Monthly Bills in Half

August 14, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: Freebies, Self Esteem, Working From Home, Pamper Yourself, Healthy Living, Goals, Blogroll, Children, Parenting, Organization, Uncategorized No Comments →

Cut Your Monthly Bills in Half

Every month you sit down to pay the bills and every month you wonder how in the world you’re spending so much.  This is a common scenario for most families.  The good news is there are a few things you can do to cut your monthly bills down.

Shop Around – Always shop around.  Utility companies are in fierce competition with each other, use it to your advantage and shop around for the best savings.  Don’t think you have to stick with a supplier you’re not happy with. 

Leave the Car at Home – Don’t pay the outrageous fees for gas.  If possible try to walk, you can also consider taking the bus or carpooling.  When filling up the car, shop around for competitive rates.

Lower Your Thermostat – If it’s cold in the house don’t just automatically switch the heating to high.  Put on an extra sweater and pair of socks instead.

Avoid Using Your Dryer – Dryers waste a lot of electricity which means higher bills for you.  Try to hang up your clothes instead.  This not only saves you money on electricity but will help some of your clothes last longer as well.

Make Sure It’s Full – Don’t use your washing machine or dishwasher when it’s half empty.  Play around with the temperature settings to see if a lower temperature will do the job just as well as the pricier higher one. 

Turn Off the Lights – Your father was right.  Turn off the lights you’re not using to save electricity.  If you’re just relaxing try lighting candles instead, this will save money and create a nice atmosphere (make sure you follow all safety guidelines).

Lower Your Water Bill – Try to take showers instead of baths.  Turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth.  Collect rain water and recycle it to water the plants.  Make sure your faucets aren’t dripping.  Use a bowl full of water when doing the dishes instead of leaving the tap running.

Change the Setting – Set your thermostats a couple of degrees lower in the winter and a couple of degrees higher in the summer for a big savings on your utility bills.

Filter Your Water – Investing in a good water filtering system can save you money on buying bottled water.  It will also help you save money by making your appliances last longer due to lower lime scale buildup in hard water areas.  You can even use less detergent when washing clothes or using the dishwasher.

Don’t Buy Disposable – Try to cut back on your shopping bills by not buying disposable items such as paper towels, use a clean dish cloth instead.  Try to reuse your aluminum foil or sandwich bag containers or better yet buy plastic containers you can wash and reuse.

By following these tips, you can make a significant dent on your monthly bills. As an added bonus, you’ll also be contributing towards a healthier environment for your children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Living On One Income - Here are some tips for those that are living on one income.

School bells will be ringing soon - are you ready?

August 13, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: About the Family, Parenting, Children No Comments →

Its just about that time for some kids to head back to soon and for a few states I believe school is already in session.

Here are a few question: 

  1.  What grade will your child(ren) be in this year?
  2. When Does school start in your area?
  3. Have you completed all of the back to school shopping?
  4. Is your child anxious about the upcoming school year?

Kids do the darndest things…

August 12, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: About the Family, Parenting, Children, Blogroll, Uncategorized No Comments →

Ok, so get this.  Isaac (my 7.5yo) has decided not to talk today :) so he has been acting things out and writing things down… it is absolutely HILARIOUS!! 

For those of you that don’t know this kid.. uhmmm he takes after his mama and talks a mile a  minute  from the second  he gets up til’ the second he falls asleep (its in the genes) so to watch him be so creative with acting things out and  writing them down is a HOOT!!!  I thought he’d only last 5mins but so far its been close to an hr.  He can burp and laugh but he can’t talk - those were his rules.  Ohhhh this is gonna be a funny day!  It will also be a quiet day too… and he is really getting a lot of writing practice so I find this quite educational for him too  - he has already written down a full page full of questions and statements for me and his dad.

WOW have you seen the Transfromers yet?

August 11, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: About the Family, Teenagers, Parenting, Children No Comments →

WOW - I took my 7yo son Isaac out for a mommy/son day and we went to go see Transformers and I am still in AWE Of the special effects!!

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the movie it is about the Earth getting caught int he middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots (LOL) .   

While a few of my girlfriends SWEAR that my 7yo son will be totally scarred for life because of the Robot violence and the 2 times that they used the *S* word, :smirk I have to say that we both REALLY Loved the movie and  I was literally “Ohhh’ing and Ahhhh’ing” with Isaac like I was a 7yo boy!!!

What a Fun, fun day!!

Fun Kid Snack Ideas

August 11, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: Freebies, Working From Home, Goals, Parenting, Blogroll, Children, Uncategorized No Comments →

Fun Kid Snack Ideas

It’s no secret kids love to snack.  In fact left to their own devices a lot of kids would rather snack all day than sit down to full meals, but with so many snack times how do you keep snacks exciting and fun?  Here are a few healthy and fun ideas:

Fruit on a Stick – Cut up a bunch of different fruits such as apples, bananas, kiwis, mango and add a few grapes.  Thread them onto a skewer for a delicious summer time treat.  To make it a little more special add a few pieces of marshmallows between the fruit.

Quick Banana Ice - Take a few bananas and mash them in a bowl. Cover and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Remove from freezer, fluff up with fork for a healthy, ice cream like treat.

Pitta Pizza – Spread a little tomato sauce on a pitta bread and cut into small triangular pieces.  Top with a little grated cheese and place in a moderately heated oven for about 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to bubble.

Sweet Tortilla Shapes – Using small fun shaped cookie cutters cut fun shapes out of a tortilla (wrap). Place on non stick cookie sheet and lightly brush with a little butter.  Lightly sprinkle (you only need a little) with a mixture of 1 part cinnamon and 3 parts brown sugar and bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes for a sweet and crispy treat.

Frozen Mandarin Wedges – Peel a few mandarin slices and cover in plastic wrap.  Place in the freezer for about an hour for a thirst quenching treat.

Banana Wheels – Place a cup or so of cheerios in a plastic bag and using the back of your hand or a rolling pin flatten until mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Slice a banana into rounds and place a few at a time in the plastic bag.  Shake lightly to cover the banana pieces (banana wheels) with the cheerios mixture.

Mini Wraps – Lightly spread a tortilla with a little cream cheese and place one or two slices of thin ham or turkey over the cream cheese.  Roll tightly and cut into small rounds.

Jiggly Fruit – Make a portion of strawberry flavored jello per package instructions and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Open and drain a can of fruit cocktail and add to the jello and mix.  Place back in the fridge until jello is fully set.

Ants on boats – Cut a few apple wedges and spread thinly with peanut butter.  Add a few raisins over the peanut butter and enjoy.  You can also use cream cheese instead of peanut butter.

Pick and Mix – Kids seem to really enjoy finger foods rather than eating too much of one thing.  A great snack is to place a selection of finger foods on a serving plate and let the kids choose.  You can serve a combination of foods like carrot sticks, cucumber rounds, cherry tomatoes, pretzels or pretzel sticks, small savory crackers, bread sticks, little cubes or slices of cheese, small slices of ham or turkey, grapes and other pieces of cut up fruit, mini muffins, and dried fruit such as raisins or apricots. 
 

Family Game Night! Do you have one in your house?

August 09, 2007 By: Real Life Solutions Category: About the Family, Working From Home, Freebies, Children No Comments →

We love Family game night here -  Due to our busy schedules: Isaac my 7yo is in Tae Kwon Do 2 days a week and Isreal is in the church Choir that practices 2nights a week also, our Game nights usually fall on a Tuesday.

Each week we rotate picking a game to play - Isaac somehow suckers us into sitting in his room in front of the X-box plaing pokemon…lol

Last night we played UNO on my king size bed with popcorn and had the BEST Time.  Isreal is the UNO Queen here but I gave her a run for her money and beat her a few time.  Isaac altho’ just 7 hung in there and also won a few games as well.

Family game night is a BLAST here - its the one night where we order something fun to eat, meet in one of our bedrooms and just let our hair down and have FUN - no talk about school, work, problems, chores…just good ole fashioned fun!

So, do you have a family game night in your home?  If not, have you thought of giving it a try.  We’ve had one here for about as long as I can remembers - Hi Ho Cherry O’ was a CLASSIC when Isaac was about 2 … (I still find those darn cherries on the floor years later (lol)

So, let us have it what are some of your favorite games to play with your family?

Topping my list are

UNO, Life, Trouble and Twister