Real Life Solutions

At time, figuring out  some age appropriate responsibilities for children can be hard.  Issuing out chores to your children is one way to help to instill responsibility into children and they can start chores at an early age. Many parents today are looking for ways to teach their kids to be responsible, and chores are a great place to start. Here are some suggestions for chores – and how to introduce them – that can be done by elementary school-age kids.

Rewards

You don’t have to pay your kid to make her bed, but psychologists agree that a reward system, or positive reinforcement, can go a long way toward motivating your child to do his or her chores. Rewards can take the form of privileges, such as television time, video games, time on the phone or internet, etc. Earning rewards for doing chores tends to work better than receiving punishment for not doing them, say psychologists.

Age Appropriate Responsibilities For Children

Elementary school spans Kindergarten to fifth grade. So, here are some ideas for those grades and ages. Of course, chores for younger kids will already be a part of the chore regimen by the time you get to older grades – the following lists of chores are intended to build on, not replace, each other.

Kindergarten (age 5-6)

This age tends to respond well to simple chores. You can also use this simple approach with older kids for whom this is a new concept. Some ideas include:
* Feeding pets
* Watering plants

First Grade (age 6-7)
* Sweeping the floor
* Emptying trash cans throughout the house into a garbage bag
* Washing bathroom or kitchen sink

Second and Third Grade (age 7-9)
* Vacuuming a small room
* Setting the table
* Clearing the table
* Loading dishwasher or washing/drying dishes

Fourth Grade (age 9-10)
* Taking out the garbage
* Walking the dog
* Making part of dinner (such as a salad or side dish)
* Washing the car

Fifth Grade (age 10-11)
* Making dinner
* Helping with laundry
* Vacuuming several rooms

Helping Them Out

While the list above gives many examples of age appropriate responsibilities for children, it is important to help your child get acclimated to the idea of chores, lists can help. If your child likes organization and takes satisfaction in completing tasks, lists with squares he can check off might help.

A competitive child might respond to timed chores. For example, time how long a certain chore takes him and then see if he can beat his time next time (while still doing a good job).

You can also elicit your child’s help in making a chart or list of chores and privileges, or just the chores. He or she can illustrate the list or decorate it with cut-outs from magazines. If your child participates in thinking up chores and creating the list, he might be more likely to be motivated to do the things on the list.

By using the tips and ideas above you will be well on your way to issue out age appropriate responsibilities for children in your home.

(ARA) – Pens, pencils, erasers, paper – these are the school supplies students need year after year and are on almost every parent’s back-to-school shopping list. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the only supplies students need to survive the school year with ease. Instead of waiting until your student realizes what he’s missing once it’s too late, shop now for these easily overlooked back-to-school essentials.

“Most students have that ‘oh no’ moment once they’re under a deadline and realize they don’t have the right materials to complete it or when they’re already stuck in a difficult situation,” says Rebecca Smith of Master Lock. “Using past experience to think ahead and shop early will help students – and parents – avoid those dreaded moments and navigate the school year a bit easier.”

1. Pencil sharpener. You’ve got the pencils, but sharpening them can be a real hassle as not all classrooms have a functioning built-in sharpener. To help students avoid trips to and from their desk during important tests, purchase a small pencil sharpener with a built-in shaving collection system that can be stored in a backpack pocket.

2. Portable stapler. Students are often in need of a quick staple, yet a stapler is nowhere to be found. A small, portable stapler can be a major timesaver for students who are frequently required to turn in multiple-page assignments.

3. Umbrella. Whether walking to class on a college campus or home from middle school, umbrellas are an easily overlooked school essential that pay dividends in student comfort. A collapsible model that fits in your student’s backpack or book bag will be easiest to carry whenever the weather looks questionable.

4. Correction fluid or tape. For last-minute, on-the-go fixes to important school assignments, a bottle of white correction tape or a correction pen is a must when re-printing or re-doing isn’t an option.

5. USB flash drive. Since so many school projects are now completed on computers, a USB drive makes it easy to save files and work on them anywhere. Whether your student is working on a paper at home, or on a group presentation at a friend’s house, files will be easily accessible.

6. Stain remover pen. From lunch spills, to grass stains to stray pen marks, students appreciate being able to touch up messy spots that wind up on their clothing throughout the day. Where water doesn’t always work, portable stain remover pens work well on hard-to-remove spots.

7. Security products. School supplies become useless if they’re stolen from your student. To help avoid theft, invest in at least four types of security products: a padlock for students’ school or gym lockers such as Master Lock’s Speed Dial combination lock, a backpack lock to deter pickpockets, a portable mini-safe that can help keep valuables safe in a dorm room or in transit and a lock to attach to your laptop or desktop computer.

8. Three-hole punch. From organizing class notes and handouts in a three-ring binder for easy review, to binding presentations before turning them in, students find endless uses for a three-hole punch after investing in one.

9. Mints or brush strips. Since many schools do not allow gum in classrooms, mints or brush strips are great options for students to carry with them for use after a potent lunch.

10. Water bottle. If your school allows it, help your student stay hydrated by providing them with a portable water bottle that can hang from a backpack via a simple carabineer. A hydrated student equals a happier and more productive student. Water bottles are particularly handy if the school is older and not equipped with air conditioning.

For more advice on back-to-school essentials, visit www.masterlock.com. Also check out our Time Saving Back to school Tips.

Wilmington, DE, August 3, 2011 — Many parents have a hard time deciding if their kids are well enough to go to school. What well-intentioned parent hasn’t sent a child off with tissues in hand, only to get that mid-morning “come get your child” phone call?

But if your child is feeling better, making the right decision isn’t as tough as you might think. It basically boils down to one question: Is my child contagious? Infections that are contagious, like strep throat, require a day at home with appropriate treatment.. Most daycares and schools won’t let kids return until after a fever has broken naturally (without fever-reducing medicines) for at least 24 hours.

“When kids come into contact with germs, they can unknowingly become infected simply by touching their eyes, nose, or mouth,” says Kate Cronan, MD, medical editor at Nemours’ KidsHealth.org and a pediatrician at the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. “And once they’re infected by contagious germs, it’s usually just a matter of time before other family members come down with the same illness.”

So what infections should parents be concerned about as kids head back to school? KidsHealth.org, the # 1 website for children’s health and development, says these are the top 5 illnesses parents should look out for during the school year:

Pinkeye: Also known as conjunctivitis, pinkeye is very contagious when caused by viruses or bacteria. To prevent spreading pinkeye, kids should wash their hands often with warm water and soap; not touch their eyes; and avoid sharing eye drops, makeup, pillowcases, washcloths, and towels.

Strep Throat: Strep throat spreads through close contact, unwashed hands, and airborne droplets from sneezing or coughing. Anyone can get strep throat, but it’s most common in school-age kids and teens. To prevent the spread of strep throat: keep a sick child’s eating utensils separate and wash them in hot, soapy water or a dishwasher; the child shouldn’t share food, drinks, napkins, or towels; teach your kids to sneeze or cough into a shirtsleeve, not their hands.

Head Lice: Lice are common among kids ages 3-12 (affecting girls more often than boys), but anyone can get this infection. It’s not a sign of poor hygiene and lice do not spread disease. Parents should discourage sharing combs, brushes, hats, and helmets with others to help prevent the spread of lice.

Molluscum Contagiosum: This skin rash is common among kids 1-12 years old, yet many parents are not familiar with molluscum contagiosum. It spreads easily, most commonly through direct skin-to-skin contact, but kids can get it by touching objects with the virus on them such as toys, clothing, towels, and bedding. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water and avoid sharing towels, clothing, or other personal items to prevent its spread.

Walking Pneumonia: Walking pneumonia is the leading type of pneumonia in school-age kids and young adults. It spreads through person-to-person contact or breathing in particles sent into the air by sneezing or coughing. Walking pneumonia usually develops gradually and can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Encourage kids to wash their hands thoroughly and frequently to prevent its spread.

Want more information about common childhood illnesses and infections? Visit KidsHealth.org or download KidsHealth’s free iPhone app, Is it Contagious? Featuring 85+ infections and illnesses, the app answers common questions parents ask and helps identify and assess the contagiousness, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the most common childhood infections. To download the free app, search “Is It Contagious?” on the iPhone App Store.

When incorporating frugal living tips into your life, be sure to include the internet. There are many frugal living tips that you can incorporate into your live while using the internet to your advantage.

In todays world, using as as many frugal living tips as you can find can make a huge difference to your bank balance, and this is now easier than ever thanks to the internet. Here are four ways you can get online and help make the task of saving money as simple as possible.

1) Use Price Comparison Websites

There are more and more price comparison websites popping up all the time. These are great for saving money, especially when you’re buying things such as insurance, as it won’t take you long to look something up. Never buy car, health or home insurance without checking these sites first, and it’s still worth checking even if you’re currently tied into a policy (you can switch as soon as it ends)!

But it’s not just the big things that count. Some of the best frugal living tips include using price comparison websites to search for the price of groceries and other common items you buy. It’s well worth it, as every little saving will soon add up.

2) Sign Up To Daily Deal Sites For Your Area

This is one of my favorate frugal living tips! You’ve probably heard of Groupon, a site that delivers daily deals for different areas. These are often things you don’t need, such as manicures or other beauty treatments. But sometimes you’ll find excellent offers that make it worth signing up. Do a search for various deal sites that serve your area, but before you spend any money make sure you search their names to check that they’re legitimate.

3) Sign Up To Coupon Mailing Lists

Many different companies will have their own mailing lists online, so get signing up to the stores you shop at frequently and you’ll probably get some great coupons sent directly to your inbox. This is far easier than signing up to traditional paper mailing lists, with the added benefit that you can cancel them with one click if you find they aren’t as useful as you’d hoped.

4) Use Forums To Keep You Accountable

Last on the list of online frugal living tips is to sign up to a money saving forum to meet likeminded people. This will stop you going mad during those moments where you feel as though you’re missing out by being so frugal. You can even post public saving goals and challenges to help keep you accountable.

One Important Thing You Need To Remember

There’s one thing you need to remember throughout all of this: a deal is a not a deal unless you wanted to buy it anyway! What that means is that you shouldn’t go spending extra money on “deals” you find on the internet, unless you already had a use for the item or service. If you do, you’ll actually end up spending more money than you would have originally. Use these frugal living tips wisely!

To find out how to get organized and put these strategies to use right away, visit: The Definitive Guide to Home Organization for Busy People today and get your life and home organized and clutter free forever!

When it comes to sun safety for kids, you can never be too careful. Most kids rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18, so it’s important that parents teach their children how to enjoy fun in the sun safely. With the right precautions, you can greatly reduce your child’s chance of developing skin cancer.

Here are some great tips regarding sun safety for kids that you should keep in mind:

1) Shade – We all know that sunscreen is essential for protection against harmful rays. However, the number one rule when it comes to sun safety for kids is to refrain from being in the direct sunlight for long periods of time. When kids are playing outside, they should try to seek shade or create it with an umbrella between the hours of 10 am – 4 pm when the sun is at it’s strongest.

2) Sunscreen – Kids will be kids and it can be difficult to keep kids in the shade for too long, so be sure to protect them with sunscreen while they’re playing outdoors. Help avoid this risk by using SPF 30 or above for children aged 6 months or over, and always use a sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays. Reapply once every couple of hours, and after swimming (even if using waterproof sunscreen).

3) Clothing – Another easy way to demonstrate sun safety for kids is to carefully choose their summer wardrobe. Start by making sure they wear a sun hat whenever they’re going to be in the sun for any length of time. These protect vulnerable areas such as the face, ears and neck (that are often missed by sunscreen). Wearing long clothing will also help to protect your child’s skin, though not all clothing is created equal.

You can buy specific clothing for the sun, sold with a UPF rating to help determine how much sunlight gets through. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends choosing clothing with a UPF rating of 30 or above. You should use sunscreen in combination with standard clothing to get maximum protection against the sun’s rays.

4) Don’t Forget The Eyes – Your kids should be wearing sunglasses too! Long term exposure to the sun can increase the chance of cataracts, so make sure your kids are protected with sunglasses offering 100% UV protection (not just any darkened lenses). If your child really won’t wear sunglasses then a wide-brimmed hat is another option.

Sun safety for kids is even more important than for adults. A child’s skin is especially delicate, and overexposure to the sun in early years can have a huge impact on their risk of developing skin cancer later in life. Remember, the sun’s rays can still do harm even on a cloudy day, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!

In this day and age, just about everyone is looking for tips for budgeting and saving money. Many people aren’t aware of all the ways money slips through their fingers, and they’re not sure why they never seem to have enough. Paying attention to your spending habits and making some changes where necessary is a great tips for budgeting and saving money every month.

Follow these tips for budgeting and saving money and you will be able to get your finances in order:

1) Brown Bag it. – The amount of money you can save by making your own lunches and taking them to work each day is staggering. When you take in your own lunches every day–made from leftovers or sandwich fixings, you will be spending much less than you would at even the least expensive restaurants and diners. Healthy eating is easier as well when you make your own lunches since most take out has extra calories and lots of fat and salt. Eating out also takes up a lot of time which can be a problem for those with tight schedules. Making lunch for yourself is an easy way to to start budgeting and saving money.

2) Plan your shopping – Learn to shop methodically and not on a whim. The absolute worst time to buy holiday gifts, for example, is just before the holidays. You should wait for the holidays to be over when you wait for things to go on sale.

Not only is this a great budgeting and saving money tip but it’s a lot less stressful to shop like this because you’ll avoid all of the crowds and that feeling that you have to buy something right away. Similarly, winter and summer clothing is most expensive right before those seasons have started. Plan ahead and buy things both as gifts and for yourself when they are the cheapest. Stores typically charge more for products when everybody wants to buy them so if you do some advance planning, you’ll get the same items for much less.

3) Buy more now, to save more now and later. – The price of food is always going up, even faster than most peoples’ incomes. If you want to respect your budget, you need to figure out how to save money at the store.

Most of the time people shop for groceries when they need them and that means that they end up paying money depending on what the store wants to charge. Buying lots of groceries when they go on sale is a great way to save money at the store. You obviously can’t do this with items that perish like dairy, meat and fresh produce but you can do it with everything else like canned goods, frozen foods, etc. Look for clearance sales and similar specials to help you stock your pantry and you will quickly see that you are spending much less on groceries than you used to.

When you start to think creatively, you will see lots of ways that you can start budgeting and saving money. For the most part, people spend a lot more than they absolutely have to on things like food, entertainment and shopping because they don’t take the time to search out more reasonably priced alternatives. In addition to helping you save money, the tips in this article will help you train your brain to be more frugal as well.

Follow any or all of the above tips for budgeting and saving money and watch your savings slowly increase.

Additional Resources

Summer is here aand one of the great things about summer vacation is the trip in the family car. Are you ready for a road trip? Here are some tips to help you to organize your road trip preparation and make your you trip memorable.

Road trips can be fun for adults and kids. Most think about the drawbacks of being cooped up in the car for long periods of time. But, there is an upside to this scenario. The trip can be fun and hazard free.

With that said, here are some tips for good road trip preparation:

* Get the car serviced – No one wants to end up sweating in the heat in a car that has a flat tire or an engine that has run out of anti-freeze. Have your car checked out to be sure that all parts and pieces are working properly.

* Carry a car care kit – Just in case something untoward happens, be ready. Stock your trunk with jumper cables, a gallon of water, flags, flares, a jack and a flashlight. Don’t forget to renew your AAA membership to handle any roadside emergency.

* Keep the kids entertained – Many people forget about keeping the kids occupied when they start their road trip preparation.  For the road trip, try to think outside the box. If you bring the same toys and games that kids play in the house, they will get bored really quickly. Try something that will peak their interest and provide hours of fun.

Don’t forget the music CDs and DVDs that they haven’t watched before. Create a survival pack for smaller kids. Display it in a hanging pocket that can be suspended from the front seats so they can grab what they want without you having to constantly turn around.

* Bring supplies – When people eat in the car, it can get messy. Don’t forget plastic trash bags, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels, tissues and toilet paper. You never know when you might need it. For drinks, have sippy cups for toddlers. Plastic cups and straws can get messy for someone learning to drink from a cup.

* Extra sleeping gear – Sleeping in a car can get uncomfortable.  Another great road trip preparation tips is to prepare to make the care more pleasant with travel pillows, neck pillows for kids in car seats, blankets and comfortable shoes when you want to take your hard shoes off.

* Odds and ends – Thee are the essentials that we often don’t think of until we need them. This includes cell phone and DVD chargers, video camera and extra batteries, navigation system, first aid kit, sunglasses, cooler with ice and snacks, bags for dirty clothing and window shades to keep out the sun.

By using many of the road trip preparation tips above, you will be prepared to have a joyful time in the car.

If you’re looking for fun Easter party games for your next Easter party or gathering, you’ll love this article. There’s something here for everyone.

Here are some great ideas for fun Easter party Games.

It goes without saying the Easter party game of the day will be the egg hunt. These will be very much anticipated and depending on the ages of the kids you can decide whether to do a traditional egg hunt, a separate hunt for the younger kids and a more difficult hunt for the older children (to avoid the older children grabbing all the eggs and little ones being left empty handed).

More fun Easter party games –

You can also do a clue style egg hunt where you place different clues on cards and the children go from one clue to the next finding a small egg at each destination and a final much bigger egg or eggs at the last clue.

Egg and Spoon Race

Easter is the perfect time for this. You can use raw eggs which is the traditional way to play for older kids and can use boiled, dyed Easter eggs for younger kids.

The kids split up into teams and take turns racing against each other. The object of the game is to NOT drop the egg, the team who finishes first wins! This type of game is lots of fun and can burn off a tremendous amount of energy.

Pin the Tail on the Easter Bunny

Cut out a large bunny shape out of construction paper or buy a large bunny cut out and cut out the tail. Give each child a cotton ball with a double sided piece of tape on it, blindfold and let the children take turns pinning the tail on the Easter bunny. This is, of course, a spin on the traditional pin the tail on the donkey. Lots of fun.

Bunny Races

Using sacks or old pillow cases, set up a bunny race. Divide the kids into teams and let them take turns racing. They have to hop in their bunny sacks to the finish line.

Most fun Easter party games can be adapted to suit children of all ages with a bit of creative thinking.

(ARA) – Cyberbullying, the bullying of a person through the use of an electronic device such as a computer or cell phone, is becoming a growing national problem. Anyone can be a victim of cyberbullying, but students are frequent targets. From fake Facebook pages, to the posting of embarrassing videos and photos, to Kick a Ginger Day (harassing red-headed people based on a 2005 episode of South Park), more than 20 percent of today’s U.S. students, ages 10 to 18, report being a victim of cyberbullying (26 percent for girls versus 16 percent for boys).

Because of a number of highly publicized cases of cyberbullying – including most recently, the suicide of a Rutgers University freshman whose roommate posted a video of the student having sex in his dorm room – colleges, school districts, law enforcement and state legislatures are taking action to address cyberbullying.

More than two dozen states have specifically enacted legislation or updated statutes to address the growing problem of cyberbullying, according to FindLaw.com, the leading online resource for legal information. Most new laws mandate that school districts enact policies involving cyberbullying, and take steps to suspend or expel students who engage in it.

Here are some tips from FindLaw.com on what parents can do now to prevent cyberbullying, and what to do if you suspect that your child is being singled out by cyberbullies:

* Ask about friends or other kids. Your child may be reluctant to open up about being the victim of cyberbullying. Start the conversation by asking your child if he has heard about other kids at school who have been victimized. Because girls are more likely to be targets of cyberbullying, ask your student about groups of girls being mean to other groups or a specific girl, or if they’ve heard about boys texting inappropriate photos of girls.

* Watch for signs. Does your child seem withdrawn? Reluctant to use some forms of technology? Maybe depressed? These are generalizations, but if you’ve noticed any changes in your child’s behavior, he or she may be the victim of technology torment. Have you noticed your child exiting out of a computer screen or smart phone quickly when you walk into a room? Is he or she spending an increasing amount of time on the Internet each day (specifically at night) or using multiple online accounts? Your child could be a cyberbully.

* Set boundaries. It’s critical to talk to your child about cyberbullying – what it is and what to do if your child feels threatened. In addition, parents should set clear boundaries about your young person’s use of technology. Clearly communicate your expectations for responsible use of technology and that, while you respect your child’s privacy, you intend to monitor it. Explain the consequences if you believe your child is abusing or misusing technology such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, an e-mail account or mobile device, or if it is interfering with their school work.

* “It’s just a joke.” Many kids may not perceive that they are involved in cyberbullying. Creating a fake Facebook page, sending embarrassing photos of another student to each other with a cell phone or other actions involving the Internet or mobile communications may be perceived by kids as “normal,” what other kids at their school do, or as “a joke” or “prank.” In fact, based on school policies or local or state laws, those “jokes” could get your child in a lot of trouble.

* It’s illegal. Cyberbullying is serious and, in a handful of states, illegal. If your child is involved in cyberbullying another child, he or she could face legal consequences, and you, as a parent, could become embroiled in a lawsuit if the parents of a student victimized by your child sue your child for emotional damages. In a growing number of cases across the country, students are being held responsible for cyberbullying, facing consequences that range from expulsion from school to prosecution.

* Passwords are private. Tell your kids not to share their online passwords with friends. A common way that kids bully each other online (posting hurtful comments or sending fake messages) is to do so from another kid’s account.

* Friends don’t send embarrassing photos. Make it clear to your child and his or her friends – it is not cool to send embarrassing photos taken at school events, parties, dances and other events to other students, who may ridicule or taunt the student in the embarrassing photo.

* It can haunt you. What many kids and adults don’t realize is that what you post on Facebook and other social media can remain accessible on the Internet for years and years. Those hurtful comments, snide remarks and embarrassing photos (including inappropriate photos of their bodies or body parts) can be searched by college admissions offices and future employers.

* Others are watching. Parents should strongly recommend to their kids that they never, ever post or send to anyone photos of themselves in sexually suggestive poses. There have been numerous legal cases of boyfriends forwarding photos of their girlfriends (or ex-girlfriends) to other students. Such photos can make their way to the Internet and into the watchful eyes of child porn addicts.

* Monitor e-mails with teachers. It’s sad, but true: Students can be intimidated and bullied by their teachers and school coaches, too. Insist that your young person always copies you, the parent, on any and all messages with their teachers and coaches.

* School policy. Find out if your school has a policy about cyberbullying. Many schools are just starting to develop these policies (in some states, schools are mandated to do so under state law). Unlike physical or verbal bullying that takes place on school grounds, most cyberbullying takes place outside of normal school hours. Going through your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO or PTA), advocate that your school set a policy for cyberbullying outside of school hours.

* Safe place. Cyberbullying is very real and it is possible that your student could at some point be one of its victims. Ask your school to create a safe place or resource for kids to report cyberbullying – such as a voicemail tip line – and ask your school to invite speakers to address the issue.

For further information and how you can protect your child while on the internet and from cyberbullying, click here!

It’s often been said that children learn what they live.  So if you’re looking for a place to start helping your child build positive self esteem and self value, then you should show them your positive sense of self and strong self esteem.  Be positive when you speak about yourself and highlight your strengths. This will teach your child that it’s okay to be proud of their talents, skills and abilities. 

Your child also benefits greatly from honest and positive praise.  Find something about them to praise each day.  You could even give your child a task you know they can complete and then praise them for a job well done after they’re finished. Show your child that positive acts merit positive praise. 

When your child’s feeling sad, angry or depressed, communicate openly, honestly and patiently with them. Listen to them without judging or criticizing.  They may not fully understand why they feel the way they do, so the opportunity to communicate with you about it may be what’s needed to help them sort through a difficult situation.  Suggest positive behaviors and options as solutions, and make sure to leave that door of communication open so they know the next time they feel badly, they can come to you for help and know that you won’t judge or punish them for how they’re feeling.

Teach your child the importance of setting goals and developing a plan to meet that goal and complete that task.  Small projects are the best to start off with in the beginning.  Ensure that it’s an appropriate task for your child, and not too complex.  Don’t only give praise at the end of the project, but praise their accomplishments during the project as well.

Most importantly, tell your child “I love you” each and every day – many times throughout the day, in fact.  When they’ve behaved badly, remind yourself that it’s not them you don’t like, only their behavior.  Tuck short, sweet notes in their lunchboxes or coat pockets, or even send them a card in the mail.  Soon, they’ll learn to say “I love you” just as easily and honestly in return.