Real Life Solutions

People on the run often choose a cold breakfast or no breakfast at all because it’s the quickest. In the colder months, however, a cold breakfast simply won’t do. Why not try one or more of these nourishing winter breafast ideas  to help you prepare for your day.

Winter breafast idea #1 – A big bowl of hearty oatmeal is a great choice for a cold winter morning. Oatmeal doesn’t have to take a long time to prepare. Get it started before you get dressed and it should be ready to eat when you’re done. Soak dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or cranberries before stirring them into the bowl to add depth of flavor. Cinnamon or nutmeg would also be good as additions.

Winter breafast idea #2 - Whole wheat bread is better for you than bread made with refined flour. Use whole wheat bread to make French toast or whole wheat flour to make pancakes. Instead of syrup to top your French toast or pancakes, warm up apple sauce and spread it over them.

Winter breafast idea #3 – Barley is a grain often used in vegetable soup but it can also be used to make a warm, nourishing breakfast. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and then add 3/4 cup pearl barley and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Turn the heat down and cover, allowing the barley to cook for 45 minutes. While the barley is cooking, mix together 1/4 cup honey and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Spread the walnut onto a baking sheet and bake them in an oven set at 350F for 10 minutes. When the barley is cooked, add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup currants. Spoon the walnuts over four bowls of cooked barley.

Winter breafast idea #4 – You can’t find a heartier breakfast than an omelet when it has beans, seeds or nuts added to it. Sauté some onions, then add some precooked black beans and chopped almonds. Beat enough eggs for the number of omelets you’re making and pour that into the onion and bean mixture. Sprinkle fresh herbs and cheese over the top and allow it to finish cooking.

Winter breafast idea #5 – Don’t be afraid to try foods that aren’t traditionally thought of as breakfast foods. A thick, warm rice pudding with fruit can be just the thing you need to fill you up and keep you toasty on the inside. You can also use leftover rice from the night before to make rice with cinnamon and raisins. Heat up the rice in a saucepan and add enough milk to moisten it. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. Cook this over low heat until its warm and then enjoy it.

Winter breafast idea #6 – Prepare hot chocolate, tea or coffee to finish off your nourishing winter warming breakfast. If you start your winter days with hot food, you’ll provide your body with much needed warmth and give you energy you need for your day.

Using one or many of the great winter breakfast ideas above will be a great way to warm up your mornings and get you off to a great day.

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.

Halloween is an exciting night for children and a busy time for their parents. With such excitement, it’s easy for children to forget basic safety rules.When emotions are running high, it’s a good time to remember to “use your head.” Plan ahead and plan to have a safe Halloween. Raise safety awareness with your family before the festivities begin.We do the right thing, but we don’t always explain it to children. As you place a saucer under each tea light, or “stop, look and listen” at street corners and in parking lots, tell your child why. They don’t always connect the dots unless you point it out.

Here are some Halloween Safety Tips to keep in mind:

1. Stay sober and alert: It’s amazing how many family Halloween celebrations involve adults drinking. It’s impossible to monitor children’s safety or your own when you’ve had too much to drink, so don’t.

2. Avoid cuts and burns when decorating: Carving the pumpkin, placing luminaria in the driveway, and hanging spooky skeletons all present opportunities for injury. If you’re decorating with candles, observe fires safety. Have a good fire extinguisher handy and make sure everyone knows where it is.

3. Observe ladder safety regulations: According to the NASD, accidents involving ladders cause an estimated 300 death a year in the US, and 130,000 injuries requiring medical attention. Review ladder safety rules and observe them.

4. Make sure “treats” aren’t “tricks.”:Many people these days choose to go to fairs or private parties instead of trick or treating for safety reasons. If your child is going trick or treating, go with them. Make it a rule that nothing is to be eaten until it’s first been inspected by you.

5. Caution your child about strangers and dogs:Keep your children with you and remind them to avoid people and dogs they don’t know. Many people are taking their dog companions out in costume these days, and even the most gentle of family pets can do something unexpected with all the excitement.

6. Accidental fallsis the number one cause of injuries on Halloween night (National Safety Council). Choose your child’s costume with this in mind. Hem up the hemlines. If you choose a mask, choose one that doesn’t obstruct sight. Stay sober and observe safety rules when decorating.

7. Four times more children are killedin pedestrian/automobile accidents on Halloween night than on any other night of the year.

The CDC suggests these factors make it a high risk: short stature, inability to react quickly enough to avoid a car or evaluate a potential traffic threat, lack of impulse control, and all the exciting distractions.

8. The holiday syndrome: The excitement, more candy, more parties, less sleep, less nutritious food, and getting off schedule all mean less attentiveness and also possibly illness. Keep routines as normal as you can.

9. Choose safe and sensible costumes:Choose fire retardant costumes that allow children free movement and good visibility. Be careful about accessories. Even toy knives and swords can cause harm. Give each child a flashlight.

10. Set a good example:Show that you care about safety and make it a top priority.

Visit Real Life Solutions!  It is your resource for all of your Holiday planning needs. We provide articles and products that will enable you enjoy stress free holiday planning.

Toddlers are full of energy. For them the whole world is just one big adventure. So just how do you keep these little explores busy?

Here are a few fun and educational activities you can share with your toddler:

Draw a Giant Picture – Buy a large piece of cardboard (poster size) at your local arts supply shop and have fun drawing a huge picture with your toddler. You can use finger paints, crayons or markers. If your toddler is young just let him scribble or dab paint onto the poster board. Talk about the different colors as your drawing, for example say “Wow, your orange tree looks really nice. Mommy’s going to draw a red balloon now”

You can even take turns lying on the sidewalk and draw a body outline of each other using chalk. Once you have the outline draw in the face and features.

Make a Mask – Using paper plates help your toddler cut out eyes, nose and mouth and paint in the colors of your toddler’s favorite animal. He can be a cat, tiger or even a mouse. Once you finish with your masks, put them on and pretend to be animals. Toddlers love pretend games and this activity will help build their creativity.

Go on a Field Trip – Nothing fancy, just go to the local pet shop and show your toddler all the different types of animals or fishes. You can also go on field trip to look for bugs around your neighborhood. A field trip to the supermarket is great fun too. I’m not talking about your weekly shop but just a special field trip where you buy only a few items but your toddler can help you choose, weigh and even pay for them. This usually works great with fruit and vegetables since there are so many different types.

Show your toddler the different types of fruits and name them. Talk about the different colors and textures. Let them be just like you and place the items in your shopping cart and on the checkout counter. This is a great way for even young toddlers to start learning about their environment and the foods we eat. You can even make a special fruit salad when you get home.

Here are some easy tips that you can use to help to include more whole grains snacks for kids into your childs diet

(ARA) - Parents want the best nutrition for their children, but there is often a struggle between making healthy choices and pleasing children’s palates. Whole grains are critical for maintaining children’s health, but research shows most kids are eating far less than is recommended. The good news is that there are plenty of creative ways to resolve this nutritional dilemma by incorporating whole grain snacks for kids and whole grain meals throughout the day.

How deprived are our children?

Young people are consuming less than one serving of whole grains per day, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming at least three or more servings of whole grain per day. A recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that children who consume the most servings of whole grains have higher nutrient intake and better diets overall.

What exactly are whole grains?

Grains are divided into two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel. Because whole grains haven’t been refined, they contain higher levels of dietary fiber, iron and B vitamins. Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas and grits are examples. By eating whole grain varieties of these foods, you’ll give yourself and your children better nutrition.

What are easy ways to eat whole grains every day?

1. Make it a whole grain breakfast. The morning may be the easiest time to begin integrating whole grains into your family’s diets because many breakfast foods are available in whole grain options. Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals containing whole grains, including whole wheat cereal flakes, muesli and rolled oats. Choose whole grain bread for satisfying and tasty morning toast. Tip for parents of picky eaters: If your kids want a bit more sweetness with their whole grain breakfast, offer dried fruits to add to cereal and real fruit jam as a topping on toast.

2. Read labels. Foods labeled multi-grain, stone-ground, 100 percent wheat, cracked wheat, seven-grain or bran may not contain any whole grain. Tip for reading food labels: Check the label for fiber content. A product containing 10 to 19 percent of the daily recommended value of fiber is a good source of whole grains.

3. Stock whole grain snacks for kids. Choose snacks that contain whole grains, such as Lance Whole Grain Peanut Butter or Cheese Sandwich Crackers, which contain more than 8 grams of whole grain per serving and offer 12 percent of the recommended daily value of fiber. Visit www.Facebook.com/LanceSnacks to learn more. Tip for choosing sensible snacks: Look for products that contain zero grams trans fat, no preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup, such as Lance Sandwich Crackers.

4. Add whole grains to your dinner plate with a side dish. Don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun – add vegetables and seasoning to brown rice, quinoa or whole grain couscous for a tasty alternative to potato or pasta salad. The colorful creations make eating whole grain side dishes fun for kids of all ages. Tip for busy parents: Cook up extra rice, bulgur or barley when you have time and freeze it for use later as a quick side dish.

5. Set a good example. Say goodbye to the old food pyramid as the new diet recommendations from the USDA follow a circular icon known as MyPlate. Part of this change includes the recommendation that half of all the grains we eat should be whole grain. Kids will follow your lead; make sure that you eat whole grains often as part of your meals and snacks. Plus, research shows people who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases – so mom and dad can live healthier as well. Tip for learning more about MyPlate: If you’re still unsure about the new USDA MyPlate guidelines,visit www.choosemyplate.gov for tips and tools.

Eating whole grains benefits everyone’s diet, and with these tips, you can easily integrate whole grains into your family’s snacks and meals while enjoying delicious and healthy results. Using 1 or more of the tips above will help you to add more whole grain snacks for kids into their diet.

As you can see there are some  low fat fast food options available to you when you are in a hurry to eat but also want to make healthy choices.  Also be sure to visit Meal Planning Central for a free meal planning report.

Tips to sharpen your child’s reading skills

(ARA) – The end of summer vacation may be approaching, but there is still plenty of time for youth to read a few books to refresh their reading skills before starting school.

While many grown-ups jump at the chance to read books and magazines on vacation, children are often quick to drop the book and run toward the waves when hitting the beach, pool or campground. While everyone reminisces about those summer days from childhood, the truth is that in this age of video games, DVD players in cars and text-messaging teens, youth are less likely to pick up a book than ever. That may come at a price.

According to educators, summer reading is critical in continuing good academic performance and advancing literacy skills. Studies show that children who read several books during the summer maintain or surpass the reading skills they achieved during the previous school year. James Kim, an assistant education professor at Harvard University, claims students who read four or more books over the summer do better than those who didn’t when they return to school in the fall.

Various studies show that the “summer slide,” a dip in reading and writing skills, occurs when schools let out in June, and youth leave the classroom and studies behind until September. Research from groups such as Scholastic and the National Summer Learning Association documents that skills decrease more significantly among moderate- to low-income students, and that the summer slide increases year after year for children who continue to avoid summer reading.

If your child hasn’t picked up a book or enough books this summer, there is still time to encourage them to do so. Suzanne Poole, TD Bank’s executive vice president of retail sales strategy and distribution offers these tips:

* Read stories with your child and ask questions about the stories.
* Let your child choose books about subjects in which they are interested.
* Set aside some time each day or week as reading time so it is a scheduled activity.
* Encourage your child to say words and phrases out loud.
* Practice sounding out words your child may have difficulty reading.
* Provide the word your child is struggling with so that he/she doesn’t become frustrated and lose the enjoyment of the experience.
* Offer them incentive as motivation. Not in the sense that you are bribing them to read, but showing them that hard work offers rewards. TD Bank’s Summer Reading Program encourages kids to read and teaches them about saving money by contributing $10 into a new or existing young savers account for each child who reads 10 books throughout the summer. To sign up, visit www.tdbank.com/summerreading.
* Have fun.

If you’re reading this as you pack for your end-of summer trip, start running your kids to pre-season sports practices or hit the store for back-to-school supplies, think about picking up some books for your kids. Experts suggest even one or two books will help.

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When kids experience back to school anxiety, it can have an effect on parents as well. It seems like there’s nothing you can do, and the closer the first day of school gets, the more miserable parents and kids feel. Some practical tips on how to ease this anxiety, though, can help alleviate the back-to-school fears.

Here are some ideas that can help with back to school anxiety

Try to Understand

Maybe you didn’t ever suffer from back to school anxiety as a child; or maybe you did, but you still just want your child to get over it. However, just getting annoyed and telling your child to get over it is not necessarily productive, and may actually make anxiety worse.

Psychologists recommend a bit of understanding – while the anxiety should not be “calling the shots,” the fact that your child is feeling very real fear should be respected. Your child needs some coping mechanisms, and that means you need to address the fear rather than denying it.

Putting Things in Perspective

School can seem big and scary to a child. Psychologists recommend “putting the fear in its place” – identify the fear and give your child power over it. Give the fear a name, such as the Worry Worm, to help your child know when it’s the anxiety talking, not reality.

Tell your child that the Worry Worm says things that aren’t true (something bad will happen to me if I go to school), but your child can tell the Worry Worm to back off because he or she knows the truth (you’re safe at school). For older kids and teens, you can identify the fear in a more age-appropriate way.

Know Your Teacher

It can make all the difference if your child knows their teacher. To help ease back to school anxiety, try to set up more than one meeting with the teacher before the school year starts, so your child will be going to see a familiar face. Take a tour or two of the school and the new classroom, too.

Be Confident

Sometimes, parents can inadvertently “feed” their child’s anxiety. If you are anxious about your child’s anxiety, it can make the situation worse. Try to be confident in your child’s ability to make it through the school day. While understanding your child’s feelings is important, inflating them is not. Let your child know she can do it by being confident and decisive in leaving her.

Saying Goodbye

To help overcome back to school anxiety, some experts recommend a “goodbye ritual” to help ease transitions back into school. This can help a child feel more secure – if you say goodbye the same way every day, then perhaps your child will be more confident that you will return the same way, too.

Try coming up with something unique to your relationship with your child – a special handshake, phrase, or promise for later in the day (just make sure you follow through on any promise).

Using any or all of the tips above will help to ease back to school anxiety for both you and your child.

Real Life Guidance Report to Helping Your Teen With High School offers parenting help and shows you how to help your teen deal with the pressures of high school and also help them to be more independent!

There are many things to consider when thinking about home alone safety for kids. While some states have laws about the minimum age a child can be left home alone without it being considered neglect, you the parent are probably the best judge of when your child is ready for this milestone.

Your child should be able to perform basic self-maintenance tasks on his own, such as getting a snack and drink, answering the phone, and washing his hands. Beyond this, there’s the safety issue. Here are some tips on how to keep your child safe when he or she is home alone.

Make a Plan

First of all, make a plan and establish a routine for your child’s time alone. When thinking about home alone safety for kids plane, be sure to include the tips listed below and anything else you think of. The plan should include an emergency plan, such as what your child should do in case of natural disaster, fire, or other emergency.

Answering the Door and Telephone

As you make your plan for your child’s time alone, practice answering the door and telephone. Teach your child to take messages if you like, or if you have caller ID, you could tell your child not to pick up the phone unless it’s you calling or someone she knows.

Answering the door has more potential for danger. You might want to instruct your child simply not to answer the door at all while you’re gone, or give him a list of people who are safe. Be sure to tell your child if there are any exceptions – if you’re expecting a neighbor to come over and drop something off when just your child is home, for example.

Friends Allowed

If it’s okay with you and the other child’s parent(s), you might want to arrange to let your child’s friend come over during your absence. Make sure these arrangements are clear and made ahead of time, and let your child know that no other friends are allowed to come over at that time except the pre-approved one.

Call and Check In

One of the most frequently used home alone safety for kids tips is to be sure to call your child and check up on him frequently, making sure he knows to call you back if he can’t get to the phone when you call. Consider giving your child a cell phone to have “on him” at all times.

Emergency Numbers

Speaking of telephones, keep a list of important phone numbers where your child can easily see them. This should include (at least) 911, key family members or friends, and the poison control center.

Using the home alone safety for kids tips that are outlined above will help to keep your child safe when home alone.

Summer is here and families everywhere are planning out some fun vacations to celebrate the beautiful weather. Amusement parks and renting cabins are popular ways to spend your summer, but not everyone can afford them.

Here are some no-cost ways to spend your summer with the whole family throughout the season:

Start a book club- Pick a spot in the backyard, and lay down a blanket large enough to fit the whole family. Have some cookies, lemonade and whatever snacks you choose to have. Use a book from the library and take turns reading it out loud. You can even discuss some things that occur in the book. Consider making it a weekly event and invite your neighbors and friends to participate as well.

Treasure Hunt- Some kids are into anything to do with pirates. You could plan a treasure hunt with their help. Scour your backyard, local beach or park and find things you could put into a treasure chest. The kids could also make some of their own items to place in the chest too. Spend some time searching for pirate information on the internet and use what you find to make up your very own treasure map. Then bury the chest or hide it in the house and let the kids try out the map they created.

Gardening- Make up a small garden or use a small portion of your existing garden. Let each of your children have a row or small area to use to grow whatever they choose to. Each child is responsible for taking care of their own crops. Help them research the item they chose to grow so they can see how to best care for it. When their crop is ready to harvest, they can reap from the hard work they put into growing it.

Help your child’s interests to grow- Find out what interests your child and help them research it. If your child is into sports, you can research their favorite team or print images off the net and start a scrapbook of their team. If your child is into crafts, you can research craft projects on the net and find some that are no-cost and interest the child. Teenagers may be more interested in playing a game of basketball, baseball or visiting a zoo.

Movie night- Some libraries have movies you can rent. Pick a night each week and watch a movie the whole family could enjoy. The children can take turns picking out what they want to watch for that week. Have your bowl of popcorn or whatever snack you choose, and sit back with your family in your own “home theater”.

There are plenty of ways to spend some fun time during the summer that doesn’t cost you money. Use your creativity, imagination, and get ideas from your children on what they would like to do. Plan some of those activities as a family and enjoy your summer.

To gain more tips on family fun, visit Real Life Guidance To Finding More Family Time it’s a lifesaver for so many parents.

For every child who dies from drowning, another four are injured in nonfatal drownings, CDC statistics show. Many of the children who survive will face lifetimes of long-term disabilities. Typically, when a child drowns, the parent or caregiver has been away from the child for less than five minutes according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

“The single most effective thing parents can do to protect their children from drowning is to ensure they know how to swim,” says Debbie Hesse, executive director of the USA Swimming Foundation. “Learning how to swim is not only a fun way to encourage exercise, it can save a child’s life.”

Unfortunately, lack of swimming knowledge is common among American children, especially among minority populations. In fact, seven out of every 10 African-American and Hispanic children cannot swim, according to a national research study by USA Swimming and the University of Memphis. African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times higher than their Caucasian peers, the CDC reports.

To help combat these statistics, the USA Swimming Foundation has granted more than $1.5 million dollars to communities across the nation to help provide free or discounted lessons so that all children will have the opportunity to learn to swim.

This June, the Foundation will launch its annual cross-country water safety tour, Make a Splash with Cullen Jones, presented by ConocoPhillips. The tour aims to raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim. The USA Swimming Foundation offers parents five tips for keeping children safe in and around water this summer:

1. Teach children to swim. It’s the best way to be safer in the water. Research shows that parents are the most influential factors in whether or not a child learns to swim. Only 13 percent of children from non-swimming households will ever learn to swim, according to national research conducted by the University of Memphis for USA Swimming.

2. Make sure a responsible adult is watching the water at all times. Drowning can be completely silent, and most child drownings occur when the victim has been out of sight for less than five minutes.

3. Remind kids to always obey the rules of the pool, not to jump on or dunk other swimmers, and not to jump or dive unless they know how deep the water is.

4. Require kids to always swim with a buddy.

5. Remember, you don’t have to be at a pool to drown. Lakes, rivers, large puddles and any other bodies of water also require caution. Make sure your child knows how to swim, whether or not they’ll be around a pool this summer.

“Swimming is unique in that there is a lifesaving element to it – it can be fun and competitive, but learning to swim can also save a life,” Hesse says. “It’s a skill every child needs, and one that every child should have regardless of their social or economic situation.”

As part of its Make a Splash water safety initiative, the USA Swimming Foundation, in partnership with ConocoPhillips, is providing resources for families, including swimming lessons that are low cost or even free, depending on a family’s economic need. To find local learn-to-swim groups in your community, visit www.makeasplash.org.

Using the water safety tips for kids above will be a great way to start off the summer on a safe note.