It probably started in preschool when your son was playing with the truck and a big mean four and a half year old just came over and stole that dump truck right out of your sweet innocent little man’s precious little hands.  How dare he?!

The fact is, kids can be mean. Shoot, adults can be mean too.  Why do you think someone created the bumper sticker, “Mean people suck”?  You can’t be with your child 24/7 to protect him from the school bully.  You can’t control what other children do; but you can control how your child reacts. Or at least hopefully you can bully proof your student.

For starters you want to ensure your precious baby isn’t on the giving end of the bullying.  Not only is it rude and wrong, it could land your assertive child a suspension. (Assertive sounds so much better than aggressive, don’t you agree?)

You would do well to explain the psychology of a school bully before your child is faced with a situation where he (or she) is the one being bullied.   The “do unto others rule’ is a good place to start.  You can also explain that often children act like a bully to mask other feelings (anger, disappointment etc.)  If your student isn’t doing anything intentional to egg on the rough and tough, the odds are in his favor he may not be a target.

Only you know whether or not your child is mature enough to understand what makes a bully act in a certain manner.  If you still have “a situation” even after you’ve thoroughly and repeatedly discussed how to play nice and how to avoid instigating any negative playground behavior, it’s time for Plan B.

Make sure that your child’s teacher is aware of the situation.  That’s not considered tattling; it’s your responsibility.  Often school can and should put an end to it once they become aware.  Ok, so you tried all that and it still didn’t stop?  Assuming you already had the discussions about defending, not offending; using words not violence, then as a last resort your child should feel free to defend himself.  While most parents teach their child that fighting is bad, getting the snot kicked out of you is bad too.

If you personally don’t have the knowledge to equip your child, then enroll him in a martial arts class.  There is absolutely no correlation between children becoming violent after attending a few self defense lessons.  Don’t you want to bully proof your student?

With all that said, remind your child that the easiest way to remedy the situation may be to befriend the bully.

School is back in session, which means your child is back in the homework grind.  Homework is an essential part to broadening your child’s educational experience to prepare them for their life, but what good does it do when most children aren’t motivated to get it done.

Their lack of motivation can cause problems for them in school and beyond. While your child may still see homework as an unpleasant chore, there are some things you can do to help make this experience a more acceptable one for them. Here’s some ways you can help them make the most of their homework time:

Give them space- Dedicate an area in your home for homework purposes. It should be a spot that is as quiet as possible without the distractions of television, radio, etc. Your child needs to be able to focus on the task at hand, so eliminating as many distractions as possible will be necessary.

Support “their time”- If you have other children or adults in the home while homework time is going on, make sure that everyone else knows and understands that the child needs quiet and should have no interruptions. Keep others away from the space you’ve provided for their homework purposes. Your child needs to know that you will support their need to focus on their work.

Remain nearby- Even though they need quiet time with no distractions, you will still need to be nearby in case they run into some problems and need some help. Don’t let them wander through the house looking for you when they want help as there can be too many distractions along the way. Let them know periodically that you, or someone else, is nearby if they have any questions.

Stick to a schedule- Homework time should be at the same time every day that they have it. Of course, life happens and this doesn’t always work out the way you want it to, but try to keep homework time at about the same time each day. Eventually, it will become routine to them and you won’t have to constantly remind them to do it.

Stock up on supplies- If possible; keep extra supplies like pens, pencils, notebooks etc. within their homework space. This will help eliminate some of the many excuses you will receive, in the beginning, about why they can’t complete their homework.

Know what their homework is- This will be a hard one for some parents as some children won’t be as willing to offer up that information to them. Try as much as you can to find out what it is and ask to see their work when their done, to ensure each assignment is completed.

Make your homework assistance a positive one- This is important. Each time they ask you or someone else for help, it needs to always be a positive experience. Never let the child feel as if they’re dumb because they came up with the wrong answer. Use encouraging words and phrases, such as, “You almost have it”, or “That was so close!” Negative responses will probably turn them off from asking anyone for help in the future; including from a teacher, so don’t let that happen.

Homework is always seen as drudgery to most children. If you keep these tips in mind and use as many as possible for your child, homework could become a more do-able thing for them to include within their day.

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As you know — I love meal planning. It makes my days run so much smoother here.  With 2 busy kids (ages 17 & and a Hubby that works a lot - having heathly meals that are easy to prepare is a lifesaver for us.

I have a great article all about how to start meal planning here.  Be sure to check it out because it is easy to follow and filled with practical tips.

Tonight: Crock Pot Chicken Thighs, Stewed Tomatoes, Black Beans Served over rice.  This meal is a family favorite and my children shread the chicken and put the mixture on soft Tortilla’s yummy

Tuesday: Chicken Salad, Cheese Bread (using the left over Chicken Thighs from Mondays Meal (smart, huh)?

Wednesday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Simple Salad

Thursday: Breakfast For Dinner (Eggs, Bacon, Fruit Salad)

Friday: Pizza night or Take out.  I make a point to ALWAYS take off on Fridays and not cook. 

So - Whats on your meal plan this week.  I’d love to hear it

Germs and Kids: An Irresistible Attraction

You’ve taken your youngest child to the park; sit her in the sandbox, only to notice she begins to eat the sand.  Perhaps your child is playing in the backyard with the family dog, and starts kissing the dog on the mouth. When it comes to germs and kids, an irresistible attraction is imminent.  What can you do to avoid these two opposites from becoming attracted to each other?

* Teach your child to cover his or her mouth when coughing. 
* Have them wash their hands frequently, especially before and after dinner, after using the bathroom, or touching animals.
* Explain to them how they can pick up germs from virtually anywhere.
* Tell them not to put any objects in their mouth, such as toys or any foreign objects they may pick up.
* Stuffed animals collect dust; use caution when children play with them. 
* If your child tells you her friend has lice, be sure to check your child’s hair to determine if she has been infected.
* Place hand wipes in your child’s lunchbox, so she can wash her hands before and after lunch.
* Tell your child not to share lunch with classmates.
* Show your child that touching or putting flowers or plants in their mouths is particularly dangerous.
* Ensure that sheets and pillowcases are washed regularly.
* Vacuum and dust your child’s room at least once a week.
* Make sure your child is properly vaccinated against all diseases.

Children have a wonderful curiosity; especially when presented with something new and shiny.  Whenever buying a toy or stuffed animal, read the label to determine if there are caustic or toxic chemicals.  While you can’t keep your child in a germ-free bubble, you can take certain precautions to ensure their attraction to germs are limited.

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Hot lunch at school can become quite expensive.   Figure on average, hot lunch costs $2.10 per day if you include milk with the meal.  If you have three children, $6.30 a day, multiplied by five days, that’s $31.50 a week… just for lunch!  Is it convenient for parents? You betcha.  Can it be expensive?  You betcha!

I’m going to give you some excellent money saving lunch ideas.  It’s important to remember that you must not embarrass your children with the lunch you force them to take (egg salad sandwiches aren’t real popular in school).  You need to come up with some fun, tasty meals that will make your child the envy of the lunch table.  The object here is to save money and ensure your well thought-out lunch doesn’t end up at the bottom of the trash barrel.

I remember a day when it was cool to bring a thermos to school.  Mine had My Little Ponies (the original ones) and my brother’s was Lost in Space.  Kid’s thermoses are quite adorable, however a word of caution: they don’t keep hot foods as hot as the trusty metal and glass thermoses.  Just be certain to preheat the thermos with boiling water, and then put the hot food directly into the thermos.  Your hot food should stay warm until lunch time, four hours later.

Leftovers make great thermos food.  Make sure you get a wide mouth, shorter thermos. You could fill it with soup, stew, mac and cheese, hamburger helper, chili, spaghetti and even hotdogs.   Another idea is to fill the thermos with taco meat with the cheese already added.  Then put a hard taco shell or a soft tortilla into the lunch bag and your bambino is ready for a fiesta!
 
Of course you could also serve cold lunches in the thermos.  How about tuna salad, macaroni salad, or spaghetti salad?  Or fill it with antipasto – variety of meats and cheeses.  Don’t forget about celery and peanut butter or crackers and cheese.  Roll-ups go over well, too.  There are a couple different variations:  Cream cheese spread on a slice of salami, with a sweet pickle inside; or instead of rolling up a slice of salami, roll up a tortilla that is stuffed with ham and shredded cheese.

Forget those pre-made lunches in a cardboard box.  Forget the standard PBJ.  Think out of the box. Economical can also be fun. Your child’s friends will try to trade their lunch for the fun meal you packed!

Charts for Bedtime and Morning Routines

“What do you mean you forgot to do that?”  I told you last night before you went to bed.  Well you better hurry or you’re going to miss the bus.”

How smoothly your bedtime routine goes will determine how smoothly your morning goes.  It’s important to have routines for bedtime as well as in the morning.  The best way to keep track of needed tasks is to use a chart.

If you leave it to your memory or that of your children, something will slip through the cracks.  In this fast paced world we live in, and with children’s developing brains, someone will forget.  I don’t know about you, but if something simple at night can make my mornings run smoother, I’m all for it.

There are a couple different options you can use with regard to charts.  One method would be to list each item that needs to be completed in a separate line on the chart.  You could list tasks such as homework completed, lunch made, backpack packed, clothes picked out, showered, teeth brushed.  Whereas the morning chart would be dressed, lunch out of refrigerator, teeth brushed, and dog fed.   Each task could get a check mark or a sticker – depending on the age of the children.

Another option would be to list all that needs to be accomplished on a separate piece of paper or chart.  Leave that on the refrigerator or some accessible location.  Then once the children have completed all their assigned tasks, one gold star, sticker or check mark could be placed on the calendar.

It doesn’t really matter what system you use – as long as it works for your family.  You may get some resistance when you introduce it.  Or you may be pleasantly surprised and the kids will look forward to not only completing their assignments but seeing the acknowledgement for a job well done.

There may be a transition time necessary for both parents and children.  That is to be expected anytime a new routine is introduced.   Hold each other accountable.  Allow them to remind you if you get “too busy” to follow through with the chart.

Make sure you catch them doing something right.  You entire family will benefit from well organized bedtime and morning routines!

It’s not always easy to be a child. It’s even harder to be the parent of a child. You have to decide about setting rules and keeping them once school starts, and that doesn’t always make you popular with your children.

Talk about the rules your children will be expected to follow as a family. Listen to what they have to say about the rules, and then decide together upon the consequences for not following them. Be prepared for some differences of opinion, but stand your ground. You may want to write out the rules and consequences, have everyone sign them, and then post them where everyone can see them.

One rule you’ll probably set once school begins again for the year is an earlier bedtime than your children have had all summer. Don’t expect your children to be enthused about having to go to bed before 9 p.m. In fact, if your child thanks you for making them go to bed earlier, you probably want to ask them why.

Choose your battles wisely. Yes, you want to deal with direct defiance and disobedience to established rules. However, if your child accidentally forgets a rule, don’t come down on them the first time. Remind them of the rule and consequence, show them grace, and let them know that will be the only time they won’t receive the consequence.

Be consistent about expecting them to obey the rules and then dole out the consequences that you’ve decided upon together. If you’re not consistent in enforcing the rules, what was the use of creating them to begin with?

Praise your children when they follow your rules. It may not seems like a normal thing to do, but giving genuine praise when they’re not expecting it may help your children work harder at obeying your rules.

Here are a few ground rules you may want to establish:

* Determine what age your children can begin dating.

* If they are able to date, all friends and dates must come to your home so you can meet and get to know them.

* They must contact you if plans change to let you know where they will be, who is driving, and when they will return.

* Insist that your teenagers and anyone they are with are not allowed to drink or try drugs while your child is with them.

* Be available to pick your child up if a date isn’t going well.

* Set reasonable curfews during the weekends and insist that they do not go out during the school week.

* Establish rules for using the internet. Talk to them about not viewing sites that contain violence or that glamorize violent acts, sexual sites, or sites that espouse hate crimes. If they cannot follow these rules, move the computer to an area where you can see what sites they are visiting.

* If you don’t mean what you say, don’t say it. Avoid saying that your child is banned from an activity for a week if you won’t follow through with it. Be sure you’re willing to suffer the consequences along with your child.

Be prepared for your child to test your rules. They want to know that you mean what you say, and ultimately that they can trust what you say. If you’re not ready to set rules and keep them when school starts, you may lose your child’s respect.

The temperatures are starting to climb.  People are preparing for summer fun and possibly summer travel.  These quick and easy summertime snacks are great for around the house, the pool, or to take with you on a picnic.  Whatever your favorite warm weather activity, these snacks will replenish your energy.

Families think they are busy when the children are in school.  However, the speed of life kicks up a notch or two when the children are home 24 hours a day.  And since they’ll be home, that means your food budget will likely double, especially when you have to provide snacks for your growing boys or girls.

You want your children to eat healthily, whether it’s a regular meal or snacks during the day.  It’s hard to find quick and easy summertime snacks that are healthy, too.  Instead of turning to potato chips or other unhealthy foods, why not give some of these ideas a try.

Plan and prepare snacks ahead of time if at all possible.  This will keep children and teens from reaching for a bag of chips.  Of course, if you don’t buy the junk food and bring it into the house, the children are much less likely to have access to it.  Cut up any fruits or vegetables you plan to use as snacks so they’ll be ready when the children say, “I’m hungry.”

One of the best snacks a growing child can get is fruit – the fresher the better!  Find foods that have deep, dark colors and you’re providing your children with something that tastes great and is good for them, too.  Succulent strawberries, peaches, or blueberries are sure to tame their sweet tooth.

To make this awesome snack, try spreading whole seedless grapes out on platter and freeze them for at least two hours.  They’re just as good as ice cream, more portable, and a great treat to cool your children down.  What’s better for Mom and Dad is that there’s no mess to clean up, so you can even take them on a road trip in the car.

Fruit and yogurt smoothies are also a great treat during the hot summer days.  Besides getting the vitamins and minerals from the fruits, you’ll also be giving your children the benefits of active yogurt cultures that are so important for growing bodies.

When you do go to the grocery store and decide to pick up snack items, make sure they’re quick and easy.  Get granola bars, raisins or other dried fruit, peanut butter, or pretzels instead of potato chips.  String cheese, apples, and celery sticks are also good snack bets.

You can’t go wrong with fresh and healthy when it comes to preparing quick and easy summer time snacks.  The closer to raw you can get them to eat, the better.  Just remember, they’re growing up and need the snacks for extra energy.  When you’re children yell, “I’m hungry,” you’ll know what to do by having snacks ready for them.

You would think moms exercise more than anyone else; between taking care of their children, cleaning the house, and running errands.  The truth of the matter is, as a mom, you need specific exercises to remain healthy and fit. Here are four exercises which will not only give you the energy you need, but allow you to face daily challenges head on.

Lunges: To perform the lunge just stands with their feet apart, and step forward, landing with the heel first. The motion is continued until the back knee is nearly touching the ground. Return to the starting position by pushing forward with the front leg, and repeat the exercise by stepping forward with their other leg. This exercise strengthens your leg muscles and hamstrings. You can even perform this work out by dusting your living room coffee table, or cleaning the bottom of your kitchen cabinets.  Make it a fun thing to do!

Lateral Shoulder Raise: Work your shoulders and upper arms by sitting straight in a chair, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Beginning with your hands at your side, raise them both up and out at the same time. Slowly bring your arms down; repeating this move at least ten times.  Now, if you do not have any dumbbells, use a gallon container of laundry detergent.  You may not reach ten, but you are certainly on your way to it. Don’t put the laundry detergent away; you’re not finished with it yet!

Back Exercise:  Again, using the containers of laundry detergent, hold one in each hand… Stand with your legs apart. Bend your knees slightly and bend your body forward at the waist. Let your arms hang down in front of you, but don’t lock your elbows. Keeping your back straight, abdominal muscles in, and knees bent, pull the containers upward towards your chest. Then, slowly lower the weights back to starting position. Now you can put the detergent back in the closet!

Stomach Exercise:  Lay on the floor with your right foot resting on your left knee.  Lift your shoulders and neck as if you are doing a regular crunch. Reach your left hand above and over your right foot. Lower your head to just above the ground. After ten repetitions, repeat the exercise with your left foot and right knee.

All of these exercises are quick and are proven to show results.  So, get started Mom!  Be sure to email me and let me know what exercises you are going to start with.

Take a look at “Get Fit While You Sit” and get 36 Exercises you can do almost anywhere, anytime!