Real Life Solutions

Many adults can remember racking their brains as kids trying to come up with creative science fair projects that were excting and fun to do in school. Well, the same holds true for our children today.

Each year, children search for creative science fair projects to do. Science Fairs are annual events where students are encouraged to design and carry out scientific investigations. At some science fairs, students also compete for various levels of recognition.

Whether or not your children win recognition or go on to compete at a state or national competition is not the focus. What is important is that your children believe in their greatness by experiencing small successes along their journey. Also, it is in the practice of science that they learn to approach life’s challenges in a systematic way. This is what this event is really all about.

Last year, my son Isaac came up with the bright idea to test potatoes and compare how they collect bacteria. He used 2 potatoes, cut them in half then rubbed one on his hands, another in dirt, one on the floor and yet another on the toilet seat. He then placed them each in individual zip lock bags and waited a few weeks while tracking his findings. The fact that his creative science fair project idea was fun and very interesting to do…. I didn’t have to do much prodding when it came to encouraging him to finish it.

Many science fairs projects take a few weeks to complete and with other school and family obligations the best student can get overwhelmed, hit a “roadblock” and cannot seem to stay on track or even finish their project. The fun and creativity comes to a hault.

I found a great resource that was filled with wonderful creative science fair project ideas that has been a help to my son over the past 3 years durign the Science Fair Months. 101 Easy Science Projects a great resource for home school parents who are looking for inexpensive ways to demonstrate different scientific principles to their children. 101 Easy Science Projectscontains over 100 science experiments that are geared for grades K to 12 so you can use it year after year and keep gathering creative science fair project ideas. Grab your copy today! It is written in simple terms, can be downloaded instantly after payment AND comes with a money back guarantee!

Children who have food allergies may not understand why they can’t eat peanut butter like their friends, or why they react so badly to milk or wheat. As a parent, you want to know how to manage child food allergies so you can help them have a long, healthy and happy life.

Food allergies are more common than you might think. However, they may not be as severe in some children as they are in others. Thankfully, some children who have food allergies while they are very young can often outgrow them by the time they are five years old.

It is important to understand food allergies and recognize the symptoms. With an allergy, the body sees the allergen as dangerous and will start attacking the food or its components with antibodies. Food allergies have the potential to be life threatening so you’ll want to take them seriously. The antibodies cause irritation which can manifest as these symptoms:

* Swelling of the lips
* Difficulty breathing
* Tingling in the mouth – lips or tongue
* Hives
* Itchy rash
* Abdominal cramps
* Diarrhea
* Vomiting

Prevention is the best way to manage child food allergies. Keep your child from having access to foods containing their allergen. Learn to be diligent in reading food labels each and every time you go shopping, as foods may change without notice. Teaching your child to read labels will train them to do this once they get older.

Teach your child to recognize the food they’re allergic to. This might mean doing some research to find out what food items might contain their particular allergen. You’ll need to learn how to properly read food labels and if there are allergens listed it would be wise to avoid purchasing those foods.

Explain to you child the importance of not exchanging food with their friends. Even though their friends’ lunch may look good, there’s no guarantee there aren’t allergens in it. It is best that they eat only the food you prepare or purchase for them. Be aware when eating out that even though some foods aren’t on your child’s allergen list, there could be cross-contamination with foods that are.

Inform your school’s cafeteria and teacher of their food allergy. Talk with your child’s doctor about keeping medicine with them just in case they have an allergic reaction while at school. Your child’s teacher and front office should have contact information for you and your child’s doctor in case of an emergency.

Having to manage children with food allergies can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. With knowledge of your child’s allergens, you will be able to learn along with your child which foods are acceptable and those that aren’t.

With the pediatrician’s help you will also know how to treat your child should they have an allergic reaction. Finally, you’ll be able to let others know of your child’s needs and know that they can react quickly should it be necessary.  The key is to be diligent when you manage child food allergies so that the child stays as healthy as possible.

The nice thing about having more than one youngster is that two or more can entertain each other. The bad thing is they tend to fight amongst themselves.

The guidelines in this post will help you step back and remove yourself from some of their conflict. Taking a neutral role may force them to learn how manage differences and get along.

If you find yourself spending a lot of time interceding in your kid’s arguments, then the following tips might save you a few headaches:

1. Teach older kids to respect other views. Help them learn to be good listeners and be sure they understand what the other person wants to say before expressing their own opinions. Emphasize the value of compromise or a win-win approach so that everyone comes away from a dispute feeling respected if not gratified. Model a similar technique in your own conflicts at home or in public so that kids can learn from your example.

2. Mediate stalemates. When you discern that the children are having trouble resolving disagreements, you may want to become a moderator, which is somewhat different from refereeing. A moderator allows all parties to take turns voicing concerns, and then asks questions or makes statements to help the group accept and consider the others’ views. Occasionally the process is time-consuming, depending on the age of the children, but it is more likely to be over in a matter of minutes as the children grow tired of negotiations and look for something more fun to do. Even a little bit of round robin communication can introduce them to fair-minded conflict resolution, a skill of vital importance to adults.

3. Keep your ears open. Even when you decide not to get involved, listen from a distance to find out how they are dealing with tensions. If one threatens or bullies the other, you may need to step in after all. But if they decide to forget it or negotiate to find common ground, even when you don’t completely agree with the outcome, stay out of it. Children will learn from failed consequences as much as they do from effective ones.

4. Divert young kids. Preschoolers who frequently tussle may not be able to discuss much of anything with each other or you, especially when tired or ill. But they can be separated from each other. Sometimes redirecting them to another activity, like a video, can solve the problem instantly.

5. Distinguish between the merely annoying and the truly alarming conflicts. Most children bicker frequently, and moms/dads generally know when it’s serious or not. When you hear screeching voices and crashing items, you know it’s time to get involved. Otherwise, you may want to bite your tongue and let your kids begin to learn how to manage their own disputes. While you have to oversee most young kid’s fights, you gradually can maintain some distance and perspective as kids grow older.

Argument is an essential part of communication, for it allows us to explore other viewpoints and reconsider our own. As your kids mature, give them increasing responsibility for managing differences with others while you, as mother/father, continue to maintain a watchful eye on the proceedings.

For further information about how you can help your teen check out Out of Control  Teen: An online parent-program for those who are struggling with their out-of-control teenagers. Learn cut-to-the-chase parenting strategies that work immediately rather than months or years down the road.

Christmas is a wonderful time to bring your family together. Many families establish certain rituals that are attached to specific holidays. This year, spice up your holidays with some fun family Christmas activities.

Christmas Caroling – Christmas carolers are almost a thing of the past. This year, gather your family, bundle up to keep warm, and go Christmas caroling through your local community. Be sure to visit your local nursing home, as they love these types of holiday celebrations.

Make a Gingerbread House – A gingerbread house is a very fun way to involve your family in a long-loved Christmas tradition. Bake the pieces to your gingerbread house, then let the entire family construct and decorate the house.

Make Handmade Christmas Cards – Instead of buying your Christmas cards, make your own this year. You can purchase all the materials you’ll need at your local scrapbook shop or craft store. Buy blank note cards then decorate them. Insert your family’s Christmas photo inside each card before you mail them out to family and friends.

Lighting of the Tree – A fun family Christmas activity is to make it a special occasion to erect and light your family’s Christmas tree. Plan a special day of family fun. At the end of the day, gather your family to decorate and light the Christmas tree. Then, sit around your beautifully decorated tree and read the Christmas story while you sip on eggnog or hot cocoa.

Chose one or more of these fun family Christmas activities that are sure to create memories that will last for a lifetime.

You’ve often heard of ‘Mama’s boys’ and ‘Daddy’s girls’ which may lead you to believe it’s not possible for moms to have special relationships with their daughters. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you’ve been having problems with your daughter lately, try some of these mother and daughter bonding ideas to help you set your relationship on the right track.

There are many reasons why it’s important for moms and daughters to have a solid relationship. Probably the most important is that mothers can help explain the changes their daughter’s body will go through in ways their fathers can’t. Moms can also understand how their daughter feels about some subjects where their fathers simply don’t have a clue. As a daughter grows older, moves out, marries and has children of her own, she will often seek her mother’s advice on how to take care of and raise her own children.

Mothers with teenage daughters often find their relationship strained. If this describes your relationship with your daughter, don’t let that stop you from reconnecting with her. Reach out to her and let her know you are there for her. If you’re the daughter, there’s nothing to stop you from reaching out to your mother as well.

Plan something you both can enjoy. Shopping is generally something women get pleasure from no matter how old they are. Take an afternoon or a day to hit the mall just the two of you. While you’re at the mall, try on clothes, get a make-up makeover and simply have fun. Your relationship may not be completely restored after a day at the mall, but it can be improved greatly.

Take a walk together. This will give you an opportunity to talk and allow you to exercise at the same time. Of course, if you prefer, you can do something else to get active together. The point is to do something which is healthy for your body as well as your relationship.

Have either of you ever been to a day spa? If not, now would be a great time to plan a day of pampering. Going to a spa can be expensive but that doesn’t mean you can’t have the same experience at home. Gather together facial masks, nail polishes, fragrant candles and some chocolates and you’ll be ready to have a day spa at home.

Men don’t generally like to go to ‘chick flicks’ and women usually won’t force the issue. If you’re dying to see a new movie and your male counterpart won’t go with you, plan a movie date between mom and daughter. You could also rent several you didn’t get to see and plan a whole day of watching movies. Don’t forget the popcorn, something to drink and plenty of tissues!

Maintaining a healthy mother/daughter relationship isn’t always easy. No matter how frustrated you might get with her, there are few relationships that are as important. Use one or more of these mother daughter bonding ideas to help you put your relationship right. When you’ve had the chance to bond again, try to keep your relationship from slipping again.

Some creative and expert advice can help ensure the holidays stay bright for your children – and affordable for you. The gift experts at Montgomery Ward offer some guidance on choosing these great gift ideas for kids:

Sensible stocking stuffing

It’s easy to get carried away when it comes to stuffing stockings. Many great items fit easily into a stocking, but small gifts don’t always come with a small price tag. Establish a budget for stocking stuffers, such as $20. Then look for simple, reasonably priced items. Younger children might love sparkly toothbrushes (you can even buy battery-operated ones for less than $10) featuring favorite cartoon characters. Toy cars, stickers or an inexpensive digital watch are great for boys, while girls might enjoy flavored lip balm or a small bottle of glittery nail polish. Older, tech-savvy children could use a USB flash drive to store music and photos.

Main-event gifts

Watching the joy in a child’s eyes as she unwraps a gift that she really wanted – or discovers the advantages of a toy she didn’t know she wanted – is the reward of creative parents. Certain types of gifts are sure to elicit just that type of response from a child.

* Remote-controlled items have been popular for decades and thanks to advances in electronics and technology, it’s now possible to find an affordable remote-control toy to tickle the fancy of almost any child. Younger children who are dinosaur aficionados may enjoy a Remote Control Dino Buddy – a stylized T-Rex that stomps around and swings his tail. Nature lovers might adore a remote-controlled skunk that pretends to “spray” without the stink. And of course, who doesn’t love remote-controlled classics like robots, cars and airplanes?

* Personalized gifts are fun for children of all ages, not to mention adults. Tots 3 to 8 are particularly fond of receiving a gift with their name on it as many of them are learning to recognize their own names. You can have a child’s name printed or embroidered on numerous items, from piggy banks and sleeping bags to rocking chairs and even wallpaper murals.

* If your youngster loves kids’ spy movies, he may jump at the opportunity to play with some fun spy gear. Items like the Wild Planet Spy Gear Lie Detector, toy night vision goggles, a Stealth Voice Changer and even a Lazer Tripwire, will encourage kids to act out their secret agent dreams.

* If you have a budding artist on your holiday list, art supplies like a big pad of blank paper and a case of colored pencils or markers can be an inexpensive way to foster creativity.

* Emerging thespians may enjoy playing dress up. Instead of pricey store-bought costumes, consider taking a trip to the secondhand store to stock up on hats, dresses, coats and accessories. Visit Wards.com for more gift ideas and to shop online.

Hopefully some of these great gift ideas for kids will help you to keep your holiday shopping low cost and enjoyable.

Across the country there are thousands of students afraid to go to school. But it may not be for the reasons you think. These kids aren’t afraid of a teacher, they aren’t afraid because they are failing a class. They are afraid, because for some unknown reason, they are the sole target of a bully.

Bullying has always been around. It is as ancient as the history of the human race. Bullying today though, has taken on a new face. Bullies are now armed with not only a fresh mouth and a hard fist, but now have at their disposal an array of technological equipment to aid their bullying. Text messages that go viral, Facebook pages inundated with hate messages, phone calls from blocked numbers and sometimes entire websites dedicated to harassing one lonely person, are the tools of the new bully.

The two most common triggers for bullying are appearance and social status. Bullies choose their victims because they may be shy and quiet, or have frizzy hair that never looks right, or because they are of a different ethnicity than the bully. The reasons seem trite and infantile, and they are. The real reason bullies bully, is because they can, the reasons are nothing more than excuses to unleash their “power” on an unsuspecting victim. Bullies feed off of the reactions of their targets. The more upset the victim becomes, the more the bully feels fulfilled. Very seldom do bullies receive any consequences for their actions, as most victims of bullying are terrified of making it worse by getting parents or school authorities involved. Bullies even exist in the adult world, often teasing and threatening co-workers, making work more of a torture than it already is.

Bullying has started to come to the center of attention in many communities. National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week is held the first week of October and this year it has been expanded to encompass activities and education for the entire month. It is a week designed to raise awareness of bullying and the unseen damage that it can do to not only its victims, but also to the bully themselves. By talking about bullying and teaching all students to not tolerate a bully’s behaviour, we can keep our children safe and our schools a haven of learning instead of a place of fear.

Download your Free Parent Guide To Battling The Bullying Epidemic

Every year nearly two million homes are destroyed by fire. In fact, fire departments are called every 90 seconds to respond to a home fire. Since fires are so destructive, do you have a fire escape plan in case the unthinkable happens in your home?

A small fire can quickly get out of control, and therefore it is important to have a fire escape plan. You want to create a plan which will enable everyone in your family to escape as quickly as possible. But what does a fire escape plan include?

Begin by drawing a basic diagram of your house including where all sleeping areas, windows and doors are located. On the drawing, show each floor of your home and where access to each one is located. When you have the drawing completed, make several copies of it so you can determine the best escape plan.

Create two plans of escape from each room of your home. Escape routes may include windows or doors. For second story rooms, you’ll want to have roll-out ladders which will enable someone to safely escape through the second story room, or plan for them to get to the lower level and escape.

Once you have the fire escape plan routes outlined for each room, practice leaving from each one as if there were a fire. This will enable you to see if there are problems with the escape routes and give you an opportunity to find a route which works best while there isn’t a fire to contend with.

Experts recommend practicing your fire escape plan a minimum of every six months, but suggest once a month is better. The more often you practice escaping from your home, pretending the fire is located in a different area each time, the better prepared you will be if the unthinkable should happen. You’ll also want to be sure everyone in the family is involved in the drills – even very young children.

Post the escape plan for each floor of your home in a location where it will be easily seen. When you have guests or caretakers in your home, be sure to point the escape plan out to them so they are aware of what has already been planned.

Have a specific place outside of the home where everyone will meet. This enables adults to know if everyone has made it out of the home. Teaching children never to go back into a house for any reason is also important.

Other things to talk about when doing fire drills with your family include:

* Teaching children that they should never hide from fire fighters. Even though they might look scary, fire fighters are there to rescue them.

* Talk about the importance of remaining close to the ground to avoid the chance of smoke inhalation.

* Touch the door before trying to leave through it to ensure the door is not hot. Touching the door handle could result in a burn since the handle is metal and will conduct heat.

Do everything you can to avoid having a fire in your home. If one should start, having a fire escape plan is the first step to keeping your family safe in the case of a house fire. However, it won’t do you any good if you don’t practice it. Practice it often to ensure your entire family knows what to do and where to go if there is a fire so they will have a better chance of avoiding injury.

Do you dream of not having to race to school to give your child his/her report or lunch that they forgot (again)? Do you wonder why you are always late to every event that involves the children? Here are 10 tips and ideas to transform you into a Super Organized Parent!

1. Have a meeting of the minds. The best way to start to get things organized is to sit down each week and go over the upcoming week. Who has projects due at school, who has practices for sports, who has band or music or dancing lessons? Fifteen to twenty minutes should do the trick, or do this over dinner one night each week.

Put all of these dates on the family calendar–in different colors for each person. Children need to be at different places across town for different things? Hopefully your spouse can help out, or a neighbor whose child is going to the same practice.

2. Make it known that your family is a team. Enlist one child each week for helping you out in being the Chore Leader. That person can be in charge of reminding family members what needs to be done.

Talk to them seriously that it is important to work as a family. Switch off each week at the family meeting. Check and see if the chores were done right away or the ‘assistant’ had to ask them to do it more than once.

3. Get together with the Joneses. Have you ever thought of a babysitting co-op with other parents? You babysit your neighbors’ kids one day, and they babysit your kids another day. This way, you can have a nice, peaceful dinner with your better half–without the kids–once in awhile.

4. Keep up with the laundry pile. Do a batch or two of laundry each evening. This will eliminate a huge washday each week. Teach your children how to sort, wash, dry, and fold–from a young age. A rule should be made that clothes are put away after each batch. Dirty clothes (and uniforms) may be confiscated if they are left on the floor. Consequences can be detailed for not cooperating, such as loss of video games for the week or no TV.

5. Get ready the night before. Stop racing around in the morning by having outfits chosen and backpacks packed before your kids go to bed for the evening.

6. Let the older kids plan some meals. Have older children plan a dinner one night a week. You could then get the ingredients when you do your weekly grocery shopping. If the child is old enough to cook, let them prepare and/or cook the dinner and the others can help, and set the table. This will give mom a break, teach the kids what is involved with food preparation and cooking, and the party that plans the meal can discuss why it was picked, what it entailed to make it, if everyone liked it or not, and would they like to have it again.

7. Get the kids to shop. If you planned your meals for the upcoming week with the kids, take them with you, have a grid of the store and hand out the lists for each one to pick up something in their area of the store. Done in no time at all.

8. Limit activities. There are only so many hours in a day, and your kids have to balance those activities with school work, household chores, family time, friends, personal time and other responsibilities. Limit after-school activities to the one or two each child truly enjoys.

9. Set your watch to sound. Use that timer on your watch and cell phone whenever you have to leave to pick up your son from school or arrive at your daughter’s ballet recital. Be sure you pad the time by at least 15 minutes, and leave when the alarm goes off.

10. Designate a FAMILY night each week. No one is allowed to go out and everyone must do something TOGETHER. You can plan to play a game, or have each child/adult take turns on what they want to do that particular family night. There should be a lot of variety in choices.

Get Organized Now – An amazing collection of 1,300 organizing tips, ideas and techniques to help you organize your home, your office and your life.

Parents want only what is best for their children. They want their children to be able look to the future with the self-confidence to reach for the stars and overcome any obstacles along the way. The following tips will give you the tools you need to help your children do just that.

The best way to raise confident children is to be confident. Show your children that you are confident in your own abilities even if that means you don’t always get what you want. Let them see you struggle toward a goal whether you succeed or not. When they realize you can feel confident in your own abilities no matter what the outcome, they can adopt the same attitude.

One way to build self-confidence in your children is to begin giving them some responsibilities. This doesn’t mean you have to give them huge tasks because all children don’t have the same abilities as others. You don’t expect a three-year-old to babysit but they can put their clothes in a hamper or pick up their toys when they’ve finished playing with them.

Give them age-appropriate tasks which you can know they can accomplish. Create routines in which they are asked to do these tasks and they’ll be more likely to do what you ask as they get older. By asking them to do harder jobs as they get older they will see how your confidence in their abilities has grown; theirs will do the same.

You may also note your children’s confidence increasing when they are allowed to make decisions. Very young children can be asked which type of cereal they would like to eat. As they get older you can give them more important decisions to make. Guide them into making wise choices and you’ll also encourage their self-confidence to grow.

Praise your children often but be careful how you do it. Some parents go overboard by praising everything their child does which gives them a false sense of identity. They might think they can’t do wrong. However, if you praise your children for the effort they put forth, not necessarily for winning or succeeding, they won’t be deterred by setbacks.

Show your children that you believe in them. Choose your words carefully. Tell them “You’re doing better at . . .” or “I appreciate how you . . .” Put notes in your children’s lunchbox to encourage them. When you believe in them, they will be more likely to believe in themselves.

Take time to listen to what your children have to say. They need to know what they say matters. Help them learn to express their fears, frustrations and emotions. Support them as much as possible, but correct them if they’re wrong.

Rather than trying to spare your children from pain or heartbreak, let them experience what happens when they make mistakes. Teach them to “own up” to their mistakes and to learn from them. When they’ve done this you will be able to guide them in the way they handle failures or mistakes.

These tips for raising confident children can be a jumping point to a whole new relationship with your child. They aren’t guaranteed to change overnight; however, it is a starting place. Use the tips which work for your situation to assist your efforts.