Before cliques, dating, break-ups and office politics, comes that first and developmentally vital tradition in a human being’s life: play dates. Play dates are a child’s first foray into the world of friends and social rules. Kids can learn a great deal about social interaction during play dates, which is…
Halloween may be a holiday for children, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little troublesome. Nearly 40 years ago when I was younger, I remember some of my parent’s concerns like razor blades in apples or treats from Ex lax made to look like chocolate candy, and avoiding…
You want to go out – just Mommy and Daddy. That’s perfectly normal, but you can’t find a family member that is available to care for your children. So you decide to hire a babysitter. Hiring a babysitter can be one of the most important choices you have to make…
Nothing captures memories and powerful moments more than a photograph. You don’t have to be a professional photographer in order to snap the perfect family picture. You can add life and interest to your family pictures with these tips. Taking Pictures at Different Levels Typically, adults stand up when taking…
Raising sports active kids is difficult, perhaps more today than ever before. Parents feel pressure to help their kids succeed. They want to keep up with other parents in an increasingly winner-take-all society. Too often, parents just like you feel that if they don’t do everything for their child, they…
Just because you’re trying to keep the family on a sensible budget doesn’t mean you have to do without everything fun. Likewise, an economical evening with the family isn’t limited to a night of shadow puppets, though in the right context, even that can be a blast! Instead of dwelling…
Helping your child to learn can be a challenge. While learning requires creative thinking, much of learning consists of rote memorization. Remember going over and over those times tables? Kids get bored easily. Your challenge is to find ways to make learning fun. #1 – Make Learning Practical Fractions can…
Having a bored child around the house is no fun for anyone. Kids have so much to entertain them these days that boredom doesn’t have to last for long, but it’s wise to look closely at what kinds of entertainment children are consuming. The most popular diversion for children is…
Let’s face it; we live in a pretty competitive world. Because of that, children may not understand the importance of sportsmanship when involved in competition. Winning can easily become the sole focus of a game, so children may not think much about the importance of good sportsmanship. Parents and coaches…
The trappings of modern American culture-TiVo/high-speed Internet/texting–make it a special challenge for families to stay fit and active. Unless you and the kids walk or bike to work or school, chances are good that you have trouble squeezing in as much daily physical activity as your family needs. Even when…