Search Results for: blog keeping your kids safe during the holidays

How to Survive the Holidays with Social Anxiety

The holidays are hectic. While some people do enjoy being extra busy, and more social than typical, those kinds of experiences are difficult for those who have social anxiety. One cannot simply opt-out of all social gatherings. Here are some tips to help people who have social anxiety survive the holidays. WebMD says that social anxiety disorder is also called social phobia. They describe it as “an anxiety disorder in which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations.” A person with social anxiety disorder is afraid that he or she will make mistakes, look bad, be … Continue reading →

Christmas Safety Tips for Parents of Toddlers

Everyone wants to have their holiday vacation be a pleasant one. Ideally, everyone in your family should be warm, safe, and happy. One way to help ensure a merry Christmas is to follow some of these holiday safety tips. These are geared for new parents and for parents who have small children. Toddlers will grab trees. Many parents make use of a playpen from time to time. Some parents use the playpen as an easy place for their toddler to take a nap. Others put their toddler safely into the playpen so they can quickly run to the bathroom or … Continue reading →

Getting Their Drivers License

Oh that glorious day when your teenager can finally get a license! As a single parent I looked forward to that day but I dreaded it as well. Having to get up at 5am most mornings made picking Hailey up from her job at that mall at 10pm more than a little inconvenient, I was tired. Then there were the rehearsals for drama club and doing homework at a friends house and a million and one other reasons that she needed to be taxied from point A to point B. I was very glad that our state, Utah, requires kids … Continue reading →

Safe Holidays For Pets and Children

The holiday’s are such a joyful time, no one wants to think that they can also be such a hazardous time as well. Our homes are filled with things that are not usually there, Christmas trees, poinsettias, holiday foods and other decorations. If you have a little one in the house you know how hard it can be to toddler proof your Christmas. Toddlers will pull over Christmas trees, pull tablecloths off tables and eat anything they can get their hands on. Most of us are hyper vigilant about the kids this time of year, but what about our pets? … Continue reading →

Make a List and Check It Twice

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the countdown to Christmas is officially underway, it’s time to fine-tune your list-making skills. This is especially important if you are a parent. The holidays can add even more stress to an already busy life juggling kids, career and a home. Still, no parent wants the season to slip by without making lasting memories with their children. Participating in Christmas-themed activities with your kids is a great way to bring the holiday to life and underscore the true reason for the season. The following are just a few of the many fun and meaningful … Continue reading →

Stress-Free Black Friday with the Kids

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again… and again: I don’t know what kind of parent takes young children shopping in the wee hours of Black Friday. Clearly, we can deduce that the parent is frugal, as he or she is willing to do whatever it takes to score a sizeable discount on Black Friday merchandise. In addition, it is probably safe to say that said parent is a law-abiding citizen, especially if the only other option she has is to leave her baby home alone or locked in an unattended car. Both could lead to an … Continue reading →

Cures for Cabin Fever

For most parents today is the day they have been looking forward to since before Christmas—the end of winter recess. Millions of kids head back to school today following an extended holiday vacation. However, my daughter isn’t one of them. Actually, there are quite a few states that don’t reopen schools until next week. That means seven extra days of dealing with the “Moooooooom, I’m bored!” blues. If your cabin fever is spiking right about now, then consider the following kid-friendly activities to keep boredom at bay: Aluminum Foil Snowflakes: Stack several sheets of aluminum foil together and fold the … Continue reading →

Have a Glittery New Year

I now see why some moms refer to glitter as “Devil’s Dust.” Whether you were one of the millions slaughtered by the Blizzard of 2010 or you live in a cold climate 365 days a year, if your kids are on break from school right now, then you’re likely trying to find any and every way possible to preserve your sanity while combating cabin fever. And by “any” I mean… GLITTER. Glitter, glitter everywhere. Can you have it any other way? Really. Is it possible to glitter with kids and not get it EV.ER.Y.WHERE? With the New Year fast approaching … Continue reading →

Christmas Card Coma

I received my very first Christmas video card last week and bid adieu to my electronic holiday greeting virginity. The Hallmark e-card stripped me of my seasonal innocence and now I guess I should expect my mail carrier to travel a little lighter next Christmas. Apparently, holiday e-cards are the wave of the future and soon traditional Christmas greetings, like these, will go the way of the Walkman and typewriter. Say it ain’t so. How many paper holiday cards did you receive this year? I sent out nearly 90 and have received more than half that amount as we wrap … Continue reading →

Lessons to Love: Holiday Cooking

I don’t homeschool my daughter, but if I did I would definitely make cooking an integral part of the curriculum. The holiday season has given us the chance to not only make merry in the kitchen, but it has also afforded us a bevy of educational opportunities. Cooking with kids is the gateway to a litany of hands-on lessons, including: *Nutrition *Communication *Reading *Math *Learning about other cultures *Patience *Sharing *Personal hygiene Kids also get to fine tune their motor skills helping out with various recipes. What’s more, since the kitchen is the heart of the home, kids get to … Continue reading →