Search Results for: blog words you should use every day with your kids

Technology is a Poor Substitute for Social Interaction

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Are your kids addicted to the internet? How much time do your kids spend looking at a screen instead of interacting with family? Parents might want to consider taking steps to limit the amount of “screen time” that their kids are getting. The New York Times has an article by Jane Brody in which she discusses the negative affects that countless hours of playing video games can have on children. It’s not just teenagers, either. Younger kids can also behave as if they are addicted to “the internet”. How does this happen? There is a Kaiser Family Foundation study that … Continue reading →

Can’t Win for Losing

Summertime and the living is easy… No pencils, no books, no teacher’s dirty looks… and no set bedtime. What time do your children hit the hay during the summer months? In many families, summer sleepy time is dictated by Mother Nature.  Sunset bedtimes are the norm for many clans, much to the delight of young children, who gain at least a couple hours of extra playtime during the months of June, July and August. My 8-year-old is one of millions who has enjoyed bonus awake time this summer.  She’s spent it capturing fireflies, biking, making s’mores and attending all-night un-slumber … Continue reading →

Put Kids to Work

My parents were huge proponents of the idiom:  “Idle hands are the devil’s playthings.” In other words, my mom and dad hated seeing their offspring sit around when there was work to be done.  And when you’re living in a home occupied by six people, there’s never a shortage of tasks to be completed. For me, summer meant tennis camp, swimming lessons and plenty of chores.  In my dad’s eyes, no job was too dirty for his little girl.  Looking back, I don’t begrudge my father for keeping me and my brothers busy during the dog days of summer.  In … Continue reading →

Happy Kids: Mission Impossible?

You’re familiar with the saying, “Happy wife, happy life,” but have you found the key to fostering that happiness? According to a new survey, happy kids beget happy moms/wives which beget happy husbands/dads. The equation seems simple enough until you factor in life’s discomforts, hardships and disappointments. I’d love for my child to be happy 24/7.  What parent wouldn’t?  After all, nothing makes most moms and dads happier than to see their children in high spirits. My own 8-year-old would love for her entire family to be happy every minute of every day and is visibly uncomfortable when that idealistic … Continue reading →

Stop Hurting Your Children

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Why can’t we all just get along? Words made famous for a different battle but apply just as much to people after a divorce. Divorce is one of the worst things you can go through, for you and your children. Even worse though are the battles that often continue after the divorce is final. Every day I see people who have turned completely against their ex’s and are trying to drag their children with them. How is it fair to a child to talk negatively about their other parent. I’ve heard parents tell their children that their father doesn’t love … Continue reading →

Do You Brag about Working from Home?

I posted a Facebook status this week that managed to get quite a few likes. Yet I had hesitated on posting it because I didn’t want to sound like I was bragging. It was on a day that was absolutely gorgeous outside. Low 70’s with a breeze. I managed to finish my day’s work an hour before my children were expected home from school. So I went outside with my Kindle Fire and sat in my favorite corner of the yard. In addition to enjoying “Words with Friends,” reading and looking at my email, I decided to post a status … Continue reading →

Cupcake War

I’ve been known to indulge in a cupcake or two… or six, at times. Typically, I follow the splurge with a few miles on the treadmill or an extra-long bike ride. Not exactly the healthiest of patterns, but it supports the philosophy that in order to avoid packing on the pounds you need to burn more calories than you consume. Interestingly, that simple equation is at the center of a controversial ban being implemented in Massachusetts public schools. Beginning August 1st, the state is no longer allowing bake sales to take place on school grounds. In addition, Massachusetts is unveiling … Continue reading →

Fun with Leftover Easter Eggs

According to food safety experts, if you have any leftover hard-boiled eggs from Easter in your refrigerator, you should consume them by the end of today. However, if you peeled your eggs on Easter and let them sit in the fridge since then, you need to toss them in the trash, regardless of how they look or smell. The folks at the Egg Nutrition Center also warn against eating hard-boiled eggs that you may have used in outdoor hunts that lasted more than two hours. In other words, if it took your kids more than a couple of hours to … Continue reading →

Happy Valentines Day

It’s that time once again, Single Awareness Day, known to most people as Valentine’s Day. If you are single, you are very aware of this day. Even at work today when I called a client he wished me a Happy Valentine’s Day before we got off the phone. Ahhh, love is in the air. Except at my house, I am happily single but this is still a fun holiday that we can share with our kids. I think it’s important to establish traditions that your children will remember and will give them a sense of home no matter where they … Continue reading →

Put Away the Excuses

I have heard a lot of women who work outside the home say they don’t have time for housekeeping. In fact, just because I work at home, I have friends say it’s no wonder I can keep up with the house. I try not to take offense to that because the reality is that even though I work inside my home, I still work full-time hours. So it’s not like I really get all these extra hours that others don’t. To me, it’s really about prioritizing and keeping a schedule. I have always kept a maintained home (notice I am … Continue reading →