Month: September 2014

The Secret to a Siblings’ Bond

nurturesiblingrelationship

“My girls were just not allowed to fight.”

I would often hear my mom say that phrase when asked if we, her two daughters, fought a lot growing up. I would watch the “yeah, right” look on their face when she would say that, because to many the words ‘siblings’ and ‘fighting’ are synonymous.

But they weren’t in our house.

I know we bickered and had our moments, like the time my four-year-old little sister smeared the smelliest diaper cream all over my beloved Raggedy Ann doll (who was never the same after that day), but regular fighting was simply not allowed.

In hindsight, I recognize many things my parents did to nurture our sibling relationship, one that I am grateful to have with my sister to this day…

Kid Allowances: What do YOU think?

Let’s talk about kid allowances today.  Are they a “do?”  A “don’t?”  A maybe?  If so, how does your family go about it?

This subject recently came up in our home, as our little girl is now in 1st grade.  As she continues to grow, we continue to give her more responsibility.  Which she is handling with grace and a newfound maturity (most of the time).  With increasing her responsibility, we started talking about whether to give her an allowance at the ripe age of six….

Guest Blog: Why Adults Need to Go Out and Play!

Why Adults Need to Go Out and Play

Today’s post on nature outings in Orange County (for adults!) is written by my friend Michele of NaturePlayTrips.com. I love the reminders of how therapeutic a nature outing can be for all ages – not just our children. Here is what she writes…

Why Adults Need to Go Out and Play

by Michele Whiteaker, Nature Play Trips 

It’s obvious, isn’t it? Because we feel better when we go out on a walk!

Rich Louv, author of The Nature Principle, wrote an excellent blog post about the “Ten Reasons Children and Adults Need Vitamin N.” He sites all sorts of research about how your time out in the wilds of Orange County will make you feel better, unleash your creativity, and help you feel a part of your community.

I get outdoors a lot with my kids, but there are some special places where I go to be alone and take in the quiet. Check out  “Where Mommies Dare to Play” for a few ideas. We just need to make it a habit to go to some of these outdoor places rather than our regular Target or Starbuck’s rut!

On Jen’s Free Daily Charge Ideas list, I was happy to see playing outdoors appear more than once. Jen is awesome at giving ideas on WHAT to do and I’m really good at knowing WHERE.

So let me fill you in on some amazing places you can visit for nature outings in Orange County….

Check Out the Knowzz App + Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Knowzz

[sponsor]

There is nothing better than a personal recommendation or reference, right? Let me introduce you to a fabulous new free app called, Knowzz, which is designed to make your life so much easier!  The Knowzz app finds local services recommended by people you already know and trust:  your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues.

In the world of parenting, I think we tend to rely even more on recommendations from trusted sources.  Because we want the best for our kids.

 

Get an A+ Packing Teeth-Friendly School Lunches This Year

Teeth-Friendly School Lunch Ideas

[Sponsor]

The school lunch packing season is in high gear this time of year and I am sure most of us do our best to pack healthy lunches for our kids’ bodies.

But do you know the healthiest foods for your child’s teeth?

A local dentist wrote a great post on teeth-friendly school lunch ideas to give us some food for thought…