Parenting a Picky EaterMany children can be very picky eaters, causing concern and frustration for their parents. This is a page about parenting a picky eater.
Parenting Tips for College Age ChildrenThis page is about parenting tips for college age children. Preparing and caring for young people attending college can often be a challenge.
Frugal Parenting Tips and TricksThis page contains frugal parenting tips and tricks. Raising a family can be a very costly endeavor; with careful planning and creative thinking you can employ some frugal approaches to parenting.
Preserving Childhood MemoriesThis is a page about preserving childhood memories. Children grow up too fast.
Names for a Kid's Book Club?I would like to know what are good names for a book club for kids! The more creative the better!
Car Seat SafetyThis is a page about car seat safety. Child car seats can save lives.
Homemade PedialyteThis is a page about homemade Pedialyte. If your child is ill and needs to replenish their electrolytes and fluids, Pedialyte is a great option. Save time and money by making your own Pedialyte.
Marking Jackets for SchoolChildren have a habit of losing their jackets at school. This is a page about marking jackets for school.
Good Parenting Starts With PlanningRandom personal thoughts on pregnancies and parenting. Long but worth a read if you plan on having a child. This is only meant for those who take raising a child VERY seriously. I hate the way most parents I see these days are.
Quick and Easy School Lunchbox IdeasThis page contains quick and easy school lunchbox ideas. Packing lunch for your children can be a great way to both insure your child is getting a nutritious meal and to save money. It can be difficult to come up with food that is healthy, cheap and that your kids will love.
Getting Your Kids to ListenGetting kids to listen can be difficult at times and really test your patience. Try these tips and see which works best for you. This is a page about getting your kids to listen.
"Let's Make Something Together" Craft BoxEver hear this from a couple of energetic grandkids, at eight in the morning, "What can we do now, Grandma?" My five grandchildren are all at the age where they want to be busy all the time. And they want me right in the middle of it.
Add Dollar Store Toys In Cereal BoxesMy kids want the expensive cereal because of the prizes in the box. I sneak a prize in from the Dollar store, one for each child so there is no arguing.
Helping a Child Overcome a Fear of Dogs?My daughter is very much frightened of dogs. What should I do?
Parenting an Autistic ChildThis is a page about parenting an autistic child. Autism can rob a child of their childhood. The happy outgoing child now must deal with the effects of this developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.
Getting Babies Vaccinated?I would like to hear what all of your ideas and comments are about vaccinations for babies and what you think of the media. Do you think they are harmful?
Schedule for Front Seat RidingMy 3 grandchildren used to argue as to who would sit in the front seat. I devised a schedule so that everyone will know when it is their turn to sit in the front seat of the car. This schedule changes after going to each destination.
Preparing for School the Night BeforeThis is a page about preparing for school the night before. The best way to be ready to go for school in the morning is to prepare the night before. Keep you morning running smooth and stress free with these helpful tips.
Teaching Your Kids About Frugal LivingThis is a page about teaching your kids about frugal living. Living a frugal lifestyle is much easier if you actively teach your children to be frugal too. Teaching them about frugal living will also help them when they are older.
Keep Children Entertained When Eating Out This is a page about keeping children entertained when eating out. As many parents know, eating out with children can be a challenge. To ensure that you will be able to enjoy your meal use these tips for keeping kids entertained.
Parenting an ADHD Child?This is a page about parenting an ADHD child. Being a parent of an ADHD child can be a day to day challenge. Good parenting techniques will help your child and help you keep your calm during difficult times.
Saving Money on DaycareThis is a page about saving money on daycare. For many parents daycare is an expensive yet necessary expense. There are ways to save money on daycare without sacrificing quality care.
Helping Your Children Understand MoneyThis is a page about helping your children understand money. It is important to teach children about money from a young age. This way they will grow up knowing how to use money responsibly.
Collecting Child SupportThis is a page about collecting child support. Child support can be difficult to collect, even after a court order awards it to the custodial parent.
Choosing Clothes to Wear to School?My kids are always changing their minds about their school clothes at the last minute. Any ideas how to get them to make a clothing decision and to stick to it so we aren't running late every morning?
Child and Dog Are Very Attached?It is hard to separate my dog and my 3 year old. The 3 year old doesn't want to go out without the dog. What can I do?
Helping a Child Accept a New Baby Sister?My daughter is having a girl! The problem is her son Lance, who is 6, has been listening to his dad. His dad has low self esteem, lies about everything, has a daughter he has nothing to do with and loves to play head games! Lance is convinced that baby sisters are horrible.
Getting Kids to Help With ChoresThis is a page about getting kids to help with chores. It can be difficult to get kids to help with chores. However, it is much easier to share the chores amongst the whole family.
Having Poison Control Information in Your Home?What can my baby have if he drinks a chemical product in my house? What antidote should I keep right in my house?
Making a Growth Chart for Your KidsThis is a page to making a growth chart for your kids. A growth chart is a fun way for you and your kids to look back at how their growth has progressed.
Teaching Kids to CookThis is a page about teaching kids to cook. Basic cooking skills are essential for every child to learn. Not only can they make their own meals and snacks, they can also help with meals for the entire family.
Displaying Children's ArtworkThis is a page about displaying children's artwork. Children often bring home artwork and craft projects from school, camps, and daycare. It can be a challenge for parents to know how to show off and store their precious creations.
Teaching Children Good Manners?This is a page about teaching children good manners. Ill-mannered children can make everything from life at home to running errands very difficult. Teaching them good manners will not only make you happy, they will be happier too.
Saving Money for CollegeThis is a page about saving money for college. College is continually getting more expensive. Students are graduating with massive loans to be paid back. If parents plan early they can help alleviate some of the burden on their children.
Getting Children to Read for FunThis page is about ways to encourage children to read for fun. Being a strong reader helps kids do better in school. Making sure that reading, is a fun activity not something only associated with homework, is very important.
Use Coffee Filter to Hold SnacksCoffee filters are much cheaper than paper cups or bowls, and they're environmentally friendly. They can be used for small snacks like dry cereal, goldfish crackers, and pretzels.
Keeping Kids Occupied at DoctorWhen going to the doctor with my now 2 and 4 year olds, I've many times found myself with 2 wild kids, a long wait, and nothing for them to do. I finally realized I could simply use what I had on hand.
Teach Children That Abuse Is Not A Sign Of LoveI am sure you will be able to picture this scene quite easily: Little Anna is playing with her friends during recess at school. Little Billy runs up to her and pushes her, and runs off laughing.
Frugal ToysWhen my three children were younger and money was tight, we would find ways to add to their toys without purchasing items. One of the things the girls loved was a silver tray and tumblers just the right size for Barbie. The silver tray was the top of a Nestle's Quik box.
Should Parents Stay Out of Conflicts Between Their Grown Children?What do you do when your married children talk bad about their eldest sister? Do you entertain it, take sides, or say you'll work it out and stay out of it? I am very frustrated.
Entering Toddlers in Beauty Pageants?How much does is cost to get started with beauty pageants for a 16 month old?
How Can I Help My Child Swallow Big Pills?Does anyone have advice on how to help children swallow big pills?
Photo: Message to MumI felt like the luckiest mum in the world, when I came home from visiting a friend to find this message! My 2 boys made it out of their Magnetics for me while I was away!
Child Stopped Using the Toilet to Poop After Painful Experience?My son had a poop that hurt his bottom from holding it too long. Now he won't go at all and has messes in his pants, has a sour stomach, and resorted to even dragging his bottom on the floor like a dog! We had no problems until just recently and he was doing fine. He's 5.
Plan Craft Activities Instead of Christmas GiftsOur children are grown and most have children of their own. Due to locations, the kids don't see their nieces and nephews often enough to know what sizes they wear or what new fad they are crazy about, so buying gifts for them is somewhat difficult.
Books For ParentsTwo wonderful books I found at the library regarding kids. One book is on how to talk to kids so they can learn.
Pet Supply Magazines for KidsI ordered this catalog of pet supplies. The pictures are so precious and so adorable and they have catalogs for each kind of pet type that a person might have.
Give Each Child Their Own ColorI have four kids in my house. To make things easier, each kid has their own color (green, blue, red, pink/yellow). we have three boys and a girl. Most things come in green, blue, red, and yellow like plates, bowls, cups, tooth brushes, etc.
A Calendar for Each ChildI have 4 kids and each one has their own schedule that I need to keep track of. I print out a calender for each month for each kid. Each calender is color coded so it is easy to read the minute you/child looks at it.
Bath Tub Toy HolderTurkey season is approaching! This year, save that net that comes encasing your holiday bird, wash and sterilize it; then run an old piece of twine or rope through it a few inches down from the open top to make a bath toy net to dry your kid's things in.
Chore Jar for Kids to Earn Extra MoneyI have two children who love toys, just like any other child. We have given them an allowance since the age of 4, for which they have to earn by performing chores. With this money, they are allowed to purchase a new or used item once a month.
Give Child's Artwork as a GiftThis year for Christmas, I am planning to send my mother several pieces of artwork my children have created during the school year. First off, I have too many to count, and secondly, my mother will cherish and keep them safe!
Link: Finish Your Food CardsI just came across this site and I love this guy's sense of humor, and the clever creations he's posted so far! This particular link is to help you with picky eating children by way of printable cards, but I am sure you'll also like his other idea, too.
Uncle Wiggles Waiting Room KitI know from raising five kids that some of the hardest times for me were when we were in waiting rooms. One daughter tried to tear the leaves off the waiting room plants while her sister tried to eat them.
Frugal, Fun Kids GroupsOnce upon a time a parent could walk a child to a sports field and sign him up for a season of baseball without costing a penny. Like the days of $0.50 hot dogs at ballparks, it's no more. Youth sports programs today can cost parents $100 per child.
Children's Fancy Dinner PartyEvery summer when my children were home and wondering what to do, they would plan a family "restaurant dinner" night. They had to come up with the menu, cook the food, set up a fancy table, and even make menus.
Taste Of Home Kids Coloring CookbookI just came across this link at Taste of Home and it would be such a wonderful project for children and parents to work on together! Not only would there be a cookbook colored by the child to cherish but it's a wonderful way to teach children to cook.
Ask Your Kids "Are We There Yet?"Out of sheer frustration of going on long trips, I once decided to beat my daughter to the punch and asked her 10 minutes into the trip, "Honey, are we there yet?" She got SO flustered and short-wired that she didn't ask me that question for the rest of the trip!
Attach Child's Picture to GiftWe have young grandchildren who live out of state so to make their Christmas gifts seem even more special, we attach a picture of each child to their gift.
Questionnaire to Get to Know Kids BetterHere is an idea for youngsters you care about but aren't readily accessible. I printed this out a couple times and gave it to my kids with a diary for each of them. This gives you a way to know more about these young people; things to do, gifts to give.
A Dollar a Year for BirthdaysOn each birthday, instead of sending a package, they enclose with the birthday card a check in the amount of $1 for each year of the recipient's age.
Halloween: Home Party for Sick KidsYears ago at Halloween I had two children who were not feeling well, so I did a rush job of planning a "party". We lived in a large, two story house, so here is what I did.
Packing Kids For Multi Day TripsWhen my son (early teens) went away on a church mission trip, I was worried that he would wear mismatched clothes or wear the same pair of socks for several days. You know how young boys are.
Share Your Children's InterestsAs my children were growing up, I often read the books and watched the programs they enjoyed. Then I could discuss what they'd watched or read from a more knowledgeable position. This was a great way to keep our mother-child bond strong.
Finding Help With Parenting Issues
?Were can I find other people to talk to or is there a message board? Can you help me with this?
Amend Favorite Storybooks for ChildrenI love my grandson, Maddox. He was born 5 days before I turned 60, and suddenly I had another reason for living. He will be two soon
Cover Toy Decals With Packing TapeAfter cleaning kids toys or dragging them in after they were caught out in the rain, I have found that the cute little decals on most of the really well built toys (even the ones intended for outside use) quickly become cracked, discolored, and peeling off.
Balancing Life's Demands?I am a young stay at home mom. I moved in with my fiance, got married, then pregnant all with in a year. Don't get me wrong I love my husband and my baby girl to death and wouldn't trade them for the world, but some days (more than others) I feel constantly overwhelmed and unhappy.
Keep a Wet Washcloth for Emergency CleaningInstead of wasting all the baby wipes, cleaning messy faces and sticky fingers. I wet a washcloth, fold it and put it in a zip-lock bag. Carry one in your purse, diaper bag, car, wherever.
Create a "Clean Up" CDCreate a "cleanup CD". Have the family help get all the cleaning done while the CD is playing. Then when the music is done, you'll have a clean house.
Mixing Cough Syrup with Milk?Will cough syrup still have an effect if you mix it with Stawberry milk or Chocolate milk?
How Much Should an 11 Year Old Weigh?How much should an 11 year old girl weigh?
How Much Should an 8 Year Old Weigh?How much should an 8 year old weigh?
Child Sucking Thumb?My 5 year old granddaughter needs to stop sucking her thumb before starting kindergarten in the fall. It is causing dental and speech problems. Mom and I are out of ideas. Any ideas will be appreciated.
Use a Timer for Kids Time Out Buy a $1 store timer and magnet it to the fridge for when your kids need a time out or a little time in the corner. My daughter sets it to 5 minutes, and if her 6 year old acts up, she'll sometimes get 5 more minutes.
Make Picture Cards for a Non-Verbal ChildWe are always needing pictures for our non-verbal son. We have saved greeting cards to cut appropriate pictures, and then laminate them. He can use these pictures to start conversations about birthdays, and other holidays.
Clear Candy Tubes for Small Toy StorageA great way to organize and re-cycle while doing so. Those long clear tubes that candy (ex. M & M's) comes in provide great storage for small toy pieces and can make them more readily available for your child's play time.
Daughter Cries All the Time?My daughter cries about everything. She will cry if she doesn't get her way. She cries when her sister gets something and she does not. She doesn't like to do her homework, but she likes to play. I sometimes think that I am going to go crazy with her.
Is My Son a Vegetarian?My 10 year old son has never really liked meats from the time he was able to eat foods. His doctor at the time said he may become a vegetarian. I have tried everything over the years to get him to eat meats. I can only get him to eat poultry. He loves spaghetti but will pick out the meat.
Fun Snow Toys and GamesWell we had our first snowfalls the last couple of days here in the Rockies and, though enough did not fall to make a snowman, my grandkids wanted to go and play our in the snow.
Homemade "GAK" RecipeMix together 8 oz Elmer's Glue with 3/4 cup water + 2 drops food coloring (optional). Dissolve 1 tablespoon "20 Mule Team Borax" (found in laundry aisle) in 1/4 cup warm water.
Make Christmas Wish Books For Your KidsWhen my nieces and I were younger, my older sister (also their mother) would make up books for us to choose our Christmas gifts. She would take pictures of toys from ads and catalogs and cut them out and paste them in the book.
Chores for a 9 Year Old?I used to have my 9 year old son clean the kitty litter, vacuum and take the trash out but we got rid of the cat and he still cleans his room. Does anybody have ideas on any more chores he could do? He wants me to give him money but I can't figure out things he can do to earn it. How much should I give him?
Anyone Tried The "Defiant Child Program"?Has anyone tried the "Defiant Child" program? It's the Total Transformation Program and they say you can turn a kid's attitude around and get back control. I don't get much info from their web site and wonder if anyone has tried this or knows more about it? Thanks.
Use Play Money To Reward Good Behavior At The StoreGrocery shopping with pre-schoolers can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you're shopping with more than one. I found a strategy that makes the experience easier for both the little ones and me.
Support Your Daycare ProviderIn a feedback to another post, I read something that got me all riled up. The person said that many people are willing to pay more for lawn work than for child care or to have the inside of the house cleaned.
Side Table for Small KidsIf your little one has a pint-sized chair he or she likes to sit in to watch his/her favorite shows, try placing a child's step stool next to the chair to use as a side table. It's just the right size for the chair and can be used for snacks, books, etc.
Dakota's GardenMy best tip, garden with your children or grandchildren. Dakota is 2 and we have fixed him a place to plant the better boy tomatoes he picked out and he planted 2 marigolds to help keep the bugs away.
Display Children's Artwork and Replace WeeklyEvery day when they get home they put the papers they are most proud of in a folder on my desk, at the end of the week, they select the one they like the best and want displayed in the frame for the week.
Using a Swinging Cradle as a Toy BoxI made this swinging cradle for one of my granddaughters. Now it doubles as her toy box.
Poem: A Mother's PrayerGive me patience when little hands tug at me with ceaseless small demands. Give me gentle words and smiling eyes, and keep my lips from hasty replies.
Mr. Peabody's Apples - Book ReviewWant to teach a great lesson on not gossiping or spreading rumors? Madonna not only is a great singer, actress and dancer she is also a good writer. I have used one of her books called "Mr. Peabody's Apples" for my lesson.
Free (and Sugar-Free) Giveaway For PreschoolersWhen my children's preschool had a special occasion that normally meant a lot of sugar (Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween, etc.), I would set a sugar-free example.
Healthy Toys WebsiteHere is a great reference for all of you who are concerned about toy safety this holiday season.
Sneaking Veggies Into Ground BeefI'm constantly trying to sneak more veggies in to our meals and found a good tip. Whenever I have a dinner with ground beef (tacos, burgers, meat loaf, sloppy joes, chili etc) I shred a zucchini into the meat.
Saving School PaperworkI know how precious and special looking back on my children's school work really is. Every day, when we empty his backpack, the 7 year old and I put all his work into a box. Since I check his school work/homework each evening by initialing and dating it, it's easy to sort through and pick the best of each month to save.
Picking up the Tab at Lunch?I just need a little input on what's proper! I'm meeting my 3 adult daughters for lunch in the near future and 2 of them live close by and one lives out of town. It's a treat for all of us to be in the same place at one time. My granddaughter will be included in this get together. She's 15 and belongs to one of my daughters that lives close by.
Colored Applesauce For KidsThis is for applesauce, I am sure everyone has done this. You can add kool-aid of any color and you will have orange, red, grape, etc. We did this at Head Start and the kids loved it.
Teach Kids About Needs vs WantsHelp prepare your children to make better financial decisions in the future by teaching them the difference between needs, wants, and wishes.
Save Money on Kids ClothingKeep kids in nice clothing can be a major expense for parents because kids are always growing. Here are some tips from the ThriftyFun community to help you save on clothing for your kids.
Preserving Friendship when Kids Don't Get Along?How do I tell a dear friend that my child does not want to be friends with her child, and not ruin the friendship?
California Beauty Pageants?Where can I find beauty pageants in California for my two year old son?
A Child's Reminder Of A Working MotherThe picture is of my daughter in her work uniform with a Federal Express box kneeling down by her daughter who is sitting in a stroller. I will frame this picture and when Mommy goes to work, Hannah can get the picture and know where Mommy is going.
Marker Rules For ChildrenSeems like there have been a lot of posts lately about children using permanent markers, and how well I remember those days when my own kids, nieces and nephews were that age. Back then, I came up with a solution that would allow them to express their creativity with markers.
Keep Old Marker Lids As ReplacementsKeep Old Marker Lids As Replacements. When throwing out dried up markers, keep the lids! You can use them later if you should misplace a lid. This comes in handy particularly with children's markers.
Alternatives to High Chairs for BabiesWhen looking into highchairs for babies, think about alternative options. If you already have a dining room table you may not need a typical high chair. . .
Technology Free DaysTechnology Free Days. Our youngest daughter was addicted to the television. She tried to turn the TV on the moment she walked into the house and preferred to watch TV over anything else. We had to find a way to break the hold the Television had on her impressionable little mind. . .
Extra Expenses at the Beginning of SchoolI remember when my children were in school, there were always extra unexpected expenses in the first weeks of school.