Tag: little kid

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Craft Family Activities Gifts Holiday How To Infant/Toddler Learning Kindergarten Age Learning Life Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

8 Fun Monthly Subscription Boxes for Kids: Non-Toy Gifts for Kids

Instead of buying toys for special days, you can consider monthly subscription boxes for kids. These non-toy gifts for kids are fun and won’t clutter up your space as much as toys do.

Helping kids recognize and develop their skills at an early age can give them an advantage later in life. They are already scientists, explorers, cooks, bakers, artists, and many other things. The best thing you can do for your kids is to provide them with what they need to learn and grow in these areas.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

monthly subscription boxes for kids, monthly subscription boxes, best gifts for kids, best non-toy gift ideas, best non-toy gifts, subscription boxes, subscription boxes for kids

Monthly Subscription Boxes For Kids

1. Green Kid Crafts

Green Kid Crafts is a nature-based STEAM subscription box for kids aged 2-10. The activities included in the box inspire creativity, discovery, and learning about the world. This monthly box can be the perfect arts and crafts gift for kids.

You can shop by theme on the Green Kid Crafts website, too. The themes include:

  • Arts and crafts kits and projects
  • Fun science experiments
  • Exciting animals and ecosystems
We Craft Box

2. We Craft Box

We Craft Box is geared toward kids between the ages of three and nine. If you have a younger child, they’ll need more help. As kids do the themed monthly project, they’re experiencing creativity and making memories.

All of the materials the child will need, except water and scissors, are included in the box. My favorite part is that each kit comes with enough material for two kids, so it’s perfect for sharing.

Each We Craft Box comes with a story about the project, which helps get your child inspired and feeling creative. It also includes photo instructions that are easy to follow.

We Craft Box, We Craft
subscription box for kids
craft box

3. Bookroo

Bookroo is a monthly subscription book box for kids ages 0-10. It is super simple to sign up, and you can count on awesome books being delivered for your kids. There are three different book clubs you can join including:

  • Board Books (ages 0-3)
  • Picture Books (ages 3-6)
  • Chapter Books (ages 7-10)

Since March is reading month, you could consider starting the subscription box as a way to make National Reading Awareness Month even more exciting.

Amazing books kids love!

4. Coding Subscription Box

This monthly subscription box is best for ages six through 12. The child will receive monthly coding projects, learning how to make video games, simulations, greeting cards, and so much more.

One of the best parts is that each box comes with a guide for grownups and unlimited email support. You won’t have to worry about getting stumped when there’s help and references readily available.

monthly subscription boxes for kids

5. Highlights Magazine Subscription Box

The Highlights subscription box is available for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders. They offer a fun way to learn skills based on their age group and skill levels. Using this box for only 15 minutes a day can improve your child’s skills, and you can track the changes on included progress sheets.

6. History Subscription Boxes

Suitable for ages six through 11, this history box is perfect for kids who love history. Kids can learn about the world around them and other cultures with the included activities. Some of the skills it’ll help children improve are literacy, geography, STEAM, history, and vocabulary.

monthly subscription boxes for kids

7. Monthly Subscription Box for Tweens or Teens

Many of the subscription boxes target younger kids, but tweens and tweens can enjoy this Strong self(ie) monthly subscription box. The tween box is geared towards eight to 12-year-olds, while the teen box targets 13-17-year-olds.

Examples of Tween Boxes

monthly subscription boxes for kids
monthly subscription boxes for kids

Examples of Teen Boxes

monthly subscription boxes for kids
monthly subscription boxes for kids

8. Baketivity Monthly Subscription Box for Kids

The Baketivity subscription box involves a monthly recipe and includes pre-measured ingredients. Each recipe is easy to follow and has illustrations to help the child along.

One of my favorite parts of this subscription box is that the kids can watch and follow a chef creating the recipe. It also comes with a chef hat and apron so your child can embrace every aspect of being a baker.

monthly subscription boxes for kids, monthly subscription boxes, best gifts for kids, best non-toy gift ideas, best non-toy gifts, subscription boxes, subscription boxes for kids, monthly subscription boxes for kids

Monthly Subscription Boxes for Kids

Monthly subscription boxes for kids are the perfect solution to having too many toys. Birthdays and holidays don’t have to be all about toys, and these subscription boxes are the best gifts for kids.

What subscription boxes for kids do you love? Leave a comment and let me know!

If you want an adult subscription box, check out my post 10 Reasons to Try Bean Box Award-Winning Coffee.

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities How To Infant/Toddler Learning Kindergarten Age Learning Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Uncategorized

Have Fun Learning: 4 Mom and Child At-Home Activities

have fun learning

The world has dramatically changed and with it, a lot of negatives and some positives have risen. We don’t need to go into the negatives, that much is obvious. The positives however are more surprising. Technology has rapidly shifted and improved so that remote working has become the norm. With this trend, a few other new possibilities have been born. For one thing, ways to have fun learning have become far more accessible. It’s not just about education like virtual schooling, but other things such as hobbies, activities, and crafts have made it into the virtual world, too. Let’s look at some fun mom-and-child activities you can do at home now.

How to Have Fun Learning Through Mom and Child Activities

1. Online Art Classes

Children love to draw and paint. These creative activities allow their imagination to thrive and develop. Sketching, painting, drawing, learning to shade and draw depth, and bringing a picture to life is a life skill that is so rewarding.

Getting started depends on what type of art you want to create. Here is a list of options.

For sketching – New Masters Academy Arts: They have instructors who have drawn for Disney, Sony, and other Hollywood studios.

For a bit of everything – Art Production Fund’s Digital Art-Making Workshops. They have some famous artists like Ryan Flores, Angelica Hicks, Lucy Sparrow, etc.

For watercolor painting – Nitty Gritty Studio. It’s a YouTube channel run by Merideth. She’s a classic painter and she’ll show you beginner techniques.

2. Language Lessons

Living in a diverse country, learning a new language is always a beneficial idea. If your child wants to learn a popular language, then Spanish lessons are a great option. The language tutor should be experienced, and choosing one that is native in that language is helpful, too. If they are a native speaker, then they can tell you the ins and outs of slang, regional dialects, and anything else you should know.

The tutor should also be comfortable teaching virtually. Being familiar with Zoom is a must, and that usually means you’ll want a younger tutor. A younger tutor is also good for the child because they can relate to them, whether it’s with the areas of the language they want to learn like music, reading, artwork, poems, etc., or with another aspect of relatability.

Have Fun Learning, mom and child activities,
Source

3. Gardening

The sun is shining and the warm weather brings the perfect temperatures to learn about gardening. Doing gardening projects with your children helps them learn about nature, taking care of something living, and just getting a little messy and exploring different textures. Online gardening lessons are pretty easy to join. You just select the age group, the type of project you want to do, and the tutor you’d like to work with. If you download the Zoom app on your phone, you can show your tutor what you are working on and receive tips for improvement.

4. Monthly Subscription Boxes

You can sign your children up for monthly subscription boxes based on anything that they want to learn. Using these boxes will help them recognize their passions and develop their skills early on. There are options for book lovers, aspiring artists, science topics, dress-up, pottery, and so much more.

Check out my post 4 Fun Monthly Subscription Boxes for Kids: Non-Toy Gifts for Kids to learn more about this.

Have Fun Learning, mom and child activities, Have Fun Learning: 4 Mom and Child At-Home Activities #funlearning #learningfun #learning #funwithkids #kids #parenting #parents #learningathome #activitiesforkids

Have Fun Learning With Mom and Child Activities

At-home learning with mom and child is a great way to bond and learn something new yourself. Whether it’s language, art, science, or gardening, you can have fun learning at home. Leave a comment and let me know which option you want to try with your kids!

Categories
Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities For the Home Home How To Kindergarten Age Outside Fun Parenting Sensory Play Spring Summer Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

5 Easy Ways to Get Your Kids Outside in the Yard

Get Kids Outside

Spending time outside is very beneficial for people of all ages. Sometimes children may lack interest in going outside, however, and be more into electronics and indoor games. If you’re finding it challenging to get the kids away from those screens and out in the fresh air, there are plenty of ways to get your kids outside.

Spring is the best time of year to plant a few vegetables or even welcome wildlife. You can create a sensory, exciting space outside that will entice even the most indoorsy children. Here are five easy ways to get kids out in the yard.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Get Kids Outside
Source

How to Get Your Kids Outside

1. Yard Games

Invest in a couple of yard games. You can play these together as a family, or your children can invite friends over. Add a personal touch with these custom cornhole bags, for example, https://www.cornholeworldwide.com/products/cornhole-bags/custom-cornhole-bags/. You can have them personalized with the name or message of your choice. They make great gifts and just might incentivize kids to play more outside.

2. Grow Your Own

Growing your own vegetables is a fun way to get children interested in gardening as well as healthy eating. There are plenty of easy vegetables to grow with kids, such as carrots and potatoes, so you don’t need to be expertly green-thumbed. It’s one of the best ways to encourage kids to be productive and happy.

3. Start Seeds Inside

If you want to gauge your child’s interest beforehand, you could start seeds off inside. Plant seeds in glass jars so they can see the roots growing, which will engage their curiosity. You can then move the plants outside.

If you don’t have much yard space but would still like to get your kids interested in gardening, here are some low-maintenance indoor plants. You could even set up window boxes or a small balcony garden.

4. Welcome Wildlife

With a few quick upgrades, you can turn your yard into a wildlife habitat. The children will enjoy spotting and naming the wild visitors that come your way.

Create zones in your yard for critters to forage and hide. Let your lawn grow wilder, or build a rock garden. Add a water source and a bit of food and you’ll easily attract a variety of wildlife.

You could make your own bird feeders from recycled materials, or for a bigger project, build a bee hotel from old wood and bamboo. Another idea is to simply drill a few holes into some untreated wood for a basic home for insects.

5. Create a Sensory Space

Turn your garden into a treat for all the senses by adding plenty of textures, sights, and smells for your children to explore. Create a sensory garden by adding colorful and fragrant flowers which will also attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

An amazing sensory space can be from a swimming pool that is specifically designed with little ones in mind. There is nothing more exciting than splashing in the water on a hot summer’s day. Work with a reputable company like CaliforniaPools.com, so you get the best pool for little water explorers. 

You could even consider a water feature such as a pond or fountain. The sound of the water is incredibly relaxing and it will make a nice home for fish and amphibians. With sensory stimulation and fun activities, your children will love being out in the yard.

Get Kids Outside, how to get kids outside, kids, parenting, outside

Get Your Kids Outside

It is so important to get your kids outside, and it doesn’t have to be a struggle. By setting your yard up specifically for the kids, your kids will be eager to get outside every day.

What have you done to your yard to get your kids outside? Leave a comment and let me know!

Categories
Big Kid How To Kindergarten Age Parenting

4 Easy Ways To Get Your Kids To Drink More Water

Get Your Kids To Drink More Water

Water is great, yet so many of us aren’t drinking enough of it daily. As adults, we know that water is great for our energy levels, kidneys, and skin, but kids also benefit from drinking enough water. You can get your kids to drink more water without much of a fight if you use the following tips.

Drinking water is great for children’s energy and concentration, helping them achieve at school. It’s also great for their digestion and helps them to regulate their body temperature. Getting kids to do anything can be a struggle, but you can easily get your kids to drink enough water. 

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Get Your Kids To Drink More Water
Source

How To Get Your Kids To Drink More Water

1. Lead by Example

If you spend your days drinking soda, juices, and coffee, then you’re not showing your kids that water is important to drink. Telling them they need to drink water when you have something which is a lot tastier (if not good for you) then they’ll likely start to push back against the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ situation. 

2. Make it the Norm

By making water a part of everyday life, your kids will be more likely to accept it as a normal part of their everyday diet. Have water available at every meal, and always take a water bottle out with you wherever you go. That way, you don’t end up at shops and cafes buying sugary drinks when your kid is thirsty. This isn’t only great for your kids, but it’s also great for your weight control and overall health. 

Use a refillable water bottle that has a filter built-in, or get a filter fitted for your water supply at home. There are many to choose from, including the iSpring which is The Best Whole House Water Filter for Iron in 2021 and is great for filtering your water. 

3. Add a Little Flavor

It’s really tempting to start adding sugary syrup or juice to your child’s water just to get them to drink it. This is something you want to try and avoid as the sugars can damage their teeth. Instead, you can add a little lemon or lime slices to flavor the water. 

You can also infuse water with herbs or spices like ginger, lemongrass, or cinnamon. If you’re already in the habit of giving your kids a lot of juice or sugary drinks, then suddenly switching to water is probably going to cause a lot of pushback. Gradually start watering down their drinks until they are more water than juice, and then transition to water only. 

4. Include Water-Rich Foods

Another way to get hydration into your kids is to ensure you give them foods that are rich in water. Foods rich in water are often healthy, too, so they make great additions to any diet. The most common water-rich foods include: 

  • Melons
  • Cucumber
  • Tomatoes
  • Brocolli 
  • Apples 
  • Oranges
  • Spinach
Get Your Kids To Drink More Water

Is the Tap Water Safe?

There’s always the assumption that the tap water at everyone’s homes is safe, right? Usually, there only needs to be a boil water advisory on the few days of the year when it might be unsafe, but outside of that, isn’t it all safe? Well, not exactly. Sometimes, it’s the faucets, sometimes it’s the pipes, and it can even be the water company. 

So, your kids might not want to drink the water because it smells, or maybe it tastes off. It’s one of those natural survival instincts so you can’t really blame them there. So ideally, you should look into getting your pipes checked, and you might even want to look into a new water company such as American Water if you know for a fact that your water always looks or smells off. Your tap water needs to be safe, you drink it, you cook with it, and yes, this is a big deal!

Get Your Kids To Drink More Water

It’s easy to get into less than ideal habits with kids, especially if they are particularly picky eaters and drinkers. Ideally, you’ll establish a love of water early on, but there are still ways to encourage older children to drink more too. Use these tips to get your kids to drink more water and it’ll quickly become a habit.

Categories
Big Kid Classroom Infant/Toddler Learning Kindergarten Age Learning Toddler and Preschool Age Learning

5 Cool Devices and Tools Your Kids Need for Virtual Learning

tools your kids need for virtual learning

COVID-19 quarantines and lockdowns have caused many disruptions to children’s education. It’s (hopefully) not going to be a regular occurrence because scientists have already developed Covid-19 vaccines, but in the meantime, it’s crucial that parents offer some form of home-based learning for their kids. With that in mind, you may be wondering what the best ways to engage with your children are. One answer is through the use of technology, and there are many helpful devices and tools your kids need for virtual learning.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

tools your kids need for virtual learning
Pixabay

Devices and Tools Your Kids Need for Virtual Learning

1. Virtual Reality (VR) Headset

A cursory look on YouTube will reveal many VR-ready videos that allow viewers to enjoy an immersive viewing experience. The available video content ranges from rollercoaster rides and views of Earth from space to close-up videos in wildlife reserves.

VR headsets allow children to feel like they are at the heart of the action and enjoy a truly interactive and immersive experience. One fact about VR headsets is they are affordable. Inexpensive VR headsets start from $10 and can range up to around $500 for an Oculus headset.

2. Noise-Canceling Headphones

When your child has virtual school lessons via Zoom or Skype, they can learn and focus better in an environment free of distractions. Setting up your child’s computer in a quiet room is one way to do that. Sometimes, especially if you have a large family like we do, there are no quiet areas in a family home, though.

In these cases, it’s better to equip your child with noise-canceling headphones. They’re available to suit various needs, and it’s also possible to get headphones for autistic children who find it hard to concentrate when there are noisy distractions around them.

3. Tablet

It’s no secret that we all live in a digital age. Most people, even kids, have several electronic devices they use for communication and productivity. Tablets are essential for kids these days, and they’re easier for little ones to use than other computers. It’s smaller, cheaper, and more interactive to use than a laptop.

Your kids can use tablets as part of their virtual learning as you can download apps for productivity, video conferencing, and more with ease. Of course, you should moderate each child’s time on the tablet, so they cannot access online content unrelated to their learning.

Make sure your children are being safe online!! Check out my blog post, Keeping Kids Safe Online – 8 Simple Tips for tips and advice.

4. Touchscreen Pen

You will undoubtedly include creative learning as part of your child’s home learning curriculum. It’s for that reason touchscreen pens (also known as Stylus pens) make sense and are the perfect complementary accessories for their tablets.

With a touchscreen pen, each child can draw and color with ease on their tablet screen. Touchscreen pens help to foster your children’s creativity by letting them make artistic digital creations. Plus, if your child’s learning requires that they write words, sentences, or numbers, a touchscreen pen can help them do so neatly.

5. Activity Tracker

Finally, an activity tracker such as a smartwatch is ideal for kids who are taught physical education from home. Activity trackers are wearables that monitor a child’s physical exercise and give you and them an overview of their physical activity during a sports session.

Activity trackers are also useful for encouraging and motivating children during physical play as they can quickly check their progress. Plus, such progress can get reported via a linked fitness app on their tablet. It will help them get enough exercise and movement each day, and it can encourage them to set and meet goals.

If you choose a smartwatch as your child’s activity tracker, there are additional benefits, too. Many times, you can set up the watch to receive calls from recognized numbers (such as yours or a grandparent’s). Plus, you can track your child’s location in case you accidentally get separated from them.

Devices and Tools Your Kids Need for Virtual Learning

There are many devices and tools your kids need for virtual learning. You might already use some of these devices, and you can simply add the other tools to help your child out. This is an incredibly uncertain time and it is essential that we don’t let our children’s education suffer.

What devices and tools do you use for your kid’s virtual learning? Tell me in the comments and let me know if you recommend them!

Categories
Holiday How To Recipe

Easy, Delicious and Fun St Patrick’s Day Trail Mix Your Kids Will Love

St Patrick's Day Trail, St Patrick's Day Trail Mix

St Patrick’s Day is coming, and it is one of our favorite holidays to celebrate. It is so much fun, and there are so many exciting things you can do. This St Patrick’s Day trail mix is the perfect snack to munch on while you do St Patrick’s day crafts and activities.

This trail mix is easy to make, delicious, and your kids will have fun eating it. Let them enjoy it as they play in a St Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin or while they make Leprechaun Finders. Whatever activities you have planned, this St Patrick’s day snack mix will go along perfectly.

St Patrick's Day Trail, St Patrick's Day Trail Mix

How to Make St Patrick’s Day Trail Mix

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 3 cups Golden Grahams (I considered using Cinnamon Toast Crunch instead)
  • 3 cups fruit loops

How to Make it:

To make this snack mix, all that you have to do is add three cups of each cereal and two cups of marshmallows to a large bowl and mix it all together. Then, you can distribute it to your kids in snack bags or in smaller bowls. That’s it – it’s super simple!

More Ideas

Sylas (my 6-year-old) added mini-chocolate chips to his trail mix, too. It went along perfectly and, while the colors weren’t St Patrick’s Day related, it was well worth it.

You can switch this up to fit your child’s taste. Other things you could put in it include Lucky Charms, green M&M’s, white chocolate chips, or anything else. The possibilities are endless, so you’re sure to love what you create!

If you’re a super-parent, you could even take your child to the store and let them choose what they want to add. Use this trail mix as a fun activity that can be eaten when it’s finished.

St Patrick's Day Trail, St Patrick's Day Trail Mix

St Patrick’s Day Trail Mix

This easy St Patrick’s Day trail mix is so easy to make. Plus, it isn’t messy and your kids will love it. What do you have planned for St Patrick’s Day? Let me know in the comments!

Categories
Family Activities How To Life Parenting

6 Ways to Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy

6 Ways to Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy, productive and happy kids, happy kids, productive kids, Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy

Raising children and helping your kids be productive and happy isn’t always an easy job. With technology becoming an ever-present distraction, it is even harder than before. As a parent, you want to do whatever it takes to see your kids accomplish their daily tasks and live a life that matters. 

Even so, it takes a good amount of time, energy, and patience to instill the necessary values. If done right, however, your kids could have peak performance for the rest of their lives. As a parent, you play a huge role in your child’s enjoyment, satisfaction, and overall development. 

Use the proven tips below to set your kids up for successful and impactful futures.  

kids be productive and happy, 6 Ways to Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy, productive and happy kids, happy kids, productive kids, Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy
Source

How to Make Your Kids Productive and Happy

1. Make Your Home as Comfortable as Possible

One of the best ways to raise happy kids is by creating a positive environment around them to make them feel loved and respected. Setting the tone for your home can be done by enforcing proper communication channels, using the correct language, and encouraging praise. It is also important to keep the physical space neat and in good shape. 

Notably, kids love cute spaces. Having an exclusive spot for them in the house helps them feel wanted and loved. They will love that you cared enough to create a space just for them.

Plus, it gives them the liberty to decorate their space the way they want to. With additional custom-made designs such as the cabin beds at Cuckooland, you can foster creativity and innovation, making your little ones productive.  

2. Give Them Daily Tasks and Responsibilities

Getting your kids to take out the garbage, do the dishes, or even mow the lawn shouldn’t be seen as a way of reducing the workload. Instead, it is a way of helping your kids live better lives. By making them follow a specific routine with well-defined tasks, they become responsible and, eventually, champions of respecting authority. 

Learn how to be authoritative, but at the same time, not too strict or hard on your kids. Once in a while, give them huge responsibilities such as making dinner or deciding where to hang out. Then, watch how it will slowly cultivate confidence and decisiveness. 

3. Inspire Core Values and Good Habits

According to scientific studies, if you want your kids to be dedicated to their studies, or lead straight lives, present yourself as one of the best role models they could have. Core values such as kindness and managing emotions go a long way in shaping their mental health. Make sure these values are instilled in your children by letting them see you practice them, too.

Teaching kids to respect the environment is also essential. Educating your kids on how to save energy and make eco-friendly choices is a great way to encourage them to develop positive values around protecting natural resources. This provides lots of excellent learning opportunities to teach them about renewable energy sources, such as those used by CleanChoice Energy, and to educate them on how renewable energy is generated.

As a caregiver, be sensitive at all times and make decisions from an empathetic point of view. Your kids are more likely to respond to this form of parenting than an authoritarian one. What most parents don’t understand is that kids absorb all their expressions, and those expressions shape and influence their young self-esteem.  

4. Make Time for Them, Set Limits, and Be Consistent

Sometimes, it’s not about what your kids do that counts, but about what you do. How many times a week do you spend quality time with them? Are you a consistent parent, or do you always have excuses and reasons in-store? 

Being a present parent enhances the productivity of your child by making them aware of parental authority. It also helps with adhering to rules and regulations. Setting limits ensures proper management of time and resources while enforcing discipline. 

5. Make Your Happiness a Priority

Energy can be reciprocated and entertained by your kid’s ever-growing mind. Let’s face it – you also have needs, responsibilities, and expectations to meet. It can be hard to be fully present while managing the pressure, but you have to take it easy on yourself. 

Getting everything done should not be seen as selfishness but as a means of enjoying quality time with your kids. Taking care of yourself and meeting all your desired expectations gives you a clear and relaxed mind to handle kids. 

kids be productive and happy, 6 Ways to Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy, productive and happy kids, happy kids, productive kids, Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy

Mistakes You Should Avoid When Raising Your Kids

While it may appear easy to implement the above tips, it is also easy to make mistakes when raising your kids. Some of them include:

  • Shaming your children 
  • Imposing micromanagement rules
  • Failure to give them a solid emotional base
  • Correcting your kids constantly without giving them room to make mistakes
  • Encouraging limited play instead of unstructured play

As parents, you should strive to provide the best for your kids. Transforming and molding them might feel like an uphill task and could cause some disagreement or stress, but it helps them grow into young, responsible, and productive individuals. 

Help Your Kids Be Productive and Happy

Implement these tips, and you will be sure to play your part in helping your kids be productive and happy. With some concentrated effort and discipline, you can make it happen. Would you add anything to this list?

Categories
Big Kid Home How To Life Our Family Parenting Teenager

How to Handle Family Issues Positively in 2020

positive family, positive parenting

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a real struggle for most of us. With so many unknown situations occurring and life constantly changing, it’s been hard. Unfortunately, this causes many issues for families. Luckily, however, there are ways to handle family issues positively.

handle family issues, handle family problems positively, family conflict, family problems, positive family, positive parenting
Pexels-CC0 Licence

Challenging situations will affect everybody, be that in our jobs, or physical and mental health, and in our relationships with our friends and families. 

While it is natural in all relationships to experience rough patches, placing a global pandemic that leaves us all trapped inside all the time into the mix makes it worse. The feeling of wanting to escape or take it out on others around you increases dramatically.  

In challenging times you will need the support of your family to get you through. However, family relationships can be complicated at times, and conflict within the home is hard to escape from. 

Here are some of the things you can do to help to restore your family (dis)agreements during one of the most challenging global crises in the 21st Century. 

How to Handle Family Issues Positively

 1. Stop playing the blame game

Relationships, particularly within a family unit, are about more than just one person. Attempting to, or even suggesting changing any family member can invite defensiveness. Nobody likes to be told that they are doing things wrong or need to change.

When dealing with issues, it is vital to come at them from a place of wanting to fix them, not of wanting to come out on top. This may mean coming to tackle an issue by starting with your role in the disagreements or tensions within family relationships. By admitting your fault in it, the other person will be more likely to accept your suggestions.

If all of you seek to facilitate your own changes individually, the family unit will flourish as you all try your best to be a good mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter etc. Each person in the family unit has a responsibility to uphold, so it is important for everyone to work together.

Quite often, problems in relationships are just that: problems that need addressing. Stop blaming yourself or others and think about what the issues are that cause tensions. 

2. List all of the things that spark disagreements 

From not completing chores, to harsh tones in communication, small things can build up to a pretty big deal when managing family relationships. If you’re constantly asking your kids to clean their rooms, or your partner to give you some space in the mornings and these requests are ignored, you can feel disrespected and lacking in value.

That said, it may not just be you that ends up feeling that way and tensions may be high from a number of reasons. 

Have everyone in the family write out what they feel causes tensions within the household. Create a safe space in order to allow them to do so. The key is to not get offended by some of the responses you get. 

The lists should include all of the things that each family member fears talking about due to not wanting to run into any disagreements. Doing so will help to identify any potential issues within the family unit.

You may notice several family members will identify similar areas of concern which will make it easier to deal with the issues – especially if you can come to an agreement as to how they can be dealt with. Do this collectively and each of you will feel responsible for the rest of the family unit. 

However, if it seems impossible to write just a few things on the list because you argue about everything, then this determines that the issues run deeper than simple misunderstandings. 

3. Express concerns constructively 

It’s easy to come into addressing concerns with accusation, but as previously mentioned, issues are rarely to do with an individual and precisely to do with a root cause. 

Take the pandemic, for example. The outbreak wasn’t anybody’s fault. How it was dealt with and the things that have happened as a result have sparked a whole load of discontent and disappointment that certain things haven’t gone according to plan. 

Having each of you expressing your concerns constructively will open the doors to honest and open discussions. Ensure that any comments are not accusatory comments, but comments that demonstrate how you feel. Here are some examples of ways to open up a dialogue which limit the potential for conflict.: 

  • My concern is….
  • I feel/felt  (one word eg- sad, anxious, scared) …when/ that (what it’s about?) 
  • What are your thoughts about….?
  •  I would like to (and never use I would like YOU to…) 
  • How would you….?
  • I love it when… 

Attempt to move away from unhealthy, accusatory comments which go nowhere and more often than not end up causing further fights. 

4. Seek outside help 

Sometimes it feels impossible to deal with things on our own. This means we need a neutral, outside perspective to give us the clarity that we need to get through. Going through some family counseling together will help you all to work through any issues that you’re facing as a family unit. 

Family issues can occur as a result of traumatic experiences, so having a professional is necessary to help you to navigate them as a collective and deal with them head on. 

Their job is to help you all identify which behaviors are a direct response to the trauma and to give you the tools to work through them.

5. Prioritize family time 

Pre COVID-19, many families would struggle to find evenings to do things together. Now, forced time together isn’t always the blissful time together you had hoped for. Especially if you haven’t quite been as informed about the goings on in your family’s lives as you would have hoped. 

There may be tensions due to people feeling ‘misunderstood’ and ‘unheard’ which can cause friction. Even while at home, your teens may wish to spend more time in their rooms speaking with friends. However, it is important to try and figure out the things that most of you enjoy doing together and make those things a priority.

Find the joy in getting to know your family again. While going out at the moment comes with additional risks, there are plenty of things you can do at home. Small things done together can make the world of difference to everybody’s emotions during this incredibly challenging time.

6. Recognize The Right Decision For Everyone Involved

When you become emotional due to a domestic issue, it’s easy to do what you think is right without focusing on anyone else’s point of view. Once you calm down, you must swallow your pride and lose your ego. When you work together properly, solutions become so much more apparent.

Whether it’s something that leads to the contact of custody attorneys or something much less significant, be sure to talk it out and understand all angles. You’ll be a lot more content and issues will be handled so much more positively.

handle family issues, handle family problems positively, family conflict, family problems, positive family, positive parenting

Family conflict is impossible to avoid. Luckily, there are ways to handle family issues positively. The key is to work together as a family unit and figure out what the issues are.

Once you have determined the issues, figure out how to solve them. Involving everyone in the solution will make it easier, and it’ll make everyone want to do their part.

Do you have any other tips for handling family issues positively? Leave a comment and let me know!

Categories
Gifts Holiday Kindergarten Age Learning Parenting Toys and Games

12 of The Best Board Games for Kids: Meaningful Gift Ideas

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , best games for kids

I don’t know about you, but I start my Christmas shopping in August. With five kids, it’s essential to begin early and to make sure all my gift plans are in place. My kids love games, so I have been researching the best games for kids.

While I know some of the games they would enjoy, there are so many games out there that I have never heard of. I like to buy games for kids that help develop their skills, and all of the games in this post are ones that do just that.

This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

Best Games for Kids

1. Race to the Treasure

I love this game because instead of playing against one another, the kids work together to beat an ogre to a treasure. While playing Race to the Treasure, kids will learn strategy, math concepts, making decisions as a team, and cooperation.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old, Race to the Treasure game for kids, board game for kids

2. 5 Second Rule Jr.

This is a family-friendly version of the 5 Second Rule adult game. When playing 5 Second Rule Jr., kids will read a card and give an answer within 5 seconds. Since it involves quick thinking, funny answers are bound to happen.

With good laughs and light-hearted fun, this game is perfect for family bonding time. If the child can’t quite read yet, playing on teams is fun, too.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old, 5 second rule jr., board games for kids

3. Pie Face Showdown

Pie Face is such a fun game, even if it is a little messy. The original game involved players passing the whipped cream covered hand around the table and turning the crank, hoping to not get hit in the face with whipped cream.

Pie Face Showdown is an upgraded version of the original. This one requires two players to both have their faces in front of a whipped cream covered hand. The players have to push their buttons faster to make the whipped cream hit their opponent.

4. Guess Who?

Guess Who is a classic, and it’s one of my favorites. Each player has a card with a person on it, and their opponent has to figure out which character the other one has. The first to figure out their opponent’s character wins the game.

The way you eliminate characters is by asking descriptive questions. These questions can be “Is your person wearing a hat?”, “Does your person have a mustache?”, or anything else that can help eliminate characters and lead you to your opponent’s character.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old, Guess Who, Board Games for kids

5. Buggaloop

This game features a Hexbug that crawls underneath the “backyard” (the game board). It can climb vertically, horizontally, turn corners, and go through loops and tubes. You have to try and get your game piece all the way across the board before the Hexbug appears and takes you out.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old, BuggaLoop board game, Hexbug game for kids

6. Uno

This simple classic card game is perfect for kids because it teaches so many things at once. Color and number matching, taking turns, and paying attention are all skills they can develop while playing.

I play this game often with my 3 and 4-year-old, as well. The only change I make is that we can see each other’s cards so that I can help as needed.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , card games for kids, Uno

7. Rush Hour Jr.

To play this game, kids will shift vehicles out of the way to clear a path to the exit. There are 40 levels, allowing for endless fun and brain stimulation. Rush Hour Jr. can help improve logical and spatial reasoning, planning skills, and problem-solving.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , logic games for kids, Rush Hour Jr

8. Operation

Another classic, the game of Operation has stood the test of time. Kids love this game, no matter which era they were born in.

It helps develop fine motor skills as kids use tweezers to remove ailments from the patient’s body. If the child misses and hits the side of the opening, the game buzzes, and the patient’s nose lights up. The player who can remove the most ailments wins.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , games to develop fine motor skills, operation

9. Ravensburger Labyrinth

I am so excited to get this game for my son for Christmas. The game changes each time you play it because the tiles move. This ensure that the child won’t get bored with it, since it’s pretty much a different game each time.

They will move their piece around the board, working their way to a treasure. On each turn, the child will also have the chance to change the path of the maze. It’s the perfect game to teach strategy.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , board games for kids, Labyrinth

10. No Stress Chess

This game offers a chance to teach kids how to play chess with little frustration on their part. It comes with a deck of cards that teach the rules of the game and strategies that should be used.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , teach kids to play chess, no stress chess, chess for kids

11. Skillmatics Educational Game: Brain Games

This is a game that is fun for the whole family, as the age range is from 6-99 years. It teaches thinking and reasoning, plus logic and problem-solving skills. As the game is played, the boards can be wiped off and done again.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , brain games for kids

12. SpringFlower Sight Word Game

My son isn’t a huge fan of working on his sight words the traditional way. I’m always looking for new activities to help him learn them. When I found this game, I was so excited. I only wish I had come across it sooner!

The kids will use the fly swatters to smack the appropriate sight word when it is called out. It’ll help them recognize the word more quickly, and it’ll be fun, helping to commit it to memory.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , sight word game, how to teach sight words

Final Thoughts on 12 of The Best Games for Kids

With as much as my kids love games, I always want to choose the ones that they will love. The best games for kids are the ones that offer a learning opportunity or help develop skills.

What are some of the games your kids love? Do you have any games for kids that you want to buy as a Christmas gift this year? Leave me a comment and let me know! I’d love to hear about it.

gift ideas for a 6 year old boy, 6 year old boy gift guide, gifts for a 6 year old , best games for kids

Posts Related to the Best Games for Kids

Categories
Big Kid How To Kindergarten Age Parenting Teenager

Too Much Screen Time? Try This!

Too much screen time, screen time, screen-free activities, screen free, no screens, parenting, covid19, coronavirus, stay safe, stay healthy

So, life has changed drastically for most of us in the last month. At our house, this means we have five kids at home while I’m also trying to work from home. I hate to admit it, but that leads to way too much screen time for the kids.

My mom guilt has been eating at me every time I see the kids with a tablet or a video game controller in their hand. Even worse, when I’ve witnessed them sitting on the couch for 2 hours straight staring at the TV.

I know that their life could definitely be worse. I just can’t help thinking of all the memories they are missing out on when they’re constantly getting screen time.

The Struggle

When you’re working from home, there is no super simple solution for keeping your kids occupied. They constantly interrupt, need something, or just begin fighting in the other room. I ignore it as much as I can, but it’s not always possible.

This is when I find myself saying, “do you want to watch YouTube?” or “here, play Talking Tom”. Otherwise, I just simply pass the tablet over without a second thought.

While this struggle is hard to overcome, it’s isn’t impossible. Plus, once you get it figured out, it’s even easier than passing the tablet over.

Pros and Cons of Screen Time For Kids

Don’t get me wrong, there are MANY good things about electronics for children. There are even more bad things, however, if we don’t play our cards right.

Benefits of Screen Time For Kids

  • Encourages engaging writing (it’s easier for them to get the words out when typing)
  • Can be used as a tool for communication or school work
  • It can be educational
  • Children can learn responsibility if they have set tasks they have to do BEFORE getting their screen time
  • They can play with friends

Cons

  • Can lead to obesity
  • Causes a lack of sleep
  • It leads to lower grades in school
  • Increases the chance of behavior issues
  • Connected to mental health issues in children
  • Causes eye strain and headaches
  • It makes children irritable
  • Prevents the development of proper social skills
Too much screen time, screen time, screen-free activities, screen free, no screens, parenting, covid19, coronavirus, stay safe, stay healthy

What We Can Do When Our Kids Have Too Much Screen Time

1. Set an example.

Kids aren’t the only ones who spend so much time staring at screens. As parents, we do it, too. Of course, if you’re working from home it may be unavoidable at times.

If you’re not working, though, try to be more aware of your screen usage. Children learn from example, and they watch us way more than we think.

2. Give them a screen time limit.

Make sure your kids know they’ll still get to watch their favorite videos and play their favorite games. The only change is that they have a time limit. This will help with the transition.

Give them a 10 and 5-minute warning. This helps them prepare for the end of their screen time. They can finish up what they’re doing or watching.

Plus, it reduces the chances of a melt-down. These melt-downs can be pretty tragic. Especially if the child feels they had no warning before having the device ripped from their hands.

3. Be upfront about the dangers of too much screen time.

Kids do hear what we tell them. Depending on their age, they may be able to understand why screen time rules have to change.

4. Don’t allow screens at certain times or in certain areas.

At our house, there is no screen time at dinnertime. The littles aren’t allowed to have screen in their bedrooms, either.

I’d have that same bedroom rule for the big kids, but they already had TV’s in their rooms when I moved in. My husband knew from the beginning that I wasn’t at a fan of that, but I wasn’t moving in to change their life-long rules so the TV’s stayed.

The big kids aren’t allowed to have their phones at bedtime on school nights, either. We actually have a cell phone contract that they have to follow.

You can make whatever rules are appropriate for your home. Everyone’s rules will be different.

5. Let your children know about the change ahead of time.

You shouldn’t just wake up one day and enforce new rules that yours kids have never heard of. They need time to get used to this idea. So, maybe tell them that after the weekend, the rules for screen-time will be changing.

6. Put it away where they can’t see it.

We’ve all heard the saying “out of sight, out of mind”, right? Well, think of that when screen time isn’t allowed. If your kids can see their device, they’re going to ask for it.

Asking for it and being told ‘no’ will cause a melt down. I promise it’ll be better to hide it until it’s time.

7. Play with them.

Ok, so I know you’re busy. But, when your kids will not stop interrupting you, something has to be done.

Don’t cave on the tablet unless it’s 100% necessary. Instead, take a 10-minute break to do a quick activity with your kiddo. Get them started on something fun, then get back to your work.

That little bit of time will make both of you happier. You can play Barbie’s, Lego’s, or anything else that you know your child will continue doing after you stop.

Too much screen time, screen time, screen-free activities, screen free, no screens, parenting, covid19, coronavirus, stay safe, stay healthy

This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

Screen-Free Activities For Kids

These activities can mostly be done on their own. You may have to do prep work for some of these independent activities for kids, but that’s about it.

  • Play soccer or basketball outside
  • Play catch with a family member or neighborhood friend
  • Blow up some balloons to play catch with or to smack around
  • Write or color with sidewalk chalk
  • Blow bubbles – Try this dinosaur bubble gun
  • Build with legos
  • Play with a deck of cards
  • Use play-doh
  • Color
  • Play Barbie’s or superheroes with a parent
  • Explore a sensory table or bucket
  • Play with the family pets
  • Make up a dance to your favorite song
  • Create a card for a loved one
  • Put beads on pipe cleaners to make jewelry
  • Play “The Floor is Lava”
  • Create an obstacle course
  • Make paper airplanes
  • Play school or doctor
  • Build a fort
  • Play with empty boxes
  • Do a puzzle
  • Make a collage from old magazines
  • Play dress up

Too Much Screen Time? It’s Not Too Late

I’m the first parent to admit that my kids get too much screen time. I’m working to alleviate this issue, though, and so far it seems to be working!

Are you having the same problem? Do you have any tips? Leave a comment and let me know!