Finding family time during school

Finding Family Time During the School Year (she: Heather)

ByHeather

September already!? School bells have rung and any day now the leaves are going to start changing colors. Heather here, from FamilyVolley.com. I am excited to share with you some tips for finding family time, now that school is back in session.

A new school year means family life gets a little crazy and a lot busy, which means family time can easily go out the window. The question is, how can we focus more on family and less on the hectic lifestyle we are living?

I have eight suggestions for you and your kids that will help you find more quality family time during the school year. Some are simple, like establishing a set bedtime for everyone in the family, eating a meal together regularly, or reading together. Others, like limiting technology time every day as well as weekly extra-curriculars, may be a little more difficult. But I promise it’s worth it!

inspiration for moms
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Inspiration for Moms… “You Are Enough” (she: Veronica)

ByVeronica

Hi my friends! It’s Veronica, and I’m so excited to be back this month with some inspiration for moms (and kids)! Here in Tennessee, we have been back in school for two weeks now. So life has been pretty chaotic around here!

Over the past little while I’ve seen the saying “You Are Enough”. It seems to be all over Pinterest and the internet. After the past couple weeks I’ve had, I think I’m beginning to understand why! I’ve needed this great little reminder.

dealing with a bossy child

Dealing with a Bossy Child (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Happy August Everyone! It’s Heather from FamilyVolley.com. I’m excited to be here today to share some parenting tips to make things a little bit easier in your home. And although today’s post is geared toward toddlers, the parenting tips can be used when parenting kids of any age. When our oldest child was nearing 2, I clearly remember my mom telling me that the twos were terrific, not terrible. I have always been grateful for her counsel. I ignored all the people telling me “to brace myself for the terrible twos”, went into parenting a two year old with an open mind, and you know what, she was exactly right. Now, five kids later, two is one of my favorite ages. As much as I love all the toddler developments, there is something that comes with being two that isn’t terrific. Two year olds tend to be a little bossy. Toddlers in general seem to be a little bossy and want things their own way.

what to do when kids lie

What To Do When Kids Lie (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Happy Summer! Heather here, from FamilyVolley.com. Today I am excited to share parenting advice to make things easier in your home.

Call it what you will, Fibbing, a Whopper, Tall Tale, Story Telling, it is all the same. Lying. And it can be really frustrating when our kids start to tell them.

First, it is good to understand lying by age and stage. Young children tell fibs based on fantasy, and they are usually made up stories of who they wish they were (princesses), or what they wish they could do (today I ate 10 popsicles and didn’t get sick). Elementary School Children start to tell “smarter” lies to get out of punishment, to sound “cool”, and to get what they want.

play time with toddlers
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Tips for Surviving Play Time With Toddlers (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Happy Mother’s Day to you, and to all the special moms in your life. It’s Heather, back to share a few ideas to help you as you play with your young children.

Spend a few minutes with your little ones and you realize how much they love to play. Play is vital to their emotional, physical, and social growth. It helps them build confidence, self esteem, and even teaches them to control their emotions. But… their games and activities can start to grate on moms. The next time you wonder if you can spend one more minute playing kitchen or Candy Land, remember all the benefits that come to kids from playing. And use the following suggestions to make things a little easier during play time with toddlers. Remember, you are not alone. These feelings are very normal.

Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)
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Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)

ByTonii

Hello everyone, it’s Tonii again and I am so glad to be back with another fun and simple Family Night! This month, I felt inspired to talk to my kids all about the importance of WORDS. The words that we use, and the way that we use them. It’s so important to spend time teaching kids their words matter.

To get started I whipped up a simple printable with the words I say to my kids every day before they head off to school… Check it out!

toilet training

Toilet Training: Is Your Child Ready? (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Toilet training our children can be one of the most challenging things we have to do. One of the reasons it is so hard, is because we often start training our children before they are ready. Regardless of the method you choose to use when you train, knowing if your child is ready is the first step.
Remember, our goal shouldn’t just be to get our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet and not in their pants, but to teach our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet by themselves. Here are a few simple tests that can help you gauge if your child is ready to be toilet trained. Most children 20 months and older are capable of being toilet trained. But remember, every child will be different. Three simple tests (Bladder Control, Physical Development, and Instructional Readiness) can help you assess if your child is ready.

Products to prevent and treat lice
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Products to Prevent and Treat Lice (she: Rebecca)

ByRebecca

So, this is a post I thought I would never be qualified to write … at least I hoped I’d never become an expert at dealing with dreaded lice! But, I’m coming to you now as a seasoned veteran of the war against these horrible, nasty, persistent little pests.

Let me start from the beginning. I have a first grader with long, thick, thick, thick (Did I mention her hair is thick?!?) gorgeous hair. At the end of the Christmas break, she started complaining about her head itching, so I casually checked her head only to find the tell-tale white nits buried deep in there. I was horrified! I cancelled all our plans, called any friends we’d been in recent contact with, loaded the three kids in the car and headed straight for the drug store. I bought everything I could find, spent a fortune and went home to begin the war!

Tips for Being a Happy Mom (she: Heather)
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Tips for Being a Happy Mom (she: Heather)

ByHeather

Since the beginning of time, all human beings have sought the same thing: To BE HAPPY! The problem is that in the heat of motherhood, and parenthood and life, happiness can be hard to find. And when “momma aint happy, aint nobody happy.” The cooking and cleaning and whining and chauffeuring, and inability to have 30 seconds of privacy to use the bathroom alone, can sometimes make us feel like it is impossible to be a happy mom.

But that is not the case. Consistent research shows that happy moms have a few things in common. Here are 6 things that Happy moms do. These tips for being a happy mom could work for all of us!

three easy parenting tips
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Three Easy Parenting Tips for 2014 (she: Heather)

ByHeather

If we want to have strong relationships with our children, we HAVE to spend time with them. Not just every once in a while, but research shows that we need to find at least 15 minutes a day to spend with each child on an individual basis. This is uninterupted time where we put our phones and computers and the laundry away and just focus on them. Get down on their level, look into their eyes and really listen to what they say. If you are wondering what you are going to do, sit down together and make a list of all the things that you could do. From baking cookies, to going for a drive, playing a game or just chatting about the day. Then when it is time to be together, you wont waste it trying to figure something out. Pick something on your list and have a good time. Your kids will feel supported, listened to, understood, and you will even see improvements in their behavior. You will find that a little time makes a big difference.

Surviving Motherhood: 12 Ways to Make it Out Alive!
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Surviving Motherhood: 12 Ways to Make it Through Alive! (she: Jamie)

ByJamie S.

Don’t get me wrong, being a Mom has it amazing and beautiful moments, it’s just harder than I ever imagined (I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, right?!).

We are stripping everything down and going back to the basics! At the end of this year I want you to look back and be proud of your accomplishments, who’ve you become, and where you are headed. More and more, I’m coming to understand that happiness is something you do, not something that just happens to you. Positive psychology researchers have identified definite habits that cause happiness (and have determined that it’s not the other way around) — these include gratitude, exercise, doing nice things for others, and lots more. Keep reading for some basic tips for surviving motherhood and finding as much happiness in it as you can in it.

Everyone is Special ~ November 2013 Inspiration
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Everyone is Special ~ November 2013 Inspiration

ByMariel

Happy Sunday!!

I just finished reading a wonderful book to my kids. Have you heard of the book, Wonder by R.J. Palacio? I really had no idea what to expect from it, just that it must be good, with thousands of five-star reviews. Turns out, we loved it too! It’s the story of a young boy, with a serious facial deformity. He has avoided public schools, up until the 5th grade, when he hesitantly decides he’s ready to give it a shot. As expected, there are some rough moments for him, and some moments that are downright horrible. But, the book is filled with tender moments and great examples of love.