That said, there would be no children without a mother. Mother’s are much much more than just a place for the 9 months we spend pre-birth. They do so much for us throughout our lives.

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

All mothers are working mothers. ~Unknown

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother. ~Oprah Winfrey

A Mother’s Love – Your arms were always open when I needed a hug. Your heart understood when I needed a friend. Your gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson. Your strength and love has guided me and gave me wings to fly. ~Sarah Malin

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ~Unknown

Best love message i’ve ever heard..”I BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT”…Because I’VE BEEN LOVING MY MOTHER SINCE I OPENED MY EYES…. ~Unknown

God Bless all you Mothers.

Bedding. It is likely that some children will be sleeping on the floor. Pack a sleeping bag, heavy comforter, or even a small blow-up mattress, so you child can sleep in comfort. Also, very few families have enough extra pillows to cater to every slumber party guest. Send your child with pillows – at least one, but even more if there are plans for sleeping on the floor.

Oral hygiene items. Don’t assume that things like toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss will be readily available to your child away from home. In addition to a toothbrush, you need to pack away any other oral hygiene items your child likes to use.

Objects of comfort. This is in reference to emotional comfort. If your child has a security blanket or a favorite stuffed animal that accompanies him or her to bed every night, then it is a good idea to pack it along for the trip. Don’t worry about whether or not the other kids will understand as much as whether or not your child will be able to make it through the night in an unfamiliar setting without that favorite comfort item.

Pajamas. It goes without saying that your child will need something to sleep in. The issue here is what to bring. Some people keep their homes warmer or cooler at night than you do your home; therefore, it is a good idea to pack a robe and socks, along with something of less coverage, to account for temperature differences. Also, there may be other children in the home your child is staying at, so you need to consider modesty when packing pajamas. For example, it may be an all-girl slumber party – but there may be two big brothers in the house, too.

Special foods and/or medications. If your child requires a special diet (due to allergies or sugar restrictions, for example), then it is a good idea to send food and snacks that your child can eat when the other children are eating the off-limits foods. Also, don’t forget to pack any medications that your child needs (or even might need, such as an inhaler), along with explicit instructions for use.

Preparing for a first slumber party can be very exciting, but also a little anxiety-inducing. Make sure you are thoroughly ready by packing these items.

About the Author: Ketelynn Chawla is a mother of 2 girls. She’s hosted slumber parties and sent her children away and knows one thing for sure – if you forget to pack something importnat, you’re going to hear about it!

Keep Them Occupied

Children tend to live in the moment, and because of this they very quickly get bored if nothing is immediately interesting to them. Because of this tendency toward boredom when you travel, a child needs something to occupy themselves. Some people sing songs that involve everyone in the group, while others play games like “count the cars” and look for cars of a certain color. Regardless of how you keep the children occupied, make sure it’s something that challenges them a little but is easy enough not to frustrate them.

Offer Rewards

When your children start to get irritated, remind them that if they can control themselves and be good during the trip there will be rewards later on. What those rewards are is a matter of what the children like, naturally. Also, how often you reward the children is a choice only you can make, as there is a fine line between providing constant rewards and making rewards seem unattainable.

Define Punishments

Children need to have boundaries, or they will continue to act worse and worse until they make a huge, screaming scene at the worst possible time. If the children know they will be punished if they act badly, however, they will be less likely to act up.

Let Them Make Choices

No one likes to constantly be told what to do. Children like to feel as if they are a part of the decision making process. So give them some choices to make from time to time, and allow them to set some goals for the trip. This could mean visiting something they want to see or do, or it could mean trying some interesting kind of food, or whatever. A child with goals tends to be far happier than a child that’s just going along with what everyone else wants to do.

Children can have a great time on trips. Also, you can have a great time with the children. But you have to set boundaries, offer rewards as well as punishments, and allow the kids to participate in making decisions about the trip.

About the Author: Larita Dannels loves traveling with her children but hates the long car rides. She loves looking for unique sublets in areas they’ve never visited so that they can maintain a sense of normalacy when away from home. 

Everyone wants to do something for their kids, especially if it is something that will make them healthier and happier. While schoolwork is an important portion of every kid’s life, you should not discount the importance of recreational periods, in which kids spend time with each other following leisurely pursuits. Recreational time is important for kids not only because it helps them to stay healthy and provides a welcome break from school work, but also because children learn a great deal about peer interaction and cooperation when they engage in games, make believe, and other after-school or weekend activities. Playtime can be either structured, with specific activities planned for each recreational period, or it can be more freeform, which involves allowing children the opportunity to discover and organize the activities that they want to do. You might find that kids are sometimes better off being left alone to use their imaginations, because that can be a welcome break from the more structured experience that they have most days in the classroom.

Some recreational areas are quite plain, and can be used for simple games that don’t require a lot of equipment, such as dodge ball or tag. Other spaces can be equipped for any number of games or fun activities. Indoor spaces are useful, especially on days when inclement weather makes it preferable to stay inside. And if your child plays in an outdoor playground, there are a number of different activities that the space can be outfitted for. You may have see-saws, slides, monkey bars, and swings to keep children amused and to allow them to engage in fun physical activities which will help them become stronger and healthier.

Backyard Playground vs. Schoolyard Playground

If your child’s schoolyard, say, is an area that is going to be outfitted with equipment for youngsters to play on, the planner will probably want to look at commercial playground equipment because it’s sturdier than the kinds made for backyards, it will last a lot longer than swing sets and slides made for home use, and it will be safer because it’s stronger. More durable materials are less likely to break and cause an otherwise safe piece of equipment to become a potential danger to children’s safety.

Right Before Getting Started

If you’re planning to equip a playground, you’ll want to take a survey of the children who will be using it before you begin to select the gear that you want to buy. You will want to buy equipment that is appropriate for the age children whom the recreational facility will be serving. Installing something age-specific, such as a playhouse, might be inappropriate if your core users are older children.

Older kids might prefer basketball hoops or a baseball field rather than swings and other amusements more suited to younger children. But whatever kinds of equipment you choose for kids, make sure that everything is safe and sturdy. Your kids’ well-being may depend on it.

Call (877) 777-3700 and let ParknPool help you choose the perfect commercial playground sets for you!

If you want your children to eat a healthy and balanced diet then in many cases, you need to get in touch with your creative streak. Below are just a few ways you might want to try to get your kids to eat their veggies.

Get Them Involved:

Research tends to suggest that the earlier children get involved in the food preparation and production process, the more likely they are to eat what is put in front of them. You may need to be a bit creative if you have particularly obstinate kids but greater familiarity with the whole business of preparing and cooking food often makes children less fussy eaters.

It’s also a good idea to get them involved in the cleaning up – at the very least, it’ll instil the habit in them for life and make them less reluctant once they hit their rebellious teenage years!

It helps to invest in some fun to use appliances such as high-tech blenders or an insinkerator; be sure to use them with your children (though for obvious reasons you shouldn’t let them use it alone).

Stay Safe:

Don’t leave children unattended in the kitchen. Let them use knives and appliances only under your watchful eye. You might also want to think about upgrading to safer kitchen equipment, like induction hobs, for example.

Try Them Raw:

Not all children like cooked vegetables whether or not we over cook them so it’s worth offering raw vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, cauliflower florets, or peppers.

Be creative in how you cut the vegetables, let them play around with them if they want, and offer them a selection of dips – humus is a great choice because it’s super healthy too. Some kids change their mind about liking vegetables when they have eaten them this way.

Have a Salad Bar:

At dinner time cut salad and other vegetables into interesting or funny shapes and then lay them all out like a salad bar. Let the children help themselves, even to the point of making some sort of vegetable design on their plate before eating them.

Adding some not so healthy, but ultimately enticing salad toppings like bacon bits, croutons and bread sticks can help too.

Make Fresh Soup:

Fresh vegetable soup is not only extremely tasty with the right herbs and spices, but it’s also very easy to make.

Roughly chop your vegetables and put them into a pint of stock, bring them to the boil and remove veg with a straining spoon. Let the vegetables cool before sticking them in a blender with some of the stock and blitzing for a few seconds. Return blended vegetables and stock to pan, taste to check seasoning and bring back to the boil – if necessary thicken with cornflour.

Serve the soup with some grated cheese and croutons. Add a drop of milk to the mix to get a creamier soup. Reheat any leftovers the next day.

Let Them Make Their Own Fruit Smoothies:

Have your children select their own fruits and let them blend the mix under your watchful eye.

For extra flavour, add some yogurt or for a real treat, ice cream.

Article by guest author Amy Fowler on behalf of The Kitchen Appliance Centre, suppliers of high-quality modern kitchen essentials.

Here are ten steps to follow to make sure that you find the right summer camp:

1. Decide what your expectations are. You likely have some expectations for what you expect your kids to get out of their camp experience. Do you want them to learn outdoor skills? Make friends? Have fun? Consider whether you want to send them to a camp with a certain philosophy or world view—there are a lot of Christian camps in Texas, for instance. If you are a past summer camper yourself, think about the aspects of camp that you enjoyed and what you didn’t like.

2. Talk with your kids about what they want. While your ideas for your kids are certainly important, your kids’ ideas are equally so. Talk with your kids about what they would like to experience at camp. Their ideas may surprise you.

3. Make a list of potential camps. Once you have a good idea about what you both want, go out and scour the web for a list of camps that may meet your requirements. At this point, don’t rule anything out, just make a list of all the possibilities. Keep in mind as you do that there are a lot of different types of summer camps in Texas, from traditional outdoor camps to that teach your kids about science or art. The one that is perfect for your kids may be something you didn’t expect.

4. Compare the activities that each camp offers. Will there be crafts? Horseback riding? Interpretive dance? What steps does the camp take to ensure that all kids are able to participate in activities? Look at what each camp offers carefully.

5. Research other camp features. Activities are not the only thing that can make or break a camp experience, however. You should also look at each camp’s size, location, ratio of counselors to campers, safety features, average age of campers and counselors, and accommodations. At this point, you can start narrowing down your options to the camps that suit you best.

6. Ask for reviews from past campers. If you know someone whose kids have attended the camp recently, that’s great. Ask a lot of questions, and make sure that they tell you about what they liked and didn’t like about the camp. If you don’t know anyone who personally attended the camp, ask for references directly from the camp itself and read online reviews to get a full picture about what your kids can expect.

7. Take a tour of the camp. If possible, arrange to take a tour of the camp before your child attends. The winter months are great for planning trips like this.

8. Look at prices. Price does, of course, matter, but keep in mind that cost is not always an indication of which camp is best. Consider the price in context of what the camp actually offers — activities, number of days, meals, etc.

9. Make a decision with your kids about which camp is best. With all of these considerations in mind, and in consultation with your kids, decide which camp is right for them.

10. Register for the right camp. Many camps have open registrations all year long. Now that you have decided on the perfect camp, don’t lose your spot by waiting too long to register. Go ahead and sign up through the camp’s website or by calling them directly.

If you follow all these steps, you can feel good knowing that you have carefully weighed all the options and that your decision is a good one for when it comes to summer camps.

1. Never Forget
•It’s always important to remember medication.  Headache remedies, motion sickness medications, sleep aids, and prescriptions need to be kept handy, to avoid trying to find stores and pharmacies open late at night.

•Baby wipes can be used for almost anything when traveling.  Cleaning up car spills, faces and hands, and just to cool down, baby wipes are a must when traveling.  They can be used in restrooms to clean the toilet seats and hands after.

•Baggies, trash bags and Ziploc bags can be used for a variety of things while traveling.  Use shopping bags as a makeshift trashcan that can be easily contained and thrown out.  Ziploc bags can be used to store small snacks, or leftovers from a small stop to eat.  Ziploc bags can also be used to store small toys!

2. Timing Can Mean Everything:
 •Making travel plans when kids take naps is definitely a winning strategy.  If traveling by car or plane, leaving an hour or so before a normal nap time is usually all that is needed to wind them down. Specfically for flying, late flights (when children should be sleeping) can make the flight much easier on parents.

•Be sure to have all children go to the bathroom before leaving home and plan stops every couple hours for restroom breaks and to stretch their legs. Otherwise, you’ll have restless kids who need to go NOW!

3. Entertainment is Key

• Choosing the right books and toys to bring along is so important. Always bring your child’s favorite toy for comfort.  Something that they play with for long periods of time at home already is also going to be a safe bet – coloring books, crayons, and paper can always turn into hours of fun and keep children quite busy.  Bring something new for each child, so that when boredom sets in, pulling out something new can be exciting and fun!

4. Bonus Flying Tips

•If you know you’re going to be flying, plan ahead! Try to pick out seat assignments that will help, such as window or aisle seats.  Try to choose seats early enough that you can have your whole family in the same location and sitting by someone they get along with.

•Ask your flight attendant about children’s meals and snacks.  Most have a small toy or something to entertain children.

•Try to choose flights that don’t have to make stops, to avoid the stress of trying to handle children along with flight connections and times.

•Be sure to check airline rules on traveling with car seats.

•Alert your airlines that you are traveling with children, so that you know of any special rules and regulations that may apply, as well as discounts!

Kyle Jennings likes to write about parenting, travel & saving money at www.homeinsurance.org.

Kids today have it much easier than kids of yesterday, but the easy nature of things usually makes them lazier and less interested in the outside world than before.  While at one time the streets of neighborhoods were littered with kids riding their bikes or swimming in their pool, today most kids are locked into their video game console for hours each day.  Luckily, with some ideas, a yard can easily be turned from a boring open area to a place that kids beg to spend time in each day.

Kids usually get bored because of either a lack of variety of things they can do or the things to do simply getting boring much too quickly.  A good way to figure out things that work better is to concentrate on activities and different ideas that the children can either do together or individually.  For example, many games for game systems are single player only and force the children to take turns, but there are also many games that can be played by up to four players at once.  Many outdoor activities are good for one or multiple people, but a pool is hard to allow a child to swim in without any adult supervision.  As a result, the ideas for entertainment must be personalized to the age and interest of the child for them to be long lasting means of entertainment.

Several Benefits To Consider

Children that usually have multiple friends available to play with will benefit the most from outdoor activities.  Making a makeshift football or baseball field is a great idea, since they are active sports that build team skills and offer fun competition.  Building a great tree house can be beneficial for many reasons, and if it is made more complex, it can be a great place to spend time alone as well.  Usually having two tree houses is a good way to set up a competitive environment, but just one is good to hang out in whether friends are over or not.  The important thing is to make sure it is built safely so your kids will not get hurt easily, nor will the neighbor’s children.

A good way to get ideas is to visit local playgrounds for preschools or other public areas designed for kids.  Many of the plastic commercial playground pieces of equipment are designed very well and are very safe compared to yesterday’s structures.  Other equipment can also be scouted out while deciding on what setup would be best, but a swing set would provide much more long lasting entertainment than a simple spin setup or other piece that thrives on simplicity.  The important part is to have a variety while not overdoing it with too many pieces of entertainment together.

Call (877) 777-3700 and let ParknPool help you choose the perfect ParknPool outdoor playgrounds and ParknPool preschool playgrounds for you!

There are a lot of different factors that go into the development of our children, both in and out of the classroom, but even outside of school, there are plenty of activities to keep your kids active and happy, giving them an alternative to sitting indoors playing video games or watching television. Sometimes getting outside is all a child needs to let off some steam and decompress from all the time spent indoors, and do more physical activities instead of more mentally demanding ones.

There are certain social skills and health benefits for children that can only be acquired by spending time outdoors with kids their own age, and the long term effects will prove to be even more valuable as they grow and develop over time. When kids get as much of an opportunity to play outside as they do to spend time indoors, it gives them a better grasp of how the world works. Only by nurturing both the intellectual and physical development of a child can you ensure that he or she truly reaches his or her maximum potential.

The First Experiences Count

From early childhood development with their first experiences in classrooms and playgrounds for preschools, to adulthood in a more professional setting, the skills learned all along the way are all far too valuable, even if you’ve never given the matter much thought in the past. Everything you learn in your schooling career, as well as beyond it, comes into play later in life, sometimes in more ways than one.

Even outside of school, aside from spending time indoors, it is important that kids get a good amount of recreational time out in the sun, whether it be playing sports or just spending time on a plastic commercial playground in your local park. There are plenty of things to keep kids of all ages busy, from the hottest summer day to the snowiest winter afternoon.

Intellect Is Not Everything

The importance of developing in every aspect of your maturity is focused more often on intellectual properties than otherwise, but that does not mean that the other things are any less important in the overall scheme of things. Even as you get older and you find yourself challenged by new obstacles, there is always something to be achieved by spending some time outside, whether at your local park, on a hiking trail, or even at the beach.

The limits to what your kids can do with some quality time outside are only set by the limits of their imagination and willingness to get out there and decompress from the other things that life has to offer, and recreational time will prove to be full of valuable lessons to take into the future.

Call (877) 777-3700 and let ParknPool playgrounds help you choose the perfect commercial outdoor playground and ParknPool school playgrounds for your organization’s needs!

Please read on.

Many parents wait until a child is in their mid to late teens to stat teaching them about financial institutions and saving money. We believe that this is a huge mistake – kids are so much more impressionable when they are younger, and introducing them to savings and banks or credit unions at a young age will make them more confident when they start to draw in a serious income when they get older and land part-time jobs; the skills they can learn from their parents at a young age where money-handling is concerned can serve them for a lifetime.

With this in mind, we encourage parents who have children that they would like to educate regarding the importance of saving money to keep in mind the following tips. These are great ways to introduce your child to the sense behind savings in a way where they can understand themselves in a protective trial-and-error environment. Soon, your kid will be saving like a pro!

Give your child an allowance in denominations that encourage savings. If you give your child ten dollars a week in allowance, try giving it to them in ten single bills, or five singles and one five. If you give them a single ten-dollar bill, they’re more likely to go out and spend some money to break it. Smaller bills encourage them to save more money.

Consider opening a checking or a savings account for your child at the bank. Not only will they like having an ATM card just like Mom and Dad, they’ll be able to see firsthand what having a bank account is like. Most bank accounts offer “piggyback” accounts off of a main account, and these are intended for children and preteens. They allow you to monitor how much and where your child is spending his or her money. Remember to allow the child to spend money whenever he or she wants to make a purchase (within reason, of course), as this is where they will learn about how debit cards work. If you forbid your child to touch the money once it’s in the bank account this sets up an unrealistic picture of what a bank account is and will discourage your child from ever putting money into the account.

Help your child differentiate between wants, needs, and wishes. Food, water, and house are needs; video games, toys, and candy are wants; trips to Disney World and a rocket ship to the moon are wishes. While it’s true that children often have a difficult time telling the difference between reality and fiction, working with them on this account can help them begin to understand the difference – at least with regards to spending money.