As a Dad of three great kids (5y, 2y, 3mo), I have been storing up some good parenting tips that I wanted to share or I know I will forget them all together. I wish somebody had shared these with me along time ago….would have made my life a little bit easier.
- Kids want to pour their own drinks? My son always wants to pour his own drink at dinner. Have the dishwasher door open and let the kids pour over the door, if some spills, no biggie.
- Buy a pool! Great time of year to buy an above ground pool for next summer. Many stores are clearing out all their pools and pool accessories. You can really score a great deal. I saw some really cheap pools at Wal-Mart the other day. Yes, I actually went into a Wal-Mart.
- Want to watch the BIG football game without the kids hanging all over you? Get a Nerf football, set up a mini-field in the family room and let the kids go to town. Rules: 2 hand touch, no punting!
- Kids won’t eat meat? They need protein, so try a dipping sauce. My son loves to dip steak in Worcestershire sauce and my daughter will eat a TON of chicken if I put a little BBQ sauce on her plate.
- A hundred toys and nothing to do? If your child complains of being bored yet has a zillion toys, box up those toys and give them back at times of good behavior. You will be amazed at how they love the re-discovery of forgotten toys.
- Do your kids love Play-Doh? Let them play on the kitchen floor and use a vinyl tablecloth to make cleanup really easy. Heck, you can take it outside and hose it off if need be.
- Teach them to recycle. My son has been learning about recycling, organization, and money by sorting our recyclables. Once a month I take him down to collect the money from his hard work. He gets to sign his name on the recycle slip and they give him a piece of candy. He loves it!
- Do your kids like to paint? Use an empty egg carton and pour a little bit of each color in each egg holder. Kids can then mix the colors easily and have a great time.
- Use the time right before bed for some quiet time with the kids. Let them pick out a book to read, sit with them and enjoy the moment. Kids will go to bed much easier when they are in a relaxed state of mind. This seems like common sense, but I have seen families where bedtime is pure chaos.
- Stay flexible. What works on one kid may not work on the next. One method of discipline or praise may not work on all kids. For example, the time-out chair, as a disciplinary techniques, works very well on my son, but does not work on my daughter, instead taking things away from her and putting them on top of the refrigerator works like a charm. Don’t be afraid to tailor your methods for each child.
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4 responses so far ↓
Excellent list! I’ve got to try #4 tomorrow since my son hates meat (which sometimes I think may not be all that terrible - but still he needs to try some). #7 is a nice idea, too - I think it’s something overlooked these days, despite all the attention that’s given to the environment. Kids should be taught early on that there’s a responsibility to recycle when it’s possible, and that there’s no reason it should be any different (or harder) than just throwing stuff away.
The only one I’ll disagree with is #8. I prefer my walls a solid color, not Jackson Pollack speckled…
Thanks Brip Blap for the comment, and yeah I should have prefaced #8 with “take it oustide kids”!
How did the dipping suace go with your son?
I love the playdoh idea. I usually just have them play with it outside but sometimes it’s just too hot out there. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for joining us at the Carnival of Family Life.
Hi Kailani! Thanks for stopping by, and I have to give my wife credit on the Play-Doh idea! A few others on the list as well…..