Things You Should Say to Your Children

Our children are so precious, we need to let them know just how important they are to us every day! Of course there are a million and one important things that you should say to your children. However, that list may be a little long! Here are what I would consider to be the top ten things we should say to our children.

1. I Love You

Tell your children you love them, often! “I Love You! No matter what, I will always love you.” A parent’s love is unconditional. You children will love you unconditionally also. Good parent or bad, children love their parents. They need to know that no matter what they do, you will always love them. Tell them you love them everyday!

2. I'm Proud of You

When your children so something they are proud of, let them know that you are proud of them too! Your children need to know you are proud of them for their accomplishments, not matter how small. They look up to you and you need to give them encouragement. If they know you are proud of them, it will help build their confidence in themselves and nurture their self-esteem.

3. I'm Sorry

Say you're sorry when needed. Don’t be hesitant to tell your children you’re sorry. If for some reason you say or do something that you really shouldn't have, tell your child, you are are sorry. Some people think that saying your sorry is a sign of weakness, I don’t agree. I think it is a sign of strength. You are being strong enough to admit you made a mistake and apologize for it. Your children should learn to apologize when they do or say something hurtful. Remember, they learn from your example.

4. It's Ok to Cry

Let them know that everyone cries sometime. You can cry when you are sad or when you are hurt. Crying is a natural response to pain, either physical or emotional. Everyone cries from time to time, it is a healthy release of emotion. You shouldn't keep your emotions all bottled up inside. Crying doesn't make you a wimp or weak. Tell your children that sometimes even big people cry.

5. You Made a Mistake, It's ok.

Help them learn from their mistakes. Tell them that no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Don’t make them feel like they have to be perfect. That puts too much pressure on them. Try to teach them to learn from their mistakes. Tell them of some mistakes you have made, let them know that you are not perfect either. Try to also teach them to learn from others mistakes, don’t wait to make the same mistake themselves.

6. It Was Just An Accident

Accidents happen. Don’t punish your child for something that they did not intentionally do. Explain to them why it happened and how to keep it from possibly happening again. I can remember my parents saying, “It was an accident, you are not in trouble, you didn't do it on purpose.” I felt bad for my friends that would get yelled at and punished for something that they didn't mean to do. I always tried to remember this when I was raising my children.

7. I'm Listening to You

Listen to your children! One of my biggest pet peeves is to hear a child continually saying, “mama, mama, mama” and the mother not paying any attention. We teach our children not to interrupt when someone is talking, but then we never listen to what they have to say. When your child is trying to tell you something, take interest in it. Show them that you care about what they have to tell you. If you will listen to them, they will learn that they can wait until you are finished talking and you will listen to what they have to say. Did you ever wonder why some children don’t listen to their parents? Maybe it’s because the parents don’t really listen to their children.

8. It's Ok To Be Scared

Find our what scares your children. Let them know that it is ok to be scared sometimes. Everyone is afraid at one time or another. We usually fear the unknown and there are many things that children haven't experienced yet. Learn what it is that scares them and try to help them overcome their fear. Remember too, that sometimes a little fear can be a good thing. It keeps you cautious.

9. What Do You Think?

Ask your child's opinion. Let them know that their opinion matters. This will also help you get some insight on how they feel about decisions that are being made. This doesn't mean they are going to be the decision maker, it just means that you value their opinion. This will help them feel like an important part of the family.

10. You Did a Good Job

Praise your children. No matter how small the task, let your children know when they have done a good job. Your children need your approval when they do something right. Brag on them when they deserve it! Confidence building is an important part of growing up.

Back into the Schoolyard

It Was Great While It Lasted

Every year, as a stay-at-home mom, I missed my older son when he went to school. It was a nice break not having to make macaroni and cheese or grilled cheeses every day and having time to watch NDA shows. (NDA= Not Dylan Appropriate) Last year the beginning of the year was crazy, as I was due to give birth at any time right around him starting school. This year, I wish I could say it isn't as crazy, but anyone who has a baby at home that is already excelling at toddlerhood knows that every day with a toddler is crazy. Having my oldest back at school does sadden me, especially since this begins his last year of elementary school. I wonder if I'm more anxious about "teenhood" approaching than I am about his actual return to school.

As his last school year ended, I wasn't sure I was ready to face having both children home all day long. I was sure I was going to go crazy, but I lucked out and it actually went pretty smoothly. This doesn't mean I can't wait for his return to school however. There was a chorus of "Mom, Mom...." until I could respond back, which meant I often heard about 20 "mom"s. With all that only to be followed by "Hi." The first week, that didn't bother me. Several weeks in, I was pretty sure that I was going to start banging my head against a wall. Having both children at home was hard, as it's hard to entertain 2 children of two very different age ranges without someone getting bored or annoyed. Toss in the lecturing of "yes, you do need to do your summer reading" with "Mom, the baby's stealing the Kindle so I can't do my reading" or "Mom, the baby stole my mouse and I can't play my game!". Then add in a baby that thinks he's magic Mike, and I was ready to toss in my hat and toss up the white flag and every other means of submission. I actually think I went through an entire bottle of Advil for this summer vacation.

Sending your child back to school to save your sanity isn't the only thing that this time of year brings, it also brings a giant hit to your wallet. No fail, children always need new clothes. It isn't always because they grow like weeds and constantly need something new because of it. Those clothes were so last year! We can't blame them though. We remember those days when you just wanted to be the stylish one to fit in or be popular. Then you need new supplies, because at the end every year you get a report card with a note of supplies you need to send your child to school with. My school, for instance, requires us to supply dry erase markers and Lysol wipes in addition to pens and pencils. Because schools can somehow afford 150 iPads, but pencils and pens are too much money...

Us parents need a survival guide to the Back to School Days. Whether you're an old pro, or this is your first time at the rodeo, you need fellow parents to lean on and vent about this time of year that's equally stressful on parent and child. I think I have this figured out as much as any parent can. I'd be interested to see what others have to say on this matter.

Don't Go Insane Last Year's First Day

Every year, you get a list and a ton of flyers that flash the "new in clothes" for your child to get excited over. My son sticks to a style everyone refers to as "Skater chic", with an unhealthy love of skinny jeans that makes me embarrassed to purchase but I refuse to be that parent that doesn't allow my child to choose his own wardrobe within reason. It's hard as a parent to sort through the school's lists and those advertisements that tell our children who they are supposed to idolize as style icons and what brands and styles they are supposed to wear. This is especially hard on a budget and in a single income family, like mine and many others. I have some secrets, and I hope you enjoy them. This is how I balance the needs and wants of an expensive time of year and I hope it helps.

Don't fall for those sales
You really need to read the flyers closely. I was reading a Staples flyer, and was excited to see things that said "$1" or "$0.1". Last year, I went there to buy school supplies as a result of the flyer, and everything was much more expensive than I budgeted as a result of the flyer because all their sale items were "sold out" or had fine print next to them in the flyer. I don't believe the items were really sold out, and I realized this was a ploy because people were probably like me and figured "well, I'm already here and I don't feel like going to 10 other stores". Being pregnant and it being hot probably didn't help my patience level. This year, I did read the fine print. It said: "With $5 or more purchase" or "Must buy 10". This year I went to the dollar store and Target, and everything only cost about $10. The dollar store seems like a place to only get cheap stuff, but you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Make use of those savings
With all the money you can save buy careful purchases of supplies, you can use that for your clothes fund. And you'll probably need it. These days, children start off judging others on their clothes at a much younger age then when we were children. With that, you can buy more quality items for your child. Some major brands are worth the expense because they are durable and will last you the year.

On the topic of clothes
I cheat this system a little. I stockpile points from Mypoints.com, to save up for gift cards during key times of year like Back to School or Christmas. I find key pieces, like pants and shoes, and buy them in name brands since those are brands children can see and tell what they are. Also, I never pay full price on those items. I surf through clearance racks first. Then I set a limit on price of shirts, say I will only buy shirts under $5. From there, I find whatever name brands fit that limit and my son's style. I then go to a place like Target or Walmart for shirts, underwear and socks because children can't see the difference in a brand on any of those items. Old Navy also has really good sales sometimes on these items and you can get a $20 for $3. Keep an eye out for those sales. I have also found that if you buy a few necessary core items before school, after school starts big sales seem to happen to unload the extras. You can score great deals then too.

Outlets aren't always the best
Sometimes outlet stores are fantastic. You can really score great stuff for amazing prices. But sometimes, if you don't do your research prior, you're really not paying any less and when you factor in the gas to get to outlets several miles outside of your normal travel, you're actually spending more.

The biggest tip is this: treat this shopping as you would when you shop for any big ticket item. You need to do your research and you can really make out like a bandit. I know I could've added going to second hand stores, and those are also great places to find gems. Also, do not discount stores like Marshall's or TJMaxx. Sometimes you can find deals on stuff there, but be careful because sometimes the quality isn't as great.

Sunglasses Are Important For Children

While most kids like to put on sunglasses when they play, there is evidence that this habit also has potential health benefits. For instance, doctors claim that wearing sunglasses from an early age can help to prevent eye problems like cataracts and macular degeneration. While these eye problems are associated with aging, the risks can be minimized. Buying your child a pair of children's sunglasses can help to keep these problems away.

UV Exposure Comes Early In Life

By the time a person reaches 18, he or she will have incurred more than eighty percent of their lifetime UV radiation exposure. The two most common contributors to this include playing on the beach and hanging out in the outdoors. However, exposure of the eyes to UV rays can be reduced if children learn to wear sunglasses when they are still young. While this may not seem important or even necessary to children, parents should know the importance of making sure that their kids always wear sunglasses when playing in the outdoors.

The Skin Cancer Foundation has evidence that children who are below the age of 10 are at a higher risk of developing eye problems from UV radiation. This specific group of children is at a higher risk because the crystalline lens of the eyes is still clear. This means that sunlight will cause greater ocular changes due to penetration of UV-rays. However after children reach 10 years, the lens of their eyes begins to change, becoming more opaque providing the eyes with better protection from UV radiation. That being said, parents should ensure that their kids always wear sunglasses that can block harmful rays from damaging their kids' eyes. These sunglasses can also prevent skin cancer from developing on the delicate skin around the eyes.

An important point to note is that children below 6 months should never be exposed to direct sunlight for any significant amount of time. However, after the sixth month, children should always have sunglasses when taken outdoors. Children who need prescription sunglasses can also get them. Damage to the eyes and the skin around the eyes and eyelids is caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight. To prevent these problems from occurring, children should be taught about the importance of wearing sunglasses from an early age.

Sunglasses Shopping Tips

When looking for sunglasses to purchase, parents should look for stylish but also functional sunglasses that can block 99 percent to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. Do not purchase any pair of sunglasses that does not have the percentage indicated. Ideally, you should purchase sunglasses that cover a bigger area of the face as opposed to those that cover the eyes only. Most children's sunglasses are designed to withstand any damage that might be caused by kids when playing.

Ideally, you should find sunglasses with lenses that are scratch resistant. Glasses designed for children should have plastic lenses instead of glass lenses. The frames should be durable and should hold on firmly to child's face. Parents should allow their teenage kids to choose their preferred sunglasses as long as they can give them sufficient protection from harmful UVA and UVB radiation.
While wearing sunglasses might help to keep away harmful rays, both children and adults should wear wide-brimmed hats to prevent sunlight from reaching their faces. This can go a long way to prevent skin cancer and premature wrinkles.

Children should also avoid playing for very long between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This is because the sun is usually very intense during these times and the most UV rays are present.

Children's sunglasses are not expensive to buy but they can go a long way to protect children from harmful radiation. Doctors say that encouraging kids to wear sunglasses will help them to develop healthy habits for the rest of their lives.

10 Funny Children Questions Asked by Kids

Funny Childrens questions

Here is a list of 10 funny childrens questions i have heard.

A couple of them are easy to answer, but the rest are a little tricky, can anyone answer number 6!! aghhh

If you have anymore good ones, please post them in the comments.

10 Funny Childrens Questions

1. If man came from monkeys, why do some monkeys still live in the jungle?
2. Instead of letting people die, why cant god let them live, and he wouldn't have to make new ones?
3. Why is the sky blue?
4. Why doesn't the water fall out when your upside down in australia?
5. Why don't animals talk?
6. If ghosts can walk around, and go through doors, why dont they fall through the floor?
7. Do all fish blow bubbles?
8. Why when you go to the toilet is it brown?
9. If you were not born a boy or a girl what would you be?
10. Why do cats have 9 lifes?