Banking for baby - Teach the value of money and how saving is important
Each week on Allowance day, portion it into several funds. Decorate shoe boxes into banks with your kids. Have one designated for them to take to the bank when full, one for buying X-mas gifts, and one for spending cash (which leaves the child some control, and the option to spend right away or save).
Cheap spender, use a blender - Frozen food trick
Prepare your baby's vegetables, fruits and cereals in larger quantities. Stay away from using salt, sugur and spice. After the food is puree'd, poor it into ice cube trays! All you have to do is pop them out (1 or two should due, infant amount) and thaw. Use this trick for leftovers too!
Families who Recycle together stay together - Regifting Card
Start a habit of sending prayers and hello's, telling family and friends how your year was. Do this as a family, all chiming in! A good way to make it personal, is to cut the front off of cards sent to your family, and use them as postcards to respond! You save money, and some trees!
Stop the stress of Christmas shopping, and feel good doing it
Don't go shopping on the busiest shopping days before holidays. Choose that day for you and your children to clean out old toys they can donate to other families who need them more. Everyone feels good, and understands better the meaning of Christmas.
Nature vs Man, concouring the couch potatoe blues with blue skies
Take your children on walks instead of sitting them in front of the television. If they seem reluctant, make it into a fun game where the point out, or collect, man-made vs mother-nature-made items. This teaches them catagorization and a love for mother earth! (remember to make sure they know dangerous and unsanitary things not to pick up as well)
Clip - one two three, please don't scream
Lots of infants and small children dislike getting there nails clipped. Try counting as you clip, two clips per nail to 20! Kids learn quickly to count and they know when its almost over, so they squirm less. You can also count other things like snaps on there clothing.
Pop-SICK-le blues, quick fix there bumps and bruises
Children are easy to bribe. Next time they get a small injury. Use a (still wrapped) fuit popsicle instead of ice to hold on it. When the hurt goes away they get to eat the popsicle. They seem to heal a bit quicker using this method.
Are we there yet? Time travel and String Theory
When your kids are the "Are we there yet" kind, you can go horse replying, or you can get creative. String up some beads and on long trips, push a bead over for every 50 or 100 miles. This way your kids can visually see how much further there is and won't need to ask anymore.
