 This year was quite a blur! We lived to the fullest, given the trials of parenthood and marriage. The things we took for granted last year were magnified this year and boy oh boy - it took some major venting sessions to overcome.
2015 meant our once small, delicate infants turned into demanding three year olds with opinions from another galaxy. For lack of a better phrase - motherhood got real. Good news is that they are able to play for more than thirty minutes without injury. They are sharing with ease and often call one another on their imaginary phones for lengthy conversations about their incredibly gracious mothers. A girl can dream, can't she? Major news of the year: my niece started Kindergarten - complete with a car line (which I'm sure you've read about - check archives). The daunting task of uniforms, lost and found scavenger hunts, friend fights and teacher confusion has opened my eyes to things I never want to see. Thanks to my husband - I am fully aware of how many years I have until my tot goes to Kinder. Geesh, there are no words to describe how fast time has flown! So, our year picked up in June when we decided to start the kids in daily swim lessons, which was followed by ballet, tap, gymnastics and hip-hop. Then, Soccer season overlapped and brought us right to November. Luckily our little ones were 3-5 this year which meant they were able swim and play soccer with one another. Next year, we won't be as lucky - but our 3's will get more time with the ball. Or at least - that's the idea. Following the championship game this season - both of them expressed their desire for more goals. My daughter fought to get on the field but refused to run, at times, and my nephew stopped playing and decided to collect bugs. Did I mention how competitive we became as Mamas during the games? I didn't realize it until we watched the taped footage. Boy, the 9am games on Saturday morning will bring out the BEST - especially with a Venti Latte in tow. Good thing is - our team parents were super cool. The kids were very nice to one another and enjoyed their company. Couldn't have asked for a better outcome - except the obscene referee calls that cost us the #1 spot for the season. Yes, I know - I'm just a disturbed. As a first time Mama, I remember everything I said I'd never do and when exactly I decided I was uneducated on the topic of parenting and struck it from the record. One of which was letting my daughter wear animal print. The child has more leopard than my grandmother in the nineties - I can't help it! The other major retraction was giving back a participation trophy. I understood how the NFL player wanted his kids to understand participation is not the goal. I also want to instill that notion - hard work does not warrant a reward and of course, losing builds character. However, seeing the look in her little eyes knowing she woke up every Saturday for weeks, as the youngest person on her team, I couldn't possibly steal her joy. My heart melts thinking about her efforts to be HER best - and for that she earned a trophy and plaque. I guess I spent this post all about our kids - not necessarily about us - which is realistic based on our efforts to sustain meaningful lives. We learned three things for 2016:
Happy New Year from Las Vegas!! Where are you celebrating tonight?
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 Holidays are wonderful vacations of the year that every kid and even adults love. In holidays and festivals, there are several interesting and fun activities that attract several people, especially small children. However, how to keep the kids safe on holidays is a big concern that parents should watch out. Here is a list of the best holiday safety tips for kids that parents should learn carefully and apply. I. Holiday Safety Tips – On The Road In this section of the article, parents will have chance to learn some useful holidays safety tips for kids when they are on the road. 1. On The Road – Always Have An Exit Strategy Now your children are in the right seats, the car is packed, the car’s seats are properly installed, and you are on an open street. If you thing that there would be nothing that could stop your car, delete that thought right away! That is when parents can hear some questions or requests like “what does this word mean?”, “give me a drink” or “I want to eat”. When it occurs, do not worry about how to deal with it or satisfy the requirements of your kids right away. Instead, find a safe area and get off your car to satisfy your children. 2. Make Sure Every Passenger Has A Seat Belt, Car Seat Or Booster Seat Safety in the car would be hard to keep for small kids. Those having outgrown a harness seat that is forward-facing will be not willing for a front seat or a seat belt yet. The most suitable seats for them are the booster seats which can enable the seat belts for adults to suit it. Even when a kid have graduated from a booster seat, he/she should be kept in the back seat till thirteen years old. II. Holidays Safety Tips – At Home What about safety at home? Here are the answers: 1. Allow Older Kids To Cook Meals With You It would be great if you teach older children how to cook while ensuring the safety. You can guide them why they should never go out of the kitchen while they are using the oven or the stove. Guide older children to use potholders or oven mitts to remove foods from the stove or oven and help them know how they can use a microwave with safety. This is actually the first one on the list of the best holiday safety tips for kids parents should learn. 2. Use Pot Handles To Prevent Spills Children love to reach things. Thus, parents should minimize their children’s risks of burns due to hot liquid or food spills for the holidays simply by turning away the pot handles from the edges and using the back burner of the stove. 3. Do Not Forget A Helmet For A New Bike Or Other Toys If your kid’s mind is set on a skateboard, bike, or scooter this holiday season, ensure that you will not forget to give your child a helmet to keep them safe and avoid injuries while playing and having fun. 4. Keep Button Batteries Away From Young Kids Keeping a special eye on small details, such as button batteries that might be included in electronic toys is also one of the most important and useful holiday safety tips that parents should not look down. While these types of games are wonderful for older children, they could offer a hidden harm for small kids, curious siblings. 5. Find The Perfect Toy For The Right Age Before you have settled on the perfect toy, you should ensure that there is not any small part or other hidden choking hazards. Consider the age of your kid when buying a game tool or toy to give your kid for the holidays. It is worth a few seconds to read the warning labels and instructions to ensure that the present is proper. 6. Keep Harmful Plants Out Of Reach In a poison emergency, parents need to call the national Poison Control Center for help. Plants could make up your house decoration on holidays, but keep those that might be poisonous out of the reach of your pets or your children. This may include Jerusalem cherry, holly berry, and mistletoe berries. 7. Store Matches Out Of Children’s Reach And Blow Out Candles You should build up a good habit of putting lighters and matches in a safe position, out of the reach of your kids. Avoid lighters that appear as toys or novelty lighters. Keeping the candles for holidays twelve inches at least away from items that can burn, and always remember to blow out the candles before going to sleep or when leaving the room. 8. Check The Lights Light is among the most exciting parts of holiday decoration. Take a look at the lights on the holiday tree, around and in your house for frayed or exposed wires, broken sockets or loose connections. 9. Water The Tree Regularly Natural tree smells great and looks beautiful, but if it is not watered frequently, the needles could be dried out and produce a hidden risk of fire and burn. Thus, you should ensure to give your family’s holiday tree the sufficient amount of water by checking it on a regular basis. This is also one of the most important holiday safety tips that parents should remember to keep the eyes on the kids better. 10. Decorate The Holiday Tree With The Children In Mind Children are curious and would want to play with the tree’s ornaments, so you may need to prepare for this as well. To make the room at the bottom for the ornaments safer for small children, move the breakable ornaments or use metal hooks for the top of your holiday tree. The list above covers 10 wonderful and most useful holiday safety tips for kids that parents and other adults should make use to keep the children safe in holidays when still having fun together. In fact, these tips and tricks are simple and have helped several parents in the world so that you should remember and make use of them without concerning about their effectiveness or safety. If you have any question about the content of the article, leave your comments and feedback in the comment section below. Guest Blogger: Hang Pham, an Vietnamese-American author and MA in English literature. She is a health and beauty article writer who has written numerous articles/online journals on natural health and home remedies. Ms. Pham is also passionate about fitness, women’s issues and more. Her articles are featured on http://vkool.com/beauty/, Examiner and Beforeitsnews.
Check out her new health blog http://effectiveremedies.com/ |
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December 2019
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Dougtone, iquanyin, StockMonkeys.com, symphony of love, Just Taken Pics, zumturm, nuritgazit, frankieleon
