Friday, January 4, 2019
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
7 Ways to Show Your Kids That You Love Them
So in the first day of the challenge, we talked about how 17 hugs a day can really be life changing.
And how to sneak those in, you can be super sneaky about it. Or be super obvious about it.
It’s really up to you and kind of like how your kids react to things.
Here are 7 ways to show your kids that you love them based on the magic relationship ratio of 5 positive interactions to balance every one negative interaction.
Today I want to talk about words and other positive interactions.
No matter like, what stage of the sensory spectrum we’re on (or our kids are on), we do need touch and hugs and love and that physical affection from each other.
And so that’s why I think starting with the hugs is so important.
This works on husbands (or partners) too.
I love the number 17 because you literally can’t do it all like first thing in the morning. It needs to be something that you’re thinking about kind of throughout the day or else, you’re trying to get 17 hugs in you know, in the last five minutes before bedtime.
Which, could be fun.
Words of Love
A lot of times we might discover that it has been a long time since we told our kid we loved them.
Or I told them something positive that is inside of them.
We need to hear that!
The magic relationship ratio was identified by Dr. Gottman and Robert Levenson while studying the difference between happy and unhappy married couples.
What they found is fascinating! The main difference between whether a couple was happy or unhappy was the balance between positive and negative words and actions.
They found that the ‘magic ratio’ was 5 to 1.
When applying this to relationships, realize that for every ONE negative interaction, there needs to be 5 or more positive ones.
This is so important for our kids. It is so easy to start the day off yelling because they forgot something, are moving slowly, aren’t ready to leave, didn’t turn off the lights, etc., etc., etc.! Once I started looking at this more closely, I was shocked at how many negative things built up in a short amount of time.
Yet on some days the positive things didn’t build up as quickly…and certainly not in a 5:1 ratio.
How can you build positive interactions?
I mean, at a rate of 5:1, we need to be banking some!
Here are some ideas from the Gottman & Levenson research…
7 Positive Interaction Opportunities
Showing your kids that you love them starts with positive interactions and getting that balance of 5:1 in the favor of the positive!
Be Interested
Listen to your kids. That may seem easy, but watch the implementation of it! Pause and hear what they are saying before responding. If they are complaining, try to figure out the problem behind the words. If they are telling a story, think about why they might be telling you that at that time.
Ask open-ended questions. And keep asking. This is a hard one for me because many times my really good open-ended question is met with a “fine” or “OK”. Sometimes a long pause from me can encourage more words and sometimes not. Usually if I can get 3 good open-ended questions in a row, I can break the “fine” spell! But on the spot, it might be hard to think of 3 in a row…so being prepared can be helpful in this situation!
Make eye-contact and watch body language. When you think about how only 7% of language is verbal, if we are not watching body language or listening to tone, we are missing out on 93% of the message. Even if the actual verbal/non-verbal ratio is smaller, the information we can gather is a massive amount. This can be especially important in those situations where you are looking for clues!
Express Affection
Expressing affection is exactly what today is all about. Adding in the loving words and the physical touch that your child needs every day. Expressing affection isn’t about the grand, occasional gesture, but the continuous supply of affection that is the baseline for how your child sees the world.
In a difficult conflict situation, a display of affection can help reduce stress. For instance, when a child gets in trouble and a hard conversation is impending…reaching out to hold his hand and say something like, “This isn’t an easy situation. It is hard to talk about. I really love you and know we can figure this out together” can make a huge difference.
Demonstrate they Matter
The 17 hugs a day strategy is part of this. Your kid matters so much to you that you would take 17 times a day to show it. Nothing is too small. The math of small demonstrations done frequently over time is a powerful result!
Finding ways to show your child that you are interested in what they are interested in and care about how they feel will build trust.
Intentional Appreciation
Accentuate the positive! Catch them doing something good! Celebrate the little things regularly!
Keeping thoughts on the positive and why you are grateful for them can keep a positive energy in the relationship. Remember, they are kids…we adults have a responsibility to keep the relationship on the right track.
Find Opportunities for Agreement
This is especially important for 2 year olds…and teenagers! During these stages of a kid’s life, conflict seems to be what the first impulse is. If you can counteract that with quietly finding common ground, the entire tone of the relationship can shift.
Empathize and Apologize
Empathy is showing you understand and feel what they feel. It is an extremely deep connection.
Start sentences with…
- It makes sense to me that you feel…
- Help me understand how you feel…
- It makes me sad to know that you feel…
And apologize. Just because they were dealt the kid card and we hold the adult card doesn’t mean that they are always wrong and we are always right. But often we act that way! When something goes wrong, admit it and apologize. It will mean more than you can imagine.
Make Jokes
This is something that we will be working more on all month…having silly fun together! These are the connections of childhood.
A family’s playful memories are the glue that holds it together.
Bank the Positive
We need to make sure those positive statements, actions and physical interactions are a part of our everyday relationship with our kids.
This gives them a bank of positivity at home. Giving them the confidence that home is a safe place because they have heard it from you over and over again.
How you love them.
How amazing they are.
How you’re lucky to have them as a kid.
I love the story of the dad that told his three daughters secretly, never ever in front of each other that they were each his favorite. And then when he passed away, they all realized that he had told them all that their whole entire life.
And that may not be what you want to do with your kids, but I think it’s so so sweet. I don’t know that we necessarily want to pit them against each other. But it’s so so sweet that they had that one-on-one relationship with their dad that they never even suspected he was doing it with the others as well.
Our Challenge
So, you’re gonna keep up with the 17 hugs a day.
And you are going to start adding in some sort of positive message.
Today: hugs and just something sweet and lovely that you may not have said lately to your kids that they need to hear.
Finding Positive Praise Printable Worksheet
To help you find things that you can say to your kid, we have created this printable worksheet…
To get started, simply download and print the worksheet here: POSITIVE PRAISE
This is part of the 30 Day Challenge. You can print off the daily calendar journal and find the information about 17 hugs a day here.
The post 7 Ways to Show Your Kids That You Love Them appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2CMiAGx
7 Ways to Show Your Kids That You Love Them
So in the first day of the challenge, we talked about how 17 hugs a day can really be life changing.
And how to sneak those in, you can be super sneaky about it. Or be super obvious about it.
It's really up to you and kind of like how your kids react to things.
Here are 7 ways to show your kids that you love them based on the magic relationship ratio of 5 positive interactions to balance every one negative interaction.
Today I want to talk about words and other positive interactions.
No matter like, what stage of the sensory spectrum we're on (or our kids are on), we do need touch and hugs and love and that physical affection from each other.
And so that's why I think starting with the hugs is so important.
This works on husbands (or partners) too.
I love the number 17 because you literally can't do it all like first thing in the morning. It needs to be something that you're thinking about kind of throughout the day or else, you're trying to get 17 hugs in you know, in the last five minutes before bedtime.
Which, could be fun.
Words of Love
A lot of times we might discover that it has been a long time since we told our kid we loved them.
Or I told them something positive that is inside of them.
We need to hear that!
The magic relationship ratio was identified by Dr. Gottman and Robert Levenson while studying the difference between happy and unhappy married couples.
What they found is fascinating! The main difference between whether a couple was happy or unhappy was the balance between positive and negative words and actions.
They found that the 'magic ratio' was 5 to 1.
When applying this to relationships, realize that for every ONE negative interaction, there needs to be 5 or more positive ones.
This is so important for our kids. It is so easy to start the day off yelling because they forgot something, are moving slowly, aren't ready to leave, didn't turn off the lights, etc., etc., etc.! Once I started looking at this more closely, I was shocked at how many negative things built up in a short amount of time.
Yet on some days the positive things didn't build up as quickly…and certainly not in a 5:1 ratio.
How can you build positive interactions?
I mean, at a rate of 5:1, we need to be banking some!
Here are some ideas from the Gottman & Levenson research…
7 Positive Interaction Opportunities
Showing your kids that you love them starts with positive interactions and getting that balance of 5:1 in the favor of the positive!
Be Interested
Listen to your kids. That may seem easy, but watch the implementation of it! Pause and hear what they are saying before responding. If they are complaining, try to figure out the problem behind the words. If they are telling a story, think about why they might be telling you that at that time.
Ask open-ended questions. And keep asking. This is a hard one for me because many times my really good open-ended question is met with a "fine" or "OK". Sometimes a long pause from me can encourage more words and sometimes not. Usually if I can get 3 good open-ended questions in a row, I can break the "fine" spell! But on the spot, it might be hard to think of 3 in a row…so being prepared can be helpful in this situation!
Make eye-contact and watch body language. When you think about how only 7% of language is verbal, if we are not watching body language or listening to tone, we are missing out on 93% of the message. Even if the actual verbal/non-verbal ratio is smaller, the information we can gather is a massive amount. This can be especially important in those situations where you are looking for clues!
Express Affection
Expressing affection is exactly what today is all about. Adding in the loving words and the physical touch that your child needs every day. Expressing affection isn't about the grand, occasional gesture, but the continuous supply of affection that is the baseline for how your child sees the world.
In a difficult conflict situation, a display of affection can help reduce stress. For instance, when a child gets in trouble and a hard conversation is impending…reaching out to hold his hand and say something like, "This isn't an easy situation. It is hard to talk about. I really love you and know we can figure this out together" can make a huge difference.
Demonstrate they Matter
The 17 hugs a day strategy is part of this. Your kid matters so much to you that you would take 17 times a day to show it. Nothing is too small. The math of small demonstrations done frequently over time is a powerful result!
Finding ways to show your child that you are interested in what they are interested in and care about how they feel will build trust.
Intentional Appreciation
Accentuate the positive! Catch them doing something good! Celebrate the little things regularly!
Keeping thoughts on the positive and why you are grateful for them can keep a positive energy in the relationship. Remember, they are kids…we adults have a responsibility to keep the relationship on the right track.
Find Opportunities for Agreement
This is especially important for 2 year olds…and teenagers! During these stages of a kid's life, conflict seems to be what the first impulse is. If you can counteract that with quietly finding common ground, the entire tone of the relationship can shift.
Empathize and Apologize
Empathy is showing you understand and feel what they feel. It is an extremely deep connection.
Start sentences with…
- It makes sense to me that you feel…
- Help me understand how you feel…
- It makes me sad to know that you feel…
And apologize. Just because they were dealt the kid card and we hold the adult card doesn't mean that they are always wrong and we are always right. But often we act that way! When something goes wrong, admit it and apologize. It will mean more than you can imagine.
Make Jokes
This is something that we will be working more on all month…having silly fun together! These are the connections of childhood.
A family's playful memories are the glue that holds it together.
Bank the Positive
We need to make sure those positive statements, actions and physical interactions are a part of our everyday relationship with our kids.
This gives them a bank of positivity at home. Giving them the confidence that home is a safe place because they have heard it from you over and over again.
How you love them.
How amazing they are.
How you're lucky to have them as a kid.
I love the story of the dad that told his three daughters secretly, never ever in front of each other that they were each his favorite. And then when he passed away, they all realized that he had told them all that their whole entire life.
And that may not be what you want to do with your kids, but I think it's so so sweet. I don't know that we necessarily want to pit them against each other. But it's so so sweet that they had that one-on-one relationship with their dad that they never even suspected he was doing it with the others as well.
Our Challenge
So, you're gonna keep up with the 17 hugs a day.
And you are going to start adding in some sort of positive message.
Today: hugs and just something sweet and lovely that you may not have said lately to your kids that they need to hear.
Finding Positive Praise Printable Worksheet
To help you find things that you can say to your kid, we have created this printable worksheet…
To get started, simply download and print the worksheet here: POSITIVE PRAISE
This is part of the 30 Day Challenge. You can print off the daily calendar journal and find the information about 17 hugs a day here.
The post 7 Ways to Show Your Kids That You Love Them appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2CMiAGx
How To Feed Your Family Organic Food On The Cheap
Do your New Year's resolutions involve eating cleaner? It's no big secret that organic, healthier foods tend to be more expensive than conventional and processed foods. With a little planning, it's possible to feed your family organic food on the cheap!
I'm a single mama on a tight budget. I also have a slew of chronic illnesses, and my daughter has asthma and allergies. Eating clean has to be a priority in order to keep us at our healthiest. The thing is, we will all spend the money one way or another. It may be on medications and copays, or an ounce of prevention, investing in the food we put into our bodies.
I'm not saying that every single crumb of food in my house is organic. Our household diet is far from "perfect".
Some weeks I have more room in my grocery budget, and other weeks it's tighter. Those weeks, I just focus on buying the dirty dozen organic, and the rest conventional.
I'm also not denying my affinity for Reese's cups. Full disclosure: I'm eating clearance Reese's Christmas trees, as I type. I definitely overindulged during the weeks leading up to Christmas, and I spent a good portion of the holidays, sick. The best part of life is that we are gifted a fresh start every morning, and a clean slate every January 1st. Embrace your fresh start, and hopefully, these tips can help you save some money along the way!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Prepare Before You Shop
Planning ahead helps keep you on track, and prevents surprises at the register. Check the ads and gather your coupons before you meal plan. Check your cupboards, pantry, and fridge, too, in case you already have an ingredient you can use. Every saved dollar adds up!
Once you have an idea of what's on sale, work on your meal planning for the week. I try to find what I call fluid meals–dishes that have similar ingredients, so I can reuse leftovers in a fun way to cut down on waste.
I'm a vegetarian, but my daughter eats meat. Once way I save money is to alternate the protein in our meals. Some nights protein comes from meat, others beans and legumes. This saves us a ton of money (meat is expensive!), and it also rounds her diet out, and has allowed her to stay open to dishes with beans and lentils.
Buy in bulk, when you can. If there's a great sale on something you know you will eat and can freeze or store, buy it. Just make sure you're staying true to your budget, and not just buying because it's on sale.
Also, when I grocery shop, I shop for 2-3 weeks at a time. This allows me to invest more time into the planning of each trip, and cuts down on the time I would spend in the grocery store each week, if I did weekly shopping.
Try to cut out some of the processed foods you buy. I know it's not realistic to cut them all, just do what you can. Processed, prepared-to-eat foods are pricey and add up. That's extra money to help your new grocery budget for organic produce!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Finding The Right Grocery Store
The grocery store isn't always the best place to score deals on organic foods, but it's possible to save money with a little planning and research.
When I first moved into my own place during college, I shopped at Aldi to save money. Over the years, I moved on to shop at more expensive grocery stores in pursuit of healthier options. The only problem is that it costs a small car payment in order to purchase all of the organic, gluten-free foods my daughter and I have to eat.
Over the past year, there has been some buzz about the new Aldi in the blogosphere, and my friends have told me to check it out. When I finally popped in to check it out, I was pleasantly surprised!
Aldi's definitely rebranded themselves in order to compete with the larger chains of health food stores. Their produce section is wider and brighter, and boasts a decent selection of organic options for prices that are shockingly low. They have amazing prices on organic dairy and organic and cage-free eggs, as well as an impressive vegan line that seems to grow each month.
Aldi's gluten free options are way better than brands I've used that cost twice as much as the Aldi option. My daughter is very picky about gluten free bread, and Aldi's "liveGfree" brand is the only one she will actually eat (and it costs half the amount of other gluten free breads).
I do 90% of my grocery shopping at Aldi in the winter (see below for my summer shopping tips), and still purchase the few pieces of organic produce Aldi doesn't carry at other stores. My grocery bill has been cut in half since making the switch, and I couldn't be happier!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Finding Deals In Any Store
If you don't have an Aldi in your area, you can still find deals at your local grocery store. There are also tricks to work around the expense of organic food. I buy all of my organic smoothie fruits, and a good portion of my organic veggies, frozen. I've found that the amount of food I waste (a major pet peeve) has been cut by doing this, because I don't have to worry about it going bad before we can eat it. You can also find good deals on frozen produce. Search for coupons, and if you can't find any online, call the brand and ask if they have any they can send you. Most brands are happy to oblige and possibly hook a new customer!
Keep an eye on the manager's special stickers, too! I've scored some amazing deals on organic produce and meat that was about to hit its "sell by date" that I simply froze right away.
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Cut Out The Middle Man
Actually meeting the farmer who puts the food on your table is a rewarding experience and a cool thing for your kids! I live for our local farmers market season, when I have the opportunity to meet the people behind the food we eat. There is so much to learn on our cozy Saturday mornings at the farmers market. It's become a spring/ summer/ fall tradition for my daughter and I. She helps me pick everything out, and then we go home and meal prep for the week, together!
As an added bonus, once the vendors get to know you, they tend to offer you better deals, too. It all comes down to people, and relationships. This sense of community adds a level of peace that you can't always find in a store.
If you don't have a local farmers market, you can look into a CSA share. You pay the farm ahead, at the beginning of the season (early Spring), and then you're given a bag of fresh, seasonal veggies (and sometimes fruit) each week. You can split your share with another family you are close with, in order to make it more cost efficient. Then you can take turns driving out to the farm to pick up your goods. This is a fun treat for the kids! My daughter loves exploring the farm, and learning about how her food is grown.
Some CSA's also have meat options, allowing you to buy a larger piece of organic, grass-fed meat in bulk to freeze and store.
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Grow Your Own!
I can't wait until I am able to start my own garden! This is a great way to save money on organic fruits and vegetables. Gardening is an amazing bonding experience with kids, working together to put food on your own table!
No Matter How You Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap: Prep And Store It Properly!
This post contains an affiliate link below.
After spending all that time and money, you want to make sure that you use every bit of the food you buy. I usually grocery shop and meal prep between Saturday and Sunday. I'm saying this as someone who works non-stop. We make time for what's important.
Sometimes I do it in sprints, around my busy schedule. I always try to clean and prep the food as soon as possible after it comes into my house. I do this because the week gets busy, and if I already have meals ready and fruits and veggies prepped for snacks and light cooking during the week, I'll be way more likely to use it. This also allows me to keep an active inventory of what I have, so I am not overbuying or wasting food, money, and time.
Grab an Instant Pot or crockpot, prep freezer meals, and invest in good quality food storage containers. I prefer clear food storage containers, so that I can easily see what I have on hand when I open the fridge.
Most Importantly, Be Kind To Yourself!
There is no one right way to feed your family. We are all different and have different budgets, tastes, and ways of living. That's okay! There's no sense in preening your diet to appear "perfect" if you and your family are miserable doing it. Even one new, healthy meal a week is wonderful change for the good! We are all doing the best, with what we have, to feed our families.
BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION OVER ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
The post How To Feed Your Family Organic Food On The Cheap appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2SyfKKH
How To Feed Your Family Organic Food On The Cheap
Do your New Year’s resolutions involve eating cleaner? It’s no big secret that organic, healthier foods tend to be more expensive than conventional and processed foods. With a little planning, it’s possible to feed your family organic food on the cheap!
I’m a single mama on a tight budget. I also have a slew of chronic illnesses, and my daughter has asthma and allergies. Eating clean has to be a priority in order to keep us at our healthiest. The thing is, we will all spend the money one way or another. It may be on medications and copays, or an ounce of prevention, investing in the food we put into our bodies.
I’m not saying that every single crumb of food in my house is organic. Our household diet is far from “perfect”.
Some weeks I have more room in my grocery budget, and other weeks it’s tighter. Those weeks, I just focus on buying the dirty dozen organic, and the rest conventional.
I’m also not denying my affinity for Reese’s cups. Full disclosure: I’m eating clearance Reese’s Christmas trees, as I type. I definitely overindulged during the weeks leading up to Christmas, and I spent a good portion of the holidays, sick. The best part of life is that we are gifted a fresh start every morning, and a clean slate every January 1st. Embrace your fresh start, and hopefully, these tips can help you save some money along the way!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Prepare Before You Shop
Planning ahead helps keep you on track, and prevents surprises at the register. Check the ads and gather your coupons before you meal plan. Check your cupboards, pantry, and fridge, too, in case you already have an ingredient you can use. Every saved dollar adds up!
Once you have an idea of what’s on sale, work on your meal planning for the week. I try to find what I call fluid meals–dishes that have similar ingredients, so I can reuse leftovers in a fun way to cut down on waste.
I’m a vegetarian, but my daughter eats meat. Once way I save money is to alternate the protein in our meals. Some nights protein comes from meat, others beans and legumes. This saves us a ton of money (meat is expensive!), and it also rounds her diet out, and has allowed her to stay open to dishes with beans and lentils.
Buy in bulk, when you can. If there’s a great sale on something you know you will eat and can freeze or store, buy it. Just make sure you’re staying true to your budget, and not just buying because it’s on sale.
Also, when I grocery shop, I shop for 2-3 weeks at a time. This allows me to invest more time into the planning of each trip, and cuts down on the time I would spend in the grocery store each week, if I did weekly shopping.
Try to cut out some of the processed foods you buy. I know it’s not realistic to cut them all, just do what you can. Processed, prepared-to-eat foods are pricey and add up. That’s extra money to help your new grocery budget for organic produce!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Finding The Right Grocery Store
The grocery store isn’t always the best place to score deals on organic foods, but it’s possible to save money with a little planning and research.
When I first moved into my own place during college, I shopped at Aldi to save money. Over the years, I moved on to shop at more expensive grocery stores in pursuit of healthier options. The only problem is that it costs a small car payment in order to purchase all of the organic, gluten-free foods my daughter and I have to eat.
Over the past year, there has been some buzz about the new Aldi in the blogosphere, and my friends have told me to check it out. When I finally popped in to check it out, I was pleasantly surprised!
Aldi’s definitely rebranded themselves in order to compete with the larger chains of health food stores. Their produce section is wider and brighter, and boasts a decent selection of organic options for prices that are shockingly low. They have amazing prices on organic dairy and organic and cage-free eggs, as well as an impressive vegan line that seems to grow each month.
Aldi’s gluten free options are way better than brands I’ve used that cost twice as much as the Aldi option. My daughter is very picky about gluten free bread, and Aldi’s “liveGfree” brand is the only one she will actually eat (and it costs half the amount of other gluten free breads).
I do 90% of my grocery shopping at Aldi in the winter (see below for my summer shopping tips), and still purchase the few pieces of organic produce Aldi doesn’t carry at other stores. My grocery bill has been cut in half since making the switch, and I couldn’t be happier!
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Finding Deals In Any Store
If you don’t have an Aldi in your area, you can still find deals at your local grocery store. There are also tricks to work around the expense of organic food. I buy all of my organic smoothie fruits, and a good portion of my organic veggies, frozen. I’ve found that the amount of food I waste (a major pet peeve) has been cut by doing this, because I don’t have to worry about it going bad before we can eat it. You can also find good deals on frozen produce. Search for coupons, and if you can’t find any online, call the brand and ask if they have any they can send you. Most brands are happy to oblige and possibly hook a new customer!
Keep an eye on the manager’s special stickers, too! I’ve scored some amazing deals on organic produce and meat that was about to hit its “sell by date” that I simply froze right away.
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Cut Out The Middle Man
Actually meeting the farmer who puts the food on your table is a rewarding experience and a cool thing for your kids! I live for our local farmers market season, when I have the opportunity to meet the people behind the food we eat. There is so much to learn on our cozy Saturday mornings at the farmers market. It’s become a spring/ summer/ fall tradition for my daughter and I. She helps me pick everything out, and then we go home and meal prep for the week, together!
As an added bonus, once the vendors get to know you, they tend to offer you better deals, too. It all comes down to people, and relationships. This sense of community adds a level of peace that you can’t always find in a store.
If you don’t have a local farmers market, you can look into a CSA share. You pay the farm ahead, at the beginning of the season (early Spring), and then you’re given a bag of fresh, seasonal veggies (and sometimes fruit) each week. You can split your share with another family you are close with, in order to make it more cost efficient. Then you can take turns driving out to the farm to pick up your goods. This is a fun treat for the kids! My daughter loves exploring the farm, and learning about how her food is grown.
Some CSA’s also have meat options, allowing you to buy a larger piece of organic, grass-fed meat in bulk to freeze and store.
How To Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap – Grow Your Own!
I can’t wait until I am able to start my own garden! This is a great way to save money on organic fruits and vegetables. Gardening is an amazing bonding experience with kids, working together to put food on your own table!
No Matter How You Feed Your Family Organic On The Cheap: Prep And Store It Properly!
This post contains an affiliate link below.
After spending all that time and money, you want to make sure that you use every bit of the food you buy. I usually grocery shop and meal prep between Saturday and Sunday. I’m saying this as someone who works non-stop. We make time for what’s important.
Sometimes I do it in sprints, around my busy schedule. I always try to clean and prep the food as soon as possible after it comes into my house. I do this because the week gets busy, and if I already have meals ready and fruits and veggies prepped for snacks and light cooking during the week, I’ll be way more likely to use it. This also allows me to keep an active inventory of what I have, so I am not overbuying or wasting food, money, and time.
Grab an Instant Pot or crockpot, prep freezer meals, and invest in good quality food storage containers. I prefer clear food storage containers, so that I can easily see what I have on hand when I open the fridge.
Most Importantly, Be Kind To Yourself!
There is no one right way to feed your family. We are all different and have different budgets, tastes, and ways of living. That’s okay! There’s no sense in preening your diet to appear “perfect” if you and your family are miserable doing it. Even one new, healthy meal a week is wonderful change for the good! We are all doing the best, with what we have, to feed our families.
BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION OVER ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
The post How To Feed Your Family Organic Food On The Cheap appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2SyfKKH
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Tiny Change That Makes A Big Difference In Your Kids
There are a few things that I have learned over the years of being a mom of three boys (who are now all teenagers).
I thought it would be fun to put them together in a little series of challenges and share them here on Kids Activities Blog over the next month.
This is my favorite parenting tip. It is super simple change, but has completely changed the relationship I have with my kids.
This time of year is filled with thoughts of new year's resolutions, but honestly…I just want to be the best mom for my kids.
It is my belief that we are good parents.
Moms, dads, grandparents & care-givers that care about our kids and are trying the best we know how to make their life great.
I love the quote from Maya Angelou:
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
In attempt to "knowing better", it is so important for us to join together and share what we have learned (often the hard way)!
That is what this series is all about. Sharing what I have learned. I hope that you will use the comments to share tips and tricks gleaned along YOUR journey.
This is the first day because it is my favorite tip of all time…
And the weird thing is I don't even know where this pillow is today…does that make me a really bad mom?
Yep, I've told this story, I don't know, maybe a hundred times since then and I don't even know where the pillow is!
So, okay, there's your first clue who you're working with.
But anyway, the pillow said: KIDS NEED 17 HUGS A DAY
It is really official when it is in needlepoint on a pillow!
At this point in my life I already had a toddler and a preschooler.
The words on that pillow kinda stopped me in my tracks.
Seventeen hugs a day!
That's a LOT!
And my kids are…boys.
And I am not a touchy feely person.
I hit me in the face.
I started thinking…what if this is true?
And decided to move forward like it was.
I'm gonna try it.
My oldest had all sorts of sensory issues and so to get one hug in a day was a miracle, but what I found when I started trying is that our relationship changed in a really fun and playful way.
I started trying to get 17 hugs a day from my kids and a beautiful thing about 17 hugs a day is lets say I only got to three hugs one day…that might have been three more than I would have gotten without the goal.
If you try this and you are an over-achiever, I want you to stretch for 17 hugs a day but give yourself a break if you "fail" and only get three, or five, or 12, or 16!
Every hug is a victory.
If you try this and you are already a huggy person, you're gonna be like 17? Piece of cake.
If you try this and you are not a huggy person (like me), then one really fun way to get started is to sneak this in–like a super secret ninja mom way. Go up and hug your kid after this video and just say "one" without explanation. Then later in the day when you hug again, say "two". Keep going with three, four, five and beyond just hugging and saying the number.
At some point they are going to get curious!
You know your kid and how this is gonna play out and how you can playfully enlist their help with this goal.
With my kids, I told them, "I have a goal of hugging you 17 times a day!"
It got really frantic and fun in our house toward the end of the day. They knew I had to get three more hugs and they start hiding. It ends up to be a big chase through the house!
And I might be cheating a little if I corner one of them and finish off the hugs I need for the day all at once.
And they might protest and giggle.
Just have fun with it.
Start thinking about that 17 hugs a day and how you're gonna get those with your kids.
Yay, go hug, hug, hug!
17 Hugs a Day Printable Worksheet
I thought it would be fun to come up with some sort of reminder (&/or way to record your hugs).
There are a ton of ways to use this. Here are some ideas:
- Cut out the squares and hide them all over the house. Whoever finds one has to go collect on a hug within a certain amount of time.
- Post it on the fridge and enlist the entire family to record how the 17 hugs a day goal is going.
- Cut out 2 square "books" – one side would have the number 17 and the other the 17 symbols. Put it in your pocket (or your child's pocket) and check off each hug during the day.
Download & print the 17 hugs worksheet…can we just call it a playsheet? – 17 HUGS A DAY
30 Day Bestest, Funnest Mom Challenge Calendar
If you would like to follow along at home, here is a printable calendar of the things we will be talking about:
You can use it as a mini-journal to remind yourself about the main takeaway for YOUR family on each day. Each topic we cover is broken down into symbols:
- Heart = Love
- Duck = Play
- Clock = Time & Time Management
- Star = Kid & Kid Behavior
- Flower = Mom & Mom Behavior
Watch Kids Activities Blog each day in January to see each day's challenge. Believe me, small changes can add up to BIG results.
Download & print your copy now: 30 DAY CHALLENGE CALENDAR
What is YOUR favorite parenting tip/trick?
Watch for tomorrow when we go deeper into some strategies for what happens if you have a child where hugs might not be the answer plus the importance of words :).
See you then!
The post Tiny Change That Makes A Big Difference In Your Kids appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2R0meFw
Tiny Change That Makes A Big Difference In Your Kids
There are a few things that I have learned over the years of being a mom of three boys (who are now all teenagers).
I thought it would be fun to put them together in a little series of challenges and share them here on Kids Activities Blog over the next month.
This is my favorite parenting tip. It is super simple change, but has completely changed the relationship I have with my kids.
This time of year is filled with thoughts of new year’s resolutions, but honestly…I just want to be the best mom for my kids.
It is my belief that we are good parents.
Moms, dads, grandparents & care-givers that care about our kids and are trying the best we know how to make their life great.
I love the quote from Maya Angelou:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
In attempt to “knowing better”, it is so important for us to join together and share what we have learned (often the hard way)!
That is what this series is all about. Sharing what I have learned. I hope that you will use the comments to share tips and tricks gleaned along YOUR journey.
This is the first day because it is my favorite tip of all time…
And the weird thing is I don’t even know where this pillow is today…does that make me a really bad mom?
Yep, I’ve told this story, I don’t know, maybe a hundred times since then and I don’t even know where the pillow is!
So, okay, there’s your first clue who you’re working with.
But anyway, the pillow said: KIDS NEED 17 HUGS A DAY
It is really official when it is in needlepoint on a pillow!
At this point in my life I already had a toddler and a preschooler.
The words on that pillow kinda stopped me in my tracks.
Seventeen hugs a day!
That’s a LOT!
And my kids are…boys.
And I am not a touchy feely person.
I hit me in the face.
I started thinking…what if this is true?
And decided to move forward like it was.
I’m gonna try it.
My oldest had all sorts of sensory issues and so to get one hug in a day was a miracle, but what I found when I started trying is that our relationship changed in a really fun and playful way.
I started trying to get 17 hugs a day from my kids and a beautiful thing about 17 hugs a day is lets say I only got to three hugs one day…that might have been three more than I would have gotten without the goal.
If you try this and you are an over-achiever, I want you to stretch for 17 hugs a day but give yourself a break if you “fail” and only get three, or five, or 12, or 16!
Every hug is a victory.
If you try this and you are already a huggy person, you’re gonna be like 17? Piece of cake.
If you try this and you are not a huggy person (like me), then one really fun way to get started is to sneak this in–like a super secret ninja mom way. Go up and hug your kid after this video and just say “one” without explanation. Then later in the day when you hug again, say “two”. Keep going with three, four, five and beyond just hugging and saying the number.
At some point they are going to get curious!
You know your kid and how this is gonna play out and how you can playfully enlist their help with this goal.
With my kids, I told them, “I have a goal of hugging you 17 times a day!”
It got really frantic and fun in our house toward the end of the day. They knew I had to get three more hugs and they start hiding. It ends up to be a big chase through the house!
And I might be cheating a little if I corner one of them and finish off the hugs I need for the day all at once.
And they might protest and giggle.
Just have fun with it.
Start thinking about that 17 hugs a day and how you’re gonna get those with your kids.
Yay, go hug, hug, hug!
17 Hugs a Day Printable Worksheet
I thought it would be fun to come up with some sort of reminder (&/or way to record your hugs).
There are a ton of ways to use this. Here are some ideas:
- Cut out the squares and hide them all over the house. Whoever finds one has to go collect on a hug within a certain amount of time.
- Post it on the fridge and enlist the entire family to record how the 17 hugs a day goal is going.
- Cut out 2 square “books” – one side would have the number 17 and the other the 17 symbols. Put it in your pocket (or your child’s pocket) and check off each hug during the day.
Download & print the 17 hugs worksheet…can we just call it a playsheet? – 17 HUGS A DAY
30 Day Bestest, Funnest Mom Challenge Calendar
If you would like to follow along at home, here is a printable calendar of the things we will be talking about:
You can use it as a mini-journal to remind yourself about the main takeaway for YOUR family on each day. Each topic we cover is broken down into symbols:
- Heart = Love
- Duck = Play
- Clock = Time & Time Management
- Star = Kid & Kid Behavior
- Flower = Mom & Mom Behavior
Watch Kids Activities Blog each day in January to see each day’s challenge. Believe me, small changes can add up to BIG results.
Download & print your copy now: 30 DAY CHALLENGE CALENDAR
What is YOUR favorite parenting tip/trick?
Watch for tomorrow when we go deeper into some strategies for what happens if you have a child where hugs might not be the answer plus the importance of words :).
See you then!
The post Tiny Change That Makes A Big Difference In Your Kids appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.
from Kids Activities Blog http://bit.ly/2R0meFw