Teaching Kids to Eat Healthy

One of the best gifts we can give a child is how to eat healthy. Eating for your health is a habit that will last and benefit your child for a lifetime. The younger you begin the less resistance you will have when it comes to trading in the candy for fruit salad. The number one way to instill healthy eating habits is by displaying healthy eating habits. Nothing will effect your child more than having her see you make proper food choices and by serving healthy foods. Even if you previously had poor eating habits, it is not too … Continue reading

Teaching Kids to Love Reading

My son has always loved reading. If he had it his way we would read at least 20 books before bed each night. But this love for reading didn’t happen overnight. From the first night I brought him home from the hospital I’ve been reading stories like I’ll Love You Forever, You Are Special, and Dr. Seuss’s classic Mr. Brown Can Moo. After being in the womb for so long hearing my voice was soothing to him. He loved hearing the different cadences as I read his favorite stories. My mother instilled a love of reading in me and now … Continue reading

Teaching Kids Self-Denial

I recently attended a symposium which featured a presentation by a childhood behavioral “expert.” Regular readers of this blog know how I feel about so-called “experts,” but this guy had a host of impressive credentials, not the least of which included raising eight children into incredibly successful young adults. Plus, I was very interested in his topic: “Teaching Kids the Art of Self-Denial.” According to the expert, one of the most important “gifts” you can give your child as he develops into an adult is to teach him or her to “routinely deny himself immediate pleasures to achieve future good.” … Continue reading

Teaching Kids about Money

Do you give your child an allowance? Do they know how to save? Do they know how to earn? Money is one of those necessary evils of life so it is important that you teach your child the basics while they are young. Most kids get a little money here and there, whether it is from a weekly allowance or money from the tooth fairy, but do they know what to do with it? What do they really need to know about money and how do you teach it when you hardly have any money yourself? Here are a few … Continue reading

Teaching Kids About Saving

As a single parent we all know money is tight. There are so many ways to save money, but isn’t it so much easier if it is already a habit? By teaching our children the importance of saving we are giving them the tools they will need as they get older and having to deal with finances on their own. When we were young we never had an allowance. I remember feeling so jealous of all my other friend’s parents handing them money every week. If we wanted to earn money we had to work for it. We had regular … Continue reading

When to Start Teaching Kids

My toddler is three. I haven’t started giving her any lessons in money yet. I know the time is coming and she needs to learn. Her only real lesson with money so far has been that swallowing a quarter is a very bad idea. The other lesson she’s been getting with money is that if a card arrives from Grandma, there will be a dollar inside. She loves to open her savings box and count her dollars. When is the right age to start teaching children about money? Jessie can understand the fifty cents that the ride toy requires outside … Continue reading

Kids Teaching Kids

Little kids love to emulate their older siblings. It’s just a fact of nature that when a little person sees a big person do something, they want to do it too. They pick up on mannerisms and vocabulary words from their older siblings, they learn how to perform certain basic skills by watching and observing, and this natural tendency to copy-cat can come in handy in your homeschool. When two-year-old Timmy sees eight-year-old Jimmy reading, he’ll want to do it too. He’ll want to write his name, he’ll want to learn to count, and as he gets older, Jimmy will … Continue reading

Teaching Kids About Cancer

I’m not one of the lucky ones. Or maybe I am. I was forced to teach my daughter about cancer well before she could even spell the word… but with knowledge comes power. In 2004, I gave birth to my first child; a healthy baby girl with a mound of electrocuted jet-black hair. She was the first grandchild on my side of the family and instantly became the end-all, be-all of my parents’ existence. My mom especially doted on her first grandchild, spending every waking moment rocking, singing, hugging, kissing and cuddling the newest member of our family. My daughter … Continue reading

Teaching Kids about Earth Day

I have always said that it is important to teach green ways and social consciousness to the kids. After all, they are the future! So with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, you may want to start teaching your children to be green with a few of these ideas: * Teach children to turn off electronics such as the computer and television when not in use. * If you live near stores, take the children for a walk there instead of driving. * Teach children to turn off the lights when they leave the room. * Start … Continue reading

Teaching kids about teacher danger

I hate writing about this because I don’t want people to think I am anti teacher. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I think that most teachers are wonderful teachers who would give the shirt off their backs for their students. I would know, I was raised by one. However, it is hard to ignore all of the the incidents of teachers preying on and molesting children. Just this week, a Retired W. Pa. teacher was convicted on sex charges. A columbus Ohio teacher was caught sharing child pornograpy. Also a Florida teacht got 10 years for sex with … Continue reading