I was babysitting about a year ago for a family of two. The daughter was 8 years old while the son was 6 years old. When I arrived at the house, I was surprised to see that their parents had planned for me to make the family’s meal for the following day!

Yes, I was going to make “tomorrow’s” meal, but actually, it was planned to be a fun activity with the kids! If you have never tried this before, it certainly is a great idea!

Okay, so what the parents had done was prepare a lot of meatball “batter” for the kids and me. It was our job to form the “batter” into meatballs! Of course, we started the activity by washing our hands. Then, we started our job! You wouldn’t think that this would be a fun-filled activity, but it definitely was. The kids loved playing with the “batter” and thought it would be fun to trick their parents and make misshapen meatballs. I had to make sure that the raw meat did not go anywhere near their faces, but that task was not all too difficult.

This activity kept them occupied for about an hour! This does include the clean up time. I do not even know how many meatballs we made, but it was enough for a few days. The meatballs would be fine for a really long time if left in the freezer. Their parents even had me take some home!

Making meatballs was a win-win situation for everyone. First of all, the parents got a “chore” done that they may not have wanted to do; either that, or they would not have enjoyed as much as their kids did. Second of all, the kids had so much fun! And third, it gave me something to do for an hour instead of chasing them around a table!

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On this past Sunday, we took a leisurely hike at a nearby lake with two of our children.  During the hike we discussed dinner for the night, a new meal we wanted to try.  Both kids were excited about this meal and immediately asked to assist with cooking.  The kids are 10 and 12, so they can be very helpful during meal preparation. . .as long as they aren’t bickering over which job each gets to do.

After a trip to the grocery store, it was time to begin our kitchen work.  To prevent any possible arguments, we divided into teams.  My daughter and I began making the chicken-friend steak:  I pounded the steaks, and she sprinkled the seasonings on each.  Once all of the steaks had been browned and were simmering, we turned our attention to the homemade biscuits.  Together we measured, blended, patted, and cut the  biscuit dough.  (To read the recipe for our Cinnamon Biscuits, visit our sister site, Tasty Thoughts.)

Across the kitchen, my husband and son were busy with the preparation of onion rings.  They worked in tandem, with one slicing onions while the other made the coating batter for the rings.  As the onion were deep-friend, my husband did all of the frying while our son prepped each batch.

Happily, we had coordinated the times of everything well, and the dishes were ready for serving at the same time.  The food was delicious, especially for the kids, as they took pride in knowing they had helped to make this dinner.

An afternoon of exercise, an hour of harmonious cooking for four, and a delectable dinner.  What more could one request as an end to the weekend?

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Back to school means more than fresh notebooks and new crayons. With a new teacher comes homework assignments! Each teacher has her own homework policies, and many also send home forms to be completed throughout the year. Here’s how to keep it all straight.

Get a folder for homework related notes and policies. Put any reading lists, book clubs, and instructions in the pocket so they always will be handy. Often, teachers provide phone numbers, e-mails, and even websites that students can use. Keep it all together to stay organized! If you have more than one child, color-code the folders for easy reference.

There are many websites that are geared for homework help, as well. Make a list of useful places on the web, and keep it in your homework folder. Print out the library’s phone number, address, and hours of operation and save that, too.

Make it easy for kids to find what they need to complete assignments. Buy extra pencils, scissors, rulers, or whatever your children will use at school, and keep them at home so they can complete assignments. Put it all in one place – a drawer in the kitchen, or a shoebox on the shelf, so everyone knows where to find needed supplies. Homework time is much smoother if kids don’t have to hunt all over the house for a pencil sharpener!

Make a policy, and stick to it. Decide when you want your kids to finish their assignments. Some parents want homework done directly after school, while the knowledge is still fresh in their children’s minds. Some parents may want to give their children a break and a chance to relax after a day spent inside. Figure out what works best for your family, and make it a routine.

Homework will probably never be happy, but it can be less stressful!

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I know that every parent wants to bring his child up with a healthy lifestyle. While this is a good idea, I must stress that you do not take this thought too far, specifically in the case of food. If you’re
not careful, being “too healthy” with your child might actually put your child in a worse position.

I’m not an expert, but I’m a teen. I know what’s going on among my peers. I also have seen the effects of parenting, both good and bad, on a child. One of my friends is a classic example of parenting with good
intentions but bad results. My friend’s mother insisted on completely keeping him away from “junk food”. At home, there were no soda, no cookies, no ice cream, no chips, and no snacks (except organic
crackers). He was never allowed to have the slightest piece of junk food, which incurred negative results. Now, when he is out with his friends, or at the movies, his mom is not there to stop him from
eating all the things he was “deprived” of in younger years. All of the snacks and sodas he wasn’t allowed to have taste like heaven to him now, and he can’t get enough. Given the chance, he will drink an entire 2-liter bottle of soda.

How do you keep your child eating healthy without having it backfire this way? I suggest that you not completely ban snack foods/drinks. My parents wanted to limit our intake of soda, but rather than take it
away from us, they allowed us to have it on special occasions and our own family “pizza nights”. Now, we have soda available at our leisure, but my sisters and I seldom choose to drink it and keep it as a
luxury. You never can control everything your child eats, but teaching a child the right habits will set her up for a healthier lifestyle.

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Shyness may seem endearing at times, but it also presents a lot of drawbacks for a person. Most people are shy when they are kids, but they learn to outgrow this shyness through exposure and social interaction. However, there are kids who carry their shyness through adulthood. Their lives will contain sequences of missed opportunities because they become too shy to go after what they want. Anything you do to ease your kid’s shyness right now can help him have a better future. So, how can you help your kid get over his shyness? Here are some helpful hints:

Identify the source of your kid’s shyness. Is your kid shy around unfamiliar people? With groups? During parties? Knowing the cause of shyness is the first step to resolving it.

Teach social skills. Giving kids the opportunity to interact with other kids their age will help them develop communication skills outside of home. Early on, you can arrange playdates where your kid can have fun while learning at the same time.

Become their role model. Children learn a lot by observing people around them. They try to mimic their parents’ behavior because they consider their mother or father the example they should follow. When you are with your kid, practice being friendly around other people and be more open to social interaction.

Emphasize creativity. Letting your kid know that there is more than a single way to success will help him think creatively. Provide him with positive or negative feedback when necessary. This will develop his self-esteem so he will be able to deal with disappointments and setbacks later on.

Provide a step by step guide to change. Help your kid overcome her shyness by breaking down the seemingly monumental task into smaller steps. Every success she achieves aids in the process of developing her self-confidence.

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