How to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals at a Young Age

As parents, one time or another we have all experienced the frustration of knowing our children aren’t trying hard enough to accomplish what we know they are more than able to do. While the initial reaction would be to harp and push, it’s important not to get overly excited about their lack of ambition and instead turn your efforts into teaching them how to set and reach goals – even at a young age.

It’s not as difficult as you may think to instill the importance of goal setting in your children. With a few simple steps you can plant the seed:

·         Start by looking for ways your child already sets goals, even though they may not realize that’s what they’re doing. For example, if they are trying get their favorite video game and saving up any extra money he or she gets. Take this opportunity to discuss the steps that will need to be taken in order to get the rest of the money for the game. Explain how good it feels to work toward something and actually make it happen.

·         Start small – Help your child pick a small, fun goal that can be reached in a relatively short amount of time – maybe a craft project or finishing a short book. Starting with small goals is a great way to teach children to work toward bigger goals.

·         Let them be involved in choosing the goals they want to reach. Sure we want them to have straight A’s or make the honor roll each grading period or make the sports team but these may be more YOUR goals than theirs. Letting them choose what they want to achieve is often better because it allows them to take ownership of the steps needed to reach them, as well as the actual accomplishment.

·         Be supportive – as your child begins to work toward setting and reaching their goals, be the biggest cheerleader you can be for them. Applaud their efforts no matter how big or small and let them know you see how hard they are trying.

It’s never too early to start instilling the importance of setting and reaching goals in your children. And while these steps are a great way to get the ball rolling, remember that we are our children’s biggest teachers so be prepared to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. 

How To Determine What Level of Book is Right for Your Child

Your child isn’t going to become a great reader over night, but it can happen one book at a time. But what is the best way for you to choose the right book for your child to read?

It may be second nature to feel like you should be picking your child’s books, but the fact remains that letting your child choose their own books is a skill that they should learn at young age. By allowing your child to choose their own books independent of your input, allows your child to learn the different reason we choose a book to read in the first place.

If your child has reached reading age, here are a few helpful tips to help him or her learn to choose books that will make them want to read more:

·         When your child is ready to start reading, begin instilling the fact that we read for a purpose – whether it’s too learn something or if the purpose is simply for enjoyment.

·         Have your child browse through the books either at the library or the bookstore. If this seems to be too overwhelming, then have them narrow down their choices by either a type of book (fiction or nonfiction) or by action, funny or other subject.

·         Say “yes” as often as you can when your child selects a book that he or she is interested in. Rather than saying “no” try saying that a choice is a “not so great” selection

·         If your child selects a book that is beyond his or her reading ability, solve the problem by reading the book out loud with your child. Let them read as much of the book as possible, you can jump in if there are difficult parts for your child to read.

·         If your child has really enjoyed a particular book, remind him or her of the author name when they are selecting books the next time.

How to Deal with Picky Eaters

One of the most common struggles parents have is dealing with picky eaters. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

·         Your toddler takes a few bites of food and announces he’s “done”

·         You can stock your fridge and shelves full but your little one will only eat the same 5 things over and over.

·         Your child asks for one thing, you make it, then she asks for something else then decides she wants something completely different altogether.

·         Coaxing your children to just take “one more bite” is a constant battle in your home

First things first – meal times are supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable so you want to avoid these battles every time you sit down at the table. Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 typically have smaller appetites, so if they only eat a little at a time, that’s ok. However, also realize that their appetites can change on a daily basis and even from meal to meal. If they like carrots, don’t be afraid to throw some in at breakfast. Do they prefer eggs? Who says you can’t have eggs for dinner?

Dinner time is typically going to be the meal that your child feels like eating the least. It’s the end of the day and they are tired and unless they have been doing a physical activity like swimming or playing outside or at daycare, chances are they aren’t going to be as hungry as they are at other times of the day.

If you are dealing with older children who are picky eaters, you may be able to reason more with them and enforce the “one bite rule” – meaning they have to take at least one bite of every food on their plate and if they don’t like it, they don’t have to eat it again.

Here are just a few ideas for dealing with picky eaters:

·         Don’t nag or coax smaller children. Pick and choose your battles – plain and simply put, your child WILL eat when he is hungry.

·         Have realistic portions: Many parents set unrealistic goals for their children when it comes to mealtime. A good rule of thumb to follow: If your child is under the age of 5-6, use a tablespoon per year of age. If they ask for more when they’ve finished that then you can always give more.

·         Keep trying to introduce new foods – even if they haven’t liked them before. Tastes change and you never know when you find something new they like.

·         Avoid too much milk, juice and soda in place of food. Many kids will fill up on sugary drinks and have no room for food.

Remember, pick your battles and don’t make meal time miserable for everyone!

How to Deal with Sibling Rivalry

If you have children you have no doubt been confronted with sibling rivalry at least once. Dealing with sibling rivalry can be a challenge at times but you don’t always have to deal with the knockdown, drag outs that can come with it. Here are a few tips and tricks to make it easier.

First of all, you can stop the bickering by making sure each child has a few toys and other items that are theirs and theirs alone. This may seem like the opposite thing to do to stop children from fighting over things but it’s not. By establishing from the beginning that each child has things that only belong to him or her, you’re letting each child as well as the sibling know that they have territory that is theirs. But as important as it is for everyone to know that each person has their own property, it’s equally important for them to know that all other toys are fair game for everyone.

Jealousy is common among siblings – especially when you bring a new baby into your home. Toddlers who are about to become an older sibling will naturally become jealous of a new baby in the house that seems to suck up all of the attention. You can help your toddler be ready for a new baby by:

• Spending time with other people’s babies and/or read books about the arrival of a new baby to the family. Take time to explain that there will be a new baby in the house and that your toddler is going to be a big brother or big sister and you will need his or help when the baby comes home.
• Give your toddler a few “big brother” or “big sister” gifts when you bring the baby home from the hospital. It will not only take his or her mind off the new baby and the “fuss” that goes along with it, but it will also make them feel just a little extra special.
• Never blame a change in plans on the baby. If a trip to the park has to be canceled or changed because it’s time for the baby’s nap time or meal, just tell your toddler that you’ll go to the park later and then try to switch his or her attention to a movie or other quiet indoor activity to take the attention off the change in plans.

Make sure both children know that they are loved equally and that nothing is going to change that. 

Getting Your Kids to Reach for the Stars

When we were children, we had big dreams and our whole lives ahead of us to make them come true. We wanted to climb a mountain, be a fireman, a ballerina or be a movie star. Nothing was in our way and nothing was going to stop us.

And then we became adults. The dreams vanished as life got in the way. Those dreams we had seemed silly and we let them fade into the distance. As parents, it’s important to not let this happen to our children – but how? Here are a few ways to teach them how to keep reaching for the stars:

• Teach them that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neil Armstrong didn’t wake up one morning and decide he was going to walk on the moon that day. Reaching for the stars doesn’t mean making one giant leap – it means taking lots of small steps in the direction of your goal.
• You aren’t going to learn everything you need to know to reach your goal in one sitting. The knowledge you need to learn to will come with each tiny step you take forward. Slowly but surely you will build up your bag of tricks to get where you need to be.
• When the going gets tough – keep going. Perseverance is key to getting where you want to go. There will times when they will feel that their efforts are pointless or they aren’t seeing any progress. That’s the exact time to hunker down and keep moving forward.
• Just do it! Don’t overplan yourself right out of your dream. Yes, plans are important to have an idea of what you’re doing and where you’re going, but you don’t have to know every step of every path you’re going to take. Planning and then planning some more is a surefire way to kill your dream.

It’s ok to dream the impossible dream. It’s ok to reach for the unreachable star. It will hurt sometimes and it will take time to get there but you can pursue your passion and live your dream.

Family Fun on a Shoestring

It’s a common thing today: most families have two working parents. It’s a must just to survive, let alone for a family to have anything extra like even a small vacation. Even if you’re careful to watch every penny spent, there are still plenty of ways to have some family fun even on a shoestring.

• Season passes: Whether you’re heading to a theme park, water park or zoo, most will offer season passes at a decent discount. If you live close enough that you could visit one of these places often, don’t be put off by the initial dollar amount investment and buy the season pass. You’ll find that because of the discounted prices, most season passes pay for themselves in just a couple of visits. Although the passes only cover the price of admission it can still save you money on food by allowing you to leave the park to eat and be readmitted without being penalized.
• Do you have a second-run theatre near you? These are theatres that play new release movies, but after they’ve already been released in the big theatres. What’s the point? Well think about it this way: when you go to see a new release when it first comes out, you’re likely to spend $8-$10 per ticket, per person. With a family of 4 or more, you’re looking at $40 in tickets and that’s before you buy snacks and drinks. A second-run theatre will play the same movie in its entirety but a few weeks after it’s considered a “new release”. These theatres tend to charge $5 or less per ticket. Worth the wait don’t you think?
• Consider the minors. If you are a family of sports enthusiasts but can’t quite swing the cost of even general admission tickets to see your favorite sports team, consider checking out a local minor league game instead, or even a local high school or college game. These smaller teams have smaller venues and typically smaller audiences so they do what they can to fill the seats – even charge as little as $5 for a general admission ticket. Some will even offer a ticket and snack package. There are few better memories than snacking on a ball park hot dog in the cheap seats.

These are just a few ideas to get your creativity flowing. Just because you’re watching your pennies doesn’t mean you have to sit at home on the couch and watch each other. Get creative and I’m sure you’ll find something you, your family and your wallet can all agree on. 

Keep expenses down when your baby is born

A new baby is a source of joy—and bills. You may feel overwhelmed once you get home from the hospital, but you can keep a steady hand on your finances as you balance feedings, diaper changes, and sleep. A recent article on the U.S. News & World Report website explains what to do:

• Audit your bill. Request an itemized bill from your hospital and check it for errors. You may find duplications, charges for procedures and medications you didn’t receive, and so forth. If so, contact the hospital’s billing department to request a reduction.

• Understand your insurance. Get out your insurance company’s explanation of benefits and refer to it as you check your bill, paying attention to anything your policy didn’t cover. You may find mistakes, which you should bring to the attention of both the insurance company and the hospital billing department as soon as possible.

• Research financial aid. You may qualify for financial assistance based on your income and family status. Your hospital’s website should have information on both its own benefits and also charitable organizations that may be in a position to help you.