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3 Tips When Reading To Children

Most parents know the value of reading to children. It helps them to gain a larger vocabulary, and it helps to learn and retain information. However, for some people, reading to children can be a little difficult, so here are a few tips to help you when reading to children.
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Read Books With Chapters

Reading a book with chapters has many benefits. One of them is that is takes a bit longer to get through the story which can help make a book last longer at bed time reading. The chapter breaks also create a natural time to discuss with your child about what is happening in the story and what they predict to happen next. This can help to spark a child's imagination, while also helping you understand if they are comprehending what you are reading.

Daniel Handler has created many children's books with chapters that help parents and children brush up on these skills.

Take Turns Reading

Much like anything else in life, you never get better at something unless you practice. Picking up a best author Daniel Handler book is an easy way to find an interesting story that both you and your child can take turns reading. By allowing your child to have a turn reading, you can be there to help them from getting discouraged by correcting mispronounced words, as well as being there to provide context or explanation for words they may not understand the meaning to.
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Life Lessons

In almost any story, characters make choices and decisions. By reading together, you can have a platform in which to help you child gain a greater understanding about the motivations one might have to make a certain decision. This can be very beneficial to help them gain empathy and compassion for others.

As you can see, reading a book to a child has many benefits, so pick up a great book and start reading together!

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Teaching Your Kids About Money

Do your kids know that money doesn’t grow on trees? Here are some helpful tips for each age group.

You don’t have to wait until your kids are teenagers. You can start talking to them about the basics of money as early as preschool. Here are some tips about how to talk to your kids about money at any age:


  • From ages three to five you can teach kids that money can be exchanged for things. Explain to them the difference between pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.
  • From ages five to nine you can start giving them an allowance. This is also a good time to explain bank accounts and what it means when a bank account earns interest.
  • From ages nine to 13 you can help them open a savings account. Encourage them to save their allowance towards a goal (a new toy or a DVD). You might even consider setting up a matching savings plan like most companies do with a 401(k). This is also a good time to start talking to them about the idea of keeping a minimum balance based on the savings account requirement. You can also introduce the concept of keeping savings in case of emergency. Even though they won’t need to pay for an emergency at such a young age, you can explain the importance of keeping a nest egg.
  • From ages 13 to 15 you can expand your children’s allowance to include more expensive items like clothes or gifts for friends. This is also a good time to introduce entrepreneurship. Encourage your kids to earn their own money with jobs for neighbors and friends.  Arrange for them to have an ATM card so they can withdraw money from their savings account.
  • From ages 15 to 18 and up you can help your children open a checking account with a debit card. Teach them how to manage their account online or with mobile banking. You can even go old school and show them how to use a check register. This is also a good time to talk fiscal responsibility about when they go off to college. Be very clear about what expenses you will pay for which ones they will cover.
Explaining money management to your kids can start out with something as simple as giving them an allowance. If you talk to them regularly, teach by your own fiscally responsible example and give them the right tools, you will do more than teach them about money basics. You will instill in them a respect for earning and saving money that will hopefully set them on a path to being financially independent and responsible in adulthood.
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Math Skills- Subtraction Practice For Third Grade

Math is one area where most kids struggle or bump into some sort of challenge. I was really excited to be contacted by Education.com to share some practice work and strategies to help my son really grasp some math concepts. You can't ever have too much practice in math, although I am sure he would disagree. Below is a fun activity to help with subtraction.

Subtraction Action

Most parents probably wouldn't mind subtracting 8-9 years off their age. Here's a fun subtraction activity for your child that will do just that—in theory, anyway. It's also a good way to boost third grade subtraction skills and make them real and relevant.

What You Need:
Pencil
Paper

What You Do:

  1. Explain to your child that his mission is to find out how old everyone was when he was born. Encourage your child to go around and record each family member's current age--don't forget grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts! Use the adult's age as the top number, and your child's age as the bottom number. Have your child set up the equation and subtract.
  2. Now that your child knows how old everyone was when you were born, try it this way: Add his age to every family member’s age today. When you get the result, have your child make a line graph with numbers 0-100 on the y-axis (vertical) and names of family members on the x-axis (horizontal). Ask your child to plot the ages and connect the dots to see how large of an age difference there is between family members.
  3. Write a word problem with your child using the ages collected above. For example, when I was born, mom was thirty years old. Now I am 9-years-old. How old is mom? Word problems in abundance!
  4. What's going on? You're tying abstract math skills--the stuff on flashcards and worksheets--to real life. These kinds of activities help your child build lifetime skills, and they help make related topics--like the timelines of history--make perfect sense. Don't be surprised, of course, if you also end up with some cherished family stories while you're at it.

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Homeschool Updates Spring 2017

We are headed into our final two months of third grade with William and thankfully next week is Spring Break. We both desperately need the break. I now understand why school teachers used to act like they were about to blow their top at this time of year. I admit, I am burned out. Some days wear me out to the point of aggravation. I am SO ready to get our last day out of the way so that we can relax for a week. I make sure that I take a power nap in the afternoon if I start getting too crazy. It has come to a point to where William recognizes that I need a little breather.

Don't get me wrong, William is a great student when he's not being lazy or getting distracted. He is doing so well and is currently making all A's with a 96% overall average. Let me tell you though, those good grades don't come easy! We both work hard to make it happen. I am so thankful that I can pinpoint what he struggles with so that we can review for as long as it takes until he gets it. I am grateful I have the gift of patience, because some days are trying.


William has really been enjoying learning about different cultures in his current unit in Language Arts and seems to really love math. He sometimes stumbles while learning new skills, but once he understands it, he aces through the work. One of the things I love is when he learns something that his dad recently taught him, which is usually about money, spending, or making smart choices. He geeks out and tells me he can't wait to tell his dad what he learned in school that day.

He is enjoying his life as a homeschooler and never complains about being bored or lonely. That was one of my biggest fears, but thankfully he is like an old man who enjoys the most simple things. We break up the day with outdoor play or having lunch on the back patio. I think we are both going to enjoy Spring Break and hope to be back refreshed and ready to tackle the end of year testing and final assignments. I have noticed that my friends with kids in public school have been going nuts with all of the spring festivities and craziness that comes at this time of year. I can definitely say that I do not miss any of that!

Anyway, I wanted to share the latest regarding William's school progress. Have your kids had their Spring Break yet?
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#TBT The Early Years Of Learning

I stumbled across a video this morning that warmed my heart and brought me to tears at the same time. I used to teach William some reading and math basics at home before he was kindergarten age. Who knew he would end up being home schooled. He is in his second semester of third grade, and it looks like he will make high honors again like in the first semester. It's hard to believe that this little munchkin boy will be turning 9 this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by 💖
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Tips to Celebrate Martin Luther King Day

1) Organize your workplace, school or community group. Maximize your impact by organizing a group to serve the community with an activity done at your own location in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Choose a local charity and determine the best way for your group to show support. Ideas include packing snack bags for after school programs, collecting coats and hats for a homeless shelter, planting trees, creating a mentoring program, or writing letters of support to our military abroad.

2) Teach your children. The kids are home from school. Remember, as a Day of Service MLK day is supposed to be "a day on, not a day off." Plan an activity of service and involve your children. Show by your example that volunteerism is important to your family and help to cultivate a new generation of compassionate, community- minded citizens.

3) Raise needed goods. Support a local charity with a drive for the goods they need to serve the community. An online YouGiveGoods drive is the new way to raise food and supplies for charity. You can set up your drive in a matter of minutes and have it underway in time for MLK Day this year. Then invite your online community via email and social media to support your cause by purchasing items that will ship to your selected charity. A YouGiveGoods drive builds up your community as it offers tangible aid to local charity and it provides a welcome opportunity for your friends and family to be part of this year's MLK Day.

4) Spread the message. Use social media (use hashtag #MLKDay) to share MLK's ideals and inspiring words. You will find his words to be stunningly timely and relevant in today's world. Forward this page, talk about what you will do in honor of MLK Day, and encourage your circle of friends to take action to support the community.

5) Commit to service in 2017. Use Martin Luther King's example to plan a 2017 where you take action. If you are unable to volunteer on January 16, simply spend some time researching, choose your charity, make that phone call and find out how you can best serve them in the future. Charities need help all year long!
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Homeschool Updates

We are a couple months into our second year of school from home and so far, everything is going smoothly. Third grade is certainly very different from second grade. The work load has been a lot more and it can been very tiring some days. I find myself telling William to go take a break while I do the same. I am lucky to have a child who almost never complains and is easy to work with. We have a flexible routine that has been working well for us. 

I make certain every couple weeks to ask William how he is doing and if he misses going to traditional school. He always responds with how much he loves home school and never wants to return to public school. This makes me happy to know that he is genuinely happy and feeling like this was a good choice for him. 

One of his new favorite things to do is to go outside and read while he watches the birds and dogs play. Hey, anything that encourages him to read works for me! As a matter of fact, his reading has improved tremendously and we are working on being more animated when reading out loud. He still has his stubborn boy moments, but he understands that he has no choice with getting his work done. He takes pride in checking off assignments as he completes them, and loves tracking his grades.

A lot has changed for me as a homemaker. A huge chunk of my day is dedicated to William's schooling, so keeping a super neat and tidy home just isn't a priority like it used to be. I try to get things done throughout the day, but don't beat myself up if I don't get to it all. I make time for myself each day just to do whatever I want, whether it's watching my favorite show on HGTV or taking a nap. I have learned the importance of self-care and refuse to allow myself to feel guilty about it. Do I have bad days where I feel like I'm failing? YES. Yes, I do. Thankfully those aren't too often.

William continues to go to his karate classes and swimming. It's funny how much more social he is since doing school from home. He is not shy at all and will chat with anyone who will listen. We still get a lot of people when we are out and about during school hours ask him why he's not in school. He proudly tells them, "I'm home-schooled!". Of course, some people are still very shocked by that and tell me I must be a "saint". I simply laugh it off and realize I too thought the same of parents who home-schooled their kids.

Right about now I am SO happy that I'm not on Facebook trying to push school fundraisers on any of my friends. Yep, don't miss any of that! Overall, we are very happy with school and plan to continue all the way to high school. If you have ever considered homeschooling your child, I suggest you try it out to see if it works for your family. You definitely won't know unless you try. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
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16 Boring Words & What to Use Instead

I just had to share this because I think it's great! Enjoy :)


Source: www.grammarcheck.net
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The 6 Best New Language Learning Apps For Your Kids Out Right Now

Guest Post

I’m sure I’m not alone when I admit that I took four years of Spanish in high school because my counselor told me to, but I can’t remember much of it now. It stuck around for a few years but gradually faded away. Kids today don’t have the option to learn a language and forget it—with a growing international economy and global connections, it is becoming so important to speak another language. Not to mention that it looks great on college and job applications, which I’m sure moms everywhere will love.

Luckily for our kids, there are so many more resources than when we were in school. One of the best resources is something your kids are probably using constantly anyway—their smartphones. Set your kids on the path to language learning success with these six great education apps:

Hello Talk (free)

Most kids love to talk, so the chance to learn a new language through conversations with a native speaker is a huge selling point. Hello Talk steps away from strict memorization and quizzes and instead connects users with native speakers around the world to practice their new language skills and get instant feedback. Hello Talk is based on a worldwide network of more than 70 data centers set up by communications company Agora.io, which means that no matter where in the world you or your native speaker are, you can always have crystal-clear communication. It’s a reliable cultural experience for kids that shows them new parts of the world.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

busuu (free)

With no Internet connection required, you can access busuu anywhere and go at your own pace. Busuu works with native speakers around the world to teach languages by listening and speaking, so you can practice what you learn right after each lesson. Another great option is the streamlined learning system, which highlights the top 3000 words and 150 topics you need to know in each language, perfect if you are tight on time.

Download on iOS
Download on Android

Brainscape (free)

Brainscape doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the other apps, but it does produce great results that will stick with kids. Brainscape is all about flashcards, and it has a deck of thousands of words for each of the languages it teaches. The more you get a word correct, the less frequently it appears in your deck, just like words you struggle with show up more frequently. Brainscape also customizes your response time to make the flashcards as memorable and effective as possible.
Download on iOS

Memrise (free)

This app combines proven memory techniques with content created by native speakers to create a program that can teach an amazing 44 words per hour. With learning activities varying from videos to rapid recall and more, there’s something to match everyone’s learning style. One of the best features about Memrise is that it covers more than 100 languages, ranging from Arabic to Icelandic, and even languages from your favorite books and movies.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

Duolingo (free)

For game-loving kids, Duolingo is the obvious choice. The lessons are short and highlight a particular grammar principle or vocabulary area. The review activities involve a variety of games, with each correct answer earning the user more points to use within the app’s virtual store. The more you learn, the more levels you achieve—you can even compete against friends and other users to see who can reach certain levels the fastest. That’s huge motivation for my friends, and I love that the program is fun and effective.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

Lingvist (free)

If your child wants to learn French, Lingvist is a great option. Watch out for more languages to come, because this app can turn anyone into a language master in just 200 hours. Lingvist aims to teach practical, usable words and grammar skills and then apply them to situations where you may actually find yourself. The app also adjusts based on your learning progress to help you be as successful as possible.
Download on iOS
Download on Android

As the world continues to get more connected, learning a second (or third) language will become more important than ever. And thanks to mobile technology, it’s never been easier to learn something new. Put your kids on the path to global success with these great apps.

Are your kids learning a language right now?

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13 Reasons Why Home School Works For Us

We are wrapping up our first (almost) full year of virtual (home) school with William. I have to say, if you have ever questioned if you should do it for your child, you should give it a shot. It has been the best decision we could have made and plan to continue all the way through high school. I got to thinking about how much we don't miss public school. Even William shudders at the thought of ever going back. I came up with a list of reasons why our choice to home school works best for us.


  1. No being on PTO or PTA. No meetings, no stress about school activities, and no planning school activities or fundraisers. Yes, NO FUNDRAISERS! 
  2. No volunteering. Although I really enjoyed it, sometimes you become the default parent who ends up helping with EVERYthing. This leads to a severe case of burnout. 
  3. Your kid doesn't get invited to 29,452 birthday parties. That's money saved. 
  4. No car pick-up/drop-off line. I have been able to get back a good hour+ into my life each day. It also saved on gas from sitting in the cold with the heater on or the heat with the AC on. Again, money saved. 
  5. We have recess any time we want and as often we would like. P.E. is not longer a once or twice a week activity. It's daily. 
  6. No dress code. We can do school in pajamas or anything for that matter. 
  7. No outside influences. 
  8. Freedom to go on field trips or travel any time we want. School can be done anywhere as long as we have a wifi connection. 
  9. No distractions! This is a big one for us. William could easily slip away into dreamland if he gets bored. Being at home allows me to bring him back to focus easily. 
  10. No stress. This has been the most stress-free school year we have ever had. William is having a positive school experience that goes according to his learning style and pace. 
  11. I get to know all of the details of assignments. Being hands-on allows me as his teacher/learning coach to really understand what he needs to learn. This makes it easier for me to teach lessons and for him to really learn and retain information. 
  12. Time. Having time is priceless. We can do our work on our own time. This makes life easier when it comes to scheduling doctor or dental appointments or travel planning. 
  13. William has become very social! Yes, a child who learns from home can be extremely social. If you give him the time of day, he will chat you up for hours. 
William got to meet and chat with our county Sheriff, Leon Lott. Sheriff Lott was quite impressed with William's ability to speak confidently. 
Honestly, I could go on even more about how great homeschooling is for us. I never thought it was something I would be capable of doing for my child, but here I am! William will finish second grade with straight A's. This makes us know we are doing the right thing that is working for him. He is having a great school experience and has a thirst for learning. His favorite subjects are math and social studies. He is a history geek. We plan to do some enrichment activities over the summer to get him prepared for third grade. Thanks for reading and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. 
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Quit Rubbing Your Low Self-Esteem Off On Your Daughters


I have some things on my mind that I really feel the need to share. I have come to realize that I would be sorely disappointed if I met many of my online friends in person. Why? Because I know you won't look like who you look like on Facebook or Instagram. You know, the filtered or airbrushed version of yourself. I confess, when I first got Instagram I was most excited about having access to photo filters. I thought it was so cool when other women would post their super polished pics and wanted in on it too. I don't take selfies, but one day I took a photo of myself for a brand-related post and viewed my face in a variety of filters-- Valencia, Mayfair, Rise and more. I even added in a little tilt shift to soften the photo up even more. And then it hit me..... What am I doing? I look like some flawless Barbie doll or a wannabe Kardashian. I couldn't go through with posting a photo that wasn't authentically ME. Do filters enhance photos? Yes, they do. The problem I have is that my daughters follow me on social media and obviously know what I truly look like. What am I teaching them? It breaks my heart if I see them use a filter and I beg them not to. I make it a point to remind them how naturally pretty they are and that filters or airbrushing is never needed.

Some of you may have little daughters and think that they aren't paying attention to what you're doing. Trust me, they are! What you say and do has so much to do with how your kids will ultimately feel about themselves. When I was growing up, I watched my mother do whatever it took to fit in or to look better. Her bathroom was filled every beauty product that was available. Let me tell you, I grew up well into my 30's thinking I wasn't pretty enough. I too collected make-up and beauty products galore to make myself look better. Guess what? None of that stuff works! Until I fully accepted my flaws and imperfections, I was able to find the real me. It turns out that I am not half bad, dare I say that I am beautiful! I am 42. I have stretch marks, age spots, gray hair, bags under my eyes and probably more. None of that stuff bothers me any more. I refuse to airbrush myself. I refuse to let social media make me feel like fewer flaws means more likes or followers. I am who I am, and I am beautifully ME.

I urge you to post photos of yourself without any edits. Show your freckles. Show your grays. Show your authentic self. That is the person I'd love to meet- The real you. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for reading.
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Home Cleaning as a Life Lesson for Kids

Home cleaning can be both a blessing and a trial, especially if children are involved. But what you have never thought of is making your kids a part of the home cleaning process and making it both productive and fun for all parties involved. Kids can despise cleaning, yes, especially since it goes against everything they are investing every single waking moment in: making messes and not cleaning up after themselves. But when it comes to the greater good, you should try and make them compromise for the one cleaning and help you with it – and the results can be uncanny.

Roleplay
One way to get children really invested in helping you get the home clean is giving them roles. Make it a game for them, have them do assignments and give them rewards – this is how they spend their video game time, so they should be accustomed to doing it, but only this time their own imagination will be in charge of keeping them entertained. Give your son “missions” and your daughter “responsibilities” and see how they change and act their parts to fulfil the given assignment.

Dress-up
You can combine the roleplay with actual costumes! Kids will love to really pretend to be in other people’s shoes. One of kids’ best pastime is pretending they are adults, so give them adult roles and adult clothes and see how they will do their best to play out the role of their lives. Don’t underestimate the power of their imagination and how it can stimulate them to do real chores with actual desire.

Teaching Responsibility
The house cleaning can be a very good way to introduce the children to adult life and show them why doing what they are doing is important. Don’t treat them as kids, treat them as learning adults and explain how if the floor is not vacuumed, the house will be consumed in dust mites that carry diseases and spoil the quality of life in the house. Give them reasons to resent dirt and reasons to actually want the place to be clean. When a kid wants something, you know that the kid will get it, even if it has to do it itself. Also, the earlier the child starts getting used to chores, the less complaining there will be once it starts growing up, and not to mention that much more work will be actually done – imagine all the responsibilities that will be taken off your own hands!


Cleaning the house can show your kids what to expect one day when they are away from home, away from mommy’s cleaning services, and it will be up to them to keep their surroundings dirt-free. It is a life lesson like any other, but if you get them invested successfully, then you will soon have not children, but small adults running around, helping you around the house, full of desire to learn. Teach them enough and one day you will be able to sleep peacefully at night, certain that they will be able to take care of themselves.

Read more helpful cleaning related tips on: Notting Hill Cleaner Ltd.
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Organizing Your Kids’ Closet to Foster Independence

Teaching your children how to care for themselves is an important part of their physical and emotional development. Learning how to brush, wash, and get dressed every day is a big step that requires lots of help from adults. One of the best ways to teach children how to do these everyday tasks themselves is to make their environments accessible and familiar. Here are some tips for creating a bedroom closet that will help your little ones help themselves during their daily dressing routine.

Make it accessible

Most furniture companies now produce child friendly beds, dressers, and wardrobes that sit lower to the ground and allow for maximum accessibility. Built-in closets, on the other hand, aren’t generally fit for purpose when it comes to kids. Set up your own closet with clothes rails, shelves, and storage bins that are lower and easily reached by your children. Make sure any bins are open so your kids know what goes in each space, or choose clear or wire baskets so they can see directly into them from the sides.
via Modernize

Labelling 

After you’ve set up your child friendly closet, affix labels to each shelf and/or bin to help your kids remember which items of clothing go where. For younger children, large print labels with photographs of the type of clothing work best and can be made easily at home. If, like us at Modernize, you like to take your organization a step further, create sections for each day of the week. This way, your kids can choose outfits ahead of time and save you time in the morning. 

Keep it tidy

Probably the most important part of a functioning, independence-building kids’ closet is cleanliness. Finding clothes in a disorganized, cluttered space is next to impossible for adults and will feel positively overwhelming for children. Because kids grow so quickly, regular reorganization of their closet space is a necessity: make sure to remove clothes that are too small, out of season, or no longer worn for one reason or another. Encourage your children to put away their own clothes after they’ve been washed, and remind them to keep the space the way they would like to find it. 
via Modernize

Set a routine

In addition to keeping a regular cleaning schedule, it’s a good idea to encourage your kids to choose their school or activity outfits the night before. If you’ve set up day-of-the-week hangers or shelves, put these outfits in their designated spaces, or hang them on the door of the closet so they’re ready in the morning. After you’ve completed this task together a few times, your children should get the hang of it and hopefully repeat the exercise every day. This routine is not only great for your children because they get to choose their own clothes (within reason, of course), but also great for you because you will save yourself a regular morning struggle of choosing outfits. 

Guest article courtesy of Kaitlin Krull. 

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What advice would you give to a college freshman?

We knew the day would eventually get here. The day when our first child would go from elementary, middle and high school to college student. Our daughter will be attending the University of South Carolina and has opted to live at home. The incoming freshman class is the largest in the University's history with almost 5,000 students. That's a very large number, but as my husband puts it, "It's not about how many start, but how many actually finish".

Although our daughter is very intelligent and responsible, we still made it a point as parents to offer our guidance and support with her entering the adult world. Life is about to change quite a bit for her. I will no longer be packing her lunch, signing her papers or waiting in the carpool line. She will be doing things on her own. She is off to a great start as far as getting all of her business in order.

This weekend kicks off move-in day and there are various welcome activities for University students. We saw her off as she drove out of the front driveway. I won't lie, my heart sank just a bit. She's an adult and the high school days are over. With that said, this does not mean that rules no longer apply to her. We sat her down and went over our rules and expectations and she was able to voice her opinions on how she felt with everything. We spoke about many things, but here is a rundown of the main points:

  • Driving safety is essential and not negotiable. Yes, you have your own car, but that does not mean you abuse it. You don't get to pick up and go or come in as late as you please. No rides should be given to just anyone. Never let anyone drive your car unless there is an emergency situation that affects your ability to drive. No texting or phone calls while driving. We just require a simple text or phone call to let us know your whereabouts. We pay for the car, insurance, gas and phone so this is not unreasonable. Failure to comply with our simple rules results in your mother dropping you off and picking you up. 
  • Personal safety is another very important matter. Always be aware of your surroundings. Have your mace in hand when walking through the parking garage. Beware of who you associate with. Report anything that you know isn't right by law to campus police. Stay in good physical shape. Eating well and exercise are essential and should be taken seriously. You never know when you have to move quickly out of harm's way! 
  • Not everyone is your friend! With the social media age comes "friendships" formed online. You don't know the real person just by his/her updates, tweets or Instagram pics. Stick with the people you know throughout the first year. Look at students you KNOW who are going into their second or third year for tips and advice that can be helpful. Not all advice is good advice. When in doubt, ask your parents. 
  • Your social media presence is your digital resume. Watch what you post and the types of comments you leave on posts. Future employers scour through all social media sites to dig up what they can about you. Be mindful of that! It takes one suggestive picture to potentially tarnish your good name and even mess up your future. 
  • Always have cash on hand. As easy as it is to use a debit card, it is not always the smartest choice. Around the college, there are dozens of businesses that sell products primarily to college students. With advanced technology in place, stealing your money has become so easy. Anyone can get access to the debit/credit card readers that attach to a smart phone/iPhone. You never know if someone is swiping your card behind your back! You have fewer worries with cash.
  • DO NOT APPLY FOR CREDIT CARDS.  Buying on credit that you can't pay back ruins your financial future. On top of this, opening up several credit cards can hurt your credit, even without spending on credit. Avoiding credit malpractice is not hard, there are plenty of student resources available online that aim to about credit cards. For instance, did you know that your credit status is repairable no matter how ruined it is? It won’t happen overnight though. For now, pay with cash. You can slowly work your way up to establishing credit in a smart and organized way.
  • We are here to help out if there is a NEED. Parties, sporting events and dining out will not be on our dime. 
  • Of course we touched on the drugs, alcohol and sex topic. She hated it, but what can you do?
In the end of our conversation, we stressed how proud we are of her and that we just her to be happy and successful. We let he know that we are always around and are happy to lend our advice and support. Our daughter felt our rules were reasonable and has agreed to comply. Maybe it was the part about having her mother pick her up and drop her off? Hahaha! We feel like she will do well and sets very high standards for herself. 

If you have any advice you would give to a college freshman, what would it be? Do you have any advice for the parents as well? I would love to hear your thoughts! 

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Smart tips to get your little one prepped for kindergarten

Tomorrow marks the first day of August and this means back-to-school month for many of us. Being a stay-at-home mom to a rising kindergarten student means getting my little one ready for a whole new world. Since William has never attended pre-school or been enrolled in any programs that are in a group setting, it will be a big adjustment phase for him (and me). It also dawned on me that there are plenty of things he is not used to besides being around other kids. I have been trying to remember the kindergarten days when the girls were in it. One thing that really stuck out to me was the use of hand sanitizer. Being at home most of the time, there has been no need for it. I purchased a bottle and have been teaching William why he will have to use it in school. Of course, I have had to be harder on him with potty practices. He still has never been into a public restroom on his own so I am still VERY a bit nervous about that one. 

Another important thing is his sleep schedule. We started putting him to bed at 8:00 each night and wake him up about 6:45. He had such a tough time getting up this morning so I think we will move his bedtime starting next week to 7:30. A lot of kids don't get enough sleep at night so we want to make sure to not interrupt his sleep schedule as much as we can, even on weekends. Once he wakes up in the morning, we go through the full morning routine of washing, brushing, breakfast and getting dressed. So far so good. 

I recall when the girls were in kindergarten, that they had lunch as early as 10:30 AM. What I do is prepare Will's lunch early in the morning between getting him fed and dressed. I pack his lunchbox as I would for school so he can get in the habit of opening it, eating/drinking and packing up in a short time. When they are that young it can take longer to get situated and they have a very limited time to eat. It's funny, I make him line up like they would at school and he calls me "teacher". It has been going very well and I feel confident that he will make it through lunchtime with ease.

Each morning I have specific practice worksheets, coloring pages and other things that are kindergarten-based to get his mind focused on academics. I even teach him how to raise his hand and not speak until I acknowledge him. It has been really good having his big sisters at home to help out with training him for school.  I have him enrolled in "kinderbee" camp from August 6-8 for him to be screened for placement as well as for him to get a chance to preview what big boy school is like.

He officially starts kindergarten on August 21st. William is so enthusiastic about school and we are all so excited for him.

I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. I tell myself that each day :)
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Toyota and Teen Vogue want you to take a pledge "Arrive in Style" #spon [Giveaway]

**CONTEST CLOSED** 
Winner is Stacie Sayz So. Congratulations! 

*This post was written as part of my association with Toyota for Arrive in Style
With one teenage driver under my roof and one getting ready to get her license and hit the road this summer, it is a stressful time in a mom's life. I still haven't gotten over the fear of something happening when I am not in the car. It is so important to always talk to them about driving safety and be a good example to them. When I am driving the kids, I avoid talking on the cell phone unless it is very important. If I do take the occasional call, it goes something like this, "Hey, I'm driving, I'll call you back". I have been doing that for years and for good reason... safety!

To help educate teen girls about safe driving, Toyota and Teen Vogue are partnering on the “Arrive in Style” initiative.

Through research—Toyota found that 62% of teenage girls report using a cell phone while driving.* And since parents are such a major influence on their teen’s driving habits—they are asking mothers and daughters to sign and share a pledge to drive safely and “Arrive in Style”.

After you sign the Toyota Mutual Driving Agreement pledge at www.teenvogue.com/arriveinstyle, pledgers are then entered for a chance to win a Teen Vogue Beauty Box. You can also submit an “air-driving” photo with your daughter for the opportunity to win an all-expense paid trip to NYC to be featured in the February 2014 issue of Teen Vogue. How amazing is that?! To help raise awareness, you can also share your "air driving" photos on Instagram using the hashtag #arriveinstyle

Be sure to share your pledge on Facebook. This will allow each of you to win additional entries in the monthly beauty box giveaway. An easy Facebook “share” feature will pop up on the “Arrive in Style” site after you sign the pledge.

Why Teen Vogue?
Teen Vogue really shares in Toyota’s commitment to empower girls to be safe on the road, so they couldn’t have picked a better partner to create such a unique, fun and informative program with. With a readership of nearly 3.5 million and an additional 3 million plus social followers, Teen Vogue was the ideal partner to get this message out to teen girls. 

Toyota’s Commitment to Safe Driving:

Toyota offers a variety of resources to help all teens become safer drivers – from behind the wheel safe driving clinics, to online games and resources – and this initiative with Teen Vogue is a wonderful way to not only bring awareness to important teen driving issues, but also let teens and parents know that Toyota is here with resources to help them.

Do you have a teen daughter who's driving or learning to? You can enter to win a fabulous beauty box to help reward your teen for safe driving. Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on May 25, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Prize may vary from what it pictured above. Good luck!

I received compensation to help spread the word about this campaign. The prize was provided and may be shipped by Toyota. Toyota is not a sponsor, administrator or connected in any other way with this giveaway.
Shelly, Mom Files
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Join the Dove® "Let's Talk" movement to help build strong girls with high self-esteem

You might remember a post I wrote earlier this month about Dove's Self-Esteem weekend. Well the movement has grown and it has a lot of people talking. Dove® is committed to inspiring all women and girls to reach their full potential. The Dove® Movement for Self-Esteem invites all women to join them in creating a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety.They have reached more than 9 million girls so far and with your help, they can  reach their target of 15 million by 2015.



Dove® research shows that it is still important for us to address girls' anxiety about looks, as there is a universal increase in beauty pressure and a decrease in girls' confidence as they grow older. Key findings from our latest research include:

• Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004)
• Only 11% of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves
• 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful
• 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but do not see their own beauty
• More than half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own worst beauty critic
SOURCE: Dove Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited


It really boils down to the fact that it is so hard growing up in a society where beauty is heavily focused on. Being a mom of two teenage girls, I know how important it is to keep good communication going about their self-esteem. Talking to your Anxiety about beauty begins at an early age, and can even keep girls from doing what they love. You can change that with a conversation. Reach out to the girl in your life and talk to her about beauty, confidence and self-esteem.

You can find the expert tips and real-world advice to get started on the Self-Esteem Wall. Then, once you’ve had “the talk,” share your experience to help inspire other moms and mentors. You can share a sentence, small story, or upload your favorite photo of you and the young girl in your life from your desktop, Facebook or Instagram.

Any time is a good time to start a conversation with a girl in your life about beauty, confidence and self-esteem. Not sure where to start? Download The Let’s Talk Toolkit to get some great advice.
to get some great advice.

Each time you buy Dove®, you help them and their charitable partners provide inspiring self-esteem programming for girls. Dove supports partnerships with after-school programs, self-esteem building events and education resources.
I encourage you to check out Dove on Facebook to get more information of what you can do to help build strong self-esteem in our young girls. Together, we can build stronger girls, stronger women and stronger communities.

Thanks to Dove for sponsoring today's discussion
Shelly, Mom Files
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Dove’s Self- Esteem weekend is October 5th-7th | Let's do our part to help young girls build strong self-esteem #spon


Did you know that 6 out of 10 girls stop doing what they love because they feel bad about their looks?


 


I can certainly believe this from my own experiences. I remember for most of my childhood, I was ashamed to wear certain clothes or participate in sports because I was so thin. I was often made fun of and spent many nights crying myself to sleep. Most people think only overweight girls go through feelings of shame but it turns out that underweight girls feel just as much pain. It took me a long time to accept the fact that I was so "skinny" and thankfully feel good about myself. With two teenage daughters, I work extra hard on helping them feel good about themselves.

Dove® research shows that it is still important for us to address girls' anxiety about looks, as there is a universal increase in beauty pressure and a decrease in girls' confidence as they grow older. Key findings from our latest research include:

 • Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004)
 • Only 11% of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves
 • 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful • 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but do not see their own beauty
 • More than half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own worst beauty critic

 SOURCE: Dove Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited
**********
Join women across the county, October 5-7, when Dove will be holding a nationwide rally to talk about beauty, confidence and self-esteem. Commit to talk to the girl in your life during the weekend and beyond – it all starts with a conversation. If you can’t share over the weekend, any time is a good time to start the conversation.

Not sure where to start? Download the Let’s Talk Toolkit  Created with Jess Weiner, Dove Global Self-Esteem Ambassador, this is a great resource for all women on starting a conversation in a simple way. Ask, Share, Listen and Act -- you’ll find unintimidating ways to do make these a natural part of your talk about Self-Esteem.

You can share your commitment to girls’ self-esteem with your friends on Facebook! Visit the Dove Facebook Page or use the Send a Note of Confidence Link to select your message and share with your friends. Also follow Dove on Twitter and use the hashtag #DoveInspired.

With so many simple ways to get involved, won't you do your part to help build strong self-esteem in our girls?

This article is sponsored by Dove. 
Shelly, Mom Files
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Trying to keep it together

I have been absent from the online world lately. My days are filled with all things back-to-school, volleyball practices, registration, senior pictures, preschool (at home) preparations, being a good wife, keeping our home in order and taking some down time with the family. It has consumed my time! I have had some really good days as well as some trying ones. So far, both girls are ready to start school next week. They both are fully registered, picked up books, got lockers and have completed everything needed for a smooth start. They also have been going through volleyball conditioning all summer long and had try-outs last week. Both of them made the Girl's Varsity team! The first scrimmage of the season is today. It is going to be a treat to watch my girls play together on the same team. They are excited about it as well...it is heart-warming :)

I have been getting things together for William to get him ready for kindergarten next year. It is so different teaching him that it was with the girls. I beat myself up a lot because there is so much he does not know or has trouble with. I feel like I am failing him most days. Sometimes I have a good cry and want to throw in the towel and just put him in pre-k. Other days, he does an amazing job and shows how much he is absorbing. My problem is that when my girls were little, technology had not quite blossomed yet. We didn't have a computer until the oldest started kindergarten and it was a while before we obtained digital gadgets. Of course back in the day, our means of learning was to physically go to the library and check out books for projects. Now in this day, our kids will receive mandatory mini notebook computers for school use. I am surprised they still have actual books. I know one thing though, some of the most basic things in life can't be taught from a computer. I have vowed to focus in on William and make sure I give him all I can over the course of the next year, to get him where he needs to be. I will fight through my own insecurities and anxiety and do whatever it takes.

If anyone has any tips to share on things I can incorporate into preschool at home, I would appreciate it! So is everyone ready for school to start back?

Shelly, Mom Files
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