Bottled or Tap?

When it comes to water, I personally go by taste! Usually I only drink tap water if I have tons and tons of ice. Bottled water is pretty convenient. If I carry a bottle of water with me, I drink it. Sometimes its bottled water, and sometimes I fill up a container from home. I try to always have one on me so I get my water in for the day! My kiddos like water! From tap and bottles. I water their juice down with tap water. So now Keagan calls it water-juice. I find that pretty funny. I used to hide it when I did it, but now he assists me. He also likes having a bottle of water with him when we are out and about. When it comes to the kids drinking water at home, honestly whatever I am closer to I give them. So if I'm at home and closer to the sink, I give them tap, with ice of course ;). I did look at an article about tap vs. bottled....look what I found...

"Yes, some bottled water comes from sparkling springs and other pristine sources. But more than 25 percent of it comes from a municipal supply. The water is treated, purified and sold to us, often at a thousandfold increase in price. Most people are surprised to learn that they’re drinking glorified tap water, but bottlers aren’t required to list the source on the label.
This year Aquafina will begin stating on labels that its H2O comes from public water sources. And Nestlé Pure Life bottles will indicate whether the water comes from public, private or deep well sources. Dasani acknowledges on its website, but not on the label itself, that it draws from local water.

Read more: http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/rethink-what-you-drink/#ixzz2dQCISQNH"

So, a lot of the bottled water is tap water....very interesting! 

Whatever water you prefer, make sure you drink it! It is very important!

Tap or Bottled Water: A first world quandary~priddymomma

As parents, we like to always make the best choices with our children, especially where health matters are concerned.  Many worry about what the safest way to give drinking water would be.  Can I give her water right out of the tap?  How clean is that really?  There's a lot of hype about phthalates.  Are bottles safe?  I consider myself lucky to live in a country where I have daily (heck hourly!) access to clean water, but I still wrestled a bit with the decision.  Some people feel very strongly about bottled water.  Some people are huge proponents of tap water.  I’m sort of on the side of tasty water.  If it tastes good and it’s clean, great!  

I have nothing against bottled water.  I’ve heard people go on and on about the dangers of BPA in the bottles, the battles to the environment, etc.  I carry an extra bottle of bottled water in the diaper bag, just in case I run out on a hot day.  I don’t think it’s a crime to keep my kids hydrated.  And what kid doesn’t love to play with a reused plastic water bottle?  I like to add a few drops of food coloring (tighten the lid Hercules-style or glue it even) to some water in the bottle.  It will keep young kids busy for ages.  In fact, that’s how my oldest learned his colors!

I also have naught against tap water.  Except that sometimes it sucks.  It really depends on a lot of factors.  For us, it’s older pipes.  More elements are creeping into our tap water because of erosion in the pipes, and it makes for water with almost a dry taste.  Our solution is a Pur water filter.  It filters out the nasty, keeps in the good.  Again, there are arguments about fluoride levels and such, but it doesn’t rank in my top fears.  You can’t worry about everything. 

Now what I do worry about is well water.  I am not a well water supporter.  And yes, I know some people prefer the taste of well water.  When I was pregnant with Cheerio Champ, I happened upon a really dark article about bacteria and parasites in well water (the wells in question were not maintained and cleaned as they should have been) causing the deaths of infants.  Their mothers used the well water to mix up bottles of formula.  That article scarred me for life.  I know it’s a minority risk and that most wells are perfectly safe, but I avoid letting my kids drink well water like I avoid the plague. 

Whatever you decide, know that you and your kiddos will most likely be just dandy.  

Tap or Bottled Water?

Sure tap water will save you tons of money, but is that the safer choice?
This week we will be discussing tap water vs. bottled water.

• Quick Fact: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees bottled water, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water. However, they use similar standards for ensuring safety.

• The FDA requires bottled water producers to:

1. Process, bottle, hold and transport bottled water under sanitary conditions
2. Protect water sources from bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants
3. Use quality control processes to ensure the bacteriological and chemical safety of the water
4. Sample and test both source water and the final product for contaminants

• The EPA mandates that water utilities provide annual quality reports to customers. These customer confidence reports provide information such as source (river, lake, aquifer), contaminant levels and potential health effects. However, the EPA doesn't regulate private wells. So if your tap water comes from a private well you should test your water every year for contaminants, more frequently if needed.

In our household we mainly drink bottled water. However I do not use bottled water for cooking, certain treats (like kool-aid), etc. For that we use tap water. Generally I will boil the water before use whether it be for cooking or drinking. But when it comes to water consumption to hydrate we drink bottled 98% of the time.

In my opinion bottled water vs. tap water comes down to matter of preference. Bottled water is usually cleaner, tastes better, and there are many kinds to choose from. Tap water unseen contaminants that can pose health risks to children, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems. For that reason I try to use as little tap water as possible unless I boil it first just as a safety precaution.

Tap water travels miles underground in pipe lines that can leak or burst thus contaminating our drinking water and result in a boiling ban. Bottled water is packaged in sanitary sealed containers under usually strict sanitary conditions. And when you think about it how many bottled water recalls have you heard of compared to how often you've heard of a town under a boiling ban?

On the other side water bottles are a huge concern for our environment. Too many people do not recycle or dispose of their empty bottles properly. This results in major littering and causes harm to our environment. So if you do drink bottled water please dispose of properly because if you do your bottles can be recycled into more bottles.

I'm not downing either one but at least while my children are younger I stick to bottled water for hydrating purposes. I use tap with cooking and when needed to use tap for drinking I typically always boil it first. You can also buy brita water filters or pitchers as an extra piece of mind if you use tap water for cost related purposes. You will be amazed at how much particals actually filter out of the water.

Chores and Responsibilities~priddymomma

Hey guys!  Did you miss me?  Several of our bloggers are working out some very personal issues at the moment.  Please forgive the brief hiatus.  They'll be back when they can, and in the meantime, I'm still here!  :D

Let's talk Chores and Responsibilities!

A family lives together, and a family should work together.  Just as it is important to work with your partner to parent your children, everyone should also be on the same page with it comes to chores and responsibilities. 

Cheerio Champ painted our tissue box chore towers.  Just add hooks.  The chores are written on scrapbook paper rectangles with holes punched in them.  When not in use for the day, store extra cards in box.

Our family has the chore tower.  Each day’s chores are represented clearly.  When they are finished, they are flipped over to display the back of the card.  Obviously, for the adults of the house, we have no rewards for completing them other than having a clean house and bragging rights.  Cheerio Champ, on the other hand, gets a special privilege.  He gets to play his LeapPad2 during quiet time.  If he point blank refuses to do chores, he earns himself a nap during quiet time.  That’s enough incentive for him.  We played around with a lot of other ideas, including allowance, stickers, dessert, etc, but none of that worked for long.  Cheerio Champ’s chores include some combination of getting ready for the day (brush hair, use bathroom, wash hands and face, put on chapstick, get dressed), making his bed, dusting, sorting his laundry (Yes, he’s five.  He can read and the baskets are labeled as well as the clothes.  What’s the problem?  Don’t underestimate your kids!), taking sheets off bed to be laundered, and cleaning his room.

Many parents make the mistake of nagging at their kids about chores or giving them too much time to do them in.  That backfires in a couple of ways.  First, kids stop taking you seriously when you repeat yourself one hundred times, because they don’t actually have to pay attention to you the first time you say it to get the message.  “Eh…I don’t have to listen this time.  She’ll come back in and say it again in a few minutes.”  Say it once and be done.  Teach them that you expect them to listen the first time something is said and not when they feel like listening.  Follow through with consequences when appropriate.  And second, if you are truly working as a team in your household, your kids not getting chores completed in a timely fashion messes with your rhythm and keeps you from finishing complementary chores at a reasonable time.  For example, if your teen doesn’t dump clothes in the laundry room until ten o’clock at night but needs clean school clothes for the next day, I sure hope you weren’t planning to go to bed any time soon if it was your day to do laundry.  I recommend giving them a reasonable window of time to get it done in.  Tell your teen that you can’t be bothered to take him to soccer practice until he can be bothered to pick up his room.  That will light a fire under his rear, guaranteed.  If he doesn’t clean up, follow through on the consequences.  You don’t have any obligations to soccer, after all.  He is the one that has to explain why he couldn’t make it.  Cheerio Champ knows that his block of time to do chores is right before quiet time.  I generally give him about ten minutes.  At that point, if he’s obviously working hard, I quietly allow the clock to tick and him to finish.  If he’s reading a book and not finished, well, he made his choice and now it is nap time.

Responsibilities are not necessarily the same as chores.  Cheerio Champ is responsible, for instance, for cleaning up after himself if he makes a mess.  I can’t possibly predict every single mess he’ll ever make (contrary to popular belief), so I can’t really list that on his chore tower.  I can, however, make clear my expectations.  He’s the one that dumped his water, so he can get paper towels and dry whatever surface.  He’s also responsible for such things as washing his hands after using the bathroom, using his words to tell me if his sister is touching something she shouldn’t instead of using his hands to personally prevent her from doing so, taking care of his things (not throwing or tearing up or leaving where they’ll get ruined), helping mom or dad do something when asked, not back talking, using good manners, clearing his dishes or trash after a meal or snack, playing nicely with his sister, being honest when asked a question, and going to bed when told. 

Keep in mind that you are not a terrible parent or being unreasonable when you require chores of your children.  One hundred years ago, parents worked their kids to the bone because they had to in order to keep the household running, or the kids themselves earned a living!  The kids didn’t even think to complain, because they needed to eat just like the next person.  Kids are capable of much more than we generally give them credit for.  Don’t underestimate them, don’t over criticize, and give them a chance.  They might just surprise you.

Breastfeeding vs. Formula feeding~priddymomma

This week, we’re discussing Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding.  Lucky for you, I’m a fairly decent expert.  I’ve breastfed both my children; Cheerio Champ until twelve months, and Princess Cheerio is currently fifteen months and still feeding once a day.  I’ve been through the ups and downs and let me tell you:  I am so SO glad that I chose to breastfeed.  It has been such an amazing bonding experience for my kids and myself, and I feel better knowing that I gave them a great stepping stone in life.

So which is best?  Well, the obvious choice is breastfeeding.  Ever heard “Breast Is Best”?  There are a lot of benefits.

• Free!  Formula is expensive.
• Availability.  Anytime, anywhere.  Boobs are fairly portable.
• Immunity.  You pass along antibodies through breast milk to help fight off illness.  Breast milk is thought to help stave off ear infections and allergies as well.
• Breastfeeding may protect babies from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
• Decreased risk of cancer and disease in the mother.  Studies suggest that breastfeeding lowers the risk for ovarian, uterine, and breast cancers.
• Easily digested.  Babes don’t get too gassy from just breast milk, and the diaper changes are a lot less horrifying. 
• Calories burned.  After having a baby, who doesn’t need to get back into shape?  When you are nursing, you have an excuse to consume 500 more calories a day AND you burn while cuddling with your child.  Win win!
• Smarter babies.  Hey.  That’s what they told me. 
• Bonding.  It is amazing bonding time between mom and baby. 
• You get to feel like a super hero!  (I make milk.  What’s your super power?)
• Your man will adore you.  Breasts swell with milk production.  ‘Nuff said.

There are a few downsides too.

• More late nights.  No pawning off a bottle on your partner to catch some shut eye.  You have to get up.
• Pumping can be difficult and uncomfortable, and breast pumps and supplies are not cheap by any means.  Mastitis can occur, and let me tell you from experience, you do NOT want that.
• Breastfeeding can also be very challenging.  Many new moms expect it to be a breeze.  It’s such a natural thing, and it is exactly what nature intended, so it should be easy, right?  Wrong.  There’s a bit of a learning curve to it. 
• Freedom outside the home is limited to your comfort level with nursing in public.  Like it or not, there is a (very unfair) stigma against breastfeeding in public.  Thus, if you are worried about the evil eye or modesty, your freedom is limited to how long baby can go between feedings and/or the availability of adequate privacy.
• It takes time.  We’re talking hours of your day, serving your breasts on a platter for your wee one.

Keep in mind:

• Even though breastfeeding is best for baby, it isn’t necessarily the best choice for you.  Some women are unable to breastfeed due to medical considerations in either the baby or the mother. 
• Many women just plain don’t have the time to breastfeed.  They have full time jobs to get back too pretty much the moment they pop out that little ray of sunshine. 
• Breastfeeding for even a short amount of time has long-term benefits for mother and child.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for one year or longer.
• The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until two years of age or beyond.
• What matters most is a healthy, happy baby. 

busy bee's

Well I can't decide if this is fortunate or unfortunate, but I definitely know a lot about keeping busy! The down side is I don't feel like we have down time sometimes. Anywhoo, I like to keep my children busy by involving them in EVERYTHING! Cooking (when I do), cleaning (when I do...haha), exercise (I DO keep up on this!), helping each other, and other everyday stuff.

       At the beginning of the season, I got our first watermelon. We LOVE watermelon. Anyways I went to cut it, and Keagan says he wants to help. I HATE cutting stuff (except hair) and honestly...in my head I'm slightly annoyed...thinking...can I just cut this freakin thing so we can eat it? Of course not, Keagan must help. He runs and grabs his toy saw and tries to cut it. He definitely made me think about how rude I was being, being grumpy (in my head) about him wanting to simply help. He loves to cook. We often make these little pizzas out of whole grain sandwich thins, pizza sauce, fat free cheese, and turkey pepperoni. Before I asked him and Laynie to help me make them, Keagan would not eat them, but as soon as he started helping, he LOVES them! So I like to involve the kiddos with cooking, and now cutting fruit and vegetables so they will be more likely to eat it.

       I really enjoyed when my kids started exercising with me. I started with home videos when I started my weight loss journey/life style change. Keagan and Laynie will both now dance with me, and try to do the exercises.

        Last fall Keagan did soccer through the YMCA. This was a great way for him to meet new kids, and learn a sport. He really enjoyed it. I wanted to put him back in this year, but we received information about a bowling league for 3-5 year old children. I thought he would enjoy this as well. I had to ask him which he would rather do. He hasn't decided yet, but I think it is important to help your child find a sport, activity, or hobby they like and run with it. I don't think they should ever be overloaded with anything, but this is another way to keep your child busy!

        There are also programs for your children that promote healthy families. As you may have read I work at Early Head Start. In this program they have a home visitor come visit and work on appropriate goals for their age. Laynie LOVES when her teacher comes over to play. That is what it is to the kids, playing. This program, and others like it have many benefits. It keeps your child busy, makes sure your child is on the right track, and allows your family to bond. EHS has family days 2 times a month, and parent meetings.

         Some other things that keep us busy are:

•  walking to the park
•  reading books
•  playing with toys
• having "circle time"
• visiting family and friends
• having family and friends visit us
• doing art
• dance parties
• writing
• coloring
• watching an occasional movie
• church
• just being goofy
• flash cards
• playing outside

We like to simply be goofy! Making paper bowls into hats...made their day------------------------------------------------>

and going on random jungle adventures!
<------------------------------------------------










So those are some ways we keep busy. Involve your children in anything you do! I am going to end with this:  my friend texted me the other day...she said, Oh my gosh, I am an evil genius!! I just used "simon says" to clean up! I would tell my daughter "simon says jump up and down" then I said "simon says put your shoes in your room" SHE DID IT and giggled the whole time! hahaha what a great idea! In the not so fun activities that your child struggles with, make it a game. I am totally going to use this, but I just remembered this great idea when I was typing this.

Keeping Children Busy~priddymomma

My kids are always busy.  If they can’t find something to do, I will find that something for them or die trying.  Bored kids pound each other, I’ve discovered.  If you’re like me and can’t afford the constant ER trips, you’ll love this list!  (Calm down.  They don’t REALLY hospitalize each other.  Yeesh.)

Exercise-My number one recommendation is to get some exercise in that kid!  Kids need to run around.  They have a lot of energy to burn and sitting still is boring.  Make it a family affair and everybody wins.  Take a walk, throw a Frisbee, or build a snowman together.  My family hikes at a local park three days a week.  We all get exercise, and the outdoors really recharges us.  The kids sleep great at night too!  My kids also enjoy yoga and dancing to The Wiggles.  (So do I!  shh!)

Get messy-Most* kids love to get messy.  Play in the dirt, mud, sand, or snow.  Get to finger painting.  Use clay, glitter, markers, chalk.  Anything dirty, dusty, messy, or wet is fair game.  Wash the car afterwards or play in the sprinkler to make clean up easier.

(*Cheerio Champ does not like to get messy.  Princess Cheerio loves to get messy.  She then thinks it is funny to try to get Cheerio Champ messy.)

Give them a job-Kids love to help.  Cheerio Champ is patient at the store when he gets to help his daddy with the shopping list.  Princess Cheerio is super proud of herself when she puts a book back on the shelf when told to do so.

How old?-Age should be taken into consideration when trying to find a way to keep your child busy.  Princess Cheerio, for instance, is 16 months old.  She loves to put and take.  Give her a small box and a few old Christmas cards and she is set for twenty minutes.  Cheerio Champ (5 years), however, would much rather put together a 100 piece puzzle or play with his LeapPad 2.  And I’m guessing when she’s a teenager, my friend’s 15 month old daughter won’t be as easily amused by a partially filled water bottle as she was on the car ride the other evening.  You get the picture.

Read-Read to your kids as much as you can.  It helps encourage a love of reading, and it builds vocabulary.  Cuddling is also a bonus.

Tell them a story, teach them something, or both-Kids are intellectual sponges, and they think you are awesome.  Use that to your advantage.  Tell them a story about when you were a kid.  Teach them about ants (hopefully not the magnifying glass part, creep).  Make up a story to teach them an important moral about a situation they are having an issue with (There once was a girl named Susie.  She refused to clean up her room…).

Try an experiment-Kids are so curious.  They always want to know why something happens.  Blow bubbles in the winter and watch them shatter, or make your own bubble solution!  Add colored vinegar to baking soda with a medicine dropper (total win with Cheerio Champ). 

TV or video games-This is an obvious one, but keep in mind that they can still learn something!  There are amazing programs and movies out there geared towards kids of all ages, and video games have come a long way.  They can get active, learn something, or do both things at once.  And you can finally wash those dishes.

If all else fails, consult pinterest.  They have boatloads of ideas.  Good luck with the little monsters!  See ya next week!  XD

***Note:  This post has centered around keeping kids busy so they don’t drive you insane, but I want to take a minute to point out that there is a benefit to down time too.  You don’t want to over-schedule your kid with school, sports, play dates, piano lessons, etc.  They will get burnt out and emotional.  Think about how you feel if you don’t have a moment to kick up your feet.  Kids need the down time to let their imaginations run free and sit quietly for a while.  I strongly believe that as soon as a kid outgrows his or her nap, it should be replaced with a quiet time.  Cheerio Champ has a quiet time that lines up with Princess Cheerio’s nap time.  That works great for her.  It’s quiet while she naps.  It works great for him, because he’s not missing out on anything.  And it works out for me, because I get to recharge, exercise, get chores done, and shower.  (Yes.  I do squeeze all of that in most days.  Don’t you?)  You can encourage your wee one to do a puzzle, draw, or read books during the quiet period.  I like to keep Cheerio Champ in his room.  Other than while he sleeps, it’s the only time he bothers to use it.***

Keeping Kids Busy ~ Tori

Keeping kids busy is important on many levels. For one thing when a child gets bored only terrible things will follow: temper tantrums, mischievousness, orneriness, etc. (Trust me we've all been there as a mom and as a child ourselves if you think back). Also by keeping your child busy they will be more active and they will learn.

The key to it is to make sure your child always has something to do. It's even a great idea to plan for many occasions. Below I've included some tips as well as a few pictures of ideas you can use for yourself or see different methods of making each one fun and interactive:

• Plan for car trips: Such a bore to kids. As moms, we have to run errands (in my case a lot), and it's no fun for kids. They don't care about paying bills, having to go to the store to get groceries, etc. So me and hubby stocked the back pocket of our car (on the backs of the front seats) with little toys (non-choking hazards), a medium sized notebook, and crayons. This way if we are going to be on the go most of the day the kids have something to do in the car rather than get bored and fight, or grumble in the backseat.

Picture credit: keepinglifecreative.com
This is something we use as well. The baskets can be found usually anywhere at very cheap prices. There's a space for a drink, snacks, and activities.

• Free time on a beautiful day? Go outside and enjoy, play with your child, have a picnic, go on a walk. Enjoy the day and have fun. Children need activity with you as well as activities alone. They need to be outside playing in the fresh air. It's good for them and it's good for you too. You can plan a scavenger hunt, inspect nature in your own backyard, look at clouds, play tag, play ball, etc. The list is endless.

• Plan for rainy days/days that are not suitable for outside: Kids need activity and days they cannot go outside can put a damper in the day. Things like painting, playing hide and seek, crafts (Pinterest has many ideas if you need some), reading, board games, coloring, etc., are all good ways to keep kids busy and pass time in a fun learning way. If the weather is warm and it's raining given you have raincoats and rain boots playing in the rain is extremely fun for children as well.

Photo credit: sidetrackedsarah.com

• Chores: Chores are needed in every child's life. They teach responsibility. One thing people don't realize about chores is that they can be fun. Each chore can count toward a goal, something to earn. You can turn chores into educational fun. Let your child help dry dishes or rinse them and count as you go. There are many possibilities for about every chore there is. You can even make chores into a game. Make a chore chart and have a fun prize at the end whether it's a toy, new coloring book and crayons, a movie, etc., that they are working towards.

Photo credit: theorganizedwife.wordpress.com

• You can also let your child watch cartoons (we do so in moderation). Cartoons are not a bad thing if watched in moderation and is something fun and educational. A few good shows we enjoy are Sid the Science Kid, The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That, Word World, Blue's Clue's, Max & Ruby, Diego & Dora, Yo Gabba Gabba, Umizoomi, among others. They are fun educational cartoons. Some TV and cartoons can be fine, but just make sure you aren't parking your child in front of the television all day. Make sure your child stays active, has hobbies, and participates in family interactive activities. If you and your child/ren are tired of the same old activities find some new ones! With the world wide web at our fingertips these days information is right at our fingertips.

Photo credit: nourishinteractive.com

• Exercise is also a good way to keep children busy. We do kid friendly yoga, go on walks, etc. Again it's limitless. 

Now I'm not saying that all these methods of keeping your child busy will totally eliminate mischievous behavior, tantrums, etc., but it will definitely help matters. Nobody likes to be bored, especially kids. Be active, be a family, and make sure to have plenty of things planned. You will all enjoy it and you will be creating happy memories to last a lifetime.

Hello! My name is Ashley. I am happy to be joining The Case of the Missing Cheerios blog team! A little about me.... Well I have 2 AMAZING children, and one kinda amazing husband. Haha just kidding, he rocks. My hubbster is Trevor, my son is Keagan, and my daughter is Laynie. I love, love, love my family. I am a hairstylist, but this summer decided to go back to school. I am going for Early Childhood Education. I work also work at The Hopewell Center for Early Head Start. It is an awesome program and I am a teacher's assistant for play group. It is way fun. I hang out with two year olds! My favorite thing to do (besides hanging with my family) is Zumba!! LOVE IT. It is so much fun, and it has helped me lose 80 .lbs so far! I love to laugh, do hair, have bonfires, have people over to hang out, play dates, dance parties with my babies, going on walks, buy stuff, watch movies, and help people!

Here is my fam:)

 Keagan is almost 4, and Laynie is 18 months! mmmmmm such cuties=]

Love of my life, Trevor. We have been together 8 1/2 years, married for almost 6.

Keagan, so kind hearted

Laynie Lou, always cheesing!

This is Easter time this year

How Do You Keep Your Kids Busy? - Kim

Hello there! This week our topic is on Ways to Keep Your Children Busy. In my opinion, a busy child is one who is less likely to cause a scene, get into fights with other children, or destroy property (why yes, these have all happened to me with LexPro, why do you ask?). Coming up with activities to do, sports, school, or even going to events can all keep a child busy and happy.

LexPro loves baking with his aunt 'Chelle!

 

Ever since he was in the womb and even today, LexPro is a bundle of energy. He continues to kick, play and roll around. In essence, he could even be the next David Beckham.

Okay. I needed an excuse to use his picture. ;)

LexPro never wants for things to do, however. We have a lot of toys, games, and art supplies to keep him busy at home, and he loves to play Power Rangers and superheroes. When my husband ToPro is painting his Warhammer figurines, LexPro would also grab his coloring things and color next to him on his own coloring book. But that is just what we do at home; we luckily live near a playground and library, so we also take him there from time to time to play.

LexPro LOVES the swings!

LexPro is also into sports. He just finished a season with his soccer group at school. They participate in a program called Soccer Shots (http://www.soccershots.org) which is a nation-wide organization that specializes in teaching kids the fundamentals of not only soccer but team work and good sportsmanship. LexPro is kept busy and he learns some good tips for later in his athletic career. His coach actually gave him thumbs up for his team work skills. He's also signed up for hockey this year, which is sure to help him as well.  Sports are always a fun way to keep your kids busy, and they also encourage healthy exercise and social interaction with kids their age.

Okay, so that day was a bad day, but you live and learn!

 

Finally, other than games, toys, and sports, you can also take your kids out to keep them busy. For instance, there's always the zoo, pool, museums, fairs, or race tracks. Be wary, these do cost money, but they are a fun way to have a family day. As a one-child household, we do take advantage of the situation and try to take LexPro out as much as possible. He adores the race track and zoo, and we (and the family members who take him to these events as well) love the time together. Just be wary also that younger children may get bored or tired easily during such events, so plan accordingly. Have a back-up plan should your little one get tired or sick during your trip.

And always make sure you scrub the blue face paint off ASAP before it stains.
Trust me.

As I type this from my bathroom - yes, my bathroom! I had to hide out just to finish my post this week!! - LexPro is wrestling with my husband. I had better split and get them to calm down for bed time. Til next week, see ya!