The Importance of Bedtime Stories

Bedtime stories are something that every child looks forward to. Most children see these times of night as a chance to connect with their parents and create timeless memories with the people who raised them. However, when reading your child bedtime stories it is vital that you don’t read a generic story that every child knows or simply repeat the same story every night. Your child will feel much more satisfied with your personal bedtime story or something that you add your own twist to.

There is no better way to let your child fall asleep then after you have just finished reading them a bedtime story. Your story will greatly relax your child and put them right to sleep. Before you begin your story make sure your child is ready for bed: bathroom is used, pajamas are on, snack is eaten and teeth are brushed. You don’t want a perfect bedtime story to be ruined by a simple disturbance once you have finished telling your story.

One thing that many parents are blinded to is how you don’t always have to read a book to your child. You can always make up your own story or tell a real life story from your childhood. Your child will love your new personal stories and the fact that you created them just for him or her. If you’re bored with these approaches to bedtime stories then you can always try an interactive method that involves your child more. This may go against the preconceived notion of bedtime stories but will surely bring a smile to your childs face. You can make your bedtime story interactive by having your child create the storyline of the story or have your child fill in the blanks of your own story. Whichever type of story you decide to tell your child make sure you do so passionately and caringly as your child looks forward to your stories more than you may think.

When telling your stories you should always consider the appropriateness of your story. As many children fear nightmares you want to make sure that your story is reasonable before bed. Instead of including a scary story, try to offer your child words of wisdoms. Incorporate some form of life lesson in your story so as to teach your child something as well as give them something to make them happy. This will be beneficial to not only your child but you as well. You will have the opportunity to teach your children and prepare them for their lives.

Bedtime stories are something that should be included in every child’s bedtime routine. You should try to tell different type of stories every night whether it be from a book, your own story or a creation of your child’s developing mind. There is no better feeling than seeing a smile on your child’s face as they slowly drift asleep. Remember these tips and you will surely be given this satisfaction.

Crafting With Kids

Most children love to do craft projects, and this can be a fun way to teach them new things. There are endless possibilities to how you can do this. Begin gathering supplies that they can use when they would like to. Here are a few suggestions.

Start collecting objects that can be reused. Small baby food containers, empty toilet rolls, twist ties from bread bags, small cardboard boxes, and old birthday cards are some ideas. Put them in a box with some markers, glue, scissors, and heavy cardstock and let your child’s imagination flow.

Teach them about volcanoes and then make a volcano from clay or playdough. You can make a playdough that you can dry, or simply reuse when finished. Or get some paint and paper and create a volcano through painting. Volcanoes are just one idea; you could use any subject to teach through crafts.

Scrapbooking is a fun activity with kids and can be really simple. Find some items that they can add to a scrapbook, like the confetti from their birthday party, the cards they received, and a balloon. Use these objects to decorate the scrapbook page and include the pictures from their party. Show them how to journal to help them record their thoughts from that event.

Make a craft box with different types of crafts they can use. Include paper, markers, crayons, paints, glues, tape, wood sticks, and other items. Back to school sales are a great time to stock up on some of these supplies.

Allowing your kids to create with crafts gives them an outlet for the creativity that we want to bloom inside. Make sure you marvel at their creation, and they will love you for it.

Take Your Kids Out On Mini Vacations

Kids love summer vacations, but they aren’t always practical or affordable. Here’s a great idea to give your kids a vacation without breaking the bank or taking time off from work.

Take a mini vacation with your family. Find a place that is within two hours driving distance. Book a hotel room for the night or weekend, and take off with your kids. Taking a break from your home is fun for the kids.

Find a hotel that has a swimming pool or other recreational activities for the kids. We planned a trip last summer to a mountain resort that had miniature golf, an alpine slide, and rock climbing. We spend the day outdoors with our kids and had a great time.

Plan an in-room movie night. Rent a pay-per-view movie and make a quick run to the nearest grocery store. Stock up on some fun treats, and have a movie night in the hotel room. Maybe you already do this at home, but a change of scenery, and the addition of several beds to sprawl out on, makes this a fun event.

Eat out for your meals. Since you aren’t taking a longer vacation, you can spend a little more money on food. Find a fun local restaurant to eat dinner. You can always turn your mini vacation into a learning experience for the kids as well. Read up on some of the local history and talk about it over dinner. It will them learn more about the places nearby your home.

Mini vacations can be a lot of fun and can be planned quickly without a great deal of effort. Have fun with this idea and try out some places that you haven’t been to before.

Healthy Eating For Kids

Chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese seem to be the mainstream diet for many children. Parents often struggle to get their children to eat healthy foods. Our family started on a new diet. We switched our white bread for wheat and started stocking the fridge with fruits and vegetables. The kids rebelled for a while, but now they are used to it. They fight for the last strawberry. Here are some suggestions to help you make the transition to healthy eating in your home.

Monitor how many snacks your children eat in a day. The rule at our house is a snack at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. I don’t have whiny kids wanting treats all day, because they know when they can have them. However, if they want something healthy like an apple, a bagel, or some fruit, they can have it without asking.

Add more vegetables to the dinner table. Try a variety of vegetables, and keep trying them even when your kids say they don’t like them. Taste buds change over time. Have them try one bite each time you serve something they don’t like.

Make food more fun. Serving dinner that your kids can adapt to their own tastes makes dinner more fun, and gets them to eat better. Try taco soup with a base to include tomatoes and pinto beans and let them add their own ingredients: cheese, sour cream, chips, olives, corn, etc. They probably won’t notice that there were tomatoes in there.

Healthy eating takes time but is worth it in the end. Your kids will adjust and eventually won’t miss the candy and chips that they used to munch on. And everyone will benefit from the change.