A Parent's Survival Guide to Shopping with young children by Sam Ikin

A parent's survival guide to Christmas shopping with young children By Sam Ikin Christmas shopping can be fun and exciting; a time filled with the joy of giving and finding a bargain - unless you have young kids. Then it can become a terrifying experience which strikes fear into the heart of even the most experienced parents. "A three year old and a one year old having a tantrum at the same time can be quite hectic," Nicole Storey said. "Just leaving all the shopping, putting it all back on the shelf and walking out." She was one of half a dozen mothers who had sought refuge in The Haven, a large parenting room run by the Hobart Mums' Network. Mother of three, Kirsty Shields, said she often had a similar experience. Christmas shopping with kids survival tips Plan your shopping trip Do not over commit: spread shopping over two days if you need to Start early and get a convenient park preferably not on the street Identify bathrooms, toilets and rest spots before you set out Take your pram instead of the sling/harness Tag-team shop: team up with another parent and take turns supervising the kids Make it fun: mix some activities in with the shopping "You just drop the basket and run. I don't even bother about putting it back where it goes," she said. "[I] call my husband and tell him to go and pick it up on his way home from work." Christine Jolly from the Child Health Association of Tasmania (CHAT), who is also a mother with young children, said all parents will be able to relate to stories like this. "We've all seen it happen either to ourselves or to the poor mum in the street and the little toddler has just cracked it," she said. Ms Jolly was the architect of the hugely popular Hobart Mums' Network (HMN) which boasts around 5,000 members. The group started out as a Facebook page which expanded and is now part of CHAT. HMN has become so popular it was able to open the parents' room known as The Haven, a facility many mothers rely upon to make their trip to Hobart's CBD bearable. While it is run by HMN it is also open to dads.

Parenting rooms can be a 'Godsend' Ms Jolly said there were a few things parents can do to get through Christmas shopping with children and keep their sanity intact. "It's great to have a space like this where you can break up that to do list," she said. "[For example you could say] 'we're going to go to three shops and after that we're going to grab a hot chocolate and then we're going to go to The Haven, then we're going to go to the library and then go to two more shops and then go home'. Mums take a time out from shopping at the Haven PHOTO: Mums enjoy some quality time with their kids at The Haven run by Hobart Mums' Network. (ABC News: Sam Ikin ) "It just makes the trip into the CBD that much more palatable." For Ms Jolly planning a day in the city with the kids is essential. "You have to have a plan otherwise it's just chaotic and you want to stay as far away from the CBD as possible," she said. "One of the things to do in the plan is find out 'where are the public toilets? Where are the parenting rooms?' and include that into your planning and know where they are at all times." A handy tool for parents to use is the Hobart City Council's mobile friendly website gottogo.com.au. It could come in handy for any parent in the case of the frequently occurring toilet 'emergency' or nappy blow out.

He who fails to plan Hobart City Council's gottogo.com.au page Mother-of-three Kirsty Bell said if she did not have a little help sometimes she would never get out of the house. "I don't have enough hands for breastfed twins that sometimes explode everywhere with poo," she said. "I need somewhere where there's another mum to hold ... I can't do it without somebody to help me." She is not alone. Ms Storey said she will often enlist the help of another mother to help tag-team shop. "It's good to meet a friend here with her children and one of us will duck out and do a little bit of shopping," she said. Ms Jolly also suggests parents take the pram instead of the baby harness or sling. "Make sure you have a good pram, a pram with lots of storage space where you can tuck those gifts underneath the pram or hang the bags on the handle," she said.

Shoppers urged to be considerate The one constant theme from parents battling the Christmas shopping crowds was the embarrassment caused by judging eyes when a child throws a loud and public tantrum. Ms Jolly said that it was easy for people who do not have young children to quickly rush to judgement. "I advise everybody in the community, if you see a mum with a little one who has just had a little bit too much try not to cast a judgemental eye because you were there - you were that toddler one day," she said. "Try to just give her a smile or that fist bump of solidarity." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-04/surviving-christmas-shopping-with-children/5938524

7 Tips to Keep you On-Budget This Christmas by Paula Pant

It's that time of year again. Stores are running festive commercials, your local coffee shop is offering gingerbread lattes, and you're beginning to worry about how you're going to afford another round of "the most wonderful time of the year." There's no doubt about it; the holidays are expensive. From gift-giving to party-throwing, the holidays can be overwhelming if you're on a tight budget. Let's take some of the stress off your shoulders with some short-term tips for reducing the damage to your budget if you haven't pre-planned for the holidays this year -- and then outline a long-term strategy you can use to budget for the holidays next year so that next winter runs a lot more smoothly. Help! I'm Just Thinking About Holiday Expenses Now It's too late to "get a jump" on saving in advance for this holiday season, but that doesn't mean you're stuck paying through the nose. These budgeting tips will help you make the most of the money you've got for this season, however much money that happens to be.

1. Decide on Your Budget Be honest with yourself about how much money you can responsibly spend this year. Creativity and bargain-hunting can help you stretch your money a bit further, but only if you're realistic about how much money you have in the first place. How do you calculate this amount? First, take a look at your existing budget. How much do you normally spend each month on discretionary items like restaurant dining, magazine subscriptions or cable TV? Can you cut any of these bills -- at least temporarily -- while you save for the holidays? In other words, "reallocate" some of your discretionary spending towards your holiday budget. You can either afford to dine at restaurants or you can cover presents for your family, but you might not have space in your budget for both.

2. Lists Are Your Friend Last-minute emergency purchases are the easiest way to throw your budget into a tailspin. Writing lists can help you remain on track. Write down everyone you'll need to buy presents for this year -- family, friends, the office Secret Santa -- and write the dollar amount you have to spend on each person. Write down all the festivities for which you'll need to buy food and drink, from the family Christmas Eve dinner to the New Year's Eve bash you'd like to bring a bottle of wine to. Outline all the travel-related expenses you'll incur. Remember you won't just have to pay for airfare and lodging, but also for meals on the road, boarding for your pets while you're away, public transit or airport parking. Continue making lists of everything you'll need to spend this holiday season, from gifts to travel to parties. You may need to cut back in one area to make room for another -- for example, you might forgo mailing holiday cards so you can afford stocking-stuffers. 3. Shop Smart There are lots of ways to save on holiday gifts. Take the time to bargain-hunt and get creative by employing tricks like: • Booking your holiday travel during non-peak days (You can often find great deals if you're willing to fly on Christmas Day.) • Scanning group-buying sites like Groupon, Living Social and Amazon Local to snag services and products at a discount • Asking party guests to contribute a dish to your gathering (potluck-style) so you don't have to pay for the whole meal • Tapping into your own skills to create homemade DIY presents • Giving experiences rather than things • Shopping through cash-back reward sites to earn back a percentage of your purchase

4. Tweak Your Budget Temporarily If you're really up against a wall, you may want to institute an emergency budgeting protocol like you would for an unforeseen large expense like a home repair or medical bill. You can free up some extra room in your budget with temporary measures like: • Slashing other areas of your budget -- maybe you can forego eating out for the next couple months, or lower your cable plan since you won't be home to watch much TV anyway • Selling your unwanted stuff • Putting other savings goals (like your family vacation) on hold for a month or two • Check out a list of other saving ideas Long-Term Strategy Once this holiday season is over, it's time to turn your attention to next year. Yes, it's a full year away, but the sooner you get started, the easier it will be on you. Here are a few tips that can keep you in the holiday spirit all year long:

5. Start in January Don't let the holiday season creep up on you again. Start setting aside money as soon as the New Year starts. If you get paid every two weeks, divide your holiday budget by 24. This is the amount you should set aside from each paycheck into a "holiday savings" account. If you get paid monthly, divide by 12 and automatically divert that money into your holiday savings fund. This habit will save you from another moment of sudden panic when you realize the holidays are right around the corner. It'll be much easier to spend a little less throughout the year than to find yourself needing to drastically slash all your spending next November or December. In fact, planning for holiday spending can get you thinking about year-round budgeting tips.

6. Open a New Savings Account You don't want to dip into your holiday money before it's needed, so open up a separate savings account specifically for the holidays. Keeping this money separate from your other savings goals will help you monitor how much you've set aside and will safeguard you from accidentally using that money on other things. You can even involve your kids in your newfound focus on budgeting by teaching them money management.

7. Make It Automatic The best way to stick to any savings goal is to remove the potential for human error. Don't rely on your ability to remember to set money aside for the holidays each month, and definitely don't count on your having money "left over" at the end of the month. Instead, set up an automatic transfer each month from your checking account to your holiday savings account. Schedule it for the beginning of the month or arrange it to coincide with your payday. This money will be automatically allocated to savings before you have a chance to spend it on something else.

Beautiful art and craft kit - wonderful gift for creative children

Djeco's Glitter Boards are a very simple concept but the end result is absolutely stunning: Each of the 4 cards in this set have sticky areas that you reveal by removing their covers with the provided tool. You then sprinkle some glitter powder on the sticky areas and presto! you have a beautifully glittered picture! Often the use of glitters is an bit of a nightmare because of the mess that results, but as usual with Djeco everything has been thought of: the box doubles as a worktop and once you are finished with one colour, simply tip the box over and pour the scattered glitter back in to its container thanks to the clever hole made in one of the box's corners! The Glitter Butterflies Art Kit from Djeco includes six tubes of colorful glitter, special tool and brush, as well as instructions to create four stunning pieces of artwork featuring pretty little insect creatures in their flowery fields. Suitable for children aged 7 to 15. http://astore.amazon.co.uk/gillsonlinegems-21/detail/B008XKVZMG

Dealing with Death and Caring for your Children by Susan Leigh

In the UK alone twenty-two people die every day leaving their children to be raised by either one or no parents. Multiply this by the number of days in the year and it reveals a very large number of children and young people who are left in a bereaved situation. How do we protect our children, help them to cope if they are ever unfortunate enough to find themselves in this situation? - On a practical level it's important that they are protected financially and emotionally as much as possible. Ensure that you have an up-to-date will with financial provision made for your children. Discuss what you want to happen to your children in the event of your death. It may be a tough, difficult and unpleasant conversation but it's important that you've discussed and noted where they will live and with whom in case one or both parents were to die, say in an accident. - Children need to learn about the different experiences they will meet throughout their lives and death is no exception. With allowances for their age, allow them to be involved in the death of a pet. Children can find preparing their dead goldfish or hamster for burial surprisingly therapeutic; encourage them to find a suitable box for the coffin, select a burial site in the garden, maybe find a poem or a few words to say, even visit the grave afterwards. It can be a comforting experience for a child. - Elderly relatives dying can be an important part of a child's education. Learning that old people die is often accepted quite readily by children. Death can seem a distant, abstract concept to them, especially in regard to older people. They do however, sometimes find it hard to accept that they will then never see the loved grandparent again. They may understand that 'they've gone to heaven' but then expect them to come and visit in time for tea. Being patient and providing reassurance that their grandparent is fine, happy, okay but no longer around can often help children to eventually settle. - It's important to agree as a family how much you tell your children when someone close has died. This information needs to be consistent, especially in the sad event of one of their young school friend's dying. Religion and faith may be a part of what you choose to say, but it's also important to provide some space for your children to grieve and come to terms with their loss in their own way. - Children are incredibly sensitive to atmosphere and will often keep quiet and not talk about their feelings or reveal the depth of their loss and distress if they're afraid of adding to their grieving parent(s) anguish. Allow the opportunity for children to talk about the deceased friend, parent or relative, perhaps have photographs on display, comforting rituals on certain important days. Encourage reminiscences, memories and conversations about the deceased person as a natural part of your daily conversation if so desired. - It may be that Sunday has become a difficult part of the week because mother is no longer there to cook the weekly family roast. As a consequence, Sunday can become a day that everyone dreads. It may be that some family members hermit away in their rooms and eat a sandwich, but is that really the best way to recover from her death? Why not introduce new routines where perhaps everyone joins in to make the Sunday meal together and learns to laugh at the first disastrous attempts? - Start a family discussion and lead by telling the children what you consider to be the best way for you all to move on. Explain that it's okay to be upset at times but that you're all in this together, there for each other and that everyone is allowed to express how they feel. Some children don't want to talk at all about painful subjects. Instead, they may find it therapeutic to keep a private journal or draw pictures about their family, documenting their feelings, the things that are on their mind. If they're able to join a group with children who are in the same situation as themselves that can be particularly supportive and healing. - A pet can be an especially comforting solution for a distressed, grieving child. Having a young animal companion to look after, care for, talk to, confide in, maybe sleep with often helps bring a child out of their grieving state and come to terms with what's happened. Other children may find comfort from talking with a trusted family friend, neighbour, close relative or even a counsellor. Finding an outlet that brings comfort is an important part of the healing process. - Be sure to reassure children about the family situation after the death of a parent. Some children worry dreadfully about money and question if there is enough to pay the bills, worry about the remaining parent and whether they are alright, worry about going to school and leaving their parent at home. Try to demonstrate that you are well, coping, missing the person who's gone but are picking up the pieces as well as you can. Follow Susan Leigh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/susanleigh1 MORE: Children Parents Family Feelings Death Die

How you Talk to Babies Can Affect their Memories by Elise Sole

You may feel silly speaking to your baby in a high-pitched, squeaky voice while reading to him or playing games. But a new study conducted by Brigham Young University found that babies are much more likely to remember experiences if there is a positive emotion or affect attached to them. Researchers rounded up a group of 5-month-old infants and exposed them to either positive, negative, or neutral-sounding voices while showing them geometric shapes. They repeated the exercise over several days, showing them the same shapes, along with new ones. Results showed that babies best remembered a shape when it was associated with a happy voice or face.

“Cheerful, upbeat, positive voices promote learning, language, and memory,” Ross Flom, PhD, a professor of psychology, tells Yahoo Parenting, “The idea, positivity heightens attention span and when babies are attentive, they’re better able to process information and form memories.” The trick is to use baby talk at specific times. “If a baby is fussy, it’s better to soothe him,” says Flom. “Wait until he’s in a better mood before using a high-pitched voice and let his cues guide you.” Science has long proved how remarkably early memory forms in babies. Finnish researchers recently found that as a fetus is developing, particularly in the third trimester, it can hear sounds from the world and even retain them after birth. “If you put your hand over your mouth and speak, that’s very similar to the situation the fetus is in,” cognitive neuroscientist Eino Partanen of the University of Helsinki, told Science magazine. “You can hear the rhythm of speech, rhythm of music, and so on.” In fact, one behavioral study conducted in 1988 found that newborns could recognize the theme song from their mother’s favorite soap opera (seriously).

That said, don’t bother trying to “teach” your unborn baby how to say “Mama,” for example. According to Partanen, there’s no evidence that anything other than the sounds of daily life are beneficial. Ditto for placing earbuds playing classical music on a mother’s pregnant stomach — doing so can disrupt a baby’s sleep cycle. Still, it’s inevitable that babies will encounter negativity from time to time. So if you find yourself having an argument with your husband or are playing an action movie too loudly where the baby is playing, he or she won’t suffer any longterm consequences. “You won’t scar the baby,” says Flom. https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/how-you-talk-to-babies-can-affect-their-memories-103568587132.html

How to get your child to talk about their day by Melissa Walker

On the first day of preschool this year, I excitedly picked up my daughter, eager to hear all about her adventures that day. We went to a smoothie place and sat down at a table. “So…” I said, “How was your day?” No response. “What did you do at school?” Eyes on straw. “Do you like your teacher?” Nada. Through trial and error, I’ve learned that the one question that gets my 3-year-old to open up is, “What made you laugh today?” But it took a week or two of getting zero information to stumble upon success. Yahoo Parenting spoke to Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and author of the forthcoming book “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” as well as a few parents, for ideas on how to get your kid to share his or her day.

Preschool “In the preschool years, it’s helpful to have enough information that you can ask specific questions,” Morin tells Yahoo Parenting. “Young children often forget what they did during the day or have trouble identifying what to talk about.” She suggests talking to the teacher at pick-up about what activities the class did that day. Then you can give a prompt such as, “Tell me what you learned about whales today.” And ask follow-up questions: “What did you think when you read that story?” According to Morin, you’ll help guide the narrative while jogging your kid’s memory. Parent Tips “Play the ‘Who did something…’ game. ‘Who did something funny/smart/naughty/interesting today?’ That always elicits more than the run-of-the-mill shrugs.” — Kate Messner “I ask about details like, ‘Did this person come to school today? Was he wearing that green sweater he likes?’ Or something random and silly like, ‘Did you tell your teacher about the big dinosaur we saw?’ It gets them thinking about specifics and makes me more informed and engaged.” — Georgia McBride

Elementary School A short attention span for conversation is an issue for many elementary school kids, so Morin suggests distracting them with an activity, such as an an art project or playing catch, while you chat. “That helps them feel less on the spot, and they’re more willing to talk when their hands are busy,” says Morin. If you’re looking for insight into their social lives, questions like, “What did you do at recess today?” or “Who did you eat lunch with?” work because they beg specific, clear answers about a child’s friendships. Morin also suggests that academic updates be gathered with questions like, “What’s the hardest thing you did in class today?” coupled with, “What’s was the easiest part of school today?” That way, you’ll acknowledge their interests and strengths as well. Parent Tips “I always try to answer in detail when I’m asked about my day to model that for them. Some kids are talkers and some aren’t, so for mine it also helps to start the conversation with the siblings together — the competitive juices sometimes spur the non-talker to spill.” — Jennifer Klon “My husband, my six-year-old and I all take turns during dinner sharing three things about our day. Having everyone participate really helps — our daughter keeps track and actually calls us out if we don’t share three.” — Nanette Marcus

Middle School “Avoid too many targeted questions,” advises Morin. In the pre-teen years, those can feel more like digging or prying than conversation. “General questions like, ‘What was the best part about your day?’ can give a kid an opportunity to share without feeling like he or she is being interrogated.” Also key at this age: Spending quality time together and allowing the space and circumstance for your child to talk. “Often, they’re willing to talk about bigger issues — like friend drama — when you’re participating in an activity together,” Morin notes. “Providing positive feedback and ensuring that your child feels heard when she shares information is essential to encouraging more conversation.” Parent Tips “I ask if anything weird happened. The word ‘weird’ gets my sixth-grader thinking. And some days, nothing weird happens and the day is just ‘fine.’ That’s the truth and I respect that.” — Suzanne Weber “We play the ‘Rose and the Thorn,’ meaning what’s the best thing that happened today and what’s the worst thing that happened today? It’s a routine, which makes it easier, and often it turns into, ‘Well, I have two roses, or one thorn that turned into a rose.’ It’s non-threatening language that gives them a chance to open up, vent, reflect or commiserate.” — Inha Yang

High School At these older ages, parents can ask big-picture questions. Instead of “Do you ever get bullied?” try “Is bullying a big problem at school?” “Teens are often more willing to discuss general issues first to test your reaction,” says Morin. “If you show support for bully victims, your child may then be more willing to share a personal experience.” The media is also a great tool. “Strike up a conversation about alcohol or dating when you see a movie or news story that deals with the subject,” suggests Morin. That can give you insight into your teen’s world and allow an opportunity to share your values without getting personal about her life. “With high school kids, it’s less important to get a daily play-by-play,” says Morin. “Your teen should have some privacy and the freedom to discuss things with friends rather than parents.” But it’s important to stay in touch with bigger life issues regarding how your child is doing overall and what his future plans are. Parents are still a guiding force for teenagers. Parent Tip “I ask questions about light subjects to get my 14-year-old son talking. Like I’ll ask about who he sat with on the bus, what they talked about… that moves into what else he heard on the bus, whether someone got teased. The conversation grows naturally if there’s something to share.” — Merri Meyer And this teen tip “Non-judgment is key. That I can go to my mom with anything means that I tell her most things. It also helps that my mom talks to me about her day and her life. If she’s comfortable, I can be too.” — Amber K. https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/how-to-get-your-kid-to-talk-about-their-day-102962683842.html

Choosing a Pet? by Bill Beavers

First, lets think about why we are thinking about choosing a pet. Is it because the children have been pestering you forever to get a new puppy or kitten? This is something most know but I feel I have to say it again just for the few that have not had the experience. Your children begging you to choose a pet is not, in itself, a good reason for getting one. Children need to be old enough and mature enough to care for the pet puppy as an example. Consider whether you have time for a pet. They look to you for their food, water, veterinary treatments and love. If your children cannot or will not care for the pet, do you have time to do it. Did you know that in over half of households the female spouse or family member ends up taking care of the family dog or pet. Now this is pretty much common sense but you should think about whether you are allowed to have a pet where you currently reside. Check the regulations if your are a tenant. If pets are allowed are you prepared for the extra amount of deposit money that will be required. Are you prepared for the carpet cleaning necessary when you move? These an other questions should be considered if you are a renter.

How many years are you willing to commit to this new pet? A pet can be a lifelong commitment depending on how old you are when you choose a puppy or other young pet. Personally I had a Dachshund that was with us for 17 years. Cats can live from 10 to 20 years subject to certain medical issues. Other pets like horses, turtles, parrots and other types of birds can live quite a bit longer even 30 to 40 years. None of us have a crystal ball so we do not really know when we will get married, get divorced, relocate sometimes to another country, have children or maybe have grandma move in with us, you know, the one that hates animals. Do your best to look into the future to where a pet will fit in. Once adopted your pet becomes part of the family or to him, the pack. Later separation is hard on everyone. If you should decide to choose a puppy or any type of young pet please know that younger animals require a lot more time to learn the ropes than adult dogs do. Plus, younger animals, especially dogs, do not appreciate being left alone. This is one way separation anxiety develops.

Younger animals need to be taught how to behave in the family or the pack. This cannot completely be done if the house is empty all day. Just as with children, traits developed at the younger ages are traits that stay with them most if not all of their lives. Proper training and interaction at the younger age will pay great dividends immediately and in later years. Believe it or not there are many more considerations when choosing a pet. Those I will touch on in a different article. For now let me leave you by strongly suggesting that you make the decision about choosing a new pet a family decision. Bill Beavers is with http://www.CarryMyDog.com and looks forward to your visit to this informative website. We know you will benefit from the information you will find there. You will find top quality dog crates, pet carriers, pet strollers, dog harnesses, pet playpens and much more. Deep discounts on many products. http://www.carrymydog.com is a valid starting place for improving your pet's quality of life and simplifying yours. All the best... Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Beavers Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3364699