Online Chore Chart to Motivate Kids

Motivating your kids to do chores is often a battle for some parents.  This may change thanks to a free online chore chart that not only motivates your children but also allows them to earn rewards.  

Children can save their rewards to donate to charity or to spend on toys!  It is as a win-win situation for parents and children.

Signing up for the chore chart is easy:

          1.  Sign-up for MyJobChart

          2.  Assign Chores to Your Kids

          3.  Reward Your Kids for Great Work

Help Avoid Halloween Candy Overload!

74% of moms say their kids are going trick-or-treating this year, which could result in candy overload!  Here are some tips from CafeMom(www.CafeMom.com ) on how to keep the kids from eating too much candy without a battle.

Top 5 CafeMom Tips:

1.       After Halloween night store the candy away someplace the kids can’t reach it and dole it out in portions moving forward- maybe for good behavior or an after dinner treat. Some of our moms even recommend freezing some of the candy – show examples of yummy frozen treats to share later.
2.       Let the kids pick out their favorite pieces and take the rest to the office to share.
3.       Separate the candy into small zip lock baggies and give out the baggies throughout the year. Show the baggies in a lunchbox.
4.       Keep an eye on their bags when you are trick-or-treating and when you feel they have had enough let them know it’s time to head home! – You can avoid the battle- by getting excited with them and mentioning how you can’t wait to get home and see all the good stuff they have!
5.       Give the kids smaller bags to trick or treat with. We can demonstrate the size difference and how less candy looks like more in a smaller bag versus the pillow cases some kids are using.

Source: MomCafe

Sunscreen Tips for Kids Going Back To School (how to protect them when you’re not with them):

Summer vacation may be over, but that doesn’t mean kids will be out of the sun.  Data suggests that the majority of sun exposure in a person’s like occurs before the age of 18.  So… how can you be sure to protect your children when they are back at school and out of your sight?  Kavita Mariwalla, MD, Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and Beth Israel Medical Centers, suggests following these simple rules:

    

-       If your children play sports, pack water-proof spray-on sunscreen in their backpack. Make sure you tell them tospray it on while getting ready for practice or the big game (30 minutes before sun expDear Faten  Abdallah,osure). The spray version is easy to apply and they don't have to feel shy about asking a team mate to help them out.

-       Consider washing your child's practice clothes and uniforms with Rit Sunguard. Available on-line and in most grocery stores, the easy to use powder can be washed in with clothes in the laundry and confers added SPF to t-shirts, shorts and socks - good for multiple washes.

-       Buy empty lotion bottles (travel size) and fill them with sunscreen to pack in your child's backpack. That way it is easy to transport and easy for you to monitor their use.

-       Don't forget sunglasses. Beyond a fashion accessory, sunglasses protect your child's eyes from harmful UV rays

-       Encourage wearing a hat. Though most children are resistant to wearing a broad-brimmed hat, baseball caps are better than nothing. Just remind your child to put sunscreen on their ears and the back of their neck!

-       If your child is in tournaments lasting the whole day in the fall, designate a "sunscreen parent." Just like the "snack parent" who provides nourishment to keep the kids on the field, the "sunscreen parent" can keep them safe and free from sunburns. Making this part of the sport environment creates healthy habits early on.

What is the data to support the importance of sunscreen use?

Data shows that basal cell skin cancer is rising in people under the age of 40. In addition, a study done in 2000 and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that children who wore sunscreen consistently developed fewer moles than those who did not. The same study showed that sunscreen use is even more important for children with freckles because it decreased the number of nevi or moles they acquired by up to 40%. An epidemiologic study completed in 2009 showed that male children are at higher risk than female and additional risk factors for developing moles include spending 5 - 6 hours /weekly/ between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm outdoors. That's not a lot of time considering most sports practrice at least 1 - 2 hours a day. And don't forget those soccer tournaments!

So, if your child is playing sports when school gets back in session, remember these tips and keep them protected even when they are not under your watch.

Eating Fruits and Vegetables Like Going to the Dentist?

TwitterMoms and Horizon Little Blends is sponsoring a contest for for parents to share how they have their children eat their fruits and vegetables.

For some parents, feeding fruits and vegetables to their children is like going to the dentist--scary and painful. However, it doesn't have to be.

Here are some ideas that I have done with my child and some I have done without my child knowing (no, it doesn't include bribing or blackmailing):

• I have had my son help me prepare dishes that include vegetables and fruits. The fact that he helped prepare them makes them more special to him that he sees it is as a reward of eating something from his own hand.
• I have often included a very puree vegetable mix in hamburger meat, shishkabobs, etc.
• My son and I have always made frozen popsicle by freezing 100 percent juices. He enjoyed the activity, while I got to remind him that not only these are fun to make, but also better and healthy for him.
• My son is a the age now that he loves to use a plastic knife or butter knife with supervision, for example like putting peanut butter on celery sticks.
• I also include my son when grocery shopping asking him what kinds of fruits or vegetables we need at home.

Share your tips with us.