5 Important Facts About Temper Tantrums & How To Survive Them As A Parent

So you are in the grocery store one afternoon, casually strolling down the cereal aisle when all of a sudden a shriek from the cart in front of you interrupts your thoughts. Next thing you know this little body with straggly hair, which appears to be a child, is thrashing on the floor, kicking, screaming and crying.

You watch in horror as the mother of this child just patiently stands a short distance from the tantruming child, reviewing her grocery list while selecting a healthy box of cereal from the shelf.

Your trying not to gawk but wow this sure is a big tantrum! Will it ever end, you wonder.

The mother of the tantruming child, without saying a word, slowly starts to push her cart down the aisle just a short distance from her child, who is no longer kicking and screaming but looks up to see where her mommy is.

A few seconds later (which feels like hours) the child stands up, wipes the tears off her face and runs to her mommy, grabbing onto the cart and walks alongside it.

What I notice next surprised me! The mom gently rubs her child's back, plants a kiss on her head and continues shopping as if nothing happened.

This woman must be a saint you think to yourself as you run through ideas of how you would react to such an embarrassing situation. How in the world did this mom keep her cool? Doesn't the child deserve to be punished for such inappropriate behavior?

Before having kids I never thought this type of scenario would ever happen to me. I would be the perfect mom with the perfect kids, kids who didn't throw tantrums.

Boy was I wrong! As a seasoned mom of four, I have endured my fair share of tantrums both in private and public venues. I've gotten over the staring eyes of those around me and their judgmental glares, whispers and snickers. It's just another day in the life of a mom of little ones!

If you're a mom and your kids throw tantrums please know that this is NORMAL. I've learned that every kid throws their own kind of tantrum too - some throw themselves on the floor kicking and screaming, some stand stomping their foot, arms crossed with a look that could kill on their face and some kids throw tantrums by trying destroying stuff (throw toys, pull books off shelves, knock down blocks).

As a new parent there are some things you should know about temper tantrums and how you can survive your first one! The best place to start is to talk to your pediatrician. Children as young as 12 months old can start throwing tantrums so it is best to be prepared and educated so that you know what to do for your child.

First off, "just give the kid what they want" or "giving in" to a tantrum is probably some advice you have heard or gotten from friends or family. This is a very ineffective way to handle these difficult situations which might work for the short term (sometimes) but going forward do you really want your child conditioned to pitch a fit every time he/she wants something? I don't think so! Also, punishing your child every time they throw a tantrum should not be your sole response. Realizing that tantrums are not always a child's attempt to manipulate their parents will help you understand what your child is really feeling and going through.

This post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small commission from your purchase at no additional cost to you. For more information see my Disclaimer page.

Five Things to Know About Temper Tantrums

1 - Emotional Growth Spurts

Young children are growing in leaps and bounds, especially emotionally! Many times their emotions are beyond their self control which is common when they are experiencing a developmental growth spurt. Think of this like a scale. On one side of the scale is Self Control and on the other side is Abilities & Thinking. When a developmental spurt occurs the scales tip in favor of the Abilities & Thinking side causing an imbalance with the Self Control side resulting in a tantrum.

2 - Frustration

Life is frustrating even for kids! Your child might feel a strong desire towards something but hasn't yet developed the words to express themselves resulting in frustration and many times a tantrum. Their own emotions may make it hard to even express themselves verbally resulting in an even greater amount of frustration. 

My youngest struggles with expressing himself verbally when he feels angry. The emotion he feels is so strong he just can't find the words to express himself so he gets even more angry and in many cases it results in a tantrum. 

Understanding your child's threshold for frustration can be impacted by other factors such as hunger, feeling hungry, stress or even physical pain (see #4 below). 

3.  Sense of Self

"Mine, mine, mine!" screams your little one as a sibling or a friend starts to play with one of their toys.  (If I had a nickel for every time I heard this "song", oh boy would we be loaded!) 

Sharing is such a difficult concept for your toddler to understand as they are experiencing the development of a sense of self and can be a trigger for those tantrums. Until they are 3 years of age or older, sharing is not something they fully grasp. They are learning about how to satisfy their own needs by using phrases like "I want" or "mine" and a lot of times saying "no" as they learn how to make choices. 

4. Underlying Medical Condition

A typical temper tantrum lasts anywhere from 90 seconds to 15 minutes depending on the child's disposition, their age and the situation. The frequency of tantrums should start to decrease around age 4. If you notice an increase in tantrums or the tantrums get worse it is wise to consult with your child's pediatrician to make sure there are no physical or emotional problems causing the tantrums. 

Simple irritations like loud noise, itchy fabric or elastic waistbands can be cause for mild stress in children under age 7 however children with a sensory integration disorder could find these types of irritants unbearable resulting in a tantrum. Also, mental health conditions like ADHD, anxiety or depression can trigger tantrums in children and in many cases require an intervention by trained medical personnel. Additional medical conditions like celiac disease, migraines or sickle cell disease that cause physical pain to your child could be the reason for excessive tantrums. If you think or suspect that your child has an underlying medical condition it is best to talk with your child's doctor right away.

5. Manipulation Game

Do you have a strong willed child whose tantrums seem like a never ending battle of wills? Do you see their tantrums as manipulative which in turn makes you react with anger wondering when you should teach your child a lesson? 

All parents wonder the same thing especially when the tension during a tantrum is high and it seems that everyone around you is watching your flailing, screaming child - any you. Keep your cool and communicate clearly to your child what their choices are beforehand and STICK TO IT. 

Never give into your child just to stop the tantrum. This teaches your child that they can get what they want with a temper tantrum. Set the rules and stick to them and don't feel guilty about saying no. Waffling between rules confuses children and they don't know what rules are firm and which ones are not. 

Many times you have to say no to protect your child from something that is harmful and can cause injury. This might trigger a tantrum but it is always more important to keep your child safe. 

How To Survive A Temper Tantrum As A Parent

So how do you as a parent survive your child's temper tantrums? Here are some tips and tricks to get you through those tough times.

• Remain calm - shouting or getting angry and losing your cool will only add fuel to the fire. 
• Distract or redirect your child and take their focus away from what is starting to trigger a tantrum. 
• Ignore minor tantrum behavior like screaming, crying and kicking. Intervention can become necessary if your tantruming child is hurting someone or throwing objects that could hurt someone - this is when you step in and stop them.
• Give your child a break or time out. Removing them from the place where they are throwing their tantrum and providing a safe place to "cool off" can help them learn how to have better self control. A good rule of thumb is 1 minute of time-out for every year of your child's age.

Parenting Resources

Looking for some additional advice and resources to help you with your parenting journey? Here are a few books and tools  I recommend (affiliate links):

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A Look At Our Homeschool Schedule - What Works and What Doesn't

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you click on the link and make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page.

Our family has been homeschooling for 8 years now! Through those years I've had to make adjustments as needed to accommodate the personalities of my four kids. After finding the right rhythm for our homeschool the current schedule we follow seems to be working well for us.

Before I go any further please remember that this is a look into our homeschool. My home. Your schedule and what works best for your family will probably be different. I hope you glean something from what we do to help you in areas that might need tweaking in your own schedule, but I would hope that your homeschool looks different from ours.

Years ago I was overwhelmed, frustrated and heading towards burnout! It seemed that chaos and sometimes bad attitudes ruled our school day. It lead to a lot of whining, complaining and fighting from everyone - myself included!

Something had to change - NOW.

So what did I do? Prayed! I prayed for wisdom and that God would equip me to do the job He was calling me to do - homeschool our kids.

My husband and I agreed on a more structured schedule that required the kids to be up and ready for the day by a certain time each day. With time for us to gather together for read-alouds, plenty of time for breaks and independent work.

I hope by sharing our schedule with you it may encourage you or give you some suggestions for your own homeschool structure. So here is what our typical homeschool day looks:

Our Homeschool Schedule

8:15 - Bible Study - my oldest two girls (6th grade & 8th grade) are ready for the day and start working on their Bible study. This gives me time to help answer questions or discuss the lesson with them before their younger brothers need me to help them get ready for the day.

*we attend a weekly Community Bible Study (CBS) class which has a home school and teen core group class. We LOVE it! The class meets every Wednesday and since I am part of the teaching team we are there all day. My oldest (8th grade) brings school work to do during non-Bible study time and my youngest three just play in the gym during that time. I do not require the kids to do school on Wednesday therefore our school week is only 4 days. click the link above to find a class near you.

8:30 - Bible Study - the boys (4th grade and K) get their school day going with Bible Study.

9:00 - Group Read Aloud Time - we gather at the kitchen table and I read either our history lesson or whatever chapter book we are reading to the kids. During this time they can doodle, color, play with slime - anything that is quiet!

10:00 - Math (6th grader) / Language Arts (4th grader)-  At this point my oldest starts her independent work in the order she chooses. While the two middle children do math and language arts I spend time with our youngest playing games or working on reading, math or handwriting.

10:30 - 11:00 BREAK TIME - by this time in the morning we all need a break and this is free time for everyone to do whatever they want. Most of the time they play basketball outside on a nice day or play with Lego's if the weather is bad.

11:00 - Math (4th grader) / Writing (6th grader) 

11:30 - Spelling & Writing (4th grader) / Language Arts (6th grader)

12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH BREAK - we all eat together! During this time I will either read to them or we watch past episodes of CNN 10 to get up to date on current events happening around the world.

1:00-1:45 - Science (4th & 6th grader) - The two middle children have been doing science together for the last 3 years and it has worked out well for us. The curriculum we use has a student notebook/workbook that has both a junior level (lower elementary) and a regular level for the upper elementary students. My youngest loves to do science with us and has his own plain spiral notebook to write in and make lap books with the older two.

1:45 - 2:30ish - Reading / Exercise / Music - this chunk of time includes a lot of different options for the kids to choose. My son (4th grader) takes an online robotics class and uses this time to work on his EV3 robot as well as read his assigned chapter book. My 6th grader practises her guitar or reads her assigned chapter book during this time. Depending on what day of the week it is the kids can also use this time to exercise on our Max Trainer machine (they love it!).

Whew! That is one busy day, right!

My oldest ends her school day at various times during the week depending on how ahead or behind she is with her assigned work. Most days she is usually done with school around 2:30 / 3:00.

I found this great Homeschool Planner Printable on Etsy that offers tons of options for you to use while creating your schedule. If you are not great at creating a schedule from scratch this product is for you!! (affiliate link)

This schedule represents a typical day of homeschool when we are HOME! What is not listed on this schedule are the extra weekly activities the kids do like ballet class 3 times per week, guitar lessons, little league, doodle crate art and a baseball class. With a flexible yet structured schedule our days have been more productive and enjoyable.

Because of these extra activities it is quite common for us to "road school" which means each kid packs a bag with one or two subjects to work on in the car (or waiting room) while we are out and about.

This schedule has taken a lot of "tweaking" to get it working well for us. Here are some tips I thought would be helpful for you as you work on your homeschool schedule.

5 Tips to Help You Create An Awesome Homeschool Schedule

#1 Tip  - pay attention to what time of day your child learns best and schedule their more challenging subject(s) during that time. Also make sure your schedule is age appropriate. I don't know any homeschool kindergartners who have a 5 hour school day!

#2 Tip - Make sure you are consistent yet flexible as you create a homeschool schedule for your family. If the schedule says get up and be ready by 9am - do it! If your child was up late one night cut them some slack and allow a little flexibility for a tired cranky child.

#3 Tip - Don't overload your week with extra activities. I know each opportunity is fun, educational and your kid just wants to do it but there is a limit to how full you can pack your schedule.

#4 Tip - Get your kids involved helping you create a schedule. This will help them feel heard, important and give them a sense of ownership of their homeschool - it is their schedule right?

#5 Tip - Create a calendar just for homeschool so kids know when certain projects, book reports or papers are due, what they should be reading or studying and if you test, when the test will take place as well as any other important deadlines. This keeps everyone on the same page! Don't add items like doctor appointments to the homeschool calendar - Just Homeschool Items ONLY!

I could probably go on and on and I'm sure you can add your own tips to this list but I will save those for another post.

I hope this helps you as you figure out what is best for your family. Flexibility has been a key factor for us as we journey through each year of homeschool. Best of luck to you as you work on your family's homeschool schedule.

If you get stuck and can't seem to figure out why your schedule isn't working I'd love to help you. Please leave me a comment, question or suggestion so we can chat! Don't forget to PIN this post so you can come back to it as you work through putting your schedule together.

How to Make Lasting Memories With Your Children and Grandchildren

Recently my grandmother passed away at the age of 95. She lived a long full life, raising 7 kids in the suburbs of Detroit. She is survived by 17 grandchildren and 22 (and counting) great grandchildren! Wow, that is a lot of family and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it.

Reflecting back on the years of memories with my grandmother has reminded me how intentional she was with each of her grandkids. After 7 kids I think she became an expert in making every moment count even with very simple activities or gestures.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure here.

As a parent I hope that the small and big things I do with my kids are all part of the great memories they will cherish as they grow up. Some of my most embarassing moments witnessed by my kids will probably be memories they will have forever (and never let me live down!).

Kids seem to remember our most embarasing moments like it happened yesterday! Know what I mean? So of course one of my favorite memories of my grandma is when she had something embarassing happen to her while spending some time with my sisters and me.

Fun With Grandma

We convinced my grandma to go out on the lake we lived on in a small paddle boat. We wanted to show her how good we were at navigating our little boat and show off the places where we loved to fish. My two sisters and I let grandma sit in the back of the paddle boat while two of us paddled out to the drop off and the big weed beds so we could look for fish.

It was a partly cloudy day, great for spotting fish in the water below. We were all leaning out over the water watching for fish. Suddenly we heard a small splash, followed by a ("#@!!&") angy explitive from grandma!

Knowing my grandpa was on shore watching, my grandma very quietly told us her glasses just fell into the water and sunk to the bottom. Not wanting to alarm grandpa (or even let him know this had happened) she asked that we make a few passes over the spot where they fell hoping to spot them.

We all felt bad for grandma but knew that this was her problem and she would deal with it all on her own (a.k.a don't tell grandpa). When we arrived back on shore and grandpa asked how the boat ride went, my grandma, with a big smile and sparkling eyes complimented my sisters and I on our excellent paddle boating skills and told how much fun it was to spend time with her granddaughters.

We instantly forgot about the glasses basking in the compliments.

Over the years memories of time spent together, cards, gifts and advice have been made leaving me with a full list of memories of my grandma.

My grandma loved to read action and mystery novels (Clive Cussler, Mary Higgins Clark were two of our favorite authors) and she and I would swap books whenever we came to visit her. Our enjoyment of this book genre was something we had in common that none of her other grandkids shared. I think each one of us (all 17) can attest that each shared something special like this with her.

Creating Lasting Family Memories

So how do you go about creating these types of long lasting memories with your kids or grandkids? Spending time with them is the first step but if you are too far to see each other you might have to get creative.

With the advancement of technology there are so many ways to stay in touch - email, Facebook, Skype, Face Time, ect. Don't underestimate the power of technology - use it to your advantage.

Here is a list of five ways you can begin to create lasting memories with your children and /or grandchildren:

1. Scrapbooking 

click HERE

Creating a scrapbook with a collage of pictures of you and your children/grandchildren with their help is a great way to make a memory together. Reminising over pictures is a great way to talk about past adventures or memories all while creating one with them.

2. Pen Pals

Make a simple cardboard mailbox and put it somewhere in the house where you and your children can write letters to each other and put them in the mailbox. Get ready for some super special artwork, letters and notes from your precious children!

If you are a grandparent and don't live close to your grandkids why not become pen pals. Even if you do live close (maybe down the block) getting a letter in the mail from someone special is a treasure to be kept for a long time.

3. Spontaneous Activities

Think trip to the park, fishing, pick-up game of ball or even going to a game together. The fun part is that it is unplanned and anything goes. As kids get older the activities can change to fit their interests. Remember though this is memory making - NOT time for you to be on your cell phone!

4. Make Meals Together

Time spent in the kitchen preparing a meal together is therapeutic and a great way to make memories. I hope my kids remember the first time they made an omelet, cake from scratch or their own mini pizza with homemade dough. If you aren't handy in the kitchen find a simple recipe to try together. Mess-ups = memories!!

Looking for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe? See my recipe here.

5. Start Traditions

One of my favorite memories as a kid are the traditions my parents did with us every year. Most of them revolved around holidays like carving pumpkins, dying eggs for Easter or decorating the Christmas tree together. Even though we did the same activity every year there were always great memories being made. If you don't have some traditions in your family why not start some new ones with your kids or grandkids.

We make homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning breakfast every year. My kids love helping with this and every year we talk about our memories of past preparations - like somone knocking over the flour or the year the rolls were left to rise so long that the oozed out of the pan!

Making memories with your kids and grandkids is so special! These memories will last a lifetime and be cherished when you are gone. Be creative and start making memories with those who are special to you today!

10 Healthy Game Day Snacks for Kids

read about it here.

Healthy Game Day Snacks for Your Child

Spring marks the kick-off to many spring sports like baseball, tee-ball, soccer, track and many other great outdoor (and indoor) activities. Keeping your child athlete healthy means making sure they are eating healthy snack options instead of filling up on junk food.

Our two boys are both starting their spring baseball leagues and at least once or twice will be asked to bring a snack to share with their teammates.

When it comes to game day snacks for the kids I'm a little concerned about the message conveyed to a child athlete who just participated in an athletic event/game when sugary drinks and sugary snacks are passed out. Seems kind of backwards to me!

I get that a little treat now and then is ok but come on let's not take all that hard work and exercise and wash it down with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients!

Look around - it is no surprise that kids all over our great country are struggling with obesity -even young athletes. Seems like a great time to reinforce healthy eating is by encouraging it through healthy snacking as a team. Why not tap into the power of peer pressure and encourage the team to snack together on healthy foods.

Sugary sports drinks, or "adult kook-aid", as I call it, gets pushed so hard onto our young athletes. Look at the convenient "kid size" bottles it comes in - just making it so easy for a parent to grab and pass out to the team after a game. Have you read the label? Yikes! This stuff is horrible. From my little bit of research into these drinks they are useful for athletes who have been participating in a high intensity sport for more than 90 minutes.

Even the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that these sports drinks which are high in carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and artificial flavorings can contribute to childhood obesity and tooth decay.

So as a parent what kind of snacks and drinks can we send with our kids to share with their teammates on game day? Well here is a quick list of ten healthy snacks and drinks you can encourage your child's teammates to eat after the big game

This post may contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please see my disclosure here.

1. An apple with peanut butter or almond butter

source: joyfulhealthyeats

If you are in a hurry you could slice up the apples, pop them into ziploc bags and pair them with a small single peanut butter packet to go (Jiff To Go). To keep the apples from browning splash a bit of orange juice on them before zipping the bag closed.

2. Trail Mix

source: love bake read

If you have never made your own trail mix and are looking for a great recipe Love.Bake.Read has a simple and healthy recipe that is sure to please a crowd. If you are in a hurry it is easy to find single pack trail mixes in bulk from Costco or through Amazon.

3. Larabar

click HERE

The Larabar is a real food option if you need to but a snack for the team. It is somewhat high in sugar but it isn't the processed sugar you would find in other snacks. The sugar is a natural food based sugar.

4. Breakfast Cookies

source: spend with pennies

I know these delicious snacks are called "breakfast" cookies but really they can be eaten anytime for a healthy energy boosting snack or for a post workout/game snack. This recipe I found is super simple, healthy and downright delicious!! You can find the recipe here.

5. String Cheese + Crackers

Now here is a snack that you can easily find in bulk - Goldfish Crackers & String Cheese. Healthy and tastes great - a win for both you and your little athlete.

6. Applesauce

I just love the little plastic to-go cups you can pick up in bulk or the squeezable pouches. This is a great way to promote a healthy snack post game time all while keeping it simple for a busy parent to grab on the way to the game.

7. Turkey Cheese Roll-Ups

source: healthysnacksforwork

This is a great snack to make ahead, pop into the fridge and grab before the game starts. Stacking the easy to grab roll-ups in a tupperware container and then passing them around to the team after the game is a great way to provide a healthy snack to the team.

8. Chocolate Milk

Who doesn't love chocolate milk? Young athletes need milk especially post workout so why not add a little chocolate to up the "cool" factor to this healthy snack. Shelf stable milk doesn't even need to be refriderated however a nice cold milk always tastes good after working out!

9. Fruit Kabobs

Source: happy home fairy

Here is a make-ahead team snack you can whip up in no time and store in the fridge until game day. The mix of fruit and color makes them look so yummy any child athlete will be tempted to gobble them up.

10. Citrus Infused Water

source: lifesanity

Mix up a big jug of this citrus infused water to share with the team! It might seem a little strange to some of the kids but one sip and they might change their minds. Some teams have those big water dispensers with paper cups for the team to use during the game. Why not add some flavor (and good healthy benefits too) to the water for the team to share. Water is the best thing you can give your child to drink before, during and after the game but it doesn't have to be plain old boring water - add some flavor and see what happens.

I hope these ideas have provided you with some inspiration as you get ready to cheer on your kids and share a healthy snack with the team. You might want to pack a few extra for siblings and friends who might be curious about these healthy (and yummy) snacks!

Maybe you have some great healthy snack ideas - yes, please share with the rest of us!! Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Age Appropriate Chores For Kids

So much GOOD can come from letting your kids do chores around the house!

As a mom to 4 kiddos I see chores as a teachable moment - they weren't born knowing how to wash dishes, vacuum or make their bed - they can learn these valuable skills from YOU!

Chores teach kids how to have a good work ethic, how to help serve others, a useful skill, and gives them a sense of accomplishment. Why would you want to keep them from learning such valuable lessons?

This post may contain affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through the link I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

Daily Responsibilities 

In our family we start teaching with daily responsibilities and work our way towards chores. Daily responsibilities teach the child how to care for themselves - this is a simple hygiene routine. When I tell my kids to go do their 4 things, they know exactly what that means: hair, teeth/face, bed & dressed.

This routine starts when they are young - about 2 years old. (Too young? Nope!)

Of course a 2 year old will need help with their "4 things" but teaching them and getting them used to this is the point.

Jobs

Before I get to the list of chores there is one more "job" I expect my kids to do. These jobs aren't chores or daily responsibilities but are still jobs that I expect my kids to do (without being told as they get older). These jobs include putting their dirty clothes in the clothes hamper, clearing their place after a meal, hanging up their wet towel after a bath/shower and putting away the stuff they got out when they are finished with it (crafts supplies, toys, games) - get the idea?

 I call this picking up after yourself. I don't really think picking up after yourself should be a chore but rather an expectation that a child knows he/she should do.

I'm trying to teach my kids that this is how you show respect to the other people living under the same roof as them.


OK, so what are chores?

Chores

Chores are tasks that need to be done on a regular basis so that our home - inside and out - is well maintained, clean and organized.

Before I get into a list of what I think are age appropriate chores let me give you a few ways to get your kids doing chores with minimal complaining and whining!

1. Do the chore with your child   

I've learned that if I start out doing the chores with my kids, side by side, talking, laughing, asking questions the time flies, the chore gets done and we both enjoy it. They also learn from my example and what my expectations are for the chore assigned. (No one wants to go back and re-clean a toilet!)

After you do this a few times and the kids catches on then cut them loose and let them do it by themselves.

2. Assign a Chore Partner

Sometimes I pair up the kids and we have a competition to see who can get their chores done the fastest (no cutting corners or slacking though). The winning team usually gets a little prize or treat to make it worth it.

3. Mix It Up

Kids thrive on routine but after awhile the same ole same chore just gets a little boring and that is when I know I need to mix it up a little. After a few weeks of assigning chores to each of my kids I like to re-assign them new ones.

I do however make it a point to ask them which chores they prefer and try to give them the ones they like doing.

4. Chore Trading

Kids love to barter! So why not let them barter with their chores. My kids get pretty creative so sometimes I make sure I witness the agreed upon barter so no one ends up crying "no fair" after the chores are traded.

My 7 year old son is an expert chore barterer - he knows which chores his older sisters hate and will trade one of his easy chores with them PLUS have them pay him $$ on top of the trade to do the chore they hate. This kid is going to make a $$ killing this summer!

5. Brag About How Well Your Kids Do Their Chores

Somewhere along the line my kids learned the art of eavesdropping...and they got GOOD at it. So to take advantage of their listening ears I've learned that telling family, friends or even my husband when they are within earshot what a good job one of them did on a chore boosts their ego and gives them a little pat on the back. Kids love compliments and recognition (who doesn't, right?)! 

OK, now onto the age appropriate chore list - are you ready? Some of these chores within the age categories may shock you but remember our children are not helpless - they are HELPERS!

Click HERE

Now I know this list is not all inclusive and there are probably chores at your house you could add or delete (maybe you live in a warm climate and don't get snow?). These are just to get you started! And please remember - Don't spare your kids from chores, they need to do them, it is for their own good! 

I'm a very visual person so keeping track of assigned chores can be a challenge for me - so I created this cool printable to help me stay on top of the chores and who I've assigned them to. As a thanks for reading my blog I'm including this printable for you for FREE! 

click HERE for printable version

Remember - teach your child how to do the chore first (might take a few practice trials) and then let them go do town! Have fun with chores & your kids!

The Tough Truth About Parenting

via: freeimages

Being a mom is seriously hard work! It is a 24/7 job with no vacations, paid time off or holiday breaks. 

Sometimes the little annoyances can really get to you, building up over time like a volcano that is about to erupt. Can you relate? 

For me the little annoyance that drives me crazy is an empty toilet paper roll left on the toilet paper holder that no one seems to know how to change. I've learned to look before going so I am not caught without toilet paper (of course I had to learn the hard way a few times before learning my lesson). 

Recently I found three of our four bathrooms lacking a fresh roll of toilet paper and was inspired to pen this (sarcastic) letter to my children. 

If you can relate to this problem I'd love to hear from you! What little annoyances, like this one, drive you crazy? 

Keep your chin up momma!

Dear Son / Daughter,

What a thoughtful child you are to leave the next bathroom user a WHOLE square of toilet paper. Such kindness should be recognized. How about a prize or a trophy? I mean you could have totally been a punk and left nothing, but deep down inside you showed how much you truly care for the rest of your family by this one good deed.

With such a jam packed schedule and time demanding deadlines I completely understand how you just couldn't find a spare second to hassle with replacing the empty roll with a new roll. What with remembering to flush, wash your hands and turn off the light - I'm just glad you were able to take care of your own business and get on with your day.

Modern technology is just so daunting! I don't know how you survive in this high tech fast paced world. I mean just look at that fancy toilet paper holder - pretty intimidating right? Just go back to focusing on improving your texting skills. Goodness knows how important that skill set is.

When you feel ready for the big stuff (like the toilet paper holder) I will be here to help instruct you on how this little "do-dad" works. It's kind of tricky but I have full confidence in you! You are a quick learner and the best part is you can practice this over and over until you get so good at it you won't even think about it - you will just do it, without even thinking about it. Imagine that! It will be such a proud moment for your momma that I get choked up just thinking about it.

Well best of luck my dear one, and oh, yeah, I hope that one little square doesn't come back to bite you in the butt!

Love
Mom