7 Days, 7 Ways to Get Set for the New School Year

Day 1 – Refresh the calendar
The school year is chock-full of calendar events: school functions, athletic events, classroom parties, library due dates, gym days, music lessons and parent-teacher conferences. Get a calendar to record everything so you aren’t tracking down flyers, paper schedules, emails and notes from school for your day-to-day planning. Cozi makes it easy with an online calendar that the whole family can access either online or via their mobile phone (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry) so families have their to-do lists at their fingertips no matter where they are. Even better, you can sync your Cozi calendar with school district event calendars and your home calendars.Cozi lets you send reminders and agendas to keep everyone on the same page.

Day 2 – Inventory the kids’ closets
You don’t have to go on a huge shopping spree, but make sure each child has enough clothes for the first few weeks of school. Go through the kids’ closets, dressers and storage bins of clothes. Then make it fun by having a “fashion show” to find out which clothes fit which kids and who needs to buy what. This saves money and time since you aren’t heading out to buy new outfits for a child who can now wear an older sibling’s jeans that are still in good condition.

Day 3 – Create a morning checklist for the kids
Ever get frustrated that you have to remind the kids of seemingly basic tasks (brush your teeth, get dressed, get your backpack together) every single morning? Thought so! Put it all on a list and hand it over to the kids to use each morning. You can stop nagging because the responsibility of completing the list becomes the child’s. Just don't allow play time or TV time until the tasks are done. (Here's our morning checklist on Cozi: http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/school-morning-checklist)

Day 4 – Set up the time-to-go area
This is for backpacks, homework projects, shoes, coats, lunch sacks and anything else besides the clothes on their back needed to get out the door. Have the kids ALWAYS store these items in the time-to-go area and make sure it’s all there before they go to bed. It might take some time to get everyone in the habit, but getting out the door without a last-minute scramble for the hat your son can't leave without is well worth it.

Day 5 – Set up the homework routine
Will there be a dedicated homework area? When will homework get done – right after school, anytime before bed or in the morning before school for early birds? Letting the kids know what you expect for where, when and how homework gets done means fewer daily struggles over the task.

Day 6 – Make a list of favorite family meals
With summer’s end comes more structure to the evening schedule. One of the best things you can do to make the daily dinner decision easier is to keep a list of go-to meals that are easy to make and the whole family loves. Go a step further and plan out two weeks of family dinners so you don’t have to decide each day what’s for dinner during those busy first weeks of school. And you’ll end up with a treasure chest of ideas for the future when 5 o’clock rolls around and you haven’t a clue what to make.


Day 7 – Decide what you’ll do with schoolwork and art
Otherwise, you might end up with huge bins of papers and art projects that you couldn’t bring yourself to throw out the day they came home. Some ideas: keep one piece of art or school item for each child each week, use one container for the year and limit what you save to what fits in the container, display new art as it comes home in easy-to-use frames or with clips.

Mealtime with Toddlers

Mealtime is a common source of stress for parents as toddlers can be quite fussy—and messy—eaters, but mealtime is the perfect opportunity to teach young children two major personal and social skills: nutrition and table manners.

Mealtime, the latest board book in the Toddler Tools® series by Elizabeth Verdick, offers simple suggestions to engage little ones in a happy, healthy time at the table. Here are eight tips for parents and caregivers to set the stage to guide toddlers toward healthy eating and positive mealtime routines—and to make time shared around the table pleasant for all:

• Know your goals. Mealtime is an opportunity to teach young children two major life skills: nutrition and table manners. Both skills take time and practice. The table is a busy place, and it’s not always possible to focus on both skill sets at once. It’s more important for your child to grow and be healthy—so put the greater emphasis on eating nutritious foods. Keep the message simple and repeat it often: “We eat our fruits and veggies to grow up strong and healthy.”

• Set some rules. When your child is young, teach the “Always try one bite” rule. Encourage your child to take at least one bite of an unfamiliar or unwanted food, and then leave it at that. If your child doesn’t like the food, don’t force the issue. And don’t give up either—the very next time you get your child to try a bite of that same food, he might like it!

• Have reasonable expectations. Long family dinners with great food and conversation can be wonderful—but not always achievable. Making meals simple, kid-friendly, and healthy is plenty. As your child grows, mealtime will become a bit more manageable. Accept that, for now, chaos comes with the territory.

• Get your child involved in meal prep. Toddlers are naturally curious and full of energy. As you make a meal, let your child help with simple tasks—tearing lettuce for the salad or putting a spoon by each plate. Then make a big deal about how your child helped cook and set the table.

• Practice praising your child. Did she taste a new food? Or remember to use a napkin? Or get through a whole meal without spilling her drink? Notice each small triumph and remember to say, “Good job.”

• Create rituals and routines. Have children wash their hands before coming to the table. You can also use mealtime to teach simple manners like “Please,” “Thank you,” and “May I be excused?” Depending on what works for you, you might signal that mealtime is a special time by lighting a candle, saying grace, or briefly holding hands at the table. You might even encourage your child to “Kiss the cook.”

• Give your child some undivided attention. One way to get toddlers to enjoy meals and sit still for an extended period of time is to give them your full attention. Ask them questions. Listen intently to their answers. When you make the table a nurturing place, your child will come to appreciate mealtime as a special time together.

• Keep it short. Toddlers tend to eat and run—literally. At this age, they’re wiggly and active and may not be able to sit at the table for long. Instead of making your child stay until everyone has finished, let him get up and play so the rest of you can linger. Just make sure he clears his plate first.

Tips from Mealtime by Elizabeth Verdick, illustrated by Marieka Heinlen, www.freespirit.com
www.tbparenting.com

Are they ready?

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow up?

Written by Ellie Hirsch, founder of Mommy Masters™

My son asked me a really good question the day which made me smile but also made me think.  He said, “Mommy…what are you going to be when you grow up”?  I was sort of baffled because as a grown-up, we are supposed to know already, right?  Well it seems in my case, I am just figuring that out.  His inquiry really made me think about who I am, who I want to be and how I am going to get there! 

Stay-at-home mom has been my title for the last few years when I decided to say goodbye to the work force, for various reasons.  The ironic part of staying home is that it took a resignation from my job to figure out what I really wanted to be when I grew up.  Since having my two boys, I have never felt so inspired to do all the things I ever wanted to do…and do well.  So far, motherhood has been my best and most rewarding job, and has inspired me to start my business, Mommy Masters™.  This article is not just about me though, but about you and what your goals and dreams are.  Have you reached them yet?  If not, how are you going to get there?  What inspires you and gives you the confidence to do what you love? All of these questions are important ones that can help you decide what you want to do with your life.  Why are little kids the only ones who get to answer the “what do you want to be” question?  You are never too old to follow your dreams and make a change!  Who says we ever have to really grow up anyway?  J   

Mommy Masters is about becoming a better woman, which will allow you to be a better mom, wife and friend.  Whether it’s a super-hero, children’s song writer, mommy blogger, nurse, chef or lawyer…ask yourself…what do you want to be when you grow up?  Mommy Masters and Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine would love to hear success stories of women who got inspired, changed their path and are now living their dream. 

Thanks for reading and I invite you to check out the Mommy Masters blog and Facebook fan page.  I am working hard on bringing you my children’s songs and can’t wait to share my dream with you!

www.mommymasters.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/mommymasters
@Mommymasters on Twitter

What Can One Person Do?

Activist Reveals How One Act of Community Service Can Spark Thousands More

Don’t tell Lisa Sellman that one person can’t make a difference. She knows better.

Sellman, a community activist and lifelong volunteer, recently learned how one act of kindness can set off a chain reaction that can span the globe.

“It just started out with me asking a regional pet food company for a donation of dog food for Red Lake Rosie’s in Minnesota,” said Sellman, a professional dog trainer and owner of a pet care business. “I called Solid Gold Northland, and one of the marketing managers there advised me that they were trying to increase the number of people who ‘liked’ them on Facebook, and that if I could get 40 new Facebook members to click on their ‘like’ button, they’d give me $200 worth of pet food.”

So Sellman, who currently volunteers for six different community groups, sent a message out to all her Facebook friends inviting them to Solid Gold Northland’s fan page on Facebook. Somehow, the invite made it to the Facebook page of The Patrick Miracle, a page devoted to the story of a two year old pitbull found by a janitor in a dumpster. Their Facebook page has charted over 109,000 “like” clicks from users. When the founders of the page posted Sellman’s invite, Solid Gold Northland received more than 2,000 new fans from all over the world in the course of about 48 hours.

“When I contacted them the next week, they were blown away by how quickly the response took off,” said Sellman, also author of the children’s book The Legend of the Wolves of Gunflint Lake, www.dreamcatcherpress.us, which contains the theme of the value of community service and which she hopes will serve to inspire others. “As a result of the combined outreach, Solid Gold Northland and Chuck and Don’s Pet Food Outlet have committed a donation of $2,000 worth of pet food, and I’ve helped to forge new friends from other countries who all care about the same things I care about. And it all started with a simple posting on Facebook because I wanted to help a local animal shelter. It’s been magical.”

Sellman’s simple act was a drop in the bucket compared to her schedule of volunteer activities. She works as an after school care volunteer at the Minneapolis Indian Center, a special events assistant at the Loft Literary Center, a volunteer marketing director for canine events at the Gunflint Lodge (the real location contained in her children’s book), and a trail staff assistant with Wilderness Inquiry, where she and her husband take disabled children and adults on outdoor adventures throughout the US.  They’ve been volunteers with this organization since 1997.

“Although I work hard, I love being able to serve my community.” Sellman said.  “The people in all the organizations I’m involved with, all share my values and my world view and they are my friends and my family. The people and the activities fill up my life with fun, joy and a purpose I could never have achieved any other way. It doesn’t mean that I think everyone should take the same path that I have. I know most people don’t have the time. My point is this: it only takes one simple act, one click of a mouse button to start a movement. It happened to me and it can happen to you. All you need to do is give it a shot.”

Texting is not just for Kids

Texting is not just for kids anymore as more and more parents are climbing out of the dark ages and embracing the communication method of the future. This ‘new generation’ of texters may pride themselves on finally catching up to the 21st century, but they still have a lot to learn before their texting forefathers (i.e. their kids) will fully accept them into their texting community.
Below are a few helpful tips from Predicto Mobile (www.predicto.com), the leading online and text message based survey company, for parents looking to successfully integrate into the texting community:

1. Learn the lingo: There are pre-established acronyms like LOL, TTYL and BRB. Not every sentence is meant to be written using only the first letter of every word.
2. Don’t invade their tech space: Don't text your kids until they text you, otherwise your kids will think you’re a poseur
3. Use but don't abuse: Don’t be the next of victim of text addiction. 
4. Make it all inclusive: Make sure you have an all inclusive rate plan so you aren’t like “OMG” when your cell phone bill arrives 
5. Just Say No: “Sexting” is inappropriate at any age
6. Don't text and drive:  Texting accidents are becoming increasingly common. Recent studies have shown that drivers who text are four times as likely to crash.

“Texting is an appealing way for parents to reach their kids while simultaneously boosting their “coolness” factor,” says Eyal Yechazkell, CEO of Predicto Mobile. “But parents also need to be careful they don’t over do it. Kids are pretty astute and can sense when their parents are trying too hard.” 

www.tbparenting.com

July issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine

Movies and Fast Food: A Bad Deal for Kids

In Sex and violence, Consumerism by Liz Perle

Nothing says "summer" like a good fast food tie-in. Among my favorites? The first Transformers movie, which was rated PG-13 but lent its brand to Happy Meal toys aimed at kids 4-9. Too bad the adult meal didn't come with a person to explain why the movie was a non-starter for kids that age.

Age-inappropriate targeting -- arguably begun in 1992 when McDonald's got scolded for pushing toys to kids for Batman Returns (rated PG-13 for violence) -- has become a time-honored practice. This summer, Burger King is promoting the PG-13 Transformers: Dark of the Moon by giving away Transformers toys with a BK Kids Meal. Subway is shilling Green Lantern.

Does this stuff work? Take one look at our country's childhood obesity numbers, and you'll be convinced.

According to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled "Children, Adolescents, Obesity and the Media," ads for junk food and fast food increase kids' desire for these foods. And what's a great way for your fast food message to reach kids? When it's wrapped up in an ad for the latest movie. [Read the AAP's Policy Statement.]

At Common Sense, we believe in age-appropriate entertainment. So why do these companies get away with marketing violent movies and fast food to little kids?

One way to combat the messages is to assert your views loud and clear. Start a conversation with your kids about the way that food is marketed and the tricks advertisers use to make it look appetizing. Get more pointers for keeping junk food advertising off your kid's plate.