Parenting | Page 8 of 34

Here’s to the #HealthyDad and those doing something about it #AD

Thanks to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia who sponsored the campaign and including dads in this important discussion about family health care. My views are based solely on my experience as a parent and patient-not as a medical professional. I am a mesomorph, therefore I am. Nutrition and diet may not be an interesting read to a 15 year old, but put the emerging star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the author and I was hooked.

Continue reading Here’s to the #HealthyDad and those doing something about it #AD

Life lessons from the doughnut isle at Publix

I’ve learned that brothers manipulate each other like they are in sales. If one of them wants something all they have to do is feign not being interested in it and the other one will back off. This rule holds true unless it’s something that has an attraction so undeniably strong that neither one can fake it. Enter the doughnuts. Sometimes I let the kids get a bag of powdered doughnuts. It was on one such occasion that I was reminded of some life lessons that parents might forget.

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Figure it out I’m on the toilet

I said with all the guttural force I could muster. My pants were around my ankles and I had just sat down on the toilet before running errands with a three and five year old. They were in the other room playing for a moment so I figured I had two minutes to spare. The phone rings. I get up, pants around my ankles to see who it is and I don’t recognize the phone number, so of course I answer it.

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Taking the kids out for a pre-school picnic with @FritoLay #Ad

This is sponsored by Frito-Lay, all opinions are my own. Those parents with pre-school children have a two week delay before mother’s morning out or pre-K starts. We’re choosing to take this as a blessing because it allows more time with our two small children who will never be this size again. On this day we packed up loads of Frito-Lay snacks and went park hopping. On the docket today is a new park and an established one that we visit regularly.

Continue reading Taking the kids out for a pre-school picnic with @FritoLay #Ad

Parenting, family, pets and the 100 shades of green

Every morning when the kids get downstairs it’s the same ritual. Our youngest sits to my left and his older brother sits directly across from him. He’ll talk about how he had “a good sleep” and ask about what we’re doing tomorrow-at which point I’ll remind him that we have lots of fun stuff to do today. While all of this is happening, Abby, our 14 year-old flat coat retriever has already set up camp under our youngest’s chair. He’s just the right height to massage her with his bare feet and if anyone at the table is going to drop something edible it’s going to be him. It was also at this point that I realized that this is one of those moments, specifically those periods of time.

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7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens-updated for today’s teens

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is something I could have used as a kid. There was very little direction in my house and I just drifted from class to class in high school. If you pictured my life as The Breakfast Club, I was Brian. The difference was, while he got too much direction and pressure from his parents, I didn’t get enough. It doesn’t sound that bad – but it wreaks havoc with your confidence.

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Because ads or lack thereof, matter. Bing in the Classroom

One time our oldest was watching videos online when I heard incredibly bad language coming from the computer. An ad had led him to a video that they thought was similar to what he was looking for. In reality it was a profane laced cartoon that satirized programming that was meant for children. Even before that happened I used Bing at home search for things. Bing in the Classroom is in the same vein, an ongoing program to help kids use technology-in an ad-free, safe environment. Continue reading Because ads or lack thereof, matter. Bing in the Classroom

iRules-detailed tips for parents on technology and children

Daddy Mojo works in social media, I work in technology and I’m also very nosey when it comes to our children – so I haven’t been very concerned with the iDevice revolution. I have a device and so does my husband, so to protect our children all we have to do is secure the connection in our house, right? Wrong. iRules discusses different elements of incorporating technology into your family – from the devices themselves to the rules and developing technologically responsible children.

Continue reading iRules-detailed tips for parents on technology and children