Spring Cleaning is Just Around the Corner
Although it may not seem like it, soon it will be time for your annual spring cleaning. With this deep freeze covering most of our country, spring may be more than a welcome respite from the ice and freezing temperatures we’ve had to endure. Well then, let’s get to it: It’s Time to Spring clean!
By now, your windows are probably frozen shut. Think of how wonderful you will feel to be able to open the windows and let in the fresh air! Ah, but before you do, you will need to wash your windows. But first you have to get in the mood, right? Okay, then. Grab your favorite 50’s CD, or how about a ? Do you feel the beat? You will be surprised how the music will put you in the cleaning mode.
After you’ve washed the windows, it‘s time to take down the drapes and dust those blinds. Are you in the groove? Okay, now take out your ; iron and put them up. You’re doing great! Now head on in to the kitchen and clean those shelves. If you’re really moving to the beat, you can wash and re-line them. Well done!
Now the exercise portion of this task is about to begin. Take out your vacuum. Put on the CD from Saturday Night Fever and walk the walk as you vacuum your home. Tony Manero has nothing on you! After lunch, the bathroom is next. Oh, you are half way home. Dusting and polishing is next on the agenda. Do some knee bends as you clean and polish the coffee table.
The big finish is next! With the Hustle playing in the background, your kids’ rooms need tidying up. As you exercise your way through their rooms, picking up toys; you are done!
Dance your way back to the kitchen and have a cup of iced tea. You deserve it. Spring cleaning never felt so good!
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Talk To Your Kids About Smoking
Working in the public education system, specifically in middle school, can be an eye-opener. At the tender age of 11 or 12, it becomes quite clear they are more sophisticated than we were at that age. In addition, some are prone to engage in behavior we would have thought unheard of at that age. Yet, among other things, it’s a fact that some of these 6th graders smoke. While hard to fathom, the question facing parents is: “How to you talk to your kids about smoking?”
While it is recommended that parents discuss smoking with their kids at age five or six, it is nonetheless hard to broach the subject. Certainly, if you are a parent who smokes, it will be harder to convince a child that it is unwise and dangerous for them to do so. After all, to them it may seem harmless. Moreover, children tend to mimic parents at an early age. So what do you say to these children? How do you convince them the very thing you want them to avoid is a habit they constantly witness on a daily basis? It is quite a conundrum.
If you do smoke, the first thing you need to do is quit. If you do not engage in this habit, you can sit your children down and explain to them the dangers of smoking. But it goes beyond just telling them, doesn’t it? As they mature, they will be immersed in a culture where peer pressure and acceptance become the catalyst which may override your efforts to keep them safe and out of harm’s way.
So what do you say? That smoking can kill; that it’s very habit forming; that it doesn’t matter what their friends do or say to provoke them, they should say no and walk away; that smoking is not a hip thing to do. Will they understand what you are trying to convey? Perhaps the answer is in repeatedly pointing out the dangers of smoking; that it is not a popular thing to do; point out people who smoke and make reference to how they look and smell.
While you cannot shield your child from all potential bad habits they will come across in their young lives, you can offer positive reinforcement on a daily basis by not engaging in any activity they may mimic, and being consistent in your efforts to dissuade them by any means you can. Books, videos and other tools can be used to teach children the hazards of smoking and other harmful toxins. Teach them to say no to their friends or peers. Tell them by saying no they are exhibiting strength of character, and how proud you are they have acted so grown up.
Easy St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
With St. Patrick’s Day almost upon us, it will soon be time to get out the decorations. Here are some easy St. Patrick’s Day crafts for your kids to enjoy.
1. Buy green and trace shamrocks from either a coloring book or a template online, and make a string of shamrocks to hang in your home.
2. You can’t celebrate the day without hats! You can easily make St. Patrick’s Day hats by using construction paper. While there are tons of templates available online, you can accomplish this task easily. Take two pieces of green construction paper and tape them together forming about a 14” long piece. Fold it into a circle and tape one side to the other. Take another piece of green construction paper to make the top of the hat by using a paper plate to trace a circle. Cut it out and use clear tape to attach it to the top of the hat.
Next, you’ll need to make the brim of the hat. Again, using green construction paper; cut out a larger circle and apply glue so that the hat will attach itself to the brim. Finally, you need the buckle to place just above the brim of the hat. For this you can use brown construction paper and cut a wide strip and glue or tape it to the hat.
In addition, you may want to assist your kids in making a rainbow . You can even make a pot of gold using yellow apples! Or how about the old standby; cupcakes with green icing, with a shamrock cookie on top!
There is no end to the many creative and imaginative ideas you can incorporate when engaging in a fun activity such as decorations for St. Patrick’s Day. Put on some , and have a great time!
