Summer Tips For Kids At Home

Are your kids staying at home for the summer? Once your children get to a certain age, you can't really enroll them into an expensive daycare. There comes a point in every parent's life where they must learn to trust their children to stay at home alone. That time usually comes when there is a summer break for the kids but you have to go to work everyday. Here are some tips for parents to keep their children at home entertained and safe.

Chores

Some children do best where there is a structure. Summer gives many children a bunch of free time that they are not used to. Keep them busy with at least one chore to do every day, or at least every other day. Tell them to vacuum the carpet or dust the family room. Have a weekly inspection of their room at the end of the week. If you come home to a clean house, you can reward them with a treat or a little extra something that will make them happy. You can make a list for your child to do throughout the week and have them check it off at the end. There are endless possibilities to keep your child busy and to help keep the home clean for when you come home.

Art Projects

Many children get bored because they have nothing interesting to do at home when they are alone. Kids can't go out and buy the things that will keep them happy and stimulated. Do something to keep them entertained. Provide them with whatever they need to stay out of trouble for the summer. Buy them pencils and a sketch pad. If you know that your teen is well behaved and clean, buy them paints. You will be surprised with that your children can do with a little encouragement and the right tools.

Safety

Staying home alone for the summer isn't without any danger. Strangers can come up to the home and knock on the door while you are gone. Teach your children not to answer the door for any stranger, and not to make any sign that they might be inside. It is also wise to tell your children not to go outside at all unless you are home to supervise them. It might seem a bit restrictive to now allow them in the backyard, but it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your kids.

If you have home security systems from companies like Smith Monitoring, your child can have access to a panic button. This way, if someone strange is at the door and isn't going away, your child can easily press the panic button on your home alarm. Of course, make sure your children know their address and how to call 9-1-1. Have a designated safe spot in the house for your child to go to in case of a burglar entering the home. A good place is a closet that has a lot of stuff in it for them to hide among.

About the Author: Andrea is a writer, blogger, and artist. Check out her blogs to read up on all things pets, family, and the home.

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It’s Never Too Late to Learn

When Macky sees someone playing musical instruments, I know deep inside he wished he also knows how to at least strum even a few chords of the guitar. I remember that his father mentioned about Macky’s interest in joining a summer guitar lesson but that when I talked to him about it, he said that he changed his mind.

So instead of forcing him to do the guitar lesson, we suggested that he do self – study and learn by himself. His Tito has an old guitar at home and he can use it anytime he wants. He can download excellent Toontrack and guitar lessons tutorial on Youtube.

I hope that this coming summer, Macky will eventually decide to give it this guitar lesson a shot. Anyway, it’s never too late to learn because Macky is still young.

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Investment and Music

Some kids even at a tender age are trained to love the beauty of music. Parents even go to the point where they need to invest heavily on musical instruments just to entice their sons and daughters to become experts someday in piano, violin, guitar and flute. It’s every parent’s wish to see their kids grow up and have their own recitals in front of a large crowd someday.

To make sure that they start right, a number of online stores that sell musical instruments encourage every parent to explore other items that help create a perfect music output for every rehearsal. Items such vestax turntables at Musicians Friend and amplifiers if chosen carefully help will produce nice resonance among orchestra instruments.

It’s very important to start everything right if you wish to invest your time and money by training your kid to become a musical virtuoso. Soon you’ll see a Wagner, Bach or even Debussy and it’s definitely something you’ll be very proud of as parents.

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Techie Bonding Moment

Kids these days have different ways of bonding. During our time, I remember playing in the streets with the kids in the neighborhood and bonding with my best buddies under the heat of the sun.

I am so amazed how technology affects the life of many people nowadays particularly the children. Kids would prefer to be left alone with their gadgets than play the usual games with kids their age. Bella and Macky is not exempted to that but we try to regulate their exposure to gadgets same goes with television. I also deemed it important for them to be aware of the current trend for them not be left out because whether we like it or not, we are already in the information age and the best way to face it is to accept and learn from it.

With that justification, let me share with you the candid shots I took on Bella and Macky’s techie bonding moment:

Bella playing on iPhone while Kuya Macky is listening to music from his phone.

23/365 A-Snap-A-Day

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Music Fest with Friends

With the hustle and bustle that the holiday brings, Macky is definitely busy coping up with the season’s festivities. I remember him going home at around three in the morning last Christmas eve because he was having a great time with his friends. When they are together they usually play computer games or play musical instruments. His friend got the best korg drum at Musicians Friend which they were all excited to play together with the electric guitar and other musical instruments available. They were kind of having a music fest when they all play the instruments together.

Macky is usually given the permission to hang out with his freinds especially this season but he is given strict instruction to go home on time.

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Let Your Kids Learn from Your Rewards

Rewards are said to be an effective motivational tool. This is often used by parents to motivate their children to do good in school and at home. Rewards may come in different forms. Sometimes, parents reward their children by cooking their favorite dessert. There are others parents who choose to bring their children for shopping. Other parents express their rewards in a form of a favor.

For example, allowing them play online games longer than their usual allowable time. All these form of rewards bring happiness to your kids. But deeper joy will be experienced by them if you include in your reward the element of surprise. Along with your promised rewards, you can surprise them with an education and collectible items like gold ounce. By doing this, you added value to their rewards and can recon about the country’s history as well. 

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Selecting Toys for your Toddlers

Parents love their little ones and they always shower them with a lot of affection and care. They bond and spend ample time with them every day in spite of their hectic schedule. One of the activities that toddlers like to do is playing with their toys. Colorful and moving objects are usually very appealing to them. Toys play a crucial role in a child’s development that is why parents should choose them carefully and wisely. There are various things that moms and dads have to keep in mind when buying baby toys for playtime.

First, they should always make sure that they can enhance their little one’s problem-solving, creativity, motor and language skills. Pick interesting and educational toys that are appropriate for their age. They also have to check the fabric of the stuffed animals and dolls that they want to purchase. They should be washable and flame resistant. Some babies want to cuddle their plush toys on their beds so they should be washed often to make certain that they are clean and to thwart diseases like flu from spreading. Parents should also look for toys that will encourage their toddlers to be physically active.

Nowadays, most parents are on the go. They have to juggle home and work so they would rather purchase stuffs for their family like toys online than to go to brick-and-mortar stores. Many parents opt for online shopping because it is hassle-free. You don’t have to call the sales associate to ask about the product and you can avoid long queues in cashier stations as well as in parking areas. Online stores are available 24/7, so you can place your order anytime you want at the comfort of your own home. You cannot just save time but also money since they give discounts and offers to their customers. Prices and products are also very easy to check and compare. But before doing a transaction on the Internet, make sure that your chosen online store has a good reputation and they should also value privacy.

Selecting toys for your toddlers is one of the many exciting things a parent can do aside from the usual bonding activities at home. It is very liberating because aside from shopping we also get to educate ourselves more on the new things that would make our little ones happy.

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6 Guidelines for Safe Toys

When you think of toys for your young children (under 5), probably one of the last things you think about is them being harmful. But sadly, a 2009 statistic shows over 200,000 toy related injuries in U.S. emergency rooms. So obviously we need to be more aware of the dangers of toys to our children. Here are a few guidelines for how to pick out safe and fun toys.

1. Developmental Age: Just because a toy falls under the age range of your child does not mean that your child is ready for that particular toy. Every once in awhile I will catch my 3 year old attempting to put small objects in his mouth. So we do not buy toys that have small pieces as of yet. If you know that a toy is just going to get your child in trouble (launching toys) then maybe hold off till you think they are mature enough to handle them safely.

2. Large Scale: Usually around the 3 year old range (not in my case, re-read number 1) children lose the desire to put things in their mouth. Until then buy toys that have larger pieces or that are just a solid piece (trucks, trains, dolls). You can use the toilet paper roll test to see if a toy is large enough. Try to fit the questionable item through a toilet paper roll, if it doesn't fit, it is probably safe for your little one.

3. Hercules: Make sure that the toy isn't too heavy. You don't want your child straining to lift or the toy falling on top of them.

4. Made Well: Make sure that the product is made well. If it is a stuffed animal, make sure the limbs, tail, buttons, ribbon are all sewn on properly and tightly, it is better to not get a toy with buttons or ribbons to be honest. Also, check the edges and paint make sure there is no peeling or sharp corners.

5. Cords and Strings: These can be tricky, since one year model of a toy, lets say a phone, can have a longer cord than an updated version of the same phone. Be mindful of hand-me-downs and garage sale items.

6. Toxic Toys: Even though a toy might fit the above guidelines there are still other dangers that a toy can pose to your child. It is the one I do not like to think about, toxic chemicals. I am not "that mom" that goes overboard on childcare issues, but this one is definitely worth you double checking. There are all sorts of chemicals found in all sorts of toys. You can go to Healthystuff.org and review their full data base of toys.

Toys are great, don't get me wrong. Heck, my kids have rooms full, we don't just make them play with fruit and vegetables. But, when selecting toys it is good to have these guidelines to go by. You will feel much better knowing you are providing the safest play possible and your kid will feel better not being in the emergency room.

Larah Shelton is a blogger for Smith Monitoring, a leader in the Houston home alarm industry. She enjoys spending time with her family, shopping and eating dessert.

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How to Build a Go-Kart for Your Kids

Building a go-kart for your kids gives you quality time to spend together as a family. Not only will you be providing them with a fun, thrilling speed machine that they can drive around on their own, but by allowing them to help with the project, they will feel as though they were truly a part of something special. Building a go-kart can take anywhere from a day to a few weeks, depending on the features that you are installing, overall look of the go-kart that you are going for and your knowledge of construction, building and mechanics. These steps will have your kids cruising down the road in no time.

Gathering Materials

Before you can start building a go-kart for your kids, you must first gather the necessary materials that will be needed. To build your run of the mill go-kart, you will need a welder, petrol tank, brake pedal, throttle, seat, drive shaft, bearings, steering shaft, steering wheel, engine, seat, four wheels, bolts, washers, plywood, metal, square tubing, a thick steel plate and a round steel barstock. Many of these materials can be found at your local hardware store or can be purchased online with ease. Some retailers may also sell go-kart kits that come ready with everything that you need to build the vehicle plus step-by-step instructions.

Metal and Tubing Cutting

Create a design for the go-kart that you are building or obtain a pre-made plan online. You will then need to cut your metal tubing according to the design plan and carefully weld it all together. A small welder can be used to achieve good results. If you are not familiar with welding, consider hiring a professional for this stage. A range of companies that offer metal fabrication in Brisbane can be found with a quick Google Search.

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Playing Online Games on Weekends

I have been actively blogging since the year 2010 so I am practically facing the computer most of the time but I was never interested to even try any famous online games. Most of my friends are going crazy over Candy Crush asking and giving lives here and there. Reading their Facebook walls flooded with their status about Candy Crush made me smile for I am happy that they are enjoying, but I can never really see myself playing it. Call me killjoy or corny, but I could not imagine spending so much time playing online games. No offense meant to those who love online games but I actually think it is a waste of time for me. I would rather update my blogs or visit other blogs than play.

Here comes my nephew Macky who is my total opposite. I know that if he would have to choose between studying and playing online games particularly DOTA, he would definitely choose the latter. We have actually set a playing schedule for Macky and that's every weekend but he asked to at least have an hour with DOTA after class every Friday before going home. Every Saturday if he doesn’t have a review at school or basketball practice, expect Kuya Macky to be in his favorite internet cafe with his friends playing DOTA. His day would usually starts at around 10AM and just right after eating breakfast and preparing himself, he is on his way to play.

Although my mom and I have allowed Macky to play online games during weekends, I am just not sure if his father have knowledge about this. This kind of activity is somehow expensive but we have tolerated it for Macky to have a bonding time with his friends and also for him not to get bored at home. Playing online games on weekends gives him a little freedom so we are supportive about it for we know he is happy about it. I just hope he appreciates it and values the trust we have given him.

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Attending His Classmate's Birthday Party

When I got home from the Ipanema Fashion Event that I have attended earlier this evening, my father told me that Macky is not home yet. When I checked the time, it was already haft past nine in the evening. I was about to ask Papa about Macky until I remembered that he asked permission last night to join the birthday party of his classmate.

The party will be held in an exclusive area and the kids who will be attending the party will be sent home via a private vehicle so I don't have anything to worry about. As of the writing of this post, Macky was sleeping soundly in my father's house. 

Note: This post was created and published using a mobile phone so pardon me if this is kinda short. This is actually the first ever post I made using the blogger app that I have learned from Betchai.  Thank you very much Betchai! :)

P.S. Edited this post using the laptop.

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