Πέμπτη 27 Οκτωβρίου 2011

Της ματαιοδοξίας (μου) το παραλήρημα!!!

Για το επόμενο πάρτυ γενεθλίων των κοριτσιών μου (ναι αυτό που θα γίνει το 2012) έχω επιλέξει θέμα Super Heroes! 'Οχι όμως οι κλασικοί - Superman/ Batman/ Spiderman και λοιποί.

Το όλο concept θα έχει να κάνει πως όλοι μας είμαστε υπερήρωες one way or another. Περισσότερα θα σας πώ πιο κοντά στο πάρτυ - να μή προδώσουμε και όλα μας τα μυστικά απο τώρα :-)   

Τέλος πάντων, σχετικά πρόσφατα γράφτηκα στο blog www.partycraftsecrets.blogspot.com

Η Linda, της οποίας είναι το blog έστειλε το παρακάτω μύνημα:

As promised, to say 'thank you' for supporting my new crafty venture (by subscribing in September) you can take your pick of our nine different themed-party printpaper packages and I'll give it to you free- Hooray!

Send me a return email with the party theme you'd like, and I'll get it out to you asap
 

Εννοείται πως της απάντησα πως θα ήθελα a super hero theme!

Μετά απο 5 προσπάθειες (η αλήθεια είναι πως της άλλαξα λίγο τα φώτα) το βρήκαμε!!!

Μια γέυση του super hero theme printpaper μπορείτε να πάρετε εδώ:


Αλλά το πιο ωραίο  - για μένα το παραδέχομαι - είναι το κείμενο που έγραψε στο blog της για το θέμα μας και για εμένα (με μεγάλα γράμματα σας κάνω point out αυτά που με αφορούν - καλό ψώνιο είμαι το παραδέχομαι):

Super Hero Printpaper Package

It’s no secret that all parents have a touch of the super-hero about them; stamina is the super-power that springs to mind most, followed, for some parents, by super-patience, and of course unending sources of infinite love.  If given the opportunity to pick some super-powers I suspect many dad’s would select super-strength, mind-reading and maybe xray vision.  Mums on the other hand wouldn’t turn down the ability to teleport at will, invisibility could come in handy, and hypnotising children to sleep would be high on my covet-list.  The ability to zoom through the air, cape or no cape, would also have to be a favourite dream of mine, it has no particular parenting benefits, but I’ve always wanted to fly...

Which brings me to mini-masked avengers and the latest party-theme printpaper package...  All the wonderful people who subscribed in the first weeks of Partycraft Secret’s unveiling were given the choice of a free printpaper package.  One mum, Despina from Greece, replied “I would like a super hero party theme.”  Well, until then I didn’t have a super-hero theme... but after two weeks and three or four different versions, with requests for less eco-warrior and more cartoon-kapows and masked kids flying about in capes, Despina and I came up with a printpaper package we both love

The last email she sent through announced; “Perfect!!!!  I am very very happy to say that I have NO further comments !!!!! Thank you so much for creating a tailor-made party for my girls!”

Despina’s two lucky daughters will be having one ‘super’ party early next year, so keep an eye out for some fun photos of what crafty things they might come up with... until then; fly cross to the PartycraftSecrets’ website and see some more images from the Super Hero party printables!

Lastly, I want to say "hello!" to everyone who's reading this in Greece, and extend a BIG thank you to Despina; the process of co-designing the package was more fun than I expected, she was honest, inventive, patient and... a real super hero Mum.  x


Χι Χι - καλό ε? το direct link είναι το παρακάτω:



Α, και το τελευτάιο... και η αφεντομουτσουνάρα μου εμφανίζεται as well!!!



Να πώ και εγώ ενα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ στη Linda - πραγματικά την "έπρηξα" την κοπέλα!!! 


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Τρίτη 25 Οκτωβρίου 2011

If You're a Parent, You Can Raise Optimistic Kids with These 5 Tips - Guest Post

Optimistic Kids are Confident Children

Would you like to raise an optimistic child? My guest blogger, Elaine Hirsch, studied the research and is here to share her findings. Let's see what she has to say.

All most parents want is for their children to be happy. Often, parents overlook some of the more fundamental steps they can take to ensure the happiness of their children. Many will focus too much on ensuring their children are "successful" in life: making sure they work hard at school, stay out of trouble, and eat and exercise properly.

These are all important steps to take when raising a child, but more critical is the need for parents to ensure the appropriate psychological conditioning of their children: building their self-confidence and resiliency in the face of whatever unexpected disappointments might come their way.

This way, parents ensure children have the right tools to fend for themselves and be happy, regardless of various chance circumstances in their lives.

A building body of evidence tells us that chief among the best ways of breeding these qualities in our children is to help them become optimists. Researchers have identified the evidence of resilience and self-confidence that come from raising optimistic children, and you don't need to earn a PHD online to put their findings into practice.

Here are a few tips to help promote the growth of positive, resilient, optimistic children:

1. Maintain a positive relationship with your child.

Research shows this can be one of the most important factors in the happiness of a developing child or teenager. If their parental relationships are filled with negativity, they will have a hard time keeping this out of the rest of their lives.

2. Help them learn to deal with success.
Guide children in experiencing success by giving them credit, helping them appreciate success, and helping them seek future successes. Remember, though, if you praise everything your child does, praise will quickly lose its effect. Make sure you give praise where praise is due without going over the top.

3. Avoid Negativity.

Though it's important to discourage unwanted behaviors in your children, work on finding ways to correct them positively. Suggest ways to improve their behavior rather tell them repeatedly that it's wrong. Most importantly, never put negative labels on your children when they've done something wrong. Don't label them as good or bad, but define their behaviors (or better yet the outcomes of their behaviors) as bad.

4. Help them find the bright side of everything.

Whenever they fail or have difficulty facing a task, make sure you help them see the positive aspects of the situation. Emphasize the fact that you learn the most when you face failure, and that it's not whether or not you fail that's important in many cases. Show them there is a silver lining to every cloud, and that every new situation should be approached with a positive outlook, regardless of the circumstances.

5. Be a good example.

This is the most important tip of all. Children look to their parents not just for validation, but for direct examples of how to behave, feel, and react to certain situations. If you face situations with optimism and positivity, so will your children.

These are just some of the ways that you can help your children grow to be optimists. In many ways, a good attitude with which to face all the negativity in the world can be the best gift you have to offer them.



Πηγή: http://www.parentingskillsblog.com

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Parenting: 10 Solutions When Siblings Fight That Build Character! - Guest Post

Πηγή: http://www.parentingskillsblog.com

 

Parenting: 10 Solutions When Siblings Fight That Build Character!

Parenting is tough when siblings fight, Babysitters Blog, gives us 10 solutions you might like.

Bog Siblings Fighting

10 Solutions to Constantly Fighting Siblings

Sibling rivalry has been around since the beginning of time, literally. It can stem from jealousy or even just age difference. It is our responsibility as adults to help kids work through their differences, in a calm and respectful manner. Listed below are ten solutions to constantly fighting siblings.

1. Don’t Take Sides. If a child notices an adult taking sides or favoring their sibling, they may start to resent both parties. Remember to be impartial, and look at both sides of the situation.

2. Cooperation. Have the kids do activities that require them to work together, rather than against each other. Focus on cooperative games and not competitive ones.

3. No Whining. Coach the children, and teach them to use a normal tone of voice when asking for something. If they start to whine, even when talking to a sibling, have them start over and ask again. They are much more likely to share with the other sibling, if their tone of voice is not shrieking or demanding.

4. Alone Time. Make sure that each child has an adequate amount of time that they get to spend by themselves. Having a younger sibling that always tags along can get irritating, so make sure that you attempt to provide them time on their own too.

5. One-on–One Time. Not only do kids need to have time to themselves, they also need some one-on-one time with their parents and caregivers. Make sure that you are giving each child some undivided attention on a regular basis.  

6. Negotiate. Negotiating is a valuable skill that will come in handy later in life. Work with the children to learn to share their toys. During the negotiations, have them each express how they feel. This will help the other to see both sides.

7. Hold Them Accountable. Avoid letting the “he started it” to set in, and help them to see that it takes two to have an argument. Show them how their actions are not improving the situation.  

8. Get Them Involved. Start a dialog to help the children see the other
person’s point of view. Ask them what they would have done, ask them if what they did was right and ask them how it should have been done differently.

9. Role Play. Once they have figured out how the problem should have been handled, have them act it out. After practicing the right way to handle a situation, they will be better equipped if it comes up again.

10. Set a Better Example. Take some time to think of how you react to stressful situations. Do you fly off the handle and yell or throw things? If so, how can you expect the children to behave differently? We need to be good role models for kids, and lead by example.

The fact is, siblings will not always get along, and it is the job of their caregivers to help ease them through conflicts. Keep a calm head. Try some of the techniques above, and you will be well on your way to teaching them great conflict resolution skills.


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Τρίτη 18 Οκτωβρίου 2011

Quote of the Day

“You can only be young once, but you can always be immature.” 
  Dave Barry

Traits of a confident mom - Guest post


Traits of a Confident Mum

Have you ever met one of those moms who seems like they have it all together, isn't questioning her every move or decision and knows what's for dinner?

She is often the mom who's children aren't embarrassing her at the grocery store (well, at least most of the time!) she is wearing jeans and a t-shirt when she drops her children off at preschool rather than sweats and last night's dinner on her t-shirt and has a positive outlook, rather than a hopeless frustration.

Is she unrealistic?

I don't think so; in fact I know she is a reality for every mom out there! You can awaken the "Confident Mom" inside you too.

Let me share with you just a few traits that I feel are in every mom and sometimes they just need to be brought out and nurtured.  Precisely what I try to accomplish when I work with moms, either individually or in my group courses

She exhibits Confidence

This is a biggie - if you are always looking at "supermom" next door and wondering about your decisions, second guessing yourself and questioning your ability who do you think this affects.  You know what is right for you and your family, so it is up to you to do it and make the right decisions without continuing to doubt or question your ability. This does not mean you do not seek other's opinions at times or ask advice, but when you get set with a plan stick with it. Don't  act like a "wishy-washy" mom.

She displays Courage

Courage and confidence go hand-in-hand. When you feel confident in your decisions, it's not hard to muster up courage to explore new things. Whether you are struggling with a new parenting challenge, need to find support of other moms, or want to try a new exercise program, taking the first step is a very courageous move. This is how you continue to grow in your journey as a mom.  By not allowing yourself to get in a rut you will build new skills that will help your family but will probably be helpful to other moms in your circle.

She is Adaptable

Do you freak out when you get thrown a curve ball in your day? Or can you go with the flow and manage to change things fairly quickly to accommodate unseen circumstances? This has been a hard one for me to become more versed in, but I have made considerable progress! Being a mom means that you have to be willing to fit in with different situations, planned & most importantly unplanned! Change is constant and never ending, so by learning the best ways for you to "go with the flow" you will be blessing your family as well as helping to keep your stress level down.

She has a sense of Humor

Another really attractive trait that I've found in mom's who cope remarkably well is a sense of humor.  I have found that when I am struggling with a challenging parenting issue, sometimes I just have to use humor to deal with it, and wouldn't you know - it usually works to get my kids to behave or cooperate. I think it is because they are often caught off guard and then find the fun in seeing mom having fun. Why wouldn't they want to cooperate? So laugh - with and without your children - a little each day - it really does make a difference.

She takes care of Herself

The fact remains, if you are not taking care of yourself and filling yourself up - who will? It is certainly not your kids who have that responsibility and not your husbands. It ultimately is yours alone.  You cannot help anyone if you are out of breath! So find simple pleasures that will help boost your energy throughout the day. It doesn't have to be the big elaborate day at the spa (although that works!) but how about a cup of tea and sitting down for 10 minutes, or lighting a candle in your kitchen while you prepare dinner, or taking a shower BEFORE your kids start running you ragged and you cannot find a minute to break away to do it later. Be proactive and create a space to nurture yourself so you can be the best you can be for you and your family.

Which trait is one you need to focus on building?


Εγώ πάντως το τελευταίο!

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10 ways to check your babysitter - Guest post

Χρήσιμο άρθρο για το πώς να τσεκάρουμε τη babysitter μας, απο το http://www.babysitters.net/blog

10 ways to check your sitter

Virtually every parent has to face the prospect of leaving their children in the care of a baby sitter. It’s not an easy thing to do. How do you know you’ve chosen the right sitter? How can you monitor the situation? Here are 10 ways that you can monitor your sitter, and have some idea about what goes on in your home when you’re not there.
  1. I Forgot. The baby sitter has arrived and been filled in on all the necessities, and the kids are settled in for evening routine. You leave for the evening, drive around the neighborhood for 15 minutes or so, and then back home. This gives you opportunity to walk in unexpected and see how things are going, under the guise of having forgotten your bowling socks or some other important item.
  2. Home Early. This is just another way to arrive unexpectedly and see what goes on in your absence. Most sitters will not complain about ending the evening early, but you should expect to pay the same, as you would have, had you stayed out until the agreed upon time.
  3. Neighborhood Watch. If you have one or more trusted neighbors, you can ask them to keep an eye on your house and driveway. Give them your cell phone number and ask them to call you and report any unusual or unexpected activity.
  4. Neighborly Visit. You can ask a trusted neighbor couple to drop in while you’re away, to see what is going on in your home. Mention to the sitter before you leave that this couple sometimes stops by.
  5. Repeated Phone Calls. You can call the house phone, if you still have one, to ask for updates throughout the evening. This one is not particularly convenient for either you or the sitter.
  6. Camera Recording. You can set up camera and recorder monitoring systems in key locations around the house. This can be expensive, and some states are studying legislation to ban video recording without the subject’s knowledge, but for the moment, it is your right, because it is your house. One drawback is that you have to sit down and watch it afterward if you want to know what happened while you were out.
  7. Webcam and Smart Phone. Another way to use cameras to monitor activity in your absence. With current smart phone technology, you can choose to take a look in real time and see what is happening in your home.
  8. Nonexistent Cameras. You could lie, and tell the sitter that there are cameras monitoring activity in the home. This isn’t monitoring in the strictest sense of the word, but may be effective as a preventive measure.
  9. Baby Stroller Bumper Stickers. Have you ever seen a vehicle with a sticker on the back that says: “How’s My Driving?” with a toll free phone number? If you have a sitter who takes the baby outside your home in a stroller, you have a similar option. Several companies are selling stickers or plates for strollers, each with a web site address listed for reporting positive or negative babysitter behavior.
  10. Multiple Combinations. If you are very worried about your babysitter situation, you can combine two or more of the above methods, to assure that all goes well.
Whatever method or methods that you use for monitoring, it is suggested that you limit the monitoring to the first time with a new sitter, and only occasionally after that. The idea is to assure that you’ve hired the right person, so that you can come to trust them and have a good time while you’re out.



OK, το νούμερο 9 είναι λίγο βλακεία αλλα όλα τα αλλα τα βρίσκω αρκετά χρήσιμα.

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Memo to the Mommy - Guest post

Σας παραθέτω αυτό το πολύ ωραίο post που είδα στο:

 

Memo to the Mommy

18 Oct

I came across this pin on Pinterest, it looks like it’s a scanned in page from a magazine ‘Parents’ from Sept 2008. I did like the ‘memo’ and so thought I’d use the words for my post today.

“You have a lot of lessons to teach your little one, but she has a few words of wisdom for you too.”

1.) Stop freaking out about the mess. There’s always time to clean, but how often to we get to make mud pies?


2.) Love me, even when I’m naughty. I’ll only be this age once.


3.) Be patient, I do everything for a reason, but I don’t know enough words yet to give you an explanation.


4.) Let me do it. I know you can do it faster and better, but sometimes experience is the best teacher.

5.) Don’t expect too much of me. I want to do all that you ask and make you happy, but I’m still little.

6.) Keep your promises. It’s all about trust. When I’m a teenager, you’ll understand why it’s so important.

7.) Don’t try to reason with me when I’m having a tantrum. Trust me – I can’t hear you over my own screaming.

8.) Don’t let me think that you’re perfect. I’ll feel a lot better knowing I’m not the only one making mistakes sometimes.


9) Set limits, I can’t actually eat a whole box of cookies – I just want to see if I’d get away with it.


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