Parenting Archives - Look! We're Learning!

DIY Simple and Safe Distance Learning Station

September 29, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

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Like many families, our children are learning at home this school year – even our high schooler.

I’m thrilled to have her home with me again, but I’m also concerned about keeping her safe and focused on her schoolwork.

Have you been feeling the same way about your family this year?

Trust me, I get it.

We need to keep our kids healthy but we also need them to pay attention in class and keep up with their schoolwork as well as possible.

How to Set Up A Simple Distance Learning Station Safely

Since I’ve been working from home for years, I know it’s important to have a dedicated workspace. The same is true for our kids who are learning at home.

But, with four children in the family, we don’t have a lot of extra space in our home.

And, since our daughter needs to use materials provided by the school district, I was concerned about keeping the home free of any germs that might come in.

So I’m sharing a few tips to help you set up a simple and safe DIY distance learning schoolwork station this year! I hope these ideas help you make the most of your learning space for your kids too!

How to Set Up A Simple and Safe Distance Learning Station

When the school district announced all students would be learning virtually this year, my first concern was helping our sophomore adjust to taking her high school courses online.

Then I found out she would need to use a district-issued laptop, along with district-issued materials. Which is when I started to worry about picking up harmful germs too.

Simple Distance Learning Station for Kids

So I was immensely relieved to get my hands on Arm and Hammer™ Essentials™ Disinfecting Wipes.

These disinfecting wipes are available in two different scents: Lemon Orchard and Renewing Rain. And they’re ready to go right out of the package.

How to Sanitize A Distance Learning Station

The Arm and Hammer™ Disinfecting Wipes are thick, cushiony wipes that you can use on almost every hard surface in your house.

You can even use them to wipe down electronics, as long as you squeeze the excess moisture out first.

No more worries about that germy school laptop!

Simple and Safe DIY Distance Learning Spot for Kids

Even better, Arm and Hammer™ Essentials™ Disinfecting Wipes are 99.9% effective at killing viruses and bacteria, including human Coronavirus, MRSA, Strep, E.Coli, and Salmonella. And they manage to work that well cleaning without harsh chemicals.

Which was an enormous relief to me as a mom.

Setting Up and Cleaning A Distance Learning Station for Kids

We found a simple student desk that would fit in our daughter’s room and I wiped the entire thing down with Arm and Hammer™ Disinfecting Wipes.

I also wiped down the district materials and the laptop. Then it was time to add a few decorating touches.

Easy DIY Distance Learning Schoolwork Center for Kids

We printed a poster with an encouraging scripture for the wall and added a cute corkboard. She keeps thoughtful cards from her friends on it, along with her school year calendar.

Hopefully, those little spots of positivity will keep her going on school days that don’t go so well.

And we’re ready to go for the school year!

If you decide to set up a distance learning station in your home, I’d love to hear how it goes!

Want to learn more about Arm and Hammer™ Essentials™ Disinfecting Wipes? Check them out for yourself before you go!

Printable Screen Time Tickets for Kids

April 13, 2020 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

For many years, we resisted giving our kids personal devices. We had several reasons for doing so.

First, we have four children, so buying four devices would be a bit of a financial strain.

Second, we didn’t want to encourage them to run off into their rooms and spend time away from the other members of the family.

Most of all, though, we were concerned about the effect extended screen time could have on our children who are living with ADHD.

So it took us a while to agree to personal electronic devices.

Once we did, though, we immediately saw the need to set and enforce screen time limits, which is where these cute printable screen time tickets come in!

Simple Printable Screen Time Tickets for Kids

If you’re looking for a simple way to regulate screen time with kids, these printable tickets can help!

Read on to get a set for free!

And, for more ways to stay connected with kids at home, take a look at our printable Family Night Scavenger Hunt cards!

These simple screen time tickets for kids are an easy way to manage personal device time at home! Use them for classroom rewards too!

How to Print Screen Time Tickets for Kids

To use these printable screen time tickets, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Laminator (optional)
Scissors

After the time tickets are printed, you can cut them apart for use.

There are tickets for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes.

If you’re planning to laminate them, regular printer paper should be fine.

But if you don’t want to laminate the tickets, you might prefer to print them on cardstock so they’ll hold up to frequent use.

How to Use Printable Screen Time Tickets with Kids

Now that you have your printable screen time tickets, what do you do with them?

Well, it’s really up to you.

You can let kids have a set amount each day (say, 30 minutes) and then use the longer ticket times to reward them.

You might hand out 45 or 60 minute tickets for finishing schoolwork, doing their chores, or even showing a respectful attitude.

Or you could print them and keep them handy to hand out each day – after the day’s chores and schoolwork are done.

If you want to use these in the classroom, print several sets and let students “earn” them for finishing work early or helping their fellow students.

Scroll down to get your printable kids’ screen time tickets!

Take a look at these other activities and tips for kids and parents!

Pick up this free printable indoor scavenger hunt for a fun indoor play activity to share with the kids!

Make the most of time at home with these easy boredom busters for kids! Great for school breaks, summer vacation, and more!

To get your free printable screen time tickets, click the image or the link below to download them to your computer!

>>> Printable Screen Time Tickets <<<

20 Fun and Easy Indoor Activities for Kids

March 4, 2020 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When you’re at home with the kids, it’s easy for a day to just “get away” from you.

Especially if your children are fans of screen time.

But when they’re on break from school or stuck inside because of bad weather, we don’t want them to run right for their devices.

So – here’s a list of 20 fun and easy indoor activities for kids to help you fill your days at home with quality time!

These are also great for class art projects, sensory play ideas, and games. They’d also make great activity choices for kids’ parties!

Read below to see the full list.

And for more ways to keep kids engaged and entertained, don’t miss our list of 50 cabin fever activity ideas!

20 Fun and Easy Indoor Activities for Kids

If you try any of these yourself, I’d love to know which were your favorites!

1. These printable Farm Paper Bag Puppets are perfect for spring or fall!

2. Make this Beach Shoebox Diorama with an old shoebox in just a few minutes!

3. Share this easy DIY Flubber for some quick sensory fun!

4. Practice recognizing money values with this fun Dollars and Cents Game!

5. You don’t need cold weather to play in the snow with this easy Snowman Slime!

6. Pick up these printable Family Night Indoor Scavenger Hunt cards for an indoor family night game!

7. This low-prep Farm Five In A Row Game is a great way to extend a farm unit any time of year!

8. Running low on craft supplies? You only need the basics for this Paper Tube Butterfly Craft!

9. Practice recognizing colors with little learners with this Color Matching Birds Activity!

10. This Coffee Filter Crab Craft only takes a few minutes to make!

11. Interested in learning sign language? These ASL Alphabet Matching Puzzles are a simple start!

12. Have a race to see who can complete this Finish the Emoji Drawing Activity first!

13. Work on times tables with this fun basketball-themed Shoot and Score Multiplication Game!

14. Make this Floating Spider Craft and let the kids practice flying them around the living room!

15. This printable Snowball Emoji Board Game is so fun for building emotional vocabulary!

16. Make your own DIY Moon Sand for moldable play!

17. Let kids make this Paper Bag Fox Craft and use it for storytelling!

18. This Edible Solar System Playdough is both fun to play with and safe to eat!

19. Blast off with this easy Paper Roll Rocket Craft!

20. This low-prep Mail Color Sorting Activity makes a wonderful busy bag go-to for little ones!

Want to see more fun ways to learn with kids? Try these ideas!

These Spanish color playdough mats are a wonderful hands on resource for early learners, Spanish language learners, and ESL students!

These fun weather STEM activities for kids are excellent for simple spring science experiments! Simple enough for home or the classroom!

This fun Spanish color word activity is perfect for helping kids learn how to read and write Spanish color vocabulary words!

If your kids are stuck at home, they will love this list of 20 easy boredom busters for kids! Great for school breaks, rainy days, and more!

3 Easy Ways to Stop Kids from Arguing

December 16, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

If you have more than one child, I don’t have to tell you how often kids get into arguments at home.

You already know.

My brother and I argued growing up and there were ten years between us, so when I tell you that our four children are all between the ages of 7 and 15, you can imagine what a typical weeknight is like.

We’ve been at this parenting thing for nearly 16 years and we’ve finally found a few easy ways to stop kids from arguing that I thought might be helpful for others.

After all, when the kids are very small, they only argue about toys or elbow room. It’s when they get older that the real conflicts begin.

Read on to see these tips for yourself! And, for more help with parenting in the early years, take a look at five ways to help preschoolers manage their emotions!

3 Easy Ways to Stop Kids from Arguing

Image c/o: monkeybusiness & lufimorgan / depositphotos

Empathize with your kids.

When there’s more than one child in a family, it’s easy for each one to feel that they need to fight for your attention as a parent. It may not be true, but depending on the situation, that’s how the kids may feel.

We can put a damper on many arguments between the kids when we try to see things from their point of view. Then make sure the kids know that we care about their feelings and want to include them as we got forward.

Hold a family forum each week.

Choose one weeknight to hold a regular family forum. This is a time when each child gets to talk about the things that are bothering him or her.

During the forum, each person can speak freely and openly about frustrations, problems, fears, or anything else that has been weighing on their mind. If the kids are getting into arguments about the same issue, the family forum is a good time to address it.

It’s important to keep the environment during the family meeting positive. Focus on hearing everyone’s viewpoint and then compromising to solve the problem. Then agree on a strategy to follow moving forward.

It may even be helpful to post the strategy in writing as a reminder for how to defuse the argument next time.

Be sure to check on how everyone is doing with the plan at the next meeting!

Be consistent.

We have to parent each child differently, considering their age, disposition, and level of responsibility. Which means that nothing will ever be “fair” between them.

However, we can insist that each child follow the house rules. When a rule is broken, each child has to be held accountable, according to their level of maturity.

Consistently enforcing rules is one of the best ways to stop kids from arguing before they even get started.

How do you stop your kids from arguing at home? Share your tried and tested tips in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting tips!

Follow my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board for more support!

How to Make Chores Fun for Kids

December 12, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

If you ask kids what their least favorite thing to do is in the whole wide world, a large majority of them will instantly answer, “Chores!”

Actually, I’ve been known to say the same myself.

Still, doing chores around the house is an important part of growing up. But that doesn’t mean it has to feel like chores, right?

There are plenty of easy ideas for how to make chores fun for kids and I’m sharing a couple today!

Keep reading for some great tips on making chores a little more fun for your kids. Plus, grab a handy printable chore chart for kids to help the little ones keep up each week!

Want more ideas for keeping your home in order? Take a look at how to set up a spring cleaning plan of attack!

How to Make Chores More Fun for Kids

Images c/o: antiksu & Dmyrto_z / Deposit Photos

1. Turn up the Music!

When your little ones have chores to do, turn on some of their favorite tunes. You can even make a special playlist for your child to keep their spirits up.

After all, when I have a pile of work to get through, I go to a dedicated “work flow” playlist that features upbeat electronica. Why not try the same for the kids?

Be sure to take a dance break every few songs too!

2. Play A Game

Everyone loves to play games of some kind – kids, in particular. Turn as many chores as you can into friendly competitions.

If you have kids who share a room, see who can get their side clean the fastest! If you have laundry to fold, divide the pile in half and challenge the kids to finish folding their pile (neatly) in five minutes or less.

Shower them with praise for their hard work!

3. Offer A Few Rewards

Giving myself a tiny reward for finishing work often helps me stay on task. And I’m grown!

Kids love rewards too, so be sure to reward your child for a job well done in completing their chores.

Because chores are often daily tasks for a lot of children, you may want to choose to offer a reward at the end of the week, instead of daily. It can be as simple as letting the kids choose the family’s movie for the week or serving a favorite dessert.

4. Use a Chore Chart

How can you keep up with who is supposed to do what each week? Use a printable chore chart for kids!

Issue one to each child and let them fill out their weekly chores and check off their progress along the way. They’ll love the feeling of charting their progress!

If you need a printable chore chart, just scroll down to grab one for your kids – free!

Don’t miss these other home and family tips!

Follow my Parenting with Joy board on Pinterest for more tips for happy parenting!

Dinosaur Free Printable Chore Chart for Kids

I can’t lie. I love a cute printable.

And so do my kids!

With this printable dinosaur chore chart, I don’t have to remember who’s responsible for what. The kids can do it themselves!

To use this printable chore chart for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase marker (optional)

This chart includes a fun dinosaur theme, a space for a child’s name, and lines for tracking up to eight chores.

Kids can simply check off the chore as it’s completed each day.

You can print the chart, laminate it, and hang it on the fridge for use each week! Just mark off the chores with a dry erase marker.

To get your copy of this dinosaur printable chore chart for kids, sign up for our weekly email newsletter! You can follow the instructions below to get started.

5 Reasons to Go Fall Camping and a Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids!

September 2, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Lots of people think of camping as a spring or summer vacation and there’s good reason why.

You get to spend all day outside, you can explore nature when the days are long, and you can wear shorts the whole time.

But fall is also an awesome time to go camping as a family. And there are lots of reasons why!

Read on to see why fall camping is a great vacation for families! And pick up a free printable fall scavenger hunt you can share with the kids while you’re camping out!

Want more ways to spend time in the great outdoors as a family? See five ways you can get outside with the kids more!

5 Reasons to Go Fall Camping as a Family

1. The camping rates are affordable.

Camping tends to be fairly inexpensive in the first place. If you go tent camping, you’ll only have to pay for the campsite fee each night.

But rates tend to be lower during the fall and that makes it a great time of year to grab a campsite!

2. You won’t have to deal with bugs.

Insects are usually all over the place during the hot, humid weather of summer. But in the fall, bugs (especially mosquitoes) are few and far between. Since we live in the Deep South, this makes fall camping a definite win.

3. The autumn colors are glorious.

If you plan your fall camping trip right, you’ll be sleeping outdoors when the trees are at their most beautiful. In our area, we tend to see fall foliage around late October and into mid-November, right when the weather is turning crisp.

And there’s nothing like sitting around a campfire with gorgeous fall leaves all around you.

4. Campsites are less crowded.

After the new school year begins, most families take a break from vacations. Which means fewer campers! If your school year includes a fall break (like ours does), that is a perfect time to book your camping trip together.

5. Fall is a wonderful season to spend time outdoors with the kids.

There are so many fun outdoor activities you can try with your family on a fall camping trip!

Roast marshmallows around the bonfire.
Gather up colorful leaves and make a DIY leaf garland to hang inside your tent.
Get a handful of leaves and add them to a baby food jar to make an easy fall leaf snow globe.
Or try an easy fall scavenger hunt with the little ones, like the one below!

Printable Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids

This printable fall scavenger hunt is a fantastic fall camping activity to try with the kids! Since it has words and pictures, you can even use it with pre-readers!

Print several copies and see who can find the most fall items to check off first!

Scroll down to get your copy of Fall Scavenger Hunt for your kids!

Try some of these other fall learning ideas and activities!

Follow my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board for more autumn ideas!

To get your free fall scavenger hunt, sign up for our email newsletter! You’ll get this printable, plus lots more, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

By the way, if you don’t see the welcome email in your inbox, check your spam folder. Sometimes it ends up there.

Just follow the instructions below to sign up!

School Supply Lunchbox Notes for Kids

July 30, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Do you send a lunch to school with your kids?

Sometimes we have our children pack a lunch, especially if we’re doing a field trip or planning a long day out of the house.

It’s always a nice surprise to find a thoughtful note from a family member And, if our kids are having a rough day at school, seeing a sweet note from Mom can really lift their spirits.

So I thought these printable school supply lunchbox notes for kids would be an awesome gift to share with all of you!

These are so adorable!

They’re school supply themed and they each have a sweet message that can help kids feel more confident about the day ahead.

Read on to see how to get your set free!

And, don’t miss our Back to School All About Me writing prompts while you’re here!

Grab these printable school lunchbox notes for kids to share a little encouragement with your child each day!

School Supply Printable Lunchbox Notes for Kids

To use these school supply printable lunchbox notes for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

School Supply Themed Lunchbox Notes for Kids

This set includes eight different lunchbox notes for kids.

Each has a school-themed picture with a confidence-boosting message.

Printable School Lunchbox Notes for Kids

You can print these on regular printer paper, but I think cardstock holds up better.

Especially if your child’s lunch has a juice box or a thermos in it.

Back to School Printable Lunchbox Notes for Kids

Since the back of each note is blank, you can add a short handwritten note if you want!

Printable School Supply Themed Lunchbox Notes for Kids

Scroll down to get your set of school supply printable lunchbox notes for kids!

Don’t miss these learning printables for kids too!

Share these fun back to school writing prompts with the to help students write about the new school year! Perfect for creative writing lessons!

This easy all about me writing prompt for kids is a perfect back to school icebreaker for your class! Each student can use this activity to introduce themselves during the first week!

Help students write about places they have visited or want to visit with this simple vacation creative writing activity!

Printable School Themed Lunchbox Notes for Kids

To get your copy of our printable School Supply Lunchbox Notes for Kids free, click the image or the link below to have it delivered to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – coming this weekend!

>>> School Supply Lunchbox Notes <<<

These back to school lunchbox notes for kids are adorable! Put one in your child's lunch each day for a quick pick-me-up!

20 Easy DIY Popsicle Recipes to Make With the Kids

May 20, 2019 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Nothing quite says “summer” like a popsicle. I remember my parents getting the big bag of flavored freeze pops during the summer and storing them in the freezer.

It was always a race between my brother and I to see who could get the rare blue raspberry flavored pop first.

I didn’t know then that you could make popsicles at home. And, since we have four children, it’s actually worth it to make a lot of DIY popsicle recipes for ourselves. That way, the kids can get involved in making them too!

These easy homemade popsicles are perfect for making delicious summertime treats together. Pick a few to try for some cool sweets your kids will love!

Read on to see the list of popsicle recipes below! And, for more summer fun, take a look at our list of 60 outdoor play ideas for summer!

20 DIY Popsicle Recipes to Make with Kids

1. Banana Popsicles Recipe – On My Kids Plate

2. Blueberry Peach Popsicles – Dancing Through the Rain

3. Strawberry Freezer Popsicles – Low Carb Yum

4. Banana Berry Popsicles – Sidewalk Shoes

5. Orange Pineapple Popsicles – Five Spot Green Living

6. Root Beer Float Popsicles – Boulder Locavore

7. Watermelon Popsicles – A Magical Mess

8. Blueberries Cream Popsicles – A Simple Pantry

9. Peach Honey Popsicles – Cookie and Kate

10. Watermelon Sorbet Popsicles – Parenting Chaos

11. Green Smoothie Popsicles – 5 Minutes for Mom

12. Kids Summer Watermelon Popsicles – Powerful Mothering

13. Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles – Yellow Bliss Road

14. Fruit Smoothie Popsicles – Lemon Tree Dwelling

15. Creamy Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles – Good Life Eats

16. Limeade Popsicles – A Simple Pantry

17. Grapefruit Popsicles – Paper N Stitch Blog

18. Strawberry Coconut Milk Popsicles – The Roasted Root

19. Chocolate-Covered Banana Popsicles – Cafe Delites

20. Mermaid Popsicles – Seduction In the Kitchen

Did you love this list of DIY popsicle recipes? Make warm weather learning fun with these other summer ideas!

And for more ways to spend summer with the kids, follow my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

Summer Fun! Printable Family Summer Bucket List

May 16, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Summertime is my very favorite time of year. I think I have that in common with most school kids.

My kids always enjoyed summer break, too. Even though we’ve been homeschoolers for many years, we’ve always taken a break over the summer and this year will be no different.

Still, though, I never wanted my kids to just sit around being bored through June and July.

So I thought it would be good to share a printable family summer bucket list to give you some ideas for how to keep the kids (and yourself) entertained over the summer!

This is such a simple way to add fun to your summer without overloading everyone’s schedule. Plus, you can choose as many or as few activities as you like.

Read on to get your copy free! And, for more ways to have fun this summer, take a look at our list of 60 outdoor play ideas to share with the kids!

Summer Fun! Printable Family Summer Bucket List

One of my biggest regrets about childhood is that I didn’t spend much time outside. I’m a child of the 80s, so I was indoors watching television a lot.

Looking back, I think I would have liked being outside more if I’d had a better idea of what to do while I was out there.

So, if you’re like me and a bit…unsure about how to help the kids get outside more, this family summer bucket list is a perfect help!

There are sixty-five different bucket list ideas here for kids, including ways to have fun outside, places to visit over the summer, crafts to make, and ways to help others.

Some of the ideas include:

Going on a stargazing hike
Having a water balloon fight
Reading to others at a local nursing home
Going to the zoo
And many more!

How to Complete Your Family Summer Bucket List

So, once you have your family summer bucket list, how do you actually get around to doing the items on it?

Here’s an idea that may help.

Enlist your kids to make sure you actually choose one activity a day. Since there are 65 different ideas, you can try one each day and fill up the entire summer!

Laminate the bucket list and hang it on the refrigerator. As you try each one, check it off with a dry erase marker.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, let the kids plan your week by choosing seven activities themselves. They’ll be so excited to complete all the activities!

As a bonus, plan a special treat for when you’ve tried each item on your summer bucket list. You might even make some special family memories along the way!

Scroll down to get your printable family summer bucket list!

Did you like this family summer bucket list? Take a look at these other ways to spend the summer together!

Get more ideas to try on my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of our printable family summer bucket list, subscribe to our email newsletter! You’ll get this printable, plus lots of others, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

5 Fun Ways to Spend Time Outside With the Kids This Year

May 15, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Confession time: I am NOT an outdoors person.

I wasn’t raised to spend a lot of time outside. I spent most of my afternoons parked in front of the TV watching cartoons.

But my kids love being outside. Which means…I have to find a way to love being out there with them. And that’s why I wanted to share these five fun ways to spend time outside with the kids!

These are easy enough for even the most nature-averse person (AKA me) to try!

We’ve tried a few of these already and, I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed myself each time. So I can tell you from experience that these tips actually do work.

Want more ways to make outdoors fun with the kids? Don’t miss our list of 60 outdoor play ideas for summer!

5 Fun Ways to Spend Time Outside With the Kids This Year

Images c/o: monkeybusiness & Wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

1. Go on a road trip.

Going on a family road trip is a classic outdoor activity for kids. We went on several road trips when I was a kid and I always loved traveling to new places and finding cool stops along the way.

With our kids, we try to take road trips to places we can spend time outside. And we try to find interesting routes so that we can see cool roadside attractions as we drive.

Give yourself an extra day or two on the journey so you can stop and explore natural sights you come across. Bring along a few learning road trip activities to make your trip educational too!

2. Go camping.

Remember how I’m not an outdoors person? Camping is one of those outdoor things that I have always said I’d never do.

Guess what we’re doing this summer?

So far, I’ve bought the tent, the sleeping bags, the charcoal, and the LED lights. And I still feel uncertain about it. Fortunately, though, we’re going with an experienced camping family who will, hopefully, be patient with us as newbies.

From what I hear, camping is a wonderful outdoor activity for kids. I’ll report back after our experience, good or bad.

3. Go for a picnic

Picnics are super fun ways to spend time outside with the kids. You can make some simple meals ahead of time (and let the kids get involved with that too!) and take them to a scenic spot to eat.

Use this time to talk about anything with your family and bring a long a few card games or family board games. When the kids get restless, walk around and see what you can find near your picnic spot. Snap a few pictures to remember your time together.

4. Explore a new park in your area

One of our favorite things to do outside is to take a trip to a park we’ve never visited before. In our state, we have plenty of beautiful state parks to explore and, every time we’ve found a new one, we’ve found something unique that we haven’t seen before.

Take a look at your local area and make a list of the outdoor parks. Then let the kids choose one or two to visit this week. You might be surprised at how much you all enjoy it!

5. Go for a nature walk.

Nature walks are excellent ways to explore science in a hands-on way. All you do is take the kids outside (in your own backyard or neighborhood) and try to learn about the plants and animals that are all around you.

If you find it hard to think about specimens you can discover, pick up a set of our flower identification cards, bird identification cards, butterfly identification cards, or leaf identification cards to see which species you can spot locally!

Did you love the ideas here for fun ways to spend time outside with the kids? Take a look at these other tips!

And don’t miss more ways to spend a summer with the family on my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

5 Tips for Helping Preschoolers Manage Their Emotions

February 28, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Have you experienced a preschool meltdown today? We have four children and our youngest is now six, so we’re past the preschool stage. But I remember it so well.

I’d see one of my kids go running by having the time of their life. 30 seconds later, they’re dissolving into a puddle of tears, generally crying so hard that they couldn’t tell me what was wrong.

Initially, I thought I just had emotional kids. (I can be pretty emotional myself, so it was no secret where they got it from.) But it’s difficult to help preschoolers manage their emotions in general.

After all, understanding emotions can be difficult at any age, but for little ones, it is even more challenging. Between the newness of their developing emotions and their limited vocabulary, it can be very frustrating for them to communicate what they are feeling.

Helping preschoolers understand their emotions and teaching them the right way to express those feelings is an important task for parents and caregivers. Here are some tips that can help as you navigate emotions with your little one.

Read on to get some helpful tips for teaching your preschooler to manage his or her feelings. And if your child struggles with worry, don’t miss our printable Worry Journal for kids!

Images c/o: Yaruta & Kotangens / depositphotos

5 Tips for Helping Preschoolers Manage Their Emotions

Never Refer to an Emotion as “Bad” or “Wrong”

The first thing to remember when you’re helping preschoolers manage their emotions is that there is simply no such thing as a bad emotion. However, there are inappropriate reactions to emotions. By labeling an emotion as bad or wrong, you run the risk of your child taking that label upon themselves.

If your preschooler is worried that he or she is feeling something “bad”, they are far more likely to keep their emotions bottled up and will face even more challenges to understand and cope with emotions.

Take Time to Talk About Your Emotions and Reactions

Using age-appropriate conversation, share how you feel from time to time with your preschooler and what has caused that feeling. If your emotions are tied to something your child did, make it clear that it is about the action and not about them as a person.

For example, explaining that you love her very much, but backtalk when you’ve asked her to do something makes you feel upset and raise your voice, helps to put the focus on your emotion and reaction toward the action. Be sure to explain your happiness and joy, as well as anger and sadness.

Help Them Expand Their Emotional Vocabulary

As your preschooler begins to mature, he or she can begin to explore more words that relate to emotions. Happy, sad, and angry can begin to develop into excitement, disappointment, and frustration as they start to understand that their emotions are more complex.

Use these descriptors as you talk about your own emotions and relate them to those base emotions to help your child make sense of these expanded feelings.

Our English and Spanish feelings flashcards are a great way to help little ones learn to describe their emotions! Pick up a set for your child here.

Guide Them to Identifying Their Feelings

Instead of using phrases like “I know you are angry”, open up a conversation that will allow your child to identify their own feelings and emotions. Sometimes, a reaction might lead us to think our child is angry or sad, when they’re really feeling frustrated or have had their feelings hurt by someone else.

By giving them the power to own and name their emotions, you’ll build the coping skills that will help them along as they move slowly toward adulthood.

Give Them Outlets of Expression Beyond Just Words

Sometimes it can be hard to communicate how a child is feeling through words. If your little one can’t express himself or herself clearly, ask your child to draw a picture of what happened or how they feel. Role playing with dolls or action figures can sometimes be effective for getting to the bottom of a tricky emotion.

As they show you the scenario leading up to an upset or sadness, you can help them by asking questions that lead them to use their words to express emotions.

Helping preschoolers understand their emotions is just the first step in a long process of navigating feelings and reactions throughout their lives. Remember to keep things simple and get on their level, then expand the concepts as they mature and grow.

Stop by to see these other posts for happy parenting!

And get even more tips for your parenting journey on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

3 Ways to Teach Kids to Be Kind Online

October 29, 2018 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

If you’ve been noticing that the tone of online messages seems more negative than it used to be, you’re not imagining it. And, worse, it’s greatly affecting our children.

When we teach our kids how to be kind online, we not only stop the spread of negativity on the Internet; we actively promote good citizenship – something that can help protect our children from Internet bullying.

Disclosure: As a member of the Forward Influence Network, I am being compensated by the sponsor for this post.

Is bullying a real problem for our kids? Absolutely.

According to the latest figures, 28% of students have been bullied and 71% have seen bullying happen, including online.

The best way to prevent bullying and equip our kids on how to handle it is to teach them about kindness at home. When we show them how to be good citizens (in real life and online), we can help stop bullying in its tracks.

And that’s why I’m excited to share three ways to teach kids to be kind online and to introduce a brand new (and free!) program to help parents and teachers equip children against Internet bullying.

Take a look at how this curriculum can help kids become good online citizens!

Images c/o: AllaSerebrina & Guas / depositphotos

3 Ways to Teach Kids to Be Kind Online

Model kindness for the kids to see.

We can’t expect children to be kind online if they don’t see us behaving with kindness on the Internet or in real life. Let them see you comment positively on a news story.

Talk about the events and people you interact with in a positive manner. Try to avoid talking about negative online reports when possible.

Another way to model kindness is to teach children about how to be “Upstanders”. Since so many children witness bullying, it’s important for them to learn what to do when they see it.

Becoming an “Upstander” – someone who stands up for peers who are being bullied – can do a lot to stop bullying when it happens.

Talk with your children about how they can safely come to the aid of a classmate or friend who is being bullied. Try a few role-playing scenarios to help them brainstorm how to get the help of a responsible adult or other peers as well.

Encourage them to visit positive and uplifting media sources.

Many Internet bullies hang out around negative or viral media sources. To encourage kids to think positively, show them how to find uplifting media sources and talk about what they see there.

When we give our children positive things to think about, we make it easier for them to spot bullying when they see it and respond in a kind and appropriate manner.

Show them how to be thoughtful online.

An especially helpful resource for modeling kindness online is Be Internet Awesome, a comprehensive curriculum from Google that helps educators and parents show students how to be good Internet citizens. This program features plenty of class activities you can use with kids at school or home that encourage kind words and acts, even on the Internet.

Want to make learning about Internet kindness fun? Let the kids play Interland, where they can make their way through Kind Kingdom, a virtual environment that shows them how to make thoughtful decisions when interacting with others.

Social Media Notes of Kindness

A simple way to be kind online is to be complimentary. If your children are allowed to use social media, let them download a few of these kindness notes to share with their friends!

Sending a quick note of kindness can do a lot to spread positivity. Plus, your children’s friends can share them too!

Just right-click and download each image to save it to your computer.

Looking for more ways to connect with your kids?

And get more tips for raising a happy family on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

Beautiful Georgia State Parks to Visit With the Kids This Year

October 1, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When we first started having children, I thought “I’m going to be the bestest mom on the planet!”. I’m sure many of you did the same.

In my mind, being the bestest mom meant taking my kids to the amusement park every chance I got. After all, that’s where I always wanted to go as a kid.

But something happened as the kids got older. I noticed that they weren’t really *enjoying* themselves at those places. I mean, they had fun, but they always seemed so exhausted and overstimulated afterward that I often wished we hadn’t gone.

So, my husband and I decided to start spending more time outdoors with our kids. And we decided to start with all of the beautiful Georgia state parks to visit in our area.

And I’m here to tell you that there are a LOT of them. So many that I’d never seen, never visited, or never even heard of!

I wanted to share several of these Georgia state parks to visit with all of you, just in case you’re planning a trip to the Southeast U.S. and you’re looking for a relaxing, gorgeous, and affordable way to spend some time together as a family. They’re definitely worth a trip.

Heading out to one of these parks in the summer? Don’t miss our printable beach scavenger hunt to play with the kids while you’re there!

Beautiful Georgia State Parks to Visit With the Kids This Year

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

As a note, this will be a growing list. We’re planning to visit as many of Georgia’s state and national parks as we can over the next few years. So be prepared for this post to get pretty long as we share pictures, experiences, and reviews.

Hard Labor Creek State Park

Just an hour outside of Atlanta is Hard Labor Creek State Park. With a beautiful golf course, a lakeside beach, and plenty of trails, this state park should be on your short list of places to visit.

There are 24 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback trails to explore. Stay in one of the cozy cottages or bring your tent or RV as this campsite has all the modern-day amenities.

This is the cottage we stayed in at Hard Labor Creek state park. It was wonderful. The kitchen is fully furnished (complete with flatware!), the floors are hardwood, and there were two full bedrooms with two beds each.

We had cable TV, a fireplace, a screened porch, and complementary board games in the cupboard!

There are a couple of hiking trails and they’re both fairly easy. So you can bring the kids along without packing an entire suitcase of supplies.

There are horse stables and a special horse campground too! Bring your beach toys and have a fun and relaxing day on the lakeside beach. My kids love the beach there, by the way.

F.D. Roosevelt State Park

Georgia’s largest state park was a favorite of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Just 80 miles southwest of Atlanta, these 9,049 acres will easily help you forget all your troubles at home and help you to reconnect with nature.

Go on a day hike or jump on your bike and explore the 40 miles of trails throughout the park. Discover hidden waterfalls, beautiful tall trees, and little creeks where the local animals come out to visit.

Wash off the dust of the trail in the cool spring water of the Liberty Bell swimming pool. Don’t forget your fishing poles or go on a guided horseback ride.

This park is dedicated to FDR and has a life-sized sculpture welcoming you to the park. Visit the Roosevelt Little White House State Historic Site, which is located nearby. The warm spring pools are what brought FDR to this area to seek relief from polio. You can view his home and walk through the museum too.

Amicalola Falls State Park

For those that love the idea of camping, but like the reality of a hotel room facing the woods, head over to Amicalola Falls State Park. You can have a luxury stay on the mountaintop at the North Georgia Lodge with a spectacular view of the park.

For a bit more privacy, reserve a secluded cabin that is perfect for a mountain getaway with all the comforts of home. Stay close to the waterfalls at the campground that can accommodate both RVs and tents.

Amicalola Falls State Park has some pretty unique features as it is operated by a private company and not the state. Enjoy ziplining, archery, a climbing rock wall, survivalist camp, and a GPS scavenger hunt.

Personally, this is one of my favorite Georgia state parks to visit. The falls are beautiful and the hike up to them is pretty easy. On one of our visits, I was pregnant and the hike was still a breeze.

Cloudland Canyon State Park

One of Georgia’s most treasured places for spectacular nature formations is Cloudland Canyon State Park. This is the place to go if you love discovering hidden caves, cascading waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, and thousand-foot deep canyons carved out of the mountains.

Mountain bikers will love the new Five Points Recreation Area and Cloudland Connector Trail. Hikers can spend the day exploring the waterfalls and taking the West Rim Loop Trail to drink in the views of the gorgeous landscape. Bring your tent or RV, stay in a yurt, or relax in your very own cottage in the woods.

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Camping at Cumberland Island National Seashore is like no other experience in Georgia. After you have taken the 45-minute ferry ride to the island, you are ready for your adventure! For those that want clean restrooms, a fire ring, a food cage, stay at the popular Sea Camp Campground.

If you want to try your hand at camping in a situation when you have to boil your water first, stay at the Stafford Beach Campground. If you’re an experienced primitive camper, you can wilderness camp in secluded, beautiful areas of the island!

The history of the island and wild horses make this camping experience perfect for those looking for something off the beaten path.

Those are the Georgia state parks to visit that have made our must-visit list so far! But we’re looking forward to plenty more we can share soon!

Get more ideas for ways to spend time with the kids in these posts!

See even more ideas for reconnecting with the kids on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

7 Ways to Help Kids Prepare for A First Summer Camp

May 31, 2018 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Going away to summer camp can be a little scary or intimidating for some children. And it’s not just children who may be a little uneasy. Parents can be too!

Our oldest is going to summer camp for the first time this year. Well, actually, she’s doing three of them this year: tennis camp, STEAM camp, and web development camp. And both she and I are a little nervous.

As homeschoolers, we can get so used to spending time with one another that going to “class” can be a strange experience. Actually, that’s one of the reasons why my husband and I have decided to enroll her in camp in the first place. It’s time to start spreading her wings…just a tiny bit.

So that’s why I wanted to share these seven ways to help prepare your child for a first summer camp. If your child is dreading the day they leave instead of counting down the days, try these tips to help them calm down, look on the bright side, and get excited about what they’ll learn!

Summer camp is a beautiful time for kids to come together and learn and grow, and make lasting memories they will cherish for a lifetime. It’s entirely rational for a child to be scared the first year or two. These tools below can be used to help your child see the possibility of the best summer ever.

Looking for more ways to make summer awesome? Don’t miss our list of super fun, super easy summer crafts for kids!

Images c/o: sernovik & pyotr021 via depositphotos

7 Ways To Prepare Your Child for A First Summer Camp

Personal Experience

Sit down and share your own experience of summer camp from when you were a kid. Let them know what a fun time you had, and the memories that you still have today. Don’t focus on any negatives but let them know how fun it was. You can also share if you were scared at first and how good it turned out for you.

Personally, neither my husband nor I went to summer camp as kids. But we did go to public school and we’ve used those experiences to help prepare our kids for their time away from us. It always seems to help.

It’s OK To Be Nervous

Remind your child it’s okay if they are a little nervous to go. It’s natural to miss home or be a bit anxious to leave your parents. But once they arrive at the camp and settle in, they will start having a great summer.

For our daughter, we went with a first summer camp that is located at a center she’s already familiar with and offered by instructors she already knows. Some of the kids in those classes will also be at the camp, so she’ll have a warm welcome right away.

Let Your Child Have a Say

If you’ve decided that summer camp will be a good experience for your kids, don’t be quick to let them talk you out of it. BUT – it is wise to let them have some input in what kind of camp they’ll attend and where it is located.

In our family, we chose camps that covered topics our daughter was already interested in. So, while she’s a bit nervous for the first day, she’s also looking forward to learning more about topics she knows she likes.

Camping Buddy

Consider talking to your child’s best friend’s parents and see if they are going to camp. If they are you can reassure your child, they will know someone. Or talk to other parents and find a few people your kiddo will know that is planning to go to summer camp. Just like entering anything, you feel safer if you know a few people.

Communication

When your kids come home in the afternoon, stay positive and let them know you’re proud of them and that all is going well. Encourage them to talk about what they’re learning, who they’re meeting, and even the parts of the camp they don’t like.

If your kiddo begins expressing concerns about camp, stop and let him or her speak freely. Truly listen to the fears or stresses about camp to see if you can help alleviate that stress. Be careful not to dismiss their fears.

Build Enthusiasm

If your child is still not really “feeling” the idea of camp, you can build their excitement by letting them find a new outfit to wear on the first day. (This alone is going to do wonders for our teen.)

You can also plan some cute lunches for them to take along or let them get involved in making a special treat to share with their fellow campers and camp leaders.

Walkthrough

Sit down and give your child a walkthrough of what they will experience. How are lunches and snacks served? What if they get hungry and it’s not snack time? What kind of activities can they participate in? How many kids will potentially be there? Try to find out as much out the camp as you can in advance and share this information with your child.

It’s a good idea to visit the center where the first summer camp will be held and let your child get a look at it. Seeing where they will spend their days can do a lot to reduce fear of the unknown and ease their worries.

Just remember to focus on the positives they can take away and listen to their concerns. They won’t know what to expect till they arrive at camp. And who knows? Maybe they’ll come away with a new outlook on learning!

How did you help your kids get ready for their first summer camp? Did things work out well? Share your experiences in the comments!

Need more summer fun for the kids? Check out these ideas!

And, for more summer fun, check out my Summer Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

30 Ways to Be a Happier Mom

May 15, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Parenting. It’s both the sweetest and hardest job in the world.

There isn’t a day when I don’t love my children – all four of them. But there are definitely days when I feel a little burned out on the routine of it.

There is so much giving involved in parenting that you can start to feel all given out, in a way. After all, there are only so many pieces of us moms available.

On days when I’m in need of some parenting pick-me-ups, I like to read suggestions from fellow moms who “get it”. And that’s why I’ve rounded up these 30 ways to be a happier mom to share with those of you who are feeling a little burned out too.

I hope these give you a little parenting inspiration! And, if you’re feeling burned out on homeschooling, read what I do when homeschooling feels like too much.

Images c/o: bst2012 and pixelheadphoto / depositphotos

30 Ways to Be a Happier Mom

1. Five Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child – Look! We’re Learning!

2. How to See Beauty in the Mess of Parenting – What’s Up Fagans

3. 11 Tips for Being a Good Mom – Little Sprouts Learning

4. How to Teach Preschoolers to Cooperate – Days with Grey

5. How to Encourage Autonomy in Kids – Mosswood Connections

6. 2 Family Rules to Become a Better Parent – Coffee and Carpools

7. How to Listen to Your Inner Voice As a Mom – Mama Instincts

8. Why You are the Perfect Mom for Your Kids – The Soccer Mom Blog

9. How to Run an Efficient Home – Empowered Single Moms

10. How to Be a More Patient Mom – The Moments at Home

11. What to Do When Your Tween Shuts You Out – Look! We’re Learning!

12. 7 Ways to Be a More Peaceful Mom – Kid Minds

13. 7 Powerful Ways to Turn a Parenting Day Around – Little Sprouts Learning

14. How to Raise Siblings Who Get Along – Mama Smiles

15. 5 Steps to a Positive Bedtime Routine for Kids – Kiddy Charts

16. How to Inspire a Culture of Family Togetherness – Kara Carrero

17. 10 Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Child – Fireflies and Mudpies

18. How to Give Kids Quality Time – Sloely

19. How to Reset When Family Travel Goes Wrong – Bambini Travel

20. How to Overcome Mommy Anger – What’s Up Fagans

21. How to Slow Down Parenting In a Sped-Up World – Look! We’re Learning!

22. How to Reclaim the Joy of Motherhood – Kori at Home

23. How to Manage Time with the Kids – Simple Everyday Mom

24. How to Stop Yelling – Parenting from the Heart

25. 7 Habits of Good Enough Parents – Sloely

26. 15 Ways to Be a Fun Mom When You’re Stressed – The Moments at Home

27. How to Become a Parenting Team – Bambini Travel

28. How to Grow as a Mother – Fireflies and Mudpies

29. Tips for Parenting with Compassion – Kori at Home

30. How to Discipline Without Getting Angry – What’s Up Fagans

Did you like these ways to be a happier mom? Don’t miss these other parenting tips!

Get more parenting pointers on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

20 Fun Family Night Ideas

January 11, 2018 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

How many times have you heard the kids say “I’m bored” over the past month? I couldn’t possibly keep count of how many times my kids have said it. My best estimate is 982. And I think I’m guessing too low.

We are pretty conservative with screen time, so we only allow the kids to play on tablets or individual electronic devices a couple of days a week. Instead, we try to use our evenings to spend time talking about our days. Which is great.

But sometimes you just want to have an entire evening when the family has fun. And that’s why I’ve rounded up these suggestions for family night! These fun family night ideas are perfect for spending the evening together, no matter how old (or young) the kids are! Read through them and see if you can find a new way to spend time as a family!

Are you a board game fan? Be sure to check out this list of fun family games under 20 bucks!

20 Fun Family Night Ideas

1. Head to the driveway to play this Sidewalk Chalk Math Game!

2. Help the kids practice recognizing emotions with this How Am I Feeling? Social Skills Game!

3. Let the kids go “wild” with these Printable Animal Charades!

4. Relive your own childhood with these Classic Backyard Games!

5. Challenge the kids to engineer their own projects with these STEM Minute to Win It Games!

6. Play the classic Flour Game with all the kids!

7. Too cold or wet to play outside? This indoor Ping Pong Toss is simple to set up!

8. Make this Chocolate Popcorn Snack Mix for a sweet and salty treat!

9. Then let the kids make up these DIY Printable Popcorn Boxes to share their snacks!

10. Can’t have popcorn without a good movie! Plan a family Doctor Dolittle Movie Night!

11. Have some simple sensory fun with this stretchy DIY Flubber!

12. Do you have the board game Jenga? Turn it into quality time with this DIY Conversation Jenga idea!

13. The kids will love snacking on these Homemade Corndog Bites as you share a few games!

14. Bake a cake with the children and then let them try this lovely Cake Painting art activity!

15. Combine candy and popcorn in these crunchy M&M Popcorn Brownies!

16. Break out the earmuffs and play this exciting Balloon Stomp Game!

17. These easy peasy Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies are simple enough for the kids to bake!

18. Try a simple Family Storytelling session together!

19. Put together several simple games for a family Minute to Win It Party!

20. This sweet Peanut Butter Popcorn would be perfect for a movie marathon!

Want more ways to have fun with the kids?

See even more ways to spend an evening on our Indoor Play Pinterest board!

Plus, you can get even more family and parenting tips in your inbox when you sign up for our email newsletter!

Slowed Down Parenting in a Sped Up World

October 30, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Did you know that the Earth rotates at a speed of about 1000 miles an hour? I remember learning that in school and thinking “It doesn’t feel like it’s going that fast to me!”

Fast forward 25 years and I think it feels like it’s at least that fast, maybe faster. Maybe I just needed to be an adult to realize it.

Have you noticed that life just moves faster than it used to? We have the privilege of homeschooling our children, which gives us a lot of flexibility regarding our schedule. But even with our own daily routine, it still feels as if the days are just flying by.

Sunday evening is like the climb up a steep drop on a wooden roller coaster and from Monday morning on, it’s like we’re heading down at top speed and I’m just trying to hold on until the end.

That is not the life I intended for my children. I don’t want them flying through the years, only to look back on their childhood as a thrill ride that went by too fast.

So I’m committing to learn how to parent with intention – slowing down our parenting, even though the world is speeding up. Here’s how.

Images c/o: Wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

How to Parent with Intention in a Fast-Paced World

Scale back.

Many of us, homeschooling parents included, are simply doing too much. I’m living with ADD and I tend to take on way too much: too many work assignments, too many interests, too many homeschooling activities. It’s no wonder that I started feeling frazzled a few years into my life as a mom.

Late last year, I decided to see how it felt to scale back. Instead of saying “Yes” to every opportunity that came along, I started saying “No” – just to try it. Guess what? It felt fabulous. I found out that my days with my four children are already pretty full and didn’t need to be crowded with more.

Sit down.

Something else happened when I scaled back. I found that I had more time to sit down with my children. Instead of just overseeing what they did, I starting sitting with them to see what they were learning, how they felt about it, and what it inspired them to do.

I also started sitting down for more relaxed activities with them: reading, playing, drawing, crafting – all things that I thought I was too busy to do before. After the initial disbelief (“Mom? You’re actually doing this with us?), they started talking to me more openly about their interests and feelings. It was like getting to know them on another level.

Stay close.

My oldest daughter is in the throes of tweenhood and she’s feeling apprehensive about entering the next stage of her life. She’s worried about transitioning to high school, choosing a career, navigating her life among her peers, and deciding who she actually wants to be in life.

She’s been a little…difficult during this time. And it’s seemed like she doesn’t want my input, help, or advice as she prepares for this part of life. But I’m learning to stay close, to remain nearby – always available, always supportive, always reassuring. Because of that, she’s opening up to me more, inviting me into her life. If I had been too busy to scale back or sit down, I would have missed the signs of her budding independence and how I needed to adapt to it.

How do you keep your family close, even when life gets busy? Do you have any tips for how to parent with intention? Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting tips!

And see even more tips for a happy family life on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

What to Do When Your Tween Shuts You Out

September 21, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

You ask your tween “What’s wrong”?” She looks down and away from you. Replies “Nothing.” You say “No, there’s definitely something. You can tell me about it. What’s going on?” She responds “Nothing! Why do you keep asking me about it?” before folding her arms and retreating to her room.

If you’re nodding along as you read this exchange, then congratulations! You’re probably parenting a tween too!

My husband and I have four children, but we are in the midst of parenting our very first-ever tween. And when I say that it is a learning experience, please believe that we are the ones getting the education.

I remember catching an attitude with my mother on a handful of occasions, but she was of a different generation. (The generation that hoped you would call the cops on them.) So her method of handling attitude problems was… different than the one we’re trying with our kids.

As a result, parenting tweens has been a brand new experience for my husband and me. After beating my head against a wall for weeks, we’re finally starting to see some improvement. Which is why I thought I’d share some things I’ve found that work when your tween shuts you out.

Having some issues with a younger child? Don’t miss these tips for how to show love to a defiant child!

Image c/o: duplass / depositphotos

What to Do When Your Tween Shuts You Out

Don’t take it personally.

First, try not to take her attitude personally. She may direct the bulk of her attitude toward you, but a lot of times, you just happen to be nearby at the time. And worse – you’re actively trying to find out how she feels, which may not be a topic she wants to discuss.

I kept thinking “she’s doing this just to bother me” or “she just wants to see me get upset”, but that’s not really true. Very, very few kids are malicious toward their parents. They’re just a little self-centered, which is normal. Before you reach out, try to check your own emotions at the door.

Share their world.

Your tween has plenty on her mind – from schoolwork (a big one) to her favorite movies or songs to the opposite sex (which may be a new and unnerving interest). Try to take an active interest in what she likes, even if she doesn’t talk about it.

For example, if your child is listening to a song, ask about it in a positive way. “Who’s that by?” “That’s a great song. I like it! Does that artist have any other songs you like?” Please, please, please don’t say something like “What’s that junk? That doesn’t sound like music! We had real songs in my day!” Just don’t. If she’s open to sharing more, sit down and listen. If not, give it time and don’t push.

Be patient.

Which brings me to the third thing to remember when your tween shuts you out: be patient. Your tween needs a lot of time to process her feelings and thoughts. Pressuring her to talk about them right away can make her more confused and frustrated. Give her time to decide how she feels and what she wants to share and then be willing to listen to it all, no matter how strange, halting, or uncomfortable it sounds.

Once she starts to open up, be receptive to it all or she may retreat behind her wall of silence again. That’s the last thing we want.

How do you handle it when your tween shuts you out or tries the silent treatment? What do you do to let them know you’re still there for them? Share your expertise in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting posts!

Plus, get more tips for thriving as parents on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

When Your ADHD Child Worries

July 4, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Until I was an adult, I had no idea what the symptoms of ADHD were, much less that I was living with it myself. But as I began exploring the symptoms, I found out that excessive worrying is one of the hallmark symptoms of this disorder.

As our children grow, we’ve noticed that some of them are what I would call “physically anxious”. For example, our hyper child actually becomes irritated when he has to sit down for long periods of time. But others are “emotionally anxious”. One of our boys has low energy and can be sluggish, but inside he’s a boiling kettle of emotions, including lots and lots of worries.

What can you do when your ADHD child worries? How can you help them manage these big emotions while they’re still small? Read on to find some tips that are working for us and to pick up a free resource your kids can use to process emotions themselves!

If you enjoy this post, don’t miss these pointers for how to show love to a defiant child too!

Image c/o: londondeposit / depositphotos

When Your ADHD Child Worries

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

Comfort them.

First, try to comfort your child. No one can think clearly when they’re upset, especially not a child. Let him or her know that you are there and ready to help. But make sure that the way you comfort them is geared toward that specific child.

One thing that works with my hyper child is physical touch. If I hug him or bring him close, he calms down quite a bit. For my emotionally anxious child, holding his hand seems to work better. He doesn’t respond as well to hugging. If your child doesn’t respond to physical touch at all, just sit nearby and say “I’m here to help” or something similar.

Respect them.

It’s important that we make sure our children feel that we value their emotions. If we just hug them or hold their hands and “pooh-pooh” their feelings, we’ll seem patronizing. But when we respect our children’s emotions, we model that behavior for them. They will learn to stop and give their feelings attention, rather than ignoring them or pretending they don’t exist.

Follow up physical touch or verbal reassurance with active listening. Sit down near your child, give him or her direct eye contact, and then listen to their feelings. Be sure to offer feedback that shows you are taking an interest in their expressions.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Guide them.

Once your child expresses his or her worries, show them how to process them and go forward. For example, one of my children worries constantly about how he is viewed by others. He has actually let that fear stop him from speaking up about something he didn’t want to do, which shows that he’s especially susceptible to peer pressure.

To help, we talk with him about his feelings privately – away from his siblings. We’ve also found that helping him brainstorm how to talk about his fears has given him a lot more freedom to express himself to us.

We also work with him to explore his likes and dislikes, so that he can become more vocal about expressing his interests without fear of rejection. It’s helped him to stabilize his emotions quite a bit.

Since helping our kids to express their worries has helped us, I thought you’d like to try this free worry journal with your kids! It’s called “My Little Book of Big Worries” and it’s for helping anxious kids to process their feelings and how they can talk about them.

Use this printable feelings journal for kids to help your children write down their big worries in a pocket-sized printable book! Children can use this journal to write down what makes them feel sad, anxious, or worried and brainstorm how to express these feelings to their moms.

Here’s a quick look at how to put this printable mini-book together:

Print both pages.

Take the first page (which contains the front and back covers) and fold it in half horizontally. This is the front and back cover half.

This is the inside page half.

Fold the first page in half horizontally again to form a small book.

Then fold the second page in half horizontally also and then place it inside the first “book”. You should end up with an eight-page book. Add a few staples along the front edge to secure it.

The assembled book should look like this inside:

Let the kids use these pages to jot down their biggest concerns and how they can talk about them with you! After all…

For a limited time, get your copy of My Little Book of Big Worries free when you subscribe to our newsletter! To sign up, just use the widget below. You’ll receive access to our special password-protected subscribers page in your welcome email. 🙂

What do you do when your ADHD child worries? How do you help them manage their big fears? Share your tips and suggestions in the comments!

Need more help to parent your child with ADHD? Don’t miss these posts!

See more parenting help for kids with ADHD on my ADHD Tips Pinterest board!

How Do You Do It? – Confessions of a Fake Supermom

May 30, 2017 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Being a mom in the 21st century is pretty exhausting. It’s true that our mothers and our grandmothers had fewer modern conveniences than we did, but they also had much, much lower expectations. No one expected them to try to “do it all”.

Yet, most of us moms live under that expectation EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Personally, I get sick of it. And what’s worse is that people think I actually live up to it!

Whenever I’m out with my kids, I get asked “How do you do it?” Friends ask me that. Family members ask me that. Even perfect strangers stop in the middle of Aisle 9 of the grocery store to ask me that!

Well, here’s a newsflash: I don’t do it all, I’m not good at everything I do, and I’m not always a happy mama to my kids. In short, if you’re looking for a perfect mom to admire, then I have to confess: I’m a fake supermom!

Image c/o: cboswell / depositphotos

Confessions of a Fake Supermom

Confession #1: I Really Don’t Do It All

I do homeschool my children. I do work (both outside and inside the home). And I do work out. So if you’re just outside looking in, it can really seem like I’m doing “it all”. Well, I’m not.

I use a lot of online homeschooling resources to ease the amount of time I spend teaching the kids. We also use a year-round school schedule that allows us to have school lessons three days a week only, which gives me a lot of flexibility.

My employer is very understanding and allows me to get most of my work done from home virtually. Without that concession, there’s no way I could have a job outside the home. My online work is also flexible. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.

And I do work out, but not as much as I’d like to and not in the kinds of activities I’d like to. I wish I could attend gym classes regularly, lift weights more often, and take up more sports. But I just don’t have time for all of that. Maybe in a few years.

If any of you have pictured me as an all-day homeschool teacher with two full-time jobs on the side who’s in perfect shape, I have to burst your bubble and tell you it’s not so. I’ve learned how to do some of everything I want to do. But I can’t do it all. No one can.

Confession #2: I’m Really Not Good at Everything

With all of these interests, I must be a jack of all trades, right? Wrong!

I have ADD, which means that I get interested in all kinds of things. Almost on a monthly basis. And while that keeps my life interesting, it also makes it very difficult to stick with something long enough to truly master it. So I end up being kind of okay at a lot of things, but great at almost nothing.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to force myself to finish what I start, which has drastically reduced the number of interests I have. But I’m not good at everything I do and I may never be. Which is just fine.

Confession #3: I’m Not a Happy Mom Everyday

By nature, I’m a pretty sunny person. I tend to be positive and upbeat…for the most part. But parenting is hard, even when you’re a naturally happy soul. And there are days when I feel so sad I can barely stand to get up in the morning.

I don’t talk about it a lot, because it doesn’t change anything and because I know it will pass. Complaining doesn’t help me much. I still have to be a mom and I have to keep going, whether I feel like it or not. But the fact that I don’t vent a lot doesn’t mean I don’t struggle. I do.

In fact, I think that might be something I talk about more on the blog. What do you think?

If you’ve been struggling trying to make yourself live up to some perfect image of a superwoman or supermom, let me reassure you of this: There are no supermoms. Every mother who looks like one isn’t really one. Which means you don’t have to try to be that either. Take it from me: an honest-to-goodness fake supermom!

Need more parenting tips for the real mom life?

And get more support on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

Keep Your Kids Safe Online with the Gryphon Internet Router!

October 18, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I am part of the pre-Internet generation, which means I remember when there was no such thing as the Internet as we now know it. In fact, I remember the day when we had our first modem installed. It was a really big deal…until I realized that waiting for ONE page to load would take an hour or more.

The Internet has definitely come a long way since then. Now pages load in the blink of an eye, which can be great in some ways and not so great in others. Faster speed means that more information is available to our kids than ever before and not all of it is good for their little minds.

Which is why I’m excited to share news about a brand new way to keep kids safe online, without hovering, asking tons of questions, or invading your kids’ rooms. Read on to see how you can keep your kids safe online with one simple trick!

Disclosure: This is a paid advertorial post for a product I believe will be of value to families. For more, see our Disclosure Policy.

Why Online Safety for Kids Matters

The digital age brings a wealth of information and conveniences, but we cannot ignore the risks it poses for the family. Most children are exposed to the Internet at the age of six, which would be fine, except for the fact that 70% of children see inappropriate content by accident.

The average family has 10 Internet-connected devices and counting, creating new security threats and vulnerabilities. However, the existing parental control tools are often complicated to use. Plus, they tend to be rather expensive, requiring annual subscriptions.

How the Gryphon Internet Router Works

What is the one simple trick to keeping kids safe online? The Gryphon Internet Router! It’s a powerful yet convenient approach to online safety.

Gryphon combines a high-performance WiFi router and a simple-to-use smartphone app, making it easy for parents to manage the connected home from anywhere. All security features are built directly within the router itself, eliminating the need to install additional apps on your connected devices.

When you use the app, you can set up individual users and their devices separately, which makes it easy for you to keep an eye on your children’s Internet activity without standing guard over their shoulders.

Setting up the Gryphon router takes just three steps and a simple tap with the Gryphon app. Among other things, the Gryphon app lets you:

Grant access to specific websites
Restrict internet access during various times of the day (such as during sleep and homework)
Monitor your connected home devices like thermostats or cameras to prevent hacking

And all right from your smartphone!

The app even features a social collaboration tool, so you can work together with fellow homeschooling parents to create a safer Internet for everyone, by recommending and rating specific websites.

Plus, you can also “see” which websites your children are frequenting and view parent ratings to see which ones are kid-friendly…

…and which ones might not be.

How to Learn More about the Gryphon Internet Router

The people behind Gryphon have worked hard over the last year on the design and the software platform and they have launched a Kickstarter campaign today for the final production of Gryphon. You can visit the company website to find out more about the product and the campaign.

The video below also highlights how the Gryphon router works and some of its convenient features. Check it out and support the Kickstarter to make this product available to families everywhere!