Food Fun Family

5 Skills Your Kids Can Build While Playing Outside

Lolli — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 01:19:17 +0000

The school year officially ends for us next Friday, but I know that a lot of my friends around the country are already enjoying summer break with their kids. The school year can be busy and not leave much time for free play when the kids are at home. I don’t know about you, but the kids are exhausted and hungry at the end of a school day, and all they want is to rest and have a snack before digging in to their homework. Then it’s dinner time and bed time, and the routine starts all over again.

Summer time means longer days, brighter nights, and temperatures that invite kids to be outside, whether it’s playing at the park, taking a cool, shaded nature walk, or swimming at our neighborhood pool.

My kids love the outdoors. They loved being outside when they were little, and they still love it now that they’re bigger. When they were little, and still today, I encourage as much outside play as possible. It keeps them off the electronics, the house stays cleaner, and they are more tired by the end of the day (believe me, that’s a huge plus during the summer!). Little do kids know that playing outdoors can be beneficial to their development. In fact, here are five skills that your child can build while playing outdoors.

Social Skills

While playing outside, especially at a park, your child will likely encounter other kids. This is a great time to help build social skills, as they make new friends. However, with every childhood friendship come arguments over whose turn it is. Learning to settle disagreements and learning to be fair is all part of building social skills that will help kids later in life.

Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is all about planning things in the moment and creating strategy. What better way to practice this than while playing sports? While running down the field and kicking a soccer ball, your little one will be using their brain to think about their next move.

Gross Motor Skills

Outdoor play can involve so much more movement than what your children may be able to do inside. While outside, children will have plenty of space for all sorts of activities from running across the yard, to skipping down the sidewalk. But there are so many more fun things that cannot take place indoors. For instance, climbing trees, or even using their legs to pump themselves on the swing set.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills can easily be tuned inside, however there are also many outdoor activities that help as well. Digging through a rock garden can provide excitement for little ones as they search for the shiniest or smoothest rock, but grasping those tiny pebbles is great for fine motor skills.

Self Confidence

Self confidence can easily be built while playing outside, whether at the park, or in your backyard. As children play on their own, they may find they are becoming more sure of themselves, as they step out of their comfort zone, and finally go down the slide alone or climb that perfect tree.

Playing outside is such an essential part of any childhood. Whether it’s free play or organized play, your child will benefit from playing outside. What’s better than building critical skills while having fun?

The Future is Bright

Lolli — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:53:21 +0000

Thank you Allstate for sponsoring this post. I chose to write this post because doing good in local communities is at Allstate’s core.

I’ve been a mother of teenagers for almost eight years now, and I’ll have a teen at home for another five. When I had a house full of little ones, I thought parenting was tough, but toddlers and preschoolers have nothing on teenagers.

It’s a heavy responsibility, this parenting thing.

But it’s also full of joy, hope and pride like I’ve never known before.

I feel like the younger generation gets a bad rap most of the time (but hasn’t that always been the case?). I think it’s time to give our youth a little credit. They’re doing amazing things, have incredible potential and I can’t wait to see them grow up and become the adults and parents of the next generation.

I was inspired by the children (and their motivating, loving teacher!) in this video. Check out what these kids dreamed up, and how Allstate is getting involved in local communities across the country.

https://foodfunfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/TheseKidsHadNoIdeaTheirDreamWouldComeToLife.mp4

I have to agree with the idea of youth empowerment. Allstate is working to inspire the next generation through community projects that empower youth to be leaders and change-makers – not just in their future but right now, too. Allstate’s dedication to the communities where they live and work is core to who they are.

Our youth don’t need to wait to “grow up” to make changes and have an influence on the world around them. They can start making a difference today. And so many of them already are.

Like the kids in the video, the kids and teenagers that I interact with on a daily basis, whether my own kids or youth from church or my kids’ schools, are using their hands, hearts and voices to enrich their communities. While they’re serving others, they’re building critical social and emotional skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and empathy. I love seeing my teens not only noticing the needs of others around them, but standing up and doing something about it. They don’t wait for an adult to do it for them.

I asked my teenagers what they saw as some of their generation’s greatest strengths. What traits do they have today that will lead to their future success?

I loved their answers.

“Kids have more confidence to speak up. They have opinions on things that are happening around them and they aren’t afraid to share them.”

“I feel like adults are more willing to listen to us kids these days than they were in the past.”

It’s so true. The world is open for our children. They have opportunities that I never dreamed of when I was little. So much of that stems from the information and resources that are quite literally at their fingertips now. I’ve seen my own children driven by a motivation to learn, do and create things thanks to their access to the internet. When I was growing up and had a question about how something worked or how to make something, my options were limited: ask an adult with experience or find a book about it.

While there is still plenty of value in asking an expert or researching from a book, the internet provides answers and examples and experiences almost instantly.

My youngest son is always making something. When he hears of something that sounds interesting, he doesn’t waste any time. He watches videos online until he understands how it works and then he sets about to create it.

This results in lots of messes (just yesterday I vacuumed up a bunch of remnants of paracord shells and string and electrical tape from the hand-made bull whip that he made – his third hand-made whip so far) but I would rather deal with messes that resulted from creating than messes that resulted from laziness.

The youth in this generation are learning and doing things that generations before could never dream of learning how to do, much less being able to execute. They have the resources, drive, respect and desire to stand up, make their voices heard, and leave their mark on the world.

How are the young people in your life getting involved and making a difference in their communities? Don’t forget to check out how Allstate is involved in their local communities and why they also think that the future has good hearts.

This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.

Keep Your Family Safe Online With Kaspersky

Lolli — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 14:57:13 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaspersky Lab for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

I run two online businesses and have three teenagers at home who do 90% of their studying and homework online. My 10th grade daughter recently moved to being homeschooled, which really means that she does online high school. My husband is also a business owner who manages his company, from invoices to website maintenance, on his computer downstairs.

To say that my family and I are online a lot is an understatement. We do it all online, from reading to shopping to streaming our favorite movies and TV shows.

My family situation is quite different now than it was when I started blogging in 2007. Back then, I was concerned with protecting my kids’ names and our specific location to keep my little ones safe. Now, I’m concerned about what they see and share online, the purchases they make online with their debit cards, and what they might naively share without realizing the impact down the road.

My family is the most important thing to me, so they’re worth every precaution and protection I can give them.

That’s why I’m thrilled to be protecting our family online with Kaspersky Total Security from Kaspersky Lab, The World’s Most Trusted Protection.

Kaspersky Total Security

Kaspersky Total Security helps protect your family when they do all of the things MY family likes to do (and I’m sure we’re not alone) – surfing the web, shopping, socializing or streaming. Plus, it safely secures passwords and important documents and files for even more peace of mind.

I was able to install Kaspersky Total Security on my Mac in about 5 minutes. It was so easy that I was almost worried I had missed something. Nope! It was just that simple to set up! I’m especially excited about the parental controls that I can set up on the computers that the kids use. Now I’ve got one less thing to worry about.

Kaspersky Lab has several other options available for families and small businesses (ie – people just like us!). Not only do their products meet a range of needs, but they also cater to a range of budgets. I was impressed with how budget-friendly they were! Here’s a little about two of the other Kaspersky Lab products that stood out to me:

Kaspersky Security Cloud

Kaspersky Security Cloud has an amazing new patented adaptive security technology that adapts to your lifestyle and your needs. It even sends you personalized alerts. A couple of the features that stood out to me include:

Removes pop-up ads from your PC so you can enjoy stress-free browsing
Probes your accounts for data leaks and advises you how to fix problems
Helps you give them safe online experiences and manage their screen time and use of apps
Patrols your Wi-Fi network to help you unmask intruders
Stops webcam spies from watching you in your home

Kaspersky Small Office Security

Kaspersky Small Office Security is a must-have for any small business. It’s out-of-the-box security can be installed and set up in just minutes and it’s even easier to manage going forward. Small Office Security protects your business from online attacks, financial fraud, randsomware, and data loss.

Which Kaspersky product sounds like the best fit for your home or small business (or are you like me and your home and small business and school are all one and the same)?

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Lolli — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:19:14 +0000

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.

At the beginning of the year, we sat down as a family and talked about some of the things we would like to do in the coming year to make our own family life and the lives of those around us better. One of the main things that we discussed doing differently in 2018 was actively looking for opportunities to lift others up. I stressed the fact that helping or serving others doesn’t have to be a big effort. Sometimes saying hi, sitting next to someone who is alone, or helping someone who has dropped something is all it takes to make another person’s day.

Most of the time, random acts of kindness don’t require any planning ahead or much time from the giver at all. Acts of kindness can include a text to say “I’m thinking about you,” a surprise raking of leaves for a neighbor, a batch of cookies for a friend, or a hug for someone who looks like they could use some support.

Just this past month, I brought a package of Pampers diapers and wipes to a friend who is about to have her second child. She had mentioned that she had plenty of clothes and supplies from her first child, so I figured that diapers and wipes would be the ideal gift. Random acts of kindness can reach to your community, as well. We love to take our older kids to a women’s shelter to serve meals a few times a year. We also participate in school supply drives and put backpacks full of supplies together for kids before the start of a new school year. When I was a teenager, I enjoyed visiting with elderly residents at a rest home. Another easy but very appreciated community service is dropping off diapers at a diaper bank or women’s shelter.

I remember how much a simple phone call or a visit from a friend meant to me when I was a young mother with little ones under foot. That adult contact was a lifeline! I’ve also seen how much a friend to sit with at lunch can change the entire day of a child who’s feeling lonely at school. Lots of us think of the month of February as being the month of love, thanks to Valentine’s Day. But did you know that February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day? What better way to show love to those closest to you as well as those throughout your community than to search out opportunities to bring happiness to others? This month, you can get an instant savings of $8 off the purchase of 2 Pampers products at Sam’s Club. Plus, you can get a $10 Sam’s Club eGift Card when you purchase $50 worth of Pampers diapers or wipes. So even if your kids are out of diapers like my kids are, you can take advantage of the savings to touch someone’s life (and get a little back for yourself, too!). That “someone” may be a neighbor who just had a new baby, a family member with multiple little ones (I vividly remember being there!), or a diaper bank (they can always use more diapers!). Head over to Sam’s Club now to take advantage of the instant savings and the eGift Card offer when you purchase Pampers! How will you and your family reach out to those close to you and those in your community on Random Acts of Kindness Day? I’d love to hear your ideas or things you have done in the past that have made an impact!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.

Drug Facts – Know the Facts Because Hollywood Doesn’t

Lolli — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 15:17:32 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Institute on Drug Abuse for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart. Between school and personal schedules, the normal ups and downs of teenage emotions, and the ever-present culture of peer pressure, especially when it involves teenage drug and alcohol use, parents of teens may be tempted to hide under a rock for the bulk of those teenage years. From one parent of teen to another, I don’t recommend this course of action.

If you are confused about the dangers of various drugs and their short or long-term effects, you can get a very quick, factual breakdown of the most common types of drugs at NIDA’s Drug Facts webpage. This page has a very thorough and exhaustive list of common drugs, what happens when you use them, and the dangers of each drug. There is probably no better resource on the internet for getting a quick, succinct understanding of each drug.

To help spread the word and educate people about the facts and myths of drugs, National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) will be held January 22-28, 2018. This is a week-long observance sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health.

Whether you’re a parent of teens or will be someday, you should definitely check a couple of their most important resources: Drugs: Shatter the Myths booklet, What to do if your teen has a problem with drugs,and Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know. These will get you going in the right direction and prompt an in-depth discussion.

Opioids – The Newest Drug Overdose Epidemic

If you watch the news, you have no doubt heard something about the “Opioid Crisis” that is growing in the United States. Opioid use has grown substantially in the last few years.

The question becomes why is opioid use growing so fast?

A few things to know about opioids that may be helpful in understanding this recent opioid crisis include:

1. Prescription opioids are medications that are chemically similar to endorphins.

2. Endorphins are opioids that our body makes naturally to relieve pain.

3. Prescription opioids are similar to the illegal drug heroin.

Opioids are some of the best drugs available for dealing with severe pain, often after surgery. Opioids are also used following sports injuries.

Oxycodone (found in OxyContin, Percodan and Percocet), hydrocodone (found in Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet) and fentanyl (found in Duragesic) are some of the most widely known opioids. The ease of access to some opioids has contributed greatly to their wide use and abuse.

The NIH identifies 4 common ways that opioids are abused:

Taking someone else’s prescription, even if it is for a legitimate medical purpose like relieving pain.
Taking an opioid medication in a way other than prescribed—for instance, taking more than your prescribed dose or taking it more often, or crushing pills into powder to snort or inject the drug.
Taking the opioid prescription to get high.
Mixing them with alcohol or certain other drugs.

Ready to see how much you know? You may be surprised (I know I was) when I took the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge. It’s a 12-question quiz about current drugs and their impact on society. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn; I found that the quiz itself was a great way to spur a good conversation with teens. See how you did. This year, I didn’t do so well, but I learned a lot.

NIDA’s focus is to give you the best information to help you teach and support your teens. With all of the glamorization and misinformation about drugs, this is a welcome source of clear and reliable information on drug and alcohol facts. It’s organized in a way that you can even comb through it with your teen and come away very knowledgeable about any drug you want to learn about.

How To Handle Changes in Your Teen

As your kids’ behavior changes, some changes are normal. Other changes may be an indication of deeper problems. If you’re unsure about the changes you see in your kids, you should use the “Family Checkup” resource found on the NIDA website. This page provides parents with research-based skills to help keep their children drug-free. Most importantly, they have a 5-question checkup to help you evaluate yourself and what areas to focus on to keep your teens away from drugs.

What Can You Do If Your Teen Has Problems With Drugs

NIDA’s website had specific resources for those seeking help with drug problems. The information is for teens and adults. You can learn more at

How To Teach Your Child To NOT Be a Bully

Lolli — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 17:23:47 +0000

We partnered with JIMMY Patterson Books to share this post and giveaway! All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own. #PottymouthandStoopid

It’s an awful feeling when, as a parent, you find out that your child has been the victim of bullying. I know that feeling all too well. It’s equally awful to find out that other children have been bullied by YOUR child.

There are so many ways to handle the effects of bullying after the fact, but I would love to be able to tackle bullying before it even happens, and so I thought I would put together a list of tips for teaching kids to not be bullies. How amazing would the world be if there were fewer bullies around?

As a mother of five kids, I fully recognize that each child is different – both from the perspective of one being bullied as well as from the side of the bully or potential bully. Not everything will work with every child, but any little bit that we can do to reduce bullying is a step in the right direction.

How To Teach Your Child To NOT Be a Bully

Teach kindness and respect – When I was a kid, I learned a children’s song that had the line “kindness begins with me.” And learning kindness begins at home. We have always taught our kids to stick by the Golden Rule – to treat others how they would like to be treated. It’s a simple policy, though not always simple to learn or do. Practice at home and it will be easier to show kindness and respect to everyone – whether it’s peers or younger kids or adults.

Talk about it – be upfront about your expectations. Talk about bullying – why it’s wrong, what to do if they see someone else being bullied, what to do it they are being bullied, etc.

Be a good example – model the type of behavior that you want your kids to do. When you stand up for the little guy, when you show kindness, and when you show them that it’s cool to be the good guy, then they are more likely to be that person at school and in social situations.

Be a good listener – make yourself available to talk about their problems and concerns. Kids who resort to bullying often have other issues beneath the surface.

Get to know their friends – the friends that your kids choose to spend their time with have a significant influence on the way they act. I’ve noticed with my kids that when they go from elementary school to middle school, several of the good friends that they’ve known during their earlier years become not nice people. It’s a good idea to reevaluate friendships when kids are not being good influences.

If needed, involve teachers and counselors – our kids’ teachers and school counselors have been invaluable resources for dealing with bullying issues. When there’s any concern, whether about my own child’s behavior or someone else’s behavior, I bring the adults who see them all day at school into the conversation so they can keep their eyes and ears open.

My youngest son is 12, and recently started reading Pottymouth and Stoopid by Jimmy Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. The title of the book caught me off guard at first, but as soon as I realized what the book was about, I knew that this was a book I wanted him to read.

About Pottymouth and Stoopid

David and his best friend Michael were tagged with awful nicknames way back in preschool when everyone did silly things. Fast-forward to seventh grade: “Pottymouth” and “Stoopid” are still stuck with the names—and everyone in school, including the teachers and their principal, believe the labels are true. So how do they go about changing everyone’s minds? By turning their misery into megastardom on TV, of course! Follow their roller-coaster journey from the ultimate losers to the biggest winners, with more than 100 hilarious illustrations in this signature Patterson format. And this important story delivers more than just laughs—it shows that the worst bullying doesn’t have to be physical . . . and that things will get better.

By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Recommended for ages 9-12

DROWN OUT THE BULLIES GIVEAWAY

In celebration of the recent release of Pottymouth and Stoopid, I have an amazing giveaway to offer you guys! One winner receives a copy of Pottymouth and Stoopid, plus a pair of kids’ wireless noise reduction headphones.

Details: Open to US addresses only. Prizing provided by JIMMY Patterson Books

Entry -Form

Connect!

Visit the Official Site
Follow JIMMY Patterson Books on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Follow James Patterson on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hashtag #PottymouthandStoopid

Praise for Pottymouth and Stoopid

“This book is light and mighty. Funny and honest. And, in the words of one kid (who lives in my house), ‘It’s like he wrote about the people in my school (minus the limos and flufferknuckles, of course). Pottymouth and Stoopid is really, really good.’” —Kwame Alexander, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Crossover

“I have one word for this book: SUPERWONDERRIFIC.” —Jerry Spinelli, Newbery Medal-winning author of Maniac Magee and Stargirl

“A funny, poignant tale of two quirky boys who suffer from years of endless teasing. Pottymouth and Stoopid triumph in the end, but only after reminding us how painful bullying can be. Boys are going to love this story.” — Dr. Michael Thompson, New York Times bestselling co-author of Raising Cain

“Silly, insightful, and triumphant, POTTYMOUTH AND STOOPID proves that awesome humor goes hand-in-hand with making the world a better place. Pottymouth and Stoopid are full of heart and brain and joy. You’ll remember this book and these boys for a long time.” – Carrie Jones, New York Times bestelling author of the Need series, Time Stoppers, and co-editor of Dear Bully

How to Stay Connected as a Family: Tips for Families with Active Kids

Lolli — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 17:43:02 +0000

Many thanks to Fruit Shoot® for sponsoring today’s story and for reminding me to look at all of the amazing things about being a mom of teenagers. All thoughts are my own.

I’ve got four very active teens between the ages of 12 and 17 (plus one older daughter no longer a teen). They’re all involved in after school sports, music lessons, youth groups, clubs, competitions (including barbershop singing and competitive cubing!) and more. We’re on the go all the time. And by “all the time” I mean that I feel like I live in the car between the hours of 3:30 and 9:30 PM.

Forget weekends! We are usually double and triple scheduled. There’s never a dull moment at our house! Sometimes it’s difficult to find times when the whole family is together, but we try to squeeze in as much family time as possible. Here are just a few tips that we have used to keep our busy and active family connected.

How to Stay Connected as a Family: Tips for Families with Active Kids

Calendaring is key – With 6 different schedules to manage, the only way to make it work is to write everything down on a calendar. Luckily, we have three drivers in the house right now, because we often have to utilize all of them to get everyone where they need to be!

Take advantage of the car rides – I often wish I didn’t have to spend so much time driving kids to and fro, but I’ve come to appreciate those car rides. Whether there are two of us in the car or all six of us, we try to make the most of that time that we have together in a confined space. Car rides are great for conversations!

Don’t give up on the family dinner – Even though finding a time when all of us are home at the same time, the family dinner is still an important daily tradition in our house. I might not cook a gourmet meal every night, but we always sit together at the kitchen table to eat our food together.

Sunday is family day – With so many things going on during the week, I really look forward to Sunday, which is a family day. We don’t go sports or clubs or play dates or errands. It’s all about church and spending leisurely time together as a family. I love that we often migrate towards the family room and sit around reading or chatting together, unplanned.

Utilize multiple communication channels – Now that the kids are teenagers, there are so many new ways to communicate with them. I embraced the texting trend several years ago and have found texting a key element to keeping the lines of communication open with my teenagers. But as much as I love staying connected through phones, texts, and social media, nothing beats face to face time.

What are some of your best tips for staying connected as a family?

It’s My Thing

Lately, I feel like there is so much pressure for kids to do everything…and not enough time for them to just be kids. As my kids have gotten older – with one child married, one graduating high school in a few weeks, one learning how to drive, and two still in middle school – I’ve wished that they could stay young and carefree and innocent for just a little longer. I miss lazy Saturday mornings of sleeping in and watching cartoons.

Fruit Shoot® has recently launched their “It’s My Thing” campaign, which “champions individuality, celebrates self-expression and empowers kids to indulge their adventurous sides and let their personalities shine.” I appreciate this goal so much, especially as a mom of teenagers and one soon-to-be teen. My kids are each unique – so much so that it continues to surprise me – and I love to celebrate their individuality.

We recently discovered Fruit Shoot® – a delicious beverage made with real fruit juice and no high fructose corn syrup. The design of each bottle – with a re-sealable sports cap – makes Fruit Shoot® perfect for families like ours that are constantly on the go! It’s an added bonus that we LOVE the way they taste!

What Makes Fruit Shoot® so Amazing?

No artificial flavors
Made with real fruit juice
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Ergonomically designed for your child’s hand
Re-sealable sports cap

Fruit Shoot® comes in several delicious flavors:

Regular flavors made with real sugar (no high fructose corn syrup!): Strawberry & Raspberry, Berry Burst, Pink Lemonade, Orange & Mango
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Connect with Fruit Shoot

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Visit the Fruit Shoot Facebook page.
Learn more about Fruit Shoot HERE.

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Be sure to visit the Fruit Shoot Campaign Page on SheKnows where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Prom and Graduation Season: Communication is Key

Lolli — Wed, 03 May 2017 13:59:37 +0000

This is a sponsored blog post and I was compensated by Anheuser-Busch to be part of the Family Talk About Drinking Program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recently, my husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. Our oldest daughter celebrated her first anniversary the week before. We have one daughter graduating from high school next month and a son who is learning to drive and is active on his high school cross country and lacrosse teams. Both of my high school aged kids are attending prom this year. You could say that we are well-seasoned parents by this point!

Unfortunately, “well-seasoned” doesn’t mean that I know everything, nor does it mean that parenting is any easier than it was for me 20 years ago.

When the kids were little, I thought that the physical aspect of managing a family of seven was tough, but I never imagined how tricky it would get when they all became teenagers. Now that the kids are older, parenting is much more of an emotional and mental challenge, and the physical aspect of my role as a mom has shifted from hefting heavy toddlers around on my hip and playing with blocks on the ground to spending hours in the car dropping off and picking up for their various activities.

The Tale of Two Proms

Last month, my 16-year-old son was unexpectedly asked to prom (not at his school) by a friend that he’s known for several years. He was instantly excited about the prospects of attending prom – he’s a very social kid and loves to dance.

His older sister, who will be graduating this year, hadn’t shown any signs of wanting to attend her prom…until she was called down to the office about a week ago. She was chosen to attend a special Say Yes to the Prom event, and the next day she came home with a fancy prom dress, shoes, accessories, shawls, and lots of goodies to make her hair look fabulous for the prom.

A few days later, she asked a friend from school to be her date to her high school prom. He said yes, and so plans are in the works for the two of them to go.

Setting Expectations Early

We’ve been very clear about our family expectations and values when it comes to drinking and other similar topics since the kids were little, so bringing up the issue of prom and alcohol was not a new or surprising topic for us to discuss with the kids. Our kids know that we have a firm no drinking policy; there’s no gray area.

We’ve always armed our kids with information and tools that they can use when they find themselves in situations with their peers. When they know what their answer will be when they’re offered alcohol at a party, it’s a lot easier to answer with a quick and firm “no thanks.”

Keeping The Lines of Communication Open

It’s not enough to set the ground rules once and never mention them again. Gentle reminders and thoughtful discussions before they head off to a get together with friends or to a bigger event like the prom are important for keeping them prepared. We’ve found that bringing up a variety of scenarios that they might not have thought about before helps strike up a productive conversation.

As my kids have gotten older, I’ve found that the best conversations with my kids happen naturally, so it’s important for me to “set the stage” for those conversations to happen. Those long afternoons in the car, text messaging, lounging around on a Sunday afternoon, cooking dinner – they’re all great times to start talking together.

3 Communication Strategies for Prom and Grad Season

Family Talk About Drinking, in partnership with parent coach MJ Corcoran, has come up with three communication strategies for prom and graduation season. This is an important topic all year long, but can be especially important around prom and graduation season. It’s this time of year when teens often find themselves in an increased number of situations where underage drinking may be a concern.

Face-to-face communication

I loved the tips in this section – not only should parents find opportunities to talk with their kids face to face, but we should match our teen’s stance. Sit if they’re sitting, stand if they’re standing. “Recognition that they’re listening is important, but eye contact can actually be intimidating to teens and make them feel frustrated.”

The power of place

Some of the best places to have conversations are seemingly unconventional – long car rides and hikes are just two examples. Starting conversations on a lighter note (versus a serious “we need to have a talk” sit-down discussion) can help foster an open, productive conversation.

Communication variety

Although face-to-face conversations are important, it can also be productive to communicate with your teens using their preferred medium – texting, social media, or messaging apps on their phone. Any connection, especially when it feels and happens naturally, is a step in the right direction.

Asking the right questions is also key. Questions like these really get them thinking: “What will you do if your prom date shows up with a bottle of alcohol?” or “What do you think you’d do if you noticed a friend had been drinking at a party and was getting ready to drive himself home?”

What methods have you found that have worked well for communicating with your teenagers? Please add your tips in the comment section below!

About Family Talk About Drinking

Family Talk About Drinking provides support, tools and insights for parents aiming to develop stronger relationships with their children and prevent underage drinking. For more tools and ideas for talking to your kids about drinking at any age, visit the Family Talk About Drinking Website.

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Perhaps The Easiest Way Yet to Talk to Your Teens About Drug Use

CandyMan — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 21:39:55 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Institute on Drug Abuse for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you want a fun and effective way to talk about drugs with your teens, then the road has been paved for you. In just 12 clicks, you can have an engaging, thought-provoking discussion that is more like a trivia game challenge than a sit down discussion.

Have you heard about the “National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge”? No? Well, this is your silver bullet to get started. I took the 12-question quiz with my son, and we had a really good conversation that gave me a great peek into his surroundings. I got a 67 on the quiz. Now, in my own defense, there were 4 questions I missed, but I had most of the information correct on each question, so I still think I passed and did well.

Take the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge

The National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge is a resource of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of NIH (we live right down the road from NIH, so this is a local landmark). NIDA is holding its annual National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week^SM (NDAFW) from January 23-29, 2017. This event connects teens with scientists, so the dialogue and opportunity to ask real questions and get real answers far exceeds any other opportunities that address drug use.

How Can This Help Me and My Teens?

You may think that drugs will not impact your teens if you’re involved with their activities. But, there are two really good reasons to have a talk with your teens about drugs now.

First, even if you teach them good principles, you probably haven’t had a legitimate talk with them about the dangers and current trends.

Second, and equally important, teens are bombarded with false information about drug and alcohol use on TV, in the movies, on the internet and other places. So, your son or daughter may be the only person in their circle who has legitimate information. They may be the only person sitting at the lunch table who can chime in when one kid says something false, misleading and unknowingly dangerous about drug use. Not to mention, they will be that much better off by knowing the facts for themselves.

Talking to your teens about drugs and drug use is almost cliché at this point. But, what have you actually talked about openly?

Do you know how many kids age 12-17 actually used alcohol during the last month? Or, do you know the dangers of e-cigs and what we actually know about them? I don’t smoke, so e-cigs are a bit of a mystery to me, but rest assured, there are lots of myths about e-cigs.

Did you know that many prescription pain killers can cause your heart to beat dangerously faster?

How about this one: Do you know what “bath salts” are and how they are made? I’m not talking about taking a nice soak in a warm tub, I mean drugs that are made with compounds you can buy all over the place. Check out this link for more drug and alcohol facts.

If you’re not sure what you should be doing, here’s the “Family Checkup” which is a suggested checklist of questions to ask yourself. It has a number of good sample videos and ideas for dealing with drug related questions and situations you may find yourself in.

If your teen is using drugs and you need help, click here for videos and solid suggestions. One of the things I like about this link is that it explains why it may be hard for someone to quit using drugs.

NIDA’s website has numerous materials you can use or share with others about drug addiction and abuse. I found them to be very approachable and useful for simple discussions.

The bottom line is that National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week^SM can open doors and provide an easy way to regularly talk with your teen and check in with their friends as well. Try the quiz and see if you can beat my score. No cheating!

How to Inspire the Spirit of Giving in Children

Lolli — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 13:00:26 +0000

All across the country, kids are eyeing wrapped presents, shaking boxes under the tree, or going over and over their hand-written wish lists. It’s easy for kids to get caught up in the WANTS of the season and completely neglect the joy of giving.

If there is one thing that I want to instill in my children, it is the spirit of giving. I know some children have this natural gift, but others need a little nudge in the right direction. Here are a few ideas on how you can inspire the spirit of giving in children.

Be a giving person yourself

Did you know that most people learn by seeing? Your kids are going to be inspired by seeing you give. Whether you do a random act of kindness of help someone in your family, let your children see you give. While it may not inspire something in them that very minute, they are watching!

Give your kids the opportunity to give

One thing I’ve noticed about children is that they want to do good things, but are not always given the opportunity. When it comes to inspiring the spirit of giving in children, give them the opportunity. Expose them to situations in which they can see a need. Don’t just tell your kids what they are going to do. Let them make the choice to give.

Talk to your kids

Maybe your kids don’t understand what giving is. Perhaps they don’t understand that there are people out there who go without. The only way your children can learn about this is by showing them. Talk to your kids about the value of giving. After they’ve had the experience of giving, talk about the good feelings they had while helping someone else.

Plant a seed

As a parent, you are always planting seeds in your kids (whether you want to or not). If you want to inspire the spirit of giving in them, keep planting that particular seed. What you teach them now, they will use down the road. Keep looking for opportunities to show your kids the value of giving to others. You can teach them that being materialistic and collecting “things” will only get you so far. A spirit of giving is a blessing to everyone – to the person being given the gift as well as the person giving it!

Do things as a family

I know that inspiring the spirit of giving in children starts at home. Doing service acts as a family can help instill this in your children. Serving in a soup kitchen, delivering a meal to a neighbor, giving away items you no longer need can all instill the spirit of giving in your children.

‘Tis the season to give and give some more. How do you plan on inspiring the gift of giving in children? I have learned that giving is always better whenever your heart is truly in it! Do you agree?