Your toddler is at that stage of development where he wants to be a "big boy" and join in the fun with his older siblings. Finding activities that will engage all ages doesn't have to be a challenge or prompt sibling rivalry. Help form and secure a bond between your children—both young and old—with creative crafts, silly sports, outdoor activities and interactive games that are appropriate for all ages.
Category: Sample Work
Faults of Faith
I have never claimed to be perfect and my children know this to be true first-hand. They see my faults on a daily basis. They will call me out when I mix up their sandwiches while packing lunches; they will gripe and moan because I’m always late — often while sitting in the garage waiting for me — and they, as teenagers, have no problem telling me when I roll through a stop sign or forget to turn on my signal. My children know that I have faults; they see that I’m human, but more importantly, they recognize that I try my best.
The Top 10 Beverages to Avoid
A glass of lemonade or bottled tea may sound harmless, but when you look at the added sugar and lack of nutritional value in these calorie-laden beverages, you’ll understand why they can be detrimental to your diet. “One of the most unrecognized ways to blow the calorie bank and pack on extra pounds is drinking high-calorie beverages,” says Kristen Smith, an Atlanta-based registered dietitian and founder of 360 Family Nutrition. Keep your calorie consumption in check by eliminating the 10 beverages on the next slides from your diet.
Tips for a Spotless Microwave
From spaghetti sauce to bread crumbs, if it seems like your microwave is storing leftovers from daily meals, no worries. Make the grime, stains and crumbs disappear with innovative methods to clean without breaking a sweat. Instead of spending hours tirelessly scrubbing, keep it spotless with some simple tricks using natural products safe for your most-used appliance. Before long, your microwave will look shiny and new, ready for your next tasty treat.
Hold the Plan and Live the Dream
I’ve always been a dreamer and a planner. I remember spending my days and nights in elementary school plotting out my career, my plans to perform on stage in front of thousands of people, and of course, marrying the most popular Cardinals’ baseball player at the time. When I was in college, not a week went by when I didn’t review my degree checklist, plot out the classes I would take and update my resume like it was going out of style each day. But, my plans weren’t perfect and inevitably, the plans changed. I didn’t sing on stage in front of thousands of screaming fans and I certainly didn’t marry a professional baseball player.
Building a Bond, 12 Ways
As your eyes meet and you smile at the blessing in your arms, you know that this precious child will change your life. Finding ways to communicate your love, adoration and the need to nurture your baby often comes naturally. And many ways to bond with your little one and build a natural connection will develop over the years. From gentle caresses to skin-to-skin feeding, bonding with your baby is a blessing in disguise.
Ways to Display Photos on Your TV
Displaying photos around your home is often limiting when you have hundreds of pics you want to display. Instead of printing and framing one or two of your best shots, why not put them all display on your TV? Show off your vacation, school and family fun time photos by easily converting the files for expanded viewing.
Expert Tips to Reduce Energy Consumption
The push to go green is a win-win for your household and the environment. By turning off the lights, unplugging electronics and recycling daily, you can make a big difference in your daily energy usage and help reduce pollution, not to mention the extra effort can save you money on utilities. With just a few minor tweaks to your daily routine, you may soon see how your habits to conserve energy can motivate others to do the same. Now is the time to go green and reduce your family's energy consumption.
What a Baby Thinks
As your little one looks up at you and smiles brightly, it’s natural to wonder what is running through her mind. Is she happy? Is she learning? What prompts her to smile, think and communicate? Just as adults learn through experiences and communication, so do babies. Connecting and bonding with your baby entails paying attention to non-verbal cues and enhancing her learning so those smiles, cues and giggles continue well into adulthood. How does your baby communicate with you?
14 Healthy and Out-of-the-Ordinary Salad Ingredients
If your mixed greens at lunchtime or dinner are beginning to become boring, it may be time to reinvent your favorite meal. Adding fresh veggies, dried fruits, nuts and seeds can offer a healthy punch to your lunch, along with more exciting flavor. “Healthy and interesting ingredients are all about color and texture,” says Sarah LaCasse, executive chef for Earthbound Farm in San Juan Bautista, California. “The happiest salads have variety, combining greens with a protein, something crunchy and something sweet.” Read on to learn about 14 healthy and unusual ingredients your can add to your salad for some diversity in both nutrition and flavor.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 