Tips for raising little people!

I read this article and really liked the points they talked about. Motherhood is hard, very hard and the best job at the same time. But always good to be reminded of tips on how to raise these little Amazing people in our lives.
Good Night dear friends!

I read the article HERE:

10 WAYS TO RAISE A CONFIDENT BABY/TODDLER

1. Slow down your life long enough to play with them.

This shows them that they are important and what they are doing is important. I’ll be honest, sometimes their games can get boring, especially when they get really repetitive but remember to them it’s a BIG deal.  Dinner can always be delayed 20 minutes, unplug and just sit on the floor next to them or play chase through the house, they’ll be big before you know it.

2. Encourage independent exploration and learning. 

Give them time to play on their own, without entertaining them, so they can explore, imagine and figure it out by themselves. Do this a little bit everyday.  We also love to set up sensory bins and then let them free play however they like with it.

3.Baby Proof the right way.

Proof your house enough that you don’t have to say no to everything he/she tries to grab (and so they are safe!) but not too much that they never have to learn boundaries.  This is such a balance, you will learn as you go and make changes and adjustments as you realize what is and isn’t working. Our house is baby proofed as follows:

-Anything that is dangerous is proofed!

-Things I would be upset if she touched I have moved out of her reach. This way I don’t have to say “no” constantly.

-Her toys are all within her reach. She knows where they are and can get them out whenever she is in the mood.

-There are 2 kitchen cabinets that are baby proofed shut and the rest are free for her to open they are full of baby safe stuff like pots and pans, tupperwear and more.

-Books have been left within her reach but she knows they are a special privilege and are to be handled with care. I have spent hours and hours with her next to the book shelf, helping teach her how to be gentle with the books. She has a separate shelf in a different room with her baby books and these she’s rougher with. She is not even 1 and she has started to learn the difference.

4. Make things reachable for them on their own.

For example, our keyboard has been moved from up on a stand to now sitting directly on the floor. This way she can reach it and play it anytime she’s in the mood to create music.

5. Allow them to do “big kid” tasks with you.

That way instead of them being around your feet, getting in the way and running down your patience they are involved with what you are doing.

When I cook, baby cooks. I’ll usually set her up in her high chair so she’s at counter height and fill her tray with cooking materials. It’s different every time. Sometimes she gets tupperware and plastic measuring cups, other days she gets a scoop of coconut oil for her to play with, squish and eat.

When I unload the dishwasher, baby unloads it too. She can reach the silverware. I clear away all the knives and sharp utensils before she makes her way in and then while I unload the rest of the dishes she unloads the silverware tray. Yes, she is simply unloading it and dropping it on the floor but I smile and tell her thanks for helping. Her hands are busy, which keeps me happy, and she has confidence in herself learning a new task! As she grows older we’ll start to slowly show her a place to put the silverware, keeping it at her height in a cabinet instead of in the typical drawer, which she wouldn’t be able to reach.

6. Show them how to complete tasks on their own.

Instead of getting the toy box out for them, show them how to open the cabinet and grab the box out themselves. But be warned, there are some tasks I wish I wouldn’t have taught her how to do and I did so on accident. After watching me once, she’s an expert on turning the DVD player and opening the disc drive. But again this has been an opportunity to teach her boundary. Rather than move it out of her reach we have taught her gently that it’s not hers to play with and that she needs to “find something else” to play with. Simply saying the words “find something else” doesn’t cut it, I had to take the time, guide her away and show her other toys at the same time, it took a few tries but then she got it.

7. Teach them to be confident communicators.

This point, along with many of the others, is one that you should continue to train them in for the rest of their childhood. For babies teaching them to communicated is obviously going to look very different than with your older kids, baby sign is a great place to start. I’ll admit we aren’t great at it, I don’t have the time to learn a million and one signs myself but honestly you don’t need a million signs. Small things like waving your hands after a meal to signal “all done” are big lessons in and of themselves.

Don’t get overwhelmed with baby sign, you don’t even have to get a book, a super simple thing like waving good-bye is a great lesson, too!

8. Limit how often you say “no.”

Little ones will respond more positively if you reroute and show them what they can do instead. There are times when no is necessary but more often than not redirecting them towards a positive choice works much better while keeping their confidence intact.

9. Notice their accomplishments! 

Praise! Praise! Praise that little baby. Notice those small things they are doing, they things they are figuring out. Watch their little brains work and when they solve something or learn a new skill, notice and get excited with them!

10. Instill a strong feeling of trust.

It’s important that they know they are safe and know that you are always there for them. It’s never, ever too early to learn this. From day 1 your snuggles are already teaching them this lesson. I’ve also made it point to never sneak out and leave, I always kiss her good-bye, give her hugs, tell her I’ll be back and then wave bye-bye. Remember babies are people too and how you train them now is what they will come to expect as they grow as well.

And allow them to have personal space. Just because they are little doesn’t mean they have to have strangers touch forced on them. If your child doesn’t want to be hugged or picked up by a new person, respect that. Give them time to warm up to new people.

Tips... from a concern Father!

Wright Words: 20 things to embrace this summer besides a summer romance 

 

You remember the summer romance, don’t you? Your neighbor invited a cousin to spend the summer from Savannah. A friend brought their BFF from Fresno to band camp. You met a foreign-exchange student from Georgia — the country, not the state.

WOODSTOCK, Va. — Schools are closed — pools are open. Busses are parked. Parks are brimming with bikes, kites and basketballs.
Welcome to summer, 2013. It’s time to stock up on charcoal and ice, Popsicles and Pop Rocks, sparklers and sprinklers, bubbles, bubble gum and Kleenex.
Yes, Kleenex. Because if it’s summertime, it’s also time for those red-hot romances that start with sparks and almost always end with tears.
You remember the summer romance, don’t you? Your neighbor invited a cousin to spend the summer from Savannah, Ga. A friend brought her BFF from Fresno, Calif., to band camp. You met a foreign-exchange student from Georgia — the country, not the state.
You said, “Hello,” exchanged smiles, felt the flutters, and before you could run the opposite direction, you were living in a Bryan Adams music video. But the odds were never in your favor, and by the time Labor Day hit, your romance ended like a Nicolas Cage movie — with a thud.
Take it from someone with a doctorate in adolescent puppy love. Summer romances are like hot peppers. They seem like a good idea at the time, but usually lead to heartburn.
As a teenager, I had several of these short-term, county-fair hand-holding, diving-board show-off summer romances. My parents warned me not to fall in like with the girl I met at the lake or the movies or mini-golfing. But what did they know?
Plenty, it turns out. Each of those summer romances ended with an awkward goodbye, promises to keep in touch and hours of listening to my “Richard Marx Greatest Hits” tape in my basement.
A few years have passed and somehow I have two teenage daughters of my own. So it’s my turn to dish out advice on matters of the heart, right?
Right. To the Wright daughters and teenagers everywhere, I offer 20 things to consider embracing this summer besides a summer romance.
1. Read the entire Nancy Drew series, all 56 of the originals.
2. Write three-page book reports about each of the volumes in the entire Nancy Drew series.
3. Volunteer at a nursing home.
4. Learn a new sport.
5. Learn to use an iron.
6. Take an online class.
7. Read the Bible cover to cover.
8. Learn Spanish.
9. Read the Bible cover to cover — in Spanish.
10. Become a certified lifeguard.
11. Write in your journal.
12. Invent your own language.
13. Interview your grandparents.
14. Learn to safely use a lawn mower and WeedEater.
15. Start a business.
16. Write a short novel.
17. Make friends with someone different than you.
18. Watch the news and ask your parents questions.
19. Learn to make your parents' favorite dinner.
20. Start a YouTube channel teaching kids the lost art of crochet.
This summer, more than anything, I hope my kids and yours make pleasant, colorful memories that never fade and I pray they enjoy their childhoods as long as they can. Life will present plenty of opportunities for love and drama — what’s the rush?
Hey, kids, go get started. Play safe. Be smart. Don’t fall head over heels for the new guy or girl that just moved in from Lithuania. It will only lead to heartbreak.
But if you do, I just might let you borrow that Richard Marx tape. Are you going to need it? Sí.

To read more of Jason's work here:

Great Advice

This was a good thing to remember!
Hope you had a wonderful day!
Good night dear friends!

A great bit of wisdom!

I think this is something all of us parents and grandparents should remember!
Good night dear friends!

Everyone needs help sometime!

I read this short story and thought how true! We all from time to time in our lives need help. Do we ask for it, or do we just keep going along hoping that someone, somewhere will see us for who we really are and offer us some help? The point of this story I believe is that we are all here to help each other. May we look around at the people we meet every day and see how we can help them and in turn, it just might be ... that we need their help too!

Don't We All
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come
from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would
consider a bum.
From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no
money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times
that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't
want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought.
He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look
like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly
blond beard keep more than his face warm.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.

He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never
came.
As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if
he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true
to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments.

I expected nothing but an
outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum
in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge
shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I
needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus
fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those
three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter
how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you
have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or
a place to sleep, you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.
You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all.
They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different
perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from
daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe
he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and
wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. ~ Unknown

"He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."  ~Sunshine Magazine

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."  ~Winston Churchill

When you get to the end of your rope!

I remember as a  young girl around 10-11 years of age, my dad put a rope up on the back of our basketball hoop. He was into creating things and so it was higher and stronger than most hoops. I was grateful that he did that because in school... one of the physical tests in gym was to climb a rope. I never really understood why that was necessary, couldn't think of any reason that I would need that skill in my life but ...nevertheless it was part of the test.

I would practice over and over again and never really had much success, the difference in our rope and the one at school was this... the school rope had a knot in it but you had to climb to get it. Mine on the other hand had a knot at the bottom and so at least you had a little success right at the beginning. I finally after many many tries  got to the top and man, was I excited. I was in a hurry to get down and run in the house to tell my family what I had done. I figured coming down had to be the easiest part, because all you had to do was slide down real fast. Well, since I had never been to the top OR never slide down before, I didn't realize how badly it was going to burn my hands. It hurt so bad that I pulled my hands away just for a moment but I was still too far from the ground, when I fell I broke my toe. I knew it was broke but I was so embarrassed and in so much pain ...plus I was scared to go to the hospital, that I hid it from my parents. I wore covered shoes (which was a painful experience) till I got down the road ( 3/4's of a  mile ) to the bus stop and then I would put on sandals. I wrapped it as tight as I could to the big toe but finally after it healed, I was left with a crooked toe.

So there has got to be some lesson learned here right? A couple of things come to mind. Practice makes perfect, but even though you understand maybe one part of your test, you may not completely comprehend the next part. Or maybe I should have just hung on and yelled for help, maybe by asking someone who had already learned the art of climbing rope...could have talked me down safely.

I do believe that both lessons are important...there are so many things in life that when I finally get to a certain point, I think I am done with the learning and low and behold there is much, much more. Life truly is about ever learning. Some lessons are harder than the others. I also think it would have been a great idea to have yelled for help. Why is it that we sometimes wait too long before we ask for help? Often trying to do everything by ourselves, without the help of those who have been there before can be a PAINFUL experience.

As I look at my crooked toe every day, I am reminded that I should have asked for help. How many of us need and want help, but try to keep doing it on our own? I do think that much of life would be less painful if we just ask others for help. There are many who have been there before and maybe we could ask them, before we hurt ourselves. Now the next time you see  me, I know you are going to want to see my crooked toe. I need to warn you... that I am a little self conscience about it, so I probably won't show it to you! Then again I have so many other issues on this poor body of mine, I guess my toe should be the consider the least of them. :)

I hope you have a wonderful night and try to remember it is important to hang on when you get to the end of your rope, but also you can yell for HELP too!

"A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn."  ~Author Unknown

"When the Japanese mend broken objects, they aggrandize the damage by filling the cracks with gold.  They believe that when something's suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful." 

~Barbara Bloom

Maybe I should have a golden toe then? Heck, I should have my whole body made of GOLD! :)

Envy

I was talking today to some dear friends of mine, we had mentioned that some times when you go to someone's home or visit their blog, that you feel a bit of envy, for what you don't have. I usually do pretty good in that area but some times I slip up. It doesn't take much to snap me back to reality when I think of all the blessings I  do have. We reminded ourselves that when we are feeling envy, that it actually keeps us from focusing and appreciating what we do have.

Jeff and I went to a movie the other night and one of the main points in the movie was to make you think about this question ....If you only had a few minutes to get out of your house because of a fire or something ....what would you take? In the story the girl realized that the guy she loved and was dating, cared more about his possessions than her, that was a sad realization but also life altering for her. She realized exactly what was more important and finally tried to let go of her old habits and thoughts, and live in the here and now. To have healthy thoughts and to ask herself that same question...What would you take if you only had a few minutes to get out of your home? 

I hope we will try and remember not to be envious about what others have but take a good look at what we spend our time and money on...that is where are heart is!  There will always be someone better off than you in the world and yet there will always be someone less fortunate than you too! Service seems to help with so many things, maybe the transformation happens when we stop worrying about ourselves so much and start worrying about others.

This poem went right along with my thoughts tonight. Enjoy and good night!

Service

Supposing today were your last day on earth, 
The last mile of the journey you've trod; 
After all of your struggles, how much are you worth, 
How much can you take home to God? 
Don't count as possessions your silver and gold, 
Tomorrow you leave these behind, 
And all that is yours to have and to hold 
Is the service you've given mankind. 
Anonymous, 

Wisdom

I have always loved to spend time with older people. When I was little I loved spending the day with my grandma, Aunt and their friends. I loved to hear all the things they would talk about it and they seemed to know everything about everybody. I loved that they were so willing to share their knowledge with those younger than them. As I grew older it hurt me to see how many people got frustrated with them and all their stories about life and such. I just loved their stories and always felt like I learned something valuable.

When my grandmother lived with us, I would beg her to tell me the time when she did this or that. As I am getting older  ( "Old age is fifteen years older than I am."  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes),  I realize now, that is because I made her feel appreciated and wanted. When she left our home and had to enter a nursing home, I thought my heart would break. I knew that wasn't what she wanted but, my mom had surgery, made dad was always working and I was leaving home for almost 2  years. When I came back and visited with her, I always loved going to the nursing home. I loved getting to know all the ladies, although some had struggles with their memories...I was always amazed at how much they still had to offer.

I remember Amy ( about 2 years old at the time ) and I going to visit my grandmother. It was never a quick visit because everyone of the ladies called Amy her girl and she and I would stop and visit with each of them before we even got to my grandmother's room. In some ways it was sad to see many of them just sit there day in and day out without ever having any visitors. Yes, I wish that we would have had more time to spend with them but my grandmother needed us too.

Wisdom, when I looked up the word here is what I found...

–noun

1.
the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.

2.
scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.

3.
wise sayings or teachings; precepts.

How I wish that we could all tap into the wisdom that our elders have. They have seen and lived so much more of life. They have had their share of heartaches and trials. Most of them have all the time in the world, sometimes too much of it and they are lonely. I would encourage all of us in this year of 2010 to find one elderly person whether it is your neighbor, grandparents or just a friend, and really spend time with them.  Learn about their live and their experiences, make them feel important, make them feel loved and needed. You will for sure make a difference for the better in their life, but I also promise you too will be the wiser for it! Have a great day!

 

"The years teach much which the days never knew."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Father Time is not always a hard parent, and, though he tarries for none of his children, often lays his hand lightly upon those who have used him well; making them old men and women inexorably enough, but leaving their hearts and spirits young and in full vigor.  With such people the gray head is but the impression of the old fellow's hand in giving them his blessing, and every wrinkle but a notch in the quiet calendar of a well-spent life."  ~Charles Dickens

Timing

I read this article on Timing by Dallin H.Oaks and was so impressed with it, I thought I would share it with you. Hope you had a wonderful Sunday!   So here it is, enjoy!

TIMING

The most significant talks changed the listeners' way of thinking about an important subject.. I will attempt to change some listeners' ways of thinking about an important subject--the matter of timing.

I begin with a story I heard many years ago at the inauguration of a university president. It illustrates the importance of timing in university administration. One university president had come to the end of his period of service, and another was just beginning. As a gesture of goodwill, the wise outgoing president handed his young successor three sealed envelopes. "Hold these until you have the first crisis in your administration," he explained. "Then open the first one, and you will find some valuable advice."

It was a year before the new president had a crisis. When he opened the first envelope, he found a single sheet of paper on which were written the words "Blame the prior administration." He followed that advice and survived the crisis.

Two years later he faced another serious challenge to his leadership. He opened the second envelope and read: "Reorganize your administration." He did so, and the reorganization disarmed his critics and gave new impetus to his leadership.

Much later the now-seasoned president encountered his third major crisis. Eagerly he opened the last envelope, anticipating the advice that would provide the solution for his troubles. Again he found a single sheet of paper, but this time it read, "Prepare three envelopes." It was time for new leadership.

The familiar observation that "timing is everything" surely overstates the point, but timing is vital.

In all the important decisions in our lives, what is most important is to do the right thing. Second, and only slightly behind the first, is to do the right thing at the right time. People who do the right thing at the wrong time can be frustrated and ineffective. They can even be confused about whether they made the right choice when what was wrong was not their choice but their timing.

I. The Lord's Timing

My first point on the subject of timing is that the Lord has His own timetable.

Faith means trust--trust in God's will, trust in His way of doing things, and trust in His timetable. We should not try to impose our timetable on His.

II. The Agency of Others

The achievement of some important goals in our lives is subject to more than the timing of the Lord. Some personal achievements are also subject to the agency of others.

III. Applications to Our Lives

Someone has said that life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Because of things over which we have no control, we cannot plan and bring to pass everything we desire in our lives. Many important things will occur in our lives that we have not planned, and not all of them will be welcome

So what should be done in the meantime? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life's opportunities.

I return to the subject with which I began. Do not rely on planning every event of your life--even every important event. Stand ready to accept the Lord's planning and the agency of others in matters that inevitably affect you. Plan, of course, but fix your planning on personal commitments that will carry you through no matter what happens.

"LIFE IS ALL ABOUT TIMING...THE UNREACHABLE BECOMES REACHABLE, THE UNAVAILABLE BECOMES AVAILABLE, THE UNATTAINABLE...ATTAINABLE. HAVE THE PATIENCE, WAIT IT OUT IT'S ALL ABOUT TIMING."  ~ Stacey Charter