Ways to Get Your Kids Motivated | #parenting

Motivating kiddos to work, or to get anything done can be a huge challenge. Growing up my mom would always come up with the most ingenious ideas to get all of us working. One thing that never seems to fail when it comes to kids, is having a goal to work towards. Even if it's something small, such as homemade Popsicle for dessert, goals are a great way to get the kiddos to stop whining and start working. For example, if the yard or basement is in desperate need of cleaning this spring, one idea is to motivate kids is…
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4th Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge | #flatschallenge #bringflatsback

I'm sad to say that I won't be "officially" participating in the 4th Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge!  Jett won't be here for most of the week next week, so it just isn't feasible for me this year.  I will, however, be using flats during the times that he is here so that I can try to get pictures just to show how easy and fun it can be!  Are you taking the challenge? Sign Up for the Flats Challenge BTK's 2013 Flats Challenge BTK's 2012 Flats Challenge Take a minute to look over the rules and materials that are…
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Why Your Teen Should Volunteer this Summer

Everyone talks about volunteering as an important part on a senior's college application, but what about other aspects of volunteering? Volunteering is something important in any teenager's life, and not just because of how great it looks on a college application. The most important part of volunteering is the ability to give back and to do good in your community. Whether it's something as simple as looking after kids in the children's church on Sunday, working at a food pantry once a week, collecting items for a shelter, or even visiting seniors. There are so many ways to encourage your…
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TV Sitcom Memory Lane with Netflix #Giveaway #StreamTeam #tv

Last week, when the boys were randomly flipping through channels, they ran across Saved by the Bell.  Screech was doing something silly, and it caught their interest.  I decided to scroll through Netflix to see how many episodes were on there, and I had no idea that there were SO many different Saved by the Bell episodes and even movies!   Did you know that in addition to the 182 episodes of the original SbtB that there is a precursor season 13 episode season called "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" with Haley Mills that was actually their Jr. High years, also…
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Valerian Root: One of Nature’s Most Effective Sleep Aids | #natural #sleepaid

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released an article identifying insufficient sleep as a public health epidemic. Approximately 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep and wakefulness disorders, and these disorders have consequences extending beyond bedtime. For instance, about 23 percent of adults have reported inadequate sleep causes them to experience concentration problems. They have also reported problems with memory, work performance, financial situations and driving issues related to lack of sleep. Dried Valerian Root Image Credit Consider these statistics released by the CDC: Inadequate sleep. About 35 percent of adults receive less than seven hours of sleep per…
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5 Career-Related Games Kids Should be Playing | #gamer

The days of playing cowboys and Indians are over. It's unrealistic to let your child pretend that he or she has a future as a cowboy or princess. At the very least, they should be playing cops and robbers to learn about law enforcement. It's never too early to get your child on the right career path, so set them up with these five toys for early job training. Grand Theft Auto Image via Flickr by AXLiberty While no parent wants their child to become a criminal, playing GTA can introduce your child to the car industry and set him…
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Four Apps that Every High School Student Needs | #highschool #teens

High school is stressful for both teenagers and their parents. Between homework, prepping for the SAT, and fitting in all the extra curricular activities, it's no wonder anxiety is on the rise among teenagers. Thankfully, technology is helping to reduce the stress and worry with some awesome apps. myHomework Student Planner-  This app is the best thing since Spotify made mobile playlists free to use. First, it's very clean and user friendly which I love. Secondly, on top of keeping track of homework assignments and exams, students are rewarded with Amazon credits, movie tickets, and food coupons for completely assignments.…
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Installing A Love of Reading in Children | #reading #books #children

While a love of reading has been tossed aside in favor of videos games, bringing back a love of books isn’t impossible. While some kids might scorn the idea of reading, once they’re introduced to the magic of Hogwarts and the lure of fighting monsters with Percy Jackson, they won’t look back.   The important thing is to find books based on your child’s interests. Getting active kids to read can be a challenge, but starting them off with comic books is a good place to begin. And for a next step up, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and…
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Are We There Yet? 5 Engaging Road Trip Games | #roadtrip

Taking a road trip across the country is a great way to bond with your family. But spending countless hours in a car can get a bit boring, even if you do have plenty of stories to share. Sure, naps help pass the time on your way to your vacation destination, but nothing beats working the brain and playing a fun game on the road. With that said, here are five engaging road trip games that'll keep the kids and the adults entertained for hours. Treasure Bags: All Ages To play this game you'll need one large bag and one…
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Mommy’s Club Review | All-Natural, Organic, & Toxic Free Products for the Family

Have you ever stumbled upon a company that fits your life and parenting style so perfectly that you think that it was intended specifically for you?  Last month, I was given the opportunity to review a whole plethora of products for an awesome company geared toward natural parenting moms (like me), and I instantly fell in love.  Mommy's Club has a wide variety of all-natural, organic, and toxic free formulated replacements for personal care, body, health, and home cleaning products! The more I looked into it, I realized that Mommy's Club is a membership buying club as well as a…
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