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16 (Super Helpful) Things My Mom Drilled Into My Head

July 18, 2012

http://www.parenting.com

By Erin Zammett Ruddy

Melissa and me as kids, when much of this knowledge was dropped on us (not pictured: Meghan, who also benefitted and who is also now one of my best friends).

© Erin Zammett Ruddy

My mother was and is a kick-ass mom in every sense of the word. It’s actually kind of annoying how good she was (tough act to follow). She always had the answers to all of life’s dilemmas. She also had a lot of opinions but, alas, she was—and is—usually right. About a lot of stuff. Below are some of the many things she used to say to my sisters and me that proved to be true/have served us well/are now engrained in us. And I’m grateful. I hope someday Nora and Alex will have a list like this about me.

1. Be nice to your sisters, someday they will be your best friends.

2. Always write a thank you note.*

3. Say who you are when you call for someone on the phone. 

4. You don't have to agree with everyone, different opinions are what make horse races.

5. Pee before you go.

6. You can tell me anything.

7. It can't hurt to ask. 

8. It’s not the end of the world. 

9. Take a sweater.

10. Don’t put it on your list, just do it now.**

11. Worry about yourself.

12. Bring a gift.

13. Never jump a green light in case someone is running a red.

14. Be friendly to everyone, not just your friends. 

15. Don't half-ass things (school work, relationships, countertop cleaning, etc.)

16. If you need a ride, call me any time day or night and I’ll come get you.***

Anything your mom used to say to you nonstop that you appreciate now/has helped shape who you are today? My mother has taught us a million things more than this but these are the points that she actually used to verbalize. A lot. At this stage the only thing I tell my kids constantly is not to dive in the shallow end, to keep their hands to themselves and to hold my $&!@# hand in a parking lot. I’m hoping my advice gets more sage and less naggy as they get older.

* I currently have 1,000 (not an exaggeration) thank you notes for my Woman of the Year campaign sitting in my office waiting to be written.

**I am still struggling with this one. I try, but I love my lists! Number one on the list now: Write the %@$! thank you notes.

***My mother will still pick up her 30-something children from the bars if need be. Yes, this has happened recently. And yes, she rocks!

Building Baby's First Library: 25 Must-Have Books

A buying guide to old school and new classic books for babies

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By Melanie Monroe Rosen

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/building-babys-first-library-25-must-have-books?lnk=trigscroll&loc=trigscroll

Michelle Obama - First Lady - Parenting.com

First Lady Michelle Obama on Raising Healthy Kids

Parenting's Editorial Director sits down with the First Lady Michelle Obama for a once-in-a-lifetime interview. Plus, watch the First Lady answer questions from kids about healthy eating!

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By Ana Connery

Michelle Obama - First Lady - Parenting.com

Happy Chinese New Year to all of our students, parents and of course centre directors and facilitators! From Vital Years HQ, we wish you long life, prosperity and happiness!

Turning Off and Tuning In

In these challenging economic times, it is a blessing to remember that there is one thing you can spend on yourself, your family and your friends that will cost you absolutely nothing . That one thing is time.

I hear people say that they can't find the time to do the things that they really want to do. We want to do things that are meaningful, yet we feel there are no spare minutes between housework, paperwork, work and homework. And when   we do sit down with our families after an exhausting day, it is often in front of a television set

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Sandra-Magsamen-on-Turning-Off-Your-TV-and-Tuning-In-to-Your-Family/1#ixzz1jacJg1Ci

KidsHealth> Parents> Positive Parenting> Family Life> 7 Ways to Raise a Global Kid

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Today's kids are growing up in a globalized world. But how do you teach them to embrace and thrive among the planet's many cultures — from Boston to Bangkok?

Travel is an obvious answer, but far-flung trips may not figure into your vacation budget. Raising global kids doesn't have to break the bank or feel like another task for your to-do list. Instead, make it a fun exploration and a unique opportunity to learn, enjoy, explore, and grow.

Here are seven ways to get started:

1. "See" the World — At Home

Hang a world map in a high-traffic spot so kids get familiar with (and curious about) country and city names, locations, cultures, and languages. Place a globe where they can reach it and they're sure to spin it and imagine far-off places.

Consider other decorative items that have a global connection. Some items will come with a story, like a rug woven by women working to improve their lives. Look for picture books that feature houses, gardens, recipes, or sports in far-off places. Do you have examples of foreign currency? Frame them and hang them on the wall as conversation pieces.

2. Talk It Up

International news reports are full of difficult subjects, but you can find gentler ways to start a conversation. Perhaps a friend has an ethnic celebration coming up or kids from another country have just enrolled at your child's school.

Check your clothing labels. Was your T-shirt made in Peru, Bangladesh, or China? Find those places on your map and talk about what life might be like there.

You don't have to be an expert. Just your sincere interest serves as a powerful example that you care about the larger world.

3. Let Music Send a Message

You don't need to stop what you're doing to declare "Now we're going to listen to world music!" Just slip it into your music rotation. Dance to it while making dinner, listen while driving, or turn on a soothing selection at bedtime. You and your kids will hear lyrics in foreign languages and you'll also hear English sung with varied accents.

4. Spice Up Family Movie Night

Try a family-friendly foreign film, especially those told from a child's point of view. Where would you like to go tonight — Mongolia, Ireland, or India?

Make it a global snacking experience, too. Find an ethnic grocery store near you and ask the storekeeper to recommend best-selling snacks to pair with your movie.

5. Give Gifts of the World

Handmade art and crafts make terrific gifts. It's even better when you know the artisan benefited directly from the sale. Consider buying teacher, holiday, and birthday presents from a fair-trade store in your town or online. Kids can find meaning and pride in a purchase that connects them to the bigger world.

6. Dip Into a Foreign Language

Find out if your child's school teaches any foreign languages. Can you support the effort or help get a program started? At home, try online learning programs and language software. Play games with your kids to practice their skills or help with an after-school foreign language club.

Do you know a friend or neighbor who speaks a foreign language you and your kids would like to learn? Maybe you can arrange for informal tutoring.

7. Set Out to Serve

Offer your time and resources to make a difference. It cultivates empowerment, motivation, and a sense of global connection. Serving helps make it real for both you and your kids.

Where to start? Talk to local people already engaged in service. You also can take a look at U.S. and global programs making a difference on websites like GlobalLiving.com.

A global perspective can begin a family adventure that connects us with diverse communities and helps us see beyond our immediate circumstances. It also prepares kids to succeed in an interconnected economy and society. Locally and globally, it's a win-win-win.

Reviewed by: Homa Sabet Tavangar, MPA
Date reviewed: October 2011

KidsHealth> Parents> Positive Parenting> Family Life> Raising Earth-Friendly Kids

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Whether you're a diehard recycler who shops with canvas bags and keeps a compost bin in the corner of your backyard, or a busy parent looking for some quick tips on sorting glass from plastic, it's easy to get your family on the path to greener living.

But the best earth-friendly practices require the cooperation of everyone in the household. So, how do parents get kids to reduce, reuse, and recycle and embrace the other basics of environmental responsibility?

As with most good habits, the best way to teach them is to be a good role model yourself. By showing that you care about and respect the environment, your kids will do the same.

It's a Family Affair

Here are some suggestions you can try as a family:

• Teach respect for the outdoors. This can start in your own backyard. Help kids plant a garden or tree. Set up bird feeders, a birdbath, and birdhouses. Kids can clean out and refill the bath daily, and clean up seed debris around feeders and restock them.
  
  On a larger scale, you can plan family vacations that focus on the great outdoors. Maybe a summer trip to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone Park appeals to your adventurous clan. Shorter trips might include a day at a state or national park. Even a couple days at the beach can offer plenty of opportunities for you to point out and discuss the plants and animals you see and why it's important to protect their habitats.
• Recycle. Recycling is easy, and in some communities, mandatory. Check with your local recycling office and be sure you know all the rules. Some communities allow co-mingling ― all recyclables can be placed in one container ― while others require sorting into separate containers. You may need bins for each type of recyclable: One for plastic, one for glass, one for paper, and one for cans. Kids can sort (and rinse, if necessary) items, place them in the correct bins, and take the containers out to the curb for collection. After the bins have been emptied, ask your kids to rinse them out (if they're dirty) and bring them back into the house or garage.
• Drink your own water. Bottled water is expensive and, experts say, not any cleaner or safer than tap water. In fact, much bottled water is actually tap water that has been filtered. The water that comes out of home spigots in the United States is extremely safe. Municipal water supplies are monitored constantly and the test results made public. And unless they're recycled, the plastic bottles ― most commonly made from polyethylene terepthalate (PET), which is derived from crude oil ― can end up in landfills. So have your kids tote water from the tap (you can add a filter to improve its taste) in reusable bottles.
• Clean green. Many natural products can replace commercial — and possibly hazardous — cleaning preparations. Just a few examples: to deodorize carpets, sprinkle them with baking soda, wait 15 minutes and then vacuum; use vinegar and baking soda for everything from oven cleaning and drain clearing to stain removal and metal polishing. Lots of websites offer green cleaning tips, and many stores carry pre-made nontoxic cleaners for those who don't want to make their own.
• Lend a hand. Many communities sponsor green activities, like pitching in to help clean up a local park or playground. Maybe the area around your child's school could use sprucing up.

Getting Kids to "Go Green"

In their own day-to-day activities, encourage kids to find ways to limit waste, cut down on electricity, avoid unnecessary purchases, and reuse items that they already have. Here's how:

• Conserve energy. Remind kids to turn off lights when they're not in use, power down computers, turn off the TV when nobody's watching, and resist lingering in front of the refrigerator with the door open.
• Hoof it. If kids can safely ride a bike or walk to school or to visit friends rather than catch a ride from parents, encourage it! Or if safety is a concern, consider organizing a "walking school bus" ― this activity allows kids to walk or bike to and from school under the supervision of an adult.
• Let there be (more) light. Older kids can help replace regular light bulbs with energy-efficient ones. Compact fluorescent light bulbs provide about the same light output as incandescent bulbs, but last much longer and use a fraction of the energy.
• Reuse and recharge. Buy rechargeable batteries for your kids' electronics and toys and teach them how to care for and recharge them. This reduces garbage and keeps toxic metals, like mercury, out of landfills.
• Pass it on. Ask kids to gather toys, books, clothes, and other goods that they no longer use or want for donation to local charities. Have them ride along for the drop-off so they can see how groups such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army use donations to help others.

These tips are just some ways to get your family to become more earth-friendly. Once you get everyone on board with conservation, challenge your kids to come up with new and interesting ways of going green.

Can your grade-schoolers cut back on the amount of paper they print from the Internet? How about your teens: Can they agree to take shorter showers?

Engaging your kids in this way will get them to start thinking about how their individual efforts affect the world they live in, and how little changes can ― and will ― make a difference.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: January 2012