"Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts", May 2007

Each month I write the Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts column for the Hearts @ Home mom's group newsletter. Here is the installment for this month:

Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts
May 2007

When going on summer outings with your children, dress them all in the same bright color so your eye can easily spot them while they play. This will be especially helpful in places where it may be crowded (the park, carnival, fair, farmer’s market, etc.).

Make a summer plan with your children, and write it out to post in the ‘hub’ of your home, where all can refer to it. First, brainstorm with them, “What are some things you would like to do to make this the best summer ever?” Give them each a turn, and write down a list of all their answers. Sketch out the calendar of summer, blocking out the activities that are already planned (like vacations, summer camps, etc.), so that they can see just how many ‘free’ days there really are in the summer. Discuss how the household should be run in order for you to have time to do the fun things (establish their morning routine, and that chores need to be done first). Together discuss and choose some realistic goals for summer fun using the list you made. Of course, you may not be able to do everything they wish, but they will get excited to be involved in planning, and you will be more likely to follow through if you have made a plan ahead of time. Don’t forget to add some memorable, but simple things you can do at home together: making homemade popsicles, creating obstacle courses in the yard using everyday objects, running through the sprinklers, scavenger hunts, sleeping out under the stars, or picking berries and making jam or pie. You will be amazed how a little planning can make for the best summer ever!

Introduce your children to a ‘theme of the week’, based on a Biblical character trait and Scripture, throughout the summer. Ask them to notice and report back how this theme was lived out by members of the family that week Share stories from when you were a kid learning relatable life lessons. Incorporate any idea you come up with related to the week’s theme (a song, craft, game), that will help your children to store the lesson in their hearts. Don’t think of it as ‘summer break’, but as ‘summer opportunity’. We really have to be proactive in instilling Biblical principles, because it just doesn’t happen on its own (as Deut. 6:7 says, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home…walk…lie down…get up …”) This doesn’t have to take much time or planning, but the effort will be rewarded as the Lord is faithful in blessing families who are diligent in seeking Him.

Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts--April 2007

Each month I write the Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts column for the Hearts @ Home mom's group newsletter. Here is the installment for this month:

There is a lot to get done in a day, so find creative ways to double up on chores--fold clothes in the hall or clean the bathroom while keeping an eye on kids in the tub, bathe your toddler in the kitchen sink after his messy meal, while you do the dishes in the other half (if you have a double sink), practice memory verses, math facts, phonics, or spelling with your kids while driving in the car, read to the kids while they finish eating, and, always be sure you take the time to teach each child how to do the chores himself.
Save and store old flat sheets in a drawer of your television cabinet to spread out for TV or movie night picnics. Relax when the kids want to snack with you in the family or living rooms, knowing there is a simple way to collect the popcorn crumbs and ice cream drips and protect your furniture and floors from stains. Keep a container of baby wipes there, as well, for easy clean up.

Make a homemade growth chart to record your children's yearly growth. Using a 3/4"x 4"x 5 1/2 ' board from a builder's supply store (have them cut for you to the specified measurements), paint the entire board your choice of color, and allow to dry. Using a contrasting paint, add horizontal dashes up the middle of the board for each inch starting with 12" (1 foot), and going up to 6 foot, 6 inches. Mark each foot with a longer dash. Label each foot by freehand painting or stenciling the numbers 1-6 next to the appropriate dashes. At the top, paint or stencil "Our Growth Chart". Decorate the board with 1x2" close-up birthday portraits shrunk down using photo-editing software and printing from your computer. Paste the photos onto the board near the height of your child for their corresponding ages. Using a foam brush or paintbrush, spread satin finish mod podge over the photos and the entire board; allow to dry well (mod podge dries completely clear and adds a protectant coat and sheen over the photos). Using paint and a fine-tipped paintbrush or a paint pen, label the child's initials, age, and inches where they belong on the chart. Mount the growth chart one foot up on the wall. Use this chart to mark your child's growth yearly, and continue to add photos and labels that correspond. This growth chart will be a special memento of childhood, and can be taken with you from house to house if you move.