Chores For Children

Most agree that having children do chores is a positive thing... It teaches responsibility, a feeling of accomplishment and the value of earning money (provided an allowance is associated with these chores, of course!).   Keeping track of each child's chores can be difficult - for both parent and child!  We found these AWESOME chore charts at Posh Little.  They are colorful and modern and a great way to keep the family organized!



Love these!  And better yet.. the KIDS will love these!

How to Make A Lemonade Stand

Summer time.... Sweet summer, summer time!  What seems to go hand in hand with kids and summer vacation?  Lemonade stands!  My kids love to visit them, and I happen to have a soft spot for little kids selling stuff, so we always stop.  (Yes - the Girl Scouts SCORE BIG at our house! :) 

I love how Staci at Just Sew Sassy turned an old desk into one AMAZING lemonade stand!  What little budding  entrepreneur wouldn't love to set up shop here?!?

Check out how she made this amazing transformation.  Super creative and HUGE impact!  I know all the neighborhood kiddos must LOVE it!

Great idea Staci!  Thank you for sharing!

Creative Ways To Organize

Keeping organized is a must for saving time and reducing clutter.  I'm particularly fond of creative storage devices that make organizing fun and that look great too!

Kim at Everything Etsy features 13 Great Ways to Organize with Recycled and Repurposed Finds.  It's a great collection of creative and attractive organizing solutions.  My particular favorite is the suggestion with the baby food jars.  LOVE it!



Thank you Kim at Everything Etsy for the great article!

Photos Into Art!

Photos. We take them everywhere, all the time.  At the beach on vacation... the kindergarten play... Christmas morning...  randomly throughout the day to capture the cutest of cute faces our children make.  But then what?  They stay in a photo box or worse yet in digital form where we only enjoy on occasion.  I know some of you are good enough to make scrapbooks which always impresses me.  I absolutely loooove them - don't get me wrong... but there is a time factor here that I cannot seem to overcome.  For this very reason, I GREATLY appreciate creative uses of photos, and classy ways to integrate them into our home decor. 

I found a fabulous example of this on the blog called Isabella and Max Rooms. They feature a decorative element using a photo turned into art by Modern Bird Studios. 



This has soooooo many possibilities I'm almost giddy!  Let those creative juices flow... This would make a creative addition to any children's room theme. 

Thank you to Isabella and Max Rooms for the great idea!

Potty Training Part II

When potty training, rewards are a great way to reinforce a successful trip to the potty!  From A Pumpkin and a Princess, here is here is an awesome Potty Treats Jar!  LOVE this and I must say we'll soon be featuring one in our house! :)

Fop Five Potty Training Tips

Potty training.... For some of us, we look forward to the days of no longer having to change diapers. For others, we dread the day our baby takes one more step towards being a "big kid." For all of us - its typically a challenge!

Here is our list of the Top Five Potty Training Tips:

5) The Naked Game - Many parents have found that wearing no diaper and no clothes can create a greater awareness of having to go to the bathroom. To use this strategy, dedicate a weekend to the initial training, and let your child go naked for extended periods of time. Before bath time is often a good place to start. Once the naked potty use is mastered, start adding the clothes back. First big kid undies, and then pants.

4) Target Practice - For those of us with boys in the house, it doesn't take long to figure out that aiming is a problem. Turn this obstacle into a game - it not only encourages potty use, but it helps get them going in the right direction. Take a few cheerios, they float nicely, and encourage your son to aim at them.

3) Praise - No better way to encourage a child to do anything than positive reinforcement. Give your child plenty of undivided attention, love and praise. Each time you have a successful potty, go overboard with the attention and praise. Children want to please and the additional excitement you create will help encourage going to the potty.

2) Stickers - A reward system is a great means to encourage potty training. Stickers seem to be a very popular choice. Create a board in the bathroom and reward your child with a sticker with each successful trip to the potty. Another popular alternative is covering a child's clothes with a sticker after each trip. This can create a constant reminder of the reward and help to remember to go to the potty with the need arises.

1) Bribes - when all else fails, a bribe is a fabulous option. M & M's always seem to be a popular choice. Promise your child each time they go to the bathroom they get some M & M's. If your child has another favorite, go with that. Many parents have had success keeping a reward jar in the bathroom filled with treats. With each successful potty, they can choose one.

No matter which strategy you choose, stay consistent and constantly encourage. Positive reinforcement, no matter what behavior you are encouraging, is a magical thing.

Let us know any other tips you may have and best of luck!