Poor Posture

Did you know that poor posture has been linked to aches, wear and tear on joints and even arthritis? According to a new study, good posture benefits the mind as well as the body! Standing tall with shoulders back makes you feel more in control and better able to handle stress. So when you see your kids slouching, encourage them to sit up straight! The sooner they develop this good habit, the better!

Allowance Controvery!

There seem to be many opinions about giving an allowance to kids these days. Clearly, there is no black or white way to explain it, so we suggest you read a few of the following articles and come to your own conclusions based on your family!

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2011/01/12/the-smart-way-to-pay-kids-an-allowance

http://www.kidsmoney.org/allart.htm

And here – an allowance calculator! http://pediatrics.about.com/od/toolsandcalculators/l/bl_allcalc.htm

Dealing With Cyber-sex, Porn, and Puberty in a Cyber World!

Dear Parents,

If you have a computer and internet (and if you don’t, well, not only are you not reading this, but you should probably come out from under that rock you’re living under) chances are you will have dealt with or will have to deal with your tween or teen looking into cyber-porn. And don’t think that if you have only daughters, you won’t have to deal with this – girls face different sexual dangers online, even if they don’t take the initiative themselves to look up porn on the web.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s figure out how you are going to deal with it. First and foremost, DON’T PANIC. This unwelcome discovery actually opens the door for a positive, often avoided because it’s uncomfortable, dialogue. Bright side, yes?!

Get a hold of your temper and turn this talk into a teaching moment. Acknowledge that sexual curiosity is natural and with the internet, it’s tempting to seek it out. Remind your child that the images he sees online do not depict what sex in a relationship actually is, and that they often portray behavior that is exploitative and harmful to both women and men. The key is to explain that sex and relationships are NOT the same thing, but that they ideally go together, so there is a respectful, healthy way to have both.

The fact is, you cannot completely control what your kids do online.  They are far better off being informed and forewarned, and that’s worth a little embarrassment or discomfort on your end to have the chat.

Follow our series this month for more tips on how to deal with this situation!

Sincerely, The Artist Babysitting Team

A Material World

There’s no question we life in a material world nowadays, and that some of those highly coveted materials (read – iPhones, iPads, etc) can be useful as well as fun. Remember though, that kids should not get everything they want. There’s no time like the present to start saying no to them sometimes. You don’t have to be cruel, but you have to show that there are limits to what you can or will buy them, allow them to buy with money you’ve likely given them, etc, etc. We will explore some ways to deal with this over the next week – stay tuned to our blog for information!

Tips for how to say NO:

1) Define Your Values. Parents should outline their family’s values with their kids. Do you value community service? Then tell your daughter that if she volunteers X number of hours, then, yes, she can have that new dress she wants. Do you value a strong work ethic? Then encourage your son to get a part time job around the neighborhood to pay for part of or all of his new iPod. Don’t criticize other families values. It encourages your child to do the same.

2) Set Limits. Create and enforce financial limits, not only for your children, but for yourself as well. Teach your kids that there are restrictions on how much your family can afford. For example, implement a spending cap of $200 for a back to school wardrobe and ask your teen to decide how to allocate that amount. Take this opportunity to explain that spending money on a good jacket makes more sense than spending a fortune on a brand name scarf perhaps. Or that some items can be bought at cheaper prices than others – socks, underwear, scarves, hats – whereas others do and probably should cost more – jackets, boots, etc.

Life Skills at What Age?

Teaching Your Child Life Skills

An Age-by-Age Guide

This article is by Lindsay Hutton, but we thought it was too good to pass up! Please click on the links below to read on!

Are you preparing your child to be independent? Teaching your child life skills is not only important for self-care and sufficiency— it also allows him to feel empowered, works on socialization and reasoning, and helps develop healthy self-esteem. This list of age-appropriate skills will help prepare your child for each stage of his life from preschool until the day he flies the coop.

http://life.familyeducation.com/slideshow/independence/71434.html

Happy Mother’s Day!

To all mothers out there today, Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy a day to celebrate and honor all that you do.

Here are some interesting facts about the holiday:

* One of the earliest records of the holiday can be found among ancient Egyptians who held an annual festival to honor the goddess Isis, known as the mother of the pharaohs.

* The day wasn’t signed into national observance in the USA until 1914. (It took another 52 years for Father’s Day to become official!)

* Mother’s Day is always on the second Sunday of the month of May, so the date varies each year.

Good Fighting?

Do you ever feel like you are constantly fighting with your teenager? Well, that may not be entirely bad. Check out this weekly series on the Artist Babysitting blog for more info and tips!

Some tips from Joseph P Allen, coauthor of Escaping the Endless Adolescence:

DO Model Good Arguing Skills. Explain your point of view thoroughly and persuasively, when you’re discussing car privileges with your teen or on the phone negotiating rates with your cable provider. Kids learn from their parents. Children WILL listen to you, even when you least expect it. If your kids hear you approaching arguments with a calm, confident approach, they’ll learn from your actions.

DON’T Reward Bad Behavior. Never relent when your child whines, yells or attempts to intimidate you. This is something you can start as early as a year old with your child, and a lesson that will stick with him for life. Allow your child to get his way when he deserves to – like if he asks to stay out an hour later than normal and you know he’ll be at his friend’s house – that’s a time to give in once and a while.

Build something!

For the builders in your family, try this free workshop for kids at participating Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores nationwide. Build and Grow is offered two Saturdays a month and requires advance sign up on the website. Visit http://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/Home.aspx to see what projects the stores have coming up, and register for the class. The first 50 kids to register and be present at the store at 10am will receive a kit, aprons and goggles to take home with them. There are store trained instructors present, but the store asks that you fill out a waiver form. Just in case!

A Material World

There’s no question we life in a material world nowadays, and that some of those highly coveted materials (read – iPhones, iPads, etc) can be useful as well as fun. Remember though, that kids should not get everything they want. There’s no time like the present to start saying no to them sometimes. You don’t have to be cruel, but you have to show that there are limits to what you can or will buy them, allow them to buy with money you’ve likely given them, etc, etc. We will explore some ways to deal with this over the next week – stay tuned to our blog for information!

You may not be aware that a recent study found that kids are neurologically hardwired to crave the same stuff as their peers. It’s about acceptance. For more info on this subject, check out the book, The Blessing of a B-Minus, by Wendy Mogul, Ph.D.

Girls on the Run Program in NYC

Girls On The Run Manhattan is an interactive life-skills program that uses the power of running to change the way girls see themselves and their opportunities! Our innovative health education and wellness program uniquely combines training for a 3.1 mile run/walk event with life-changing, self esteem enhancing lessons that encourage healthy habits and an active lifestyle in 8-13 year old girls. Girls learn to stretch themselves – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally – and in the process, are inspired to a lifetime of self respect and healthy living!

*Develop a positive self-image*
*Respect others and build teamwork*
*Assert herself in a healthy manner*
*Strive to achieve personal goals*
*Improve health and physical fitness*
*Have Fun!*

For more information visit http://www.gotrm.org/

Offer For Chelsea Piers Bowling!

Let’s Move!

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams.

For more information, ideas, tips and success stories, visit www.letsmove.gov

At the launch of the initiative, President Barack Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum creating the first-ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity to conduct a review of every single programs and policies relating to child nutrition and physical activity and develop a national action plan to maximize federal resources and set concrete benchmarks toward the First Lady’s national goal. The Task Force recommendations focus on the five pillars of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative:

1. Creating a healthy start for children
2. Empowering parents and caregivers
3. Providing healthy food in schools
4. Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
5. Increasing physical activity

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo Day! This holiday is celebrated in the United States and Mexico as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

Some fun facts about the holiday:

* Cinco de Mayo means “the fifth of May.” Many people believe it is Mexico’s Independence Day, but that is incorrect. (Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16.) Rather, Cinco de Mayo is the anniversary of a battle that took place between the Mexicans and the French in 1862.

* The Cinco de Mayo festival in Chandler, Arizona, is known for its Chihuahuas! There are Chihuahua parade, races and pageants. At the end, a King and Queen of the Chihuahuas are crowned.

* There aren’t any specific foods associated with Cinco de Mayo, but traditional Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, burritos, guacamole and tacos are popular.

Here’s a fun craft to make with your kids: Make Your Own Mini Maracas

What You Need:

• 2 empty film canisters
• 2 Popsicle sticks
• Colored vinyl tape
• Black marker or paint
• Rice, dry beans, or beads
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Paint the Popsicle sticks black.

2. Decorate the sticks and the containers using colored vinyl tape. (For example, use red, green, and white stripes to represent the Mexican flag.)

3. Cut a slit in the canister tops to hold the craft sticks securely.

4. Fill the containers half full with rice, beans, or beads.

5. Replace the tops. Push in the crafts sticks.

Good Fighting?

Do you ever feel like you are constantly fighting with your teenager? Well, that may not be entirely bad. Check out this weekly series on the Artist Babysitting blog for more info and tips!

Some tips from Joseph P Allen, coauthor of Escaping the Endless Adolescence:

DO Listen. Even if you know from the start of the argument that you won’t allow your daughter to go on vacation with her boyfriend, don’t shut her down when she brings it up. Let her practice presenting her case, and then explain why you’re saying no.

DON’T Steamroll. A simple “no, end of discussion” will dissuade your child from confronting you in the future. Encourage your kids to defend their requests. It will help them from becoming pushovers.

Kidz b Kidz – Art for a Good Cause

This may be the perfect combination of art and a good cause – a non profit organization called Kidz b Kidz!

Kidz b Kidz is powered by kids and mentored by adults. They teach children about empathy and the importance of helping others, and encourage them to find ways to use their artful hands and generous spirits to do good in the world. Kidz b Kidz inspires kids to create heartfelt artwork that is used in products sold to foster healing and comfort in a child’s hospital experience and to support medical research.

Check out their website below for more info:

http://www.kidzbkidz.com/

Babysitting Careers for Your Child

According to the experts, preteens are generally ready to be babysit by age 11, but kids mature at different rates, so you have to assess your child honestly. Here are some questions to help you help HER decide if she’s ready for the responsibility of babysitting:

1) Does she actually like young kids and babies?

2) Is she dependable in your home when it comes to following instructions, doing her chores, and finishing her homework?

3) What’s her comfort level with being in charge, answering the phone or speaking to a stranger at the door?

4) Can you trust her to be responsible in someone else’s house, with someone else’s things?

5) How does she treat her siblings, cousins and friends?

6) Are you confident in her decision-making abilities in difficult situations?

Of course, boys and girls can absolutely be great sitters, but it is a big responsibility, so be sure to be honest about your child’s abilities.

Good Fighting?

Do you ever feel like you are constantly fighting with your teenager? Well, that may not be entirely bad. Check out this weekly series on the Artist Babysitting blog for more info and tips!

According to Joseph P Allen, coauthor of Escaping the Endless Adolescence, and a new study from the University of Virginia, teens who question their parents’ enforcements of rules are better at resisting peer pressure. Kids who’ve learned to use confident, rational arguments to persuade parents on issues like curfew, chores and grades are better prepared to say no when friends ask them to do something they’re uncomfortable with, like drinking or trying drugs.

The Good of the Grandparents

According to a recent study completed at Brigham Young University, the more your kids hang out with their grandparents, the more kindhearted they’ll be. Based on interviews conducted with adolescents between the ages of 10-14, researchers found that those whose grandparents were actively involved in their lives went on to develop a stronger sense of care and concern for others!

So be sure to take advantage of all the time you can get with your parents, for the sake of YOU and your kids!

Family Vacations!

From now until May 11th, Daily Getaways is offering great deals and promotions to tourists nationwide, including discounts on airfare, hotels, attractions and more! More than half of American families say they return from vacations feeling reconnected with their family, and that the anticipation of a getaway gives a boost to positive feelings about family, finances and health. Visit DailyGetaways.com for further information!

Make Meaning

To those living in Arizona, New York and Massachusetts, we have a fabulous new place you have to go! For the rest of you, you’ll just have to wait until more locations are added to the Make Meaning team! Trust us, you’ll want to go!

http://www.makemeaning.com/

Make Meaning is a place to have fun and be creative for kids and adults. Just walk in and choose from a variety of activities featured within one of our seven Creative Experiences:

• cake decorating
• ceramics
• candles
• glass
• jewelry
• soap
• paper