Archive: Parents

5 Ways You’re Probably Already Prepping Your Child for Preschool

It’s never too early to start preparing your little one for the big transition into preschool. It’s important to stimulate their minds so that they’re ready to jump in and start their schooling. You’re probably already prepping your child, even if you didn’t realize it.

Play outside.

Exploring the outdoors not only creates adventure, but it’s your child’s first science class. Digging in dirt, feeding birds and rolling around in the grass sparks his or her interest in the natural world. Think of it as a basic bio lab.

Read a bedtime story.

There’s no better way to promote literacy than reading out loud to your child. Try choosing two bedtime books. That way, one can be an old favorite that they’ve probably memorized, but the other can be a new story with unfamiliar, stimulating sentences.

Set play dates.

Play dates are socializing practice for the real world. In preschool, your child will be surrounded by other little ones. He or she will have to play, share, take turns and interact with their classmates so learning these skills in a more one-on-one environment is a great start.

Play dress-up.

Running around in a pretend princess dress isn’t just a good time. It’s helping shape your toddler’s thought process. Playing pretend is your child’s first attempt at abstract thinking.

Finger paint.

Or draw. Or color. Or use watercolors. Art allows for expression, creativity and color recognition. And who knows, maybe you’re painting with the next Picasso.

Sources:

Fliess, Sue. “How Playing Dress-Up Shapes Your Child.” Education.com <http://www.education.com/magazine/article/How_Dress_Shapes_Your_Child/>

Rabkin, Rachel. “Prepare Your Toddler for Preschool.” Parents.com. <http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-preschool/preparing/activities/>

Extreme Parenting: 360 Degrees Longitude, the Family That Traveled Around the World

John, September, Jordan and Katrina Higham at Machu Picchu

John Higham, his wife September and their two children Katrina and Jordan took one full year to travel around the world. During their time on the road, water and in the air, they saw 28 countries on five continents. Higham wrote 360 Degrees Longitude, a book documenting the family’s journey. He talked with MomTrusted about his family trip.

MomTrusted: How did you decide to take a trip around the world?

John Higham: Before our children were born, my wife and I spent a year in Japan on a work assignment. We had traveled previously, and knew what a life changing impact traveling can have on a person. Nevertheless, that year in Japan was the genesis for wanting to take our kids abroad for a year. Initially, we were going to travel to four places and spend three months in each place. It grew from there. See “Chapter Zero.” [in 360 Degrees Longitude]

MomTrusted: How did you budget for the trip?

John: About three years before our RTW [around the world] trip, we took a month-long “prototype trip” to the most expensive place we could think of: Switzerland. From that we scaled the budget for 12 months and for other less expensive locales.

For more information, visit the family’s website.

MomTrusted: How did you choose the countries you visited?

John: Initially, we were going to cycle from London to Istanbul over summer, and from there the plan was to follow the sun (stay in warm weather) to Africa, Asia and South America. This worked out, but we really screwed up in a few places by arriving in what I thought would be a shoulder season [the time between high and low season in a travel market], but it turned out to be freaking cold. Of course, cycling didn’t work out so well after my daughter broke her leg….

Also, we wanted our kids to have some ownership in the trip. A few years before we left, we started putting sticky notes on a giant map and discussing those places as a family. We let the kids pick one destination each. My son picked China to see the Great Wall (he had studied it in school) and my daughter picked Tanzania because of her love of lions.

MomTrusted: How old were your children at the time?

John: Eight and 11. In our prototype trip, we concluded that there were long periods of time where there wasn’t much to do so we wanted our kids to be old enough to keep themselves entertained with a book. They also couldn’t be too old where hanging out with the ‘rents was embarrassing.

MomTrusted: What was the biggest challenge of bringing kids along on your journey?

John: I’m struggling here. There were far more rewards than challenges… stuff management, maybe. You just have more stuff, but the adults tend to manage most of it from hand washing their clothes to helping them spell a word when they write in their journal. Also, finding the time for meaningful homeschooling.

MomTrusted: Tell me about a time that you really wanted to jump on the next plane home.

John: Never happened. Never. The thought did creep into the shadows of our minds after Katrina broke her leg, but my wife and I each gave each other that look and both knew what the other was thinking. It wasn’t even discussed, except in terms of “we have to cope because we’re not going home.” Many friends even offered refuge in various cities across Europe, but we soldiered on.

MomTrusted: What is one of the most valuable lessons you learned on your journey?

John: I never planned to write a book.  I’m an engineer by training and profession.  But when friends would ask questions like, “what was your take-away?” the responses felt so vacuous that summing up my thoughts in a book was natural.

But if I were to pick two things, they would be that as a family, you can overcome any obstacle as long as you share common goals and do it together and that around the world, people are more alike than they are different. Media tries to amplify the differences and it is very divisive. Travel is a great humanizer.

MomTrusted: If you could, would you do it all over again?

John: Oh, yeah.  Even 6+ years later, it occupies my thoughts every waking moment. I yearn to do it again, this time with just my wife.  And maybe the occasional visit from kids and grandkids (which had better still be 10 years in the future!).

Fitness Tips for Moms on the Go

Sticking to New Year’s resolutions is never easy, but it’s even tougher for busy moms. Take the start of a new year as an opportunity to revamp your health plan. Here are some fitness tips for moms to help squeeze workouts into your busy schedule:

Set a routine

And stick to it! Pick a few days a week and put your workouts on your calendar. You already have everything from play dates to soccer games on it, so the best way to guarantee your own time is to pencil yourself in.

Overlap workout time with social time

No matter how hard you wish, there are only 24 hours in a day so take advantage of the little free time you can squeeze in. Get a group of friends together and go on a bike ride. Call up your sister for a running buddy. And socializing while you exercise will make burning calories a lot more fun!

Find a gym with daycare

Lots of gyms are family-friendly and have childcare options available. Many even have special playrooms so your kids can run around and get some exercise while you’re pounding away on the treadmill.

Sneak in mini workouts throughout the day

Don’t have time to set aside for the gym each day? No problem. Just sneak in simple exercises like crunches, pushups, squats or planks during nap time or while your little one’s tuned into Sesame Street. If you do so on a daily basis, you could start seeing results within a month.

Bring your toddler along

Can your little one join in on the fun? Coordinate a stroller run with other moms or buy a bike with a child seat on the back.

Don’t forget about what you’re already doing

Chasing a toddler around, cleaning the house and walking the dog are workouts in themselves. Pick up a pedometer to see just how much ground you’re covering every day.

Sources:

-“Workout tips for working moms.” Every Day Family

-“Family Go Fitness.” Disney

-Photo courtesy of photostock/freedigitalphotos.net

New Year’s Resolution: Go Green as a Family

As 2012 comes to an end and you start brainstorming ways to improve in 2013, consider this: What if your family came together to live a greener lifestyle? Not only will many of these ideas positively impact the environment and help your family, but they’ll teach your children about the importance of the environment, eating right and keeping fit. Consider a few of these green options for a fresh start to a new year:

Choose two wheels over four.

Opt for your bike over your car whenever possible. Not only will you save on gas, reduce your carbon imprint and get some exercise, but biking as a family is just plain fun. If school or work is too far, you can still consider running errands on two wheels. Have really little ones? Purchase a bike with a seat on the back or a children’s bike trailer. Don’t forget helmets for everyone!

Garden together.

Get outside, teach your little ones some biology 101 and grow ingredients for a healthy meal in a family garden. Try letting each family member pick out his or her favorite veggie or fruit to grow. This will teach children responsibility by having at least one plant that they’re accountable for and ensure that the family garden has everyone’s favorite snack.

Start a compost pile.

What better way to add some fresh fertilizer to your new garden than by creating a mini compost pile of your own? You can purchase bins for your kitchen, but there are also backyard options that will help keep the mess out of your home.

Ask your kids to help you with recycling.

Little ones love sorting. Ask your kids to help separate paper from plastic. This is also a great time to explain the importance of being kind to the environment.

Lower your energy use.

Keep your home cool in the winter and warm in the summer. For each degree that you use AC to lower the temperature in your home, your average energy cost rises by 6%. Metro Family Magazine recommends using fans on low in the winter to spread warmth throughout the house. Make sure they rotate clockwise, which will pull rising heat from the ceiling and better disperse it.

Plant a tree.

Did you know that nearly half of our original forest habitat has been cut down in the past 60 years? We’ve all wasted our fair share of paper or secretly hoped that a new shopping mall would go up close by.  Give back to the earth a little by planting a family tree. Not only will you be bettering the environment, but you can watch the tree and your children grow together.

Sources:

-“Going Green as a Family.” Going Green

-“How to Help Your Family Go Green.” Wiki How

-“Tree Deforestation Statistics.” Statistic Brain

-“Practical Pointers for Going Green.” Metro Family Magazine

-Photo courtesy of Sujin Jetkasettakorn/freedigitalphotos.net

Holiday Travel: Tips for Traveling with Kids

It’s that time of year again. The best part of the holidays? Family, friends, decorations, cheer and homemade food. The worst? Traveling with children. So before you end up in a screaming match with a migraine, read MomTrusted tips for success when traveling with children:

Allow for extra time

By this time, you’re an old pro. You can pack bags, dress and feed the kids and pile everyone into the car faster than a snowman on skis, but allow some extra time when you’re dealing with a big trip. Maybe you realize you forgot the diapers half way to the airport. Or maybe your little one decides to dump cereal on their shirt 15 minutes before you’re supposed to jump in the car. Better early than sprinting through the airport or putting the pedal to the medal.

Pack healthy snacks

Airport food is incredibly overpriced and road trip food consists of grease and sugar so pack your own snacks. Try some of these and don’t forget the cooler!

• -Nuts
• -Trail mix
• -Portable fruit like bananas, grapes and apples
• -Simple sandwiches like PBJs
• -String cheese
• -Baby carrots

Entertainment is key

Whether you’re hitting the open road or preparing for takeoff, make sure you have enough activities to keep your children entertained for the whole trip. Here are some ideas:

• -Sing songs together.
• -Find every letter of the alphabet on license plates.
• -“I spy with my little eye…”
• -Stop by the library and rent some stories on CD or download them to your mp3 player. This is a great option for flying or   driving and will keep kids occupied for hours.
• -Whoever spots 5 green cars…or 4 stoplights…or 3 horses… first wins.

Potty breaks

Figure out a potty break plan. Maybe you take your daughter to the bathroom and then your husband takes your son. Whoever’s left behind watches the stuff at the airport or waits in the car. It may seem like a simple task, but when traveling with kids, never underestimate the power of a plan.

Sources:

-“Have a happy road trip.” Kiwi Magazine.

-“Eat Healthy While on Vacation.” Kiwi Magazine.

-“10 Noise-Free Road Trip Games for Kids.” How Stuff Works.

-Photo courtesy of magerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Kids Apps: Ads, Upsells, and Privacy

 
With more than 700,000 apps in Apple’s app store, it can be hard to decide which apps are suitable for your child to use. Here are some aspects to consider before allowing children and teens to download new apps.
 
Educational value
Some games are educational, but most apps aren’t designed to teach new skills. It’s important to make a decision about how educational you want your child’s experience to be before handing over the phone.
 
In-app Advertisements
Most free apps make money through advertisements, but services such as AdMob and iAd don’t offer creators any control over the ads displayed. Because ad content isn’t chosen by the developers, unrelated (and even adult) content can show up in apps aimed at a younger audience. For younger children, the best option is to avoid ad-supported apps entirely by upgrading to a paid version or simply using a different app.
 
Paid Content
Speaking of upgrades, what about apps that constantly alert kids and ask them to buy paid content? SpongeBob Diner Dash was removed from the Apple App Store earlier this week after complaints from parents about the game’s promotional notifications. Thankfully, app descriptions are typically up-front about what paid upgrades are available.
 
Privacy
Major newspapers around the country have reported on privacy holes in popular mobile apps. Earlier this month, the FTC called the lack of transparency from app creators “disappointing”. According to the FTC, mobile apps intended for children have been found to track phone numbers, contact list, call logs, and even track the location of the device.
 
For those of us with older children, mobile privacy remains an issue, and the solution isn’t always clear. Even games that don’t require the user’s physical location, such as Angry Birds, frequently track them for marketing reasons. The Wall Street Journal published a report on some of the most popular apps, and found that even simple dictionary apps can transmit location to third parties.
 
Solutions
Apple’s built-in restrictions offer only the most basic options, and require that you remember a password to make changes. If you forget this password, the device must be wiped and everything set up from scratch. AppCertain offers a better solution. AppCertain created a free service that helps parents monitor which apps get installed on a family’s iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. It takes seconds to create an account and install the security profile on the devices you want to monitor. After following these simple steps, AppCertain will send you an email within 24 hours every time a new app is downloaded. This email will have descriptions of the apps being installed, plus extra information like:
Educational content
Whether the app tracks location
Does the app display advertisements?
How much the app costs
 
AppCertain is working on innovative ways for you to manage your family’s mobile devices. Simple instructions on signing up for free app monitoring service are available here.
 
Griffin Boyce of AppCertain is an expert on privacy and anonymity, and has been interviewed by The Washington Post and CNET on these topics. He is also an app developer.

Mommy Math: Time Management

Have you ever been buried in chores, work and scrambling for sleep, wondering if all other moms are in the same boat? Well here’s your chance to compare your time management to other moms across the country. The following data was pulled by the U.S. Department of Labor for households where the youngest child is under 6 years old and portrays the daily activities of a married mom.

Source:

“Charts from the American Time Use Survey.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. <http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/>