What do you do when your kid is the bully?

I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL, AND THESE ARE ONLY METHODS THAT I HAVE USED.  THESE ARE ONLY OPINIONS.  FEEL FREE TO COMMENT WITH YOUR THOUGHTS OR ADVICE! THANK YOU!!

The Story:

As my daughter got older, and time for kindergarten got closer, I began preparing her for dealing with the kids at school.  Kids can be cruel, so I made sure that she knew that she was beautiful, smart, etc.  I warned her that maybe all the kids at school wouldn't be nice to her, and how to handle it.

One thing that I wasn't prepared for happened while I was at work.  I got a phone call, and when I took the call, the woman identified herself as a guidance counselor  at my daughter's school.  My body shook, as I was worried at first that something had happened to her.  But my blood ran cold when the woman on the other line continued.  "I have Alex with me, and there was an incident at recess today."  She continued to tell me that Alex got in a fist fight with another girl in her school.  My blood boiled as I talked, and afterwards, I had to excuse myself from my work and step outside.  

I didn't know how to react, or handle the situation.  I knew that my daughter wasn't a perfect angel (she's 5, and all parents know how 5-year-olds can be), but I didn't expect such a big situation.  So, with the punishment given at school- 3 days of recess detention, and her punishment at home- loss of t.v. for the next 2 days, and no use of the family computer or her handheld gaming device, I thought I had sent the message.  We also had several very long discussions on why it was bad to act like that, and alternative ways to deal with her anger.  The next day at school, she apologized to her teacher, and gave the other kid an apologetic card that she made.  I thought she had learned her lesson.

Two days later, I got another phone call.  I immediately recognized the phone number as the school, and was shocked when I answered and once again informed that my child started another fight.  I immediately took every toy, toy box, doll house, and game out of her room and up to the attic.  She also lost t.v. until she goes to school for an entire week without getting so much as a warning.  She was in shock when she got home and discovered that her room was empty, aside from her bed and dresser.

I'm not sure what the next step will be if it happens again, but I'm hoping that this extreme punishment will teach her exactly how bad this behavior is.

The Lesson:

-Keep communications open.  I have discussed this behavior with everyone that has an administrative role in her life.  I have exchanged several emails with her teacher(also learning that she has been having other issues in class), and I have talked extensively with my mother and boyfriend, who care for her in the mornings and after school on days that I work.  I am very pleased with the help that I am getting from the school, as well as her other caregivers.

-Don't be afraid to be extreme.  The first time that she got violent at school, I had fiddled with the idea of the more extreme punishment, but decided against it.  I regret that decision.  Now I wonder that if I would have been more extreme the first time, that perhaps the second incident wouldn't have happened.  The severity of violence is too high for a lenient punishment.

-Listen, listen, listen.  Even if it is your child's fault that there was a fight, listen to their side of the story.  And listen closely, because the simplest phrases can lead to finding the reason for the behavior.

-Talk.  Discuss what circumstances they can face if it happens again- from you, from the school, and from their peers. 

-Put them in the other children's shoes.  Alex really responded to me asking her how she would feel if someone else did to her what she did to the other children.  I made her realize that the other children were not only hurt physically, but they were hurt emotionally.

Christmas Craft- Reindeer Headband

Reindeer Headband:
      What you need- Brown construction paper
                             - Scissors
                             - Google eyes
                             - Red pom poms
                             - Popsicle sticks
                             - Glue
                             - markers
      What you do-  Cut out the "headband" from brown construction paper.  Make sure its about 4ish inches wide, and long enough to fit around your child's head, but tight enough to stay in place, taking consideration for the inch or two to glue together.  Glue on the eyes, a red pom pom for a nose, and draw on a little smiley face.  Glue the ends of the headband together and fasten with a paperclip to dry.  While it's drying, trace your child's hand on the brown construction paper and cut them out.  These are the antlers.  Glue them to popsicle sticks, leaving a few inches of the stick to glue to the headband.  Let everything dry before gluing the popsicle sticks/antlers to the headband.  Hold the sticks in place until they are dry.

Christmas Decorated Goodies!!!

                 Bake cupcakes.  Add a bunch of icing, a marshmallow on top and decorate with icing.

Dip pretzel sticks in candy melts or chocolate, and use your imagination to decorate however you want.  Nuts, sprinkles, M&Ms, coconut, and Andes peppermint pieces all work and taste great!

Rice Crispy Treat Ornament.  Just Decorate with icing, stick red and green M&Ms on with icing, a marshmallow and string of licorice on top, and that's all there is to it.

Santa Strawberries.  Cut the tops and bottoms off, fill and decorate with icing and put the bottoms back on.  A slightly more healthy Christmas snack.

Snowman Donuts.  decorate with black frosting, and i like to use candy corn for the nose 

Nutter Butter Reindeer.  Put the pretzel antlers into the peanut butter in between the two cookies, dip in chocolate and decorate with a red M&M and icing.

Kids and Dogs- A professional's point of view

As a dog groomer, I have learned a LOT about dog breeds, and I see SO many common mistakes when it comes to combining children and dogs.  It's difficult to correct many of the mistakes in my job, because the "damage" is already done.  Here are some things to consider BEFORE picking out that perfect puppy

These are only my OPINIONS based on personal experience.  You should ALWAYS do your own research before welcoming any pet to your family.  And, remember, there are ALWAYS the exceptions.  I mean no offense in this article, and this is only meant to be things to consider before bringing a dog home.

1.  Not all breeds are good around kids.  Even when bought as puppies, these breeds grow older and start to develope their breed temperments.  One of the most common misconceptions is with dalmations, because of the Disney movie "101 Dalmations".  Here are a few more breeds to avoid when you have children under the age of 13 (these are just generalizations based on breed temperment)- Chow Chow, Dalmation, Saint Bernard, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Rottweiler,  Jack Russel, and any tiny breed dogs.  Dogs considered to be pitbulls (staffordshire bull terrier, american pit bull terrier, american staffordshire terrier) can be a great choice, but must be very well trained and socialized.  All breeds on this list have different reasons for being considered not a good fit for children, and like I said before, there are exceptions.

2.  DO NOT GIFT A DOG!  Ok, well, giving a dog(or any animal) as a gift to a kid is ok, but don't bring it home on the day of the occassion(birthday, christmas, etc).  Holidays and special occassion are loud, exciting, and chaotic, which is NOT a good environment for a new dog.  Think about it- this dog, whether it be a puppy or an adult dog) does not know you, your home, or your family, so they are already scared and stressed out.  Now, imagine a child coming down stairs on Christmas morning to this adorable puppy, with the bow tied around it's collar, and then the child's excitement becoming very vocal.  They will want to hug and play with the puppy briefly, and then continue to rip through the rest of their gifts, vocalizing their excitement for each gift.  Add in the lights, music, mess, and everything else that goes on on these particular occassion, and you have a puppy's worst nightmare.  If you want to get your child a pet as a birthday or Christmas gift,  try instead to wrap them a rawhide bone, or put a pet store giftcard in a card telling them that they will be getting the pet, and give them a few days to prepare.

3.  Do not expect your child to take care of the dog.  I always encourage parents to give their children the responsibility of caring for a living being, but expect that you will be the one doing most of the care.  I see parents coming in to my grooming salon ALL the time with shih tzus that are so badly matted that they must be cared for at a vet.  And when the parent hears that bad news, they turn to their child and blame them for the dog's condition.  I understand that you are trying to teach your child a lesson, but the dog is suffering for this lesson.  Punish the kid another way for not brushing/feeding/walking the dog, and do the work yourself.

4.  Avoid small breeds.  It makes me sad to say this, because there are several small breeds that I feel would be great for kids, but the smaller the breed, the higher of a rosk for that dog to be injured.  Think about it, a small breed puppy is so darned cute, your can't resist picking them up.  Neither can your 6-year-old, who is much clumsier than you are, and more likely to drop the dog, or fall while carrying it.  Or, your child is running around the house or yard, and runs right into the puppy/dog.  Bigger dogs can handle a child's roughness better.

5.  Never leave the dog alone with your SMALL child.  Older kids are better with being alone with a dog, but smaller kids will get the urge to mess with the dog, whether they are awake or asleep.  I learned this mistake personally with my mom's dog, who was asleep.  My mom wanted me to see something, so, not thinking of it, I went with her, leaving my daughter in the room watching cartoons, while the dog was sleeping in the corner.  Within two minutes of being gone, I hear a yelp, and then my daughter crying.  She just wanted to sit next to him and pet him, but her sitting down and touching him while he was asleep startled him, and he bit her.  Luckily it was just a warning snap, and it barely left a mark.  This is normally a VERY sweet dog, who is normally VERY good with my daughter, but when he was startled the way he was, he resorted to his natural instinct for just a split second.  We were very lucky that the damage wasn't worse.

Dogs make GREAT pets for kids.  They help build confidence, a sense of responsibility, provide moral support, provide friendship, and have many many more benefits.  But not every dog is a good fit for a child, and the more you research, the higher your chances are of finding that perfect fit.

Thanksgiving Craft- 3D Thankful Turkey Centerpiece

Here is another idea for a great craft to make your children realize what they are thankful for.

What you'll need:
Thick paper plates (make sure they aren't glossy)
Old toilet paper roll
Scissors
Glue
Construction Paper(brown, orange, yellow, red)
Markers
Disposable sauce cup
Black paint

What to do:
1. Color the bottom of the plate orange
2. Paint the sauce cup black
3. Draw a turkey face on the toilet paper roll.
4. Glue the toilet paper roll onto the paper plate.  Then, glue the sauce cup on to the toilet paper roll.
5. Cut out several "feathers" from each of the colors of paper and glue them to the back of the paper plate.
6. Have your child write what they are thankful for on each of the feathers.  If your child is too young, you can write it on for them.  The important part is to ask themwhat they are thankful for, and ask them why they are thankful for it.

Thanksgiving Craft- Thankful Turkey

Thanksgiving is coming, and it's the perfect time to make your kids think of all that they have, and why they should be thankful!  This craft is super fun for kids 3 years and older.

What you need:
Construction Paper(brown, orange, yellow, red)
Scissors
Glue
Markers
Google Eyes

What to do:
1. On brown paper, draw the turkey's body.  I like to do the circular body with an oval head on top(like in the picture)  But, a simple circle will do fine.
2. Cut out the turkey.
3.  Cut a small triangle of yellow or orange paper, and a red oval.  Glue the red oval on the turkey's head, and the triangle over it for the beak and the gobble.
4.  Glue on the google eyes.
5.  Cut out several feathers of all the colors of paper and glue them to the back of your turkey.
6.  Have your child write everything they are thankful for on the feathers.  You can help them, or do it for them.  The important part is to have them think of things that they are thankful for.  I also like to ask my daughter why she is thankful for each thing.

This is so much fun, and so easy for tiny hands!  I will also be adding a 3D thankful turkey centerpiece craft.

Craft- Hand Decorated Plates (with sharpies!)

This is the coolest idea that I have checked out so far!!  I had so much fun designing these,  and they are a great way to save memories, as well as money.

All you need is some all white plates, cups, bowls etc. that you can get for super cheap at the dollar store or walmart, and sharpies. 

1. Preheat your over to 350 degrees F
2. Decorate your plate however you want.  It works with any color of sharpie markers.  You can also let your kids decorate them.  You can do seasonal, draw your child's favorite character, do simple designs, or have your kid draw a picture of your family. 
3.  Bake at 350*F for 30-35 mins.  Be careful getting these out of the oven though-they will be HOT.
4. Set on a cooling rack and allow them to cool.  They should be completely cool in 30 minutes.


***For some reason, I cannot get pictures to load at this time.  Hopefully I'll get them up soon!!***

Kid's Snack- Mini S'mores

S'mores are probably the best snack ever created, but creating these magnificent marshmellow and chocolate sandwiches is far from practical for everyday.  Well, fret not, you can still enjoy these amazing flavors with just a few minutes in the kitchen.

Take some vanilla wafers, and spread some nutella on them.  Add three mini-marshmellows and then top with another wafer. Pop these little guys in the oven (heated at about 400*F) for just a few minutes, and enjoy.

These snacks are great for movie night, slumber parties, or even birthday parties.

School Time!!!

Well, the day has come.  Today, I sent Alex off on the bus for her first day of school.  And, sitting here at home, all alone, I was thinking of all the things I did to prepare her for school.  Here are my tips of what to teach kids for their first year, or anytime.

The School Bus:
-Teach your child the bus number AS SOON as you find out what bus they'll be taking.  This way, if they are at school, and their teachers can't figure it out, your child will be able to tell them.
-Teach your child the routine for catching the bus, and getting off of the bus.  I know that Alex was very concerned of the lack of seatbelts, and where she's supposed to go when she gets to the school.
-Tell your child not to get off the bus unless they see you.  Most school buses will just return a child to the school if they do not get off the bus.  This way, if there is an emergency and for some reason, you're not at home, your child will remain safe.
-Teach your child NOT to leave the school with anyone except your approved people, or the bus.  It may sound paranoid, but kidnapping DOES happen, and you and your childshould be prepared.

The Teacher:
-Meet the teacher.  Especially for new Kindergarteners/Pre-K students, it is good to attend the orientation.  This way, they can see their school, their teacher, their classroom, and you can learn helpful tips to make the transistion from home to school easy.
-Go over the teacher's name with your child.  I would randomly ask Alex what her teacher's name was, and in a few days, she had it memorized.

The Backpack:
-Be sure that your little student knows where everything in their backpack is, and be sure that it is backed the night before school.  That way, if you forget something, you are more likely to remember in the morning, since you dont have to worry about packing the usual items.
-Be sure that it's not too heavy, and that it is sitting properly on your child's back.  Backpacks can cause a lot of back problems later in life, so it's better to try to prevent it now.
-Be sure you remind your child not to leave their backpack on the bus!!!
-Label EVERYTHING, from the backpack itself to everything inside of the backpack.  This way, if it does get left somehwhere, it's more likely to make it's way back to your student.

The Parents:
-The first day of school can be stressful,  even for a parent who has a child in 1st, 2nd, even 5th grade.  Just know that the school systems have done this MANY times, and have procedures in place to make it easier for everyone.  As long as you have prepared your child properly, have faith in them and the school system.  It's a scary and exciting time, embrace the emotions!

To Buy or Not To Buy- 5 Popular Kids' Products

We see products all the time aimed at our children, and always wonder, is it worth our money?  I may be one of the cheapest people around, so I like to be very careful on purchases I make.  Occasionally though, a product makes an offer that I have to check out on my own.  Here are a few popular products, and my own personal reviews.

1.Pillow Pets- $15.99-$19.99
     We've all seen the commercials and have the song stuck in our heads.  "It's a pillow, it's a pet...."  I was very excited about seeing this, but also quite sceptical.  So, when I saw a Ravens Pillow Pet at WalMart, I couldn't say no.  My daughter loves the Ravens, and had been begging for a pillow pet for ever, so I decided to take the plunge.  I was surprised about how much I liked this product.  The pillow is a nice size, its very soft and my daughter uses it EVERY night.  It also hasn't gone flat in the 8 months that we have had it, unlike the pricey pillow I bought for myself at the same time.  It is a little pricey for a pillow, but considering how much my daughter loves it, it was money well spent.

2. Dream Lites-$29.99-$39.99
      From the makers of the Pillow Pet comes Dream Lites.  Pretty much, it's a stuffed animal/night light.  And, since I was so happy with my purchase of the Pillow Pet, I decided to splurge a little bit for my daughter's birthday and get her one of these.  She LOVES it, however, I don't think it's worth the $40 I spent.  I mean, it's just a night light.  This is one expensive splurge that I wish I had passed on.

3.  Popsicle Dora The Explorer Slow Melt Ice Pops- Prices Vary
       The promise of a slow-melting popsicle for kids is every parent's dream come true.  I would have paid just about any amount of money for this!  However, be warned, these things are terrible!!!  My daughter was very excited about her new Dora popsicles, but as soon as she tasted it, she claimed it tasted weird.  I thought it was because she had a green one, and I can understand not liking the green ones!  Well, a few days later, sitting watching tv after my daughter went to bed, I craved the fruity deliciousness of a popsicle.  So I went out and grabbed what was supposed to be a strawberry flavored popsicle.  My tastebuds were offended by what I was eating, and it tasted so bad that I tossed it in the garbage.  Whatever they put in these things to make them "slow melting" makes them taste like what I'd imagine glue tastes like.  Not only would I NOT recomment these, but I don't think I'd wish them on my worst enemy!!!

4. The Snuggie(for kids)-$14.99
     I was never a fan of the Snuggie.  The commercials were completely ridiculous, however, the design seemed pretty neat.  So, when a friend purchased one for my daughter, I was happy for her.  When I opened the box, I was SHOCKED at how THIN the material was.  I think I'd be cold wearing one of these outside in the middle of July.  The design is creative, and seems like it may be cool for a lazy winter day, but don't waste your money on this worthless product.

5. Crayola Color Bath Dropz- Prices Vary
       These little tabs claim to color your child's bathwater to a variety of colors.  I was very skeptical, and always wanted to get these for my imaginative little girl.  But they look like they would stain everything from the bath toys to my child's skin.  When I was at my friend's house, and she put her daughter in the bath, and dropped a tab in the water, and boom-pink bath.  It ONLY colored the water.  Even the white washcloth stayed white.  I wish it would have colored the bubbles as well though, because what would be better than a pink bubble bath?!  Definately worth the money!!

Kid's Snack- Jello Slices

This is a neat little twist on jello that my daughter LOVES, and is also super easy.

Start with your favorite jello flavor, and a few oranges.  At snack time the day before you plan on serving the jello slices, cut the oranges in half and scoop the orange out with a spoon, leaving  the peel in tact-you can even leave a few chunks of orange in them.  Make up the box of jello, and instead of pouring the liquid into serving dishes, pour them in the hollowed, half-orange peels, and cool.  After a day, take them out of the fridge and slice them up.

For a fun little twist, use lime peels and pink,watermelon jello.  Then, when you slice and serve the treat, it looks like little tiny slices of watermelon.

Vacation With Alex

Well, this year Alex had her very first family vacation.  She's taken trips to Grandma's in the past, but I always had to stay home due to work.  Well, this summer, we decided to take a wonderful vacation, Alex, myself, and Grandma, to the beach.  It was Alex's very first time at the beach, but that wasn't all!  We didn't go to just ANY beach, we went to Chincoteague Island.  And, right over the bridge from Chincoteague is Assateague-home of the wild ponies!!
The trip was GREAT!  After the long car ride(and several times of Alex getting restless) we made it to the hotel to unload all of our luggage.  She couldn't wait to go to the beach, and we hadn't even told her about the ponies yet!  So she was very surprised on the short trip to the beach when she saw a herd of wild ponies along side of the road.
And when we made it to the beach, she couldn't hold her excitement in!  The sand was almost overwhelming to her, and the crashing waves and seagulls put her over the top!
On our vacation, Alex built sandcastles, hunted for seashells, learned to swim in the hotel's swimming pool(without floaties!) and how to boogie board.  We fed seagulls, looked for crabs off the dock, dug for clams(but only the little ones that get uncovered with the waves), and went to the Pony Round-Up carnival.  All in all, it was an amazing vacation.  I hope you enjoy some of our vacation pictures!!

Building Sand Castles

CANNON BALL!!!

Playing in the Waves

Assateague Ponies

Seashell Hunting

Good Morning Seagull

Boogie Boarding

Kid's Snack- S'mores Milkshakes!!!

When I think of summer, one of the first things that I think about is spending time outside, with campfires being on the very top of the list.  And what's a campfire without s'mores?!  Add in the summer classic of a milkshake, and you have an amazing snack you and your kids are sure to love!

This recipe is done in estimates.  I have never used a set recipe for this, which gives you the opportunity to add/subtract to your own preference.

What You'll Need:
Milk
Vanilla Ice Cream
Graham Crackers
Marshmellow Fluff
Chocolate Syrup
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
Blender

First, take a few scoops of ice cream and put them in the blender, with about a cup of milk and blend it well.  Add more ice cream to make your shake thicker, and more milk to make it thinner.
After blending your shake, take three graham crackers, crush them up very fine, and add them to the blender.  Then, add a few spoon fulls of marshmellow fluff.  Blend this very well.  Now, you add the chocolate syrup-just a little squirt.  Crush half of the chocolate bar very well, and add it as well.  Blend again for a few minutes, and serve.

Ideally, the marshmellow fluff will kind of stay separate, and the chocolate pieces will add a nice little chocolatey crunch.  Enjoy!

Feel free to add reviews on this recipe, or give your own variations in the comments.

Kid's Craft- Shoe Planters

This is a fun activity that helps merge from winter and spring into summer, recycling some of the old shoes that won't be of any use next year when your kids have outgrown them.

Simple and easy

-Take your child's old shoes from winter and spring, or any shoes that they have outgrown.  We used my daughter's old crocs, but you can also use old boots or sneakers.

-Fill the child's shoe losely with potting soil, and add a flower that will stay small.  We used Impatients.

-Find a nice spot out in the yard, by the front door, or along a walkway to keep the flowers. You can even hang the new planters from a wall, a fence post, or a doorway. Make sure that they are in a spot where they will recieve adequate sunlight for the type of flower that you have chosen, and that you keep them watered as well.

-Sit back and enjoy your new decor that your children will love.  You can even let them water them as needed.

Valentine's Day Meal Ideas

Kids love celebrating, no matter what the occasion.  Here are some meal ideas that will help make Valentine's Day extra special for you and your little one.

Breakfast- This one is as easy as adding an extra ingredient to your pancake mix- food coloring.  A few drops of red(to make pink),or some red and blue(for purple) will spruce up your special breakfast from yum to YUMMMMM!!!!  Add fruit and whipped cream on top for an added touch(Alex loves strawberries).  If you don't want to use food coloring, take a heart-shaped cookie cutter to your finished pancakes.  These tiny little touches mean the world to kids!

Lunch- Our favorite Valentine's lunch is as simple as sandwiches!  Make your child's favorite sandwich, and use a heart shaped cookie cutter and make adorable heart sandwiches!  I always take the extra pieces for myself!  Serve it with a nice glass of strawberry milk(pink for V-Day).

Dinner- Let your child pick his or her FAVORITE dinner.  Decorate the table with all the hearts that you can.  Buy confetti(if your child is old enough to not try and eat it) and scatter it around the table.  Cut out paper hearts and on each one put a reason why you love your child.  You can read them to your child as they eat.  Also, encourage your child to talk about who he or she loves, and what makes that person special to them. 

These ideas may seem cheesy, or boring to you, but you would be surprised at how much this will mean to your little ones!