Raise Your Child . org » Holidays

In the Mood with Christmas Carols

Raise Your Child — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:24:41 +0000

Having a hard time this holiday season to feel festive??!! I have as I’m working this hard. Yes, yesterday’s snow helped a lot.

But what really did the trick for me was this fun and excellent IU Acapella choir ‘Straight No Chaser’ singing Christmas carols.

Christmas carols do not have to be obvious and ‘boring’. If you have any of your bigger kids sing for the family this year, perhaps they can hustle things up a little, like this choir does, for some fun, kicks and drama.

Silent Night

There is still enough time for them to play and practice their made-up original songs made up of a medley of old Christmas carol classics.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol

And for their performance, perhaps they can even dress up in a fun costume, like a great Mickey Mouse outfit …..! (This poster makes a great gift btw.)

Alternatively, if your kids are not so into singing, or a bit more shy, reading a short-version of a classic Christmas story for the family.

It is another great way for children to show off their skills, and to be positively involved in preparing for the big family get togethers.

It is important to children to be part of the togetherness, and by contributing to the big event, it makes them feel important, invited, and special.

I look forward to hearing how you are managing to involve your youngsters this year in fun and constructive ways.

8 Tips For A Stress-Less Holiday To Make

Raise Your Child — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 04:27:22 +0000

By Marilyn Bohn

I think GPS systems are the greatest. (Global Position System) I know a few people who definitely need them. A few years ago we had guests driving from California to our home in Utah to stay over night. It was about a ten hour drive. I gave what I thought was excellent instructions and directions so they would not get lost. The night (early morning) my guests were to arrive I woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a start as Maggie hadn’t arrived. (She didn’t follow my directions, instead made up her own). From our place they were driving back to Washington D.C.. Her sister said she was afraid to take a nap because she was afraid she would wake up in Mexico. A GPS in her car will save her hours of frustration and time.

With the holidays arriving GPS is a great idea for all of us to have. The GPS I am talking about is: Great Planning System. By planning ahead we can have a happy stress free, joyous holiday season. Christmas can be one of the most stressful holidays. But with forethought and organization it can be fun and a holiday to look forward to instead of dreading.

First of all we need to decide what it is we want to get from the holidays. Do we want to have big dinners, entertain friends, and attend every function we are invited to, decorate, bake, spend time with family, send out Christmas cards, exchange neighbor gifts, establish traditions, give to charity or do something unique this year?

Once we have our goals in mind then we can move forward.

•Take some time and decide what is important for you to do this year for the holiday. Then write it down, map it out.

•Establish a time frame to accomplish each task. If it isn’t accomplished in the time we thought it would be, no beating up on ourselves or negative self talk. And if it doesn’t get done ask yourself what is the worst that can happen?

•Cook food ahead of time and freeze it. Some pies freeze well as do cookies. Check your recipes to see what else you can make and freeze.

•Plan on delegating. Who can put up the outdoor lights? Who can do the food shopping? Who can help decorate? Get a crew together to share in the fun.

•Plan a specific time to decorate, another to bake, another to deliver gifts—whatever you plan break it up into little jobs, a little at a time.

•If you send out Christmas cards, organize a basket with the cards, addresses and stamps, and then while watching a T.V. show address the envelopes on the commercials. Do cards in November to save time in December. OR Instead of sending cards, call your friends to wish them a Merry Christmas. Long distance calls have become so reasonable it may cost less than sending a card.

•Keep a notebook with the names of those you are giving gifts to. Check off the gift as it is purchased and make a note when it is wrapped and sent. You could do this on a spread sheet if you use the computer.

•If your family will let you mix up your traditions, try a new one, customize to your own personal preference.

Through all the planning remember this is to be a joyous season; don’t get sucked into thinking you have to do it all. Actually you don’t have to do any of it so have fun with what you decide you really want to do.

About The Author
Marilyn Bohn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Happy Halloween!

Raise Your Child — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:29:32 +0000

I came across this very interesting 4-part-article on Halloween, or rather, its pagan root holiday, Samhain, and I thought to feature it here. This article explains us how this special holiday is to teach us how to overcome fear.

This article certainly gives a more comprehensive and soulful meaning to Halloween. It offers interesting stories and good values for you to relay to your children. ((A notch up from orange candy without going organic )

Below is the first part of the story…

“At its core, Samhain is about the night when the old God dies and the crone Goddess mourns him deeply for the next six weeks. The popular image of her as the old Halloween hag stirring her cauldron comes from the Celtic belief that all dead souls return to her cauldron of life, death and rebirth to await reincarnation.”
…. more ~ read the whole story here

Happy Holidays, from Raise Your Child .org

Raise Your Child — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:58:04 +0000

To all our blog readers and clients:

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support. Each and every one of you has helped us to where we are today, and has inspired us daily.

Thank you for all of your suggestions, comments and loyalty.

It has been a pleasure getting to know so many of you, and I look forward to the opportunity to make even more connections through out 2008.

We wish you a joyous and safe Holiday and of course a prosperous, healthy and healing 2008!

How to Responsibly Protect Kids from Unsafe Toys?

Raise Your Child — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:37:37 +0000

“Many parents are up in arms about the recent spate of toy recalls. Dolls, action figures, ride-on toys, even teethers have been recalled. Lead paint, magnets that can detach, chemicals in plastic that are unsafe… It seems like everyday there’s a new recall.

Outside of returning the toys and getting a refund, what can a parent do? Who is responsible for toy safety? Is it enough to buy toys from reputable merchants? Or is there more that parents can do to be sure that their kids aren’t victims of unsafe toys?

Ultimately, of course, we as parents are responsible for keeping our kids safe. It’s not realistic to think that every toy can be tested for safety, or that every so-called safe toy is safe for every child.

It’s so important to make sure that toys are age-appropriate and right for the developmental level of our children. It’s our duty as parents to make our decisions about toy buying based on what we feel is right for our child, not what it says on the box or what someone else thinks is appropriate.

So it would seem that keeping kids safe is a shared responsibility between manufacturers, parents and government agencies designed to protect consumers. Manufacturers need to produce safe toys so that they will retain the trust of parents, who are the biggest buyers of toys. At the same time, parents need to police their children’s toys, stay current on the latest safe toy info and check the recalls frequently.

When there is a recall, it’s important that parents don’t leave it up to their kids to find and dispose of the recalled toy. For one thing, children might not understand the seriousness of lead paint of magnets that can be swallowed by a younger sibling. They might be very attached to the recalled toy and be unwilling to discard it or give it to their parent.

Parents should go through all of the toys in the house every once in awhile, just to make sure that toys haven’t broken or developed sharp surfaces or chipped paint. It’s easier to keep track of toys if children are encouraged to have a "place for everything" rather than just throwing all their toys into one large bin. Individual baskets for each type of toy make it easy to go through them quickly.

The bottom line is that we’re all responsible for toy safety, but the manufacturers bear the biggest burden, because they profit from the toys. They control the factories and the workers and that means that they are the first line of defense against unsafe toys. When there’s a recall, parents will blame them, even if they’ve outsourced the manufacture of the toy. It behooves them to do a better job of protecting children.”

Author Description

Looking for Natural, Organic and Green information? Get craft ideas, recipes and formulas for homemade household helpers. Find quality safe toys on our safe toy list. Lill’s List is your resource for everything that’s good for you.

Have a Family New Year’s Eve Blast!

Raise Your Child — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:41:12 +0000

By Norma Schmidt

Believe it or not, you CAN enjoy a New Year’s Eve bash with kids – even if you CAN’T get a sitter!

Infants and toddlers make it simple. Tuck them in, turn on the baby monitor, and you’re free to party – as long as you limit alcohol consumption and keep the noise down.

Preschoolers and kids in the early elementary grades love getting into the New Year’s spirit.

To build excitement, announce a day or two ahead of time that you’re going to have a night-time New Year’s party with pajamas on.

Then, when you go grocery shopping, you can let your child pick out a party snack. A trip to a party store for some inexpensive noisemakers will add to the excitement.

Or, create home-made noisemakers and decorations together. Visit www.familycrafts.about.com/od/newyears or www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/newyear/ for ideas.

On the afternoon or early evening of December 31, sit down together with some ove-rsized construction paper, glue sticks, markers, crayons and scissors and make party hats.

Now, here’s the sweet part: Young children don’t seem to mind at all if “midnight” comes at 9 PM – or even earlier!

All you need to do is put on your party hats, pick your time, count down from 10 and yell “Happy New Year!” with lots of noise and hugs and kisses. Then enjoy your party snack.

Have older kids in the house?

Print out the words to “Auld Lang Syne” (“times long past”) from the Internet and learn to sing it as a family. You can get the words and hear the tune at http://wilstar.com/xmas/auldlangsyne.htm

Put into a box all the ticket stubs, souvenirs and photos you’ve saved from the year that’s ending. Take turns pulling items out of the box and sharing fond memories.

With adult supervision, let kids make home-made party snacks.

Rent funny movies or old sitcoms to watch together. Maybe Abott and Costello or “The Honeymooners” will tickle your family’s funny bone.

Invite everyone to write down on a strip of toilet tissue events from the year that they want to put behind them. Then ceremoniously (or unceremoniously!) flush away.

Play an old-fashioned game of charades. You might want to print out the special charades sign language from www.answers.com/topic/charades-2

Invite family members to write down hopes and intentions for the coming year on slips of paper. Each person can seal their paper in an envelope, to be opened the following New Year’s Eve if desired.

After your celebration, consider saving your noisemakers and decorations to use again. Kids enjoy rediscovering their old favorites from year to year.

And maybe you’ll rediscover the kid in you.

Happy New Year!

click here

Holidays – How to Make a Candy Wreath

Raise Your Child — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 22:17:08 +0000

By Vera Lang

This video shows how to easily and inexpensively make a great gift for many holiday situations. It’s fun, great project you can do with children, for other children, for a shelter, for another family, for friends, as a holiday party gift, and of course, for you.

I was surprised how easy it was and how good it looks!!

I am not promoting candy as a general rule, so let this be a happy exception…
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

About the Author

Vera Lang is a regular contributor to various family blogs including this one: , http://www.abouttogetmarried.com , http://www.mylastinglove.com/ and http://www.ownhomestyle.com

How to Cut Down On Holiday Spending Without Looking Cheap

Raise Your Child — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:39:44 +0000

A fun article with some good idea?

“No one wants to look like a grinch, but most of us reach a point in our holiday shopping where we realize that we’re going to spend more than we want to if we get everything on our list. What to do… If you’re a parent, you have two options: ramp down on the number and/or the cost of the gifts you get your loved ones or get everything and live on that recalled dog food you didn’t really throw out but hid behind the furnace. It’s probably only toxic to dogs, right?

Well, if you don’t have a dog and have to go with the first option, I have some suggestions for really nifty toys and gifts that won’t bust your budget. Believe me, I know from making Christmas clubs stretch to cover more family members than I have chin hairs. At one time, what with step-siblings, foster siblings, bio-siblings and all of their kids, I was aunt to over thirty little darlings, all of whom presented me with their list of demands, uh, lists by Thanksgiving. I still shudder when I think of that year when Cabbage Patch dolls were the most popular toy and what the gray-haired woman said when I snatched one out of her hand.( Well, she did push me out of the way with her cane.) But back to buying really nice toys on the cheap.

I like the classics, because they stay classics because kids like them. Games, whether card, board or outdoor, are always a hit. Or how about a wooden card holder for little hands? It’s sooo frustrating when you drop your cards and everyone sees that Old Maid or Old Man, ya’ know?

Some old favorites in the board game category include Monopoly, Risk, Trouble, Hi Ho Cherry-Oh, Life, and several versions of Trivial Pursuit. My favorite game is the Un-Game which has many versions and is non-competitive so no one loses and everyone wins. And don’t forget checkers and chess.

Puzzles, especially quality wooden ones with pieces that really fit together, are something that preschoolers will do over and over again. Good for their self-esteem and their fine motor development. There are puzzles in every category: construction vehicles, emergency vehicles, dinosaurs, science and nature, everyday life, unusual and difficult puzzles. If there’s a picture of it, there’s a puzzle of it.

Stocking stuffers or little presents that you can wrap in bright paper and hand to a child can be more than dollar store gimcracks. If you do a little searching on the Net, you can find many smaller items for under $20. Look for sales at places that sell traditional, unique toys.

And don’t be afraid to think outside the box. You can even give kids clothes if they’re really trendy. And of course, there’s stationary, arts and craft supplies, calendars, hair accessories and anything else that kids need all year ’round, not just during the holidays. And if all else fails, gift certificates and cold hard cash are an option. Just put them into the nicest card you can find and attach a premium candy bar or designer candy cane on them. Believe me, they’ll be very happy to accept it. Come to think of it, so would I.”

Author Description

Teach Youngsters the Meaning of Christmas With 5 Sensory Activities

Raise Your Child — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:24:07 +0000

By: Emma Snow

Christmas is about family. Here is a collection of five crafts that you can make as a family to teach the true meaning and symbols of Christmas. Children will learn to identify Christmas using their five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Pick and choose the activities you think your family will best enjoy, and spread them throughout the season. Start new traditions. Most importantly, use the activities to talk as a family.

Sight Activities

Take a Christmas Lights Drive: Pile everyone in the van after dark and tour your city or a nicely decorated neighborhood. Some cities will have a town center that will be lit up. Ask your children which decorations are their favorites and why. Talk about how the twinkling lights resemble the stars. Remind them that on the night Jesus was born a new star shone in the sky, announcing his birth to the whole world. Even people in different countries knew the Christ-child was born, and some wise men traveled to find him.

Sound Activities

Christmas Caroling: Delight your neighbors by singing on their doorsteps, or just gather around the piano and sing as a family. You may even attend a community “sing-in,” or another recital, or watch one on TV. Christmas carols and caroling have a somewhat obscure history. Indeed, in many countries any jovial celebrating of the holiday was outlawed until the 1700s! Caroling can be traced back to England around this period, and it was a community event. Groups would go house to house, singing in exchange for eggnog or wassail. Caroling fosters a feeling of community as we reach out to others and spread joy. Some of the most popular carols to sing are Silent Night, Jingle Bells, and We Wish you a Merry Christmas.

Smell Activities

Trim the tree: Like holly, the evergreen reminds us that life will come again. The pine aroma fills our heart and mind with hopes of the year to come. If you use an artificial tree in your home, you can take your children on a walk through a Christmas tree lot. You can hang a swag, or even a branch with a fragrant pinecone.

Taste Activities

Peppermint Candy Canes: As you enjoy a candy cane with your family, point out the symbols of the shepherd’s crook, and the colors. Red represents Jesus’ sacrifice, and white is for his purity. When turned upside-down, the shape also becomes a “J,” which can also be a reminder that Christmas is a time to remember Jesus. The mint flavoring also has seasonal significance. Hyssop, a plant in the mint family, was used in Old Testament times to purify (or cleanse) oneself. Peppermint might now remind us of Jesus’ purity.

Touch Activities

Snow Angels: After a good snowfall, bundle everyone up and walk to the park or your own backyard. Demonstrate how to make snow angels by falling backward into a fresh bank. Sweep straightened arms and legs back and forth to create the wings and gown of the angel. Stand up carefully and admire everyone’s work. When the family is back indoors talk about the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary, when she found out she would soon give birth to the baby Jesus. Also talk about the angel who visited the shepherds on the night Jesus was born. He said to them, “Fear not, for I bring good tidings of great joy!” Although Christ was not really born in December, it is the time chosen to celebrate his birth. During the winter all the plants seem dead, but after Christmas the world gets closer to spring when all the flowers come back to life. Jesus’ birth was a promise that everyone who followed him would also live after death.

Writer Bio: About the Author:

Emma Snow is a creator at for Ornament Shop http://www.ornament-shop.net and Craft Kits http://www.craft-kits.net leading portals for crafts and ornaments.

Article From: A&CNet Art & Craft Article Directory

It’s Never Too Early to Start Christmas Shopping

Raise Your Child — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:50:16 +0000

“Many people complain that retailers push the seasons by putting up Halloween decorations before Labor Day and Christmas displays before Thanksgiving. Maybe so, but for some people Christmas shopping is a year ’round affair.

By starting early, some of us are able to find much nicer gifts than we would if we started after Thanksgiving. It’s also possible to find sales on items that won’t be on sale nearer to Christmas. There’s also the fact that some people just really love to shop. They get a lot of pleasure out of finding just the right gift or toy for the people they love.

Whether you love shopping or just want to avoid the last minute rush, you might want to consider making a list and carrying it with you throughout the year. That way, you can refer to it whenever you come upon a sale or find a bargain. After a while, you’ll know what’s on it and can pounce when you find an item at a better price.

Layaway is another option for people who like to spread out their shopping – and the payments for what they buy. Putting toys and gifts on layaway lets you pay for them gradually over the course of a few weeks until they’re paid for. The store lays them away for you until you finish paying, so you don’t have to find a place to hide them from the kids at home either.

Unfortunately, some stores are discontinuing their layaway programs to cut costs. If that’s the case where you shop, you can layaway money instead of gifts. When you save enough, you can buy the toys and gifts you would have put on layaway. The only problem is that very popular toys may not be available by the time you save up for them.

One of the best ways to shop for gifts, especially popular toys, is online. The stores are always open and you don’t have to shlep all over town to find bargains. Of course, in the case of toys, what with all the recalls, you really have to do your homework nowadays. It’s best to buy from sites that have a good reputation and ethical standards. If in doubt, there are sites online that can direct you to safe toy info.

So, does it make sense to limit your Christmas shopping to a few weeks in November and December? Not unless you like to shop at the last minute and enjoy the feeling of being under pressure. I think most people would agree that spreading out your Christmas shopping can give you much better selection and save money too.”