Search Results for: blog the 30 day challenge

Is the “Special K” Challenge For You?

Have you ever taken the “Special K” challenge?  I did a few years ago, back when the only real good cereal was their red berries.  Since then, numerous other kinds of low-fat cereals have been developed, including blueberry and fruit & yogurt (my personal favorite). I can tell you that I did have success with this challenge.  However, there is a downfall to it, which I will share at the end. So how does the challenge work?  You eat two servings of the cereal everyday, along with just half a cup of low-fat milk.  You can do this for either … Continue reading →

Teen Challenges: Attitudes

I started off this new series on teen challenges with the issue of lying.  Today’s parenting topic is the challenge of dealing with teen attitudes. At some point even the most compliant, “model” child will display some version of an attitude.  It could be eye-rolling, clucking of the tongue, shaking of the head, arms folded, feet stamping, or words such as “Whatever,” “Oh my gosh!” or even, “I hate you!” Attitudes can also include doors slamming, objects being tossed and storming off to sulk. Some are less dramatic, while others go all out. I wish I could tell you that … Continue reading →

Thirty Days of Thankfulness

I’m a day late with this one, but I hope you will forgive me anyway, especially since I think the topic is not only important, but participating is actually fun. Maybe you have even heard of it before and have been practicing it yourself. If you haven’t, give it a try. For the last couple of years, my friends and I have made November a month in which we really concentrate on all of the blessings in our lives. Using Facebook, and sometimes email, we post something new each day, something that we are truly grateful for in our lives. … Continue reading →

Middle Child’s Day

Parents, do you know what Sunday, August 12th is? It is “Middle Child’s Day.” This is your chance to give special recognition and attention to the one who usually feels the most left out. Most of us are familiar with middle child syndrome. The oldest child tends to get more attention because they are the first to do things, while the youngest child also gets a lot of attention just because they are cute. Although I have three children, my middle child doesn’t seem to suffer from this syndrome. But I believe it’s because her older and younger siblings are … Continue reading →

Tips for the Teen Road Trip Challenge

For many parents, taking teens on a summer road trip is not exactly a relaxing vacation option. In fact, for some moms and dads, the idea of being trapped in a cramped vehicle with moody kids could be categorized as downright torture. The mere act of persuading a teen to enthusiastically partake in a family road trip is a challenge in itself. However, once you hurdle that initial obstacle there are ways to make the rest of the trip run a bit smoother. And who knows; you may even strengthen the family bond in the process. Choice of Vehicle: Embarking … Continue reading →

Problems of Yesterday

Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one…the only mother who longingly looks back to those days when my children were younger. It’s not that I don’t enjoy my teenaged children. It’s just that the problems of yesterday seemed so much easier to deal with. My husband has been working on getting videos of our children transferred from VHS tapes onto his computer and then onto a disc. So we have been doing a lot of reminiscing. I watch my children laugh and play, twirl and run. It all seemed so carefree back then. But I think what it’s … Continue reading →

The Cinnamon Challenge

Ahhh…there is nothing like sprinkling some cinnamon on my homemade French toast. Are you a cinnamon fan? If so, you might want to lock it up from your teen. According to the nation’s poison centers, they received 139 calls between January and March of 2012, concerning potential cinnamon poisoning. Yes, you read that right…cinnamon poisoning. It sometimes amazes me how an adolescent can turn something so innocent (and delicious) into something so dangerous. Apparently there is a new game being played amongst teens called the “cinnamon challenge.” This game is being blamed on at least 122 of those calls made … Continue reading →

Fun, Frugal Challenges to Try

You can have fun and save money too, when you take one of the following frugal challenges. Jump start your frugal lifestyle or just relieve a little frugal fatigue. Track your progress and share it with others, such as on our Families Facebook fan page! Which is your favorite challenge? The Longest Lasting Challenge When you open a new bottle of something, how long do you think you can get it to last? Can you make your shampoo last twice as long? What about your laundry detergent. How far can you make the things that you commonly consume go before … Continue reading →

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – January 29 – February 4, 2012

Parents of children who have special needs are busy. You might not have time to read over the Special Needs Blog every day, to see what is new. Instead, you can check out the Special Needs Blog Week in Review and quickly discover what you might be missing. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on January 30, 2012. Some highlights include: CNN’s Dr. Gupta explaining the mystery illness in Texas, and The Coffee Klatch episode with Dr. Allen Frances discussing the changes in the DSM-V. What is Trisomy 18? Rick Santorum’s youngest daughter has Trisomy 18. She recently ended … Continue reading →

The Challenge of Winter Break

It is holiday vacation time, and if you are like many home – based professionals, that means that your children are out of school or home from college. Chances are that you still have at least some work to do. The challenge of holiday vacation is similar to that of spring break and summer vacation, and it has two parts. The first is how to spend enough quality time with your children while still getting some work done, and the second is how to find fun, age appropriate things for your children to do independently or while in the care … Continue reading →