Search Results for: blog when to pitch the plastic

Trash to Treasure

With Earth Day right around the corner, now is a good time to give items a second look before you toss them in the trash.  Could that empty plastic milk container be transformed into a pretty vase?  What about Junior’s ripped shirt?  Before you dump it, remove the buttons and repurpose them.  Buttons make great accents on scrapbook layouts and work wonders on craft projects. Just last week one of my favorite magnets broke.  It was a ceramic   Humuhumunukunukuapua’a—the state fish of Hawaii.  I got it the last time we were visiting my parents.  Unfortunately, the fish’s body shattered and … Continue reading →

Why Credit Card Spending Doesn’t Feel Real

It is true. Spending cash is painful to us, while using a credit card doesn’t quite feel real. Oh sure, logically we know that we are spending the money on that new television, iPad or boots, but there is a well-documented disconnect in our brains that makes it much easier to spend when we do it with a credit card. Think I might be wrong? The average household credit card debt through the end of 2012 was $15,422. The average cash debt? That is $0, of course. With cash, you don’t want spend what you don’t have. So why does … Continue reading →

Spring Break Camping Trip

Heck, with the record-breaking, summer-like temperatures sweeping the nation, why wait until July to rough it in the great outdoors? Our neighbor’s kids pitched a tent and slept outside Saturday night when the mercury was still in the 60s well after 10 p.m. Mind you, we live in Wisconsin where it snows in June and we’re lucky to see 70s in July. Naturally, my daughter wanted to join in on the fun, but I put the kibosh on that getaway. However, I did allow her to roast marshmallows with her pals and partake in some of the activities featured in … Continue reading →

The Gift of Time

If your child is like mine, then she likely got more plastic junk… I mean, Christmas presents… than she knows what to do with. My kid hit her meltdown point shortly after lunch, which, if memory serves me right, is a few hours later than last year. At least she made it through breakfast. Christmas morning can lead to sensory overload for many young children… and their tired parents too. But when all is said and done, and the gifts have been opened and the paper gets pitched, I will bet you anything that the present your child appreciates the … Continue reading →

Hurricane Bonding

For millions of families living along the East Coast of the United States, Hurricane Irene is certainly putting a damper on end-of-the-summer plans. Rather than frolicking on the beaches of the Jersey Shore or strolling along the picturesque trails that make up Martha’s Vineyard, parents are desperately trying to preserve their sanity while being holed up with their kids in everything from houses on higher ground to emergency shelters near Ground Zero. If your family has been affected by the major summer storm, then consider it an opportunity to strengthen the parent-child bond. Laugh, sing, tell stories, dance… and when … Continue reading →

Summer Is Perfect Time to Clean Out Garage

Summer is the perfect time to tackle outdoor areas that have long been neglected. One of the more overwhelming areas to work on is the garage. But since it is such a big job, I think this is one housekeeping area that should involve the entire family. Set aside an entire day where the family will be available to help pitch in. You will probably have to actually schedule this in and make sure that no other plans are made. There are three general rules for any big cleaning project like this. The first is to throw out anything considered … Continue reading →

Christmas Toy Lingo

If you have young kids at home, then you probably don’t think twice when you hear the words “Squinkies,” “Sing-a-ma-jigs,” “Zoobles,” or “Iwako erasers.” They may sound like words from a forbidden language, but they’re actually quite innocent… unless you are broke and your five-year-old is begging Santa to bring a sleigh full of Squinkies to your home on Christmas Eve. For the blissfully unaware, the aforementioned names belong to some of the top toys of Christmas 2010. For example, Squinkies are bubble-shaped toys with different themed playthings inside. You can purchase them in multi-packs or in playsets, such as … Continue reading →

The Joy of Clay

Yesterday, my daughter spent an hour building a clay dinosaur. Lately we have also been creating letters out of clay. We love clay. For children who are kinesthetic learners, clay is especially wonderful. Talk about a hands-on experience! While my daughter is quite uninterested in doing a lot of artwork and does not like to work on anything for a long time, she loves the feel of clay and will work with it for a long time. This allows her to increase her focus in a way that she enjoys – getting something goopy all over her hands. To help … Continue reading →

Simple Ways to Bond with Your Toddler

Parenting is not rocket scientist. However, it often requires functioning on little to no sleep (unless you were blessed with one of those angel babies that zonks out at 7 p.m. and doesn’t rouse until 7 the next morning OR you were gifted with a large house and a high tolerance for demonic screaming, which made night weaning a breeze) and a LOT of patience. A well-rested mommy begets a patient mommy, and nothing makes a toddler happier than a happy mommy. Your undivided attention is all your adorable tot really wants, so find a way to make time for … Continue reading →

Get Your Wiggle on at Six Flags

My preschool daughter has never been a huge Wiggles fan. What’s more, she screams like a banchee every time I try to put her on an amusement park ride. And I’m not talking about those baby roller coasters that travel on a flat track, or those crazy toddler swings that spin around with modified reckless abandon. For the past three years my child has unleashed glass shattering, ear splitting, high-pitched shrieks each time I’ve tried to place her on merry-go-round horses (the paralyzed ones that don’t move up and down), baby boats (that barely move in a pool no bigger … Continue reading →