Parenting Archives - I Can Teach My Child!

Deciding Where Your Child Should Go to School

May 16, 2013 by Jenae — 1 Comment

A post that I wrote back in February is finally posted over at MomLife Today. Here is a snippet:

My oldest child just turned five, which means he will be starting kindergarten in just a few short months. After wondering where on earth the time has gone, my immediate reaction then becomes a little bit of panic regarding the school situation: Where should my child go to school?

Should I homeschool him? Should he go to the private church-based school where he has attended preschool for the last two years? Should we send him to the public school district where both my husband I attended all 13 years and where I taught after graduating from college?

This decision, I’m convinced, is going to give me an ulcer.

Perhaps the decision seems so momentous because I know it will have a lasting impact on the life of my child, or maybe because there isn’t an absolute right and wrong. After all, the Bible doesn’t tell us explicitly “Thou shalt send your child to public school” or “Thou shalt homeschool.” There are advantages and disadvantages to every option! Although I certainly do not have all the answers (we haven’t even made our final decision yet), I want to share some thoughts and resources that are guiding us along the way…. (read more)

Click here to read the rest of the post!

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Filed Under: Changes and Transitions, Parenting

Teaching Children the Difference Between Wants and Needs

May 8, 2013 by Jenae — 5 Comments

Although our boys are relatively good about not constantly asking for stuff, I want them to know the difference between “needs” and “wants”. ”Needs” are the things that we rely on to live (comfortably). ”Wants” are not essential to our life, health, or hygiene; they are just things we would like to have.

No matter how much or how little we have, everyone wrestles with this issue (adults included). With all the poverty and suffering around the world, I want our children to have a realistic perspective on what we should feel entitled to (news flash: not much). And am I the only person whose blood boils when this commercial comes on TV???

Here’s what you’ll need: magazines and flyers, scissors, glue, and a large piece of white paper (I used our fingerpaint paper).

1. Make two columns with “Needs” on one side and “Wants” on the other.

2. Look through the magazines and mailers together with your child and talk about things we need and things we want.

Continue cutting…

Needs: Bread, Toothpaste & Toothbrush, Socks, Sunscreen, Vitamins, Cereal, Dish Soap, Coat, Milk, and Blueberries.

Wants: Bat Cave, Cookies, Soccer Foosball Table, Lightning McQueen Toy, Golden Key?, Pizza, Veggie Tales movie, Waterpik Flosser, Blocks.

Because a person “needs” to have Palmolive prominently present in their life. :)

Big Brother is really interested in his oral hygiene…he “wants” a Kids WaterPik Flosser! :)

I decided that I should give this a shot too…it would be good for my perspective as well!

My Needs: Healthy food (fruits, vegetables, nuts), exercise, “A Good Night Sleep”, and my home.

My Wants: Sonic Dr. Pepper, (all. the. time.), Awesome abs, and a white sofa. Because everyone knows that having a white sofa is an excellent idea with two rambunctious boys.

How do you teach your child the difference between wants and needs???

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Filed Under: 3-5 years, Parenting, School Age, Spiritual and Moral Development

Leaving One Paradise for Another

May 5, 2013 by Jenae — 3 Comments

It’s amazing how a little break from the mundane day-to-day tasks of child rearing can help one’s perspective on parenting. For the first time in several years, Prince Charming and I took a (non-business related) trip just the two of us.

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We went for a long-weekend in Mexico and had a wonderful time laying on the beach and reading books. That’s pretty much all we did on our trip. Some might think this is a boring vacation but this was honestly a dream come true.

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The beach is my favorite destination on earth and unfortunately it is also over 500 miles away from where we live in any direction! We soaked up all the sun that we could (without getting horribly burned) and were able to connect and relax together as a couple. It was wonderful.

As much as I loved our Mexican paradise, it made me realize how much of a paradise we had waiting for us at home. Two healthy, happy, vibrant, joyful, rambunctious children can certainly drain our energy…but they bring us unending joy and a calling straight from God. I cannot imagine life without them.

Parenting is hard work. It is monotonous. It is humbling. It comes with accidents, sicknesses, and spills (and I certainly don’t look like the smiling mom in the Bounty commercial as I clean them up). Parenting can strain a marriage. It can bring us to our knees in wondering how to best raise our children. But having the opportunity to raise a child is an incredible privilege…and when we put it into perspective, it is paradise.

The dictionary defines paradise as: ”a place or state of bliss, felicity, or delight”.

Despite the hard moments, I think we will all agree that there are many moments in our journey as parents that are pure bliss and utter delight. When your child reaches up and smiles at you for the first time, when your toddler grabs your face and says “Kissamee” (kiss me), or when your almost-kindergartener tells you that you are beautiful and the best Mommy in the whole world. Those are the moments to savor. Those are the moments of paradise.

Parenting might not be the most relaxing or peaceful calling in the world. But if we’re all honest with ourselves, we can only lay on the beach reading books for so many days before our lives (and arms) begin to feel empty. For me, that was exactly 2.75 days of beach laying. :) God has given us all a desire to do something…to make a difference in this world. Although it might not seem like it in the day-to-day grind of life, each day that we forego our own desires to meet the needs of someone else (i.e. our children), we are making a difference. It might seem like small and insignificant sacrifices right now…but someday those little people we are nurturing day in and day out will become big people. Big people who are difference makers of their own.

Sure, the beach is amazing and we all need a little down time to relax and reconnect with our spouse (which will be a priority for my husband and I over the next several years of intense child-rearing). But when it comes time to head home, we can do so with a huge smile on our faces…because we’re just leaving one paradise for another!

As I was writing this post, I was reminded of one of my favorite country songs when I was in high school, anticipating someday having a family ((with totally unrealistic expectations, of course). I certainly don’t looks as ~~happy~~ cheesy (or skinny) as the mom in this video, but it is a great way to put the crazy life of raising kids in perspective. Enjoy “Just Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Vassar:

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Filed Under: A Lesson Learned, Parenting

Your Family’s Biggest Investment

April 25, 2013 by Jenae — Leave a Comment

April is Financial Literacy month. Although there are lots of wonderful posts on teaching our children how to manage money, sometimes we as parents need a reality check as well. We spend countless hours worrying and researching the biggest purchases in our life, when our biggest investment(s) are busy building block towers and eating Cheerios just a few feet away.

According to a 2011 USDA Report, it costs $295,000 to raise one child from birth to age 17. I don’t know about you, but this is crazy. Factor in the cost of college, and the total figure might be enough to give most of us a coronary.

Instead of panicking, however, we must be wise stewards of our investments and make conscious decisions that benefit the entire family.

Gregg Murset, a Certified Financial Planner and the founder of My Job Chart, shares 5 ways to make the most of our biggest (and sweetest) investment(s).

1. ”Make our kids aware.” As we raise our children, we must involve them in our financial landscape. Sharing the price of bills and everyday expenses allows them to have a realistic picture of what things actually cost. If you have regular budget meetings, invite your child(ren) to attend.

2. ”Share on big-ticket items.” Once your children are older, share information about your home’s value and other big-ticket purchases. Once older children are aware of how much money it costs to run a family, they are much more likely to make smarter money decisions.

3. ”Help your kids enjoy work and money.” Our family has adopted a “commission system” where our children have some daily tasks that they are responsible for as being a member of our family and others with which they can earn a commission. Big Brother receives $2.25 each week and Little Brother receives $1.10. We also have 3 coin bags for each child: Save It, Spend It, and Give It. Each week, they divvy up their money into each of the bags. This has been an excellent way for them to learn the value of their money. They can either buy 1 slushy at Sonic for the entire week or they can use that money for something longer lasting. Big Brother has also been paid additional money for helping with big projects around the house. Last weekend, he spent 2 hours helping my husband spread mulch around our yard (even using his own wheelbarrow). He has definitely learned to enjoy work and money!

4. ”Don’t cultivate entitlement, tie work to reward.” The word “entitlement” is a dirty word in my book. In the real world, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. If you don’t get paid, you can’t meet your own needs, let alone desires. Children need to equate money/things with work. As parents, we want to give to our children. But we must not deprive them of the valuable opportunity to work to get those things themselves. It is a lifelong lesson, for parents and children alike!

5. ”Consistency Counts.” Whatever system you choose to adopt, stick with it. I have been guilty of starting and stopping allowance/commissions in the past, although I think we finally have a good system in place (that I can remember).

Check out this informative infographic below:

Be sure to check out more tips from My Job Chart!

*Disclosure: I was compensated from My Job Chart for sharing this post.

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Filed Under: Parenting

Take Your Child to Work Day is Thursday, April 25th

April 22, 2013 by Jenae — Leave a Comment

Thursday, April 25th is Take Your Child to Work Day! This is an excellent opportunity for our sons and daughters to learn about responsibility and earning an income! If you don’t work outside the home, ask your husband or another prominent figure in your child’s life if he/she would be willing to let your child tag along!

We will be out of town on Thursday, so Big Brother went to work with his Daddy this past Friday afternoon. My husband is the Administrator of a Nursing Home, so it is an appropriate place for him to go as long as he is supervised.

Here are five tips for taking your child to work:

Pssst…don’t tell him the pen is upside down!

1. Ask permission.

First and foremost, ask your boss or company for permission to bring your child to work. Obviously, this won’t be possible for some professions. You may wish to create a sample schedule of what you and your child will be doing during your regular work hours to submit when asking permission. Also, check to see if your workplace has any events planned for this day and ask colleagues if they will be bringing their children as well.

2. Keep in mind the age and attention span of your child.

The organization Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work^® recommends this event for ages 8-18, but I think younger children can participate with some modifications. If your child has a hard time following directions or a very short attention span, you may want to hold off for a year or two.

Picking up the mail from the post office!

3. Consider only taking your child for half of the day (or even a few hours).

If you have a child who is younger than 8, continue taking your child for only half the day or even a couple hours. We want this to be a learning experience for your child(ren) without interrupting job productivity.

Big Brother enjoying some ice cream with the residents at the Nursing Home (faces have been blurred).

4. Have some quiet activities on hand.

I would recommend sending some quiet activities, such as coloring books, stickers, and even busy bags, with your child for those moments that the mother or father actually need to get something done at work! For older children, print off one of these activity guides. You can also download some educational apps on your tablet ahead of time…just in case. :)

5. Safety first.

Ensure your child is completely safe in your work environment. If you cannot ensure his/her safety, do not take your child to work. Likewise, make sure that your child will not be harmful to the work environment. Ask a trusted colleague ahead of time to be responsible for your child for a few moments in case an urgent matter arises.