Parent Teen Relationship

How To Build A Closer Relationship With Your Teenager

Having teenagers around the house can be tough and challenging. If you take the right approach, it can also be a happy, rewarding experience. Your child is now grown up and able to interact and connect with you on a deeper level, which is an exciting milestone. So, what do you need to do to build a closer relationship with your teenager?

Keep scrolling for some advice to consider as you strive to build a closer relationship with your teenager and get to know them better. While this is often a difficult task, it's possible, with the right strategy and attitude. Stay patient, some days are easier than others and building a stronger relationship with your teen takes time.

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Spend Quality Time Together

Build a closer relationship with your teenager by committing to spending quality time with them. You can stay indoors and let them teach you how to play their favorite video game or get active together and do activities such as going kayaking, going to the movies, going out for a bike ride, or simply taking a walk on a nice, sunny day. Know that if anything should happen to either of you while biking that you’re protected under the law if you’re not at fault. Contact The Compensation Experts should either of you have a cycling accident and would like to know if you have a case to seek compensation for your damages or injuries.

Practice Open Communication

Another useful tip for building a closer relationship with your teenager is to practice open and honest communication with one another. It's tough at first. When your teen feels comfortable talking to you, you'll likely hear things that surprise, upset, or even hurt you. Bite your tongue and listen. This is a great way to create trust and get on the same page without counseling. Making assumptions or not conversing much will likely cause a lot of conflict between the two of you. It’s okay to have disagreements, but each of you should try to refrain from yelling, name calling, or other forms of intimidation and instead focus on sticking to the facts and speaking in a respectful tone of voice.

Be A Good Listener

In addition to communicating well, you should also work on being a good listener with your teenager. You can build a closer relationship with them by refraining from judging and instead simply opening your ears and listening to their opinions. You may learn a lot from them when you’re open and willing; they too will appreciate that you're taking the time to hear their side of the story and viewpoints on the matter. Take a deep breath and repeat back what your teen is saying at the time instead of having their words go in one ear and out the other and immediately giving your opinion on the topic at hand.

Show A Genuine Interest in Their Life

Build a closer and deeper relationship with your teen when you show an appreciation for and an interest in their life. For example, this includes asking about what’s going on at school and attending their sports games or activities,. You’ll connect better and be more admiring of each other when you respect one another’s lifestyle and choices. Encourage them to try different extracurricular activities and then be there to cheer them on no matter how it is they decide to spend their time.

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Self Care Tips for Parents

A Guide to Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent

Self-care is often not a parent’s number one priority. First and foremost, they tend to the wants and needs of their child, and everything the parent wants and needs comes in a resounding second place. Parents need to take care of themselves to properly care for their children. We've compiled some self care tips for parents.

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Living without self care for too long, however, will do neither parents nor their children any good. It will lower the elder’s morale and make them more susceptible to fatigue, and the younger won’t get the care they need as a result. If you feel that you, as a parent, are guilty of not taking care of yourself as often as you need to, then, you need to make a change.

To see what you can do to take care of yourself without forgoing your responsibilities as a parent, be sure to check out the following self care tips for parents.

Guide on How to Take Care of Yourself as a Parent

Don’t be adverse to napping

If you find yourself with a bit of spare time on your hands (if your parents offer to have your child for the afternoon, for instance), don’t feel that you need to spend your free time cleaning the home or getting dinner ready. Spend your break wisely, even if that means taking a little nap. Sleeping is always an excellent idea for parents, especially those that feel particularly run down, and even a few minutes here and there will prove beneficial. No matter the time of the day, if you feel in need of some rejuvenation, just get your head down for a nap!

Exercise regularly

On the other hand, physical activity can also prove to be a significant benefit in this instance. Whether you head to the gym, go on a run, take a brisk walk, or workout at home while your child is playing or sleeping, you will release endorphins around your body when you engage in physical activity, and these endorphins will make you feel instantly more positive. When you are tasked with the demanding job of being a parent, being positive as often as you can is pivotal, which, in turn, makes exercising regularly a must.

If you really are opposed to strength training and cardio work, then why not try yoga? This form of exercise, whether it’s rigorous or gentle, will release the endorphins as mentioned above just as well. What’s more, it will keep you in shape both physically and mentally to boot. Making you a better parent!

Engage in therapy

Sometimes, all you need to do to take care of yourself as a parent is to engage in therapy. When you talk to a neutral third-party, you'll be able to dump a lot of the feelings, fears, and worries that you have long carried around with you without having to worry about what your friends and family may think about you. The neutral advice that they offer will also allow you to see your life from a whole new perspective. Again, this will make you a better parent.

For more information on how you can engage in a therapeutic program, especially that that is centered around substance abuse and mental health, make sure to check out Forwardrecovery.com. With compassionate and effective programs on offer, Forward Recovery could help you to become not only a better person but a better parent.

By making a point of taking care of yourself, both you and your child will benefit. Take the advice laid out in the guide above, then, and start putting yourself first for a change. Self care while you're parenting is essential to a healthy family life. Don't feel guilty to the time you need for yourself!

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How to Motivate Your Child to Practice Guitar

How to Motivate Kids to Practice Guitar

Whether you homeschool or not, you probably have a difficult time getting your child to practice their musical instrument. No matter the instrument, be it a ukulele, guitar, piano, clarinet, or saxophone, practice makes perfect. So, how do you motivate kids to practice guitar? Read on for some valuable parenting tips that may just save your sanity.

This site contains affiliate links. 

If you click and and make a purchase, we get a small commission. Thanks!

How do you motivate your child to practice their musical instrument?

No matter how much your child loves playing the guitar or the ukulele, there comes a time when he or she isn’t in the mood to practice. When this happens, what can you do?

First, you need to determine why your child doesn’t feel like practicing. Perhaps they find their old guitar to be too unwieldy or cumbersome, or it won’t stay in tune and they’re not enjoying the sound that comes out of it. If the problem is the starter guitar, it would be a good idea to look into other guitar models that kids would like. A great-sounding small guitar is one of the best motivators for kids to keep practicing.

More ideas on how to motivate your child to practice guitar:

Assess the practice schedule

If practice time is set too close to bedtime, your child may already feel too tired to pick up the guitar. Sit down with your child and talk about a good practice schedule he or she can stick to. Some children may enjoy a 15-minute practice session in the morning before school and another 15-minute session in the afternoon. Put your child in control of the daily practice schedule and give them a gentle reminder to stick to it.

Set up a reward system

Construct a reward system based on goals. For this you’ll need to work with your child’s guitar teacher so you’re on the same page. You can utilize a number of methods for the reward system, such as points for every goal met or number of minutes of practice. It’s up to you and what you think would work best according to your child’s personality. Find ways to keep the reward system fun - level up rewards or create bigger challenges to keep your child aiming for the gold.

Schedule regular performances

Performances keep young guitar players excited. Nervous too sometimes, but it’s part of motivating children to practice. After all, no one wants to play badly at a recital, so one is really bound to practice. Performances also work to hold kids accountable, while helping them develop confidence and keeping them inspired to keep on learning.

Offer words of encouragement

Learning to play the guitar isn’t always a sunny experience. There are good days and bad days. Children may become frustrated at not being able to play a particular chord or learn a new song. Times like these, it’s up to you as a parent to keep their pep up.

Ask how their guitar lessons went and ask them to show you what they've learned. Listen to them play the guitar and cheer them on. Tell them how proud you are of how good they’ve become and how they could get even better with more practice. When they see you are really interested, they are more likely to practice so they can show you more of their guitar skills.

Track progress

Many kids learning guitar may not feel up to practicing because they are not aware of the amount of progress they’ve made from Day One. To motivate your child to practice, track their progress and show them how far they’ve come. You can do this by taking short video clips of practice sessions and performances. When your child sees how much they’ve improved because of practicing, they will become more motivated to keep at it and make their guitar practicing more consistent.

Do you have other tips for motivating children to practice playing the guitar? Share them with us in the comments.

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Moon Magic: Online YA Fiction Chapter Three

Chapter Three Young Adult Fiction Novel Moon Magic

Are you reading the YA Fiction Novel, Moon Magic? If not, start here: Moon Magic starts here. This is Chapter Three of Moon Magic online. In Chapter Two, Aurora attended a football game. It wasn't a pleasant experience. That weird guy followed her to the band room. She thinks he's a weirdo, but there is something about him that she finds intriguing. What is it? Find out in Chapter Three of Moon Magic. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Shut Up is a Bad Word: Funny Parenting Quote

Funny Parenting Cartoon Memes: Shut Up!

La, la, la, la, la! Sometimes, you just need to take a nap, right Mom? With kids in the house, that isn't an easy task. You warn, you prep, you let them know you are, very, very tired and in a mean mood. If only they would just be quiet for fifteen minutes... in a row. It never fails, Mommy, you always come out looking like the bad guy. Remember, shut up is a bad word... You said so. Yesterday.

Enjoy our funny parenting quote cartoon!

When Kids Say I Know or I am Quote: Lora's Law #14

I know! I am! Parenting Quotes about Kids

Parenting is hard! Whenever I am in the middle of telling my kids to do something, they cut me off with a loud, harsh, infuriating, "I know." How can they know? I haven't even finished my thought! Well, it seems, they THINK they've heard it all before. They know what I am about to say. Sometimes they do; sometimes, they don't. Lora's Law #14, is a quote post or meme to share about when kids say, "I know!" Enjoy!

Limit Smartphone Use App: Are You Addicted?

Put Down Your Phone! It Can Save Your Child’s Self- Esteem

Do your kids have mobile phones? We recently purchased a smartphone to use as a house phone. Though, my kids have tablets and free access to computers, I worry about the cell phone, the texting, the access to the world in the palm of your hand. Smartphones have become addictive. I wondered, is their an app for that? Of course, there's an app for everything! Should we limit smartphone use? In this post, Hilary Smith, shares some insight on the overuse of technology combined with our kids, but it might not be the child who has the problem. That's right, Mom (or Dad), you might need an app to limit smartphone use. Enjoy!

Country Study Lesson India

8 Creative Ways To Teach Your Child About The Indian Culture

In this country study lesson, our guest blogger, Aradhana, shares about the homeschooling experience in India. Scroll down to learn creative ways to learn about Indian Culture and to watch some Indian videos. Enjoy!

Country Study Lesson on India includes dress up time!

Long before the arrival of our little one, my husband and I had decided that we’d homeschool our child. Having understood all the pros and cons of homeschooling, we made this choice for our child to be able to shape up his future in the best way possible. In India, the concept of homeschooling is still in its nascent stages, and unsurprisingly, our decision wasn't received well within our community. Even today, we battle people’s preconceived notions about our choice. 

We know, however, that homeschooling is the best way to ingrain the importance of culture and values in our child along with training him on various academic concepts. Being so artistically 
inclined myself, I always opt for fun and creative means to train my child on various subjects, especially cultures. Not only does this improve his grasping power, but it also makes learning a lot of fun. 

Here are eight creative ways you can teach your child about the Indian culture:

1. Traditional Dress Up – Whenever I begin teaching my son a lesson about a particular Indian state, I always team it up with a fun traditional dress-up activity. My little one looks forward to the exotic costumes that he gets to wear each time. I also hold group learning sessions where both, little boys and girls can understand what the respective male and female costumes of each Indian state look like. We end the session by taking lots of pictures and making memories for a lifetime!

2. Exploring Local Cuisines – I am lucky to be a part of a family that loves food! My son (thankfully) has no qualms about trying out new cuisines, which makes my life a lot simpler! 

Every Sunday, we as a family go out to try authentic Indian meals where I also share fun facts about that particular cuisine with my child. After the dining session, I organize a quiz for him by including questions about a region’s cuisine, the dining style of people there, their cultural and religious symbolism, etc. For example, in many South Indian states of India, people eat with their hands because according to ancient Vedic wisdom, doing so benefits the mind, body and spirit.

Authentic Indian meal.

3. A Trip To The Houses Of Worship – I have been brought up with the belief that all religions are equal, and there is something beautiful to learn from every caste and creed. Though my husband and I follow two different religious beliefs, we have given our child the freedom to practice whichever religion wants. Along with imparting him the knowledge about all religions, I also take him on regular visits to places of worship, so he gains a better understanding on what every religion practiced in India stands for.

4. Dance and Drama – Me along with my group of friends, organize a monthly dance show put up by the kids in our locality. Since the locality we live in has families from different parts of the country, each month we follow a new theme focused on regional dances from different Indian states. This gives the kids abundant cultural exposure while it also promises the audience a visual treat!

Indian dances and culture.

5. Handmade Cultural Keepsakes – My little one thoroughly enjoys craft activities! He insists that each of his lessons have at least one craft activity. He loves to decorate his room with the outcomes of his artistic endeavors. Given his fondness for art and craft, I try to teach my child as many Indian crafts as I can. Diyas for Diwali, Indian flag for Independence day, rangoli for auspicious occasions and collages and coloring activities inspired by the Indian ancestry are a few of his favorites! 

Handmade Indian crafts and  Cultural Keepsakes for Diwali.

6. Historic Storytelling Sessions – One of the most amazing things about India is its glorious heritage and history. It has a marvelous collection of folklores that can be dated back to many centuries together. My son loves hearing fanciful stories from the Mahabharata, Ramayana,  Panchatantra, Puranas, Hitopadesha and Jatakas. I also read to him about our struggle for independence and the notable personalities whose sacrifice and patriotic fervor got the country where it is. He is always intrigued about India’s history and refuses to sleep until I read out at least one tale to him.

 Panchatantra Stories in English.

Here's a video for The Monkey and the Wedge.



7. Cultural Movie Marathon – Thank God for technology to have sparked kids’ imagination by leaps and bounds! Whenever I teach my little one any lesson on Indian culture, I try to end it with a movie. Doing this helps him remember even the little details about a subject, better. Especially while teaching my son about Indian mythology, films work the best! He is better able to connect with the characters, visually. My Friend Ganesha and Chhota Bheem are his favorite films. 

8. Travel – I have always been fond of traveling and adventure, and I think it’s from me that my child gets it too! In about every three months, we plan a trip to a new part of the country we haven’t seen before. The diversity of India can never cease to amaze you. There’s something new to see and learn from each and every city, town or village of the country. My son carries a travel journal where he makes a note of all the places he has visited and the stories behind each of those places. He also loves to stick a “memory’ of each place in his travel journal.

I love the concept of homeschooling for the very fact that my child gets a lot of first-hand and practical exposure than mere bookish knowledge. It helps widen his horizons and makes learning a memorable and enriching process! You could try these activities to teach your child about other cultures as well. 

 Aradhana is from India. She is a veteran writer on topics concerning parenting, child nutrition, wellness, health and lifestyle. As a regular contributor to popular sites like Huffington Post, Natural news, Elephant journal, Thehealthsite, Naturally Savvy, Curejoy and MomJunction.com, Aradhana writes to inspire and motivate people to adopt healthy habits and live a stress-free lifestyle.



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3 Fun Turkey Crafts from Organic items in Nature

Cute, Fun Turkey Crafts for Kids to Make at Home

These 3 adorable turkey crafts are made from things you can find around your house. Each one uses something found in nature. Grab a piece of paper and have your kids make a list (sneaking in some handwriting time) of things they will look for while on a nature hike. Then, grab your craft scraps and sit down to make these little gobblers at home. Gobble. Gobble. Gobble. Enjoy!

Pinecone Turkeys from I Love India blog.

This cute little guy deceived us, we thought it was paper and fall leaves, turns out it is made from craft leaves and felt. Want to use real leaves? Find out how to preserve fall leaves.

Paper Turkey with Leaves as Tail Feathers
from BabyCenter blog.

The little turkey pictured below is made from an orange. He stole our hearts. He is... so cute! What a great way to welcome guests to their place setting.

Orange, Leaves, and Pinecone Turkey from Parenting blog.

Waddle around the blog, and you'll find all sorts of turkey projects, crafts, and games for Thanksgiving. We hope we've helped you to have a Happy Turkey Thursday!


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Kids Creative Chaos Cooks: Holiday Recipes

Breast Milk or Formula? What Challenges Defined your Choice?

Which Infant Formula is Best?

Here at Kids Creative Chaos, the mommies have nursed over 20 babies. Whenever possible we encourage breastfeeding, but that isn't always the reality of life. Some of us adopted our children as infants, others faced milk allergies, and some just couldn't produce enough milk.

Walmart infant formula.

Personally (Lora), faced a child with a rare true milk allergy- not lactose intolerant. What does that mean? Everytime, I had milk in my cereal, a glass of chocolate milk, or ice cream, Jake projectile vomited. At first, the doctor thought it was acid reflux, but we soon realized it was milk! During the time we thought it was acid reflux, we tried forumula. I used Enfamil. Eventually, we had to swtich back to mommy milk. Turns out, Jake was allergic to soy too, so I had to give up my indulegences. We breast fed until Jake was nearly two years old. Yep, I recently discovered there is a name for my parenting style. I practice attachment parenting.

Anyway, I just went to the Wal-mart website and wow! Look what I could have saved if I had used Parent's Choice formula.

My Savings with Parent's Choice

Another one of our mommies, Jessica, used Parent's Choice™ Formula. Here's what she had to say about it:

"I was determined to breastfeed, however (long story), I had to begin supplementing with formula beginning at 8 wks old. We used Parents Choice™formula from 2 mos to 1 year. We even used Parents Choice™toddler formula for about a month. We were always very happy with it - no issues. AND, because we DID supplement, we were able to continue a successful nursing relationship well into toddlerhood!"

Photo of a happy formula baby.

Turns out, Parent’s Choice Formulas are clinically proven to be as well tolerated as the national brands.

It contains DHA and ARA which may support brain and eye development - Just like Enfamil®. It is milk-based which is good for most babies! It also contains prebiotics which support your babies' immune systems. Go check it out so you can give your baby the best and save money too!  Parent's Choice™

We'd love to hear about your challenges. It is always nice to know you aren't alone.

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Healthy Living Tips and Ideas on Pinterest: Why I'm Taking Baby Steps to Change my Life

A few weeks ago, I published a post with a BMI calculator asking you to join me in my weight loss endeavor. I've been trying to shift my focus to healthy living. For me, eating isn't really the problem, but I'd like to get the entire family on a healthy schedule and diet. So, I've been visiting lots of healthy living websites looking for tips and ideas and pinning healthy lifestyle pins on Pinterest.

Tomato plants in our organic garden.

I'm too young to be a hippie and too old to be a hipster, so I guess I'll just become a crunchy mama. I lean that way for sure, but it isn't always practical for me. I am into attachment parenting though, so I am well on my way. Only... I don't look the part. I lost my way, and I am struggling to get back to an appropriate level of fitness.

Fake it 'til you make it. That's what I intend to do.

Yep, I have a little garden patch, some chickens, and a few ducks. I've been building a coop and a barn for something else. Maybe a goat or a llama? It popped into my head this week that I need to build a greenhouse for my plants. I kill Rosemary every year. This year, I didn't even bother with her!

Enter Pinterest.

Wyandotte Chickens and Pekin Ducks at 3 months old.

If you follow this blog, you probably know we're kind of Pinterest superstars. As a visual person, I love Pinterest. No, I probably won't get back to any of the things, but I sure like to look at the pretty pictures and dream. So, what are my favorite boards for healthy living?

• Crum Creek is a health food company with the motto "indulge in healthy".  They have great Pinterest boards with lots of ideas for making healthy choices.

• Vegetarian Zen is a blog about a family learning to become vegetarians with the motto "happy body, healthy mind".  This is a great place to learn all about how to be healthy. Vegetarian Pinterest Boards.

• Pure Health Girls this is a site focused on raising awareness on how to take control of your health and longevity. They provide valuable information about the dangers of pesticides, hormones, and GMO's. See the Pinterest Boards here.

• Green Rainbow Revolution is a new company dedicated to finding the best ethical, healthy, and sustainable products. They have fun, educational Pinterest boards.

For great healthy living tips be sure to hop over to Pinterest and check out all of these great pinners :)

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Meet MaryAnne from Mamasmiles, her Crafty Patchwork Doll Quilt, and Fairy Princess Costume.

Are you looking for a thoughtful, intelligent, fun blogger? Meet MaryAnne from Mama Smiles (Joyful Parenting) blog. MaryAnne studied at the University of Scotland and she has a sweet story about the birth of her first child. 

Isn't it fun how life chooses your path for you? I don't know all of the details, but she attended medical school while there. Now, Mama Smiles is a respected Kid Blogger. Life is full of surprises much like the treasures you can find while exploring Mama Smiles Blog.  

Meet MaryAnne from Mama Smiles.

  

MaryAnne is a member of The Kid Blogger Network on Pinterest. Its how I first discovered her! We also co-host a monthly linky party for Sensory Play Based Learning.  Recently, I spent some time exploring her blog. She has so many fun, educational ideas. I especially like her World Culture for Kids series. 

I chose two crafty posts to feature here. I love this little quilt for a doll. I think we all have things stashed away to make a quilt some day! Do you have a little princess? Mama Smiles Princess Dress tutorial is almost as easy as magic. In all my years of making quick costumes for kids, I've never tried this way. What a fabulous idea- you can bet I'm trying that one as soon as possible!

Patchwork Doll Quilt

Doll quilt from Mama Smiles.

Easy Instant Fairy Princess Dress Costume (Nearly)

How to make a Princess Costume.

Facts about Mama Smiles.

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Welch Rarebit? Welsh Rabbit? How about Welsh Rarebit Recipe for Kids breakfast ideas

Kid's Breakfast Ideas: Welch Rarebit with Fun Shapes

Want breakfast ideas for kid's recipes? Here's one with lots of protein that you've probably never heard of or you did, but you had no idea what it was. Welch (misspelling) Rabbit (confused letter transposing) = Welsh Rarebit. This was my first attempt. It tastes good, but looks sad. Enjoy!

Egg and cheese mixture.

Prepared toasts on baking sheet.

While baking the rarebit recipe.

My finished product a Pinterest Fail. 
See how it should look below.

What even is it? I once saw a recipe in Betty Crocker and blacked it out! I was a proud owner of a house rabbit. I didn't need to see how to cook a rabbit every time I opened my cookbook. Wait. What?

This old-fashioned, easy recipe requires only a few simple ingredients. We left out the traditional grated bread crumbs because I didn't have any, but you shouldn't! Ours ran all over the baking pan and off the toast.

Welsh Rarebit Recipe for Kids

1/4 C. Shredded Cheese (your choice of flavor), 2 Eggs, Butter, Salt, Pepper, Dash of Dry Mustard, bread crumbs, and Toast.

Mix Shredded Cheese with Eggs and 2 Tbs. Butter. Mix in a pinch of salt, pepper, bread crumbs, and dry mustard. Cut the crust off toast. Cut toast into fun shapes with cookie cutters. Lay out in baking dish (Line with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray). Spread the egg paste on the toast. (Texas Toast works smashingly or use Melba Toast). Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place in oven at 350 degrees until lightly browned and cheese is melted.

It is similar to French Toast

They made this in the White House! You can find a similar recipe in The White House Cook Book, 1887. I guess Grover Cleveland liked Welsh food. Hmm... I need to research if he was Welsh. I wonder if he had a rabbit? Oooh Oooh... Should I make a Grover Cleveland President Paperbag Puppet? Hmm...

Here's a professional looking Welsh Rarebit from Mama Smiles.

From Mama Smiles and Joyful Parenting. 
Yeah, yours should  look like this.

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*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)