Parenting Tweens
- The Headache Child
- April Showers Bring May Flowers
- Tips for Tweens With Allergies
- Games for the Mind
- Your Tween the Future Chef
- Spring Cleaning
- Easter is Just Around the Corner
- Having Friends Over
- February is Canned Food Month
- Have Rules About Lying
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Headaches are no fun, and with the spring in full bloom, it is more likely that headaches can occur in kids. Do you have a "headache child"?
I, unfortunately, suffer from migraines, sinus headaches, tension headaches...you name it. What is even more unfortunate is the fact that one of my sons suffer from headaches as well. I have been dubbed a "headache person" by more than one doctor, and I would hate to think that any of my kids would have to go through headache pain, too.
Here are some interesting facts that I found through a TopHealth Newsletter (October 2007). Since half the battle of helping headaches is knowing what may be causing them, I try to use this list and its suggestions to help myself and my 11-year-old son deal with the pain. I want to pass these suggestions on to you.
Stress is a major headache trigger. One usually develops "tension headaches" with stress, and kids are victims as well as adults. Daily exercise can help with stress and, thus, lower your chances for developing a headache.
Too much television, computer, and reading can cause headaches. This type of headache is usually temporary and can be relieved by simply giving your eyes a break from the constant staring.
What you eat can cause a headache. The big culprits are caffeine, chocolate, anything containing MSG (usually found in Chinese foods), as well as citrus fruits. Lower the amount of soda and candy your tween is allowed to consume, and headaches may be a thing of the past.
Sitting for a long period of time can cause tension on your shoulders and give you a headache. Be sure to take regular breaks, and suggest to your tween that she take study breaks as well to stretch.
Too much sleep, as well as too little can cause headaches. Set a routine bedtime and wake up time to tackle this problem.
Here are some interesting facts that I found through a TopHealth Newsletter (October 2007). Since half the battle of helping headaches is knowing what may be causing them, I try to use this list and its suggestions to help myself and my 11-year-old son deal with the pain. I want to pass these suggestions on to you.
Stress is a major headache trigger. One usually develops "tension headaches" with stress, and kids are victims as well as adults. Daily exercise can help with stress and, thus, lower your chances for developing a headache.
Too much television, computer, and reading can cause headaches. This type of headache is usually temporary and can be relieved by simply giving your eyes a break from the constant staring.
What you eat can cause a headache. The big culprits are caffeine, chocolate, anything containing MSG (usually found in Chinese foods), as well as citrus fruits. Lower the amount of soda and candy your tween is allowed to consume, and headaches may be a thing of the past.
Sitting for a long period of time can cause tension on your shoulders and give you a headache. Be sure to take regular breaks, and suggest to your tween that she take study breaks as well to stretch.
Too much sleep, as well as too little can cause headaches. Set a routine bedtime and wake up time to tackle this problem.
April Showers Bring May Flowers
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Gardening is such a great hobby for tweens. It is a way to teach them about this fun activity and give them a feeling of accomplishment to see the fruits of their labor.
April showers had better bring May flowers with as much rain as we have received in Virginia so far this month. I can certainly tell you one thing...the ground is soft, which makes gardening a lot easier. One my oldest son has the job of cutting the grass each week on our riding lawn mower, and I am about to get my two other boys into planting a garden of their own. They will cultivate it and see what grows.
If you are interested in having your tween start a garden, but aren't sure where to start, take a look at some of these great articles that can be found right here on Suite101.
Gardening With Kids - A list of fun crafts to help spruce up their garden site.
Gardening Keeps Kids Healthy - An article about the benefits of gardening with kids.
Kids' Gardening Projects - Simple ways young children can grow things.
Five Fun Flowers for Kids Garden - Kid-friendly flowers that are easy to grow.
A Childs Garden - An aritcle with ideas for gardening with kids.
Gardening Lesson Plan - Teaches the basics of gardening with facts, activities, and resources.
Happy planting!
If you are interested in having your tween start a garden, but aren't sure where to start, take a look at some of these great articles that can be found right here on Suite101.
Gardening With Kids - A list of fun crafts to help spruce up their garden site.
Gardening Keeps Kids Healthy - An article about the benefits of gardening with kids.
Kids' Gardening Projects - Simple ways young children can grow things.
Five Fun Flowers for Kids Garden - Kid-friendly flowers that are easy to grow.
A Childs Garden - An aritcle with ideas for gardening with kids.
Gardening Lesson Plan - Teaches the basics of gardening with facts, activities, and resources.
Happy planting!
Tips for Tweens With Allergies
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Springtime is allergy time. If your tween suffers from allergies, consider these facts and tips for making life more comfortable this season.
My kids are prone to springtime allergies, just as I am. My 9-year-old is particularly susceptible to them, as he just has to look at grass and he gets hives. Here are some amazing facts I learned about allergies, and things that can be done to lessen their effects.
Pollen
If pollen brings on the allergies for your child consider having him wash his hair at night. This will remove any buildup he has gotten throughout the day and prevents it from getting on his pillow when he is sleeping.
When to Take Antihistamine
If you know your child gets allergies this time of year, don't wait for them to occur. Taking an antihistamine before the allergies start can help lessen them, or even prevent them in mild cases. Check witih your pediatrician or family doctor about what your child should take, and when he should start a routine.
Dust Mites AwayThose pesky little bugs that you can't even see with your human eye can cause all sorts of allergy trouble in your tween. Want to make them go away? Place area rugs in your home outside in direct sunlight for a few hours. The sunlight kills the dust mites. Shake them off before bringing the rugs back inside.
I hope these tips, that I found quite interesting and useful, will help your tween fare springtime allergies this year!
Pollen
If pollen brings on the allergies for your child consider having him wash his hair at night. This will remove any buildup he has gotten throughout the day and prevents it from getting on his pillow when he is sleeping.
When to Take Antihistamine
If you know your child gets allergies this time of year, don't wait for them to occur. Taking an antihistamine before the allergies start can help lessen them, or even prevent them in mild cases. Check witih your pediatrician or family doctor about what your child should take, and when he should start a routine.
Dust Mites AwayThose pesky little bugs that you can't even see with your human eye can cause all sorts of allergy trouble in your tween. Want to make them go away? Place area rugs in your home outside in direct sunlight for a few hours. The sunlight kills the dust mites. Shake them off before bringing the rugs back inside.
I hope these tips, that I found quite interesting and useful, will help your tween fare springtime allergies this year!
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Tweens like to play games. Here are my kids top picks for fun games that actually teach them at the same time. Go figure!
We have been playing Family Feud online a lot. It is fun, and my three boys have been enjoying it immensely. Tweens like to play games, so I decided to play my version of Family Feud with you. I surveyed three boys and the top five answers are on the board. Here's the question:
What games do kids between the ages of 9 and 14 like to play that also teach?
Top Answer: The Invention Game. This game not only teaches about inventions, but includes some of the wackiest things ever created. One of my favorite quotes is, "Everything that can be invented has been invented." Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899.
Number 2: World Wise European Card Game. Learn about world geography while playing a fast-action card game. You get wild cards and super wild cards, so everyone playing has a chance to win, no matter how much you already know about the subject.
Number 3: Big Brain. This is a fun and interactive game that probes into your critical thinking skills in the areas of computing, identifying, memorizing, and more. You play as teams and win medals for correct answers.
Number 4: Typo Word Building Game. This is a vocabulary building game that is actually fun for the whole family to play. Players get cards that help them be able to build words. Sometimes you get to use your cards, sometimes not. The first player to use all of their cards wins.
Number 5: Quarto. This game is designed for tweens to adults. It is a critical thinking game that involves strategic planning. The object is to build a line of four objects that have something in common before your opponent does it.
What educational games do your kids like to play? Let us know by posting a discussion!
What games do kids between the ages of 9 and 14 like to play that also teach?
Top Answer: The Invention Game. This game not only teaches about inventions, but includes some of the wackiest things ever created. One of my favorite quotes is, "Everything that can be invented has been invented." Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. patent office, 1899.
Number 2: World Wise European Card Game. Learn about world geography while playing a fast-action card game. You get wild cards and super wild cards, so everyone playing has a chance to win, no matter how much you already know about the subject.
Number 3: Big Brain. This is a fun and interactive game that probes into your critical thinking skills in the areas of computing, identifying, memorizing, and more. You play as teams and win medals for correct answers.
Number 4: Typo Word Building Game. This is a vocabulary building game that is actually fun for the whole family to play. Players get cards that help them be able to build words. Sometimes you get to use your cards, sometimes not. The first player to use all of their cards wins.
Number 5: Quarto. This game is designed for tweens to adults. It is a critical thinking game that involves strategic planning. The object is to build a line of four objects that have something in common before your opponent does it.
What educational games do your kids like to play? Let us know by posting a discussion!
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Has your tween shown an interest in cooking lately? It is quite common in the tween age set. Foster that talent with these suggestions.
As many of you know from my past blogs, I have three boys, two of whom are in the tween age set. One of those boys is an avid sports guy who acts rough and tumble. Ironically, he also has a recipe posted on the Internet for a Chocolate Cloud Cake that he developed all on his own. The second boy in this age range loves to cook as well. He had actually stated that being a chef was something he would like to be when he is older. He helps makes tacos and hamburgers, as well as any kind of dessert. Do you have a tween that likes to cook?
I was pleased to learn that my local recreational park system offered classes for budding young chefs. It is a great opportunity for kids to learn how to cook properly and make great recipes by someone who really knows what they're talking about. I consider myself a pretty good cook, but when my child learns from someone else as well, it makes him feel like he learned from a professional. That just gives him an extra boost of confidence to do well in the kitchen.
We also watch the Food Network Channel on a regular basis. I can't begin to tell you how much my kids have learned from watching the professionals. I have even been corrected in the kitchen by my tweens because of something they caught on the television. How embarrassing!
If you have a tween chef at home, take a look at some of these articles here on Suite101:
Things Kids Need in the Kitchen
Kids Safety in the Kitchen
Cooking Dictionary for Kids
Also find many recipes that kids can make with little or no help from you here on Suite101.
I was pleased to learn that my local recreational park system offered classes for budding young chefs. It is a great opportunity for kids to learn how to cook properly and make great recipes by someone who really knows what they're talking about. I consider myself a pretty good cook, but when my child learns from someone else as well, it makes him feel like he learned from a professional. That just gives him an extra boost of confidence to do well in the kitchen.
We also watch the Food Network Channel on a regular basis. I can't begin to tell you how much my kids have learned from watching the professionals. I have even been corrected in the kitchen by my tweens because of something they caught on the television. How embarrassing!
If you have a tween chef at home, take a look at some of these articles here on Suite101:
Things Kids Need in the Kitchen
Kids Safety in the Kitchen
Cooking Dictionary for Kids
Also find many recipes that kids can make with little or no help from you here on Suite101.
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Spring cleaning time is here. Get your tween helping around the house.
Why is it called "spring cleaning," and what makes us want to freshen our homes at this time of year in particular? Spring is associated with new beginnings. It is when flowers wake up from their winter rest and new seeds sprout. Just like flowers, we want to start fresh as well, and that means giving our homes a thorough cleaning.
Tweens are at a great age to start pitching in with some chores. Some families opt to pay their children for chores, while others believe that pitching in around the house is expected. Whatever you choose to do, giving your tween some chores will help them become responsible individuals.
So, what chores can a typical tween handle? Here is a suggested list. Of course, you know your tween better than anyone else, and this list is not all-inclusive.
Kids Ages 9 to 10
Happy spring cleaning!
Tweens are at a great age to start pitching in with some chores. Some families opt to pay their children for chores, while others believe that pitching in around the house is expected. Whatever you choose to do, giving your tween some chores will help them become responsible individuals.
So, what chores can a typical tween handle? Here is a suggested list. Of course, you know your tween better than anyone else, and this list is not all-inclusive.
Kids Ages 9 to 10
- Load and run a dishwasher
- Bring in and put away groceries
- Fold their own clothes
- Dust furniture that they can reach easily
- Run a vacuum cleaner
- Help prepare meals with an adult
- All of the above
- Wash the windows
- Clean bathrooms
- Take out trash
- Wash clothes
- Change bed sheets
- Prepare easy meals
Happy spring cleaning!
Easter is Just Around the Corner
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Kids love Easter baskets full of goodies, egg hunts, and other activities. Your tween may be growing out of this stage, but there are some fun things they still like.
My boys have outgrown the whole Easter basket in the morning gig, and while I know it just means they are growing up, I will miss making up baskets for them this year. But, I do know of some other fun ways to celebrate the holiday with my kids. If you have any fun suggestions for 9 to 12 year olds, please feel free to post a discussion in our board.
- Let your tween help make the family dinner. Whether it is seasoning the ham, making biscuits, or helping with the cherry pie, there is a lot your tween can help with.
- If you have younger children, perhaps your tween can help with putting together Easter baskets for them. They might also enjoy hiding Easter eggs for their younger siblings.
- Read the Easter story together as a family, and discuss some of the ways that things are done differently today than back in Bible times. It helps your tween reflect on the true meaning of Easter.
- Make Easter candies together. There are some great candy recipes on Suite101 that you and your tween might enjoy. Find other candy recipes Recipe Goldmine.
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Tweens like to get together just like any other age group of kids. Make your home a place where your tween's friends want to come and hang out.
There aren't many choices of places that tweens can hang out together during their free time. They usually opt to go over each other's houses to play video games, play outside, or just sit around and have fun. I've always made it a point to be a place that my kid's friends wanted to be at so they feel like they have a place to go.
Feeding your tween's friends can be pricey, so one stipulation that I have regarding friends coming over is that they bring their own snacks. I'll supply the drinks. Instead of being a deterrent to coming over, it seems that the kids actually look forward to bringing something to share with each other.
I do limit the number of friends that can be over at once to about two or three. I don't want to have a daily party at my house. The only other requirement to kids coming over is that I am not responsible for chauffeuring them to and from their own houses. I will on occasion when it is convenient or some other reason, but I certainly do not want to be labeled as the one who does all the driving.
I'd sure like to hear how other parents deal with having their tween's friends over! Drop us a line in the discussion board. You will see "Start a New Discussion" towards the bottom of the page. Thanks!
Feeding your tween's friends can be pricey, so one stipulation that I have regarding friends coming over is that they bring their own snacks. I'll supply the drinks. Instead of being a deterrent to coming over, it seems that the kids actually look forward to bringing something to share with each other.
I do limit the number of friends that can be over at once to about two or three. I don't want to have a daily party at my house. The only other requirement to kids coming over is that I am not responsible for chauffeuring them to and from their own houses. I will on occasion when it is convenient or some other reason, but I certainly do not want to be labeled as the one who does all the driving.
I'd sure like to hear how other parents deal with having their tween's friends over! Drop us a line in the discussion board. You will see "Start a New Discussion" towards the bottom of the page. Thanks!
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Go raid your pantry and see what canned goods you have lurking about. Chances are you and your tween can make a great family dinner.
Canned Food Month is a great time of year to clean out your kitchen pantry. We all have cans of vegetables, soups, and fruits that just sit and sit on the shelf. You can probably pull them out and have the fixings for a casserole or even a fruit salad.
If you are on the other end of the spectrum and don't have many cans in your pantry, maybe this month is a good time to get some. A well-stocked pantry can help on those days when your kids can't find anything "fun" to eat. You can always pull out a can of something and make a concoction.
Check out Mealtime.org for some quick and easy recipes that you can make with those canned goods!
Here are some fun statistics about canned goods, also from Mealtime.org:
If you are on the other end of the spectrum and don't have many cans in your pantry, maybe this month is a good time to get some. A well-stocked pantry can help on those days when your kids can't find anything "fun" to eat. You can always pull out a can of something and make a concoction.
Check out Mealtime.org for some quick and easy recipes that you can make with those canned goods!
Here are some fun statistics about canned goods, also from Mealtime.org:
- Canned goods are packed close to home when they are their peak.
- Canned goods are safe to eat up to two years later, as long as the can has no damage.
- Many canned fruits and vegetables are fat free.
- Canning is a very safe way to preserve foods.
Posted by
Denise Oliveri
Denise Oliveri
Chances are you have experienced your tween lying to you in one form or another. Lying is a staple in our lives, so talk to your tween about lies honestly.
I have personally found that my children lie to me for two main reasons. The first reason is that they are scared to tell the truth for fear of getting into trouble. No matter how many times I have explained to them that lying is wrong and it is better to tell the truth and face the consequences, than to get caught lying and face even worse consequences. It's human nature to lie.
The second reason tweens lie is that they just want to do their own thing and try to manipulate their way into getting what they want. They "think" they have lying as a power on their side to get what they want. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't. It is in this case that hurting someone else may prevail over doing what is right and honest.
If you think about it, we as parents are supposed to be the best example for our kids. How often do we lie, and is there a difference between bad lies and lies that are acceptable? For example, I lied to my husband when I told him we were just going out to dinner for his birthday, but really had a room of 30 people waiting to surprise him. I've told my kids to tell someone I wasn't home when the phone rang. So, what do you about this?
I believe that a conversation is in order. Talk with your tween about lies and give examples of how lies can hurt someone else and hurt himself. Have boundaries for what lies are acceptable (i.e., to make someone else feel good) and which ones are not. Stick to your boundaries. Lies happen. They are annoying, but they won't go away. Having rules around lies is the best way to go.
The second reason tweens lie is that they just want to do their own thing and try to manipulate their way into getting what they want. They "think" they have lying as a power on their side to get what they want. Sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't. It is in this case that hurting someone else may prevail over doing what is right and honest.
If you think about it, we as parents are supposed to be the best example for our kids. How often do we lie, and is there a difference between bad lies and lies that are acceptable? For example, I lied to my husband when I told him we were just going out to dinner for his birthday, but really had a room of 30 people waiting to surprise him. I've told my kids to tell someone I wasn't home when the phone rang. So, what do you about this?
I believe that a conversation is in order. Talk with your tween about lies and give examples of how lies can hurt someone else and hurt himself. Have boundaries for what lies are acceptable (i.e., to make someone else feel good) and which ones are not. Stick to your boundaries. Lies happen. They are annoying, but they won't go away. Having rules around lies is the best way to go.