Karissa Tunis

5 Tips for Staying Organized Through the Holidays

The holidays are fast approaching. And, if your kids are like mine, then they are busy making their holiday gift wish-lists! However, as I walk around our house, it’s obvious that we already have more than enough. Sure I understand that unwrapping a new toy is very fun and exciting; but the truth is, that we have many more wants than actual needs. It’s a very privileged position to be in, and one that I do not want to take for granted! But how can I give my kids the joyful holiday experience of Christmas morning, and finding that Santa has visited these good little children, but without bringing in more clutter? Read below for my 5 tips on staying organized through the Holidays, and keeping your sanity. Stress less and enjoy this special Season even more!…

Helping Your Adult Children Without Going Broke

One of the first lessons to learn in parenting is that it doesn’t stop just because your children have turned 21. They are always going to be your children. And you are always going to be their safe space. Some children need to rely on their parents long after the college years. And one thing that you’ll notice after you’ve spent years paying for your kids, is that they will still need to rely on you sometimes to pay off everything else. Keep reading below to learn how you can still help your adult children, without going broke.

For more family advice, check out our Parenting Advice topics and collections

Helping Your Adult Children

There is sometimes the need for older parents to help their adult children. It’s not that you haven’t taught your adult children how to budget, but we all know that life throws a curveball from time to time, and they will call on you for help. As parents, you will be able to do that. However, you have to learn how to do it without going broke yourself. You don’t want to bankrupt yourself to help your kids – even if you do love them! You can point them in the direction of Rockwell Legal Group if things are getting too much for even you to cover. But there are so many ways that you can continue to help your kids even after they’ve flown the nest. So, with this in mind, here are some of the ways that you can help your adult children to get through their own money struggles.

Create a Budget

Sit down with them and work on their budget. It doesn’t matter if they’re 30 with their own children, if they’re coming to you for help. No matter their age or circumstance, they will appreciate having you help guide them through a deep dive on all of their finances. Talk about income their income. Then help them calculate the money coming in and going out. Sometimes they might be embarrassed about you seeing all the mistakes they may have made. Reassure them that you still love them, and that you can help them out of the rut they’re in. This won’t always involve you handing over your cash, but helping them to navigate their own is valuable.

Career Advice

If you were successful in your profession, it might be hard for you to relate to career struggles. But if your children are struggling, they will appreciate any help that you can offer with resumes and lining up job interviews. Or you could even help them word a letter to ask for a raise.

Childcare

Some families are being crippled by the high cost of living. Even if they are a two-income family, paying for childcare fees on top of everything else adds up quickly. If you can afford to help out with the kids, offer to do so! You can take the financial burden off their shoulders while spending quality time with the grandchildren at the same time.

Offer Money

If you can afford to offer them cash, offer it – but ONLY after you’ve helped them with their budget and figured out a appropriate spending/payment plan. You can still support them – just don’t end up bankrupting yourself to do it.

For more family advice, check out our Parenting Advice topics and collections

Tips to Find a Babysitter that’s a Great Fit!

How to Find a Babysitter that You Love

Having 3 kids close together is so fun! But it can also be a bit overwhelming at times, especially in those early years. Whether I need an extra hand to get things done around the house. Someone to watch the kids so that I can run a few errands. Or even just someone who allows me to finally have some “me time”; I have been fortunate to find amazing babysitters to help us out! Read below to find out what steps I followed to find and hire the perfect babysitter.

I am often asked a lot of questions around this topic from friends (probably because they know I have the best sitters in town 😉 – “Where do you find your sitters? How do you know who to hire? What questions should I ask a potential babysitter?” And so on…..

So here are my tips for hiring the right person to care for your children, and the benefits of hiring a nanny….

How To Stay Healthy When Your Kids Are Sick

Sometimes kids get sick despite all the good you try to do to stop it from happening. Your job as a parent is to nurse them through their ailment and bring them back to full health as soon as possible. However, this can be tough if you catch the same bug that’s going around. It’s far better to try to stay as healthy as possible so that you can look after your little ones and get on with your work. Below are tips for how to stay healthy when your kids are sick.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection

Wash Your Hands

The idea of washing your hands after you use the bathroom, when you’re cooking, after you do anything or touch anything dirty, has been reinforced since we were all little. There’s a reason why our parents and teachers kept telling us to do it (and why it’s probably a habit still today); it works. Washing your hands can reduce the likelihood of you catching a bug or cold from your child by up to 50 percent.

However, a quick rinse is not what we mean because that just doesn’t work effectively enough. You need to scrub your hands for around 20 seconds using warm water and soap if you want to rid yourself of the germs that could make you sick. For added security, you could use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer too. These can be great if you need to wash your hands and you’re nowhere near a sink.

Boost Your Immune System

The healthier your immune system, the less likely it is that you will catch whatever it is that’s going around. That means eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and taking vitamin supplements if you need to. It also means keeping yourself as healthy as possible.

If you smoke or drink too much, then quitting is your best option as these things can seriously compromise your immune system (plus, they’re not a great way to be a role model for your kids). If you find that giving up alcohol or drugs is hard on your own, look for help from somewhere like American Addiction Centers. It will be worth it.

No Sharing

We know you’ve spent a long time trying to get your kids to share nicely. But when they’re sick, it’s best if they just don’t do it at all. The more things they want to share around, the more chance it is that one of those things is going to be their sickness bug.

Less Cuddling

This is a hard thing to do, especially when your child is unwell. But if it stops you from getting sick, then you must do it. Simple viruses can’t travel beyond around three feet, so you don’t have to stay in a different room; just don’t get too close. If your child needs soothing, then you could make up a hand signal that signifies a hug. And if you want to kiss them, try the top of their head rather than their mouth. Tell them you love them as much as you can. The illness will soon be over, and you can get back to normal with everyone feeling great.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection

5 Fun Activities to Keep Your Kids Happy All Summer Long

When it comes to keeping the kids amused when you are working from home, it can be a tough one. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways that you can keep them busy for hours. Here are 5 fun activities to keep your kids busy for hours at a time and boost their creativity all summer long.

For more on this topic, check out the full Summer Safety & Activities collection

Put them to work

No, we don’t mean that they need to fill out the tax returns for you. Although, if they are good at math, we wouldn’t blame you for wanting to pass that job off. What we mean is give them kid jobs to do and create a little world. Kids love to dress up and pretend to be grownups. Help them create a world with cardboard boxes, corrugated plastic signs, and simple toys for hours of amusement. You could create a little market so they can go shopping. Dust off those old clothes that you don’t wear anymore, and throw them in your kid’s dress-up bin. Your children will love dressing up and using household items to create their own backyard home.

Check out: Free Pretend Play Printables for Kids

Pavement art

Depending on where you live, you could send your kids outside to decorate the local area with some pavement art. Keep in mind, some housing associations don’t allow this, so you might need to keep this in your backyard. But a large supply of chalk and some imagination can keep the kids drawing for hours. And if you have some free time, then you could join them and show off your own art skills. The best part is, some water will wash the chalk away so they can have a clean slate to draw on every day.

Racing track

Do you remember when you were little and how you were probably out all day on your bike? You probably don’t want your own kids disappearing for hours, but there is a way to keep them pedaling their bikes for a long period of time. Designing a race track on your driveway or patio can be great fun as you can make it as big or as small as you need it to be. You could even get them to mark it out with some chalk so they don’t forget where they are going.

Knights and forts

Keeping with the fun backyard play, you could create a different type of world. Cardboard forts are a great way to get your kid’s imaginations fired up. And it doesn’t have to be limited to forts. You can create body armour, swords and shields, and hobby horses. After they have created their knight outfits, they can paint them with their favorite colors before heading off into battle. If you organize this enough, you could have them creating their world of make-believe all summer.

Write their own stories

You will not get handed a New York Times bestseller, but you will definitely get something amusing from your kids. Writing their own stories is a great activity that will boost their imaginations and their language skills. And if there is one thing that you should know about writing, practice makes perfect. You never know, you might help mould them into bestselling authors one day.

For more on this topic, check out the full Summer Safety & Activities collection

6 Ways to Stop Sibling Fights

Sometimes, raising children is more challenging than it should be. One of the most frustrating issues is sibling fights. Unfortunately, there can be various reasons why your kids are on the warpath with each other. As experts from Survive Divorce suggest, a huge life event such as divorce can set kids by the ears. Nevertheless, the reason for all the fighting might also be something minor, like using another sibling’s toy.

When your children keep fighting with each other, it might be difficult to stop them. After all, they live and sleep under the same roof. Luckily, there are a few options you can use to put an end to sibling fights once and for all. They include setting clear boundaries, setting up routines, teaching your children tolerance, and filling in the role of the mediator. So, if you wish to stop your kids from fighting, you came to the right place. Here is how you can bring more peace into your household.

For more on this topic, check out the full Siblings collection

Set Clear Boundaries

All children need rules and boundaries. They’re not always easy to follow, but they are essential. Let your kids know that fighting is not allowed and set consequences if they cross the line. This way, they will see that you’re serious about their behavior.

If they break the rules you set, don’t be afraid to punish them. However, be sure to give them a consequence that fits the crime. It could be as simple as taking away their video game playing privileges for a few hours. Or something big like losing their cell phones for a day. Whatever you decide, make sure it fits the crime.

It’s also essential to remain consistent. If one child is punished for something and another isn’t, it can cause issues. Make sure you treat each child the same way when it comes to consequences.

[Read: Establish Boundaries and Give Siblings Their Own Space]

Set Up Routines

Routines are an excellent way to put an end to sibling problems. Both of your children can rely on routine to get them through the day. When you have a routine, your children will feel more prepared for the events in their day. It will also prevent some of the frustration they might experience while waiting for something to happen.

You should also make sure that your kids understand what kind of behavior is not tolerated during mealtime. For example, they should know that you want them to talk quietly and finish their food before leaving the table. If they follow your rules, be sure to tell them how proud you are of them.

Teach Your Children Tolerance

If you want to stop sibling fights in your household, you should teach your children tolerance. This way, they will learn how to deal with other people’s differences and take things in stride.

For instance, if one of your children wants to play with something that doesn’t belong to them, explain that they don’t have control over another person’s property. Teach them that they shouldn’t take what isn’t theirs or try to force someone into doing something they don’t want to do. This way, they will always know how to deal with different situations without causing a problem.

Become The Mediator

In many families, parents step in and mediate sibling fights. Thanks to this method, they can help children figure out a solution together. However, it is crucial that you remain the mediator and not step in yourself.

Instead of telling your children what they should do, ask them what they think is best. After all, you want them to learn how to resolve their conflicts on their own. If you help them resolve their issues by fixing them for them, you won’t help them grow as much as you would if they worked it out themselves with your support.

[Read: How to Set Expectations for Your Kids and Improve Child Behavior]

Listen to Each Side

When your children fight, it is crucial to listen to each of their sides. Similarly to the situation when you disagree with someone, it is vital to listen to both sides and allow each person to voice their opinion.

The reason for this is simple: no person likes to be interrupted. If you don’t listen to both sides, your children will feel frustrated, which will lead to more fights in the future.

One of the best things you can do is to let one child talk for a while before you allow the other child to share their views as well. When you do this, you show them that both opinions are valid and that they need to work together to reach a solution.

Find Out Why They Fight

After listening to your children’s stories, try to find out what caused the fight in the first place. Sometimes, sibling fights are caused by miscommunication or some misunderstanding. Try to get to the bottom of the case and ensure your kids learned to communicate with each other.

Stop Sibling Fights

Sibling fights can be a severe problem. If you let them go on, you might end up with two children who will fight with each other for years to come.

The best thing you can do is listen to both sides, find out why they fight and set clear boundaries. You should also play the role of the mediator and not be the judge. Let your children take the initiative, guiding them towards a satisfying solution. If you do this, your kids will stop fighting sooner than you might think.

For more on this topic, check out the full Siblings collection

Ideas for Investing in Your Kids’ Futures

If you have a little nest egg languishing in your savings account, you might be wondering if there is a way to make this cash work more aggressively for you so that you can start investing in your kids’ futures. You feel safe in the knowledge that your savings are safe and secure, but with a woeful interest rate, you are aren’t going to accrue a small fortune. Instead, you need to consider sticking your investment thumbs in a few more pies. By spreading your money, you are also spreading the risk. Take a look at these three potential investments that could see a lovely little cash fund build-up for your kids’ futures.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

Property Investments

The world of bricks and mortar has always been seen as a relatively safe bet for investments. The amateur landlord has emerged from the most recent swell of property investments. By taking a long term approach, you should be able to build up equity within the property that you own while renting it out to private tenants.

Ensure that you work out your finances and budget before you buy. You must be able to cover your home loan repayment should the property lie empty for a while. Check out the latest mortgage rates with a company like Altrua Financial, and opt for a fixed rate if you fancy that added level of security. Hold onto your asset for a decade if not longer, and then sell up. Pocket the profit and feel smug knowing that you’ve made more than if you left the cash to sit in your bank account.

[ Read: 5 Tips to Buy a New Family Home ]

Invest in Wine

While you may enjoy the odd tipple of red, investing in wine goes beyond the drinking. Aging like a fine wine is a phrase for a reason. The older and more scarce a wine becomes, the more valuable it gets. Look for those vintages that are renowned for tasting good. Anything pre-2000 that came from good grapes is worth a punt. You could buy a couple of cases of fine wine and pay for storage in a cellar. Keep hold of it and take a look at wine values. It’s a little like stocks and shares. Once it’s hit a value you are happy with, you can bow out and pocket the return on your investment.

[ Free Printable: Saving Money Worksheet for Kids ]

Amateur-Friendly Investing

Have you ever fancied yourself as a bit of a Wall Street mogul? Take a look at Forex trading, the most amateur-friendly exchange that you can come across. Forex accounts run as dummies before you are ready to invest for real. Hone your skills of buying yen against the pound and selling dollars against the krona. By trading in currencies, you can make money by buying and selling at the right time. This requires effort to make any real cash, but if you are committed to learning the tricks of Forex trading, you could make wads of cash.

Investing in your kids’ futures is what every parent dreams of. Follow these tips, look into other unique investment opportunities that might be a good fit for you, and you could make your money work more aggressively for you, helping to secure the future happiness of your little ones.

For more on this topic, check out the full Saving Money collection

How QR Codes Are Improving Parenting

Almost everything in life has a QR code, and these little codes help us more than we realize. QR codes are now on the back of products we eat, the medicines we use, and most importantly – your child’s toys. Without most people even noticing, the quiet rise of QR codes has made parenting a bit easier. Continue reading below to learn how QR codes are improving parenting.

For more on this topic, check out the full Get Organized collection

QR Codes On Products

If you go to any cupboard in your house and have a look, you will find QR codes on the back of many items. The amazing thing about these QR codes on food items is that some link to recipe ideas. This can help any parent as it’s an extremely easy to find. Which also means that we no longer have to troll the internet for kid-friendly food ideas. We can just click the camera on our phones and have a list of ideas for what to make for dinner.

Usually, these codes will lead to the product site where you can identify different ingredients in the product. This of course is excellent for any allergy information or advice. If the worst-case scenario were to happen and there was an emergency, you would be able to find out all the ingredients through the QR code. So instead of rifling through bins or trawling the internet trying to find the packets, you can simply just scan the code and everything you need will be in front of you.

QR Codes On Medicines

Similar to products we have, more and more often QR codes are appearing on medicines and/or prescriptions. These are extremely helpful as when your child is sick, things can appear in a bit of a blur. Therefore lots of information can be forgotten or become confusing. QR codes on medicines can link to apps that remind us when our child’s next dose is due, and what dosage to give them.

QR Codes On Toys

The QR codes on toys are probably the best invention for parents ever! Many toy companies have developed apps that allow your child to include their toys from collections to play in another world. For example, Kinder eggs have QR codes within the eggs now. This is to link all of the children’s toys together in one app so your child will always remember what toys they have collected.

Companies do this by using QR code APIs which link the website content to child-friendly apps allowing continuity of play for the children. More and more children are moving into the world of apps and online gaming. For children linking their real-life toys to their online toys enables the world of play to expand. This not only means more imaginative play, but can also mean more peace for the adults.

Another plus is your child will no longer lose small parts of toys because their toys will be in an online world. What a fabulous invention for parents!

For more on this topic, check out the full Get Organized collection

Free Printable Road Trip Games

Free Printable Road Trip Games

Summer is quickly approaching and going on a road trip is a great way to take some time off to explore a new destination with your family. Road trips don’t have to be long, boring, cross-country experiences — finding things to do if you’re taking little ones along for the ride is a must.

Although there might be a lot of sightseeing, finding new ways to keep the kids entertained during a long road trip can be tricky. However, with these travel-themed printable game ideas and tips, you can even join your kids in the fun!

For more on this topic, check out the full Travel Tips collection

Free Printable Road Trip Games

Enter your email below to access all of these fun free printable road trip games!

Doodle Contest

Print out this bumpy car doodle contest for some road trip fun! To start, each person draws the specified object on the page in a given time period (you can choose the time). Nominate a judge to choose the winner with the best drawing for a prize — maybe a stop at an ice cream shop or control of the car music!

Placemat Games

These placemat games provide many different activities and are easy to bring along on your trip. Your little one can use this along the ride or for when you stop at a restaurant for a quick bite to eat. This placemat features multiple food-themed activities, like a maze and a word search.

Highway Sign Bingo

During your roadtrip, chances are you’ll be seeing many highway signs along the way. Take advantage of this and be sure to print out this highway bingo sheet. This activity is perfect to keep their eyes looking out the window at the world around them and away from the electronics.

Alphabet I-Spy

Nothing is better than an old-fashioned game of i-spy. Get your kids hooked on this classic game and print out this alphabet i-spy sheet. The goal of the game is to write down something along the ride that you see that begins with each letter. The first person to find the entire alphabet is the winner!

Bumper Sticker Scrapbook

Print out the bumper sticker scrapbook. That way you can keep track of interesting bumper stickers on other cars that you spot along the trip. This is a great way to pass the time on a road trip especially if you’re crossing multiple state lines.

Road trips don’t have to be boring! Take advantage of the time away from the electronics and print out these activities. This will help ensure an entertaining and smooth ride with the family.

For more on this topic, check out the full Travel Tips collection

Ways Kids Can Empower Women (and Feel Empowered Doing It)

Ways Kids Can Empower Women (and Feel Empowered Doing It)

You’re never too young to empower others. In particular, teaching your kids how to empower women is a powerful skill. It not only can help the women around them feel confident, but it can also boost their own self-esteem.

To guide your kids on empowering themselves and the women in their lives, we put together 10 ways they can help women feel their best. Keep reading to learn how to incorporate female empowerment into your parenting.

For more on this topic, check out the full All About Moms and Helping Others collections

Applaud Leadership

Especially for young girls, seeing someone like themselves in a position of power can mean the world. To teach your kids how to become leaders, sign them up for sports or volunteer work. In addition, use this printable leadership worksheet to help them identify the leadership qualities they admire about female friends, relatives, and public figures.

Free Printable Leadership Worksheet

Give Good Compliments

Another way your kids can empower women is by giving thoughtful compliments. Encourage them to go beyond appearance-based praise and instead compliment women’s personalities, skills, and accomplishments.

Fight Negativity

Unfortunately, toxic societal expectations and social media standards for women can begin at an early age. To combat these negative messages, try helping your kids see things in a healthier way. In addition, make sure they’re pushing other women to stay positive and be their true selves.

Advocate for Women

No matter your age, it’s always important to support girls and women. You can send your kids this message by including and speaking up for the women in your life and urging them to do the same at school, on the playground, and everywhere else.

Have Productive Conversations

If your kid tends to immediately dismiss other people’s ideas, it might be time to discuss how to engage in productive conversations. Rather than going on attack mode, tell your kids to hear the other person out and treat them with respect.

Seek Out Mentors

To help your kids feel empowered by incredible women, you can sign them up for a mentorship program. There are a wide variety of organizations catered to different interests and backgrounds, including ones for girls in STEM, women of color, and more.

Support All Ages

It’s important to empower our littles ones, but we can’t forget that young women, mothers, and senior women need support too. Encourage your kids to help and appreciate women of all ages.

Stand Together

There’s a lot of strength in numbers. Make sure you’re teaching your kids to join forces with the girls and women in their lives, whether through a school project, book club, or protest. Tell them that female empowerment means standing with all women.

Practice Active Listening

Between homework and cell phones, kids have a lot of distractions. However, be sure they’re giving others their full attention in conversation. Remind them how important it is for others to feel heard.

Celebrate Vulnerability

Sometimes, bravery is associated with being physically strong or holding in emotions. That’s why it’s all the more important to teach your kids that being vulnerable also makes you strong. Encourage them to share their feelings, and teach them to give others that same space.

With these 10 tips, you can teach your kids how to empower women while feeling empowered themselves.

Want to take it a step further? Fill your kids’ bedrooms with inspiring artwork for a visual reminder to empower themselves and others.

For more on this topic, check out the full All About Moms and Helping Others collections