There is little doubt your family is the most important thing in your life, and, as such, it is important to take steps that are going to help you improve things for you as a family. There are a lot of responsibilities you are going to face as the head of a family, and this is why you need to have some idea of what these are. This is something that you need to keep in mind, and there are so many elements that will help you make the best decisions for the family.

In this blog post, we are going to shine a light on the kinds of considerations you will need to make as a parent, and this is something that is going to play a role in boosting family life, and creating greater opportunities, and a better future. This is something that you need to focus on as much as you can, and this is going to help you moving forward. Here are some of the considerations you need to make that will help with this. 

Boss Your Finances

One of the biggest elements that you need to keep in mind is making sure you do the best you can to boss your finances, and take charge of the family money. This can be achieved in a lot of ways, including doing things like budgeting for your expenditure, as well as working out how much you will need to be bringing into the household each month. You also need to look at how you can cut costs by removing non-essentials from your list of monthly outgoings, and there are other factors to consider as well, such as how you can earn more money.

Getting a handle on your financial situation is super important if you are head of the household, and you need to make sure you are earning enough to cover the expenses required by the family. This is something that you need to try to work on as much as possible, and there are a lot of elements that play a part in this moving forward. 

Extend the Family Home

Something else you should consider when it comes to improving your family life is to look at extending the home. This is going to come with a lot of major benefits that you need to keep in mind, and there are so many avenues that you need to explore when it comes to making the most of this. It is vital to make sure you do the best you can to improve your life, and coming up with some of the major elements that are going to help you extend the family home is crucial. You have so many options for work you can do to the home to make it look great, and add value to it in the process. 

Whether you want to add a conservatory, expand the garage, create a garden office, or even convert the loft, there are a lot of things that you can do to help you make the most of this. Trying to ensure you have the perfect home extension is essential, as this is a great way to extend and expand the home, as well as making the property better and more spacious for you and the family. Additionally, it also improves it as an asset, and this is one of the best things you should be looking to achieve as much as possible moving forward. 

Observe a Balanced Diet

Observing a balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to making things work better for your family, and your long-term health and wellness. There are plenty of factors that you need to consider when you are looking to make this work better for you, and trying to keep the whole family fit and healthy is essential for your well-being throughout the years. The great news is that there are a number of ways in which you are able to keep on top of the family diet. 

Healthy eating is one of the best ways of being able to observe a more balanced diet, so make sure you include plenty of fruit and veg in the family diet, as well as lots of fish. You have to ensure you are eating healthy meals, and try to live as healthy and nutritious a life as possible. You might need to enhance and improve your culinary skills if you want to try to ensure you are giving people the 

Learn First Aid Skills

It is important to be able to look after your family as much as possible, and one of the best ways of being able to do this is to learn first aid skills. There are so many elements that play a role in this, and you have to look at what you can do to improve your first aid skills as much as possible. There are plenty of factors that you need to consider when it comes to improving this process, and looking after your family’s health and wellness is crucial for happiness and harmony. 

You can Google things like CPR certification near me, in order to ensure you can find the right courses so that you can be a qualified first aider. This is going to give you peace of mind when it comes to ensuring you can administer first aid or medical treatment to your family members if and when required. This is something that you need to keep in mind when you are trying to do what is best for your family members. 

Have Dinner Together

A great way of improving family life and dynamic is making sure you have dinner together as a family as often as possible. Too many families eat dinner separately, and barely say two words to one another over the course of a day. This is why it is important to think about some of the leading ways of improving this, and you are going to have to come up with some of the best options that are going to help you bond and connect with each other. 

Spending time together when having dinner is a great way of being able to catch up and talk about your days, and is an important way of being able to connect with your children on a regular basis, without having to book in time with them, or convince them to sit and talk to you. Not enough families have dinner as a household anymore, and there are so many advantages to doing this these days. 

Spend More Time With Your Kids

As a parent, you need to try to do the best you can to spend more time with your children. Not only is this important for things like nurture and emotional growth, it is also a key way of being able to improve your relationship with your children. This is something you need to consider when it comes to improving your bond as a family, and there are so many elements that are going to help you focus on this process as much as possible.

There are a lot of things that you can do that are going to help you spend more time with your kids, and this can be anything from trips out, to games at home, to movie nights, and more. It is vital to consider some of the best ways of being able to make your family bond stronger, and this is something that you need to focus on some of the best ideas that are going to help you spend more time with your kids in more ways.

Holiday Together 

Going on holiday together as a family is one of the best things you can do to make sure you strengthen your bond, and spend more time with the people you love. This is something that you need to try to focus on as much as possible, and there are a lot of options and places you can go when looking to holiday as a family, whether at home or abroad. 

One of the best tips to use for this is to make sure you consider the interests and needs of the whole family, and this is something that you need to try to plan and prepare for. It is vital to make sure you focus on improving your holiday experience, and this is something that you need to try to focus on as much as possible. A family holiday is something that you are going to have to get right when making the most of this, and you need to consider this process as much as you can. 

As you can see, there are plenty of ideas that can help you to improve this process, and you need to come up with some of the best ways of improving things for your family. There are loads of ideas that you need to keep in mind when you are looking to improve your family dynamic, and these are some of the key ideas that will allow you to improve this. 

The post Wonderful Hacks to Help You Make the Best Decisions for Your Family appeared first on InstantELLA.

For this reason, it’s important to make certain you adjust your life accordingly. The last thing any worthwhile pet owner wants is to inadvertently harm their cherished furry friend, but if you’ve never owned a pet before, there are a few little alterations to make. For example, no longer can you leave the house for days at a time without thinking about your pet and their wellbeing. Moreover, financial concerns are not only difficult for you, but could potentially threaten your ability to take care of your pet, and must be planned for.

It’s not all about doom warnings, however. Sometimes, we may just need to alter our conduct a little more or rearrange our house as needed. With that in mind, let’s consider ten little life adjustments to make after finding (and cherishing) your first pet: In the interest of relevance, we’re going to broadly discuss tips suitable for cats, dogs and puppies, or other pets with similar needs.

Daily Routine Tweaks

Our daily routine may be relatively fixed or it could be quite chaotic and change from day to day (although qualifying this as a “routine” may be a little much). However, one thing is certain, pets thrive from routine. If you want to encourage good behaviors and optimal health, your pet needs a good amount of time to sleep at night, and they need space to conduct their business throughout the day (potty-training as it were, not taking conference calls).

This means implementing a routine where they can rely on regular feeding times, relax with your family when you have free time, can explore the garden or go on walks for exercise, and feel like part of the family. If you spend too much time away from home it can be cruel to leave them alone for long periods, even if you have more than one pet for company. These little tweaks make a big difference, so plan them in advance and stick to your schedule.

Your Home Environment

Curating your home for a pet isn’t always the same thing as protecting it from a toddler. You won’t have to install catches on the cupboards and draws, because luckily, you’re unlikely to purchase a monkey or other pet with opposable thumbs.

That being said, you may want to add a doggy or cat flap in your doorway so they can enter and exit the garden at will, put up fencing to keep them in (this mostly applies to dogs), or add auto-closers to certain doors. This way, you can prevent small irritants or health hazards from being aided and abetted by your current home design. For some, purchasing an air purifier to help filter out hair and the smell of wet dogs can be enough.

Get On Good Terms With Your Neighbors

When you purchase a pet, you won’t need approval from your neighbors. However, it is important to make sure they’re understanding of what it’s like to have a pet, and a couple of the challenges you may face. For example, if you need to head on a business trip for two days, you might ask your neighbor to come and feed your cats and make sure they have access to their water bowl – perhaps giving them a nice bottle of wine or another treat as payment.

This way, you can also apologize if your dog was howling while you were grocery shopping, and work towards correcting that behavior. Maybe your cat “conducts their business” in their garden, and you’re working on preventing that behavior too. Being communicative, warm, welcoming, and fair is a good way to start that relationship because most people are fine, some aren’t but can be placated with techniques like this, and others are simply unreasonable, and knowing that ahead of time gives you fair warning.

Travel and Vacation Planning

It can be healthy to head on a small local trip with your dog to get into the habit of transporting them from place to place. Of course, this is more realistic with a dog than it is a cat, as they’re usually quite happy to follow you around all day and walk using a leash.

Using a small pet cage where needed, making a comfortable and safe space in the car, getting used to picking up their business after them, planning ahead for portable meals you can use, communicating with pet-friendly accommodations, these are all valuable skills for someone looking to travel with a furry friend.

Alternatively, getting in touch with local private kennels can be ideal, as they’ll often provide temporary space for pets to help families who might not be at home for a little while. This way, you can guarantee their care. Of course, sometimes family, friends or neighbors will be a good option, but don’t just assume, make certain they know how to care for a pet and are willing to put the appropriate time in. Over time, this will be a skill that comes as second nature to you.

Bonus: Training Is For You, Too

We tend to think of doggy training as a skill we pick up to better negotiate and lead our pets around as they need to be cared for. But the truth is that doggy training is just as important for us to set boundaries, give commands, and become respected in the eyes of your dog (yes, this is a thing), that further directions are understood and followed. If you can accept that dog training is for you, too, you’ll get more out of your starting sessions.

With this advice, we hope you can make all the little adjustments possible for pet ownership. We’re certain you’ll do an amazing job.

The post 5 Little Life Adjustments To Make After Finding Your First Pet appeared first on InstantELLA.

Consider A Remodel 

Although a remodel isn’t always necessary, it can help you find more space to accommodate your growing family. This can include a bedroom remodel where you renovate your existing space or focus on another part of the house, such as the attic or basement, and transform it into a liveable area. You’ll need to budget for a comprehensive remodel but it can add plenty of value to your property if you plan to sell in a few years. 

To get the most out of your home home remodeling, it’s often worth bringing in professionals. Designers, architects, and experienced contractors can offer insights you might not have considered, from maximizing space to choosing materials that suit both your style and budget. Their expertise can help streamline the process, avoid costly mistakes, and ensure the finished result adds real value to your home.

Reorganize and Declutter 

However, you don’t need to impact your budget for a remodel. Instead, you can simply try to reorganize and declutter. If you have a room where you keep everything without a home, it’s time to go through it and see what you can throw out or donate. It could also be worth rearranging your furniture so that it’s easier to get through the house, especially if your family members experience mobility issues and need as much space as possible to get around. 

Install Extra Space 

It’s also possible to install extra space inside and outside. This approach is different from a remodel as you are;t using space you already have. You can include an extension to add to the back of the house or even try portable building styles that can give your teenager more privacy and their own space independent from the house. They are still under your roof, but they get a good dose of freedom and the chance to prove they are as responsible as they claim. 

Before committing to an extension, consult with designers and licensed contractors to assess structural constraints, drainage, and local permit needs so you avoid costly surprises. A practical review will indicate whether a rear addition, bump-out, or an accessory structure best fits your lot and budget. Local specialists who handle room additions can also advise on integrating the new space with your home’s architecture and coordinating inspections. That planning helps the project run smoother and ensures the extra space truly adds value and function.

Move Items Into Storage 

Another solution is to move items into storage. This can free up space and keep items safe until you decide what to do with them, and it’s a useful solution if you only need short-term space for visitors or while your child is back from school over the summer. Besides this, donating items to friends and family can also help you get rid of things permanently without sending them to the dump.

Repurpose Rooms 

If you live in a large home, you can repurpose rooms you aren’t using into something else. Your storage room could become a bedroom, while you could transform your home office into a playroom for your kids or grandkids. Don’t forget about updating door styles to match your new room functions. For example, floating doors can give converted spaces a fresh, modern look, while swing doors might make a room seem bigger if there isn’t much space. The right door design helps the room feel intentional rather than makeshift. Again, these solutions don’t need to be permanent, but you can still make sacrifices around the house to ensure you have enough space for everyone.

Space to Breathe

Everyone needs their space at home. It’s the chance to unwind and get some much-needed privacy. These tips can help you evaluate the best options to make more space in your home to accommodate your growing family and ensure everyone feels secure, safe, and comfortable. 

The post How To Make More Space For Your Growing Family appeared first on InstantELLA.

1. Develop a habit of Prayer and Reflection

 This one is first on my list, because I have experienced it personally and know it helps! Spending time in prayer (if you are a spiritual person) or even personal reflection and examination of your day, situation, actions or decisions goes a long way in creating a sense of purpose and objective which leads to improvement in the way we live personally and in society. Some may argue life is busy and there are only 24 hours in a day. Well guess what, there are 24 hours in a day!! Let that sink in – 24 hours, out of which all you have to do is find or make 15 mins of sincere prayer and/ or reflection. This could be the first thing you do in the morning before getting out of bed (set your alarm 15 minutes earlier!), during the day on your lunch break (everyone takes time out to have a meal), when you get home (do this while taking a shower), at the gym (while working out) or  at the end of the day before retiring for the night. There are several apps available to facilitate prayer and meditation. Remember, prayer and reflection are great at a personal level and could also be beneficial if you do this as a couple, a family or even in a group with friends. Make time for prayer and reflection, trust me you will find the time!

2. Let ‘Declutter’ and ‘Organization’ be your new motto

They say a cluttered surrounding is a cause for a cluttered mind and distracted thoughts. Quite dangerous when you think about it in terms or family, career and life decisions. You owe to yourself to declutter, that is, remove unnecessary items from your living space that otherwise could lead to an untidy or overcrowded situation. Decluttering logically leads to better organization. ‘Where can I possibly declutter?’, you may ask yourself. Start small with what is easily and visually perceptible. This could be your living space – a closet or wardrobe, the kitchen or bathroom cabinets, a book shelf etc. Decluttering is the opposite of unnecessarily collecting and/ or hoarding. If you have things that have accumulated over the years at not being used, sell, donate or send them to the trash. There are several platforms such as Ebay, Poshmark, Mercari etc through which you could sell secondhand items you no longer use or need.  At office you could organize and declutter your physical workspace. At the digital level, how about the old files, apps and software taking up space on your laptop or desktop. There are a million little ways you could declutter your life and living space. Given that some of us, while embarking on a cleanup exercise may get fully absorbed and even drowned in the task. We must be mindful of this but, nevertheless, try some of these solutions and who know, they may surprise you with the opportunities they open up!

3. Manage your Time wisely

From the above point of getting so absorbed in tasks (whatever these may be) that we may find ourselves helpless, frustrated or drowning in them, a smart way to combat this is to always be mindful of time. Time is a tricky thing and even ironic. We all have the belief that we are in control of our time – at least our personal time. Yet, if we hired a construction team (on our personal time) to redo our home, or hired a lawyer to advise us on a particular case, we might find we’re being billed by the minute. Are we still the master of our personal time? Or while absorbed in our hobbies, the clock runs out and we find we’ve neglected another more important task while enjoying our personal time to engage in our hobbies. The truth and fact are that Time is its own Master and none of us can control time – increase or decrease it. We can, however, effectively manage our time. The way to do this to remind ourselves of the 24 hours in the day and prioritize our tasks accordingly. What cannot be finished must be left for another day and another time and we can learn how to improve efficiency along the way.

4. Develop your Talents, conquer your Weaknesses

Everyone has talents. The Bible and scripture teach us this. What do we do with our talents is the question of significance? Are we even aware of what our particular talent could be? The way to find out is to engage in as many activities and opportunities as possible while we have the time and means. We discover some talents early in life – perhaps as a student- and then use the rest of our lives to develop and improve these, some even choosing their talents to become their careers! But others discover talents later in life as a result of something they did. Perhaps as part of training and development in their careers (my father for example in his youth worked in a bank with all its regular operational roles, but was later given an opportunity to work for their tech and security and discovered his calling as a software engineer thereafter!) Some may find it pursuing a hobby. Talents are in us and opportunities to discover them are all around us. Make it your mission to utilize your talents to your full potential. Doing this would necessarily involve getting over fears. People are unique in that we are all wired differently, having different kinds of fears. The fact is that fears are unfounded. What scares me may not scare others… so can it really be a fear? Again, a lot of our fears stem from a failure in the past, or a feeling of inadequacy. But these too are only instances, separated by time, circumstances and maturity. For example, should an adult still be afraid of something that scared them as a child, even though they are now grown and may better understand the thing that sacred them? Fear only holds us back from developing our talents. Make a decision today to Explore your talents by conquering your fears!

5. Decide to form your Own Conscience

Conscience, much like time, can be a tricky thing. We do not always understand our conscience and therefore not as much in control of it as we think we may be. Most of us would define conscience as that little voice in our head telling us what is good and what is bad. In fact, most people feel their conscience is truth. This is a big mistake that is often misguided and leads us into most of our problems. The truth is that unlike natural law that exists as truth in the universe, conscience is subjective, meaning that it is capable of error.

Conscience and more importantly moral conscience, therefore to avoid error, needs to be properly formed and then consciously developed to a stable degree to which one can honestly rely on their conscience to make sound, rational and ethical decisions. More often then not, bad decisions are made, because of an ill-informed or not fully developed conscience.

It is important to note that conscience is introduced and developed early in life. The earlier the conscience is nurtured and developed, the better the over-all quality of life later on. It is never too late, however to form and develop our conscience.

The Catholic Church teaches that some of the important ways to develop a conscience is the practice of virtues (good habits) and avoidance of vices (bad habits). Regular confession, acts of repentance and reparation, and acceptance of responsibility are some of the ways to develop a reliable conscience

6. Work on your Self-Awareness

Thanks to the excessive exposure to and availability of technology, all of us – young and old- find ourselves more distracted today than our grandparents and past generations. Technology has a way of engaging us ALL the time. This a distraction that has a direct impact on our ability to focus on the external (things outside of us) as well as internal – our own self-awareness. A lack of self-awareness, like a lack of moral conscience, can not only lead to getting us into trouble and making bad choices, but also impacts the opinion others may have of us. When we look distracted because we are not aware of ourselves, it tells people around us that they are not important. Similarly, our behaviors both in the physical as well as digital online world – the way we walk, talk and present ourselves, the things we do and say – either because of our lack or awareness or possession of self-awareness can dictate our success in life. Self-awareness can destroy or create opportunities. If you were not aware of yourself and the impact you may be having on the world around you, now is a good time to start!

7. Build Real Relationships, not online ones

Gone are the days of real, true, in thick or thin friendships. It is becoming more and more common for young people and kids these days to spend more time online than in the real physical world. Thanks to Facebook’s Metaverse and other similar online offerings, the possibility of avoiding the real world and escaping into an anonymous one is becoming a dangerous reality. Yet scientific research, studies and good old common sense has shown that real relationship and verbal – physical communication with actual people in actual relationships feed one’s need for love, friendship and a sense of community. Those that engage in real relationship have a tendency to be more grateful, happier, mentally and emotionally stronger than those who lack these relationships and who tend to be more isolated and depressed. Remember: No man can live as an island and nothing can substitute real communion with other human beings or creation all around us. Human relationships build us up, no matter how brief they may be. A hello to your regular barista or can driver to work, a smile, handshake or hug you give or receive from a classmate, a friend, a colleague or a stranger goes a long way in feeding our souls.

8. Be Original and Creative

In a world that has become so lazy that modern day movies, music, products and videogames are just a copy-cat and rip off of an older better version, originality and creativity is absolutely vital if we wish to progress.

Being creative and original is not just meant for students writing essays or scientific papers, or for the poet composing poetry or an artist trying to create art. Creativity and Originality is meant for all and in every sphere of life. It starts with originality of thought. This does not mean creating new realities or distorting facts to suit our narratives. Thinking creatively means finding solutions to problems, getting along together, building new visions. Going with the flow and absorbing the thoughts, actions and opinions of others without clearly thinking on our own or without any conviction of our own is being the opposite of original. Choose to be original in your thoughts this new year and put those original thoughts into your own creativity!

9. Waste Not – Want Not

An oldie but goldie. Translated, this means being conscious of resources – all resources- no matter to who it belongs. It could be energy sources – water, electricity, fuel and other utilities we pay for and utilize on a daily basis. It could also be our own time, our talents and intellect, or our spirituality. It could also be the things those around us own or possess – their time and resources, or simply their love, attention and goodwill. To be mindful of these means not to abuse them as nothing is infinite. Everything runs out – water, fuel and even patience. Be happy with less. Use the less well. Recycle and share surplus with others and be grateful for the extras.

So, there you have it 9 ethical resolutions for the new year and a new you! We hope these tips have been helpful. You do not have to adopt all of them this year, but even if you follow some of these good habits in the next few months, you’ll be on your way to a better you! Good luck and push forward and onward.

The post Becoming A Better You: Ethical Resolutions For The New Year! appeared first on InstantELLA.

The teen years can be a challenge, from the physical & personality changes, to the onset of the know-it-all attitude, to the outright age of rebellion. I can’t say I’m prepared for it all or if my teen’s going to go through it all. What I am prepared for is celebrating these years & what better way to start than a few fun Birthday Celebration ideas to ring in the Teenage years!

Video-Game Party or Arcade night

5 Reasons Why Parents Should Share Their Gaming Passion With Their Kids

Like it or not, exposure to the advances in technology & the competitiveness of gaming industry, has somewhat ensured that by age 13, most kids these days are into gaming. While I myself am not particularly comfortable with the idea of encouraging videogaming among teens, I can let down my guard for a day if it means contributing to a memorable birthday experience for my child. The best part is that you can’t really go wrong with this idea because most kids will welcome it.

My husband is a web developer, designer & gamer. My kids, have obviously taken after if with their gaming addiction. He owns most gaming systems from the traditional Atari & NES to the Dreamcast & N64 to the most recent  X-box & PlayStation and we have them at home with all the hook ups, controls & a library of physical and digital games – the perfect set up to have a Video-Game Party right at home. But if you can’t host your own party at home, an outdoor Gaming Arcade or Gaming Museum could be an alternative, albeit more costly.

Going to a Sports Event

Top Summer Activities for All The Family

My boys play soccer and last year, they participated in an all-day Futsal tournament hosted locally by the YMCA in our town. That happened to be on the day of my son’s birthday. We made it up to him later by celebrating in the week, but he surprised us by saying he didn’t feel like he missed out on his birthday because he had so much fun, with his team & friends at the tournament.

Family sports entertainment is trending these days. So, if you’re running out of traditional party ideas, maybe try this one. Buy tickets and plan your party at a sports event – a basketball, volleyball or football game – locally or out of town. The possibilities are endless. If you go with the out of town idea, you get to enjoy a road trip too. Plus think of all the down time you get having to do nothing at the game except cheer on your kid and his favorite team at the game

A day at the Spa

This would be a good mother-daughter activity to ring in her 13^th Birthday. Invite her girlfriends & cousins over & make it a day of pampering & relaxation. Include Nail painting, face scrubs & relaxing baths for starters and then let you imagination & creativity run wild. If you’re the DIY kind & would like to host this at home, the advantage is you’ll have more flexibility & privacy. But if you’re feeling generous or want to take it up a notch, book a Weekend Getaway Spa experience instead. The upside is you won’t have to lift a finger and it’ll be a stress-free experience. Whatever you decide though, your 13-year-old will appreciate you for it and it may end up being the beginning of several mother – daughter mani-pedi dates

Craft Party Workshop

How To Get Your Crafts To Market

If your child is the creative sort that loves to get their hands dirty, a craft party may be your solution to creating a distinctive and exciting experience for their birthday. You can plan this at home if you have the time & arrange for supplies but there are also professional & dedicated vendor services that offer craft workshops who will take care of the whole shebang for you.  From decorating cupcakes , paper art & fabric fun, this is an opportunity to watch your child get creative. As a child and well into my adult years, I’ve always had fun with art & this would create a cherished memory for your teen too!

Weekend Road-Trip – Camping & Sightseeing Adventure

10 Best Family Friendly Road Trip Routes in the U.S.

Who doesn’t love this one? A road-trip is fun at all ages It’s an excellent opportunity for the whole family to get involved. To avoid disappointment, start panning ahead – take suggestions from all family members, giving extra weightage to the birthday boy or gal’s suggestion.  While the road trip itself will be the main experience, It’s not all about the destination; it’s about the journey. Get creative by including sight visits along the way, stopping by your favorite out of the way restaurant & even including a hike or camping trip. The sky’s the limit, just load you travel gear, pack some snacks, hop in the car, prepare a great playlist, and hit the open road.

Celebrate at a Theme Restaurant

Geek Restaurants: Go Forth And Prosper

Dinner out with kids can be a nightmare – they can never get their orders straight, neither can they sit still, asking to be excused to use the restrooms just as dinner’s being served, there’s always a problem with the meal, someone throw’s a fit even at the mention of ‘veggies’ and before you know it you’re asking for the check and haven’t even got through your meal.

Themed Restaurants and Family-Friendly Interactive Dining will assuredly solve most of these problems, by keeping the kids entertained well past dessert and have you feeling like a kid again. While Chuck E. Cheese & Funquest have been traditional options,  there are multiple locations all over the country , especially in New York & Chicago, offering breakfast at an amusement park on a Ferris wheel, miniature golf, watching medieval knights jousting & building your own LEGO figures. The Lemon Tree Kids & Family Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA has mini-train, face painting, and ball pit – he makings of the best party ever!

Every kid should experience this at least once – a birthday celebration is a great opportunity! Such Restaurants have varied themes to choose from- Robots, Medieval Times, Aquariums & jungles, Outer-space & Sci-fi & Old Western Salons & Taverns – but all offering a crazy fun good time while you eat your meal & celebrate your birthday!

Movie Night, Snack Contest & Pajama Party

9 Fun Sleepover Party Food Ideas

I read that aloud to myself & almost want to be a kid again – it sounds like pure fun & literally personifies the phrase ‘going to have fun till the sun goes down’. Lol

My younger son went to his first sleepover at a friend’s recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. They watched movies, ate pizza, played basketball & helped make breakfast the next morning.

Since this a birthday, you can make it exciting by having a movie marathon. Ask the kids in advance if they have any preferences or look up some fun movie ideas for kids yourself. When the kids start getting hungry, introduce a snack contest. Most kids – boys and girls alike – just love getting their hands dirty in the kitchen. The snacks don’t have to be elaborate. There are several fun, easy & healthy snacks that teens can make on their own with minimal supervision.

If the party is going to be indoors, then crafts, board-games, reading time & hide-n-seek are great indoor entertainment options to fill up the evening.  Finally end it all with a pajama party and pancake breakfast the next day!

To sum up….

It should be noted that you may have the best intentions when it comes to celebrating your teen’s birthday but it may be wise to give a thought to the planning process as well. My advice is to brainstorm some of these ideas with friends & certainly run them by your immediate family. Decide if you are going to party at home or elsewhere. Finally, pick a theme or activity, choose a date & make a few calls to check on availability.

If you’re reading this and researching ideas, you’re already doing an awesome job as a parent & on your way to having the best 13th Birthday party ever!

The post 13 going on 30: Fun Birthday Celebration Ideas to Ring in the Teenage Years! appeared first on InstantELLA.

So, keeping this in mind, here are a few critical chores, I believe, are connected to success and if taught to a child early enough, will develop positive & effective habits later on in their adult life. If you can get your kids to do these willingly & correctly on their own by age 12 (if not before), count yourself lucky

Making the Bed: Setting Goals

Here’s what making your bed (or not) reveals about your personality

This is the first opportunity for success every morning. It’s the first task that is presented to the child when he/she wakes up & often signals their response or how they will react towards other activities throughout the day.

I remember teaching & explaining the importance of making the bed to my sons (now age 10 and 12) a few years ago. They share a room and have bunk beds. The older one is on the top bunk. Initially the younger one would forget but eventually has got into the rhythm of making his bed. Every time I asked ‘boys, are your beds made?’ the answer was always ‘yes!’ I thought my job was done. The older one started off strong but I recently discovered he’s been shoving his blanket out of sight, behind a huge body pillow. Since he’s on the top bunk, it’s hard to notice the bed isn’t made the way he was taught and supposed to do it. When questioned, he had no excuse for not making his bed. What possible good did he achieve by not doing the right thing? Was there anything more urgent he needed done instead & why did he not come back later to finish his bed?  Was he also giving his teachers the slip with homework or assignments, was he slipping up elsewhere by taking what he thinks is the easy way out? Was this laziness or slyness? These were questions I had to ask him because I had to make him see that they were not good qualities to have in the world of adults or when he worked his first paid job.

What I realized is that unlike my younger son, the older one for some reason, finds it hard to set goals and rules for himself. He finds it difficult to follow goals others may have laid down too (like making the bed). So, he’ll need more time or guidance. But in the process, I’m hoping that making the bed will teach him to set goals in life because that’s important.

Taking out the Trash – Solving Problems, Starting Anew

What Japan can teach us about cleanliness

My husband & I were watching a few minutes of Jerry Seinfeld’s standup comedy last night where he talked about an object’s journey to becoming junk, how everything in a house is  pre-trash stage, eventually on its way to becoming junk. eBay is a newer concept of people transferring trash from one person to another. And while the jokes made us laugh, it’s also kind of true. Getting rid of trash is necessary & needs to be done routinely. Physical trash if unattended to, causes disease. For me, a messy room is also a messy mind. I cannot concentrate with mess around me. Mess inhibits creativity & so, the process of cleaning up the house, taking out the trash is rejuvenating & cathartic.

For kids, taking out the trash can serve as a lesson i.e. It’s ok to make mistakes & it’s ok when things don’t work out the way you expect, but it’s important to understand that mistakes, like cleaning up trash, can be fixed and that every time you fix something, the possibility of starting a new will always be available! There’s no need to feel bogged down with childish worries and let the trash pile up. Taking out the trash is always the solution

Taking care of the Pet: Love & Responsibility

5 Ways to Help Your Pets Stay Healthy and Strong in 2019

My sons have had hermit crabs as pets for 3 years now. The first pair died & we replaced them. The replaced crabs are still with us and the credit of keeping them alive (this time) goes to my older son. He has a connection with animals. He even feeds & pets the neighborhood cat who’s started to visit us regularly.

Looking after a pet, gives the child a sense of purpose. It has developed nurturing qualities in my son. He loves his pet and knows he plays a big role in keeping them clean, happy & fed. Having a pet, I believe, teaches a child to look beyond themselves and towards other’s needs. The world could use a bit more of that

Doing their Laundry: Planning & Hard work

Cleaning Skills to Teach Your Children

‘Laundry’. My husband shudders at that word and so do I sometimes. Not only is it chaotic, rule-bound, painstaking and time-consuming, but the thought of the number of sweaters that shrunk & ‘whites’ that became off white at their best and discolored at their worst, makes me want to cry.

Now, imagine your kids doing their own laundry.

Why should you create this nightmare for them? Why, when the load is heavy and it involves rules & using chemicals and an electronic washing machine that could get damaged? The answer – to root out laziness and teach your kid about hard work, planning & responsibility.

My kids used to have a gala time switching out clothes throughout the week, like it was a fashion show, with no regard about who took care of doing the laundry, folding their clothes or making sure they had a neatly organized closet. So, at first, I made them only fold their clothes & put them away. And boy did they grumble about that but it taught them, at least, to be more responsible about rotating their clothes & keeping their closet clean. Then I began to notice my younger one getting both mentally & physically lazy, refusing to think logically, and putting up a resistance to do any kind of work (except make his bed). So, I decided to make him responsible for all laundry in his room, including his brother’s. This would involve being aware when to do the laundry, washing, drying, setting timers on the machine, deciding how much detergent & water to load, separating clothes, making sure the machine and laundry room was clean & everything in place when he was done, bringing the laundry up to his room & then folding all the clothes and putting them away. The task truly is exhausting. On a weekday, he’d need to balance his schoolwork and sports and find the time to do all of this.

Skip to 6 months later! My little guy is a pro at laundry, he maintains good grades at school & has a great willingness towards work. No complaints whatsoever. He thinks critically and even plans his day and tasks ahead on his own with little guidance from us. I’m so proud of him, eager to see what he’s capable of. And we owe it all to ‘doing the laundry’. Since he doesn’t seem to be lazy anymore & that issue is resolved, I felt there wasn’t a need for him to continue doing the Laundry .I’m now making his older brother do it and let’s just say, I’m looking forward to the end of another 6 months to see if this experiment takes similar roots!

Putting together a simple meal: Gratitude & Survival

2 Questions You Should Ask Your Kids at Dinner

I can write a book on how ungrateful kids are about homecooked meals. From eating excruciatingly slowly, to wasting their food, to not saying ‘thank you’ when served their meals to comments like ‘I can eat a whole lot at olive garden’ and ‘ why can’t we have more of that ravioli (store bought, frozen or out of a can) like we do at grandmas?”…. these are all signs of the sense of entitlement a child has towards food. It’s common, we may have done it when we were kids and we’ve all heard about the starving children in Africa & Asia and why we shouldn’t waste food. But let’s face it, when we grew up, we very quickly and painfully discovered that life isn’t a buffet and neither are our meals.

Sure, fast-food tastes great but so does every other unhealthy food and Olive Garden is heaven on a plate but isn’t sustainable every day, even on a 6-figure salary!

More importantly, it’s not just irritating for the parents but every time a child acts difficult with meals, he/she is unnecessarily obsessing about the food, making himself/herself a slave to it and preventing himself/ herself from moving on to other more creative thoughts and activities. At no rate would I ever encourage a child’s ranting about meals.

So, it boils down to being grateful for what you have and if you’re not happy with it at least learn to fix it on your own, like a little adult. And here’s where my suggestion of a child learning to  put together a simple meal comes in. Example – boiling/ frying eggs, cooking rice, brewing tea/ coffee, cutting veggies, tossing a salad, learning how to operate an oven so you can grill/ bake fish & veggies on a try. I taught my kids to do it all last summer with the intention that one day in the week, they prepare a homecooked, healthy dinner for the family & their father & I will eat it without grumbling. That is yet to happen but on a daily basis, they do put together their own lunches to take to school – PB or ham sandwiches, cut fruit, crackers & other snacks.

There’s always a post its reminder on the cabinet door in case they may forget how to do lunch, but I relieved to confidently know if ever my husband or I leave the kids on their own, they will not starve or wait to get the next meal served to them. Often, they ask if they can help with dinner & I take that as a sign that they are beginning to understand & appreciate the love & work that goes into preparing a meal.

Choosing their outfits: Awareness

4 Reasons Why Your Kids Should Pick Out Their Own Clothes

How you dress may say something about who you are, but how you carry yourself speaks volumes! That’s something I learnt as a little girl studying in a convent. We had a uniform but there were other standards governing how we did our hair, wore our socks, polished our shoes and managed our fingernails. Times have changed, true, but that discipline has stayed with me till this day. It’s something I’ve tried to instill in my boys.

By encouraging them to choose their own outfits for school, I’m teaching them that they are responsible for how they want to represent themselves to others. Not only are they enjoying discovering their own styles, they also know that different occasions call for different attire. Casual sporty school clothes & sneakers are not appropriate for a more reverent occasion like attending Sunday Mass. The clothes they wear also serve as a physical cue or awareness as to where they are and how to behave.

This will prepare them for how to get on in the real work environment.

Doing the Dishes: Service & Discipline

Dear Kids: Do Your Own Damn Dishes

Like taking out trash, washing the dishes and cleaning up after meals is a necessary activity. There’s no escaping it in the adult world, so kids might as well get a head start. This chore is especially helpful to solve the problem of children who are slow eaters – the last one who finishes eating gets to clean up. And while they are ‘cleaning up’ perhaps they could do a little introspection to see how they can improve themselves to avoid a repeated episode of dish-washing. The truth is, like I said at the start, it’s not something that can be avoided as an adult.

An easy childhood, without chores, accountability or responsibility may be fun in the short term, but could lead to a more difficult & challenging life as an adult. My point to this litany of chores and why kids should do them is this: Learning how to cope!

Life is a juggling act. It’s all about coping & multitasking. The more self-reliant you are, the less you have to depend on people and situations. You can better control the outcome and you have a better grip on life. That’s when you stop coping and start living successfully and what parent doesn’t want that for their kid.. So, while other members of the family may dote on your child, it’s your primary job as a parent to teach your child to cope, to become self-reliant as quick as possible!

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