Supervise and Support the Snowy Service

Shoveling snow...it's kind of therapeutic. It gets you hot and sweaty and sore. But truthfully, I'm glad I have three big boys and two big girls who can do it now so I don't have to!! Our first (and only) big snow of the season was a few weeks back. It was a Sunday morning so we had time to actually get out there and shovel. Or, I should say that my boys had time to get out there and shovel. 
I'm a firm believer of working together on projects. The project is completed more quickly, you learn to work with another, conversations and interaction take place, memories made with another build love and unity with that person....wow, good stuff! 
The little guy had to be part of the action, too. Little people don't want to be left out! I was part of the action by watching from the window. That's a nice (and warm) way to supervise and lend support...

"You're doing great, boys. Keep it up!"

"Don't stop now. There's plenty more to shovel."

"I like those smiles and hugs. Give me more!"

Who can resist that darling little marshmallow?

On another note: when you encourage service it starts to "stick" and becomes tradition. Every time they go out to shovel, they always hit another house, too. Maybe it's not the service that drives them, but the chance to play in the snow a little longer. Plus, Mom's heart melts and she tends to reward them with hot cocoa, piled high with whipped cream! I know, it's a hard job...but somebody's gotta do it!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Corn nuts and a six year old

It never ceases to amaze me how much children are capable of. However, we tend to underestimate what they can accomplish, thinking they're too young, or the job is too hard, or dangerous, or messy, or the timing just isn't right. Oh, the excuses we come up with to try and put off letting our kids help or learn something! Some of mine tend to be, "I can't teach you that right now, Mommy has to do this..., now's not a good time, we have other things we need to do, time to make dinner", etc, etc. As I write them on paper, they sound really pathetic. Do I really need to start dinner now or can I take five minutes to help my daughter learn to tie her shoes? 

Today I had an eye opener. Being December, we are immersed with Christmas preparations. One of our traditions is coming up with a small and inexpensive, yet meaningful gift, for neighbors, friends, and family. This year, part of our gift consists of two bags of corn nuts, tied together with curling ribbon, just like you would wrap ribbon around a wrapped package. Of course, you have to curl the ribbon on the top when you're finished. You get the picture...

Well, here's a picture if you don't get the picture.

As I was working on this today, my six year old daughter asked if she could tie ribbon, too. I thought in my mind, "She can't do that. It's going to be too difficult for her to maneuver the bags and get the ribbon tight enough, but not too tight!" She persisted in her asking and in her aggressive and "jump in with two feet" manner, she cut a ribbon and went to work. I continued with my part of the project and all of the sudden she said, "Look, Mom. Is this right?" I looked over and saw her finished project - not exactly perfect but totally acceptable. I was amazed! She had tied it, as well as curled the ends. Did I give her praise or did I give her praise? She had the biggest smile on her face - one of satisfaction, excitement, pride (the good kind) and pure joy. So, I told her to keep going. She tied almost 20 of these packages, entertaining herself for an hour or more, being productive and learning a skill. 

I love it!! So, why don't I encourage this more often? Am I lazy or just in the "let me do it" mode - it's faster, easier and the finished outcome is better. But is it? It may be easier short term, but long term we, and our children, are much better off if we encourage learning, doing, growing, and helping. (Not to mention that I was probably ten before I could tie and curl ribbon)

So, here is my cutie and her amazing tying abilities...

Thanks, sweetie, for making my life a little bit easier today and teaching me a lesson, too! By the way, I got an awesome deal on corn nuts - $0.25 per bag (normally $1.49) at Maceys. I love a good deal (but I don't really like corn nuts)!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Traditions - The Tree

Traditions....I love you! Christmas is the ultimate time for family traditions! Our Christmas season opened up with the annual trip to the tree farm where we looked far and wide for the perfect tree. We are so blessed to have a fabulous location, just five miles away, to traverse to. We go each year on the day after Thanksgiving to find our family Christmas tree so we can enjoy the Christmas season as long as possible. 

It was just 20 degrees that day. No problem...we bundle up good!

But it was sunny and GORGEOUS...the day and the girls!

Too cold for this little darlin'. She had no clue why we were out tromping through the snow.

Our messenger boy...hikes back and forth to get the cutters to come

And here....is our tree!

We always see our friends who generously haul our tree home for us in their trailer!

Love Big Brother/Little Sister pics, especially lovey ones.

Aunt Yaine and Uncle Bunyon came with us. That made it even more fun!!

Our cold and happy family.

The finished product...alive with memories

I love memory trees. I love ornaments made in school or church; ornaments given from friends and family. My parents gave us an ornament every year when I was a child. Those ornaments hang on this tree. We have continued that tradition with our children and their ornaments are displayed on this tree. This is our oldest daughter's last Christmas "at home". She has a collection of ornaments to take with her when she begins her own family. The tree truly is alive with grand memories (and bare spots from toddlers constantly pulling them off - that's the fun of it, right?).

One last thought about traditions. They're supposed to be FUN and MEMORABLE. If it's more stressful, then simplify and relax, make some changes or consider skipping it one year. There's no rule that says you have to do it all. Stay tuned for more traditions on the way....

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Belt Loop!

Years ago, when we had several young children, Sam came up with "Belt Loop". You see, he's visually impaired and he needed a way to manage unruly children. Sending them to time out didn't work very well because he couldn't see if they were still there. Plus, sending them "away" didn't appeal to him. One day, when helping with an ornery one, he said, "Here, latch onto my belt loop." Sam is a pacer so whichever child it was held onto his belt loop as he walked up and down the hall, into the office and out, stood up while he sat, etc. That's how belt loop came to be and it's been his "trademark" for years. Every child has experienced belt loop, multiple times. It's a way to spend time with Dad and calm down. It's a way to make a statement with love. It's a way to give Mom a break!

One of our boys on belt loop while Dad is working. (He wasn't really on belt loop. I just asked him to pose for a picture)

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Make it a Family Day

Overhearing my son's phone call:

"No, I can't. My Mom declared today as a family day. Yeah, every once in a while she tells us it's a family day. That means we all stay home and do chores, school work, extra projects, babysit and all this stuff. No friends. Yes, it kind of sucks but oh well. Sorry...I'll see you Monday."

Today was a family day. Sometimes, it's necessary! You know those days when it seems like everything's chaotic because everybody in the home has been so busy that the chores have been neglected, nobody has clean laundry, Mom and Dad haven't been out for a while, sick kids and more sick kids, unmatched socks are piled high, etc? Last night I told the crew, "Tomorrow is a family day. Everyone has been so busy with activities, friends, school, concerts, sports and more. We're all staying home tomorrow." 

It was a blessed day! We slept in a bit and caught up on some much needed rest. Everyone finished their chores. There is clean laundry in the drawers. Dishes are done...the bathrooms are clean! Some school projects were accomplished and Mom and Dad got a date while it was happening (dinner and Christmas preparations).

I love family days!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Make it Stick

Children love to stick. What is it about peeling and sticking, peeling and re-sticking? Cause and effect? Patterns? Repetition? Whatever it is, use that love for sticking to keep your children happy and entertained. Here are some ideas for you:

Bandaids: Kids love bandaids! If you ever have a fussy child in a place where you don't want them to be fussy, pull out a bandaid, let them open it themselves, peel off the tabs and stick. Watch them pull it off their hand and re-stick it to their leg, pull it off and re-stick. Give them a character bandaid and watch the fun last even longer. Keep a box of bandaids in your bag for emergency entertainment! My sister gives these as part of a birthday gift. Good idea! 

Tape: A roll of tape...masking tape, scotch tape, duck tape, or electrical tape is another cheap and quick way to keep a little one happy. 

Stickers: Oh, stickers. You are my lifesaver!! Find an inexpensive booklet of stickers, tear off a sheet, give your child a piece of paper and let them go to town. Or, make your own. Use blank mailing labels, design a simple label in Print Shop or any other design program, and print it off. Use pictures of your children to make it more interesting.

Products: I love this product for children over 4 or 5 - Lauri Mosaic Peel and Stick The pieces are foam adhesive that stick to the design by color/number. This is a fun craft that really keeps them busy! Another good idea for birthday presents!

Trains: just one out of ten sets to choose from

Make sure you keep your stamps hidden from little hands or the result will be this: 

At least these stamps were salvageable. Just wait until they stick them to paper!

I came up with the name, Stick-to-it Charts, because the charts we create use hook and loop (Velcro) for the pieces to "stick to" the chart. It's also a double meaning - the charts are tools to help children "stick to" their responsibilities. Read more about it: Here and Here

Happy Sticking!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Is that a THREAT?

"If you don't clean your room, you won't be playing in your basketball game."..."If you don't stop your naughty talking then you'll stay home from the party."..."Please pick up all of your toys right now or you'll go to bed right after dinner."

Threats. We all make them to our children. We hope that giving a threat will produce the desired action or inaction. I've found, over the years, that giving a threat that we're not willing to follow through with, is a recipe for disaster.

Example: Your child is being all around difficult by teasing his brother and scattering toys around the house. In frustration, Mom says, "If you don't stop this behavior, you will not go with us to the movie tonight." 

First, are you really prepared to either stay home with your child while everyone else goes to the movie, have someone else in the family stay home while everyone else goes to the movie, or get a babysitter while the rest of the family goes to the movie? Is the threat really realistic? Is following through with the threat more of an inconvenience to you? If your child decides to test you to see if you really mean business, will you cave or will you Stick-to-it?

Second, is the threat something that will produce the desired outcome? Will the thought of staying home from the movie REALLY make your child want to change his behavior, stop teasing and clean up? If your child doesn't like movies much, he may not care and thus, the undesirable behavior may continue. However, if you were going swimming, he might just DIE if he doesn't get to go. Parenting in a lot of ways is a science. You need to look at each specimen (take each child individually), research how their mind works, their likes and dislikes, their learning styles, personality traits and tendencies. Teach, train and mold to the child for not every idea will work for every child.

Back to the example above. If Mom and/or Dad have a habit of making threats and NOT following through, the child may think, "yeah...Mom says I won't go to the movie, but she always ends up letting me go anyway." Do we end up teaching our children NOT to do what we ask because of our inconsistencies?

Another way to approach the movie example is this: "If you don't stop this behavior immediately, you will not get any treats at the movie tonight." This is probably a more realistic way to handle this particular situation. Yes, he still goes to the movie, but he doesn't get the PRIVILEGE of the movie treats. Remember, privileges and rights are NOT the same.

These are just some thoughts I've had lately. Believe me, I've made my fair share of unrealistic threats. And yes, parents have the right to change their minds. (I use that one a lot with my kids) However, I do know if we will make a reasonable threat or consequence and then Stick-to-it, our children will know we mean what we say and the likelihood of them following through with their responsibilities, and in a timely manner, is much greater.

I remember one instance when my oldest daughter was ten. She was homeschooled at the time and she wouldn't do her math assignment. She had a soccer game that afternoon so I told her if she didn't do her math, she wouldn't play in her game. She persisted to play and delay, so when it was time to go to her game, we got in the car, drove there and then she sat in the car with her math while we watched the game. Being at the field, in the car doing math, about killed her. She finished her assignment QUICKLY and then joined the team on the field. 

Soccer Season - 2003

I think the coach thought we were crazy, but oh well. It really taught her that we mean what we say and she needs to do her part. I tend to do it differently now. I usually give a time limit. In this case, I would now say, "If you don't have your math done by 12:00, you won't be playing in the game today." I can't stand idleness for hours and then a last minute "quick and dirty" scramble. However, we do believe in best effort. If a good and true effort is made, we definitely show leniency and support.

Think about what makes your children tick and use it to your advantage. Whatever you do, be consistent and follow through! Say what you mean and mean what you say.

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

The "mean Mom"

I'm a mean Mom. I am, and I'm happy and proud to admit it. Hopefully, you understand what I'm saying...I love my children, I'm kind to them, I read them stories, I sneak them treats, I take care of all their needs, I do special things for them, I listen to their news and tales, I pray for them, I teach them and train them. But, sometimes you just have to be "the mean Mom" to teach a lesson, show the importance of obeying the rules, to set standards and expectations; all this to raise "stick-to-it" kids. I believe in holding my children accountable for their choices, for there are consequences for disobeying or disrespecting. You're not home on time? I'm tracking you down. You have a C- in Math? You're staying home this weekend to finish your math lessons. You want to play a video game? No, too much media today. You didn't clean your room? Sorry, you'll have to play with your friend another day.

My children don't say I'm mean anymore. Years ago, if they did happen to say "You're so mean", I'd say, "You're right...don't forget it!" Since they know it doesn't phase me, it is not in their vocabulary. Hopefully, one day they'll understand that it's not mean, but love. I hope they'll become a "mean Mom" or "mean Dad" to their children, too.

A few weeks back, my children wanted to play with their cousins. I told them if they worked hard on their chores that morning, we'd see if they could come over. My two middle boys goofed off all morning long. After repeated reminders, they still did not take care of their responsibilities. So, I called off the play time with their cousins. They balked and complained - they even said they would do the work. However, I had to "stick-to-it" and be the "mean Mom". Thankfully, they've been a lot better about doing their jobs because of the consequence inflicted from not doing them before.

Look for ways to truly train, teach and LOVE - by being the "mean Mom".

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Money Matters

The government's fiscal irresponsibility is a very frustrating thing to me. What message is this sending to our children? "Oh....we can spend whatever we want with no accountability." No! In "Real Life", you'll be in a fast financial nightmare which will negatively affect the rest of your life. My son is almost twelve, yet he understands the problem. He recently wrote a letter to our congressman as one of the requirements for the Citizenship in the Community merit badge...

Dear Congressman Matheson,

I have recently found out that the government is in a lot of debt to China. If we don’t get this resolved then we will be in big trouble if China calls in their loan. I am asking you to help the government to stop buying too many things so we can try to pay off our loan as fast as possible. I just want to know if we don’t pay our loan, what is going to happen to us as a country?

I am learning how to manage my own money. If I can’t spend more than I have, why can the government? Our leaders should be an example to the children of our country. The leaders we have aren’t doing a very good job at this.

The second thing I want to talk to you about is to get the government to reduce taxes. Many people are living on the street because they can’t pay their taxes. My family has a hard time paying our bills because we have too high of taxes. I am also asking you to help the government think about this problem and get it resolved. 

It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children about fiscal responsibility. One of the first steps is to make sure they have money to work with as they learn. But, do we just hand it over to them with "no strings attached"? I don't think so. I believe in an allowance based on hard work and responsibility. Yes, they can earn money by doing extra jobs around the house. Help them see that money comes from hard work - not from Mom's and Dad's wallet. Items are not purchased by swiping a plastic card through a machine and pressing a few buttons. 

A few weeks ago, my nine year old son asked if he could earn some extra money by doing "money jobs". Money jobs are additional tasks the children can do outside of the chores that are expected as part of a family. Sure - clean out the garage...

I love the roller blade look! Why not have fun while you're working??

I was so impressed with the job he did! Do a fabulous and thorough job and get a little tip for the extra efforts! When he got paid the next day, he got out his Stick-to-it Money Management System:

 

Earning is the first step. Don't forget the importance of giving, saving and then spending. Just like most things, start them young and see their consistency and enthusiasm shine as they grow in years and experience. Move over, Ben Bernanke. I have some children who understand fiscal responsibility.
 

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

The Family Game

Thanksgiving was amazing. So much fun with candy turkeys...

Cute candy turkeys made by my 12 year old niece!

cousins...

... and "The Family Game". This was such a fun part of the festivities! Here's how you play:
First, the more people, the better. Each person writes down a name on a slip of paper and puts it in a bowl. It can be an athlete, a famous person, a character from a movie, an author, a scripture hero, an ancestor - anybody! One person is the moderator and does not play. The moderator reads each submission one time, in a row. Listen carefully to the names because you cannot write them down. The moderator picks someone to start. That person asks, "So and so, are you so and so?" For example: "Julie (me), are you Cinderella?". I would say yes or no depending if I wrote Cinderella. If they were correct, I join that person on a team. Then, we get to collaborate and go again. If I said no, I get to guess the next person. You continue until everyone is "found out" and the team or group with the most players, wins. If you correctly guess someone who has a "family" or team with them, the whole group is added to the group who correctly guessed. The key is to write down a person that does not relate to you at all so it's difficult for them to guess you. My six year old daughter wrote down Adam Lambert and my fourteen year old guessed her immediately. My brother in law wrote down Martha Stewart and his son guessed him right away because "you were Martha Stewart last time, Dad." Lesson learned: Don't repeat your person and don't write down someone people would easily be able to guess. This was such a fun game that involved EVERYONE! We enjoyed lots of laughter and fun memories.I was Rapunzel. Sam guessed me. How did he know?

This would be fun at any birthday party, youth group, family reunion or for a party mixer or get to know you game. Try it out!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Organizational Tip

Being organized makes for a happy mother and more productive children. Our family really does thrive with organization! So, here's an organizational tip I learned from my sister. We were at her home for Thanksgiving yesterday and loved this idea:

Plastic canisters for all the supplies that never seem to have a home

So, she found these canisters at Walmart. They're plastic so no worry about breakage. Whenever a crayon, pencil, pen, scissors - whatever - is found, you know right where it goes. Art projects are easy to instigate - just bring all the canisters over to the table. I love being able to see what's in your container AND it looks pretty classy, doesn't it? The latches are pretty fun to open and close, too.

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Dedication by drawing, describing, designing

I found a great way to enhance scripture study as a family. It's a product by Doris Johnson called Book of Mormon Picture Pages. http://www.mormonlittlebooks.com/picturepages.html

You receive a CD of PDF files that correspond to verses throughout the scriptures. There's a summarized caption at the bottom and then a blank page to design a picture that relates to the verse(s). Print out a different page for each family member, and over time, you'll have a complete, illustrated copy of the Book of Mormon. It gives the family a visual reminder of the scriptures and builds creativity as well. We started our scripture pages on Monday night as part of Family Home Evening.

Thanks, Doris, for a great product!! I'm excited to build knowledge, appreciation and love for the scriptures!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Music Makes the Mood

Feeling ornery, antsy, high strung, anxious, irritable, irritated, grumpy, flustered, in a funk, annoyed or upset? Are your children whiny, high strung, irritable, grumpy, ornery, bored, frustrated or impatient? 

Solution to ornery parent and ornery child? Turn on some music!

There is something about music that soothes the soul, lifts your mood, gives hope, dissipates the grumps, calms chaos and cheers the heart. The type of music you put on can help you achieve the desired effect.

Example 1: It's bed time and the home seems out of control. Kids are running around, and Mom feels frustrated that children aren't settling down. Time to put in some calming and soothing music. We'll put on religious songs - children's primary songs and hymns. Or, put on some piano music like Jon Schmidt - love it! Try Michael Ball or the 5 Browns. The choices are endless! You can literally watch the children calm down when this soft, calming music is turned on. (My four year old is melting down right now. I need to take some of my own advice.)

Example 2: The kitchen is a mess and there is a sink full of dirty dishes that I just don't want to tackle. I try to enlist some help from the children but nobody is feeling it. Idea - turn on some peppy music to get the family moving. I love the Newsies soundtrack! That is one of the best CD's to motivate and energize. Try some of the fun acapella groups like Voice Male or Vocal Point. You'll see people dancing with the broom as they sweep, singing and foot stomping while loading the dishwasher as well as funny faces and dance moves while wiping the table and the counters. It sure makes it a lot more fun!

Example 3: The children are out of sorts. They're bored and have NOTHING to do. Turn on some music for a dance party. Clear the floor, put on some dress ups and dance to Seussical the Musical or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Get involved with your kids and they really have a good time. There's nothing better, in their mind, than dancing with Mom. Another plus - it gets them really tired and then they're ready for a quiet, mellow activity.

Example 4: Use some mellow music (like in #1) to set the mood for church, homeschooling, or scripture study/devotional. When kids hear the music, they know what's coming up and it encourages getting in the right frame of mind.

Put on some tunes and enjoy whatever mood your family is in need of at the moment.

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

No snow for this project

We knew the snow was going to fly on Saturday night, so we gathered the troops and got to work on weatherizing the yard and house for winter. While we were at it, we put up the Christmas lights so we wouldn't be doing it in the freezing chill of December with snow on the roof (like we've done in many years past). I know I've talked about working together many times, but it always amazes me how much is accomplished when everyone works toward a common goal. It seems that we learn something new while we're at it, too. See lesson learned, below...

"up on the housetop"

The best garland wrapper

Thinking she's big enough to climb on the roof...in your dreams, babe.

Helping with the lights on the ground

Lesson Learned: During this family work project, we learned about the importance of preparedness. When we woke up to a blanket of snow Sunday morning, many of the children exclaimed, "I'm so glad we put up our Christmas lights yesterday" or "we got the house ready just in time" or "no slipping on the icy roof this year". I felt incredibly grateful that we planned ahead and then experienced the joy of being prepared. 

Take advantage of family work projects. Boy, do you learn and accomplish a lot!!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Prayer Chart

While I'm on the topic of sisters....I have another fabulous sister who has so many good ideas in the midst of adventures in motherhood. She does incredibly fun things with her children and is so talented at creating traditions in their home. One of her traditions is the "Prayer Chart". I have desired to establish this tradition in our home for years, but have yet to begin. Hopefully, talking about it will get me going because it is a fabulous idea!

At the beginning of each month, she prints out a blank calendar. They sit down as a family and discuss family members, friends, and neighbors that are in need of prayers. Each day of the month they put one or two people on the calendar that their family will specifically pray for in their family prayers that day. When the day comes around, they look on the calendar, discuss any needs of that person or family and include them in the family prayer.  Sometimes it's a prayer of gratitude and appreciation for the individual.

I love this concept! We have so many people that we care about but it is not possible to sincerely pray for each person every day. This keeps the needs of others strong in our minds and teaches to think not only of ourselves.

Personal Prayer - one of the pieces in the Stick-to-it School Chart

Prayer is an important part of raising happy, secure children. They learn to rely on a higher source, not just themselves. It brings humility and patience. It teaches faith and promotes gratitude. Prayer is a way for our children to serve others which brings true happiness.

Thanks, K, for your example. I think it's time to implement the Prayer Chart - especially for this season of gratitude and thanksgiving.

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Sweet and Sour

I have to credit this blog post to my amazing sister who shows so much love, kindness, gentleness, and compassion to her children. One of their traditions is at the family dinner table each night. They take turns telling each other their "sweet" and "sour" of the day. A sweet could consist of getting 100% on a math test, spending the afternoon with a friend, watching the BEST movie, or winning a football game. A sour may be slipping in the mud, getting stung by a bee, someone being mean at school, getting a C on a grammar test, or a yogurt exploding inside their lunch box. Whatever the case, it gives the opportunity to count your blessings together and mourn together. Thanks, CG, for such a great tradition. My kids came home from your house ready to talk about their sweet and sour of the day. 

Today's Sweets (I can't just mention one): 

Sending my son off on his first boy scout campout, watching my other son score 12 points in his basketball game, out to dinner (Mexican!!) with my one and only, and having a friend in the neighborhood just stop in to see how I'm doing.

Today's Sour:

Half of my children (literally) sick with strep...again. (This one is so bad that I need only mention one sour).

By the way, not only is she an amazing mother, she makes a mean sweet and sour chicken dinner! Remember your sweets and sours...

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Lessons from a Googly Eye

No matter how many times you tell your children not to do something (or to do something), sometimes they just have to do it (or not do it) and suffer the consequences to REALLY learn. I find, as a mother, that too many times I want to save my children from these consequences, but they end up missing the lesson they so need! 

My 6 year old daughter on Tuesday night: "Mom, something flew in my ear...really, I was lying in bed and I felt something go in my ear. I think it was maybe a googly eye or something." 

Great! How many times have I told her never to put anything in her nose or ear? I look in there with my otoscope (what would I do without that?), and sure enough, there's a googly eye stuck in the ear canal.

She insisted that she didn't know how it got there. (And I was born yesterday) I wouldn't let her get away with naivety nor get out of any consequences. After fifteen minutes of talking with her, she confessed to putting it in her ear. We told her that it would cost a lot of money to take her to the doctor to get it removed. 

Consequence: being scared all night with a googly eye stuck in her ear (we had to wait until morning), going to the doctor which no child likes (well, maybe to her it was exciting), suffering humiliation through the teasings of her older siblings (she didn't want to tell them - too late, I already did), and doing extra jobs around the house to help pay for the doctor's bill. Hopefully, this experience will teach her to NEVER do this again. Side note: the doctor asked us if we wanted the googly eye back for a souvenir. Are you kidding? Throw that thing away - we don't want to take any chances of it making it back in her ear.

My nine year old son: He came home last week with his report card. He was disappointed in himself because he received a B in reading. He's supposed to read twenty minutes each day and get his reading bookmark signed off by a parent. I got tired of playing reading nazi; reminding him every night, putting my foot down to DO YOUR READING NOW!!!, fighting him to do the reading routine each evening. I decided to let him govern himself and let it go. That's not my style! I believe in reminding my children about their responsibilities. They need guidance and direction and help. We all do. Sometimes, though, they need to suffer the consequence.

Consequence: Getting a B, instead of an A and feeling badly for not doing his best. The positive is he told me, "I'm going to do my reading every night so I get an A in reading next term." Yes!! I love that kind of motivation. Hopefully, it really "sticks"!

We've had our fair share of beads, BBs, lettuce and raisins up the nose. All of us can tell a story about our children making mistakes and doing dumb things. Be grateful for the lessons they learn...and then prepare for more stupid stuff down the road.

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Helpful, courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent

After writing yesterday about raising and training our boys, it got me thinking about an amazing program that is available to our boys in ALL areas of the United States, the Boy Scouts of America. I know many people have a negative attitude about the scouting program, but my sons have been heavily involved for the last eight years and I find that the benefits outweigh any negatives. 

I love Cub Scouts! I love the simple, age-appropriate activities and goals for these active and bright boys whom are eager to learn. I love seeing my sons work toward something and participate in a program that teaches: doing their best, service to God, Family and Community, following rules and guidelines, and expanding their talents and knowledge. Family relationships are strengthened through working and learning together. Friendships are deepened. Scouting gives an outlet for creativity, fun, productivity AND entertainment.

The Pinewood Derby through the years. They make their own car and race it. Yes, it's a lot of work but they LOVE it!

I LOVE Boy Scouts! I love the focus on the outdoors, survival and preparedness. I'm grateful they're learning to start a fire, follow a map and compass, cook without a microwave and setup a tent. Since I'm not an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy the fact that my kids can do all of these things when we go on family campouts! I love the focus on service and building character...A scout is trustworthy, loyal, courteous, kind, thrifty, clean, brave, reverent, etc. I love them working towards a goal and the feeling of success and accomplishment when they achieve it. The focus on citizenship, learning new things, and building boys is invaluable. The scouting program, in partnership with the family, prepares our sons for the future. 

Working on merit badges at a Boy Scout Pow-Wow

Classic! What boy wouldn't want to wear a pink wet suit at Scout Camp??

Building Strength...

...AND Friendship.

Eagle Scout Service Project - He organized 100 people in making beaded geckos, wooden cars, shape rings, stuffed footballs, and quilts to send oversees to needy countries via the Launfal Foundation.

Our First Eagle Scout!

Yes, I love Scouting. When my boys are suffering from boredom, I tell them to get out their Scout Books and get to work. Spend time on scouts during your family night or after church on a Sunday afternoon. Get involved as the parent and enjoy the time with your son!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!