*Contest has ended but the responses are still available in the Comment section.*
Announcing the fourth book giveaway contest from Simple Pleasures Press! Throughout the month of June 2015, to celebrate the beginning of summer, we’ve been running a series of giveaway contests. This week is the Grand Prize! The lucky winner will receive one copy of EACH of these five books currently published by Simple Pleasures Press: A Twaddle-Free Education, The Original Simple Mom’s Idea Book, Habits: The Mother’s Secret to Success, The Outdoor Life of Children, AND Mix-n-Match Recipes!
To enter the Grand Prize contest, all you need to do is submit Your Favorite Parenting Tip in the comment section of this blog post. Contest Rules:
- Leave a comment on this blog page containing Your Favorite Parenting Tip. (Only one entry per person will count toward the contest.) One winner will be chosen at random.
- Be sure to fill out the email address section of the comment form so I’ll have a way to contact you if you’re the winner. (The prize will be sent via snail mail, so when I contact the winner, they’ll need to provide a valid mailing address — but please don’t leave your snail mail address in the comment section!).
So, that’s it. Easy peasy. Official entries for this giveaway will close at Midnight (Pacific Standard Time) on Friday, June 26th, 2015. At some point during the day on Saturday, June 27th 2015, I’ll choose a random number using an online random number generator. Whoever’s entry is located at that number’s spot in the comment list will be the Grand Prize winner!
Remember: You need to enter your comment and parenting tip between Monday morning (when this blog post went live) and before Midnight of the following Friday to be eligible. The comment section will remain open indefinitely, however — so people can feel free to share their ideas just for the fun of it — but ONLY those comments posted BEFORE midnight on Friday will be actually entered into the official drawing.
So, are you ready?
Then let’s go! ———-> What’s YOUR favorite parenting tip?
~Debi
Hope you enjoyed our contests this month! Have a great summer, everyone!
Simple Pleasures Press 
Simplify your and your children’s schedule so you have time to enjoy each other. Your most important job is to raise your children so dedicate your time to that.
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Just slow down, take time to enjoy your children. There really is no race to see who finishes first. There is also no real finish, your babies are always your babies.
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Go outside:)
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Take time to listen to their interests and passions.
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There is a lot of education to be learned just by living life & interacting with those around us.
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Food spoils, not children. Take the moments they want to snuggle and do it.
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Two words: Go Outside!! No matter the weather – invest in some good outdoor gear for the family instead of buying electronic toys, ipads or whatever. Being outdoors is the best thing for kids, and even for me – when everyone is cranky, when your patience is at its limit, when the laundry is to the ceiling and everyone is asking what’s for dinner – just take a few minutes and step outside. There is a whole world out there, take a break and take it in 🙂
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My favorite tip is routine charts. I have three charts that we use daily, morning routines, afternoon, and evenings. For my non-readers I have the chart done completely with pictures. Everyone knows what is expected and no excuses that they forgot. It has made things run so much smoother in our house.
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My favorite parenting tip is to ask questions instead of lecturing. Asking questions forces the child to do the thinking. Lecturing just goes in one ear and out the other. Thinking for themselves is a skill necessary for life and puts the burden on them rather than the parent.
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Don’t try to fill up your kids’ life with extra activities out if the home. If you get too many you won’t have time to enjoy the slow moments of life. Have a good balance.
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Dishes and chores can wait. Make time for the snuggles =)
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Chores can wait, snuggles cannot. Enjoy the moments
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Do all things with a full and gracious heart, and your children will do the same. ❤
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Kids are not born knowing, they need to be taught. Don’t wonder why or how they could do something or what they were thinking. Remember to teach them the social skills and how to treat others because they really may not know what is expected.
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Always speak to your children at the same eye level, don’t tower over them.
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Remember: the days are long, but the years are short.
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Every one of your kids are different. They will each need different things from you. Take time to get to know each one’s love language….what encourages them, what makes them feel special? And let each child feel free to follow their interests instead of pushing them into what you think they should do. My husband and I are learning this right now. 🙂
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You can’t compare kids. Each child is unique and your job is to help discover what makes each child special.
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Don’t compare your children’s progress to anyone else! Slow down and enjoy your time together.
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Validate your child’s feelings.
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“Clear your mind of can’t and all the other four letter words.”
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Treat each child as an individual. There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to parenting techniques. And make sure your child knows you love them for who they are, not for who you want them to be.
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If you’re having a rough day doing school, don’t get frustrated or short tempered with your little learners. Instead, dress for the weather and go on a nature walk. See all the living things God put on this earth. Being out in nature is very calming and rejuvenating for us.
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BE CONSISTENT.
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“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’” Matt 5:37a
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Sit down as a family for at least one meal a day. Make it special by lighting candles and playing pretty music. Let each child share one great thing that happened that day and one challenging thing that happened that day. Enforce a “no interruptions” rule 😊. We also do a gratitude journal at the end of our supper meal and each share 7 things for which we are grateful. It has become such a precious time for my husband and I to hear our kids read those at the end of the day!
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Don’t let fear or anxiety drive your parenting. It will steal your peace, raise up fearful kids, and prevent you from truly enjoying the crazy, wonderful journey. Combat fear with thanksgiving; starting with writing down things you are thankful for. When you pause and reflect on all of the blessings, it reorients you to focus on those things instead of future what ifs. Every moment is meant for blessing.
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To remember to Breathe. What happens is only a moment in time.
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When your littles are driving you crazy and you want to run and hide, grab a stack of books and pull them in. This is usually a win win!
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Embrace the uniqueness of each child. Try to find that “thing” that makes them tick and nurture their own individual passions be it bugs or ballet, math or music. stop spending time trying to recreate yourself. be a participant in guiding a uniquely fabulous individual blossom into their own person.
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Be available for your kids
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My favorite parenting tip right now is to make your children have silly contests when they aren’t getting along. Who cam make the other smile or laugh first or who can make the silliest face. . It’s a great distraction and it give them a way to reset. I also require 3 compliments or “put ups” as we call them if there is ever a name called or an insult. And it cannot be about appearance 🙂
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This saved our family…having a ‘quiet time’ every afternoon. All the kids in their rooms w/o technology, only books, dolls, or Legos allowed. I think it started out as nap time and, as they got older and no longer napping, it turned into quiet time. One hour every day! Amazing!! : )
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Laugh, laugh, and then laugh some more.
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My favorite parenting tip (that encompasses a whole bunch of them) is to look at and go after the heart. Ex. Was this act a sign of warped character or just childish? Was it a sinful heart or just embarrassing to me?
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Pray a lot, and act on the guidance you receive.
-Laurie
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Relax and stop comparing. Your kids aren’t going to be like anyone else’s, neither is your schedule, how you teach, or anything else. Comparing will steal your joy. Do what’s right for you and yours, and kick the comparisons and mama guilt to the curb.
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My favorite tip is to follow the “Golden Rule” & treat your child like you would want to be treated.
“Children human beings just as we are, and behave in accordance to the way they are treated just as we do.” -Jan Hunt
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God is more invested in your children than even you are. Isa 54:13
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“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.” Harry S Truman
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Listen…Love…and Learn together
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‘Be there’ when you talking or playing or interacting with your kids. Treat them like they are as important as the next member in the family. Just because they are small doesn’t mean they are any less of a person.
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Get your kids outside into nature as often as possible. Get them to appreciate what nature has to offer.
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Ask yourself “Will it matter 10 years from now?” and then make your decision on how firm a stance to take on matters. For example….long hair on boys.
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Cherish every moment.
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I don’t feel that I have any tips for anyone at this stage of parenting–if anything, I still need all the help I can get as a mom of three boys 6 and under! But one thing that HAS really been powerful thus far is owning my mistakes and asking them for forgiveness when I’ve been wrong–unfortunately I have many opportunities to do this!
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Play with them and let them direct the play rather than imposing your own ideas of how things should be done.
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Every stage with a child has good things and not so good things. Enjoy the good things and remind yourself that the not so good things won’t last forever. 😎
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