135 Best Things You Can Do For Your Child by Daniel G. Amen, MD

This is a FANTASTIC list of things to do for your children!  Dr. Amen is all about having a healthy brain and that leading to having a healthy life.  Search the rest of the site for more fantastic information if you want, but definitely read this list.

Kid's Menu Planner

I'm a firm believer in feeding your child the same thing everyone else is eating (provided it's healthy) as soon as they can eat solids.  Their baby food (more on this to come) can most often be just a whizzed up version of what you're eating. 
I think that a lot of problems with kids eating comes from us expecting them to eat more than their tummies can hold.  Remember, their tummies are only the size of their little fist.
This link not only has customizable menus, if that's something you're looking for, but on the side there are portion and daily requirements for proper eating and nutrition. 
Remember: If you get your little one eating healthy foods right at the start... that's what they'll know and love!  If you give them processed foods from the start... that's what they'll know and love... hmmm.  Then it will be twice as hard to get them to eat right when they can express an opinion.

The One Book You Do Need

We aren't a big fan of parenting books - but there is one you DO need. The Bible. Teaching your children to love the Lord and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior is the most important thing you can do for them.

The Christmas Season is such a special (and easy!) time to do this. Little children love babies and "baby Jesus" is just their size! Countless children's books do a wonderful job of keeping it at their level and providing the appropriate amount of wonder to the story. Angels?! Kings?! Animals they can name!? All perfect ways to wrap the story of baby Jesus up in a way they can understand.

There's no minimum age for this either. We all know reading is important from from day one - why not make their first stories be about a Savior that loves them so much that He gave His life for them? (John 3:16) It all starts with a story about a baby...

Christmas Gifts

We've been telling Lela, "Wow! We get to GIVE people presents at Christmas! Oh boy!"  And also, "People will give you some presents because they love you! Isn't that nice of them?"  I'll crawl into a hole if my child (and eventually children) are the ones who tear into their gifts with no appreciation and then walk on them as if they don't matter while looking around in expectation for more presents.  I won't have my children grow up with the extra overinflated sense of entitlement that a lot of today's children have.  Yes some is natural for childhood, but I'm talking the, "You have to buy it for me because I want it!  I want more! I'm more important than anyone else! Nuts to anyone else's needs or desires! ME!"
We're going to start these practices this year...
1.  When Lela hands us a present, before we open it we're going to enthusiastically say, "Thank you so much!  How nice of you to GIVE that to me! It makes me feel so good!"  (Hopefully it'll instill some wonderful feelings inside about giving to others)
2.  After she opens each present, we'll thank the person who gave it to her.  We'll help her with this for now since she's still so little... but it'll eventually be her job.  I think this is much nicer than, again, tearing through the presents and offering a small blanket "thank you" to the whole room.
I think these will be really easy to do, and will even help slow down the day for everyone else.
Merry Christmas everyone!  Have a good time this week GIVING to loved ones.

Bum vs. Butt

One thing I firmly believe in is that the word "butt" sounds absolutely profane coming out of a cute child's mouth.  We only use the word "bum" or "bum bum" but I think that using "bottom" is also fine.  I just think that if we don't keep children from speaking in a disrespectful manner (and that means of themselves, of others and of their environment) than its only going to get worse.  Think about it... what's one of the main complaints about "kids these days?"  No respect.  Well... then let's teach it to them.

And while we're on the subject of profanity, I don't believe that it's ok to swear in front of a child and then justify it by saying, "they're at that age they're going to repeat what they hear anyway."  That to me is all the more reason NOT to do it.  They're going to one day be at an age when they might choose drugs or alcohol because it's what they see... does that mean we should put the pill or bottle in their hands?

Here's a new place to help make sense out of all the parenting advice out there.  We're not experts, just common mommas who have a thing or two to share on using common sense when it comes to raising children.  We'll have everything from guidance to nutrition, shopping and entertainment.  Please feel free to leave a comment about anything you'd like addressed and we'll try our best.