Fun Summer Birthday Party Ideas For Kids

The Benefits of a Summer Routine For Kids

5 Keys to a Successful Family Camping Trip

How to Make Family Road Trips Unforgettable (in a Good Way)

Summer Sizzles With Organization – Top Ten Summer Organizing Tips

Lounge Chair Organizer – Essential Accessory For a Beach Day Out

How to Declutter Your Children’s School Papers

Summer Success

By Kim Dunkin

Summer birthday parties are great fun with so many themes to choose from. With these summer fun theme ideas, the hardest part will be deciding on just one!

Hula Luau, Pool Party, Shovel and Pail, Surfs Up and Flip-Flop are some of the great Summer Fun themes available. Take into consideration the age and gender of your child and his or her favorite summer activities when choosing a theme. With so many fun summer themes, the hardest part will be choosing just one.

A Hawaiian Hula Luau is a festive Summer Fun theme with an island twist. Especially great for teen and tweens but suitable for youngsters as well, this theme has it all: fun, sun and sand. Invitations can be purchased at online party stores or make your own that looks like a lei or Hawaiian flower. Barbecue chicken kabobs, grass skirts and colorful leis set the mood for the luau while the Hawaiian game of Limbo proves “how low can you go?” The “Hula Luau Murder Mystery Game” will have the whole island wondering “who done it?” String up paper lanterns and dance the night away with Hawaiian music. If your party is poolside, why not set up a floating light show? A pineapple or palm tree shaped cake is sweet and wont cost a lot of dough. Great luau recipes can be found online. If you choose this them, get ready, an ocean of fun awaits you and your guests!

A Pool Party is perfect for those that have a pool available. If your child is young, a wading pool or two will suffice. Send out homemade invitations printed on bright colored paper in the shape of a beach ball or life preserver and even add more details with a 3d paint pen. Make your pool party really hot with some cool decorating ideas. Scatter beach balls all around and other pool toys and props. Add some inflatable palm trees too. Balloons are great at any party. Beach ball shaped mylars can be mixed with primary colored latex ones for a fun effect. Fun games are a must. “Diving for Dollars” is always fun though you might opt to use spare change instead. Serve food that reeks of summer fun like hot dogs and multi-colored swim ring jigglers. An awesome cake idea is a ring cake decorated like a swim ring. There are tons of great ideas for pool parties that can be found online and you are sure to spark up a few of your own to make your pool party a splash.

Another great Summer Fun party idea is the Flip-Flop theme. It is an excellent choice for pre-teen and younger girls. Flip-Flop invitations can be purchased online or you can easily make your own. Check online party stores for Flip-Flop mylar balloons to add that extra flair to your party decorations and Flip-Flop lights are available too. A Flip-Flop pinata serves as a cute prop and a fun game later. A Flip-Flop dish makes chips and dip even better. Make a cake shaped like a Flip-Flop and cup cakes too. Keep the gang on their toes by playing the fun game “Flip Flop Hide and Seek”. If you have a teen or tween, this party may just be the one to sink your toes in.

Younger children love to play in the sand so Shovel and Pail is a Summer Fun theme they will really dig. With a sand box or two and some sand box toys, the children will entertain themselves for hours. Decorate with lots of bright colored balloons and plenty of shovel and pails as well as sand box toys. Let the children dig in the sand to uncover tiny treasures or small toys. For dessert, serve pudding in pails topped with crushed graham crackers. If you have a little one that loves the sand, you may have uncovered the perfect Summer Fun theme.

Surfs Up! This Summer Fun theme is great for boys and girls, and both younger and older children. Surfs Up invitations are available online or make them yourself by shaping card stock bright colored paper to look like a surf board. Surfs Up paper plates, cups, napkins, mylar balloons and table covers make the party complete. A “Beach Party Scavenger Hunt” will have the guests scrambling to win. All summer food is fair game at this party like hamburgers, hot dogs and fruit and veggie trays. Why not serve up a birthday cake shaped like a surf board for a sweet treat? If you child likes sun, fun and surf, this party will surely be a smash.

Whichever Summer Fun theme you and your child decide on, these innovative ideas are sure to splash up a few of your own for a great Summer Fun party where memories will shine on for years.

Looking to find the best deal on summer birthday party items, then visit http://www.amazing-kid-birthday-parties.com to find the best advice on summer fun themes for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Dunkin

By Kristen Burgess

Children thrive with routines. A gentle routine makes them feel happy and secure because they know what to expect next. The same daily routine doesn’t bother or bore children, it actually provides them with comfort. Summertime tends to be the only time of year children don’t have a more structured day – and it’s often the time that kids get bored an unhappy. Having a summer routine helps correct this.

The summer routine doesn’t need to be as stringent as the school year. It’s OK for your kids to wake up a little bit later, and to have longer periods of free play. Outside free play is especially nice during the summer!

A set routine does keep you children accountable for chores and it helps keep them out of trouble, however. Start by setting up the routine around meal times. Regular meal times will keep them happy and it lets you make sure that you’re feeding them well, rather than relying on unhealthy foods here and there.

Meal times are a natural time to schedule chores around. Learning to do chores well and be held accountable for chores is very good for kids. Make sure you check up on their chores – every time. If you don’t, the quality of their work will go down. That’s the just the way kids are!

Having to do chores such as making the bed, keeping the room clean, washing dishes, taking out the trash, etc. may seem like a burden in a happy-go-lucky childhood. But the self-discipline taught by regular chores will pay off big dividends in adulthood. Many adults struggle with even basic household tasks because they were never expected to do much as children. Don’t do this to your kids. If you haven’t had them doing chores, or if you’ve allowed their room to look like a tornado hit, summer is a great time to teach them some chores and make sure they’re doing them.

Do schedule in blocks of free time. Younger children will probably need a little bit less free time – or part of their free time should be spent playing near you. Older children can have more time.

Summer is also a good time to schedule those things you can’t fit in during the school year. Crafts, handiwork, woodworking projects, and small engine tinkering are all things children enjoy doing (at age-appropriate times). It’s often hard to teach kids how to do these activities during the busy year, so a regularly scheduled time in the summer is a huge gift.

You can also use the summer to tackle a bigger project with your child. Maybe you’ve had something you want to do with them – anything from sewing a quilt, to going through the family tree, to building a boat! If there’s a big project you’ve been waiting on, schedule a regular time for that.

You can also fill some time with reading, audio books, or storytelling. Most children really enjoy these activities, and it’s a good way to help them learn to sit still and listen, or to really enjoy a good book.

Summer is also the time of year to schedule in special adventures, and even regular adventures. Maybe you spend every evening in the summer swimming. It’s a good time to visit the zoo or other attraction. Regular library trips are featured in many family’s summer plans.

Having a nice routine in the summer helps keep your kids content and out of trouble. It prevents “Mom, I’m bored!” and it gives you the opportunity to fit in activities that you just can’t get to during the busy school year. It gives you a dependable pattern to follow to get meals and snacks on the table, and gives you the chance to teach chores and responsibility to your children. Consider a gentle routine to get the most of your child’s summer.

Kristen has been writing articles for over 4 years. Her newest interest in increased productivity and efficiency in the home office. Come visit her latest site that discusses wonderful office helps like usb headset with microphone models and noise canceling headset models.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_Burgess

By Paul Marsh

Family camping trips should be enjoyable for the whole family. Frequently, if a trip goes badly, the reasons can be traced to poor planning. The source for this poor planning is usually that the expectations of the planner(s) were not shared by all family members or the activities and destination were not appropriate for the satisfaction of all.

The tips we have brought to you here will make it much more likely that the trip will be a success. Keep in mind, that if you are the planner and you have to make a sacrifice or two, it will be to your ultimate benefit to make these sacrifices now. Get the buy-in of other family members by making initial trips a success in their minds. As time goes by and you get a few successful trips under your belt, it is pretty likely that you might begin to move the trips in the direction you originally intended, or, remain open-minded to the possibility of refining your own expectations.

1. Make Your Destination Age Appropriate

The destination that is chosen for your trip should be one that serves two purposes with regard to the age of family members. First of all, a destination should be one where safety of children is possible without constant fretting by parents.

There is nothing worse for parents than being in constant fear for the safety of their kids. At the risk of generalizing, the form this often takes is the following scenario. Dad chooses a destination based on his desires. It is an area with perhaps close proximity to the potential danger of water or perhaps it is the danger of places where a child could fall. His fear level is significantly less than for mom, and as a result, instant friction is created putting the trip on a poor foundation from the outset. Obviously roles could be reversed on this, or it could even be that you as parents may have a threshold of danger worries that might alarm other campers in the area. Even this can cause problems. Adventures are awesome, and in the mind of this author are part of the outdoor experience. These experiences should be appropriate for your family, and only your family can make the ultimate call on this. The other age-related factor to consider is the recreational opportunities available.

If you have teens or toddlers, the choices you might consider will be different. Much of this is personal taste, but keep in mind you want this to be a fun experience so your kids will want to keep going with you. It is really sad when kids hit a certain age and start bowing out of the family excursions because they don’t think they will be any fun.

As you research camping destinations, look at some of the recreational opportunities that are available and consider them in the context of your kids’ age and interests. If your kids are interested in history, you might choose to camp near a Civil War battlefield site. Or if your kids are into water sports, you might plan for a day where you rent ski boat and water skis or raft a whitewater river. Maybe your kids like to mountain bike. If so, find an area where there are trails that are appropriate to their age level and skills.

2. Make Sure Husband and Wife are On the Same Page

Guys, this is no place to be a lone ranger…you might be a lone ranger on all further trips if you do. Make decisions together on the planning for your trip. Very often, the reality is that one parent or the other (usually mom) typically occupies a more prominent role in day-to-day kid stuff. It just stands to reason that certainly that person would play a prominent role in planning a family camping trip. It is a fair bet that whichever parent is left out of the planning will be unhappy with one or more aspect of the details of the trip. Your family can be a team, and to get buy-in from all, at the least mom and dad need to be in concert on the decisions regarding where to go and what to do once you get there.

3. Once Parents Have Made Basic Plans, Involve the Kids

Once basic parameters for the trip have been set by mom and dad, get the kids involved. Give them a list of win-win options. For example, you might ask them, “Would you prefer to fish on Saturday or water ski?” If mom and dad have done a good job of initial planning, this should be a painless process.

One additional related tip pertains to families with kids with different interests. Decide ahead whether the family might go in different directions for part of the time to accommodate these varying interests. Another option, and in my mind usually preferable, is to divvy up time so each family member is choosing one or two activities that the whole family does together. In practicality, this does not always work.

4. Make Meals Easy

As a vegetarian for health reasons ( I also hunt and fish), I appreciate healthy eating as much as anyone. When it comes to a camping trip, without going too crazy about it, I am willing to make a few sacrifices. Kids sure do love cooking hot dogs on a stick over a campfire, and there are not too many easier outdoor meals. Put a can of beans with a hole cut in the top to warm in the fire while the kids cook hot dogs, throw in a couple of pieces of fruit or veggies, and you have some happy campers.

For more extensive meals, consider doing the prep at home. If you might want stew for example, make it at home, freeze it in a container that you can warm it in on your campfire, and keep it in your cooler until you are ready for it.

5. Pack What You Need – Not More or Less

This idea will be one that improves over time. On your first few trips you will bring more than what you needed. It is just a pain to have way too much because you end up having to content with all that stuff when you get there, and perhaps worse, when you get home. The reality is you do not want to be overbearing with telling people what not to bring. This is just something that will get better as you gain experience. One thing that will help is to have family members be responsible for packing and unpacking there own stuff.

In conclusion, be flexible and easy going as you plan as well as on your trips. Family camping is good for families and for the environment as new generations are taught to be attuned to nature. We hope these tips help you out.

Family-Outdoors Camping

Camping Places

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Marsh

By Bill Belei

If money is tight this summer but you still want to have a few nice family outings, maybe it’s time to rediscover an American classic getaway: road trips.

Imagine the endless possibilities presented by all those roads stretching out in every direction from your home; scenic drives so beautiful they rekindle your love of the land; cute little towns and oddball road side attractions; missed exit ramps; spilled drinks on the cloth seats; cranky young’uns who just want to go home to their computer.

Is it possible to take the whole family on a car trip without tears or tantrums?

After many hundreds of road trips across this great land, I’d like to share with you some tips for increasing the fun and reducing the frazzle on family trips.

Tips for Better Road Trips

Keep it short and sweet. Make a list of destinations within 100 miles of home where your family has never been. Get the kids involved in whittling it down to their favorites and plan to tackle one or two every weekend. If you run out of ideas, pick up some brochures at the local tourist information center. Maybe you’ll discover there’s a river offering tubing adventures just a few towns over. Or a pioneer fort that lets visitors participate in “olden days” activities. Perhaps a scenic drive through a state park you’ve been meaning to show the kids for years. Family outings close to home can be fresh and fun if you experience them with your favorite people. The upside to these short jaunts is you won’t be stuck in the car together long enough to pick fights.

Leave the mobile media at home. Yes, this will spark World War III but if the kids drive you crazy with their video games and obsessive texting at home, imagine how annoying it will be in the back seat of the car. And if you haven’t been observing your kids lately, just check out the headlines:

“Tech Use Up In Kids, Parents Losing Ground”

“More Teens Obsessed with Texting”

“Kids Spend 8 Hours a Day on TV, Internet, Texting”

Yes, going cold turkey will cause withdrawal symptoms (pouting, whining, unconscious twitching of the thumbs). But as compensation…

Give them a low-tech challenge. Get a small digital voice recorder and turn the kids into reporters. Invite them to ask things about their parents and each other that your family has never talked about. Assign them a “story” to cover about each person during the drive. Spin some ancient family yarns that your parents told you. You’ll all learn something about each other and have a great souvenir to share with grandparents and friends back home.

Spark their creativity. Hold a photography contest on family trips. Create enough categories so everyone can be a winner. Categories like: Tackiest Roadside Attraction. Best Morning Bed Head. Ugliest Bug Splat on the Windshield. If your kids have to be rivals, the friendly rivalry of competition may help keep the peace.

Eat al fresco. Ah, the lingering smell of fried onions… it just seems to cling to car upholstery, doesn’t it? So why not drive past those drive-throughs and have picnics along the way. Pack a cooler and top it up at a local grocery store with enough fixings for a simple but yummy lunch. Even if you have to resort to fast food, take it somewhere nice, spread out a blanket, and pretend you’re the smiling all-American family in one of those postcards from the ’50s. Sure it’s sappy. But fun. Plus your gang will eat better and experience a quaint old tradition: having family meals together. And that may be one of the best memories you bring home from your family outings on the open road.

Bill Belei is a seasoned road trip enthusiast and the founder of BestRoadTripPlanner.com, an information sharing site where members report on their favorite road trip adventures. You’ll find honest, unbiased travel plans, maps and photos of scenic drives, attractions, urban highlights, points of interest, and even warnings on where not to go. Use BestRoadTripPlanner.com as your next road trip planner or to share your latest adventure. You can earn points for your best trips and may win a prize!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Belei

By Bonnie Dewkett

The summer months are almost here! By taking a few moments now to get organized, and plan your summer months, you will be able to make better use of the free time you have while the weather is warm and the sun is shining!

1. Start by making summer plans now. Planning your vacations, organizing projects and home improvement endeavors now will help ensure that they get done. Preplanning and putting events on your calendar will help you find the time to purchase supplies and plan effectively. Also planning vacations ahead of time can save you money as prices are often less expensive the earlier you book.
2. At the end of the year, have your kids go through their backpacks and get rid of any junk. Put important papers, such as report cards, in a file. Anything else, gets tossed. If the backpack is not going to be used again next year, consider donating it to someone less fortunate.
3. This is a great time of year to buy new sun block and bug spray. The ones you have from last year may be almost empty, and you risk running out when you need it most. Sun block in particular loses its effectiveness over time.
4. Create a “to-go” bag for swimming, or the beach. Put frequently used items like towels, goggles, and pools passes in the bag and keep it by the door. Or, keep an extra bathing suit and towel in the car just in case you have the opportunity to take a dip!
5. If you are taking a vacation, start doing research now. Visit the city’s chamber of commerce website and look for deals and coupons. If you are an Triple A member, contact them in advance for free maps in your destination. Find out if your Triple A discount can apply to your lodging, or any of your trip expenses.
6. Flip flops can easily add clutter to an entryway. Use large drink tubs, or baskets to toss summer shoes in. Or you can hang them on hooks to make sure you can always view your options, and they are ready to go at a moments notice.
7. This is a good time of year to update your car’s first aid kit. If you don’t have one, now is a great time to get one. Many discount stores sell pre-packaged first aid kits that are under $10. Make sure all medicines are up to date and that band-aids still have adhesive.
8. Life jackets need to fit properly in order to be effective. Have your kids try theirs on at the beginning of the season to see if you need to purchase a new size. Don’t put your child’s life in danger with a life jacket that is either too big or too small.
9. Summer sports equipment such as soccer cleats, baseball gloves, and basketball shoes should be tried on before the summer season begins. This will ensure you have plenty of time to purchase new ones if your child has grown from the previous year. Shopping early will help you have the best chance of finding their size in the style they desire.
10. If your kids are going away to camp, call the camp now to request a list of required items. Start shopping with your weekly errands to avoid a large time commitment or expense all at once.

Bonnie Joy Dewkett, CPO® is an organizing expert, author, and motivational speaker. Her company, The Joyful Organizer®, creates and implements organizational systems for the home or office. These changes allow her Customers to create calm from chaos at work and at home. Bonnie has achieved the prestigious designation of Certified Professional Organizer, CPO®, from The Board of Certification for Professional Organizers. She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and has published The Joyful Organizer’s Guide to a Joyful Move which is available on her website http://www.thejoyfulorganizer.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Dewkett

Lounge Chair Organizer – Essential Accessory For a Beach Day Out

Beach day outs are more fun when you have your beloved ones around you and importantly when you have all your essentials. Sometimes forgetting itsy bitsy things can spoil your day and put you off. So, when you pack your stuff for a day out – especially to a beach on a sunny day – never forget to carry the essential beach accessories. They may be small in size but you won’t realize their importance until you require them.

While you pack your bag for a beach day out, just see to that you carry enough beach towels, change of clothes, beach toys, pails and shovels if you have kids, and of course lounge chair organizers. You might wonder as to why these lounge chair organizers are also on the list- Are they so important? You won’t know how functional these organizers are until you get to use them. This beach accessory allows you to keep your MP3 player, sun glasses, and key chains at your reach, so you don’t have to get up each time you need something.

Keep your hands free and relax on the lounge watching your kids play with their pails and shovels on the sand. You may also keep the lounge chair organizer in place with beach towel clips that come in exciting shapes and varied shades. With the lounge chair organizer, your sun bathing on a beach chair becomes extremely hassle free. Do not restrict yourself to reclining on the lounge, now that your belongings are safe and organized, play the Frisbee with your family and gambol around for maximum fun.

If you are planning for a beach day out, then you should not forget to check out the Boca chaise lounge chair organizer. The Boca chaise lounge chair organizer is extremely functional and a must have accessory for a perfect day out at the seaside.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Sanger

By Marilyn Bohn

Wouldn’t you love to have the paper contract for your child’s school? You would be rich. Our kids bring home so much paper every day from school and we wonder what should we keep and where do we put it all? Here are wonderful tips from a mother of five who is a professional organizer.

The paper kids bring home is in one of three categories:

1. Paper you must review-permission slips, requests for signatures/money etc.

2. Child’s art work

3. Assignments and homework you will want to look at as this helps you monitor how they are doing in school.

·Create a landing place for the paper each child brings home. This can be a basket or stackable desk trays that sit on the desk or are attached to the wall. Label the tray or basket with your child’s name.

·Teach/train your child to remove their papers from their back pack and place in their landing basket. With some children you may need to check their back packs to ensure you see everything. When they come home all excited to show you what they did and you look at it, then it can go to their landing place for you to look at later.

· Later in the day when you have time to look through everything you can sort through what to keep and what not to keep. This way you won’t miss the important information that you need to act on.

WHAT TO KEEP:

Keep a sampling of their art and school work. Don’t just keep the best-have a nice representative sample of special stuff. (When my girls were in their teens they took out their baby books and were looking through their school papers and I heard them laughing about a grade and giving the reason they got that grade).

Maybe keep their first tries at writing their name from printing up through learning cursive. You could keep things like school play programs, report cards, school photos, writing samples. Ask them to write down a list of their 10 favorite or not so favorite things about the last school year-this also saves the memories.

STATISTIC:

Make the decision right now not keep everything they bring home: If you keep 3 pieces of paper a week for 12 years that will be about 1,728 pieces of paper.

Get a 11 ½ X 15 envelope with clasp, label it with the child’s name, grade, teacher’s name, and school and whatever fits in this envelope is the amount of paper that you’ll keep. Put it in a plastic or cardboard box and keep it on their closet shelf.

Label the papers you are keeping with your child’s name, the date and grade and teacher.

Clay creations or large science projects-what was the purpose it was made for? If it was for learning why does it need to be kept? Take a photo and put it in their envelope. Let the project stay around for awhile in their room until they are tired of it and then toss it. Clay-encourage them to play with it because what happens to it? It breaks so it will be a natural process to get rid of it. Children are into process, not into the keeping of it-now is the time to teach children to clear clutter which will be a wonderful skill they will use their entire life. By sorting and purging you are helping them to clear clutter before it starts.

DISPLAY ART WORK:

Hang strips of felt from a dowel rod for kids to pin their art work to. the Rotate the art work as new comes home. Let children help decide what to keep and what to toss.

Create a mini gallery by stringing a clothes line and using clothes pins (IKEA has metal cables and clips) in a hallway or in their room to display favorite art work. Make sure it is hung where it will not become a safety hazard.

Put artwork on a bulletin board at home or work.

OTHER USES FOR ART WORK:

· Laminate for placemats

· Make bookmarks by cutting to size and laminating.

· Wrapping paper (Put with the wrapping paper, don’t leave it with their papers)

· Birthday crowns Make a template and let the child cut out the crowns

· Send the artwork to grandparents, aunts, uncles other relatives and godparents, when children are older have them write letters on the back of artwork and it becomes stationary.

In all the classes I have taught I have never had an adult say: “I wish my mother would have kept more paper that I brought home from school”-in fact it is just the opposite, they ask why did she keep all this stuff?

I don’t encourage putting drawings and other paper on the fridge as it looks cluttered-but it is up to you.

What a great opportunity you have to teach your children now how to declutter by starting with the reams of paper they bring home from school.

Marilyn is a professional organizer and invites you to visit her website http://www.marilynbohn.com, She is a sought after public speaker and author who is passionate about teaching ways to organize your life and how to reduce clutter. She works with women in their homes and offices. On her web site she teaches you to get rid of clutter by using her Lights On Organizing System. She provides practical information on how to declutter your home, office and life. In her blogs, articles, and videos she gives timely tips on how to clear clutter and how to declutter everything in your home and office. She is the author of a book called Go Organize! Conquer clutter in three simple steps which will be in major bookstores in December 2009.

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Bohn

By Bonnie Dewkett

Want to have a super summer? We all do, but often end of the school year, projects and sports press us for time. This year, get it together before the kids get out of school and before the temperature rises.

The most important part to a successful summer is to start preparation now.

Set some time aside each day, at least ten minutes, to start preparations for those summer adventures now.

Start by asking your family what it is they would like to do. Here are some sample questions to get the process rolling:

• Where do you want to go on vacation?
• Do you want to go to camp? If so, what type of camp?
• Do you want to visit any local amusement parks?
• Do you have any summer responsibilities? Job, schoolwork, sports practice?

You may already know the answers to a lot of these questions, but it is a good idea to get the whole family thinking about them as a unit to avoid scheduling conflicts and disappointment later on down the road. Creating a family calendar of the summer months and marking off when your family will be away, working, at camp, etc. is a great way for your family to have a clear understanding of the time you have to plan extra activities.

Depending on the answers to some of the above questions, you may want to take action right away. For example, many amusement parks offer discounted season passes before the season begins. Many camps book and fill up early so you want to secure your child’s spot as soon as possible. If your child is going to camp, call the camp and ask for a required items list. Start shopping for these items as soon as possible.

Next, you want to get your summer equipment in working order and ready to hit the road. Start by clearing out a space in your entryway, garage, closet or foyer for some summer items. If you do not have sufficient space in any of these locations, consider purchasing a deck box. Deck boxes are usually less then one hundred dollars, water tight and provide you with a excellent source of extra outdoor storage.

Start checking out your summer items from last year, checking expiration dates and sizes. Keep in mind that sun block and bug repellent often lose their effectiveness after one year. Purchase replacements and keep some in your house, car and beach bag.

Have your family try on their summer attire, such as water shoes, life jackets and even sleeping bags. This way you will have plenty of time to purchase replacements if necessary.

Create kits for your summer adventures. Use a large durable tote bag and stock it with beach toys, water shoes, towels (must be washed after every use), sun block and even a book. Keep it by the door, in the trunk or even in the deck box mentioned above for quick use and an easy escape to the beach at a moment’s notice. Create other kits for hiking, camping, going to the pool, or the amusement park.

If you will be going to a lot of sporting events, make sure to have a picnic blanket, foldable chair and book in your car with you at all times. You can even throw in a Frisbee or other sports balls for a quick pick up game at a moment’s notice.

Having a successful and happy summer does require some advance planning, but with a little work before the last school bell rings, you can right the heat wave and have fun all summer long!

Bonnie Joy Dewkett is the owner of The Joyful Organizer. She offers professional organization services to help you organize your home and your life. Email The Joyful Organizer at bonnie@thejoyfulorganizer.com for your free home organization guide, or to sign up for a free organization newsletter. Visit us on the web at http://www.thejoyfulorganizer.com

Copyright The Joyful Organizer, LLC

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Dewkett

“Shut the TV off.” “I said shut the TV off.” “I said SHUT THE TV OFF!!”

Does this sound familiar? Do you have to say things three or four times before your child finally complies with your request? Frustrating, isn’t it?

You’re not alone. The biggest complaint that most parents have is that their child doesn’t listen the first time.

There are lots of reasons why your child may not be listening the first time. Listed below are five reasons why kids tend to ignore their parents’ requests and solutions for turning the behavior around. These tips come from the online audio class “Get Your Child to Listen the First Time!” which gives you 19 options for reducing your stress by getting your kids to listen the first time.

Reasons Why Kids Ignore Parents

1. Parent error! Any statement that you make to your kids can either be said in a positive way or a negative way. The positive approach is likely to gain more compliance. Negative statements are more likely to alienate or irritate your child.

For instance, you can say: “Look what you just did! How many times do I have to tell you to take your shoes off at the door?!”

How would your child feel hearing this? Ashamed? Upset? Humiliated?

Or you could say: “Shoes stay on the rug.”

How would your child feel hearing this statement?

Probably OK, right?

Solution: Really examine the word choices you’re making. As often as you can, use positive communication when telling your child to do something. Strive to use positive phrases 95% of the time.

2. It’s hard to leave a desirable activity for an undesirable one.

Let’s say your child is playing on the computer and you say “Shut off the computer and come unload the dishwasher.”

Hmmm… Computer?? Dishwasher??? What do you think your child would rather do?

Solution: Empathize with your child about how hard it is to leave an activity that s/he enjoys. Provide the child with a 10-minute warning, a 2-minute warning and then place your hand on the child’s shoulder and establish eye contact to move through the change of activity. Or have the child use a timer. Enforce a logical consequence if your child does not comply.

3. Stressors in the family.

Health concerns, a pending divorce, a death in the family, adapting to a new school, or other problems could be causing your child extra stress.

Many of these problems are beyond a child’s control and so s/he will try to take control back by being more “defiant” to a parent’s requests.

Solution: Provide empathy. Your child is going through a tough time and responding with kindness and understanding will help your child more than “laying down the law.” You should still require your child to do what you’ve asked, but use a soft touch when you can. Provide extra hugs and allow the child to make choices in other areas.

4. Your child’s developmental age.

The developmental tasks of separating from you and exerting power and control are more pronounced during different stages of development. Parents with children ages 3, 5, 11 and 13+ seem to experience the most difficulty.

Solution: Don’t take this behavior personally. Create a mantra like “It’s developmental.” Say this mantra to yourself when your child is being defiant so you keep your cool and stay on task in getting the job done.

5. It works!

Let’s say that you ask your child to pick up the toys off the floor so you can vacuum. Your child doesn’t pick up the toys, so you just clean up the toys so you can get done vacuuming.

What has your child learned? Mom and Dad will mop up after me if I hold out long enough.

Solution: Make sure that your child follows through with requests you make. Set up a consequence for noncompliance and follow through.

By Toni Schutta, Parent Coach, M.A., L.P. provides parents with practical solutions that work. Visit http://www.getparentinghelpnow.com/7mistakessignup.html to receive the free mini-course “The 7 Worst Mistakes Parents Make (and How to Avoid Them!)” The audio class, “Get Your Child to Listen the FIRST Time” is available at http://www.getparentinghelpnow.com

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