Toms River Mom

I found an article on preschoolers and whining.  Whining drives me CRAZY. If it drives you crazy too – read this article!

Why they do it:

Like toddlers, the 3-to-5 set has a low threshold for frustration. Plus, they’re going through a lot of changes — such as starting school, facing a new baby sib, or graduating to a big-kid bed—that make them extra hungry for your attention, even if it’s the negative kind.

Click here to read the entire article on Kaboose.

As a parent of a preschooler, I find myself searching around for articles to help me figure her out. When I saw this one on Kaboose, I wanted to check it out.  So, maybe you will too. 

Kids this age are stuck in a kind of emotional limbo, between a toddler-like self-centeredness and a growing empathy for others. It’s true their language skills are more sophisticated, and they know how to express themselves – and how to manipulate adults – more effectively, but they struggle with some of the same issues younger kids do, including wanting to do things they aren’t able to or not knowing how to act on their own behalf without being aggressive.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

The Importance of Assigning Chores  –  How Helping Builds Self-Esteem and A Sense of Responsibility in Your Preschooler By Amanda Rock, About.com Guide

What if there was a way you could get some extra help around the house all while building your preschooler’s self-esteem and sense of responsibility? There is — simple household chores. By assigning your kids chores like feeding pets and sweeping the floor, you are sending them an important message — that they are a contributing member of the family. Here’s why chores aren’t really a chore for your child and the best ways to assign them.

Click here for the rest of the article.

Top Ten Reasons to Get Kids Cooking
By Stephanie Gallagher, About.com Guide

Cooking with kids is one of the most valuable family activities you can engage in together.  Here’s why:

1. Cooking brings families together
Cooking time is bonding time. When you cook together, kids feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. They feel responsible, because you are trusting them with an important family task. That, in turn, makes them behave more responsibly, and relieves you of the burden of preparing the family meal alone.

Click here for the rest of the article!

Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables — To Sneak or Not to Sneak?
By Stephanie Gallagher, About.com Guide

How far should you go to get your kids to eat vegetables?

A spate of recent books, including Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious and Missy Chase Lapine’s The Sneaky Chef, say we ought to go the sneaky route: Puree vegetables and hide them in kids’ favorite foods so they don’t notice them.

I disagree.

Click here for the rest of the article.

Weekly Menu Planning – Healthy Foods Instead of Fast Food by Wendy Wood

Is going through the drive through of one of your local fast food restaurants becoming a way of life for you? Do you wish you had more time to pack your lunch daily or prepare a good meal for your family at night?

Well, you can do both, and it won’t take all day. One of the best ways to prepare your lunch daily and your dinners weekly is to plan. A good plan gets you where you want to be. Someone once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Don’t be a failure when it comes to preparing meals for yourself and your family.

Meal planning is a task that can easily become a part of your routine and it will save you time and money.  Here’s how to get started today.

Read more of the article here.

Going Out to a Restaurant with Kids by Brigitte Meier

Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating and embarrasing. Not only that you have to desperately try and keep your wiggling toddler seated and silent, you also have to manage the disapproving looks from other (non-parent) guests.

The root problem here is again boredom. So before you decide to eat out, observe your child’s mood. If it’s having a bad day and is getting on your nerves already, better cancel the whole thing. It wouldn’t be worth it anyway…

Click here for the rest of the article.

Obesity in kids has reached epidemic levels. Experts estimate that 15% of kids are overweight and another 15% are at risk of becoming overweight. And two thirds of these overweight kids will become overweight adults. Learn to prevent obesity and help your kids stay at a more healthy weight.

Check About.com to use the tools they have created to find out how to help your kids stay fit.