12 Tips to Transform Your Picky Toddler into a Healthy Eater

12 Tips to Transform Your Picky Toddler into a Healthy Eater

Today Lauren from The Military Wife and Mom shares her great tips that have transformed her picky toddler into a healthy eater.

I have a confession to make…

We struggle with getting our toddler to eat enough healthy foods. Some days it’s smooth sailing; others, are tough. I honestly don’t mind eating macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, but it’s unfortunately not a balanced diet when that is all your child wants to eat.

Well balanced meals and good nutrition make a huge impact mood, behaviour, and overall health in the long run. So lately, we developed a healthy eating action plan, and we’ve seen some great results.

Maybe you are a parent, just like me, looking to instil the value of healthy eating into your young child, but you aren’t sure where to start. Here are a few things I learned about encouraging your toddler to be the healthy-eater you always dream about:

If you have a picky eater, it can make feeding them a healthy diet really difficult. We patience and persistence you can teach them to love healthy food.

1.Offer different fruits or vegetables at every meal.

This might sound like a bit of work, but I think you can simplify it to make it easy on yourself. When you head to the store, try to buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, but a smaller amount of each. That way you don’t risk everything rotting before you get around to eating it.

After stocking up, try offering different fruits and vegetables throughout the day. The more variety toddlers are exposed to the more likely they will discover something they love. When I tried this with my son, I learned that he doesn’t care for kiwi, but will gobble cherry tomatoes like candy.

2. Even if they don’t like it, keep trying.

It can take up to 10-15 times of trying a food before acquiring a taste for it. So even if your toddler doesn’t like a food, keep it in the rotation anyway and see what happens. My son is like this with any green vegetable. He is very suspicious of them. I’m not sure if it is the colour or texture, but he simply doesn’t care for them. I keep trying anyway. Some days he likes them; others, not so much.

3. It’s okay not to offer dessert.

We are pretty healthy overall in our house, so I don’t know why I always feel compelled to offer my toddler a treat after meals. What is it about food that makes us want to use it as a reward? So I’m still working on this one myself, but you don’t have to offer dessert after a meal. Actually, you don’t have to offer it at all, ever. I’m working on this one.

4. Prepare foods different ways.

Sometimes it’s really just a texture issue, rather than a flavour issue. My toddler doesn’t like baked fish, but he loves fish cakes. Similarly with potatoes, he won’t eat them mashed, but he will enjoy them roasted. Try a variety of flavours, spices and textures to see what works well for you kids.

5. Offer a healthy dipping sauce.

Meals are sometimes more fun if toddlers have something to dip food into. Maybe it helps them feel more independent? Or maybe they like it because it’s easy to master? Either way, you can create a healthy dipping sauce by combining Greek yogurt with some seasonings or by making a homemade ketchup or mayonnaise. Store bought is 100 percent fine too!

6. Blend it in.

Okay, this isn’t my favourite option because I want to encourage my toddler to eat the vegetable and fruit in its natural form, sans puree. However if you are really having issues, you can try to steam and puree the vegetable, followed by mixing it into your dish. I do this from time to time just to get more greens in my son, since that is the area of most resistance. Many days we also offer a spinach smoothie as a snack after nap time.

7. Set them up for success.

One of the things that was sending us into troubled waters with picky eating was offering food or drink too close to mealtime. Mealtime came around and our toddler wasn’t hungry for anything except crackers or toast. Set your kids up for success by minimising snacks for 1-2 hours before mealtime.

8. Save the drinks for later in the meal.

Sometimes in order to get a toddler to enjoy healthy foods they have to be fairly hungry. If you offer milk at the beginning of the meal, it can quell the hunger enough to allow them to turn good food away. We try our hardest to save milk for the middle or end of the meal. It’s not always possible, but it is another option to try. Most toddlers need about 480 millilitres or 16 ounces of whole milk per day. (That’s diary in total, so that can be cheese, yoghurt or soy milk.) Use this as a gauge to ensure your toddler is getting enough milk in balance with other healthy foods. (If you want to know more about how much dairy your children should get, check out MyPlate.gov.)

9. Don’t be a short order cook.

It’s easy to feel compelled to offer a default favourite food after your toddler rejects healthy foods. Eventually toddlers will get hungry enough and eat what is offered if you are being reasonable. This simply means if you are offering your toddler a good variety of healthy foods that taste good, you should feel confident not offering crackers and juice if he rejects a meal.

10. Allow them to help you cook.

If your toddler is able to assist you with the cooking process, they may be more inclined to eat the meal. My son loves to help stir or mix things in a bowl. He also loves dumping ingredients into a bowl for me. It’s messy and it takes more time, but this is a great way to help children learn about cooking and enjoying food from a young age.

11. Don't pressure them

I know that it's really tempting to tell your children that they have to eat their peas, or to take "just one more bite". But a bad experience can put them back in terms of accepting in a food. It won't help them truly like the food if they eat it because they are forced to. It's really difficult not to pressure your kids, but it's really important too.

12. Be consistent and keep plugging along over time.

Getting a toddler to break picky eating habits takes lots of diligence over time. We’ve enjoyed quite a bit of progress during the past few months, and it is our hope that over time things will continue to get even better. Consistency is key when it comes to any aspect of parenting kids, so we are plugging along and sticking to our plan.

How to Feed Your Toddler A Healthy Diet

How to Feed your Toddler A Healthy Diet

If you’re struggling to feed your toddler a healthy diet, I have a great guide that you can have for free. Simply enter your email address (which will sign you up to my newsletter). You’ll receive your guide plus you get weekly tips from me to help encourage you. If you ever want to unsubscribe, there is a link in every email.

Lauren from The Military Wife and Mom

Lauren Tamm is a mother, military spouse, freelance writer, and the author of TheMilitaryWifeandMom.com. She is passionate about practical parenting, enjoying motherhood and navigating military life. She welcomes you to connect with her via her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

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12 Tips for Baby and Toddler Dental Health

12 Tips for Baby and Toddler Dental Health

Most posts contain affiliate links, which I earn a small commission from. These are provided for your convenience, and the price isn't increased at all.

One of the best things you can do for your child is teach them good dental habits early on in life. Here are 12 tips for keeping your baby or toddler's teeth squeaky clean and cavity free!

When I first started going to the dentist as a young child, my mom took me to their family doctor. I mean, why not? None of the other kids really had a problem going there, they took our insurance, and he was a family friend.

Apparently, I wasn’t about to let someone dig around in my mouth with dentist tools, so I bit him. And at that point, he forced recommended my parents take me to a pediatric dentist, and I think that was a wise decision. Although I still did not like going to the dentist, it really helped make it easier to go. The dentist and the dental assistants were always so kind and willing to go at a slow pace..plus, I always got a sweet toy afterward.

Back at the beginning of February, we took Jack to his first dentist appointment. Did you know that the earlier you go to the dentist, the better? It’s recommended to go as soon as their first teeth come in, or by the time they turn one. And, as you’ll find out in a moment, I wish we had gone earlier than we did.

We took Jack to a pediatric dentist in the Salt Lake area.

We were taken back pretty quickly to the room, and I was surprised that Jack, my normally timid of new situations boy, laid down on the dentist chair right away. I think it might have had to do with the fact that there was a movie playing on the ceiling…as you can see him watching in this picture:

The dental assistant was incredible! She took time to let Jack hold the tools, and went at a very slow pace. Jack only whimpered for me a few times, and let her clean his teeth with no struggle.

The dentist was great, too. He explained everything really thoroughly to us, which I appreciated, and didn’t act like we were terrible parents when he discovered that Jack’s two front teeth had some decay already. This was quite the shock to me, since he doesn’t drink juice, never has had a bottle, and we limit his sweets considerably. The dentist said it was most likely because a) there’s no fluoride in the water where we live and b) genes. I had a lot of cavities when I was younger, and continue to have dental issues.

After we took Jack to Burg’s, we decided to be even more proactive about making sure he doesn’t get any more cavities. This led me to doing research on baby and toddler dental tips, and I thought I’d share that information with all of you!

1) Dental Care Starts Before Teeth Arrive

From the moment your baby is born, you should be concerned with their dental hygiene. Babies aren’t born with teeth (except in rare cases) but taking care of their gums is important. Gently massage their gums with an infant toothbrush (I’ve heard great things about the banana training toothbrush) or a soft washcloth. It’s important to brush the gums before teeth even come in.

2) When Teeth Come In

When teeth appear, brush twice daily with an infant toothbrush and training toothpaste (which doesn’t have fluoride – xylitol toothpaste is a great option.) Start flossing when two teeth touch each other. Even if your child resists, make sure you get those teeth cleaned as good as possible, especially before bedtime. Jack really loves to use children floss picks.

After your infant takes a bottle, gently wash off their teeth with a wet cloth, so the milk doesn’t stick to their teeth more. For older children, encourage them to drink water every time they eat something, which helps cleanse the teeth as well.

3) Visiting the Dentist

As I mentioned earlier, try to visit the dentist by the age of one. Some people think this is a silly recommendation (me included), but I wish we had. If he had gone in earlier, we could have been alerted to the fact that his teeth were more susceptible to cavities, and perhaps avoided having to put him under anesthesia and go through the process of putting fillings in.

4) Wean From Bottle by Age One

Jack had a bottle maybe twice his entire life, so this wasn’t something we had to worry about. However, baby bottle tooth decay is a real thing. It can be prevented (tips at the link provided), but it’s best to try and wean your child from their bottle by the age of one to prevent damage from occurring.

Some dentists will insist that a mother wean her baby from breastmilk. There’s a lot of debate on the subject, but I think this is a great article on whether or not breastfeeding is linked to tooth decay. Do your own research, but if your dentist says to wean for this reason solely, I would seek a second opinion.

5) Be Careful about Sippy Cup Choices

Even the sippy cup you use could contribute to tooth decay, particularly when they are drinking milk or juice (with water, it really doesn’t matter.) No-spill cups are popular for obvious reasons, but the valves make it so your child can’t sip from the cup. They end up sucking the liquid, much like from a bottle, which can cause similar issues to bottle decay. So, even they may cause more messes, try and avoid giving your child milk or fruit juice in the no-spill cups, and opt for ones like these take-and-toss kind. These are less expensive anyways!

I have heard AMAZING things about the Munchkin 360 Miracle cups. There’s no sippy top, supports normal mouth muscle development, and were created to help prevent dental issues. I’m definitely ordering some soon.

6) Water instead of Juice

When given a choice, what kid isn’t going to pick juice over water? Although it’s been hard having to limit a lot of Jack’s foods, it’s been worth it, because we had good reason to not give him juice, and convince other people not to give him juice either. However, too much juice can cause teeth to decay faster, so limiting this early on is a smart idea. When you do give your child juice, dilute it with water.

7) Signs of Decay

Decay can be hard to spot, especially on baby and toddler teeth, because they often won’t let you look too far into their mouths! However, if you start to notice white spots, or that they have a sensitivity to cold or sweets, this made indicate decay is starting, or already has. 0

9) When to Start Using Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride is an interesting thing. It has a lot of benefits, but you can definitely use too much. With toothpaste, when you spit it out, you don’t get a lot of the fluoride going into your body, but when a child or baby who can’t spit out the toothpaste yet, you don’t know how much they are getting. So as a general rule of thumb, don’t use toothpaste with fluoride until they can spit it into the sink. Instead, use a children’s xylitol toothpaste.

If your area doesn’t have fluoride naturally in the water (like our town), then be sure to get some fluoride drops from your doctor or county health building (it is typically by prescription only.)

10) Cut Food Up

This is one tip Jack’s dentist gave him — cut up his food into smaller pieces. That way, he’s using more of his back teeth (which are stronger, in general) rather than his front teeth. FunBites food cutters can help make this easier with certain foods.

11) Foods that are good for teeth

Cheese, sweet potatoes, oranges cranberries, apples, water

12) Foods that are bad for teeth

Sweets and sugar, juice, white foods (white bread, rice, potatoes, white pasta, crackers (can be as bad as candy for the teeth), fruit snacks, and raisins.

Original article and pictures take www.clarkscondensed.com site

12 Mainstream Baby Lies You Likely Believe

12 Mainstream Baby Lies You Likely Believe

After writing two popular posts recently, 12 Mainstream Pregnancy Lies You Likely Believe, and 12 (More) Mainstream Pregnancy Lies You Likely Believe, several people asked me to talk about baby myths.

Unfortunately, many of the same people who are trying to tell you that pregnancy is bad and scary and that you need to do a million tests and stop questioning your doctor, also believe these things about newborns.

This kind of stuff is really even more important. Regardless of how your pregnancy and birth goes (and yes, it does matter), it’s a temporary part of your life. But raising a baby, that impacts your entire life and more importantly, your baby’s entire life. It’s really important to know the truth here!

Let’s dive into some of the most common baby myths!

12 Baby Lies You Probably Believe

1. “Let your newborn cry it out or he’ll never learn to sleep.”

Sorry, mamas, but this is a total lie. Your baby doesn’t “learn” anything from being left alone to cry, except that no one is coming to meet his needs. That doesn’t make the needs go away, and it doesn’t mean your baby has gained the skill of helping himself fall asleep.

Instead, teach your baby to sleep by holding him, rocking him, nursing him, and showing him various ways to settle himself. We shared our Gentle AP Method to Teach Your Baby to Sleep a couple of years ago. It’s worked on all our kids so far (who co-sleep with us for a year, give or take) and nobody’s been left to cry. And guess what, the older four all fall asleep on their own and sleep all night now! And, nobody’s afraid of bed time, nobody wakes with nightmares, and we just don’t have any sleep issues. That’s no accident. Babies whose needs are met will learn to sleep on their own when they are ready.

2. “Your newborn is manipulating you/getting spoiled when you answer her cries.”

This one absolutely drives me nuts. It’s setting up your relationship with your baby as adversaries — her vs. you. But mamas, your baby is not out to “get” you. She is not manipulating you. (Heck, she’s not even capable of it — a baby has to understand that she’s a separate person from you, what your wants are, and what her wants are, and be able to deliberately play your emotions to get her way in order to manipulate. This is far too sophisticated for a baby. Kids aren’t capable of this until at least 2 or 3 years old.)

Your baby cries because she needs something. Period. That need may be to be held; it may be to fed, changed, be warmer or cooler, etc. But she cries to communicate her needs because it is nearly the only way she can communicate as an infant. As she gets older you’ll notice more of her subtle communication — looks, squirms, grunts, rooting behavior, and so on. The more quickly you notice her communication and the more quickly you meet her needs, the less she’ll cry. And, if you always meet her needs, she won’t (often) try to manipulate you even when she’s finally capable, because she’ll trust that you’ll be there for her! This isn’t “spoiled,” either, this is trusting. And trust is so important to a healthy emotional life.

3. “Add rice cereal to his bottle so he’ll sleep longer.”

Sorry, mamas, another lie.

First of all, young babies should not sleep too long. Their tummies are tiny and they need to eat often, because they’re growing so rapidly. Rice cereal does make babies feel fuller sometimes, but it can also make some babies wake more often because it upsets their tummies. Young babies can’t digest grains and aren’t getting any real nourishment from this practice. It’s best to stick to only breast milk (or formula) and not add anything to it.

Even when it’s time to eat food, it’s best to avoid grains, and always to let baby decide if he wants to eat and how much. He can’t do that when it’s in his bottle.

4. “Limit breastfeeding to ___ minutes per side so she doesn’t make you sore or eat too much.”

There is so much bad breastfeeding advice out there, and this is one of the most common. There is no need to limit a baby’s time per side, or total nursing time. It will not help you to be less sore. (Using a high-quality breast cream, which we’ll talk more about in a week or so, and making sure your baby is properly positioned, will help avoid soreness.) And, your baby cannot eat too much when breastfed. She will naturally stop when she has had enough, or when she needs to burp. If baby pops off, try burping and offer the other breast. She won’t overeat.

By the same token, a baby who is offered the breast whenever she seems to want it won’t undereat. She doesn’t have to nurse a certain number of minutes to get enough — some babies are more efficient than others. Just forget the clock altogether when it comes to babies, and follow your baby’s cues.

5. “Your newborn has to be supplemented with formula because _____.”

First, there are legitimate circumstances where a baby requires formula supplementation. In some cases, moms can’t produce enough milk no matter how hard they try (insufficient breast tissue, hormonal imbalances, certain autoimmune conditions, etc.). This isn’t to say that formula is never necessary.

But. A lot of women are told they have to supplement in circumstances where it’s not necessary. For example, when baby wants to nurse very frequently. This is normal for new babies and is not a sign of low milk supply (as long as baby seems satisfied after eating, however briefly).

Other women are told they “have” to supplement because their milk is ‘bad,’ or because babies can’t get what they need from breastmilk alone, or because they need to sleep, or because others need to feed the baby in order to bond. These are all wrong!

6. “Jaundice is not normal and requires aggressive treatment.”

Honestly? Most newborn jaundice is normal. Almost all babies have a slight yellowish tint to their skin for a few days after birth. While jaundice can become a problem, it’s pretty rare. Biliblankets, formula supplementation, and other interventions are not necessary for most babies.

7. “Co-sleeping is dangerous, your baby needs to sleep alone.”

This is a pretty silly one. In most cultures, babies sleep near their parents. It’s also safer, because it facilitates breastfeeding, helps infants maintain their body temperature and breathing, and more. Co-sleeping is not dangerous, unless one or both parents are on medication, under the influence of alcohol, are seriously sleep-deprived, or have some sort of medical condition which makes them sleep too heavily. A breastfeeding mother is ordinarily a light sleeper who is well aware of her baby’s position in her bed.

Plus, sleeping alone is hard for new babies. They crave the comfort of their mothers, and easy access to the breast. They certainly do not “need” to sleep alone to learn to sleep separately later on.

8. “Start your baby on newborn enrichment classes now so he’ll be smarter.”

It’s admirable to want to give your baby the best — every advantage that there is. But the thing is, babies are learning rapidly, all the time. They need to learn everything about life. The best way to teach babies is to talk to them and look at them. They need to learn about you, about human interaction. You can also take them places so they can observe life outside, other people, and so on. There is no need for “newborn enrichment” classes or videos, and absolutely no evidence that they work anyway.

9. “If your newborn boy is intact, you should retract his penis to clean under it.”

NO!

Please, never do this. An intact penis should be left alone. Wipe the outside of it, but never mess with the foreskin. Trying to retract a newborn will tear the foreskin, cause bleeding and pain, and can cause adhesions and future issues. Don’t let doctors retract your baby, either. There is no reason to do so “just to check and make sure it’s all okay” (ever), nor even any reason to do so for a catheter. Find someone who is educated about intact care if your baby needs any medical procedures.

Your baby’s foreskin will naturally retract at some point later — often in the preschool years, but sometimes not until adolescence. At that point, your son should be taught to retract himself to wash in the bath. But never force it, and never do it yourself. Only the owner of the penis should retract it.

10. “Feedings should be scheduled every 3 or 4 hours so baby learns to eat when it’s the ‘right’ time.”

This is really terrible advice and can lead to failure to thrive, as well as sabotaging breastfeeding. A woman who is only nursing every 3 – 4 hours often cannot produce enough milk, because breastfeeding is about supply and demand. When demand is lower due to infrequent feedings, her body won’t get the message to produce more.

As for the baby, most newborns need to eat at least 12 times in a 24-hour period, and many nurse quite a bit more than that. The typical newborn won’t go longer than 2 hours between feedings, on average. (Typically there are times of day that they eat more often, up to every 30 minutes; and they may sleep a 3 – 4 hour stretch at night.) A baby who does not eat often enough will be fussy, difficult to settle, and will sleep poorly. The baby may also gain weight poorly and not meet milestones on time. They could end up hospitalized for hunger or dehydration and be marked failure to thrive.

And even worse, some recommend offering baby water in between scheduled feedings to keep them quiet. Never do this, unless explictly instructed by a doctor. A new baby’s electrolyte levels are very precariously balanced. Plenty of breast milk or properly prepared formula is good. But water can dilute sodium levels in the baby’s blood and cause lethargy, coma, or even death. Babies have died because of parents watering down breastmilk or formula, or offering too much water in between feedings. Just don’t do it!

Feed your baby on demand. Lessons on “when to eat” and “meal times” can wait until the toddler years. (And it’s debatable even then.)

11. “It’s safe to put the car seat on top of a shopping cart at the grocery store.”

Although it’s a really common practice, it is, in fact, not safe. Car seats on top of grocery carts are very top-heavy, and carts can tip over if you go over bumps unexpectedly or turn too sharply. A few babies each year actually die from falling off of a grocery cart! Since it’s entirely preventable…just don’t do it.

Instead, put the baby’s car seat into the basket of the cart. Or, wear your baby in a wrap or other carrier (which is what I choose to do).

12. “It’s safe/beneficial to start solids at 2 weeks/2 months/3 months/etc.”

Sorry, but early solids really are not beneficial, and may be very harmful. Young babies are meant to get extremely nutrient- and calorie-dense breast milk or formula to meet their nutritional needs and rapid growth. And, their intestines are immature and “open,” meaning that undigested proteins can escape into the bloodstream, sensitizing the child and causing allergies. Breast milk actually promotes maturity of the gut and helps it to seal properly, so that baby won’t have allergies later in life. It’s best to wait to start solids until at least 6 months, but follow your baby’s lead. (Baby showing interest in your food doesn’t mean she’s ready — infants are typically fascinated by everything you do. Being able to pick up the food and put it into her own mouth is good rule.)

These are just twelve of the lies I can think of! Can you think of more?

Psst! My brand-new book, “Natural Remedies for Kids,” is coming out in August! When you pre-order it, you get up to 25% off — plus, some amazing bonus offers (details coming soon). It’s the best book for learning to use simple, natural remedies with your family (the one I wish I’d had when I was just getting started). Get the details on the book here, and porder your book here.

Which of these lies surprised you the most? Which do you hear most commonly?

Ready to get started living a healthier life? This complete, 50-page guide will walk you through the steps, product swaps, recipes, and more that you need to get started today!

Original article and pictures take www.modernalternativemama.com site

12 Ideas for Date Nights with Your Kids

12 Ideas for Date Nights with Your Kids

It’s so important to spend one-on-one time with your kids! I love these 12 ideas for “date night” with your children.

Guest post by Becky of Your Modern Family

Being a Mom is the most important job that I have. Spending time with our children is our top priority. We are their first teachers, the role models that they look up to, their best friends later in life. God created Mothers for a purpose. We fill the earth with wonderful children and they become filled with the glory of God, thanks to our teaching.

If you have more than one child, it can be hard to spend one-on-one time with them. I wrote a post a while back on how we have a set schedule to do this. (See it here: Making Memories to Last a Lifetime: Spending One-on-one Time with Your Kids.) We have four children and we want each child to have their special night with us. We want them to feel important and we want our time together to be strong in their memories.

With that being said, I would love to share some great ideas for date nights with your kids when you are having your one-on-one time. (This might even be a fun Mother’s Day treat to yourself: a date night with each of your children!)

Mother-Child Date Night on a Budget: 12 Ideas for Your Special Night (Or Day)!

1. Movies on the lawn

Rent a movie from the library (free) or a redbox (DVDonme is the code to get you a free movie for your first time using it with that credit/debit card). Take a portable DVD player outside, lay on a blanket with some snacks and you have a full “movies on the lawn” experience.

2. Camp out in your backyard

Have fun out there! Make S’mores. My friend does this using her grill when they are outside, so no need to buy a fire pit! Borrow a tent or buy one used if you don’t have one. Or just camp out until bedtime and then move the “camp” inside to sleep.

3. Go on a bike ride, walk or hike

Our oldest son, six years old, would bike ride with my husband or I every night if he could. We just ride around our neighborhood. He loves it. Our 5 and 6 year olds both love to hike as well. We don’t go far, but we just walk on nearby trails and paths and search for leaves and stones. It gives us a chance to talk, away from everything. This is simple and it is a great way to connect again.

4. PLAY at the playground!

How many times do we go to the playground and just supervise? Wouldn’t your child be thrilled if you joined in on the fun? Make this night special by playing with your child at the playground.

5. Free ice cream!

Did you know that Bruster’s gives kids free ice cream cones? They are small, but they are perfect for a younger child.

6. Build a home for their favorite little toys

Go outside and hunt for twigs, leaves, moss, flowers. Hot glue them together (or on an old plastic bowl or container) and you have the perfect outdoor home for their “little” toys (little people, transformers, fairies…) Get their creative juices flowing! My husband uses scrap wood to make beds for their stuffed animals. The kids love helping him and then painting them and fixing them up with cotton balls (mattresses), tissues (blankets), and other things!

7. Make a leaf stain-glass collage

This is really fun! Gather some leaves (about 10-15) and bring them inside. Set them aside. Plug in your iron. Get two sheets of wax paper (the size of printer paper works well) and set them on your table. Now take a cheese grater and grate some old crayons onto your wax paper. Set the leaves on them (leave some spots open for just the crayons) and then grate more crayons on top.

The crayons will hold the two sheets of wax paper together, like glue. Put the other wax paper on top. Iron them together (you may want to use a towel on top of the wax paper to prevent it from sticking to to the iron). It makes a leaf stain-glass collage. Hang it on a window for everyone to see!

8. Volunteer together

It is so important to teach your children to volunteer and give back. I was taught this as a child, as was my husband. We continue to volunteer when we can and we want our children to do the same. It can be as simple as helping someone by taking their garbage cans up to the house for them, or it can be something more in-depth, like volunteering every week at your local food bank or Christian City Mission.

9. Visit a fire station

Most fire stations offer free tours to children and I don’t know what child wouldn’t be hugging you for days after this fun idea!

10. Make a puppet show

Use those socks that have lost their match to make a puppet. Paint on them, draw eyes, glue yarn for hair. Have fun with it and then put on a puppet show for the rest of your family. Hide behind a table and put just your hands up. Teach your child how to do this and how to make funny voices for their characters. Our kids put on puppet shows for me at least once a week. They usually do their version of “The Three Little Pigs” and it is hilarious and adorable and I love it!

11. Play cards

Our kids were playing “War” by the time that they were four. (Deal the cards, face down, into two piles, or more if you have more players. Next, each player will flip over one card. The person that lays down the card of highest value is the winner and keeps both cards.) It is a great little math lesson, so I was excited to teach it to them once they learned their numbers and could understand which one was bigger.

12. Make candy necklaces

Take a piece of yarn or thread. Tape a little bit of scotch tape onto the end to make it easier for them to thread. Give them a handful of cheerios or fruit loops. Let them make necklaces and tie them at the end. A wearable snack! (By the way…this is a great snack for that hike that you are going to take!)

So plan your “special day,” as we call it in our house. Make a schedule for your kids (see ours here) and get it on the calendar. Your child will be so excited to spend time with you! Remember that it doesn’t really matter WHAT you are doing, as long as you are spending that time with your focus on your child.

Turn off your phone, the TV, the computer, and just tune in to your precious, God-given child and enjoy the wonderful people that they have become!

What’s your favorite way to spend one-on-one time with your kids?

Hi! I am Becky from Your Modern Family. Erin was kind enough to ask me to write a post for her and I am honored to share one with you. Erin and I are friends and I owe it all to God putting her in my path. We live in the same town, we are in the same “Christian Mother’s Groups” and our children are all close in age. I love reading The Humbled Homemaker and I love being able to share a little bit of me with all of you! I am a wife, married to my high-school sweetheart. I am a teacher turned part time play therapist. Above all, I am a wife to my high school and college sweetheart and a Mom to our four wonderful kids… 3 boys and a baby girl!

Stop by & visit me on Facebook or Pinterest. I’d love to hear from you!

Top image from pixabay.com

Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site

12 Healthy Holiday Treats for Kids

12 Healthy Holiday Treats for Kids

Prepare to wow with these 12 cute, clever and healthy holiday treats for kids.

Healthy holiday treats are often hard to come by now that Christmas and the holiday season is officially in full swing. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably got a whole slew of parties, get-togethers and potlucks to either host or attend before the end of the year. Whether it’s an office party, your kid’s classroom celebration, or family time on Christmas Eve, decadent food and sweet treats are almost always involved, right? Instead of derailing your diet or sending your little kids into a sugar coma at your next holiday get-together, how about bringing an equally festive, but slightly healthier, option? Lucky for you, I’m sharing 12 of my favorite cute and healthy holiday treats that are also creative and festive. Check them out below and prepare to wow the mouths you’ll feed!

12 healthy holiday treats for kids

WHOLE GRAIN PANCAKE SNOWMAN via Holley Grainger Nutrition

Snowman Popcorn Cups via Creative Kid Snacks

Present Sandwiches with Zucchini Bow via Marie Saba

Black Olive Penguins via Foodie With Family

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Christmas Trees via Lovely Little Kitchen

Grinch Fruit Skewers via Clean and Scentsible

FUN KIWI FRUIT TRAY from Super Healthy Kids

Turkey Pinwheel Tree via Moms and Munchkins

More Healthy Holiday Treats

Do you love fun food? Then make sure to pin these adorable Thanksgiving turkey ideas so you’ll have for next fall!

Original article and pictures take www.holleygrainger.com site

12 Essential Oil Blends for Your Diffuser.

12 Essential Oil Blends for Your Diffuser.

As the weather cools, I get into more of a candle burning/essential oil diffusing mood. I want my house to smell cozy and delicious, and my favorite way to do that is to use essential oils.

Although I do love candles, one of the benefits of diffusing essential oils is that they have other properties besides just smelling nice. Essential oils can calm you down, wake you up, clear your head, help your immune system, and change the mood in your home.

I know that sometimes people hesitate to use essential oils because they aren’t sure how to use them. Essential oils don’t have to be overwhelming!

Diffusing oils in your home is a great way to get started with essential oils. You can find out what oils you like, and learn a little bit about the properties of the different oils. This is a good way to dip your toe into the water. :)

There are so many different essential oil combinations that you can use, but I just wanted to highlight a few here today. I use an essential oil warmer with a candle. I prefer this method, even though there are cool mist diffusers available now as well. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I think the candle glowing is cozier.

With an oil warmer, you put some water in first, then drip the oils in. After you’ve added all the oils, light the candle below. Keep an eye on everything, because you don’t want all the water to evaporate.

Here are some ideas for blends to get you started. These are just a few ideas, and they use essential oils that are commonly available from Whole Foods, Amazon, or a health food store.

Easy Essential Oil Blends to Use in Your Home.

Clean and Fresh Citrus Blends:

• 5 drops grapefruit, 3 drops lemongrass
• 3 drops lemon, 3 drops lime, 3 drops grapefruit
• 3 drops grapefruit, 3 drops lavender, 3 drops lemon
• 2 drops lemon, 2 drops bergamot, 2 drops tangerine, 2 drops grapefruit

Calm and Relaxing Blends:

• 4 drops lavender, 5 drops tangerine
• 4 drops lavender, 4 drops geranium, 2 drops tangerine
• 4 drops roman chamomile, 4 drops lavender, 2 drops bergamot

Cozy Fall Blends:

• 6 drops sweet orange, 4 drops patchouli
• 3 drops clove, 3 drops cinnamon, 4 drops sweet orange
• 2 drops tangerine, 2 drops sweet orange, 3 drops ginger, 3 drops cinnamon

Energizing Blend:

• 4 drops peppermint, 4 drops eucalyptus, 2 drops lemongrass

Breathe Easy:

• 3 drops lemon, 3 drops rosemary, 3 drops lavender, 3 drops spearmint

Ready to get started? It’s easy to get a few oils and a simple oil warmer and go from there. You can get a lot of great information in ebooks and online courses as well.

Be creative and have fun making your own blends!

Original article and pictures take i0.wp.com site

12 Days of Christmas ~ Seeking Jesus Countdown Printable (How My Family Will Be Celebrating Jesus this Christmas)

12 Days of Christmas ~ Seeking Jesus Countdown Printable (How My Family Will Be Celebrating Jesus this Christmas)

Christmastime brings out the “kid” in my kids. I guess in some ways it brings out the kid in all of us. I get overwhelmingly giddy about all the Christmas fun, and I’m…not a kid.

This year, my boys suggested that I should make them some sort of advent calendar – you know – the kind that included 25 days worth of candy or presents or money? No biggie. On second thought, knowing how busy I am, my boys were thoughtful enough to suggest that I could just buy one. They are so considerate of my needs. (Just don’t forget the candy, Mom.)

I knew they were (mostly) kidding, but still the idea of creating some sort of special Christmas countdown for them sounded like a lot of fun. I especially wanted to do it because after we had our conversation, they pretty much thought I would forget about it and not do anything. Ha! I’ll show them. It’s fun to be rebellious toward my teenagers.

Fast-forward to later that day when I saw my sister-in-law’s Facebook post asking people to share what Advent meant to each one. One of her friends mentioned the story “of Simeon and Anna as they wait on the promise of seeing Christ, who would take away the sorrows of Israel…both old, filled with the Holy Spirit…and now ready to die because they had seen the salvation of the Lord.” (Luke 2:25-32)

After I read this, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I mostly focus on the birth of Jesus during the Christmas season. How lovely to think about how Simeon and Anna eagerly sought to meet Jesus on earth after his birth! I opened my Bible and searched for more instances where people sought after Jesus. So many people from so many different situations recognized their need for Jesus. Their stories are beautiful – so filled with faith.

THIS is why Jesus came!! To heal! To cleanse! To bring salvation. To be truth. To meet the needs of each one who seeks Him. To bring peace. To be joy.

During my study that day, an idea for a Christmas count-down began to form. In my excitement, I could think of little else. I wrote down 12 situations in the Bible where people saw their need for Jesus, sought Him out, and encountered His fullness. I decided that our family could read one each day for 12 days, beginning December 13 – counting down the days until Christmas.

One idea led to another as I thought of ways to make this more memorable and meaningful for our family. I turned the scriptures into decorative cards. I attached the cards to 12 lunch-sized sacks. Beginning December 13, we will open one sack each day after we read and discuss the scripture. Inside each sack, I have included an item that relates to the day’s reading. Some will be treats for us to enjoy, some will be something we can share with others, some will simply be symbolic. I’ve written the details below in case you’d like to do something similar with your family.

Ready to download the ~12 Days of Christmas ~ Seeking Jesus Countdown Cards?

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I keep getting choked up and teary eyed as I anticipate sharing this with my family. I have such a desire to make Jesus a bigger part of our Christmas celebrations, and I can’t think of a better way than to celebrate with 12 Biblical examples of people who came eagerly seeking Him during his time on earth. May we also be inspired to eagerly seek Jesus daily for our comfort, healing, peace, and joy!

Here are the scriptures I chose, as well as details about what I included in each sack.

12 Days of Christmas ~ Seeking Jesus

1. Luke 2:25-35

The story of Simeon seeking Jesus in the temple. I added a Christmas-y candle to the bag. We’ll light it as a reminder that Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

2. Luke 2:36-40

The story of Anna seeking Jesus in the temple. The bag contains a 2016 mini-calendar. This will represent how Anna worshiped in the Temple night and day for years and years. It will remind us that our daily lives are also to be worship.

3. Luke 2:41-52

The story of Jesus’ parents looking for Jesus and finding him in the temple. This sack is empty! Once the boys discover this, they will have to do a search through the living room to find a treat I’ve hidden. This represents Jesus’ parents searching for him on their journey.

4. Luke 5:12-16

The story of Jesus healing a leper. This bag contains a new snowman soap dispenser. This represents “cleansing” as described in the story. Other ideas include fun bars of soap or cute washrags.

5. Luke 5:17-26

The story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man on the mat. I found a fun Christmas place-mat and folded it up (carefully!) into the sack. I also included a small treat we can eat after we put the new mat on our table.

6. Luke 7:1-10

The story of the Centurion seeking Jesus to heal his servant. Because Jesus healed the man’s servant, I’ve included a service opportunity in this sack. I put two muffin mixes along with some Christmas paper liners for the boys to make and deliver to someone.

7. Luke 7:36-50

The story of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and poured perfume on them. I put two bottles of essential oils in the sack for us to use in our diffuser. All day the smell of the oils will remind of us of this story of forgiveness.

8. Luke 8:40-56

The story of Jairus seeking Jesus to heal his 12-year old daughter, and Jesus healing the woman who had been sick for 12 years. I added 12 chocolate candies in the sack to share as the number 12 is a significant number in this reading. Plus, there was much to celebrate with these two healings! Chocolate seemed appropriate.

9. Luke 9:37-43

The story of Jesus healing the demon possessed boy. This one is a little bit silly, but my big boys appreciate being silly quite frequently. Picturing the joy of the boy who was healed by Jesus, I put some goofy toys in the sack for our boys. Straws with mustaches? Why not?

10. Luke 19:1-10

The story of Zacchaeus climbing a tree to see Jesus. Since Zacchaeus was a tax collector who turned his life around, I put some cash in the sack. Our family will decide together how we would like to donate this money.

11. John 3:1-21

The story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night to learn from him. I got a new string of Christmas lights for our boys to hang in their room as a reminder of Jesus words, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” Other ideas include glow lights or bracelets.

12. Matthew 2:1-12

The story of the Magi following the star to find Jesus. I found a new star-shaped ornament for our tree. This will be the final bag we open on December 24!

Christmas Countdown Notes

~ Reading chronologically is nice, but I’m actually mixing up the scriptures and stories and doing them with our family in a different order than listed above.

~ In deciding the order, be sure to start with 12 and work your way down to 1. I know that is obvious in a Christmas Countdown, but my brain had to think through that more than once as I was organizing the best order for our scripture cards and sacks. :)

~ I purchased almost all of these items at our dollar store or used what I already had on hand. I wanted to make this special while keeping the cost down. Win-win.

~ The free download includes number cards if you’d like to use them too. I simply folded over the sacks and stapled on the number card along with a little curly ribbon.

I’d love to hear about any special advent traditions your family has! At this point, our countdown sacks are under our tree, just waiting for December 13 so we can begin. The sacks look pretty intriguing, so I think we need a special countdown for our countdown. :)

Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site