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12 Basic Life Skills Every Kid Should Know by High School

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As a parent it is our job to make sure that we prepare our children for their inevitable journey into the real world for someday when they fly the coop. There are so many things that we think we are just born knowing, but that’s not true at all. At some point, someone somewhere taught us these life skills we have hopefully honed as adults. Probably your parents, or legal guardians as you were growing up. Some of these daily, typical skills sounds so simple and you’ve been doing them for so long that you don’t even think about it as your doing them.

Are you ready to stop helicopter parenting and prepare your kid for life as a young adult? Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of “How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, says these are 12 important life skills that every child should know before high school.

Make a Meal

You don’t have to stop making meals for your kids entirely, but it’s important for them to feel confident enough to know how to do it. Maybe start with them making breakfast for themselves a couple times a week or on the weekends. Let them help with dinner, or let them make their own lunch for school.

Wake Themselves up on Time

This is a really tough one because it’s rough enough trying to get these kids out of bed banging a stick on a trash can. Now we have to trust that they are going to get themselves up. Again, the best way to do this is to baby step it. Start maybe a couple times a week…not completely letting go of the rains just yet. But make sure that by the time high school rolls around, they should be able to get up and get ready by themselves.

Do Laundry

Not only will this be an important life skill, but I guarantee it will show them just how busy you have been washing their clothes every 10 minutes. They will probably stop tossing shirts in the laundry after wearing them once for 3 hours.

Pump Gas

This was an exciting one for me when I was a kid. It looked so interesting when my Dad was at the gas station pumping gas into the car. The smells, the cool looking gas pump – not to mention the thought of someday your going to get to drive that car! I don’t think you will have a problem with this one. If you do have a child that has dirty hand or germ phobia’s, assure them with baby wipes and antibiotic hand wash.

Pitch In

“Kids need to learn how to contribute for the betterment of the whole,” she says. “Maybe they have siblings and one is stressed out about something, and the other says, ‘I’ll do your chore for you. Because I see you’re stressed out and you need some help.’ That’s building a sense of it’s not just about me. I can do for others.”

To read the rest of the important life skills…CLICK HERE.

The ‘Blue Whale’ Suicide Challenge: What Parents Need to Know

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If you are a parent of a big kid, or a tween, this is probably something your going to want to be aware of. This is some pretty scary stuff. It seems like these type of things are becoming more and more popular with youngsters on social media. You may not be an advocate of banning your youngster from social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, but it is so important to be involved in your kids lives to know what they are actually doing on these sites.

This particular social media challenge is called the Blue Whale Suicide Challenge. The “game” is said to have been originated in Russia, but has made it’s way to the United States. The game gives players a series of tasks which includes things like cutting the shape of a whale into your skin, or  waking up in the middle of the night to think about death. The very last task on the list requires the kids to kill themselves. This is no joke. Even talking about suicide is no joke so PLEASE take the time to read this article and be aware of what your kids are viewing on social media and pass this along to other parents.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

 

How to Respond When Your Kids Start Masturbating

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OMG…what kind of a article is this? Hopefully, a very helpful one. Most parents find it extremely uncomfortable when they find out that their kids start masturbating. Lets face it, most people find the word masturbate terribly uncomfortable and inappropriate. I could say it’s a natural, healthy part of life, but that would be cliche’ and you have heard it 100 times before. Oh what the heck, I’ll say it anyway. Masturbating is a natural, normal part of life, even for your kids. It’s is also healthy and should not be discouraged even with our children.

Most children start to become aware of their genitals right around the age of 6. I mean they always knew they had genitals, but by the age 6 they are starting to realize that their genitals can actually bring them feelings of pleasure. Other kids not in this majority start to really get interested in the 10-13 year range. Whatever the age you notice your kids starting to experiment with masturbating, it is time to have open discussions on when, where and how this activity is appropriate.

When comes to appropriate times, personal space is very important to cover. Some parents do not allow locked bedroom doors when it comes to their kids. Although they are our kids and we want nothing but the best for them, it’s still absolutely necessary to respect their privacy. They deserve and need privacy just like anyone else. Let them know, that even though they may not lock their doors behind them, you will never just barge in to their room when the door is closed. They are not allowed to ignore you, but you will always knock before entering. That will let them know that you for one trust them and for another that they are not doing anything wrong in there. They are merely having some one on one time with themselves…and that’s okay. It’s normal and 100% healthy for them to do so. Inform them that it goes both ways in fact. When your feeling it’s time for a little “me” time, assuming they are old enough, let them know your door is always open for them as well, but they need to respect your privacy as you do theirs. Always knock before entering and wait for the coast is clear.

The other major concern is “Do I respond differently to boys than girls?” Some parents think it’s perfectly natural for boys to masturbate, but when it’s about their daughter…HECK NO! This may have a lot to do with religion, cultural bias that we hold unconsciously or the way our parents raised us. The truth is, after chatting with many parents, their daughter we the ones to first start exploring their bodies, rather than their sons. It is no more appropriate for boys to masturbate than it is for girls. Try to avoid introducing your own hang ups with your kids – for their sake.

The number one thing we do not want to do is make our kids feel uncomfortable about something that they should never make them feel that way. We don’t want start planting seeds in them that will effect them their whole lives. Most importantly be open with discussion, never discourage it. Let them know that the word masturbation is not the manifest of the devil himself and as long as they are not doing it at the dinner table, in the grocery store or other public places where it would not be appropriate, they are normal, healthy people that have nothing to be ashamed of.

To see the Full Story….CLICK HERE 

Parents: You Have NO RIGHT to Police Your Daughter’s Virginity

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“Your daughter is NOT obligated to promise you anything about her body.”

Try that one on for size. Anyone with a daughter may look at this and instantly become enraged or confused.

Back when I was in high school, we had sex education classes and our parents had “the talk” with us. It was also taught, especially among highly religious families that if you had sex before marriage, you were no longer pure.

Here is a quote from the article;

“Abstinence doesn’t work with anything because people are complex beings with natural curiosity. The more we get told to avoid something, the more appealing it’s going to become. Add to that some crazy teenage hormones, and it’s no surprise that children with abstinence-only education are the ones popping out all the babies.

If you really want to help your child, the best thing you can do is teach them to protect themselves. Teach them how to say no to pressure from a boyfriend or girlfriend and not to have sex before they’re ready. Teach them the dangers of STDs and pregnancy and encourage them to be responsible with their decisions.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

10 Easy, Everyday Things Kids Can Do to Help Save the Planet

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When it comes to helping our planet, chances are you are already recycling, composting, ridding your house of paper towels and plates, etc. But what else can we do? We can ask for help – from our kids.dreamstime_xl_34170512 (2) (300x200)

From one-time projects to ongoing efforts, there are many ways to inspire and enlighten kids about making our world a cleaner, healthier, happier, and safer place. Earth Day happens once a year, but you can do these any day!

For instance:

  • Photography

Yep…you heard right. Kids care more about the environment when they have a relationship with the great outdoors. Help them to explore your local parks, woods, beaches, mountains, and more by taking them on hikes designed to introduce them to the animals and plants in your area — and be sure to snap a lot of pics!

  • Farmers Markets

Words like “sustainable” and “local” might not mean much to your kids in the abstract, but a trip to the farmers’ market can show them just how much different (and better) organically grown produce from small farms can be. If possible, introduce your children to some of the vendors and ask questions about how and why they grow food the way they do — and what it means for the planet!

For the rest of these great ideas….CLICK HERE!

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