Teaching Kids Life Skills that they will value when they are older! #homelearning

Hello and welcome! In this Parenting blog I am going to share Teaching kids life skills and I mean, washing up, how to do their laundry, Cooking, Cleaning a car and general maintenance with your supervision of course.

I have created two new printables, 1. I created via the inspiration of my last blog post on this site, and 2. For the inspiration to write this post and is like a checklist of things to teach the kids different Life Skills that they will value when they are older. You can download and use right away free of charge:

good-home-learning-classes-for-your-printableDownload

kids-life-skills-that-you-can-teach-themDownload

I remember as a kid, as soon as I could see above the kitchen surfaces I was taught how to make a cup of tea, and would help out when it came to ironing as at one time my mum would do this every Sunday and have a pile together for ironing.

Let me tell you the honest truth, I NEVER IRON.

Image from: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/shocked-woman-with-burned-iron-picture-id604902100?k=6&m=604902100&s=612×612&w=0&h=EVVJtIH6G_pk5HDiGMCjV8BzcUkZalXQ9R0HdguVVNM=

Yes it is the bottom of my list and yeah, and the iron I have, I won, yet it never gets used, but if you are someone who does and wish to delegate and teach your kids of how to iron, then yeah teach them.

The other thing is teaching your kids, what different cleaning products are for. So teach them about cleaning windows, mirrors and work tops. Make sure you show them how to safely administor the cleaning products and to wash their hands after use, but yes, show them the different products they need and have them cleaning the windowsills, floors and bathrooms.

How to safely meal prep and plan the meals for the week. Have them comply a shopping list and do an inventory list.

I would when I had a many video tapes, records and CD’s do an inventory a list of all the ones I had and would often sort these out in a alphabetical order.

Now you have a computer you can type up inventory lists of music, films and TV programmes you have stored in your planner and have children’s TV shows set in your planner too, so there is always something there for them to watch once they have helped you around the home.

Or have it on at the background whilst they help with daily life skills that will benefit them in the future.

My mum would often have a sponge for us to use to clean the bath once we had finished with it, and my nan would let us help out when she cooked like cakes and other puddings.

Normal everyday household tasks were subconciously there driven in me and so I never had to workout what the best way to clean kitchen was, I just did it without acknowledgement, it was just a natural thing to do. I am not a fan of cleaning at all but I know it does have to be done so I will but, not everyday. THAT JUST DRIVES ME MAD but when I am ready to. AND THAT IS A MOTO I like to stick to.

Don’t give kids too much to do at once as this can easily backfire and they get fed up and then you get frustrated because they can kick off and then, you end up doing it yourself anyway.

Check out my Scribd account for more printables available: https://www.scribd.com/user/536634763/Cazza-Challoner

Reward them for their efforts. So this can be a list of items like watch a movie, a bit of TV, a favourite meal or a new toy. You can do like a reward chart, like if they do two items per week on the LIfe skills check list they can tick off the items on their rewards list that they would like to do.

Have set cleaning days for your kids to follow. Many kids like routine and if there is a particular day you want them to do some cleaning then set it and have a calendar just for your kids with a kids homeschooling and chores. So Sunday for example and breaks up homeschooling and then reward them with a roast dinner and a movie or a game they want to play of their choice.

It is all about making them independent and not rely on you as the parent so much but be there for support and if they need help with anything.

Kids want nuture, reassurance and be free to be kids, as after all we were all kids once upon a time and so we all deserve a childhood filled with love, happiness and fun.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie L.M X

P.S: Please see all of my other blog posts and Youtube video content, via my network:

https://carrieshomestyleandfashion.squarespace.com

Good Home Learning Classes For Your Kids

Hello and welcome! So it is time for another parenting blog post. In this post I am going to give tips on Good Home Learning Classes for your kids:

• Have a baking or cookery class and get all each child to make a cake or a meal they love or how to cook a family meal. Have them choose a list of recipes to cook each week
• Writing class have them write stories, poetry or even a blog post.
• Letter writing class and how to create a C.V for the future and the skills they already have
• Show your children how to create a vision board for themselves and what they would like to do when they are older, if there is a country they would to go to once Lockdown has been lifted and skills they would like to learn when they get older
• A home dance class and how to put together a dinner party for friends and family to celebrate the end of COVID once it arrives
• Reading classes and have a home book club where you read the same book or different one and what the books are about
• Have a web development or IT course to help them for future learning and skills that will help them once their school years are over and start working or why not have a home and family website where other kids could create and share stuff, obviously with adult supervision so noone or unwanted people use it
• Organization class and filing and have them file school documents or their art work they bring home
• A home drama club and have your children create a play or a show that you can Zoom for other kids (their friends) and family can watch and still have contact with their love ones
• Do a Science class, and their are tools and kids Science books that can give you tips and information
• Art and crafts lesson where they can use dried rice and pasta or potatoes to create art work and “Thinking of you cards” for friends and relatives they can’t see at the moment
• Do a home fitness class for your children and The Body Coach did a lot of videos for the previous lockdown and you can still use these on Youtube
• Do a gardening lesson where each child can plant a seed and if you can’t buy these at the moment in stores then you can online and show them how to look after a garden and can plant a seed in the garden
• Have a history lesson and talk about the Royal Family or about London or England, wherever you may be. Have them create their own family tree
• Have childrens bingo evening or Quiz night. It can be as fun as possible and just helps them learn without feeling that is a chore.

Lockdown doesn’t mean that we have to stop using our imagination and just make days fun aswell as educational.

I have a new website which is a site to help children who or are being abused or bullied:

https://thearchangelsnetwork.wordpress.com

So many thank for reading and stay safe and strong,

Carrie L.M X

P.S: All my blog posts can be found on my site:

https://carriesblognetwork.squarespace.com

Choosing Books For Your kids!

Hello and god bless you! So if you haven’t seen my previous blog posts you’ll know that I am doing a Youtube series of videos called the Truth About Parenting check my play list I have put together with all my recent videos and they are published on Youtube every Thursday: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0AyektQNGDHQS_H-sYP1SS1xshX2NiVjs

So choosing books for your kids can depend on what they are interested in, but don’t be afraid to buy books not just for the age they are now, but when they get older.

I have saved many books I have read which would be suitable for kids for when Henry and other children I hope to have can read them, and I love a kids book and books by Roald Dahl are still great for kids, along with The Secret Seven, Famous Five and Billy The Kid and I have bought Henry his first book by David Walliams who is The Childrens book writer of this century.

If I said I was Enid Blyton I know there will be those who will say I am making it up so I’ll lie then should I? As I remember writing these stories at school and writing the name at the bottom of the page. Never be ashamed to take ownership if you are child writer too, as being unbelieved you are always going to get those sorts of people.

I am a lady of the classics and so I will be getting books like Oliver Twist, The Hobbit for when my kids are older and I hope they enjoy these too. I am not someone who goes back to books but stories by certain others I do.

Never be fearful of looking in Charity shops and Poundland, as they do great kids books too, along with The Works and they usually do a deal where you can by a group of books for like fiver or a tenner and on Amazon too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=deals+on+childrens+books&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

If your child prefers to listen to stories rather than read then you can download and use the Audible APP.

https://www.audible.co.uk/

When you do, they will also get a free credit each month which they can put towards a book they like and I love having this on my phone and is great when you don’t have time to sit and read, it is a great alternative.

I will be doing videos soon, where I tell a Childhood story but have a better room to film and has better lighting. I also hope to be working along side some people when doing this.

So as we are in Lockdown because of the Pandemic, have a story time or a reading time. It is a great family relaxing thing and I love books and has been part of my life for 40 or so years.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie L.M X

P.S: All my blogs and videos are uploaded to my network site:

https://carriesblognetwork.squarespace.com

Top Ten Parenting Strategies “Creating Bonding Time”

Hello and welcome to a new blog for this week and I have done my Truth about Parenting video, which is more on things you don’t get told about and that is Breastfeeding and how long it can take for your milk to come through after your babies born, when you first bring them home, pooh explosion, hypnotherapy, teething and Eczema.

The Truth about Parenting new video, more stuff we don’t get told when becoming a parent.

In this blog post I am giving some more Top Ten Parenting strategies about “Creating Bonding Time”.

1. Use bath time and baby changing time as therapy for your baby, because they will be more relaxed when being bathed and changed and I used to sing, talk and make up words to nursery rhymes that I had forgotten the words of and my son loved this time. Baby massage is a great class and thing to do, as we did bond so well and he would look forward to it like I did, and it quiets down the madness of the days that parenting can bring
2. Teach kids the old fashion games, like a card game or board game. As a kid I was always playing card games with my Nan and Grandad on Saturday, and would play all day long. It is great to get everyone playing. There are loads you can play Jim Rummy, Pontoon, Crib and the first easiest game snap or matching pairs
3. Quiet time. This is important to help kids wine down for the day, and read a book, watch a bit of TV or listening to a kids audio book. There are even children’s shows like the midnight garden on TV for the end of each day
4. Find a song that you both love and get up and dance. Me and Henry would often do this before it was time to go to school and it would wake me up and him and make walking to school afterwards painless, as at first I found the school run a real mission
5. Take them to do homework in a coffee shop rather indoors. Now of course we are in Lockdown, but once it shifts this is something I would do with Henry some days after school and he would have his favourite a chocolate muffin and I would have a coffee and it would be a change from the usual routine and would see other parents do this with their kids and still get homework done
6. Go for a kick about. Now my son has grown out of playing football all of the time, but when he was into this, we would play a mini game of football and was great for him and me to spend time playing in the fresh air
7. Have a Tea party. So my nieces loved it when they were taken for an Afternoon tea and I have done this too, and even with Lockdown we can still have an Afternoon tea, just bring it home if not able to do it outdoors, and order online or go the supermarket, make up some sandwiches, cup cakes etc and have a at home Afternoon Tea Party. I had to do this once with some other girls when earning one of my badges at Brownies. You can make it as fun as possible and have the kids help get the food ready and table
8. Have an evening with everyone in Pjs and mattresses, blankets and pillows in the living room and have a movie night with snacks including some popcorn. This can be now, as I bet like me, we all have movies stashed away somewhere which we can pull out to use especially now in the third lockdown
9. Do a kids games night, where you can endless games like Give us a clue, that was a household favourite, Pictionary, there is a Tipping Point game out now and this is Henrys Ultimate Favourite at the minute and even have a Connect 4 tournament
10. Have the kids camping in the garden, with a tent and if you have a big enough garden make a bonfire. I loved camping as a kid and do know parents who have done this and it is great fun. They used to have at Legoland Discovery centre a sleepover night and in Manchester Sealife centre, so check when these are back on as could be a great family evening

So I hope you are getting through Lockdown and these are but a few, and honestly having an extra day snuggling with my son, makes up for the days I miss being without him. Parenting is about bonding and spending family time, and is why I love being a parent and a mum.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

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