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teen life skills
In Parenting

Basic Life Skills to Teach Your Tween & Teen to Set Them up for Success

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Studies show that many students these days have little skills when entering the real world. We live in a world with helicopter parents and apps that do everything for us, but we need to be teaching our kids actual skills. Some students have little to no understanding of how to cook a meal, manage their money, do laundry or even how to make a phone call for themselves! They’re increasing having difficulty transitions from home to college, and that responsibility begins at home. The younger you can teach your kids these basic life skills the more confident they become overall. It’s so important that parents don’t do everything for our kids, we need to let them fail a little, we need to give them the knowledge needed to be independent. Here are some basic life skills to teach your tween or teen to set them up for success. Transportation: How…

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In Parenting

Worrisome Toddler Behaviors That Are Actually Totally Normal

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Toddlers are weird. Yea, I said it. You’ll have a hard time finding a mom who hasn’t questioned their behavior at some point and in some capacity. Parents are usually prepared for tantrums, crying, hitting, and even biting. But sometimes, our toddlers throw us for a loop when they do something outrageous that we’re not prepared for. So, when you find your toddler acting in a way that seems highly unsocial, bizarre, or harmful, we can worry about why it’s happening and whether we need to seek advice or be concerned. Often, the behaviors aren’t as destructive as we think. Here are a few common worrisome toddler behaviors that are actually totally normal. Some weird toddler behaviors that make us nervous wrecks but relax, mama; these odd things are normal: Hair twirling or pulling: This behavior can be alarming or frustrating if they’re tangling their hair. But, it’s simply…

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In Parenting

The Complexities of Mother’s Day; Tips on How to Celebrate as a Single Mom

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With Mother’s Day around the corner, we need to remind ourselves that while it’s a beautiful day to celebrate, everyone experiences it differently. It used to be a day when mothers were doted on by families with flowers and homemade cards. But, lately, we have begun to wake up to the complexities of Mother’s Day. Those complexities include so many different reasons people find this day hard. Perhaps you’ve lost your mother or are struggling with infertility. So many people had mothers who weren’t there for them, some are watching their moms fade away to disease, or perhaps they live far away from their mom. There are so many ways the day can be triggering and complicated and stir up trauma. We recognize all these complexities and struggles with the day. If this feels like you, then feel free to take a pass on this post. Celebrate, or don’t, in any way…

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In Mom Moments

10 Ways Moms Benefit From Sending Your Kids to Camp

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We often hear about the benefits of sending kids to camp. Even here in the Mabelhood, we talk about it a lot. Like this, and this. Sleepaway camp is indeed so beneficial for kids. But what about moms? Being a mom is hard, and we rarely talk about how we need a break. So summer camp also has enormous benefits for parents, and it’s okay to admit that. Here are the ways that moms benefit from our kids going to camp. 1) Recharge Relax, take a walk, meditate and do the things you always dream of doing but never have the time or the privacy to do. 2) Eat what you want Enjoy the chance to cook meals that you love without complaints. Eat the spicy foods, the healthy meals, or the junk food you want without needing to share! 3) Reconnect with your spouse Go on dates, enjoy the…

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In News

How To Explain Climate Change to Your Kids; And Why They Need To Hear

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One day your children will ask what is climate change? It’s important and imperative for us to teach our children to understand climate change’s impact on our planet. Let’s understand how and why to explain climate change to your kids? Our kids and teens must understand the reality of what is going on. You may have a child or teen growing into a climate warrior, which can sometimes be tricky for parents to navigate. There are ways to help our kids understand climate change. To encourage them, and work with them to ensure that we’re doing the right thing for our planet, not only for ourselves, but for all plants, animals, and interesting creatures who live on it. They have a right to know Kids live on this planet and have every right to know what’s going on with their home. Keeping them away from the facts of climate change does…

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In Parenting

Birth Order Theory; The Leader, the Negotiator, and the Baby

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We have no control over our birth order, whether we’re first, middle or youngest child – there is nothing we can do to change that. The Birth Order Theory shows how birth order plays a role in our personality traits. This is disconcerting when studies show where we sit in the birth order plays a profound and lasting effect on child development. However, Birth order is not a personality trait that appears at birth. Instead, it’s a theory that develops based on family structure and dynamics and how they shape personality traits during a child’s developmental years. These can also change and evolve; gender, adoption, blended families, and child death all play a role in the structure of birth order. We all know a typical firstborn and a rebellious middle kid and a spoiled last child. We’ve probably also seen the comical depictions of birth order on TikTok. How much does our birth order impact our…

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camp, summer camp
In Parenting

How to Choose the Right Summer Camp

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Summer camp is a big deal. It can alter the way your child sees the world, the friendships they have for life, and the experiences that shape them…. but no pressure. How to choose the right summer camp can feel like a balancing act. Between scheduling, finances, interests, distance, there is a lot to consider. Here is a checklist of the things we think you need to consider when choosing the right summer camp for your kids. 1) Financial Decisions This is often the top reason to select one camp over another. Day camp varies from approximately $25 to $150 a day. Some things that influence the price are the type of camp the location, but it’s also worth inquiring about the price. The following may be included in the price, making the high price tag fit your budget after all. -Is any food is provided -whether a bus…

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In Mom Moments

Thanks Tips… On Dropping the Mom Guilt

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We all have mom guilt at some point. I don’t know one mother who hasn’t felt the pressure of balancing relationships, childcare, career, etc. and feeling that we’re falling short of what’s expected of us. Guilt is a moral emotion that occurs when a person believes or realizes—accurately or not—that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or have violated universal moral standards and bear significant responsibility for that violation. Guilt is closely related to the concept of remorse, regret, as well as shame. But where do these standards come from? Why do mothers have so much guilt? Who set the bar? Our society and culture have taught us guilt. Our community has set expectations of what we’re supposed to do and accomplish, and there unrealistic. These expectations were set in the 1950s before women entered the workforce and lost our villages. Then, women entered the workforce, got paid…

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In Parenting

Video Games; How Much Is Too Much, and Can It Be an Addiction?

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 It’s great to have hobbies, but hobbies such as video games seem to be creeping into some dangerous territory for many parents these days. Many parents, especially after lockdown days, have been seeing an increase in screen time, and have been asking themselves about video game addiction, how much it too much? It’s difficult for parents to know when a harmless hobby is no longer harmless. How much is too much and can gaming become an addiction? Recently, on a Facebook moms’ group, the question was raised, how do I know if my son is addicted to video games, the comments came flooding in. This is a concern in many families. It’s difficult to know when your child is crossing into the area of no longer controlling themselves or whether they enjoy the game. During pandemic days, screen time has significantly increased. However, with families spending so much time together, sometimes…

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