Posts filed under ‘Chipper Tips’
The Rainbow Connection
“Mom, if we’re Irish how come I can’t see Leprechauns?” Hmmm, I had to ponder this question last year as I walked with my daughter from school on a rainy day. Our path was under dark clouds streaked with little cracks allowing just enough sunshine to peak through and make for a magical skyline.
I opted for the easy out: “Leprechauns are magical like fairies so you can feel their spirit around you but you can’t always see them.” It didn’t work. We’re at the tail end of “Do you believes” and the Leprechaun answer wasn’t buying me any time. She challenged me on how I can believe things I don’t see or have proof of.
How do we exercise the magical little spirit born from a clear conscience that fades at an age far to young for my liking? Make believe and “Let’s Pretend” games have lost out to apps that distort your voice or change your face into a circus character. We aren’t relying on our imagination when the device is directing us, and many parents feel pressured to push their kids to perform over free play.
I’m never one to give up and continued on about how there is much around us we cannot see but if we just take a moment and wonder, the feeling of hope and faith will win over our mindset and the need for intellectualizing the matter at hand. I explained to my daughter that we don’t always need an explanation when we feel a certain way. The ability to believe in ourselves is important; our thoughts, feelings, actions, and attitude toward the world around us should be enough sometimes. We don’t always need proof.
It was a simple conversation but the base of it was “self doubt.” I knew my daughter was feeling doubt with herself so she was having doubt in everything else around her.
We continued on and looked up at the sky marveling at how it can change in an instant. The clouds had parted even more which made a beaming of light lead straight to a large painted map on the blacktop. It sparked excitement in my daughter and just as she looked ahead ready to race to the playground she stopped. She grabbed my hand firmly. I looked at her concerned and she just pointed ahead without a comment.
Literally the beam of light lead right to a man crouched over the giant map painted on the blacktop. He wore a black old-fashioned suit with big black boots. He slowly stood up and turned slowly as if realizing he had been found. My daughter and I stared at the man – astonished – it was a Leprechaun! No kidding, the man wore a suit too short we could see his boots and ankles. He even had a rounded top hat and a full beard.
We approached slowly; my daughter never let go of my hand. The man stood silently as we neared. I felt the pull of my daughter so I walked away from the map and eased us toward the swings. He watched us and then gave me a wry smile and walked on across the blacktop to the grass.
My daughter and I stopped and turned, both of us silent. Then she looked at me with wonder.
“It’s what you believe, that matters.” … I gave her a smile and she released my hand from hers and bolted to the swings.
Helping your family “Fall Back”
Helping your family “Fall Back!” – Daylight Savings Time ends November 2, 2AM
An extra yawn one morning in the springtime, an extra snooze one night in the autumn is all that we ask in return for dazzling gifts. We borrow an hour one night in April; we pay it back with golden interest five months later.
– Winston Churchill
Before we had kids, I used to love the end of daylight savings time – a wonderfully lazy Sunday morning gift. In that gloriously anticipated hour, I’d sleep late, or indulge in coffee and reading the Sunday paper front to back (yes, back in the day of the paper actually showing up on your doorstep).
As a parent, next Sunday reminds us that there are no more free hours. Instead, we walk out of work in the dark and wake the kids up when their little bodies are telling them it’s still too early.
Your overtired, off-schedule little ones can be a challenge, but take heart: it usually takes less than two weeks for circadian rhythms to adjust. As the family looks forward to a snuggly autumn and winter, here are some tips for “falling back” more gracefully:
- Be consistent. Keep meals and activities schedules in place. Keeping your routine with little standard time tweaks will help ease the transition.
- Get outside. Sunshine is the reset button. When you can get your kids into the sunshine first thing in the morning, their bodies will adjust more easily. No sunshine? No worries. Just seeing the light of day, and the fresh air, makes the moment the perfect wake-up call. Check out this list of 50 ways to get outdoors in your own backyard for some ideas!
- Adjust your schedules. Start bedtime 15 minutes earlier a week as you head into the November 1 weekend.
- Nap. Nap. Nap. If you have young children, watch for signs of fatigue and put them down before they miss their sleep window. Crankiness doesn’t help the transition.
- Give your early risers what they need. For children over four years old, early rising will be an issue. Give them a stack of new library books and an alarm clock. Agree that they must stay in bed until their “wake-up time,” and allow them to peruse their new books if they’re up early or download some FREE coloring pages here. Blackout curtains can help since it will be much lighter in the morning.
- Connect. On Sunday, take advantage of that gloriously anticipated hour to enjoy your family. Take a fall leaf walk in the park before the winter weather sets in. In the evening, enjoy an early dinner, a cuddle on the couch; and an early evening story or movie.
Chipper Family Moments Pamphlet for November! Click here to sign up.
With your child snuggled next to you, reminisce about the good old days where you took that extra hour to sleep in your bed. Free of diaper wipes, stuffed animals, blankies, and shin guards, you could read the whole paper. Today, you’ve got the whole world in your arms.
Chipper Tip: Remember to check your smoke alarm and flashlight batteries when you set your clock back and add a few more canned items or flats of water to your grocery list – you are winter ready!
3 Chipper Tips For Halloween
Why do mummies never reveal their true age? Because they like to keep it under wraps!
Make some fun Recycle Halloween Crafts! Click here for instructions.
Halloween is almost here and is a time where both kids and parents get out the cute or scary costumes, the spooky decorations and the delicious candy for a family fun holiday! Enter our Halloween Contest by sharing your costume ideas or past costume pictures to our Facebook wall! Winner will receive our Chipper Family Moments intro box of fun ideas and activities to connect family.
Click here to enter our Chipper Family Moments Halloween Contest!
Whether you’re Olaf, Elsa or even a scary Vampire this year, Halloween can also be a useful learning experience in both manners as well as safety for your little ghosts and ghouls. Three rules to remember this upcoming Halloween; be safe, be healthy; and don’t forget your manners!
Caution! Witch Crossing.
Help your children be safe by giving them flashlights, reflectors, or glow sticks to help them see and be seen by drivers when crossing the streets. According to safekids.org, on average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year, so make sure they’re prepared, understand the importance of staying on the sidewalks, and are aware of their surroundings. A parent or responsible goblin should always accompany the young witches and wizards and should remind them to only visit homes with a porch light on and NEVER enter the home or vehicle of a stranger.
Happy Healthy Haunting!
Click here for Healthy Halloween Snacks and Treats!
Remembering to keep happy and healthy eating habits with all the surrounding candy can be quite a challenging task. Remind your children how important it is to eat a good meal prior to trick-or-treating and to avoid tummy aches by rationing treats for the days after Halloween; all things in moderation. It’s also very important to sort and check each of the prized candy to confirm no tampering was done. An adult should throw away spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious treats. To promote healthy diets for children, some companies will even buy back the candy from your little ones this year; to find a place near you, check out this website >>>> http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/
I Witch You A Happy Halloween!
Halloween is a great opportunity to practice good manners. Remind your little goblins, ghosts and ghouls not to be greedy. One piece of candy from each house is the general Halloween rule and a nice “Thank you!” at each and every house is a must. Even if the candy choice isn’t a favorite of your little ones, a “Thank you!” is still important and shows everyone how polite and well mannered your young Trick-Or-Treaters really are. Another great way to practice good manners is to remember to stay on walkways and avoid stepping on flowerbeds and lawns. Teach your little minions (or monsters?) to treat each home they approach like it’s their own! What other manners do you teach your kids during All Hallows Eve? Share with us in the comments below or on Facebook!
We just couldn’t resist one last treat – Have A Fang-Tastic night!
Knock! Knock!
Who’s There?
Wanda Witch!
Wanda Witch who?
Wanda Witch you a very Happy Halloween!
