back to top BEST STARTS FOR KIDS Animal Fur Inspired Artworks ​ ​Some of the skills they will likely develop are: increased hand eye coordination increased hand strength and technique mathematical language linked to colour mixing and shades: lighter and darker increased knowledge of colour blending (making grey) creativity and the joy associated with creativity perseverance refining & trial and error processes the ability to plan then create or not plan and create self-esteem & confidence building ​ Some Mathematical Language: blend light lighter lightest dark darker darkest white black primary colour secondary colour Some Language Linked to Materials and Technique collage: paste, stick, piece, cut, trim, straight, curved paint: line, solid, swish, press, hold, acrylic, oil, water pastels: blend, rub, shade Share this page with a friend Refer to Google Images to see different types of animal fur to inspire artworks. ​ ​Draw attention to and discuss different patterns on animal fur Discuss lines as opposed to blocks of colour Discuss colours in patterns and how to create them Substitute different colours yet maintain the same patterns Repeat portions of the pattern to create yet another different pattern ​ N.B. This activity can be done either with acrylic paints and brushes onto any surface or using paper to cut and collage a design ​ Go Back to Activities Gallery Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed, using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

Back to Top SELF CARE FOR PARENTS Giving Up Smoking The fact that you are looking at this section of the website indicates that either you or someone you care about is a smoker. And if that's the case then you're already likely to know that giving up smoking can be really hard. Next Stage 1: I refused to smoke inside my home thus making smoking a little more difficult for me, especially at night. ​ Stage 2: Initially I halved my cigarette intake from twenty a day to ten. I stopped smoking over around five or six months and not straight away. ​ And I found that was manageable. I rarely had cravings, and by spacing my cigarettes over the day I tended to stack the latter part of the day, so I didn't fear I would run out and this worked well for me. ​ Over a couple of months on occasion I might have only had eight cigarettes in a day. And rather than having two extra the next day I still only had ten maximum. Therefore over the period of a week I might have had sixty to sixty five cigarettes. ​ Stage 3: I went from having the possible ten cigarettes a day to only five. Again this was reasonably manageable and I don't recall feeling like I was struggling with giving up. This again continued over a couple of months. ​​Pitfalls ​ Well meaning friends (who were still themselves smokers) offered me one of theirs. They may even said things like "One won't hurt," and it may not have... once. But if I accepted them occasionally I hadn't successfully made the commitment to become a non-smoker so I always replied saying "I'm giving up and I'm doing really well." That way if they persisted they knew they were white-anting my attempts to become healthier. What I found they usually said was "I wish I could give up. I've tried a few times but..." And then they didn't offer me one again. Drinking alcohol is a real hurdle for reformed smokers and I was no different to anyone else. Even after twenty years of not smoking the associated link between alcohol, a cigarette and relaxation and having a good time was strong. I can remember many years after giving up having a few drinks and feeling like a cigarette. But because I knew full well that it would probably have given me the head spins and made me feel sick I didn't succumb. Advantages In addition to the obvious health benefits I thought I might look at the financial benefits of me giving up smoking. When I gave up smoking cigarettes the brand I smoked were around 7 cents a cigarette ($1.40 for a pack of 20) but now they're $1.44 each ($35.95 for a pack of 20.) So assuming we average out the difference between 7c each and $1.44 it works out at an average of 75.5c a cigarette (taken over the past forty five years. I gave up smoking in 1984.) ​ Multiplying out 75.5c x 20 cigarettes on average it would have cost me $15.10 a day. Then multiplying it by 7 days in a week that makes $105.70 a week I had available to use on other things or save. And because there are 52 weeks in a year it would have worked out on average around $5496. That's enough to go on a great holiday, buy a fantastic new wardrobe, pay towards a mortgage, or save. So over a forty-year smoking period, for an average smoker like me (of 20 cigarettes a day,) it would have cost $219, 856 had I continued smoking. I saved approximately $219,856 by giving up. Following on with this, because of the cumulative effects of compound interest, had I invested these savings in superannuation at just a 4% average return over my working life, those weekly savings had the capacity to become the equivalent of a workers superannuation scheme totaling $522,257. ​ I'm really glad I gave up smoking. ​ Share this page with a friend If you're considering giving up smoking it'd be advisable to consult your doctor. They may have many suggestions: including nicotine patches & behaviour therapy designed to make the process easier. And while the following information worked well for me it may not work for you. I am purely sharing what I did, not recommending this is what you should do. In my case I gave up smoking in an unconventional way, without any assistance, after being a smoker for around six to seven years. And while I wouldn't say it was always easy it was relatively painless. And the best thing was I gave it up permanently. ​ I know I did it differently to many others who give up smoking. ​ But it worked for me... So what did I do? Stage 4: I reduced my cigarette intake to three a day which I usually had after meals. And again because I spaced them over the day, it was only a little difficult at times. I managed to have only three cigarettes and no more for the next month or so. ​ During this stage I tried not to hang around in areas where people smoked, which made 'not smoking' heaps easier. Stage 5: I reduced my cigarette intake to one a day which I usually had after dinner and I really looked forward to it. This was probably the hardest stage for me to give up and I kept this habit for another month or so. Stage 6: I took advantage of a situation when fate intervened. One night I had the beginnings of a flu. I was outside on the verandah in the freezing cold and I thought 'What am I doing? This is insane.' And at that moment I gave up. ​ I became a non-smoker and accepted the associated mind shift. ​ But even though I was a non-smoker there were still pitfalls that the unwary could fall into and I know because I fell into many of them. At the beginning when I drank alcohol I'd sometimes still have a cigarette that was offered . However what changed was my attitude towards smoking. Instead of the next day going "Oh well, I had a ciggie last night so now I'm a smoker again," I thought, "I'm a non-smoker who had a lapse. No big deal." And that was what made the biggest difference. It was creating the necessary mind shift to becoming a non-smoker... And I never looked back. DISCLAIMER: This is an approximation only of what I would have saved, and does not indicate what you will save if you give up smoking and invest your money. Also if you're considering giving up smoking, I again remind you it would be advisable to consult with your doctor. ​ Some of the following links may also be useful to you as you take on a healthier lifestyle. Health Savers: NEXT Establishing Healthy Habits Menus & Linked Shopping Lists Timesavers for Healthy Meals Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed, using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top BEST STARTS FOR KIDS How to Get a 3 or 4 Year Old to Listen to You Keys to improving your 3 or 4-year-olds willingness to listen to you: ​ Encourage a healthy relationship so children like being with you and want to listen to you ​ Read to children regularly so spoken language is understood, offers knowledge & enjoyment ​ Cooking, gardening, building things, playing cooperative games all provide excellent opportunities for talking & listening. Talk to your kids about what interests them Look at what's in it for them when they listen ​ Provide predictable routines & expectations which support listening & cooperation ​ Model being a good listener. Get on your child's level whenever possible. Look into their eyes when you speak with them ​ Making requests affirmative, short & age appropriate tells your child what you want. e.g. 'Inside voice please' rather than 'stop running around the house and screaming' ​ If your child is engaged in play use a cue to encourage listening. e.g. a song, music, action to transition to another activity ​ Good listening is based upon respect. To gain respect, be respectful ​ This page provides the following information: ​ Keys to improve your child's desire to listen 10 Tips to develop listening skills LINK: strategies to improve other behaviours At the beginning of a new pre school year, how did I get a group of 25 three and four-year-olds, to stop what they were doing and listen to me, especially when some did not listen to their own parents? I began by looking at listening from a child's perspective. ​ Something you may not have considered... Could listening to you, feel like a negative for a 3 or 4 year-old-child? ​ 1. Could your 3 or 4-year-old feel punished for listening. e.g. Your child is happily playing. But when you talk, you interrupt their game & expect them to pack up. Therefore, listening to you stops their fun and gives them a job. If they don't care about wanting to please you, listening to you can be negative for them. Is there a better way to encourage cooperation, so listening to you can be interesting & fun for your child? Perhaps using rewards when your child uses good listening skills may help encourage better listening behaviour. A reward could be specific praise, an interesting conversation, time spent with them doing something they'd like, a story, a game. What could motivate your child to want to listen? Anchor 1 Anchor 2 Chatting with 3 and 4 year olds helps them understand how dialogue works. I talk: you listen. You talk: I listen. We take turns talking and listening. ​ Daily reading helps improve your child's vocabulary, comprehension, concentration & overall listening ability. ​2. When I talk with 3 or 4 year olds I praise the specific listening skills they're using. e.g. I love: the way you look at my face when I speak to you your steady hands & feet... That's respectful when someone's talking to you. Thank you. you're thinking about what I'm saying. Well done! that you remember what I've asked you to do. Great listening. ​ 3. Because kids are often deeply involved in their activities I often start singing, or use music or instruments to inform 3 or 4-year-olds their activity will soon be coming to a close. Imagine if you started clicking your fingers in a rhythm Click, click, click, click. And saying. I think I'm gon na have fun today. Click, click, click, click. Then add a clap instead. I know I'm gon na have fun to day. Smile big. Clap, clap, clap, clap. By then it's likely your child is looking at you... Are-you read y to have some fun to day? Ham it up a bit. Keep clapping begin to dance. It's likely they're listening to see what's going to happen. If you have to pack up, make it a game. I wond er if we can dance pack up and beat the time r today ? Yeh! Play some fast music for pack away. Then give an instant reward for cooperating so they learn listening works. Is there currently a pay off for not listening? For example: If your 3 or 4-year-old ignores you, they don't pack up. They get to play longer... And if they get away with this, they're more likely to ignore you in the future because they've learnt ignoring you works. Most kids will at least try this because their pay off is a good one. So what do you do? Discussing expectations ahead of time, including play finishing-times, often helps. And if kids aren't willing to pack up (or it's difficult for them to pack up,) they may initially need to play with less toys. If they want a more complex range, that can be a privilege they can earn over time... by following directions. Something to Consider ​ How would you feel if you've just accomplished making something special and your parent asks you to destroy it & pack it away? ​ Could taking a photo of a 3 or 4 year olds accomplishment help them feel better about packing up. Or leaving just the building up to show a parent later in the day. Being respectful encourages respect in return. 4. I comment on any positive listening skills 3 or 4 year olds exhibit before easing them into transitioning to another activity. ​ e.g. I love that as soon as I started to speak you stopped what you were doing, you looked at my face and stood still. Great listening. Do you need to put your thinking cap on so you can remember what I said to you? Let's put it on... I'm going to use my whispering voice today. Can you come closer and hear what I'm saying... 5. I sometimes use made up songs, or chants, to provide directives. e.g. ' I need all the children to come to me. Come to me. I need your company. I need all the children to come to me. It's time to play the pack away game.' And I praised them when they came to me. 6. If I want 3 or 4 year olds to remember instructions like packing their own bags I create a chant with the items I want them to remember. e.g. Get your hand towel, your lunch box, your hat and your bag. Get your hand towel, your lunch box, your hat and your bag. Get your hand towel, your lunch box, your hat and your bag. It's almost time for story... If there's no opportunity to do this I might ask them to repeat my instructions. Then I would praise the things they remembered. (Refer to Early Language Supports Listening below on how to develop overall listening & language skills.) 7. Reinforcing routine expectations with a visual list for transitions to the next activity is really useful, especially for early morning routines. ​ 9. I always use a quiet, calm voice when I speak to children. Quiet voices encourage listening. If they were misbehaving I tell them what I need them to do differently. If required I repeat instructions again but lower my tone. If they don't follow directions I discuss introducing natural consequences and I follow through so they learn I mean what I say. ​ 10. I set up predictable routines. Then children learn what to expect & how best to cooperate. ​ 8. I use a countdown clap to encourage children to complete tasks quickly. I began with I wonder if you can beat our countdown clap. Get ready. Get Set. Go... Five clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap Four clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap Three clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap Two clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap One clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap ​ Then I target the listening skills I'm looking for : Looking at my face, having steady hands and body: Jenny is sitting with her hands steady ready to listen. Benny has his bag packed and his eyes are looking at me. Well done Jack, you were fast today. And that's lucky because today I've got something special to show/tell you... And have something interesting to show or say so there's a pay off for listening. ​ You're the leader of your family. Children will copy what you do. If you listen to others, they're more likely to listen to you. Children will behave as you'll allow them to behave. If you're smart you'll make parenting easier for yourself by making listening to you a positive experience... Then your kids are more likely to cooperate because they know you'll notice and appreciate it... and them. I know these strategies may feel a bit awkward at first. But they're fun for 3 or 4-year-olds. And I found they worked with most children most of the time (even those diagnosed with significant behavioural disorders.) You could trial them, find what works then use them consistently. Why these strategies work is because over time they train 3 and 4-year-olds to listen & cooperate. As kids mature, they need less 'props' to support cooperative behaviour. Something to consider: Good listening supports good communication... And good communication supports good relationships. Early Language Supports Listening Share this page with a friend For specific information on improving behaviour go to the following links: Anchor 3 Sleep Routines How to Get your child to sleep. 4 Ways to Develop Cooperative Kids 4 ways to develop cooperative kids. Child helping her mother do the shopping. Boundaries Help Raise Good Kids Setting Boundaries Why Be Consistent? Consistency, Consistency, Consistency Choosing Gratitude Not Entitlement A girl kissing her father Why Natural Consequences? The Value of Natural Consequences Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top SELF-CARE FOR PARENTS 6 Tips for Saving Money Making Family Life Easy 9 Have you ever wondered if you really wanted to save, what strategies could you use? Try: ​ Paying yourself first ​ Budgeting and dividing your income into five cups according to purpose ​ Paying off smallest loans first ​ Having a spend free month ​ Always asking for the best price ​ Not spending a pink one 1. Pay Yourself First: How would you go if rather than saving what's left over at the end of every pay, you instead paid yourself first. We put 9% into superannuation so we couldn't touch it. Then had our entire pay go into a home equity account so any balance helped pay off our housing loan. We also ensured we saved at least 10% of our net income as a safety net. Or for large purchases: car, furnishings, extensions (save and build,) holidays, etc. 3. The Snow Ball: Paying off my smallest loans first. For example: I pay off my credit card at the end of every month. The next priority after that was when we had a high interest car loan. When it was paid off I concentrated on my housing loan. And if I had my housing loan divided into a larger fixed interest component and a smaller variable component I'd pay the smaller amount off first. Then when that was paid off, I'd use the extra money to pay off the larger one. 5. Asking for the best price on any electrical, jewellery, (sometimes even clothing) I buy. I learnt not to assume online means cheaper. I've been amazed when I go into a shop I can often get the price reduced to between half to three quarters of the marked retail price on expensive items by asking for the best price. e.g. I went shopping to buy a ring on behalf of one of our mates for his wife. I shopped around and ended up getting it for just over half the marked price, saving him over $1500. I've done the same for my son when he was buying a juicer. By asking for the best price I saved him over $180. This Christmas, by going into the jewellery store and asking for the best price, I saved $60 on what was a $159 gift, online. Because I'm always pleasant to shop assistants they'll usually help me get a good deal if they can. And often they know about an even better option I'm unaware of, like a two for one offer or 40 % off starting tomorrow. I'll sometimes ask 'Is there any reduction for multiple items?' Which can be useful if you're buying gifts. DISCLAIMER: N.B. The financial information on Best Parenting Advice.com is what I did and what worked for me. It may not however work for you in your financial situation. For financial advice specific to you and your situation you need to seek advice from a financial advisor or accountant. There are some simple things you can do to save money ​​ 2. Five Cups for Fun: Working out a budget and dividing an income up into five sections according to the priority rating system below: a) Superannuation b). Bills and Commitments c). Necessary Consumables (fuel, food, essential items, etc) d). Savings for Larger Goal e). Disposable Income (treats, entertainment, eating out, new clothing, etc) Ranked in that priority order means savings come ahead of disposable income. Using jars/ envelopes/ separate no fee accounts can be a way of ensuring each section remains independent. A budget is great to inform what is available to put into each category. It might take a few weeks to save up so there's an initial surplus available to cover bills. ​ ​This was one of my son's ideas and it works really well because it gives an added incentive to save. But it also makes him feel better about spending money on himself for a treat because he knows other areas of his life are being taken care of. 4. Having a No Spend Month: Other than absolute necessities such as bills and basic foods after New Year I try not to spend money for a month. Ideas we've used as a family: Ride to work, pack lunch from home, invite friends over for a games night rather than go out, no alcohol for a month, meet at the beach/park for a catch up, don't go to a shopping centre for a month (don't see, not tempted,) use up what's in the freezer, etc. If you do this you'll likely be amazed how much money you previously spent on impulse buys like cups of coffee, takeaways, shoes, clothes, makeup, etc. It may even encourage you to start a regular savings plan . 6. Not spending a pink one. This was one on my girlfriend's ideas and before she knew it she'd saved $625. The concept is, every time you get a five dollar note you put it aside and save it for a 'Large Goal.' Making Family Life Easy 10: Next Share this page with a friend ​For more time, money and health savers go to the following links: Timesavers for Healthy Meals Meals on the Table in Minutes Children's Routines Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed, using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

Back to Top SELF CARE FOR PARENTS Stage 3 Time Saving by Planning Meals Ahead Making Family Life Easy 3 ​ The time and money used for ongoing planning of meals and small shopping trips can be instead used for something more worthwhile: e.g. Home renovations/ housework Education/ self development Fitness Assisting child success Socialising and relaxation: engaging in fun activities that help build relationships Paying off a mortgage much earlier Having savings that would otherwise not exist The creation of choice ​ Online shopping can be a great advantage if you're organized. ​ You may really benefit from using my menu planning system to outsource your biggest monthly shop. I realized if I used the almost three months I saved by not dropping in to the shops and used the saved time for something for myself e.g. exercising or reading, my quality of life was better. Also if it cost me only $5 in fuel to get there that can be an additional cost of $10400 over my working life. And that's a really good holiday. ​ Now while this may sound really pedantic I've used simple data to illustrate that it's the cumulative effects of what I did, on a regular basis, that made a huge difference to our health, finances and quality of life. ​ I can't tell you how many friends and family I've shared my organizational strategies with over the years because they saw how well they worked and asked me for them. Share this page with a friend ​ For those who need meals on the table within minutes of walking in the door click below: ​​ You may be able to congratulate yourself because you know that you don’t waste food; however you may have to drop into the supermarket more often because you run out of something. This usually means a detour of around twenty minutes (at least) by the time you park the car, walk in, locate the items, get through the checkout walk back out, drive home, unpack the car and then unpack the items. And realistically it's likely to take you much longer than that. ​ ​ TIME SAVER: Just for interest sake (one day when I was feeling a little bit too pedantic) I worked out if I didn't stop off at the supermarket, (just once a week,) over my working life, I would spend a minimum of 84 working days less grocery shopping (based on just a 20 minute diversion on the way home.) ​ That's nearly three months of my life. ​ But how often can shopping take much longer? I know this 3 month estimate is really conservative And this 84 days is in excess of the times that I already did the grocery shopping. Now you might be feeling that you don't have the energy to put this meal organization in place to eat healthy and I get it. I felt exactly the same way. But for me the long term benefits far outweighed any short-term inconvenience. ​I also found on days when I was working late, and needing dinner prepared 'super fast,' it posed yet another huge set of challenges for me. If that's how it is for you, I'd suggest looking at 'Healthy Meals on the Table in Minutes.' You may find ideas there before continuing with planning your menu. They address organizational aspects specific to overcoming planning healthy meals when you're arriving home late. The Real Cost of Takeaways And I encourage you to consider the Real Cost of Takeaways. ​ Some of the other links below give insight into what worked well for me. You can use them as is, or as a springboard for your own ideas. ​ Making Family Life Easy 4: Next Meals on the Table in Minutes More Meals on the Table in Minutes More Meals on the Table in Minutes Corned Beef and Corn Fritters Easy Healthy Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed, using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

Back to Top BEST STARTS FOR KIDS Developing Independent Learners 1. I believe the biggest contributing factor to kids struggling at school, is them having lower levels of language than they need, to be able to listen to, and understand, what is being said around them. What factors contribute to differences, between those children who are capable learners at the commencement of school, and those who are more likely to struggle: ​ Lower levels of vocabulary & comprehension than peers ​ A lack of positive learning experiences ​ Immaturity ​ Too much exposure to screens ​ A lack of learning opportunities during play Go to the following links to learn more about language development: The Importance of Early Language Baby playing doctors with teddy Why Introduce Text Early How Children Learn to Make Sounds 2. The second most important thing is having positive learning experiences while young. If a child sees learning as fun, they're more likely to be going to want to be involved in it. If they think they're good at it they're more likely to feel positive about it. ​ It makes sense to me, considering most children are likely to spend between eleven and thirteen years of their life, in some form of school setting, to stack it, so they experience success from the start. ​ It's unfortunate but language delays, vision issues, hearing issues that are undetected can impact upon a child's learning and in turn affect their attitude to learning. 3. Maturity is another factor. ​ Gaining confidence takes time. And confidence is built upon many positive learning experiences. By exposing your children to positive early learning experiences they become more engaged in the world around them. ​ Reading readiness and school readiness have a big impact upon how well a child will transition into a school environment. ​ Share this page with a friend 4. Limiting your child's exposure to screens while they're young ​ By engaging in their own learning children become active rather than passive participants. While young brains are being wired up its recommended by Australian Department of Health Guidelines that children under two years have no screen time. And that children from two to five years of age have only one hour of recreational screen time a day. From five until seventeen the maximum is two hours a day. 5. Providing learning opportunities in play settings. ​ Young children learn best through play. But it's also surprising what young children may find fun. I've watched young children want to sweep paths like their dad does, or readily engage in cooking activities or gardening. Children can learn a lot by making it a game. ​ For more ideas go to the following links: ​​ ​ Step By Step: Next 'A child's mind is not a container to be filled but a fire to be kindled.' ​ Dorothea Brande Developing a Love of Learning Developing a love of learning Learning Maths Incidentally Creating Strength Based Kids Creating Strength Based Kids. Girls involved in science and technology. Managing Behaviour Well Diffusing difficult situations Fostering Gratitude Not Entitlement Fostering Gratitude Not Entitlement 4 Ways to Develop Cooperative Kids 4 ways to develop cooperative children Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. It highlights what successful parents do differently to those who struggle. Best Parenting advice.com provides free online resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice on: how to give kids a best start in life, better tips for parenting toddlers, effective child rearing strategies, behaviour management tips, successful goal setting and organizational strategies for successful families, easy family dinner recipes, self-care tips for time-poor parents and free kids learning games. The aim of Best Parenting Advice.com is to provide quality practical parenting tips and advice to best help children and families succeed, using the convenience of a website. ​ This website provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. Best Parenting Advice.com does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or with every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this website to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Similarly users of this website are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. Best Parenting Advice.com is an independent website and is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top EASY HEALTHY RECIPES EASY FAMILY DINNER RECIPES: BEEF Easy Chorizo Sausage Pasta Ingredients ​ 2-3 chorizo sausages 1 large onion diced 1 400 gram tin crushed tomatoes 1 garlic glove 30 grams butter ​ Optional: 1/2 sleeve finely chopped fresh basil and 1/2 sleeve chopped fresh oregano ​ Option 2: 1 cup grated cheese ​ ​ Method Put pot of water onto boil. Add a kettle of boiling water to make it boil more quickly. When boiling add pasta. Cook for 10 minutes or alternatively follow manufacturers instructions Melt butter in saucepan Add onion and fry until transparent (4-5 minutes.) Add garlic and cook for one additional minute Add chorizo sausage to onion and garlic and cook until browned. (Alternatively I often place a sheet of foil on the griller and cook until chorizo until brown as it reduces the fat content. (I would normally add basil and oregano here and cook for one minute) Add crushed tomatoes and stir through Cook until basil and oregano are soft. At least for another minute or two. Drain pasta and put into large casserole dish. Serve immediately as is or for Option 2 add grated cheese Heat in oven for five to ten minutes until cheese melts Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Tasty Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Breakfasts easy healthy breakfast baked eggs and beans delicious Easy Tasty Cakes and Desserts peanut butter fudge Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Fish Recipes salmon easy healthy fish recipe Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes chicken, pea and rice casserole delicious and easy to make Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes More Easy Healthy Beef Recipes best ever corn and corned meat fritters Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want best practical advice on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. One of the best pieces of parenting advice to help support healthy cooperative families, is to provide regular nutritious meals, eaten together as a family as often as possible. Best parenting advice provides a range of quick and easy family dinner recipes supplied by busy working parents. These are the recipes asked for: because they taste great, they're quick and easy they're family friendly and they're foolproof. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

FUN READING GAMES Reading Game 2 Although the games are different and can be used for revision purposes at any level, you will need to work through them each in order to access the words used, as the learning is sequential and cumulative. Reading Game Cards Assessment Sheet To continue with Fun Reading Games click on the next level link below. For other fun games click on one of the other links below. Level 3 Micey Dicey Game Fun Phonics Fun Maths Games Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want the best practical advice possible on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. The best parenting advice regarding creating engaged learners is to make learning as much fun as possible. That's why games work best to revise new information. Children practise skills over and over in play situations, yet aren't even aware they're doing it. Best parenting advice.com provides many examples of quick and easy games to help develop both early reading and maths skills. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top EASY TASTY RECIPES Quick & Easy Cakes & Desserts Easy Vanilla Icing by Renae Ingredients 250 grams cream cheese 100 grams butter 500 gram packet icing sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla ½ packet chopped walnuts ​ ​ Method: Put all ingredients in the microwave, sifting icing sugar and heat for 1 minute Mix together. If butter is still a little firm heat for a little longer and mix until all ingredients mix together easily Once muffins are cool, ice with Renee’s Icing and sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: More Easy Tasty Cakes and Desserts easy tasty cakes and desserts lemon slice delicious Easy Healthy Soups East Healthy Fish Recipes easy healthy fish dinner recipe salmon mornay Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes yummy drummy easy healthy chicken dinner recipe Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want best practical advice on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. One of the best pieces of parenting advice to help support healthy cooperative families, is to provide regular nutritious meals, eaten together as a family as often as possible. Best parenting advice provides a range of quick and easy family dinner recipes supplied by busy working parents. These are the recipes asked for: because they taste great, they're quick and easy they're family friendly and they're foolproof. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top EASY TASTY RECIPES Quick & Easy Cakes & Desserts Five Minute Butterscotch Sauce by Debbie Ingredients 30 grams butter ½ cup brown sugar 150 ml (½ carton cream) Method 1. Melt butter on low heat in a saucepan 2. Add brown sugar and stir through butter until all sugar had melted; continuing to stir until brown sugar has dissolved 3. Add cream and stir through, cooking for an additional minute, ensuring that mixture does not boil 4. Serve with banana cake, or sticky date cake and ice cream for an easy dessert Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: More Easy Tasty Cakes and Desserts easy tasty cakes and desserts lemon slice delicious Easy Healthy Soups East Healthy Fish Recipes easy healthy fish dinner recipe salmon mornay Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes yummy drummy easy healthy chicken dinner recipe Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want best practical advice on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. One of the best pieces of parenting advice to help support healthy cooperative families, is to provide regular nutritious meals, eaten together as a family as often as possible. Best parenting advice provides a range of quick and easy family dinner recipes supplied by busy working parents. These are the recipes asked for: because they taste great, they're quick and easy they're family friendly and they're foolproof. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

Back to Top EASY TASTY RECIPES QUICK & EASY BREAKFASTS Timesaver for Old Fashioned Lemon Pancakes for a family of four Ingredients 1 ½ cups plain flour 1 ½ cups milk 3 eggs beaten Additional lemon cut into wedges. Sugar to taste Method Mix plain flour and eggs together Add milk Using a ½ cup measure, slowly pour batter onto a flat full sized sandwich maker griddle until it makes a circle approximately 6 inches across (15 cm) Close the sandwich maker Cook for approximately thirty seconds or until cooked Remove pancake using an egg flip and place it onto a dinner plate Serve: Add lemon wedges Sprinkle the top of the pancake with sugar and squeeze lemon juice over Eat immediately Repeat the process for subsequent pancakes ​ Variation: You can add a variety of nuts and berries to make the recipe more healthy ​ HINT: You can maintain the same ratio of twice as many eggs as you use for flour to milk to make smaller or larger quantities Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Breakfasts Best Ever Lunch Box Story Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Fish Recipes Easy Healthy Chicken recipes Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want best practical advice on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. One of the best pieces of parenting advice to help support healthy cooperative families, is to provide regular nutritious meals, eaten together as a family as often as possible. Best parenting advice provides a range of quick and easy family dinner recipes supplied by busy working parents. These are the recipes asked for: because they taste great, they're quick and easy they're family friendly and they're foolproof. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.

back to top EASY HEALTHY RECIPES QUICK AND EASY DINNER RECIPES: VEGETABLES Deb’s Best Pumpkin Salad Ever Ingredients 1 butternut pumpkin diced into 2.5 cm cubes 1 red onion thinly sliced 1 packet feta cheese diced into small cubes 1 packet pine nuts (toasted under the grill) 100 grams semi-dried tomatoes 1 tin of chick peas rinsed and drained 1 packet baby spinach 1 packet mixed salad ​ Dressing 2 heaped tablespoons wholegrain mustard (medium heat as a minimum) 2 tablespoons honey Lemon juice from one lemon Olive oil 1 tablespoon Method Either roast pumpkin on a sheet of baking paper in the oven drizzled with olive oil until soft or to reduce time; boil pumpkin for 10 minutes in the microwave on high. Drain. Char in horizontal grill Add red onion to grill and char Combine feta cheese, pine nuts, pumpkin, semi-dried tomatoes and onion together before adding baby spinach and mixed salad. Toss ingredients together Put all dressing ingredients into a bottle and shake well. Pour over dressing just before serving ​ Serve with other salads or eat as a lunch. It's perfect for a BBQ through to being good enough for a Christmas lunch. HINT: Using the microwave or flat grill reduces the time by about an hour Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Breakfasts Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Best Ever Lunch Box Story best ever lunch box story Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Fish Recipes Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Back to Top Best Parenting Advice.com is a high quality parenting website designed with child and family success in mind. This site provides free resources for busy parents who want best practical advice on: effective child rearing strategies, easy healthy family meals, self-care tips for time-poor parents and fun learning games to help best educate children while also encouraging positive relationships within the family. One of the best pieces of parenting advice to help support healthy cooperative families, is to provide regular nutritious meals, eaten together as a family as often as possible. Best parenting advice provides a range of quick and easy family dinner recipes supplied by busy working parents. These are the recipes asked for: because they taste great, they're quick and easy they're family friendly and they're foolproof. ​ This site provides examples of what worked for me over decades and you are welcome to use these ideas as you see fit but you do so at your own risk. This site does not provide any guarantee that this information will work in every circumstance with every family or every child. It is your responsibility as a user of this site to ensure that you adhere to any recommended safety suggestions either implicit or explicit on this site and supervise your children while playing any games suggested. Best Parenting Advice.com is not affiliated with any other groups, clubs, religious organizations or educational systems. Best parenting takes time. The best parenting advice ever is simple: Do your best, don't give up and love your children, no matter what.