back to top EASY HEALTHY RECIPES QUICK AND EASY DINNER RECIPES: VEGETABLES Quick and Easy Lentils by Anne Maree ​ Quick and Easy Lentils would have to be one of the quickest meals to make ever... And it tastes terrific. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion finely diced 5 rashers bacon cut into 1 ½ cm pieces 2 tablespoons mild curry paste 2 400 g cans brown lentils 1 810 g tin crushed tomatoes 2 cups frozen diced vegetables 2 handfuls fresh chopped coriander ​ Method 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan 2. Add diced onion and diced bacon and cook until onion becomes transparent 3. Add 2 tablespoons mild curry paste and cook until it becomes fragrant 4. Add frozen vegetables and cook for approximately two minutes 5. Add 2 tins brown lentils (you don’t need to drain it) 6. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for half an hour or until it becomes reasonably thick 7. Add a handful chopped coriander ​ Serve with white rice and steamed vegetables and sprinkle with chopped coriander Share this recipe with a friend My Favourite Recipes 7: Next For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: Easty Tasty Cakes and Desserts easy tasty cakes and desserts sour cream and apple slice by Sue delicious Delicious Healthy Pork Recipes delicious easy pork dinner recipes sang choy bow Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes easy healthy lamb dinner recipes baked kibbeh Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Fish 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 HEALTHY RECIPES EASY FAMILY DINNER RECIPES: BEEF Debbie’s Mexican Steak This Mexican Steak recipe freezes well. It's versatile and can also be used for Enchiladas, Chilli Con Carne or Beef Nachos. ​ I always keep at least one lot in the freezer in case unexpected visitors call in. Then I can have a meal on the table in 15 minutes from when they walk in the door. ​ This recipe pretty much cooks itself. Ingredients 2 large pieces of chuck steak 1 onion diced 1 can Mexican chilli beans 1 can refried beans 1 teaspoon minced chilli 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon garlic 2 Massel beef stock cubes ​Method Put diced onion in the slow cooker first Add two pieces of chuck steak Add all other ingredients over the top and cover Cook for approximately six hours on a medium heat or until steak begins to come apart easily Remove steak from pan and shred it with a fork. Remove any excess fat Place shredded steak back into slow cooker and mix through other ingredients Cook for approximately half an hour so that ingredients mix through Serve with Honey Salad and Turmeric rice or as filling for tacos My Favourite Recipes 11: Next 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.

back to top BEST STARTS FOR KIDS Playing at the Playground or Park ​ ​Some of the skills your child will likely develop are: overall development of gross motor skills ability to walking on different surfaces and inclines, ability to balance climbing techniques refining processes increased hand eye coordination increased hand strength increased agility increased confidence increased risk taking ability improved posture increased levels of physical fitness riding a bike Some Language Linked to Playing in a Playground climb: over, under, through, beneath, behind, in front, higher, lower line up: make a line, behind, in front, move forward, next to, beside, turn taking: before, after, nearly, time is up, change over, completed, finished, begin, start, your turn, next, later ​ Check out how many opportunities physical activity provides for the use of prepositions Some Social Skills Linked to Playing on Outdoor Equipment turn taking ability playing safely engaging in onlooker play and copying perseverance the ability to follow rules of a child directed game sharing space self-esteem and confidence building social skills: cooperating to play a game enjoyment encouragement of others learning to accept differences in abilities ​ For more ideas on language, behaviour and conceptual development go to the following: ​ Confidence Builds with Skill ​ For more Ideas to help build your child's skill levels return to: Things to Do With Kids ​ Back to Things to Do With Kids Fostering Gratitude Not Entitlement Fostering gratitude not entitlement How to Best Read a Book Proximal Development is Important 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 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. 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. 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 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. Similarly users of this site are advised to follow any recommendations for seeking professional advice as all information on this site is generic. 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 HEALTHY RECIPES QUICK & EASY DINNER RECIPES: WHEAT Chicken, Sour Cream & Chilli Pizza Ingredients For Topping ½ BBQ chicken 2/3 cup sweet chilli sauce 1 packet pine nuts 1/2 bag baby spinach 1 250 gram container of light sour cream 2 diced spring onions 2 large Pizza bases or Lebanese Bread (Pizza dough takes forty five minutes in the Bread maker) ​ ​For Pizza Base In bread maker add the following ingredients in order 400 ml water 2 tablespoons Olive oil 2 teaspoons salt 5 cups bread flour 3 ½ teaspoons yeast ​ ​ ​Method For Pizza Base Press dough cycle on your breadmaker When cycle is finished, usually around 45 minutes remove and halve quantity and roll out on a floured board Place pizza base on baking paper on a tray or a well greased tray and add following topping. Cook for twenty minutes or until topping begins to turn golden brown HINT: You can substitute commercial pizza bases or Lebanese bread for the following recipes ​ ​​Method for Topping Cover the pizza bases with sweet chilli sauce Sprinkle spring onions over the top Place small chunks of chicken on the top of the pizza Place spinach leaves over the top Sprinkle pine nuts over the top of pizza Bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven (180 degrees in fan forced oven) Remove from oven and add dollops of sour cream on the top ​ Serve immediately ​ ​ Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Fish Recipes salmon easy healthy fish recipe Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes chicken, pea and rice casserole delicious and easy to make Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts easy healthy breakfast baked eggs and beans delicious Easy Tasty Cakes and Desserts peanut butter fudge Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes More Easy Healthy Beef Recipes best ever corn and corned meat fritters 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.

back to top EASY HEALTHY RECIPES EASY FAMILY DINNER RECIPES: BEEF Retro Cabbage Rolls Ingredients 1/2 cup white rice 500 grams good quality minced beef 1 onion finely diced 1 tablespoon mixed herbs 1 440 g tin of tomato soup 2 medium sized grated carrots 1 medium sized grated zucchini ​ ​ Method 1. Combine rice, mince, diced onion and mixed herbs together 2. Place mince mixture in the middle of cabbage leaves and wrap leaves completely around it in a roll 3. Put cabbage rolls into into a greased oven proof dish 4. Pour a large tin of tomato soup over the top 5. Completely cover with foil and cook for 1 hour on 160 degrees Serve as is Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Tasty Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Fish Recipes salmon easy healthy fish recipe Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes chicken, pea and rice casserole delicious and easy to make Easy Pasta and Pizza Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts easy healthy breakfast baked eggs and beans delicious Easy Tasty Cakes and Desserts peanut butter fudge Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes More Easy Healthy Beef Recipes best ever corn and corned meat fritters 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.

back to top EASY HEALTHY RECIPES QUICK & EASY LAMB DINNERS Easiest Slow Cooker Chilli Lamb Shanks This is one of my two favourite winter lamb recipes and it's super easy to make. ​ The lamb literally falls off the bone. Ingredients 2 onions cut into wedges 6-8 lamb shanks 1 large tin Ardmona crushed tomatoes 1 heaped teaspoon minced garlic 1 heaped teaspoon minced chilli Method Cut onion into wedges and add to the slow cooker Add lamb shanks Sprinkle minced garlic and chilli over the top of lamb shanks Pour tin crushed tomatoes over the top Cook in slow cooker on high for four hours Stir through by rotating the shanks within the slow cooker and their position within the cooker Repeat the same process every two hours Remove from slow cooker when the lamb shanks begin to come off the bone Serve on top of mashed potato and pour tomato mixture from the pan over the top and fresh green beans, yellow squash and carrots HINT: You need to stir it through every few hours otherwise the shanks on the top tend to dry out a little and are not as nice My Favourite Recipes 6: Next Share this recipe with a friend For more Easy Healthy Recipes go to the following links: More Easy Healthy Lamb Recipes easy healthy lamb recipe lamb shoulder slow baked delicious Easy Healthy Chicken Recipes easy healthy chicken recipes Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Easy Healthy Breakfasts Best Ever Lunch Box Story best ever lunch box story Easy Healthy Soups Easy Healthy Fish Recipes Easy Healthy Beef Recipes Easy Pasta and Pizza 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 FREE FUN LEARNING GAMES Fun Maths Games For 1st and 2nd Grade 5-7 Year Olds Children need to use concrete materials to develop a good understanding of mathematical concepts before they start substituting real things for visual representations or moving onto more abstract Maths. The following free fun learning maths games devised for 5-7 year olds can be played in isolation or revised as you see fit. There are also gradations of difficulty within each game. ​ Best Parenting Advice provides high quality information designed to develop high level skills in children. You can learn as little or as much as you wish. ​ The Fun Learning Maths Games Page helps parents identify the concepts and mathematical language they could be using while playing the games to make the learning experience as rich as possible. Scroll Down to see Fun Maths Games or if you know the game you want click on the links below More or Less First to 30 Largest Number Wins Add It Go Tables Beanbag Maths Addled Flash Lowest Wins Countdown Make 10 Between 1 and 100 ​ MORE OR LESS More less FIRST TO 30 First to 30 Choose a range of small coloured items from around the house. Guess which colour is the most common. Approximate the number of items. The winner is the player who either guesses the amount correctly or gets the closest. ​ ​ Roll one die. Count the number of dots. Put a counter on that number on your caterpillar. The next person rolls their die, counts the dots and puts a counter on the corresponding number on their caterpillar. ​ Player 1 rolls the die again and counts the number of dots. They add that number onto the number on their caterpillar. HINT: See if they can bank the number they already have and count on using their fingers to guess where they will be up to on the caterpillar. Check as they count along their caterpillar. ​ The process is repeated until someone gets to number 30. You can make this more difficult by making them roll the exact number to finish. ​ To make it more difficult you can also subtract from thirty to zero. ​ LARGEST NUMBER WINS Largest GO TABLES my favourite game of all Go Tables This is a great game for travelling in the car. ​ Make the largest number from the group of numerals on a number plate of the vehicle ahead of you. e.g. above DAZ 69 becomes 96. ​ You will notice the skill you are trying to establish is greatest number first, smallest second. ​ This game can be adjusted to include older siblings. As your child gets better at this game you can make the smallest number instead or use more than two numbers. e.g 749 would become 974 ADD IT Add it 4 1 2 9 5 This is one of the best games I've known for revising tables. To begin you write down the numerals from one to twelve around a circle similar to the clock face below, in random order. Then write 2x or 5x in the middle depending on which table you are wanting to revise. This is a great game for travelling in the car. ​ Make the largest number from the group of numerals on a number plate of the vehicle ahead of you. e.g. above 1 + 8 + 8 = 17 ​ The winner is the one that ads the numerals together the quickest. First to five and then start another round. 6 12 2x 11 3 7 8 BEANBAG MATHS 10 Bean bag ​ You start the stopwatch. Beginning at the one position on the clock (where the star is) give just the answer to each number as quickly as possible going clockwise around the clock. For example 2x9 is 18 so you say 18. You continue around the clock until you reach the twelve o'clock position. You stop the stopwatch and see how long it takes you. The next player takes their turn and times themselves. The winner is the person who completes the circle in the least amount of time. If someone makes an error they need to repeat their answer correctly then continue. ​ I've recorded an example of the clock face below to help you. You will notice the speed with which you go round the clock face will improve rapidly. Get the whole family involved and see how much you all improve over a week just playing five minutes a day. Draw a series of six different sized circles on concrete. Put numeral 1 inside the largest circle, 2 in the second largest repeating the pattern until 6 is in the smallest circle. ​ Children take turns throwing a bean bag (or stone) one throw at a time. They have the option to throw lots of smaller amounts or go for the smaller circles containing higher numerals. ​ They add each of their scores together. The first to thirty is the winner. ADDLED Fold a piece of A4 paper from top to bottom (in half,) then half again, (into quarters.) ​ Open the page back out. Fold the page into thirds across the page. ​ You should end up with 12 squares on the paper. This is called the recording board. Get your child to record the numerals 1 through to 12 one in each box. ​ Repeat the process for your own scorecard. ​ Player 1: Throw two dice and add them together. Record the total by putting a coin or counter on the numeral representing that total on their numeral board. For example: 3+5 = 8. Put a counter on the 8. ​ Player 2: Throw two dice and add them together. Record the total by putting a coin or counter on the 2nd numeral board representing that total. ​ Repeat until the first player has five numerals covered. ​ N.B. If you already have that number covered you don't get to record a numeral that go and it reverts to the next players go. FLASH Put a group of dominoes face down on a table. ​ Player One picks one domino up and flashes the face to the other player for one second. ​ Player Two guesses how many dots there were altogether on the face of the domino. ​ Player One turns the face over and checks the number of dots. If Player Two was correct they get the domino. If not it's removed from the pile. ​ The process is repeated as Player 2 flashes their domino. ​ The winner is the first to five dominoes after both players have had equal turns. If there is a tie continue until one player misses. Addled Flash COUNTDOWN Countdown LOWEST WINS Lowest wins The best die to use are numeral die but as children become more proficient they will know five dots represents five instantly so you can use dots instead. ​ Player One rolls two die and makes the lowest numeral possible. e.g. 5 and 4 can be recorded as either 54 or 45 (45 being the lowest) ​ Player Two rolls two die and makes the lowest numeral possible. ​ The lowest number scores a counter. ​ The winner is the first to five counters. Begin with twenty counters each. ​ Roll a die. Remove that many counters from your pile. ​ Repeat the process for Player 2. ​ The object of the game is to have no counters left. ​ You can make the game longer by insisting the correct number has to be rolled to go out. E.g. If a player has five to go until they're out they would need to roll a five on their die to finish the game. ​ MAKE TEN Make Ten Roll a dice. How many more do you need to make ten. Take that many counters from a pile. ​ Repeat the process for Player 2. ​ The object of the game is to be the first to thirty counters. You can use the caterpillar scorecard to keep score or alternatively get your child to put their counters into equal length rows of ten. Then it's obvious when they have three equal rows totaling thirty. ​ ​ ​ BETWEEN ONE AND A HUNDRED This is a really easy game to play in the car and it's highly effective for children revising learning the numbers through to 100 Player 1: Picks a number between one and a hundred. Player 2: Tries to guess the number they feel could be the correct one. Player 1: Says 'higher' or 'lower' depending on if the correct number is higher or lower than their guess. Player 3: Using the additional information they try to guess the number they feel could be the correct one. Player 1: Again says 'higher' or 'lower' depending on if the correct number is higher or lower than their guess. ​ All players continue to repeat the process until the correct number is found. ​ Between 1 and 100 For More Fun Games go to the links below: Fun Maths Games 7-8 Years Fun Phonics Fun Reading Games 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 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 HEALTHY RECIPES Easy Healthy Rice Recipes Rice is one of the least expensive meals you can provide and most people love it. Lorraine's Easy Vegetable Rice Rice Paper Rolls by Bronwyn Rice paper rolls, easy delicious, clean cuisine, low calorie Deb's Brown Rice Pie Anne Maree's Easy Mushroom Risotto Easy Pumpkin Risotto by Anne Maree We're trialing more recipes Back to Top Share these recipes with a friend 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 BEST STARTS FOR KIDS Things To Do With Kids At Home Self Isolating During a Pandemic: List 2 If you could make a wish, how would you like self-isolation to be remembered by your kids. During self-isolation your kids need you, as parents, to be the leader of the house... and they need you to lead by calm example. ​ If you aim to make 'Iso' as positive an experience as possible, you're more likely to achieve it than if you expect it to occur all by itself. ​ To avoid kids getting white wall fever providing a variety of activities will help : Some active, some passive. Some challenging, some relaxing (or easy.) Some creative, some chores. Set up some common sense rules for 'Iso' To Make Your Home a More Pleasant Place To Be 1. Explain the importance of cooperation and everyone needs to do their part. Use the analogy about how everyone is staying home for the greater good. Well cooperation is for your family's greater good and explain why it is important. ​ 2. Maintain clear boundaries for behaviour and explain what is expected ahead of time. Manners are free and help oil the machinery of happily interacting families. This is an opportunity to follow up on some behaviours that may have slipped due to busy lifestyles. And model manners yourself. 3. M aintain some normality getting dressed, teeth cleaning, hair brushing, regular showering, etc. Kids will live up to or down to your expectations. Make a Pyjama Day the exception, not the rule. ​ 4. Consistently acknowledging cooperative behaviour, where ever possible, and rewarding it is likely to increase it. What you notice you'll get more of. ​ 5. Relax and have a bit of fun with your kids. There are heaps of activities you could do. Check out the galleries and links. *Threading or Sewing Threading an assortment of beads, pasta, leaves, etc Making Numerical Amounts Making numerical amounts using an abacus *Playing Fun Maths Games Lots of free fun maths games Making Your Own Story Book Making Your Own Story Book Playing Family Board Games *Playing Fun Reading Games Fun Reading Games designed for practicing high frequency words Constructing Using Recyclables Using recycled materials for construction Creating a Puppet Show You can create your own puppet show from scratch Gardening Together Growing your own food with your kids help during a pandemic is an excellent way to show your kids how food goes from plant to plate Painting Concrete With Water Children love to paint concrete with water and it can keep them occupied for a long time Making Animals From Cardboard You can create a variety of animals from paper plates or egg cartons Simply Playing Chasies Playing Chasies is a great way for kids cooped up inside to let off steam Matching Games: Bingo or Memory Playing Hospitals Creating Roads To Follow Locating Hidden Treasure Using Maps Building With Electronics Reading Challenges Share This Page With a Friend Things To Do With Kids List 3 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 Best Ever Corn & Corned Meat Fritters If you love great corn fritters this will likely become become your new go to corn fritter recipe. It's that good! Over years, when dining out for breakfast, I usually ordered corn fritters. So over years I became a corn fritter expert. And I knew where to get the best ones. I tried to analyse what was in the great ones to recreate them at home. And after numerous attempts at refining my own recipe, I've finally nailed it. Without a doubt, this recipe is the basis for the best corn fritters I've ever had. Sometimes I add the corn meat, other times I don't and they're great either way. And it's not just me who loves them. ​ ​What is also great about these corn fritters is, any left-overs can be stored in the freezer, for feeding unexpected guests within minutes. To successfully store, place baking paper between each fritter. Then wrap fritters tightly with plastic wrap in groups of 6-8. It's that easy! ​ I love this recipe for when I have to feed a large group because I make the corn fritters ahead of time. You can successfully reheat corned meat corn fritters, by laying them singly on baking-paper-lined trays in the oven. But if you're pushed for time you can simply microwave them. ​ The corn and corned meat fitters recipe is the second most popular recipe on this site. ( Kay's Best Ever Gherkin Cheeseballs is the most popular. We've had over 280 people in a day accessing this recipe alone.) ​ Enjoy! Ingredients 3x 440 gram cans sweet corn kernels 3x 440 grams creamed corn (optional) 4-5 one cm thick slices of HOME STYLE CORNED MEAT diced into 1 cm pieces 6-8 spring onions spring onions finely diced 1/2 cup coriander leaves diced 2 cups plain flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 4 large eggs 4-6 tablespoons Olive oil for frying Method 1. Combine diced corned meat, spring onions, 3 cans sweet corn kernels, 3 cans creamed corn, coriander, eggs in a bowl. 2. Add ground fresh pepper and salt ​ ​THE SECRET BETWEEN FLUFFY CORN FRITTERS AND FRISBEES: This next step is what makes the difference between good corn fritters and tough ones: ​ 3. SIFT the flour and baking powder together and FOLD it into the corn mixture. Mix the least amount possible for the ingredients to be combined. I usually use a spatula or flat bladed knife. Over-mixing makes corn fritters tough. ​ 4. Heat the Olive oil in a frying pan until when you test with a drop of the liquid, it sizzles 5. Add ice cream scoops full of corn fritter mixture to the oil, flattening each one a little, to ensure similar size and thickness 6. Fry until the fritters begin to firm. Turn over. 7. When both sides of the fritters are golden brown remove from pan and drain on absorbent paper 8. Keep warm in the oven or serve immediately ​ Serve with rocket, grilled tomatoes, slices of avocado and sweet chilli relish or chilli jam ​ Share this recipe with a friend It's that good they'll love you for it. You may like to check out some more of my favourite recipes below. "My Faves" are all great recipes for families. For example: How can you simultaneously feed a large number of people perfect eggs without being stuck in the kitchen away from guests? Click on the "My Faves" link below to learn how: My Faves 2: Easy Eggs & Beans For more Easy Tasty Recipes go to the following links: Easy Healthy Breakfast easy healthy breakfast 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 Easy Healthy Beef Recipes beef rolls delicious and easy 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.

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 BEST STARTS FOR KIDS Tool Kit 2: Managing Difficult Behaviour Setting Boundaries ​The keys to improving behaviour is building the relationship and setting boundaries: ​ Both parents need to discuss which rules are most important and enforce those first Both parents present a united front to explain new expectations of behaviour. Do this even if children live in two households Both parents need to be consistent in reinforcing these expectations, every time ​ Both parents remain calm, reinforcing new expectations by using praise and natural consequences ​ Both parents spend positive time with the child building the relationship ​ This page provides the following information: Reasons kids misbehave Ways to set boundaries of behaviour For other behavioural issues go to these links: TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL KIT: 2 Pushing Boundaries: Anchor 1 Children Often Misbehave for the Following Reasons ​ They want to exert their power ​ If they're really pushing it and want to run the show, let them have a turn at being the boss. Swap roles. Because what comes with being the boss... is all the responsibility. This means: house cleaning, gardening, meal preparation, washing, folding, earning money, grocery shopping, etc. Let them experience what really 'being the boss' is like for a couple of hours. ​ Explain that you're trying to 'let them be a kid' for as long as possible, because with the privileges of being an adult, comes all the responsibility. ​ When they decide being 'the boss' isn't so much fun after all, make them aware they're not an adult, they're a child. Children need to learn what to do from their parents. That's why you're telling them how to behave... And from this point on you'll both be expecting them to behave. If kids are continually pushing boundaries some of the most likely reasons could be: ​ They want to exert their power ​ They've learnt they can get away with disobeying the rules sometimes, so it's worth the risk. Or t hey've learnt to play the gap between parents ​ There have been times when being rude/cheeky has worked. They've been funny and you've laughed ​ They're being disrespectful and not listening to what you say ​ There are no significant consequences for bad behaviour ​ Being 'good' is not important to them ​ They're getting lots of attention for doing the wrong thing ​ 2. They've learnt they can get away with disobeying the rules some of the time... so it's worth the risk ​ At some time they've learnt they can get away with not doing as you ask. So they're just working on the law of averages... You're busy. They might be getting away with not doing as you ask, much more than you realize. e.g. not keeping bedroom tidy, not unstacking dishwasher, not raking the leaves, etc ​ They play the gap, especially if they know the parents are in disagreement. Parents need to communicate and present a united front. If there is disagreement ensure it's not in front of children who are inclined to exploit it. 3. Your child may like getting attention for being funny ​ It can only take once to set up a new behaviour so if your child says something rude, for example, if you must laugh, walk away. Laugh with friends later on, but not in front of a child who likes to be disrespectful. ​ Most kids will try swearing. If they get a huge reaction (particularly laughter) they're going to link swearing to attention. A more sensible approach might be calmly explaining that it's not nice to swear because it makes people feel bad. ​ If your child is becoming an attention-seeking 'clown' reduce their contact with a supportive audience. This could involve making it difficult to see friends you'd consider bad influences. ​ 5. There are no consequences for bad behaviour: ​ They've learnt they don't need to follow the rules. (T he younger the child, the easier this is to fix, so start earlier than later.) ​ Introduce natural consequences for poor behaviour. Go to Why Natural Consequences to learn how to do this successfully. Natural consequences show kids the way the world really works. ​ Maintain boundaries of behaviour consistently. Go to The Importance of Consistency. And both of you be consistent, every time. Even when it's easier to let it slide. ​ 6. Being good isn't that interesting to them. There's not a big enough pay off for them to do as you ask: ​ They've already learnt they don't need to follow the rules. ​ Build a more positive relationship so what you think, matters more. ​ Reduce privileges in line with their levels of behaviour. Let them earn privileges rather than just be given them. Go to Fostering Gratitude not Entitlement ​ ​ 4. They're being disrespectful and not really listening to what you have to say. ​ Follow the strategies from Toolkit 1: Managing Difficult Behaviour ​ Train your child to listen to what you've said by asking them: ' So what do you understand I need you to do?' Clarify expectations. Get them to repeat them. Then you both know exactly what's expected. ​ As they improve their ability to listen and follow directions well, praise them. Lay it on thick at the start. And be specific. ​ 7. They're getting lots of attention for doing the wrong thing : Maybe the best kid in the family position is already taken by a sibling, so these kids get their attention for being challenging ​ Doing the wrong thing gets noticed more than doing the right thing in your family. To turn things around, flood praise onto those doing the right thing ​ Share this page with a friend 1. Set the rules. Explain them clearly. ​ 2. Flood your family with praise for every good thing they do and be specific about it. Notice the good in everyone. ​ 3. Parents back one another up. Be consistent every time kids break your rules. Be clinical... give minimal attention. Use natural consequences to reinforce limits ​ 4. Spend positive time together building your relationship: reading them stories, kicking a ball round the back yard, cooking, playing games, hanging out together, etc so you have more credit points with them. Then, what you think, will matter more to them. I've seen really entrenched difficult behaviour turned around within six weeks. But things usually begin to improve within a week. ​ Give yourselves a reward for maintaining your commitment. ​ The key to success is building the relationship. Steps To Relationship Building 1: Next Anchor 2 Anchor 3 For specific information on improving behaviour go to the following links: Why Be Consistent? Consistency, Consistency, Consistency Choosing Gratitude Not Entitlement A girl kissing her father Boundaries Help Raise Good Kids Setting Boundaries 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. 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.