If you’re struggling on your shopping this holiday season, then try making lists and put them in categories. It makes things a lot easier to buy when you know what you’re looking for.  Instead of just buying things and more things, give each present a purpose. If you have kids, this would be a great way to get your shopping done. Check out these tips!

1. Something they WANT. This is the item that could be the Santa present or the big item that they want.
2. Something they NEED. Think sports or school.
3. Something to READ. Get the newest book or even a subscription to a fave magazine.
4. Something to WEAR. Get your kids a new outfit, including shoes if needed.
5. Something to DO.  Give a ticket to a movie, museum, play, or a family trip.
6. Something for the FAMILY. This could be a board game or new movie.
7. Pajamas for Christmas Eve. This is a tradition that a lot of people have.

1. Attend their special events. Whether it be a school play, soccer game, tumbling competition, karate or swimming meet, these events matter to your kids. Make it a priority to attend them- and try to be early. While there try to make eye contact when you are there so they know you are watching. Put that phone away and really enjoy these events.
2. 5 Minute mornings/after school and bedtime routine. I’ve heard that the most important times to spend with your kids are the 5 minutes in the morning when they first see you, the 5 minutes after school when they see you and the last 5 minutes before bed. Are you on your phone or distracted at these times? Try to change and really look them in the eyes and talk with them. See if it makes any difference.
3. Plan date nights. If you have more than 1 kid, then you’ll know how hard it is to spend 1 on 1 time with each kid. Pull out your calendar and schedule a date with your kids. This 1 on 1 time is so great to talk about life and see if there are any concerns they have or celebrate their triumphs. Kids love these special times. Be sure to put your phone away when you are on the date!
4. Put your phone away. These days we do everything on our phones. We check our emails, text, calendar, social media and even do our work. Most days our phone usage is out of hand. When the kids are home and around you try to put your phone down and look at your kids in their eyes. Have a real conversation instead of you looking down at your phone and not fully looking at their cute faces.
5. Eat dinner together as a family. I’ve heard so many people say how important and fun it is to have a family dinner each night. If you can’t do that because of your busy schedule, then maybe it’s time to simply your life and make this happen. Is there something you can do during the day so that you have your dinner time available for a meal together? Do you need to change the meal time so everyone can meet together? Meal times are a time when you can talk together as a family, siblings can laugh and catch up with each others’ day, parents can hear all of the triumphs and maybe some hard things. Make the time and you’ll see the rewards.

How is your summer going? Ours is going really well. However, as we get closer to the middle of summer the kids tend to gravitate towards more screen watching and less reading. So I’ve come up with 5 ways to get the kids learning that is NOT on screens. These ideas may be a little out of the box, but I love teaching them in different ways.

1. Visit Grandparents or Older Neighbors and learn about their history. Kids these days don’t take the time to actually listen to the elderly and hear what they have to say. If you take the time to actually listen, they have a lot to say. You could go with questions to ask like – what was going on in the country when you were in high school? What chores did you do when you were the kids ages? Think about what you want to learn from them.
2. Visit a Museum. During the summer we often think about going to waterparks and swimming. Do you think about exploring a museum near you? Check out Groupon and see what deals they have available. My kids learn so much from museums and really enjoy learning.
3. Surround your Kids with Educational Books. I’ve found out that when I have books in key places around the house, the kids will pick them up and read them more often. Do you have books in the car? Or, what about in the kitchen area? Think about where they tend to congregate and put some books there. It’s also important to go to the library often and keep new and interesting books around. They will start reading!
4. Creative Time. Do you actually carve out some day during the day to have some creative play time? I know we are always go go go, but why not slow down and give them the TIME to use their creative brains? Grab a few items like play-doh, molding clay, paper, markers, even cardboard and duct tape! The kids can create some amazing thing if we give them the time and option.
5. Nature Walks. We go to a lot of parks, but what about nature walks or even hikes? I found out that if we are on a walk, my kids tend to talk more to me. We have really great conversations when we are outside and away from distractions. Give it a try!