Juggling Writing with Children

It's hard finding time to write when you have three little children at home.  As soon as I sit down to write one of them either want something to eat or need a diaper change.  Not to mention I have to keep my house clean, do laundry and make dinner.  I'm working on a Young Adult novel called "Whispers in the Dark" and my plan is to finish it by the end of the summer as I will be attending McMaster University part-time in September.  Any chance I get I jump on my laptop and continue to write, but I make sure I don't neglect my children.  Usually I write a little in between meals or at night after the children have gone to bed.  I have a lot of television shows that I enjoy watching, so thank goodness for DVR.  As long as I write a little bit every day, it will get done.  I will persevere!

My Next Book!

  

I'm currently working on my first Young Adult book and I'm so excited!  I have written five children's books but I want to write a different genre.  I enjoy reading Young Adult books, so I decided to write one of my own.  Stay tuned!

Summer is Coming!

   

It's that time of year again!  The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up and the sun is shining, so it’s time to bring out the sunscreen.  Last week I organized our shoes to make room for our summer shoes. It's time to go through my girls' closets and drawers and remove the winter clothes to make room for the summer clothes.  I have three girls so this might take a while :-)

I don't really have to buy summer clothes for my younger girls because they get all the hand me downs, but I'll have to go shopping for my oldest one.  Of course, I still buy my younger girls new clothes too once in a while.  I like it when my girls match, so I try to buy them the same thing :-)

Are you ready for summer?

Children Chewing Gum

   

At what age should you let your child chew gum? I guess it depends on the child.  When children begin eating solid food they are taught to chew and swallow, but gum doesn't work that way.  I don't feel comfortable giving our children gum until they understand the concept of chewing without swallowing. 

Our five year old has asked us for gum many times, but I'm always worried that she will swallow and choke on it. She's almost six years old, so one day she tried a piece and she liked it.  She told me that she didn't swallow it and that she put it in the garbage.  I was relieved, but I'm not in a rush to go out and buy her gum.  Our four year old tried gum once and she didn't like it.  I think she's still too young to understand how gum works.  

Gum can be a choking hazard, so don't give your children gum until they're old enough.  Be patient and when they're ready you will know. 

 

 

Cleaning Up Toys

   

It's a good idea to encourage your children to clean up their toys.  It will teach them to take care of their things and become organized.  If they start playing with a toy and decide they want to move on to something else, remind them to clean up first so you don't end up with toys all over the floor.  Easier said than done right?  This isn't always easy, especially if you have more than one child.  Most young children have a short attention span, so they quickly go from one activity to another.

To help your children learn to clean up their toys you should be their role model.  If your children see you picking up toys and putting them away they will want to do the same.  I'm constantly picking up toys in our house, but our children have started doing it too.  Our five year old is a very good cleaner.  If we ask her to clean up her toys she does it and sometimes we don't have to ask.  If I comment about the mess she'll start cleaning up.  Our three year old usually does what her older sister does.  While I'm cleaning up the toys I explain to them what I'm doing.  For example, our three year old has a habit of colouring with washable markers and leaving the lids off of them when she's done.  I always remind her to remember to put the lids back on them because they'll dry out and won't be good anymore.  We usually sing a cleanup song while we're cleaning up to make it more enjoyable.  It's also a good idea to give them a warning ahead of time.  For example, you can say something like "five more minutes and then it's time to clean up."  This way they're prepared and they know what you expect from them.

Happy cleaning!

 

Children and Nail Biting

    

There are probably a number of reasons why children bite their nails.  They can be bored or anxious about something.  Maybe it's just a habit they picked up.  Children find ways to deal with stress and nail biting is common.

Our five year old is constantly biting her nails.  Sometimes she bites her nails so bad that her finger tips are sore.  My husband bites his nails too, so she could have learned it from watching him.  She recently changed schools and had to make new friends and get used to a new teacher.  She seems to like her new school and friends but it's a different environment, so that might be a trigger. 

We always advise her to stop biting her nails because we don't want her to hurt herself.  My husband and our daughter are trying to help each other break this habit.  Whenever she sees him bite his nails she tells him to stop and vice versa.  We don't punish her or nag her as that will probably makes things worse.  When she is ready to stop biting her nails we will be here for her.

What do you do when you're nervous? 

Being a Big Sister

 

Being a big sister is a huge responsibility because you have to set a good example.  Your little sister is always watching you and wants to do everything you do.  She looks up to you and wants to be like you.  That's why it's important to be a good role model.  

Our five year old is very playful with her little sister.  They fight like normal siblings, but they are very close to each other.  Being a big sister also means helping your little sister when she needs it.  Our five year old is always willing to help our three year old.  It could be something as simple as helping her with a zipper or helping her play a game on the computer.  Both of our girls like to help their baby sister.  If she cries they'll give her a toy or her pacifier to make her feel better. 

Being a big sister does not mean you should boss them around.  You should always consider their feelings because even though you're older, you're equal.  Give your little sister unconditional love and avoid being a bad influence.  Respect her and keep in mind that she mimics you because she admires you.  Remember, friends come and go, but sisters are forever.

Four Reasons it's Important Children Learn How to Swim

 

My husband and I started taking our girls for swimming lessons at a very young age.  In my opinion the younger they start the better, but it's never too late to learn.  My husband's parents have a pool, so we always thought it was important that they knew how to swim.  Here are four reasons it's important that children learn how to swim:

Safety 

It only takes one second for a child to fall into a pool so if they know what to do it can save their life.  Obviously you should never leave your child unattended at a pool, but accidents do happen.  I feel better knowing my children know how to float on their back and are comfortable being in the water. 

Confidence

Our three year old has become a lot more confident in the water.  When we first started taking her swimming she was very nervous.  Over time she became more comfortable in the water.  The more she went and the more she learned, the more confident she became.  Now she can float, jump in the water and isn't afraid to put her head under the water. 

Physical Activity

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise.  It's important for children to be active with a well-balanced diet to stay healthy.

Social Skills

Children have the opportunity to interact with other children and learn how to share, take turns and respect each other.  They also learn how to listen to the instructor and follow instructions.