Back to School Items to Be Had For Cheaper

If you are looking for a while to save money this fall then try cutting back on what you spend on school supplies. Your kid will always have some kind of advice for you on what they think you should buy but if you need to save money then you should do a bit of homework of your own before you start spending. In fact you will soon find that there are some things you do not need to buy.

For instance, many kids want a whole new set of pencils, crayons or markers when they still have perfectly good set left over from last year. Check their old schoolbags and the closets to see if they have a full set; items like this do not have to be replaced every school year.

When it comes to pens all you really need is a blue and black ink. Do not splurge on a full set of color pens as most teachers do not allow tests or essays to be written in red, green, pink or any other colors at all.

Other items that you may not need to replace are calculators, tape, scissors and pencil cases. Usually this stuff is in a desk or in last year's b ask-to-school backpack. If they must have a new pencil case keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to buy one. You can recycle another type of zippered pouch, like an old make up case and use it as a pencil case as well.

You probably don't have to buy your kid yet another novelty pencil sharpener. These sharpeners can be cute and colorful but no kid really needs one. This is because most classrooms are equipped with their own pencil sharpeners.

Your kid might also be asking for a new 'back-to-school' wardrobe. This is not a mandatory rule; it is a tradition invented by clothing stores. Be sure to search through their closets and see what still fits and what still can be worn. If your kid wants something new show them a way that they can wear the jacket or shirt so it looks new. This also treats them to be creative and thrifty when it comes to shopping for clothes when they are older.

The only time you need to buy your kid a new lunchbox is if they have somehow outgrown it. You do not want your kid to be carrying one that has graphics that can be too young for it.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , , ,

How to Get Your Toddler to Eat Healthy Foods

If you can get your toddler to look forward to meals and sit still and eat then that is half the battle towards establishing healthy eating patterns in the child for the future. Most toddlers are very messy and distractible so this is always a big challenge. Be sure to invest in a good bib, a high chair that is easy to clean and a floor mat. It is also advisable not to wear your best clothes while feeding toddlers. They have been known to throw things!

Toddlers should also not be forced to eat. This makes them think that eating is all about control. Instead be gentle, friendly and offer the toddler food. Let him or her make the decision about what is going to go in the mouth.

It is okay to encourage your baby to play with his or her food. You can cut the food up so that it is attractive and looks like sticks, trees or other fun shapes. You can even get little plastic cookie cutters for making shapes out of soft foods. Making little landscapes or faces out of foods by arranging them in certain ways on the plate is also appealing to them.

You should also not use food as a bargaining chip to get dessert or play time. Food should never be used as a punishment or a road. This can lead to eating too much or disorders like bulimia and anorexia later in life.

Never shame your child at mealtimes. You never want your baby to associate meal time with stress. This could make the baby avoid eating. He or she could end up being overweight or have emotional issues around food.

Be sure to keep your mealtimes twenty minutes or shorter. Do not try to keep a toddler who will not stay in a chair there. They simply will have an ego struggle with you. They do not have the attention span to learn real discipline at this age.

You should also resign yourself to the fact that a toddler's appetite will simply not be the same very day. They also do things like binge on one food, like bananas, for days on end and then refuse to eat anything. Do not worry. Your toddler is probably not going to be malnourished unless it goes on for weeks on end. It is normal for them to be temperamental eaters.

Parenting Tips
, , , , , , ,