With firework stands popping out like gnats on a rotten banana, in preparation for our country’s celebration of its freedom, I got to thinking about that word, “freedom.”  Patriotism is really all about being grateful that we live in a free country.

Freedom and responsibility go hand-in-hand and it’s up to us to raise responsible citizens of our free country. I remember my mom saying, “Raising children is like holding the reins on a fine horse. If you give the horse too much slack, it’ll run wild, pull back too tightly (being too strict) and it won’t go forward.”

The 4^th of July was a big deal to my mom and she instilled such a love for my country in me. As an American, I asked myself, ‘why am I patriotic? I came up with these 5 tips. Hey, I figure if they worked on me, they could probably work on any kid.

7 Ways to Avoid Meltdowns

Just the thought of your children throwing a fit in public can cause you to have a meltdown. Relax, mamas, it’s normal for kids to have meltdowns, they’re part of growing up. However, even though meltdowns are normal, don’t let them become the norm. If children are allowed to throw fits, without your disapproval and consequence, they will learn to use that negative behavior to get their way. You are the boss. Here are my 7 ways to avoid meltdowns.

You don’t have to have read my blog, Children Will Listen (Part One) before you read this blog, but you won’t want to miss it, as it’ll help you communicate with your children in two very interesting ways. Here are some more talking tips I’ve found helpful as a mom and a grandmother.

1. You Listen

If your children are shorter than you, as often as you can, when they have something to tell you, kneel down or sit down together so you are on the same level and can really pay attention. After all that’s what you want your children to do when you have something important to say. I suspect adults who are unable to have eye contact in conversation, probably were not listened to as children. (Just my guess, but something to think about.)

Have you ever noticed that kids talk way more when they’re in the car with you? I think it’s because everyone is on the same level. Car listening is a great way to find out what your children are thinking, so limit their use of headphones in the car and listen.

Children Will Listen (Part One)

2 Ways It’ll Happen

Something happened yesterday that prompted me to write to you about getting kids to listen. Shannon, my next-door-neighbor, brought her two young children, Rachel, age 11 and Connor, age six over for a visit. She’s teaching them to converse with adults outside of family. We covered many topics from the Viet Nam War and my husband Terry’s loss of three buddies, to music, to Flylady and me being organized.

Connor, a typical six-year-old, started getting fidgety about fifteen minutes into our conversation. Sliding down onto the floor as his mom went on about how far behind she was with the housework what with soccer, school projects, track and a million other kid-related activities taking up her time, Connor was obviously not interested.

Rachel told us about how her desk at school is always organized and that she just comes by being organized naturally. She told that she’d offered to help a friend organize her messy desk but so far the friend hadn’t accepted.

After a stint of quiet squirming on the floor, Connor got back up on the couch and onto his mom’s lap like a puppy that’s getting too big to be held. Obviously bored, but never interrupting the adults, or his older sister when she had the floor, Connor, finally asked his mom if he could go home.

Politely he said goodbye and thanked us for having him over and headed out the front door for home. Shannon and Rachel stayed and talked another half hour.

Did you hear that American Way (American Airline’s inflight magazine) is featuring the House Fairy this month? The House Fairy is flying high on this news and she prompted me to celebrate such wonderful publicity by making this handy dandy tip sheet for you mamas who fly. With vacation time here, and if flying is in your plans AND you’re taking the kids with you, here are what made my top ten list for happy flying. . . short of drugs. 

I know which one is my favorite, which one is yours?

1. Be Prepared                    

Designate a carry-on as the entertainment bag. Keep what’s in it a secret, bringing out surprises as the trip goes. Busy kids are happy kids. Bored ones have the ability to terrorize everyone on a flight, including you.

• books
• notebooks
• pens
• crayons
• coloring books
• Ipad with favorite movie 
• Kindle

Children have very small ear canals and when the cabin is pressurized tiny ears can hurt. Chewing sugarless gum can help and once the jet is air bound it isn’t needed. 

3. Let it Suck              

Nurse during take-off, or have a binky ready. I don’t think I’ve ever taken off without hearing an infant screaming because his little ears hurt. Sucking helps.

4. Turn Bedtime into Fly-time        

Matching PJs don’t just have to be at Christmastime. Deck your whole family out in new jammies for the flight. You’ll crack up the flight attendants as well as fellow passengers. Tell your kids you get to have a pajama party on the plane. You may have a hard time sleeping on a flight, but I’ve never met a kid on a red-eye that wasn’t asleep and I’d love to see a fun-loving family dressed for bed on a red-eye.