How to Get Your Children Ready for the Real World

 

 

As mothers, we want the best for our children, and we can help them prepare for the real world so that they can carve out brighter futures for themselves. By getting your children ready to face the challenges of life, you’ll be doing them a great service that can be beneficial for them throughout their years. Here are some of the best ways to prepare your children for the real world.

Teach the Importance of Saving Money

Saving money is important for people of all income levels, and teaching your children the value of a dollar from an early age will help instill good spending habits. You should show your kids by example how saving money can provide a greater sense of financial security. This money can be used for emergencies or to cover any other unexpected situations.

Capitalize on Personal Talents

Your children may possess certain skills or talents that can get them far in life. If your child shows natural proficiency in a certain school subject or excels at a particular sport, you should encourage your son or daughter to get further involved in that area of life. You may also want to look into some singing opportunities for teenagers if you have an older child who’s musically inclined. Children who have special strengths often work with mentors to get advice and keep moving in the right direction.

Let Them Fail

Of course you want your kids to be successful, but success is usually only achieved after many failures. You shouldn’t be afraid to let your children fail as this can help them learn from their mistakes and make more progress toward accomplishing their goals. Failure can sometimes take a toll on a person’s self-esteem, so just be sure to be there to offer support during times when your children feel particularly discouraged.

Work on Communication Skills

Communicating is an essential component to functioning in the real world, and teaching effective ways of self-expression can be advantageous for your children. Having strong communication skills will be especially important during times of heated discussions when emotions run strong. Learning how to communicate effectively will also help your children in their careers and personal relationships. If you have a child who has communication challenges, you should consider seeing a specialist who can help with these obstacles.

Instill the Value of Hard Work

Hard work can pay off in many ways. If your children want to earn a lot of money, land the perfect job or get into the best college, teaching them the value of hard work from an early age will help them fulfill their dreams. Your children are also likelier to become more productive members of society if they’re willing to start working hard while they’re still young.

The real world can sometimes be a daunting place, but you can make your children feel securer and more confident about navigating throughout life by preparing them from an early age. Getting your children ready to face the real world is one of the most important roles that you’ll have as a mother.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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Jasmine Disney Princess Subscription Box Review from Pley.com #pleyandlearn

                                                       *This post contains an affiliate link

 

I just received the new Disney Princess subscription box from Pley! This month’s princess is Jasmine. The box transforms into The Sultan’s palace–it’s magical! It’s loaded with goodies just like the other Disney Princess Pleyboxes. There’s an activity book with a story and all sorts of activities that your little one will enjoy. A very pretty T-shirt, Pop keychain, and jewelry box with a necklace and magic lantern earrings — all fit for a princess! Your kids will have hours of fun with the Princess Jasmine scratch off and painting pages that are also included in this fantastic box! The total contents of this box would easily retail for over $45, but they sell it for $22.99! Each box contains 4-6 items that your little princess is sure to love.

My 9 year old daughter was super excited to check out what was in this box. She could not wait to take everything out and play!!

Here is what was included in this month’s box:

  1. Jasmine Long Sleeve T- Shirt (MSRP: $15.00)

  2. Jewelry box with Jasmine necklace and magic lantern earrings (MSRP: $15.00)

  3. Jasmine Pop keychain (MSRP: $7.99)

  4. Princess Jasmine Painting pages (MSRP: $5.99)

  5. Princess Jasmine Scratch Off pages (MSRP: $5.99)

  6. Activity Book + The Sultan’s Palace crafting activity (MSRP: $10.00)

 

 

As you can see, it came with many cool Jasmine themed items for my daughter to enjoy. Now lets talk about each item.

Jasmine Long Sleeve T- Shirt: Some of the boxes come with apparel. When you sign up for the box you can let them know what size your child is. I am so happy that Pley.com offers bigger sizes. My daughter is a size 10 so they sent a Disney brand size 10/12 which fits her perfectly! It is long-sleeved so it is perfect for the winter weather right now.

Jewelry box with Jasmine necklace and magic lantern earrings: This set is so cute! It comes with gold-plated earrings for pierced ears, and a beautiful gold Jasmine necklace. Keep them together in the adorable metal jewelry tin when you are done wearing them.

 

Jasmine Pop keychain: My daughter is very into the “Pop” series of characters. This box comes with a Jasmine Pop keychain. Perfect for putting on your backpack or playing with it as a little doll/figure!

 

 

Princess Jasmine Painting pages: Just grab a paint brush and you are set! These painting pages are awesome and not messy! Each page (12 pages) comes with a set of dry paint right on them. Get a cup of water and a paint brush and this is perfect for traveling or doing at home. 

 

Princess Jasmine Scratch Off pages: What child doesn’t love scratch offs? 2 magic scratch offs are included along with a stylus, so fun to scratch and find out what picture will turn up!

Activity Book + The Sultan’s Palace crafting activity: Each box you receive comes with an activity book filled with fun stories and activities based around the themed princess. It also comes with instructions on how to make your crafting activity!

 

My daughter was super happy with this subscription box. The items are high quality, and I love that the box can turn into a palace so there is no extra waste. This box would make a great birthday gift, anytime gift, or the holidays will be quickly approaching!

 

Click here to order your box! 

 

Connect with Pley: Facebook   Instagram    Twitter   Pinterest

 

*I am a member of Pley’s VIP Influencer Program. All thoughts are my own. 

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

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Valentine Doodles

Last year I attended middle school art class. I work at a k-8 school and had to take a few students to art. Everyday the teacher had students draw a doodle. She would take ideas from WhatchamaDRAWit Game. I was inspired to start doodling.

I searched Pinterest and YouTube channels and found some fun doodles from both. I’ll attach a few favorites from Pinterest at the bottom of this post. I picked some fun Valentine’s Day Doodles since it’s February. I am also attaching some of my own doodles. Don’t judge! I have never been good at drawing or art but with practice…

I also like to add doodles to my chalkboard wall in the kitchen.

I found Doodles by Sarah on YouTube and subscribed to her channel. I really enjoy her videos. They inspire me to doodle more! Here is a video from last year, Valentine Doodles.

 

 

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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Steering to Success – 5 Tips for Purchasing the Right Car for You

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Purchasing a vehicle can be scary, especially if it is your first car, but it doesn’t have to be. They say there is a vehicle for everyone and this could not be truer. Often times, people who are unhappy with their car did not take time to find the right car for them. When it comes time to make a purchase, you do have a couple of options and those include purchasing the car outright, receiving one of the many options of car loans from Latitude, or leasing the vehicle.

No matter what, do know that it is okay to take your time when choosing a car. Your decision does not have to be made overnight and you do not need to feel pressured when at the dealership. If you do, politely let the salesperson know how you feel or let them know that you would like some time to think about the purchase before you commit.

Continue reading below to learn more about how you can purchase the right car for yourself.

Determine What Your Needs Are 

You could probably create a laundry list of items that you would love to have in your vehicle if asked to. Before you settle on just one car, you should sit down and think about both your current needs and your future needs.

For example, one of the biggest mistakes you could make would be to choose a two-door vehicle when you plan to have a large family soon in the future. Instead of the hassle of trading in your car and finding a new one, think about your needs now and in the future, as this will eliminate any stress later.

Know Your Budget 

Your budget is one of the most important aspects when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. You do not want a car payment that is more than you can afford, and you do not want to forgo so many features that you are unhappy with your purchase either.

Think about what you can reasonably afford. There are many monthly car payment calculators out there that can help you.

What’s the Purpose of Your Vehicle? 

Purchasing the right car for you means that you need to evaluate what you will use your car for. For example, if you know you need to tow around large pallets to and from work, then a coupe or sedan would not be a wise choice. In this instance, a truck, van, or SUV may be a better choice.

However, if you only need to move around from point A to point B, then you can likely choose a smaller vehicle without the worry that it will not be large enough.

What Type of Fuel Economy Do You Desire? 

Fuel economy is another big deciding factor. Will you be travelling to and from work? What about school? How far away are those places?

If you know that you will need to travel for work or personal reasons, then you may want to evaluate which vehicle would save you the most on gas.

Take it for a Test Drive 

Lastly, if you do not like the feel of your vehicle, you will not want to drive it. You should take any vehicle you are interested in on a test drive to see how it feels to you. Sometimes, vehicles may look nice, but the driver’s seat may be uncomfortable for you.

Don’t Just Settle for the First Vehicle You See 

Yes, there will be vehicles with affordable price stickers and others loaded with features you would love to have, but this does not mean that they will meet your needs.

Before you settle on any one vehicle, you should make sure that it is right for you. With the five tips above in mind, you will soon be on your way to owning a wonderful new car.

 

 

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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How to get your family ready for vacation

Going on family vacation is a brilliant opportunity for you and your loved ones to escape the demands of daily life. It should be the perfect chance for you to reconnect as a family and to create memories that will last a lifetime. However, failing to have a clear plan in place will make it extremely difficult for you to relax. Instead, you will be forced to deal with everything at the last minute. It will send your stress levels skyrocketing and could undermine your entire experience. If you want to prevent this from happening, you will need to work through the following steps.

Plan your family outfits

When you are deciding what to pack for your family getaway, you should make the most of the opportunity to purchase some treats. Why not splash out on a couple of new outfits for you to enjoy on a night out? You could also purchase some new and exciting clothes for your family members. It will provide them with an incentive to get packing and to take pride in their appearance. You could plan a family outing to your local mall or save time by visiting Nicki’s online store to find quality items.

Prepare for the climate that you are visiting

Another important step is to prepare for the climate that you are visiting. If you are traveling to a cold location, you will need to invest in thermal pajamas, purchase hand warmers, and bring along plenty of layers. Alternatively, if you are exploring a warm climate, you will need to take bug spray, sunscreen, linen clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat.

Think up activities to enjoy in your hotel room

During your vacation, it is vital that you get out and about as much as possible. You need to interact with the local community and keep your eyes peeled for any sites of natural beauty or cultural significance. However, it won’t be possible for you to spend all your time outdoors. That is why you should think up plenty of activities to enjoy in your hotel room. It will prevent your family from becoming bored and arguments from breaking out. If you are struggling for ideas, why not talk to your hotel reception? Perhaps they have an indoor games room that you could enjoy. Or maybe they have a selection of second-hand books that have been left behind by previous guests.

Purchase a scrapbook or photo album

Finally, you should think about how you are going to document your travels. Before you set off, why not purchase a scrapbook or photo album? If you decide on the former option, you should also invest in craft materials that will come in handy when it is time to decorate your pages. It would also be an excellent time for you to evaluate your family camera and consider an upgrade. If you are enjoying a once in a lifetime experience, it is vital that you can document them effectively.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

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