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You won’t catch them wearing dresses or the color pink. Nor will you see them playing with dolls, holding pom-poms or splashing makeup on their cheeks. Instead, you’ll find these girls hanging with the guys, jumping on skateboards, playing sports, shopping in the boys’ clothing sections and retaliating against all things girly. So what are parents to do when their daughter is a … tomboy? First of all, relax--and welcome her with open arms.
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tagged with: Raising Girls
Tomboy
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Adults can have a huge impact on a child’s view of service. I grew up around people who freely gave their time to serve others, and it has undoubtedly affected my thoughts and attitudes about volunteering. Some of the ways I was introduced into the world of service may help illustrate how the youngest of children can get involved in meaningful ways and carry their experiences into adulthood.
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tagged with: Volunteering
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After potty training, one of the hardest things to teach your children can be to think of others before themselves. Yet it is also one of the most important things parents can teach children. As they grow up, they need to learn to serve others.
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If you’ve been tiptoeing past your child’s bedroom door, afraid to peek inside, you’re ignoring one of the crucial steps in the back-to-school dance: getting your kids organized. You can certainly benefit from these timely tips from Kansas City’s top pros.
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tagged with: Clean Bedrooms
Organization
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A mother shares her story of adoption. Two young boys left hardships in Ethiopia to become members of a loving family in Kansas City.
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tagged with: Poem
Poetry
Parenting Poem
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“Be still, or no story,” I told the boys. Their freshly scrubbed faces looked up at me in anticipation as they settled down under their covers. I’ve loved stories since my father told bedtime stories to my brother and me when we were preschoolers and I thought back to one of my favorites.
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If you’re sighing in frustration while your child is laughing hysterically, it’s possible potty talk is to blame. Read on to find out how to help put an end to this common behavior.
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tagged with: Potty Talk
Discipline
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Placing siblings in a shared bedroom is a big deal. Space within the house is freed for other purposes, but now your kids are expected to share a room that is often seen as a place of refuge.
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tagged with: Siblings
Sharing a Bedroom
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Downtime seems to have become a forgotten art in today’s busy, activity- and technology-driven world. Not only are children overscheduled with activities, but everywhere they go, technology follows.
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tagged with: Quiet Time
TopPicks
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Becoming a responsible adult is not something that happens overnight. It takes time to build the character qualities that are essential to being a conscientious, dependable adult. Beginning to teach those qualities at a young age is crucial.
We’ve all had children point the blame on someone else, rather than face the consequences that come with decisions. Megan DiLonardo, preschool teacher at Blue Jay Junction at Liberty High School, notices this behavior as young children start preschool. She utilizes a program called Positive Behavior Support to help emphasize responsibility to young children.
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Ever wonder why TV is called the boob tube and not the Education Machine or the Idea Generator? Parents must take the lead in their child's television viewing habits. But how?
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According to the U.S. Department of Education, involvement in extracurricular activities does improve a child’s quality of life. But as we all know, too much of anything can be harmful, and many children today are being pushed into schedules that are busier than their parents’ full-time jobs. Where exactly is this push coming from?
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What Could Go Wrong when Daddy is left in charge?
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Making new friends can be difficult for new moms. How can you find and meet your new mommy best friend? Here are five great tips for making friends in Kansas City.
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tagged with: Mom's Groups
Meeting Moms in Kansas City
Making Friends
Making Mom Friends
Mom's Night Out
Finding Mom Friends
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One mother shares her amazing adoption journey.
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tagged with: Adoption
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Hands up if this sounds familiar: Your son fashions his morning toast into a pistol, taking aim at his sister, who’s quietly dressing her Barbie doll. He can’t sit still; her wardrobe is 90 percent pink. You wonder how this happened; you thought you’d raised them the same way. Do our kids tumble into prescribed gender stereotypes no matter what we do? And is that all right? Despite what seem to be predestined gender roles, parents do have options—and we should exercise them, say experts, to help our kids become well-rounded adults.
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tagged with: Gender Roles
Parenting Girls
Gender Stereotypes
Parenting Boys
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We’ve all been there: Trying to get out the door in the morning while the kids are still in their pajamas, wolfing down the last bites of the cereal you first told them to eat 30 minutes ago. Or trying to rush everyone to bed, but one is still finishing homework, one refuses to pick up the toys and the other has been “brushing his teeth” for 20 minutes. It’s maddening and makes even the calmest and most collected parents resort to yelling and threatening, which rarely get results. So how can we stop the stalling? Here are a few tips from local moms that may work for you!
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tagged with: TopPicks
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Young children often require so much attention it can be easy to forget the importance of one-on-one time with your older, more independent kid. With a little planning, it can be fun and easy to help your older child feel included. Katrina Ball, child care resource and referral manager from The Family Conservancy says, “Spending time one-on-one with the older child (not just the oldest) is crucial because it reaffirms the special bond that you have with your child.”
Kansas City moms also chime in to share the unique and fun ways they have found to make time for their oldest.
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tagged with: Siblings
TopPicks
Birth of a Baby