Wear Gratitude On Your Sleeve...Or Onesie!

Sorry we've been gone so long.

We're still here...still nesting.

Normally, this is the post where I would say

New Month, New Rule but not this time. 

 

There's been a lot of change in our household these last few weeks.

We're still adjusting to our status as a Family of Five.

 

With the start of school also in sight, I decided some more attention to

GRATITUDE was in order for us.

 

Today, Kevin is sporting our Inspirational Art for September.

 Baby + Onesie + Fabric Markers = CUTIE:-)

 

We're feeling grateful this month. How about you?

Everywhere I look...gratitude.

I LOVE when I focus on an idea and then start seeing said idea popping up everywhere I look. Our focus on gratitude has been no different. Gratitude is just blooming all around me, even in my inbox.

Check out the following article I received from MindBodyGreen on how to raise Grateful Kids. I picked it just for you!

7 Ways to Raise Grateful Kids in an Over-Entitled World

Direct Link: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-21086/7-ways-to-raise-grateful-kids-in-an-over-entitled-world.html

Happy Mon-Yay!:-)

August Rule

 

Those cheeks, those eyes and that little mouth!!  Oh, the many wonders

of a new baby. Tiny hands, teeny tiny toes and when I close my eyes,

there is still that delicious scent. I AM IN LOVE.

There is nothing like the discovery of a newborn, in your arms, all yours.

This month, as we revel in the slowdown that comes with having

a new baby in the house, we are counting our blessings big and small.

August's rule is all about gratitude...

WEAR GRATITUDE ON YOUR SLEEVE.

Happy Friday:-)

Oh, Baby!

Sweet News To Share...WE HAD A BABY!!!

 

KEVIN VINKO

Weight: 6 pounds 9 ounces

Length: 20 inches long

Born July 25, 2015 at 1:25pm

 

xo Our Family of Five xo

Don't Play the Blame Game

"You broke my goggles!"

"You made me lose my turn!"

"You ruined my picture!"

"You're mean!"

You, you, you!!! When the kids get mad, "you" statements of blame fly freely at our house.

In heated moments like this, no skill is involved, just a lot of finger pointing and tempers flaring. Matters don't get resolved as much as decibel levels rise and I am called in to play referee. To say it is exhausting would be an understatement.

If we are going to get better at arguing, we HAVE got to learn a new approach!!

To start, you, you, and you will have to go - goodbye! - and in it's place, one little power word needs to be remembered.

I'll let the kids at Mosaic Project tell you all about it.

 

Remember, when you teach kids to use I Statements, you teach them to "take their power back".

 

Power up, sounds good to me - Happy Friday!!

For Arguments Sake...Power Up!

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

"You didn't argue enough as a child!"

That's what my husband has said to me on more than one occasion and you know what, he is right.  When a discussion starts to get heated or as he likes to say "good" or "interesting" I often back down or suddenly fall silent.

I've never been one that was quick or clever with my words but then again, I've always associated arguing with fighting and when you are a people pleaser, that trait goes right out the window.

It wasn't until I met David and then met his family that I came to see another side to arguments.

Over the years, I've watched them get loud with opinions, take challenges and remain so clever that I can't tell you how comical it all gets. That there is still smiles or laughter in the end, totally fascinates me!

Fifteen years later, I'm still learning but it's my hope that Ethan and Reese will pick up on these skills quicker and learn to argue with the best of them.

To be persuasive, compelling and funny - SURE, maybe even win a few arguments - but even more, to express themselves, their inner "I" and to know there's power in a good clean fight. 

More thoughts on why you should teach your children to argue...HERE. 

Power up!

No, Nope, Nada, No Thanks

 

"It's a real skill to become comfortable with other people being uncomfortable."

- Caroline Kelso/Made Vibrant

I read the following quote from an email newsletter by fellow blogger, Caroline Kelso of Made Vibrant. Caroline was writing about the struggle she felt to make other people happy and the responsibility she felt to people. Her thoughts echoed some of the same fears that Ethan and Reese have expressed to me about saying NO.

Saying NO is a real skill especially when others may not be happy with your response. But I've come to learn that a person's reaction is more a reflection of them in that moment than of you and your NO. And their discomfort, be it unhappiness, disappointment or frustration is for them to manage and not for you to solve.

Having said that, I do believe there are some graces to saying NO. I searched around the internet and found various discussions that address NO's on the kid level and on adult level....There's always something to learn, take a read.

Let Your Kids Say NO. Teaching Assertive Language Skills with Lori Petro

Teaching Children Refusal Skills by Leah Davies, M. Ed.

Three Nice Ways to Say No

Zen Habits : 7 Simple Ways to Say No

How do you say NO? Share in the comments, please, inquiring minds want to know.