Here is one area in which I could use parenting advice - Kids Fighting.

And, I am not talking about my children and other kids. Luckily, they get along well with all of their friends!

No, I am talking about my kids and my kids. Yep - sibling rivalry at it’s worst.

In fact, my job as parent would be a lot easier if everyone just got along - all the time.

I hate hearing that whine, “MOOOOOOOOOOM, he did this or he did that.”

And how about the lovely question, “How come he gets to do so and so, and I don’t. It’s not fair!”

I have tried everything from punishment, to reward, to ignoring, to yelling. And it is probably my lack of consistency that keeps the children’s arguments alive.

I have narrowed it down to the following 10 Parenting Tips to Stop Kids Fighting (from a mom at her wit’s end):

1. Your siblings are your best friends. If you can’t treat them well, then you can’t have playdates with other friends. Sounds fair enough don’t you think?
2. You must try to work through your differences before involving me - mom. This must be done without yelling or physical contact.
3. Be flexible and open to each others suggestions. LISTEN to each other.
4. If you do call me in on the matter, then what I say goes - and you may not like my decision.
5. No teasing is allowed, under any circumstances - provoked or otherwise.
6. Remember that you are not all the same age. Behavior that is ok for a five year old may not be ok for a twelve year old, and vice versa.
7. Same as number 4, except privileges that are granted to a twelve year old may not be appropriate for a five year old.
8. Respect the decisions of your parents for rules 4 and 5. Do argue the matter and do not harbor resentment towards your siblings for those decisions.
9. If you are willing to share a toy, snack, etc. with a friend - you should also be willing to share the same with a sibling.
10. Love and respect each other - your siblings will always be there for you.

I hope this will put an end to the bickering! Let me know what works in your home.

photo credit: MooreALX

Today is the first day of summer vacation and I am determined to make it a lazy one for us. I need the vacation as much as my kids do. I never realized how much work parenting is when the kids are in school. Making lunches, ensuring that homework is done, shuttling to and from after school activities. It can wear you down. But too many lazy days can also have the same effect.

I am not a big fan of sleep away camps. I know - kids love them. But I like having my kids home with me over the summer months. And I never went to sleep away camp as a kid. As parents we cannot help but to draw upon our own childhood experiences as a foundation for how we raise our own kids. So, my kids will be home with me all summer.

To keep the summer from turning into a video game extravaganza at our house I did MY homework many months ago and looked into summer kids camps that are local. My kids are now registered for the few kids summer camps that they really wanted to do. But there are still large blocks of free time in between.

In a technology loving family like mine, it would be easy for the kids to wile away the days on the computer, playing video games, and watching tv. I, of course, would love to spend the time building and growing my business. We would blink and summer would be over.

To make sure that we don’t waste the summer, I took a look at the blocks of time that we have available and pulled out my folder of local summer kids camps. I asked each of the kids if there was anything that they really wanted to do this summer that we haven’t yet looked into. For the most part they were pretty happy with what we already have scheduled. Aside from adding in a little tennis and golf instruction we were set.

But there was one surprise in the package that parents can overlook. One of my children had a little trouble with math over the past school year. He did fine overall but the concepts did not come easily. His request: summer school. I am very proud of him.

As parents, we want summer to be fun and relaxing for our kids - so they can re-energize and be ready to go back in the fall. But summer can also be a great time for kids to put in a little work on the academics so they don’t struggle in the fall. So, here is my parenting advice for today: if your child needs it, consider a little tutoring or summer school now before the summer gets away from you.

While we are on the subjects of shopping and sales. I cam across this deal too:

Dreamtime Baby: 15% off ALL Graco Items (ends 6.30)

Graco car seats and strollers are very popular items for baby amongst new moms. After all, Graco is known for both reliability and afford ability. In my opinion Graco products are just plain smart.

I see people spend hundreds of dollars more on the “Gucci” version of baby products. But the reality is that if you are on a tight budget but you want a quality baby product - then you should take a look at Graco.

I have tried out a lot of strollers, having four kids, and my favorite was a Graco. It was lightweight, folded easily, and had a huge storage basket that was easily accessible even with the seat in a reclining postion (one very important but often overlooked factor).

When it comes to baby equipment I know that personal preference plays a big factor. But the best parenting advice that I can give you is to buy something durable enough for your needs - make sure it has the features that you desire. Then find an item that meets your needs that is within your budget. You will be surprised at how fast baby grows out of that must have item.

If you are looking for Graco baby products use the above link. Right now Dreamtime Baby is offering 15 percent off of all Graco Items. If you combine that with their free shipping offer on orders over $49 then you’ve got yourself a pretty sweet deal.

Update: I also notice that Baby Universe is also running the same offer. Here is the link:
BabyUniverse: 15% off ALL Graco Items (ends 6.30)

I generally write about parenting advice and parenting tips. But one member of our families that I don’t give enough attention to on this site, is our pets. If you have a a pet then you know it is part of the family.

Not only does little Rover get its share of love and attention but it is also likely that he uses up more than his fair share of the family income. I see all of you moms nodding your heads in agreement.

Anyway, whenever a good offer comes across my desk - I am compelled to share it with you. Parenting help covers pets too!

PetSmart coupons are always useful and here is one that Parenting Tips at NeenMachine.com readers can use to save money. Gotta love that! Just shop through the following link for a little summer bonus:

Save 15% off your order of $70 or more and Use code: JUNEBONUS (expires June 30, 2008)

Kids Activities: Give Up or Continue?

My kids are involved in many activities. Between the four of them we find ourselves at ballet, soccer, swim team, instrument lessons, playdates, math club, and more that I must be forgetting. In addition the activities tried and abandoned trail behind us. In our home, there is never a shortage of things to do, but a definite shortage of free time. As a parent, I like that the kids are involved in sports and activities. I have even offered parenting advice on extracurricular activities

My rule about kids activities used to be simple. I made the kids commit to a season (because I had to pay the bill) and then they had a choice whether to continue.

The problem that I am now facing is that the kids are now growing tired of some of the activities that they have done for years. Take instrument lessons for example. As parents, we have invested in the instrument and the lessons - not a cheap endeavor. The kids have built up their skills and play their instruments well. And now they are ready to call it quits. My parenting question to you - do you let them call the shots at this point?

Let’s talk sports. Say your child has been playing soccer for years and now they are pretty good at it - you, as a parent, see talent, definite potential. One fine morning your child announces - no more soccer, I want to play baseball (or football or badminton). What do you do?

My approach to parenting is very practical so this change of direction jostles my senses. “But you are so good at soccer (or guitar, or the ukulele)!”, I argue. Meanwhile, I am thinking, “And I spent so much money on those d a r n lessons.”

So, tell me, what parenting tips do you have for me when it comes to kids activities and the decision to give up or continue?