Grown Up Pirate Party IdeasWritten by John Lenaghan
Grown Up Pirate Party IdeasYo ho ho, and a bottle of rum is cry of pirates. Of course, rum is not what you want to serve at your child’s pirate party but what about a pirate party for adults? Try using these pirate party ideas for pirate decorations, games and party favors. Though pirate parties are popular birthday party themes, there’s no reason your pirate party couldn’t be held any time, for any reason! Party Ideas First of all, consider great decorations you can use for this pirate fest. Pinatas in shape of tropical birds would make great party decorations as well as serve as a game later in evening. You can fill your piñata with chocolate gold coins or perhaps a few more expensive treasures to encourage guests to get into action. Plastic swords might be used not only for party props but also for piñata game. Have a few eye patches ready for those who were too shy to wear a costume but then want to get into fun once they arrive.
| | Kids Can Clean, Too!Written by Kathryn Weber
There’s a pattern in American households that’s been emerging and it’s harmful for kids. Kids have essentially gone from being contributors to household, to being waited on hand and foot. Too many moms see household duties as being outside realm of their child’s responsibilities – and their ability. It’s not only sad, it’s also untrue. In fact, if kids are fully capable of contributing to mess of a house, why can’t they be expected to contribute to its cleaning? The problem rests with moms. As mothers we often look at housework as old saw “if you want it done right, you’ll have to do it yourself.” But, that’s defeating for everybody. Kids quickly learn that “auto-mom” will handle all messes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, and other household jobs if they can prove their incompetence. And Moms get something out of “being only one” who cleans toilet right, or folds towels like they do in department stores. But this has to stop. Otherwise, trying to keep home and hearth together will be a 24-hour-a-day job and we’ll end up with children who’ll leave home one day and not have vaguest clue about how to handle household duties. Have expectation that kids will do jobs you’ve assigned them One of things that can undermine process of kids helping out around house is a parent’s expectation that they won’t do it. Expect that they will do jobs, check on their progress, and assign appropriate rewards and consequences to job, and it’s amazing how well kids will perform. Parents have to realign their minds that kids are fully capable -- and often willing -- to participate in running of household and housekeeping that goes with it. As an example, if you asked your son to take out trash before dinner, remove videogame privilege until it’s done. Yes, it is easier to just do it ourselves, but that’s not practical and it sets a bad example, showing kids that in real world, there’s someone there to clean up after you. As anyone will tell you, real world demands that you pick up after yourself. However, not all kids are ready for every household task.
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