Parenting Children

I know I need energy to get through each day. What mom doesn’t? When Ocean Spray offered to let me try their new cranberry drinks, Cranergy, I knew I had to try it. I love cranberry juice and drink it all the time, so cranergy with natural energizers would be a perfect for me.

They come in great 8 ounce bottles perfect for me to throw into the diaper bag and come in two flavors, Cranberry Lift and Raspberry Cranberry Lift. The great thing about this juice, besides that it is yummy is that it has: cranberry juice and green tea extract: both contain high levels of antioxidants that help the body fight free radicals and stay healthy, and green tea extract offers a natural source of caffeine, B-vitamins and vitamin C.
Try it, this is perfect for moms on the go!

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Nobody said that having a baby was an inexpensive endeavor. If you really sit down and figure out what they cost, it will make your head spin. Here are some costs for a new baby, the most expensive thing you will ever bring home from the hospital.

Babies use an average of eight diapers a day, which is 56 diapers per week and 224 per month. A diaper costs on average $.35 each which comes to $940.00 per year on disposable diapers. Stock up when you see a sale!

Babies who drink formula go through a lot of it the first few months. We figured out the twins formula was $150.00 per month, EACH. After you start cereal and foods that cost will go down, but formula is expensive. Join your formulas manufacturer’s web site for coupons.
Breastfeeding is free but you will need some supplies like breast pads, nursing bras (which seem so expensive to me!) a nursing pillow and a breast pump. Those can really add up.

Getting the baby out isn’t cheap either. A vaginal birth costs between $5,000 and $8,000 and a cesarean section can cost about $12.000. My hospital bill with the twins included a C-section complications and two babies and totaled over $30,000.

Childcare is the most expensive thing, at least here in New Jersey. This can total the same amount as a car payment or rent in some places! Nowadays I see a lot of Grandparents watching their grandkids during the day so both parents can work.

All in all that is a lot of money spent on such a small person. But when you are a parent there isn’t anything or anyone you would rather spend your hard earned money on!

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Dinner time or meal time can be hectic for any family. Getting kids to eat, getting everyone to sit down together and keeping children from fooling around are all hard tasks for my family. Today I am going to share with you some great tips for keeping mealtime sane and fun.

Make a placemat out of old mats. Cut them to size and cover with clear contact paper. This is great to get kids learning about our country or our world while waiting for dinner.

If your child has a friend over have them play “restaurant” and let them make their own snack. One of them can place their order and the other can “cook”. Little sandwiches or fruit skewers would be great.

Introduce new foods with ones your kids already like and call them “extras”. Make sure they try one new food a week.

At dinner ask everyone for their “news”. Go around and tell your favorite part of the day or if something exciting happened that day. Make sure you listen to your children’s day. Make sure they listen to you also, listening to each other is an important skill to learn.

Be creative. Let your children chose what they want in their burrito, salad or sandwich, even if it does not sound good to you.

Teach manners at the table by using them. Tell them why it is important to say “please” and “thank you”.

What tips or tricks do you have for dinner time with your family?

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