Category: Around the house

Traveling Clip-Board

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Pick up a clip-board that opens for storage. Add paper, pencils, crayons*, markers, coloring pages, puzzle pages, stickers, etc..

You can even personalize the outside with stickers, paint or paint markers. I like to personalize the back of the clipboard, so the work area is free of bumps.  This is great for long drives to keep kids entertained.

This is also great for doing homework. When you really think about it – sometimes kids are in the car for a long time between school and activities of their own or their siblings’, they could be getting homework done. This provides a hard surface for doing just that.

*Just remember to bring the clip-board into the house so the crayons don’t melt in the summer heat.

OR you can buy one like the ones pictured HERE

Family Movie Night – Picking Out a Movie Tip

Image18091Let me set the scene – its family movie night. The popcorn is popped. Everyone is in their pajamas and gathered in the family room… when mom or dad picks out a movie the kids start complaining.

So you come up with a new family plan of on certain days/weeks, a certain kid picks out the movie – ‘it’s his/her night to pick’ kind of thing. But the other one feels left out or isn’t interested and ends up in a different room doing something else unrelated and you lose the feel of it being a family activity.

This is how we do it at the doitandhow.com household:

Mom &/or Dad picks out 5 or 6 appropriate movies. Kid # 1 narrows the field to 3. Kid #2 gets final pick. (adjust for your number of kids). We’ve found that with this way: everyone gets a choice, feels included and stays interested.

family-fun-family-movie-nightWe’ve also employed this for outings where we need to choose a fast food place… Mom/Dad gives the options that are in the area we’re traveling. Kid #1 narrows the choice, and Kid #2 picks.  Keep in mind “Kid #1” doesn’t always have to be the oldest – maybe he/she is the pickiest… maybe it’s different every time.  As long as we cut down on the arguing, Momma is happy!

Give it a try! Let me know if this works out for your family, add a comment below. Or share your family’s way of avoiding ‘movie madness’!!