Deck the Halls

Thursday marks the first day of summer, but also the first day of December – which can mean only one thing – time to Deck the Halls!

But which of these trees will you be putting up tomorrow……

The “White Christmas” Tree

Let the kids help trim the tree? You must be kidding right? Your kids with their mismatched, hotch-potch of tatty decs and awful looking things they made at kindy aren’t getting anywhere near YOUR tree. Whether you’ve gone for red and green or a modern colour-scheme, like everything in your life, your tree is organised, symmetrical and planned to the last bauble. Decking the halls is not a fun activity for you. It’s a military operation. And once it’s done? Strictly NO TOUCHING!

The “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” Tree

Your tree stands out in the crowd, just like you do. There are no rules about colour, heck the more flamboyant the better as far as you’re concerned. You’ve even found a peacock to stick on the top this year. You like to think you’re more laid back than “White Christmas” lady, but in reality, you’ll let the kids help you decorate the tree, then fix it up to your own standards later after they’ve all gone to bed. Best of both worlds right? Organised family fun!

The “We wish you a Merry Christmas” Tree

Your tree has everything but the kitchen sink on there, making your friends “White Christmas” and “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” gasp in horror. Tinsel, craft projects, garlands, old baubles from grandma, things YOU made when you were in school.  Your tree is filled with memories and that’s just the way you like it. There are no rules, and anything goes. Everyone can put anything anywhere on your tree and it just makes it all the better as far as you’re concerned. Who cares what it looks like once it’s up, the fun you’ll all have doing it is more important than how it turns out.

We'd love to see some photos of your tree. Why not share your pics once your tree is up this week?

The Importance of Transitional Objects

As any parent knows, kids all have a favourite blanket, toy or teddy-bear, and if it gets lost, all hell breaks loose. And don't even try replacing it with something else, because replacements just don't cut the mustard. So why is that rag-bag of a teddy just so important to your child, and what's the significance of it? Here's the psychology behind the fascination:-

It's more important to your child than even you are

Researchers have found that a child's "transitional object", be it a teddy-bear, a blanket or a scrap of muslin they have been trailing behind them since the year dot can sometimes we more important to kids than even their parents.

It becomes their coping mechanism

In psychology, a transitional object is an object which the child uses to soothe itself and which functions as a substitute for their mother. It is basically a prop used by the child in early efforts to test reality. The transitional object helps kids deal with a whole myriad of emotions, like fear, absence, separation, and how to calm themselves when they are upset. The reason that teddy bear is permanently sticky and smelly is that your child never goes anywhere without it. And his or her reason for dragging it everywhere is that holding it, smelling it, and cuddling it makes your child feel better, and helps them to become self sufficient and confident. 

It's their link between you and the big bad world

So if you ever notice yourself thinking it's time for your kid to stop taking that scrap of muslin everywhere, remember this : that object is your child's link between you and the big bad world. Children should never be stigmatised for their scruffy teddy bear or square of old blanket. It's where they find comfort when things get tough, and in that knowledge, you should find comfort too.

Kids in the Kitchen

Here are some kitchen day ideas that won't break the budget, and will keep your kids and their friends amused for a morning or afternoon during these school holidays. Heck, if you're feeling brave, you might even manage to keep them amused all day!



Get them involved in making their own lunch
Be sure to cook something they are going to eat afterwards! Pizza is usually a safe choice. How about trying out these pizza pinwheels? Head to kidspot.com.au for some fantastic recipe ideas. They even have a recipe for play-dough.



Make your own play-dough
And once you've made it, why not pick a theme and get eveyone to make a character? From Pokemon, to dinosaurs, to mythical sea creatures - the possibilities are endless.



Don't forget the treats
Yes, we are suggesting baking cookies, and we know you're concerned about the amount of sugar your kids are consuming. So why not try coconut sugar? It can be used in almost any recipe where you would normally use white, refined sugar, and because it has a caramel-y taste, it's perfect for cookies and biscuits.

So why not have a kitchen day these school holidays at your place? We'd love to see some photos of the things you make!

Handy hints for travelling with kids

The holidays are here, your staircases are packed, and you're all ready to go. It's going to be pretty exciting when you get to your destination, but are you looking forward to the journey?

Probably not. Here are our handy hints for keeping kids amused while travelling:-

Pack Plenty of Toys - and makes sure each child has their own stash. No one wants a fight over who's turn it is to play with My Little Pony.






Play family games everyone can get involved with - "I spy..." is great, but can get old after a while. How about making a list of five things everyone has to try and spot on the journey and seeing who can get all five first? Examples might be a yellow car, a tractor, a palm tree, etc etc. Or you could be really naughty and put things on the list no-one is ever likely to spot!! (How about a clown, a koala or a hot air balloon?)



Pack a picnic for lunch - taking food for the journey avoids everyone eating junk food at service stations - and NOTE TO SELF: those places are going to be packed with other people's screaming kids this week! Plus, packing your own lunch means you can stop off and eat outdoors, and you keep control of what everyone is going to eat. There'll be plenty time for holiday treats when you reach your destination, so think healthy for the journey.



Think about the older ones - remember that older kids can get bored on long journeys too, and playing with a pink pony probably isn't going to cut the mustard. Why not get older kids involved in the lead up to the journey by showing them your route on the map and looking into interesting landmarks they can mark on their map and spot along the way?



So there you have it. Our hints for travelling with kids these school holidays. We hope you find them useful, and have the best time, wherever you're heading.