KTIS Blogs » Parenting

Birthday Party Pressure

Carl Bliss — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:06:12 +0000

I dropped my 2nd grade daughter off at a birthday party a few weeks ago. Over 40 kids were invited to the party. They enjoyed a wonderful time together, but I immediately felt guilty about the birthday parties WE throw. Ours are significantly more understated affairs. We will allow 7-8 good friends, and play a few games and open a few presents. Our parties have all been at our house. We haven’t rented out the theme park, or the pizza arcade.

I was encouraged to see this story on WCCO last night. An increasing number of parents are beginning to use the birthday parties as a chance to teach social responsibility, and to focus on God’s gifts. (Besides… we REALLY don’t need another Polly Pocket set in our basement!!).

From “book-swap” parties, to trips to Feed My Starving Children, kids are finding ways to celebrate God’s gift of life, by making a difference in the lives of others.

Have you found a creative way to simplify the Birthday Party, or use it as a teaching experience for your children? I’d love to hear it!

How to protect your kids on-line!

Lisa Barry — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:37:11 +0000

Kids are very tech savy these days and as parents, we often assume that the inernet has self-policing built into it. No so. Check out this interview from abc about how kids are gaining access to inappropriate sites and what you can do about it.

10 Commandments for Kids On-line

Lisa Barry — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:53:06 +0000

Here’s a helpful list of cyber safety items written in a contract form for parents and children. Click here.

Helping Children Understand Natural Disasters

Carl Bliss — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:28:08 +0000

I found this post from “Sesame Street”.

Helping Children Understand Natural Disasters

It includes guidance such as:

Encourage your child to ask questions
Offer comfort
Respect concerns
Think about ways you can help together

In addition to the suggestions they offer, I would guess your worldview plays an important role in how you work through this.

How do you help your children process disasters? How do you explain it in the context of God and His Creation?

Happy 20th wedding anniversary Mom and Dad!

Lisa Barry — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:37:48 +0000

My 16 year old daughter wrote a letter to my husband and me in honor of our 20th wedding anniversary today. Here’s what it said:

It’s your 20th wedding anniversary! To help you celebrate 20 years in one day, I am enrolling you in my brand new 3R’s program (and I don’t mean reduce, reuse and recycle). The steps are: 1. Reminice 2. Replenish 3. Remap

For your first step, you are going to find some time to reflect on your 20 years of marriage! I have a list of 20 things for 20 years, but feel free to remember any memories you vowed never to lose.

1. Wedding day.

2. Your first big fight as newlyweds and how you resolved it.

3. The good old days before my older sister arrived.

4. The wild stunts you crazy kids pulled with no kids around.

5. The day, Dad, you found out that Mommy would soon blow up like a balloon.

6. Morning sickness.

7. Discovering together the new roller coaster of parenthood.

8. The day I was born (aka the happiest day of your life)

9. All the cute stuff I did.

10. Finally finding days to escape the crazy children once daughter number 3 arrived.

11. Encouraging each other through the perils of careers.

12. How you figured out which battles are worth fighting.

13. How much we embarrassed you in public places.

14. Your trip to Amsterdam and other vacations.

15. Big past anniversaries.

16. Your walk with God and how he used each of you to mature the other.

17. All your Christmas’s together

18. The worst anniversary gift you ever gave to one another.

19. Significant times of struggle

20. Succeeding for 20 years and counting with Him who strengthens you.

Store and display photos on-line for free!

Lisa Barry — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:53:09 +0000

If you have a bunch of digital pictures taking up space on your computer and no one is enjoying them, try Blurb.com. You can make virtual photo albums to share with others for free! Or for grandma with no Internet access, you can have a copy of your custom photo album with prices starting at $4.95. Click here to take a look!

Homework helpers – downloadable forms!

Lisa Barry — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:04:18 +0000

If you’re looking for a way to keep track of your child’s homework from week to week, so you can help them stay organized, here are a couple of forms that you can download and print.

Poem for a child's first day of school

Lisa Barry — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:04:31 +0000

Laurie Spartz posted this on my Facebook today and said…

Smiling to think of all the post 1st day conversations to be had later today! Just heard the school bus pick up our teeny tiny 5-yr-old neighbor, who was quite uncertain as of last night. Made me remember to dig up an old prayer I found about 5 yrs ago:

Dear God, please bless our little girl
She’s starting school today;
She’s half afraid, yet wants to go,
And yet she wants to stay.

Protect her, Lord, and keep her safe,
And still that trembling lip.
And shield her from all other eyes
In case a tear should slip.

And help her make new little friends;
Be brave throughout the day.
And have her teacher understand
Her gentle little ways.

Oh Lord, please bless our little girl
And calm those anxious fears;
She is so precious and so young
Just a few short tender years.

Organizing ideas for the school year!

Lisa Barry — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:56:55 +0000

How do you keep everything organized from backpacks, to shoes, to permission slips? It’s not easy, but here are a few ideas that might help!

Healthy lunches and snacks!

Lisa Barry — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:55:28 +0000

It’s time to pack lunches again and if you’re like me, it’s a dilemma to decide between what our kids WANT to eat and what they SHOULD be eating. Is there a happy medium? I think so. Click here for some delicious, AND healthy lunch choices!