4 Times Your Family Takes You by Surprise

As a mother, there are rare times when you are truly surprised. Blow-out diapers no longer send you into the same shock that they once did, hearing the kids fighting is no longer something to leap up for. But, that doesn't mean that there aren't times that your family will surprise you in good (and sometimes bad) ways. 

Before you resign yourself to never being surprised, remember that you may have some of these to look forward to:

1. The first time your kid does something truly selfless for someone on their own. 

We all work hard to make sure that our kids grow up to be helpful, productive and caring members of society. No matter how young they are, when you notice them doing kind things for others, it can be one of the most surprisingly satisfying moments. Whether it is your toddler offering to kiss a boo-boo or your teen volunteering to help others, it is always a surprisingly proud moment. 

2. When you realize that your kids don't wake you up in the night anymore. 

This is one of the surprises that really does sneak up on you. You will wake up one morning and realize that not only have you been sleeping through the night, but your kids actually seem to like sleeping. Even if it isn't until they are teenagers, this will come when you least expect it. Enjoy it, bask in it, this is what you have worked for.

3. The first time you hear your child say a curse word. 

We can file this one under: "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???"Kids are like sponges, they absorb everything they hear and see, but it is still a bit of a shock when they say a bad word. No matter how careful you are about keeping kids from bad words, there may come a time when they hear it somewhere else and ask you what it means, and the first time you hear a no-no word come from their innocent voices it can be a surprise. Just remember, this happens to almost all parents and if your child says a bad word once, it in no way means you have failed in some way. 

4. When your spouse does a major chore without having to be asked even once. 

Lets just address one thing: very few people are able to keep a spotless house after they have children. Now that we have that out of the way, it is also important to note that we all fall into routines and sometimes the big chores, like changing the oil in the car or vacuuming under the sofa that become a little neglicted. Even if you aren't the type to tell your spouse what to do, it is always a wonderful surprise when you come home to one of those big chores being done without having to ask. A little bit goes a long way when this happens. 

There will be other times that your family truly surprises you, of course. You may come home one day and be surprised by the fact that you haven't heard your children argue with each other in days, or maybe it is a more large-scale surprise like getting breakfast in bed and a spa day out of the blue. But through it all, these surprises, good and bad, will come when you least expect them. 

Summer Secrets: Why Camp Helps

Summer is almost here, which means it is an important time to start thinking about the best summer camps for your kids. Tampa Bay Parenting contributor and YMCA Camp Cristina Executive Director Mark Battig is here to talk about keeping kids active this summer through camp.

1)   Why is it important to keeps kids active during the summer?

When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Kids are less physically active and engaged in learning during the summer months. In fact, research shows that children gain weight two to three times faster during the summer vacation than during the school year.

2)   Getting kids’ bodies moving is important, but what about their minds?

Kids—particularly from low-income families—fall behind academically because they don’t have access to out-of-school learning opportunities. In fact, by fifth grade, low-income kids are two to three school years behind middle-income children. This is often called the “summer slide” or “summer learning loss”…where kids lose what they learn during the school year over the summer.

3)   How does summer camp help ensure campers are getting enough physical activity and educational opportunities?

Summer camp, like at the YMCA, can address critical gaps in kids’ health and education. Attending summer camp is beneficial to every child’s personal development. The experience teaches essential leadership and social skills and helps youth develop confidence and independence. Summer camp fosters peer friendships and adult mentoring relationships that have positive youth development effects, build resiliency and encourage healthy decision making. At the Y, for example…Summer Camp offers a fun and unique experience that gives children and teens the opportunity to meet new friends, explore nature, discover new interests, be physically active and create memories that last a lifetime. YMCA summer camp supports the social-emotional growth, cognitive development and physical well-being of kids, and provides an environment where kids can belong, build relationships and realize their potential.

4)   What other fun activities/opportunities are available during YMCA summer camp?

At the Y, there is a camp program for everyone. From day camp to specialty camps for special needs kids, there is a suitable camp to meet the diverse needs of campers. Our camp staff are intentionally focused on helping youth develop by experiencing accomplishment, building friendships and creating a unique sense of belonging at camp. We also provide breakfast and lunch to all our campers at no extra cost.

5)   Any tips for parents trying to incorporate healthier habits at home during the summer?

• High Five the Fruits and Veggies– Make sure kids get at least five servings a day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend to maintain healthy childhood development. And to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month.
• Foster an Early and Ongoing Passion for Books– Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.
• Team Up for Athletic Events – Set a family goal of great health by teaming up for community or charity events like races, walks, fun runs, bike rides, etc.
• Volunteer Together – Find a cause that matters to the kids. Open their eyes to a world beyond themselves and the rich rewards that come from making a difference.
• Make sleep a priority– Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning and other vital functions.

You can also discover more about summer camp at the Summer Splash Summer Camp Fair on April 9 at MOSI. Visit Summersplashtampabay.com for more information.

Cardboard creations for the kids

Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine contributor Grayson Kamm is here from MOSI to talk about a toy that’s better for building things than Legos – and you already have a ton of it lying around your house.

People recycle cardboard boxes – but this is a whole new way to give them a new life.

We’ve all been there, when we see a kid open a present – and they end up having more fun with the box it came in than with the gift.

The boxes that your diapers and DVD players come in really are more versatile building tools than Legos or anything else.

You can build things that are artistic… that are useful… and that are any size, including *big*!

All this month at MOSI in our Idea Zone, we’re making “Cardboard Creations”.

Here are some things we’re making that you can try at home:

This is a “Batarang” – the boomerang that Batman uses.

We’re showing Batman vs. Superman later this month in our IMAX theatre, so this fits.

And turn this handle and watch the gears move – that’s all made of cardboard.

This is a cardboard machine anyone can make in about an hour with plans you can search for online.

In the Idea Zone at MOSI, you can take these things home – but we have one thing that’s not leaving: (hold up photo of huge cardboard dinosaur) this is a giant dinosaur called a Mosasaur that we’re building piece by piece – it’s about 20 feet long!

And if people want to turn their boxes into building toys, you have something that’ll really make it fun.

This little blue connector is called a Makedo – m-a-k-e d-o. And Makedo’s are specially designed to connect two pieces of cardboard. So… hooking the wings onto your refrigerator-box airplane or legs onto your cardboard puppy – anything!

I’ll show you how they work.

You order Makedo’s online. You can get 30 of these for about $12. And they even come with a special cardboard cutter that won’t cut little fingers.

It’s that easy, and you can end up with a cardboard creation like this if you just all of the empty boxes out your garage get all of the great ideas out of your imagination.

And if you like this, we’re making things every day in the Idea Zone at MOSI, and in our Spring Break and Summer Science Camps.

For more information on summer camps and more parenting tips, visit TBParenting.com/summercamps.