How to organize all your kids' artworks

I take pleasure in going through my sons’ artwork, but I can’t stand the cluster and piles so I came up with an easy way of storing and organizing his artwork that is fun to glance through, fast, easy to store and keep up with. This method is very simple and straightforward, it has made a whole lot of difference in keeping his (my son’s) artwork.

One of the things I had to do was to get a storage box where I store all his artwork in an orderly manner. I also got some tabbed Sheet protectors to keep his artwork in place then properly label each sheet. I prefer to write the date and how old he is at the back of the paper. One of the things I also use is binders to bind up all his artwork, Magazine holder or any other holder to hang and hold his artwork neatly in place. Some examples of the magazine holder used are metal magazine holders. Also, I make use of regular sheet protectors which protects his artwork for a long period of time.

To properly organize your kid’s artwork, you’ll need a place to collect, hold and store the artwork. Anything that is important to you and your kids can be temporarily or permanently stored there. As the artwork come in throughout the year, ensure you date them (especially when there is no date on it already).  You can also write how old your kids are along side with the date for easy identification in order to easily replace it back to its position when it’s pulled out, so it’s not taking away from the artworks position.  Label your tabbed sheet protectors. You can have one labeled each for your kids, one for your husband and one for yourself.

As your kids bring their artwork home, decide together if it’s something that should be kept or throw away. Make sure you keep their best artwork. Any artwork that is your kid’s best or is meaningful to them needs to be kept safe.  It would also be nice to keep a sample of their artwork at some strategic points in the house; this can help you to see the progress they make throughout the year.

How soon after birth can my period start?

How soon after birth can my period start? Is mostly the question that comes to the mind of most women after birth.

After the birth of your baby you will continue to experience blood loss which flows more and heavier than your normal period. Lochia (the discharge) changes in color from bright red to a lighter red, brownish red then to a yellowish white in some women before it stops completely. This discharge continues to flow up to four weeks or more (It differs from one mom to another).

It’s really difficult to tell how soon, if you're breastfeeding it could take a longer time, than if you are not. Breast feeding can delay menstruation and ovulation as some women have had such experiences, but this wasn't so with me as I started seeing my period a month plus (six weeks) after I had my baby while still breast feeding.

It could take up to eight weeks less or more for your period to start after delivery if you are not breast feeding and even if you are (as in my own case).

For those who experience delay when breast feeding your period may return within six to eight weeks after you stop breastfeeding, it could even take some months for it to be regular again totally. Even if you're not menstruating regularly while breastfeeding, you could still ovulate and become pregnant. There's always the chance that you'll get pregnant even before your period starts again. It is advisable to use contraceptives as soon as you start having sex again.

Some women use breastfeeding as a method of contraception (this method is known as the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM)). I'll advice you should not rely fully on this method, as it is not 100 percent sure, though it is about 98 percent or more effective as a method of contraception, when you used properly.

Note that experience differs according to the physiological make-up of each woman.

How to provide a real family for your child or children as a single parent

“I used to meditate all the time in bed. That was when I was raising my daughter, and I'd get her up and off to school, and then I would go back to bed and meditate. And then I would do the same in the evening, and that was very good for that period because I had so many things to juggle as a single mother.”- Alice Walker

“I eat excellent bread, clean meat, good crisp veggies, organic fruits and nice wine and cheese. It is one of the things I am truly grateful for. I’m not kidding. You can’t ask a single mother of three working two jobs for minimum wage to eat that way, I am lucky.” – Rachael Taylor

A single parent is a parent who is not living with a spouse or partner, and is responsible for raising the child or children on a daily basis. Usually considered the primary caregiver as the child or children resides with them. The tag ‘Single parent’ could have result from separation, death, or divorce with children, or a parent that never married.

The question arises if a single parent could provide a real family for his/her child or children?

The problems often associated with children who grow up in one-parent families are poverty, failure in school, juvenile delinquency, they are more likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods and to associate with peers who have negative attitudes toward school, they are also more likely to change residences, which disrupts their lives even further, since it usually means going to a new school and losing contact with old friends, another disadvantages faced by children in single-parent families is inadequate attention and guidance from the parent,  also children who live in single-parent families lack the community resources that other children frequently have but this problems actually cannot be attributed to single parenthood alone. Though I was not raised by a single parent as I had the privilege of having both my mum and dad, But I know lots of single parents whose child/children are doing very well. Bellow are what I noticed they put in place to achieve success at parenting.

How to provide a real family for your child or children as a single parent:

Children need more than just economic security to thrive; they require parents who have the time to help them with their homework, read to them, and listen to how their day went in school. They also need parents who can supervise their activities outside of school. One parent alone does not have the time to do these things, but with more effort one parent can. Although single parenthood hurts, relatively speaking. Some Single parents (especially single mums) have to cope with loneliness, guilt, and sometimes other people's judgments. Real Single parents do it all with no help.

Accept Responsibility: To be a Successful single parent, you need to accept the responsibilities and challenges of single parenting.  Acknowledge the difficulties such as a lack of personal time, a restricted social life, sole responsibility for meeting multiple needs, and financial stress without self-pity or bitterness. Instead of minimizing or exaggerating the problems seek for solutions.

Communication: Encourage clear and open expression of thoughts and feelings with your child or children in order to develop honest and trusting relationships between you and your child or children and others.

Home Management: To be a successful single parent you’ll need to manage your child or children's needs well. Strive to be well organized and dependable, and work hard to coordinate schedules. Take pride in your ability to financially provide for your child or children, although finances may still remain a struggle.

Be Committed: Make your child or children your highest priority. Focus on being the best possible single parent, which often means putting the needs of your child or children first. Genuinely like and enjoy your child or children, sacrifice time, money, and energy for your child or children’s sake. They try to be very supportive, patient and help your child or children cope.

Communication: Encourage clear and open expression of thoughts and feelings with your child or children in order to develop honest and trusting relationships between you and your child or children and others.

Home Management: To be a successful single parent you’ll need to manage your child or children’s needs well. Strive to be well organized and dependable, and work hard to coordinate schedules. Take pride in your ability to financially provide for your child or children, although finances may still remain a struggle.

Care for you: To be a successful single parent you’ll need to take care of you. Irrespective of lack of time, recognize that caring for you is important. Be connected to others whom you can call on for practical and emotional support. If you managed a home-based business find time to get away on a vacation occasionally or go out with friends.

Maintain Traditions and Relationships: A tradition is any event with special meaning to a family. When a family has been disrupted, maintaining traditions becomes a stabilizing force. Maintain traditions, whether bedtime rituals, special family times together, or holiday celebrations.

Have a Positive Outlook on Challenges: Have a positive attitude towards parenting and life in general. See positive aspects in stressful situation and have the mind that you’ll succeed despite many doubts.

“I was raised by a single mother who made a way for me. She used to scrub floors as a domestic worker, put a cleaning rag in her pocketbook and ride the subways in Brooklyn so I would have food on the table. But she taught me as I walked her to the subway that life is about not where you start, but where you’re going. That’s family values.” - Reverend Al Sharpton.

What sex would you prefer, A Boy or A Girl and why?

If you were to have only one child, and you're allowed to choose the sex which would you prefer, a boy or a girl and why?

It is normal to prefer a baby of a certain sex. In some cultures, the preferred sex is a boy child, while to some they prefer a girl child. There are so many different reasons why a particular sex is more preferred to the other. Some prefer a boy so as to have a son to carry on the family name, but that a female child once she gets married would carry on their husbands’ name. Some see it as a pride to have more sons. You’ll see a man whose wife just had a boy reveal the sex with pride while if he had had a girl would just simply tell you his wife had a baby. Some people believed it is easier to control a boy child at their adolescence age than a girl child, is it really easier?

I come from a family of five girls and a boy. My parent gave birth to a boy as first born and the rest of us are girls, they said they kept trying in an attempt to have another boy child so after the first born who happens to be a boy they had five more children who turned out to be girls after giving birth to our last born a girl, they had to give up on trying to have another boy child. I have a family friend, they are seven girls their parent kept trying to have a boy child but to no avail. Also, I once had a neighbor who is also in the search of a boy child she already has five children who are all girls even has twins among the five girls but she say she’ll still try again to see if she’ll get a boy child since where she comes from they cherish boy child more than girls as they’re believed would be the one to carry on the family name. I have a church member who has seven boys just because they (the woman especially) are in search of a girl child.

The desire for boy child has result to some men pressuring their wives to have more children whereby, putting the health of the women in danger, and some women pressurizing their husbands to try once more in search of a girl child thereby straining their financial strength. When there’s a failure in producing the desired results, some men will resort to polygamy in the hope that the other women will give them the son they need and some women would go into any length in search of a male child. Some men even go to the extent of hating their wife and become very abusive saying until she produces a particular sex before they'll stop the hate, but the sad thing is that, some still hate their wife even after they get their desire sex cos most times it’s not about the gender issue. The spouse in question has their own personal issue that needs to be sorted out.

In an effort for girls to carry on their fathers name especially when they come from a wealthy and recognize home some retain their family name, even in marriage, to preserve their father’s name.

Just because a mother or father has a gender preference, does not mean they would or should be bad parents if they don’t get their desired preference. Everyone has a “plan” in their heads for their family, and if the plan gets altered, it can cause disappointment.

If you feel strongly about wanting a certain gender note that this does not make you a bad person or a bad parent, if your feelings concern you, find someone to talk to, such as a counselor/therapist. With assisted reproductive technology you can select the sex of your baby, but most of all I believe in prayers. Pray to God that you want a particular sex and He’ll give you according to His will, But if you still don’t get your desires granted just know what you get is still God’s will.

Please add your comments bellow, Thanks!

Encourage your child to develop interest in reading

“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.” –Vera Nazarian

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

“I find television very educating.  Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” – Groucho Marx

“There are many little ways to enlarge your world.  Love of books is the best of all.” - Jacqueline Kennedy

Definition of reading

According to Wikipedia, Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning (reading comprehension). It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement.

Currently most reading is either of the printed word from ink or toner on paper, such as in a book, magazine, newspaper, leaflet, or notebook, or of electronic displays, such as computer displays, television, mobile phones or e-readers.

Ways to encourage your child develop interest in reading

• The most critical aspect of reading is usually how your child feels about reading. Positive reinforcement from you as the parent and from their teachers would go a long way in helping your child. Let your child know you care about his/her reading. 
• It’s not advisable to force your child to read as this would yield no positive results. You may need to set aside a reading time when the whole family reads this would make your child have it at the back of his/her mind that that particular time is reading time though your child might feel reluctant but would have no choice but to comply. Let your child chose what he/she wants to read at that time. 
• Be your child’s model when it comes to reading. When your child see’s you ready he/she will have a flare for reading too. He/she will see reading as an easy thing and accept it as a way of life. 
• Reading to children is also one of the best ways to encourage interest in reading. Reading aloud can be very helpful. My 5years old son loves it when I read aloud to him. I notice he enjoys that more but I try to make him read too so he’ll know how to read well. So, if your child is willing, irrespective of his/she age, try to read aloud. You can encourage your older children to read to their younger ones. 
• Display good books somewhere in your home. Let your children know that books have an important place in the home. And don't limit the books to a few essentials, have a generous selection of a wide variety of books. 
• Your child’s reading pase could be very slow at this age; you’ll need to be very patient with him/her. If your child decides to read something to you, just be patient and let him/her read to you. 
• Praise your child for his/her reading when appropriate. For example, praise your child when he/she gets to pronounce a difficult word and when a long or difficult book is completed. I noticed my 5years old son gets so excited when I praise him each time he pronounces a difficult word.

         “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller