13 Ways to Spend Time with your Teenage Daughter
13 Ways to Spend Time with your Teenage Daughter
by: Rachel Paxton
The older my daughter gets the more it's sinking in that I don't have much time left to spend with her! She's turning 16 in a couple of months, and I know I won't be seeing her much after she gets her driver's license.
It's hard to find things to do with your teenage daughter. You might be busy, they might have better things to do...I encourage you not to let this time slip away from you. Our interests may be very different...
A Child Can Make a Difference
A Child Can Make a Difference
by: Rachel Paxton
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th, 2000, my daughter and I traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, because of a dream my daughter, Amanda, has to make a difference in this world. Amanda (then a 6th grader) entered McDonald's Millennium Dreamer contest and told them about her contributions to the humane society and her dream of making the world a better place for animals. Amanda's dream is to help homeless pets find...
Butterfly Candle Holders
Butterfly candle holders are easy to make and a great gift idea. The materials are very inexpensive, and you can use your imagination for a variety of designs. To get started, you will need:
Materials:
Small glass candle holders Butterfly wrapping paper Yellow tissue paper Decoupage Cuticle scissors Small paintbrush Damp paper towel
You can buy whatever glass candle holders you like (or use some you already have laying around). I bought mine at Walmart for about $0.59. You could also...
Consignment Shopping Pays Off
Consignment Shopping Pays Off
by: Rachel Paxton
Is your closet full of clothes you never wear? You can bet there are a lot of people who have a closet or dressers full of clothes they never wear. I did too, until I started consignment shopping. A clothing consignment store sells your clothes for you and gives you 30 to 50 percent of the selling price. Pretty good deal, when no one is wearing the clothes that are just collecting dust in your closet.
The first thing I did was go...
Creative Storage Solutions
Creative Storage Solutions
by: Rachel Paxton
When the things in your home start crowding in around you and you're short on cash, it's time to come up with some creative storage solutions. Don't be afraid to think "out of the box". You're the only one who has to know where everything is stored.
- A cedar chest can be used for blanket storage. I don't have enough cupboard space for blankets, and they all fit nicely in the chest. The chest also doubles as a coffee table in the living...
Dorm Room Decorating Ideas
When I helped my daughter move into her first college dorm room, I wasn't prepared for how tiny her room would be! Floor space was definitely scarce, and it was obvious she would have to come up with some creative storage solutions.
Decorating a dorm room can be tricky, because obviously your roommate will want to have a say in how the room is decorated. Whether you are moving into a dorm room for the first time or you are looking to re-decorate your existing dorm room, hopefully these...
Easter Scrapbooking Ideas
Easter Scrapbooking Ideas by Rachel PaxtonEaster is a great time to capture family photographs forscrapbooking. Even if you don't scrapbook, planning your picturetaking ahead of time ensures you won't miss any of these greatfamily memories. No family traditions? Then this is a greattime to start!Here are some Easter photograph ideas for scrapbooking:Photograph spring flowers in bloom. Daffodils and tulips willmake a colorful contrast to your other photographs.Have your kids help you make...
Easy Spaghetti Recipes
Easy Spaghetti Recipes
by: Rachel Paxton
Spaghetti has always been a favorite family meal. My teenage daughter will eat leftover spaghetti for breakfast, lunch, and as a mid-afternoon snack. Not everyone loves spaghetti so much that they will go to that extreme, however, and the same meals can getting boring after awhile. Here are some ways to jazz up this old favorite:
Italian Sausage Spaghetti
2 lbs. Italian sausage
48 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
Green pepper,...
Easy, Tasty Chicken Wing Recipes
Easy, Tasty Chicken Wing Recipes
by: Rachel Paxton
You can serve chicken wings hot or cold, for a meal, or for snacks. They're great as appetizers at parties, or when you're just looking for a tasty midnight snack. Try these four easy recipes:
Baked Chicken Wings
1/2 c. margarine, melted
1 t. dijon mustard
3 c. multi-grain flaked cereal
16-18 chicken wings, broken into two pieces
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 t. finely chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In...
Family Memory Journal
Family Memory Journal
by: Rachel Paxton
A family memory journal is a fun, easy way to preserve family memories. A couple of years ago I was sorting through a pile of unused journals (many given to me as presents!) and was trying to come up with a way to put them to good use.
One day after a family gathering, I sat down and wrote a short description of the gathering in one of the unused journals. I wrote where the gathering took place, the occasion we were celebrating, the names of the...
How To Make A Tin Can Luminary
A tin can luminary is a fun, easy craft project for all ages. They are great for any holiday and only limited by your imagination! You can transfer any simple shape onto a tin can to create a beautiful candle holder for any occasion.
I chose to make luminaries for Christmas this year. You can choose any simple design to transfer onto your tin can. I used a favorite clip art program on my computer to look for easy Christmas designs to print out. I chose a Christmas tree, a snowman, and a pair...
My Mother's Recipe Box
My Mother's Recipe Box
by: Rachel Paxton
Remember the days when cookbooks weren't so readily available, and you or your mother relied on only one or two different cookbooks for cooking all of your family's meals? I still have my mother's old cookbooks, as well as my grandmother's. Each one is worn from age and use--if you flip through the tattered pages it is obvious which recipes were turned to time and time again. These cookbooks will always number among my most precious treasures.
When...
Preschool Party Games
Planning a birthday party for your preschooler? Party games are a great way to keep young children entertained and engaged in the party. Make sure every child gets a prize of some kind so child every goes home a winner!
Bean in Your Shoe
One player goes out of the room. A dried bean is given to one of the players to put in his or her shoe. Play some music and have all the players dance, each child pretending to have a bean in their shoe. The player that left the room comes back and tries...
Quality Time with your Teen
Quality Time with your Teen
by: Rachel Paxton
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with your teen without totally intruding in his/her life. You want to talk to them, they don't want to talk to you (most of the time anyway). I've found the best way to connect with my teenage daughter is to enter her world and do the things she likes to do. There's a saying that if you want to understand your child's world you have to play with them, no matter how old they are.
You don't...
Raising a Self-Sufficient Teen
Raising a Self-Sufficient Teen
by: Rachel Paxton
Teens don't learn responsibility overnight. If you haven't been working with your teen on gradually giving them a sense of independence and ownership of their lives, then you're going to have your work cut out for you. Don't wait until it's too late.
By the time your children are in high school, they should be doing for themselves a lot of the things you've been doing for them all of their lives. What does your teen do when they have a...
Recycling Christmas Cards
No one wants to throw away Christmas cards after Christmas. It seems like such a waste! I have a few creative ideas for recycling Christmas cards from visitors to my web site, as well as a few crafty ideas of my own:
If there was no writing or printing on the reverse side of the front of the card, use the picture portion of the card as a post card type Christmas card. On the blank side draw a dividing line; write a message on one side, and on the other side write the recipient's address and...
Role Models for Your Teen
Role Models for Your Teen
by: Rachel Paxton
By the time your children reach their teens, there is only a limited amount of time left to influence them and get them started in life in the right direction.
The teen years are a critical time for role models in your children's lives. Often you will find teens have a hard time talking to their parents. This isn't always the case, but even in the closest families, teens often feel more comfortable talking to another trusted adult about some of...
Scrapbooking Teen Memories
Scrapbooking Teen Memories
by: Rachel Paxton
By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren't taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories.
You might be thinking that I'm really organized to be already working on scrapbooking my daughter's high school memories. To be honest, I have a shoe box full of pictures of my daughter waiting for me...
Starting a Teen Book Study Group
Starting a Teen Book Study Group
by: Rachel Paxton
If you're looking for a way to connect with your teenage daughter this summer, consider starting a girl's book study group with your daughter and her friends.
You may think that teens would not respond well to this idea, but think again...you just might be surprised.
First bounce the idea off your daughter and see what her thoughts are on the subject. If she shows any sign of interest, then brainstorm some possible book titles and/or...
Teaching Kids the Value of Money
Teaching Kids the Value of Money
by: Rachel Paxton
My husband and I have a 12-year-old daughter who wanted to go to a winter retreat with her church youth group last year. Price of trip $45. I told her I'd talk to her dad about it. "HOW much is it?" he asked, "didn't she just go somewhere with the youth group?" "Yes," I replied, "and also to two friends' birthday parties. Another one is coming up this weekend." We both agreed that was a lot of money for us to spend for our daughter to have...
Teaching Toddlers To Do Household Chores
I never set out to give my toddlers chores to do. You might be thinking, "That's too young! Toddlers can't do chores!" That's what I thought too, that is until I was constantly tripping over my boys while trying to do my own household chores.
Let's face it, toddlers want to help mom, even when mom doesn't want or need help. But what better way to teach your toddlers to do chores than letting them help mom?
The number of chores you give your child to do will depend on your child. Some...
The Giving Jar
The Giving Jar
by: Rachel Paxton
Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child to give with a happy heart you will raise a child who will never hesitate to lend a helping hand. Children enjoy helping others, especially if they see their parents doing the same. When a child's basic physical and emotional needs are met, they are willing to share almost anything they have with someone in need.
My daughter wanted to help others from the time she was old enough to understand what it was she...
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