Today's Parent | Parenting Resources… Articles, Advice, Help & Tips

When looking for ideas and inspiration to create meaningful family time, it helps to get advice from those in the know – other families.

Whether it’s finding ways to bring everyone to the dinner table or delivering a dose of sunshine to a rainy day, it sometimes takes a dash of clever to overcome obstacles like busy schedules to create quality family time. To celebrate the everyday ingenuity that happens in homes nationwide, the Kenmore brand has launched Genius Tips – a creative collection of real-life, inspirational ideas from families across the country. Anyone can be inspired by – and add to – the ideas and solutions that are meant to celebrate the many ways Americans bring their families together.

Here are three Genius Tips for making family time happen in new ways:

Create fun dinner table topics. Play “high, low” around the dinner table by asking each person to share the “high” point of the day as well as the “low” point. This ensures you know what’s happening in each other’s lives and can be a great way to laugh, offer advice and support one another. Even if your family shares one meal together a week because of hectic schedules, this tip ensures your connections continue to grow and be strengthened.

Establish no tech hour. Unplug from the digital world and reconnect. Take a cue from airlines and designate anything with an on/off switch as off limits for an hour – especially for mom and dad. During that hour, break out board games, read together, or go for a family walk. Let everyone come up with ideas for fun things to do together.

Bake some memories. Get everyone involved to bake some delicious treats for sharing. Keep it simple and use refrigerated cookie dough slices the kids can decorate, or make a batch of your favorite boxed brownies. Step up the family fun by trying to recreate some of Grandma’s homemade recipes. Either way, spending time together in the kitchen creates treasured family memories and something delicious.

Have these ideas sparked some of your own? Family time, among other Genius categories such as designing on a dime, staying energized throughout the day or even keeping your kids’ rooms organized, are all available to learn from and add to at www.facebook.com/Kenmore. Beyond learning and sharing, your ideas could win some great prizes.

To enter, participants are asked to submit an idea in the category of their choice and every month, the idea with the most Facebook community votes is awarded a $3,000 Kenmore gift certificate. Quarterly, an independent panel of judges will select the top idea to be in the running for the ultimate prize – a trip to Chicago to have your Genius Tip featured in an upcoming Kenmore advertisement. Share your Genius Tip today!

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is found for the first time when a woman is pregnant. If you had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, you and your child from that pregnancy have a lifelong risk for developing diabetes, a serious disease that can lead to health problems such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and amputations. The good news is there are steps you can take to prevent or delay diabetes and lower that risk for yourself and your child.

Women with a history of gestational diabetes can lower their chances for developing diabetes by taking steps to reach and maintain a healthy weight, making healthy food choices, and being active. Keeping a healthy lifestyle as a family is good for everyone.

Keep up healthy habits – even after the baby is born.

Many women who have gestational diabetes see a dietitian or a diabetes educator to guide them in developing healthy habits during pregnancy. But what many women don’t realize is that it’s just as important to keep up with those healthy habits even after the baby is born.

If you are a woman who had gestational diabetes, it is important to get tested for diabetes 6 to 12 weeks after your baby is born, and at least every three years after that.

It is also important to reach and maintain a healthy weight by making healthy food choices, such as following an eating plan lower in fat and calories and high in fiber, and being active for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Even if women do not reach their “goal” weight, research shows that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk.

Busy? Build physical activity into your day one step at a time.

Physical activity is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and preventing type 2 diabetes. Set a goal to be active at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week. If you have not been active, start slowly, building up to your goal. Take small steps to include physical activity in your day-to-day routine.

Busy moms can use these tips to get started:

• Park your car farther away from the store, movie theater, your office, etc.

• Get your friends and family involved. Set a regular walking date, such as after dinner. Or do something that all ages can enjoy – shoot hoops, take a bike ride, or just dance around the house.

• Take a walk during your lunch break or push the baby’s stroller around the mall.

• Don’t just watch the kids at the playground … play with them.

• Deliver a message to a co-worker in person instead of by e-mail, and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Exhausted from a busy day and just want to plop on the couch in front of the TV? Use the commercial breaks to stretch, take a quick walk around your home, do some sit-ups, or march in place.

Get Tested!

Women who develop gestational diabetes have high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels during pregnancy. Immediately after pregnancy, 5 to 10 percent of women with gestational diabetes are found to have diabetes, usually type 2. All women with gestational diabetes should be tested for diabetes 6 to 12 weeks after their baby is born. In many cases, their blood glucose levels show they are no longer considered to have diabetes at this time. Read More

Recently, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services shocked parents around the country when they issued new guidelines regarding children and cholesterol. Their recommendations, joined by those of The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, outline guidelines that suggest all children between the ages of 9 and 11 should have their cholesterol levels checked. The move, which came about because children today are being seen with abnormal cholesterol levels and even the beginning stages of artherosclerosis, has left many parents seeking answers to their questions.

It is a big change, because formerly the recommendation was only for those who had a family history of high cholesterol. This should be seen by many parents as a sign of our times and what is going on with the lifestyles we are raising our children to lead. It is also a great time for families to learn all they can, and to make changes in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

The two most important things that parents need to know in order to address this issue are:

1) to learn all they can about cholesterol, and

2) to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced in the body’s liver. While the substance is important to cell function, having too much of it can lead to a narrowing of the arteries, as it builds up inside the body. In addition to the cholesterol our body makes, we end up getting more of it through our diet and lifestyle choices.

The first thing families will want to do is focus on eating a healthy diet. This will help reverse and prevent obesity, which should also lead to a reduction in cholesterol levels. Dietary cholesterol is found in animal-based foods, such as meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy products. Focusing the family diet on healthy meals that include minimal amounts of animal products is ideal. The goal is to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-cholesterol sources of protein (e.g., beans, tofu, nuts, lentils, etc.).

Additionally, families are advised to increase their child’s activity level. Today, children often spend more time engaged in sedentary forms of electronic entertainment than they do in physical activity. Parents should aim for their children to get at least one hour of physical activity per day, which includes such things as running, brisk walking, playing sports, bike riding, etc.

This is a serious issue for parents to be aware of, because high cholesterol problems in a child today can lead to major problems as an adult. The sooner parents help their children to be in control by living a healthy lifestyle, the better off they will be. Once you focus on making these healthy lifestyle choices, the rest usually falls into place.

Dr. Pamela McCullough, a pediatric nurse practitioner and the director of the nursing program at Stratford University’s Woodbridge campus (www.stratford.edu). Stratford University offers a variety of degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in nursing, as well as degrees in health sciences, such as EKG-phlebotomy, healthcare administration, pharmacy technician, and medical assisting. In addition, they offer degrees in culinary arts, computer information systems, hotel and restaurant management, and hospitality management.

Stratford University operates campuses in Tysons Corner, Richmond, and Woodbridge. It offers 35 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the areas of Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Health Sciences, Business Administration, and Information Technology. The degree programs are offered both on campus, as well as online. For more information on Stratford University, please visit www.stratford.edu.

All moms need more time to handle their busy schedules – that’s a universal truth – but it could be argued that no one feels that cataclysmic time shift more than a first-time mother. Suddenly, there is little room for showering and sleeping, let alone for making grocery lists, keeping up with workout routines, planning weekly meals, or managing a household budget. The good news is that help is just a download away.

Smart moms use smart phones

According to “Dr. Mom Study 3,” conducted by BabyCenter, smartphone ownership is higher among moms than the general population and moms spend an average of 6.1 hours a day with their smartphones. Having the right apps ready to assist is just one way to save time, money and sanity while moms focus on their new role.

New moms should consider the following apps as they gear up to bring an infant home or focus on those first few months with their little one. All of the apps are free, user-friendly and ready to make motherhood easier:

• Similac StrongMoms Baby Journal app – Gone are the days of juggling notebooks to jot down feedings and diaper changes or booting up the laptop to enter sleeping schedules. This app allows moms who breastfeed, formula-feed and pump to easily track feedings, diapering, growth and sleeping patterns – and create graphs to help monitor them – anywhere, anytime. Moms can even email reports to family, friends or the pediatrician. Read more about the features of this app at http://similac.com/app.

• Grocery iQ – No more racking your brain to jot down a grocery list. With Grocery iQ, simply scan the barcodes of products in the kitchen that need to be replenished and they’re automatically added to the list. You can also search for millions of items independently. Once complete, the list can be synchronized with other devices, so when mom is home with baby, dad can feel confident he’s picking up the right stuff. To read more, visit www.groceryiq.com.

• Calorie Counter by My Net Diary – New moms should ease into any kind of physical activity, but many are eager to reinvest in their physique. Calorie Counter avoids fad dieting and helps tailor a diet to mom’s personal preferences, giving her a better chance for long-term success. With an expansive food database, automatic recent history, recipes, custom foods, an emphasis on key nutrients and a community to help with morale; this is an all-in-one diet app. Check out this app at www.mynetdiary.com.

• AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner - Dinner still needs to get on the table, even when the fridge is low on food and mom’s brain is even lower on sleep. With the AllRecipes Dinner Spinner app, simply plug in the ingredients available on hand and a variety of recipes will appear to take the guesswork out of mealtime. Visit www.allrecipes.com to check it out.

Stocking up on these apps before baby arrives, or downloading them once baby comes home, can alleviate some of mom’s stress as she adjusts to the wonderful chaos that her infant will bring and what better time to start than the very beginning?

For more information on the Similac Baby Journal app, visit http://similac.com/app.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children view around 40,000 television commercials per year. Most are for high-calorie snacks and sugared cereals. Research has shown that these ads lead children to ask for more junk food, which may be contributing to the fact that today around a third of the nation’s children are considered overweight or obese (a rate that has more than tripled in the last three decades). Further, it is reported that teens ages 14-18 are consuming an average of 34 teaspoons of sugar per day.

Parents may be surprised by just how much influence there is for kids to eat unhealthily. This is why it is so important for parents, educators and other adults to make an ongoing effort to get kids to make healthier eating decisions.

The good news is that there are things that people can do in order to help teach children to make healthier choices. Here are five ways to help do just that:

1. Get them involved. Children who have fun and are involved are more likely to remember the information. The more kids are involved, the more they will get out of the experience. To learn about healthy food and nutrition, they can help garden, plan and prepare meals, etc. A fun way to do this is to give the child $5 to spend in the produce department, or at the farmers market, on fruits or vegetables of their choice – without any complaint or influence from the parents, which is the key. Let the child explore and learn. No matter what they pick out, the parent can find a healthy recipe so they can prepare it together.

2. Teach them. Even younger children can learn about what is healthy and not, label reading, and making healthy choices. Take the time to teach children why making healthy food choices is a better route, teach them how to read labels, etc.

3. Snack healthy. Children usually need a couple of snacks to keep them going throughout the day. The CDC recommends that kids keep snacks to under 100 calories and it is ideal to have those snacks be low-fat and low-sugar. Help kids learn to identify healthier snack options when they see them, such as fruits and vegetables, yogurt, granola bars, and baked chips.

4. Be a role model. One of the most important things that parents can do in order to get their kids to eat healthier is to model healthy eating habits. When parents eat healthy, they are demonstrating to their children the ideal way to eat. Consistently modeling this, over time, will influence children, even if it is years later.

5. Influence change. Work with school administrators and others to influence healthy changes. For example, work with your school to get healthier snacks and lunch options on campus, and work with local legislators to place limits on junk food commercials on television.

The more that parents make an effort to focus on healthier food options for their kids, the likelier the kids are to become willing participants. When we look at what is happening with health issues in this country, there is just no getting around this problem. We have to create a healthier eating environment for our children, whether at home, at school, or at a recreation center.

Jolly Backer, the chief executive officer of Fresh Healthy Vending (www.freshvending.com). Fresh Healthy Vending is a company that aims to help bring healthier food options to children across the country. Their healthy vending machines have been placed in over 800 locations around the nation and in Canada, including in schools, hospitals, and corporate centers. Each vending machine is dual-climate controlled and filled with all-healthy food options, including healthy drinks, fresh fruits and vegetables, protein and granola bars, yogurt, and baked crackers and chips.

Before you hit the road this winter, make sure your car and car insurance are ready for the journey. Planning ahead can help avoid mishaps that could ruin your vacation.

Whether you are traveling near or far, you will likely be lugging some valuable items such as skis, a laptop or a video camera — none of which are covered by a car insurance policy.

According to an April 2011 survey released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), 40 percent of Americans incorrectly believe their car insurance will cover the replacement of personal items stolen from their vehicle.

“The truth is that these items must be covered by your homeowners or renters insurance policy to be reimbursed if they are stolen or damaged,” NAIC president Susan E. Voss said.

One-third of Americans also believe their auto insurance automatically covers a rental car, according to the NAIC survey. However, this is not true, and the NAIC recommends checking with your auto insurance agent to make sure you have adequate car insurance whether driving your own car or a rental.

Top 5 Auto Insurance Tips

• Confirm your car insurance is active and premiums are up-to-date. Have a current copy of your insurance card in the car.

• Select liability limits that are appropriate to your financial circumstances. People with more assets generally need to select higher limits of liability than those with fewer assets. If you are found to be at-fault in an accident and purchased insufficient limits, your personal assets are at risk for the remaining financial obligation.

• If renting a car for the trip, check your policy to see if it includes coverage. Verify potential coverage limitations with your agent, and make sure you are not duplicating benefits from your existing auto, health or home insurance policy. (See sidebar for more tips.)

• Verify your homeowners or renters insurance covers the theft of personal items from a car, especially if you are planning to carry expensive items in your car.

• Check to see if your policy includes roadside assistance. You can be covered for towing, fuel delivery, lockout service, jump-starts and more.

If you are unclear about your car insurance coverage or would like to learn how to lower car insurance costs, visit www.InsureUonline.org or contact your state insurance commissioner. Find your state commissioner at www.naic.org.

Rental Insurance — Do You Need It?

Car rental companies typically offer these products at the counter. Check to see if they duplicate existing coverage before purchasing.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is also referred to as a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW). If you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car, you will likely not need this additional protection. Collision insurance covers the cost of repairs or the actual cash value of the vehicle, if damaged in a crash or rollover.

• Liability Insurance covers medical expenses and damages to another person’s property as a result of a car accident caused by the insured’s negligence. If you are adequately insured on your own car, you may consider forgoing this.

• Personal Accident Insurance offers coverage to the renter and passengers for medical bills resulting from a car crash. If you have adequate health insurance and disability income insurance, or are covered by personal injury protection under your own car insurance, you will likely not need this additional insurance. Personal Effects Coverage provides for the theft of personal items inside the rental car. If you have a homeowners or renters insurance policy, it generally covers this already. If you frequently travel with expensive jewelry or sports equipment, it may be more cost-effective to purchase a floater under your home or renters insurance policies so the items are fully protected when you travel. Read More

Moms and Dads, you have fewer than twelve days to wrap up that Christmas shopping. You can’t afford that iPad 2 any more than twelve lords ‘a leaping, but you don’t want to disappoint Junior when he unwraps Santa’s offerings. Just how much is this day going to cost you?

In 2009, Christmas gift shopping averaged nearly $700 per person, according to the National Retail Federation — and numbers have only increased since then. In short, this holiday can send us into serious debt if we’re not realistic with our budgets. We’d all like to be that person who thoughtfully buys gifts on sale throughout the year, but most of us are staring dumbly at our checking account a week and a half out wondering what to do.

Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone. Get to work with these eight thrifty shopping (and swapping) tips and start a new Christmas tradition this year: staying in-budget.

1. Comb Craigslist.

If you’re new to Christmas with kids, I’ll let you in on a little secret: the preschool crowd doesn’t know a new toy from a used one. You’ll need to assemble all bikes, doll houses and train tables the night before anyway, so just find the beloved, sought after toy and buy it for less than half the cost on Craigslist from someone across town. Princess will love it just as much.

2. Check out online buys with free shipping.

Your favorite retailers have banded together–much like they do on the ominous Black Friday and Cyber Monday frenzies–to push Free Shipping Day, one of the last days to order online for delivery by Christmas Eve. So you’ll not only be treated to a host of free shipping offers, but many sales to go along with them.

3. Make your spending equitable.

Whatever amount you allocated for gifts, try to divide it appropriately for each child. Maybe one child receives two smaller gifts as opposed to the more expensive gift her brother got. Even if the dollar amount isn’t fair, the coolness factor needs to be equal. Younger children don’t analyze the amount spent as much as older children do.

4. Sell some older toys first.

It goes without saying that most children in the U.S. have too much stuff to start with. Add eighteen Christmas and birthday extravaganzas to the mix and you’ve got a packrat on your hands. Have your children select at least three or four playthings they don’t use anymore and try to get cash for them at a children’s resale store. Use the cash to buy one or two new gifts.

5. Focus on family fun activities rather than gifts.

Maybe your Christmas morning needs to be focused away from wrapped presents under the tree. Have several family-fun activities lined up for the day, not only to make great Christmas memories, but also to detract from opening presents. If money is tight this year, you can still make and decorate cookies on a dime, as well as craft some awesome ornaments.

6. Make this Christmas a service holiday.

Pull all the stops and radically transform your Christmas! Whether you are financially able to buy gifts for your family this Christmas or not, take your family out to serve meals or volunteer for a local organization. You will make some of the best, lasting memories by giving rather than getting.

7. Wrap “unconventional” toys.

Ever wonder why Junior gets a brand new toy and just wants to play with the box? John Rosemond, psychologist and author of “Making the Terrible Twos Terrific,” has strong opinions about it. “Generally speaking, many store-bought toys are fairly worthless,” he says in a Baby Zone article, and most seasoned parents would agree. Junior is playing with the box because it truly is the most interesting part of the gift. Find as many odd boxes, containers and utensils from your house and wrap them up for your littlest ones.

8. Find a parent in your same situation and toy swap.

Package up three of your child’s better toys and exchange the same number with a like-minded friend. Make sure the toys are fairly newish looking to avert any suspicion. Since Junior wants that train set at his friend’s house, it’s exactly what he’ll see under the tree. Check out other organized sites with more variety like Toy Swap.

Ashley Grimaldo comes from a long line of penny pinchers and enjoys blogging on money-saving tips and advice for frugal-minded parents. She lives with her husband and three children in Bryan, Texas. Ashley has been featured among such media outlets as Redbook, The Chicago Tribune, Time.com, and CBS News-Houston.

For the 21 million Americans ages 15 to 44 impacted by depression each year, the holidays can be overwhelming with extra responsibilities, expectations and stress.   While many are filled with cheer and goodwill toward others and hopes for the new year, for others, this is a time of sadness, depression and loneliness, and a time of family or financial stress.  Every day is a fight to cope with or overcome the holiday blues.

Switchboard of Miami, Inc., the area’s leading provider of telephone counseling, information, referral and crisis intervention services, is available to provide support and guidance to those grappling with such challenges during the holiday season — and every day — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.   A team of trained counselors provides assistance in English, Spanish and Creole and other languages as well to those calling 305-358-HELP or 2-1-1. All services are provided confidentially and anonymously without charge to the caller.

To help combat the “blues,” these tips are offered:

1. Keep Healthy. Avoid alcohol or substance use, which can lead to further, deepened depression. Try to avoid eating too many cookies, candies, cakes, etc. Such sugar binges can create feelings of lethargy, similar to an emotional crash. Take a walk. Go to the beach. Listen to music.

2. Enjoy the moment. If opportunities arise to talk to family members or friends about challenges, then talk about the solutions instead of just focusing on the negative sides of situations. Do not wallow in the what-if’s of yesterday.

3. Maintain a holiday budget. While gift giving is fun, going beyond one’s means may backfire with depression when the bill arrives later.

4. Try to get over it. Holding resentments is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Look at what can be done before family gatherings to let go of the tension. Clearing emotional space will make for a more pleasant time with those family members.

5. Explore your spirituality. Visit a house of worship or a non-denominational gathering to gain some perspective and think beyond your own issues.

6. Acknowledge your feelings. The healing process begins when you admit that your emotions are creating issues. Then pick up the phone and call for help.

Switchboard of Miami, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the State of Florida. Last year, Switchboard answered nearly 170,000 calls, reassured 700 seniors who live alone and helped 5,000 youth make better life choices.

One of the great privileges we have as parents is giving to our children. Seeing the elated look on our children’s faces when they open a present gives us a rush. But an even bigger thrill comes when our children get that same rush watching others enjoy gifts, especially ones they gave.

Maybe this is the Christmas your family decides that it truly is more rewarding to give than to get, and you put your money where your mouth is. Just how will you do that when it hasn’t been a priority in the past? According to Dr. Marilynn Price-Mitchell Ph. D. of Psychology Today, “It is the act of thinking about and choosing gifts that is of high value to the giver.” Kids, she says, “can prepare for gift giving, some with needed parental help.”

You don’t want to raise a crop of bratty I-deserve-it children. This Christmas is a great time to steer your family in the right direction, and here are a few tips to help you along the way.

1. Prepare your child for the experience.
Dragging your kid through Toys ‘R Us without buying him something is like parading a starving man through the buffet line and telling him not to eat. The first step to shopping for others with your children is talking about it. Start the dialogue with, “Isn’t it great you have so many toys to play with? I wonder if there are other kids who don’t have any toys.” When the time comes to go shopping, first remind your child of the reason for going to the store–it’s not about them this time!

2. Shop sales and use coupons.
What happens to your financially dull child when he turns 25? He moves back in with you and his lump of debt. Start now–even within the context of gift shopping–by finding deals and using coupon promotions. Take a modern approach by finding coupon codes for Target and other favorites on such sites as CouponSherpa — toys hit rock-bottom prices around the holidays.

3. Brainstorm ways to personalize the gift.
Younger kids can draw a picture inside a blank Christmas card and have you write down what they’d like to say in the card. Older kids can make their own colorful wrapping paper with a cut paper bag and stamps. Also talk about matching gifts to people. If Grandma is a diabetic, don’t give her sugar cookies–find recipes that fit within her diet. Gift giving is a great time to really think about what others would appreciate.

4. Consider homemade presents.
But only if your little one is old enough to do most of the work herself! Nothing is more disgusting than a parent who does his kid’s third grade science project, and the same goes for gifts. Pick homemade presents Junior can make mostly on his own, like the beauty and baking DIY projects at Kidz World, or don’t do them at all.

5. Select a wish list request from a reputable organization.
You may be a bit leery of picking a random child to gift during the Christmas season, and I don’t blame you. When Tommy two-year-old requests a pair of Nike shocks, I’m not convinced he’s exactly “needy”. But many organizations like Angel Tree, who give gifts to children of incarcerated parents, have targeted recipients who truly need a helping hand. The Salvation Army has partnered with JCPenney to gift underprivileged children with necessities in their Angel Giving Tree program.

6. Gift services instead of material items.
Maybe your tween has a gift for babysitting. Encourage her to give free babysitting coupons to a family on a tight budget. Or Junior is a pro at shoveling snow and makes homemade coupons for the neighbors to do the chore for three mornings. Make your own coupon book and print it out on cardstock for a professional look. Don’t forget to remind your little one that gifting a service is a great idea, but it’s only complete when they finish said service.

7. Don’t buy a gift for your child while shopping for others.
Other centeredness–that’s the goal in shopping for other people. The best way to turn it right back to Junior’s wants is to buy something for him at the same time. Make sure your “shopping for others” trip is just that. It may be tempting to buy for him too, but resist the urge. He needs to abstain from getting what he wants to make a lasting impression.

8. Consider shopping online for others with your child to save more money.
Depending on the age and maturity of your little shopper, they can learn the basics of shopping online. Yes, there are huge dangers of stumbling on unsavory content. And, no, you don’t want to give Junior the laptop so he can get the job done himself. But since online shopping is quickly becoming the standard, help your child learn what sites are beneficial (especially ones that save money) and how to avoid going down a dark rabbit hole of advertising links. With Free shipping, many popular vendors like Melissa and Doug, and Barnes & Noble will offer complimentary delivery. Turn online shopping into a math lesson, comparing prices in newspaper inserts to those online.

Ashley Grimaldo comes from a long line of penny pinchers and enjoys blogging on money-saving tips and advice for frugal-minded parents. She lives with her husband and three children in Bryan, Texas. Ashley has been featured among such media outlets as Redbook, The Chicago Tribune, Time.com, and CBS News-Houston.

The holidays are right around the corner and you are probably already making plans to visit friends and family.

The kids are off from school, and you are looking forward to not having routines and school activities. Even though you sense peacefulness at this time without the hubbub, your child may not. Your child did not leave their “world” behind at school. Their world is increasingly the life they have online. It is the texts, the emails, the Facebook, and the Myspace. You can be a great parent in all aspects; however, if you don’t understand who your child is talking to online, what they are experiencing or who is coming into your home over the phone or computer, you are missing an important aspect of your child’s life.

Facebook, Time Warner and Cartoon Network recently announced the launch of an anti-bullying campaign to help change lives and make children safe from bullying. The national exposure of this campaign is exactly what this severe issue needs–public awareness and request for action. Parents are always more powerful in their children’s life if they form a united front. Below are tips for parents who have children using the Internet, social media networks and cell phones.

Discussions, discussions, and more discussions. Parents must have a basic knowledge about what’s going on in their kid’s online worlds from a verbal and physical standpoint. Since social networking has become a daily routine for kids, it needs to be part of the daily conversation. The more open you are with your kids and facilitate a safe and non-judgmental environment for conversation, the more likely they are to tell you if they come across an issue.

In addition to talking to kids about cyberbullying, parents should spread the word to other parents and act as a true advocate for the issue. The more you talk about it, the more useful information you can share. Comment on blogs, forward news stories, “re-share” on Facebook, stand up at the PTO meeting–use any communications necessary to get your voice heard.

Take the time. The good news is that with a national campaign, there will be information, discussions, surveys, resources and solutions everywhere. Take the extra time to read and comprehend the information to make yourself knowledgeable on the issues and to act as a resource to other parents and kids.

Learn the warning signs. As mentioned, information will be more available from a reference perspective so take advantage of it. Learn about the warning signs of bullying so that you can recognize it in your own child or any child. Remember that a sudden, drastic change in your child’s behavior might mean something is going on.

Below are just a few signs of bullying, but don’t forget to trust your instincts:

• Torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings
• Unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches
• Fear of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus, or taking part with peers in organized activities
• No interest in school or their grades
• Weepy, sad, moody, or depressed after school behaviors
• Complaints of headaches, stomachaches or other physical ailments
• Loss of appetite or weight gain
• Anxiousness or low-self-esteem

Teach children exactly what to do if they get an offensive or threatening post or comment. Take every opportunity to teach them how to manage themselves in confusing situations and when to bring the issues to you; when they do, believe them and show your support. Read More