1. Appreciation is the key

Phase one of this powerful exercise is to seek out and acknowledge these things silently to yourself, or possibly even write a list. Phase two is to express your appreciation of the list verbally to your wife, then watch her swoon with love for you. Both phases will create powerful changes in both of your attitudes.

2. Your wife thinks herself into a trap

In order to proceed, a little understanding of your wife's point of view is necessary to your appreciation of what she does for you. As housewives, we women constantly focus on, and even obsess about, countless little chores that demand our attention. We get very good at taking care of details, and we truly enjoy caring for those we love by making life go smoothly for them; so smoothly that they don't even notice all we do. That is the trap we set for ourselves as women; a trap that most men don't even know exists.

From the time we wake up to the time we fall asleep, we are thinking: Do I have time on the way home to pick up the dry cleaning so my husband will have clean shirts for his trip? Do I have enough deli meat for sandwiches to make sack lunches in the morning? What will we have for a quick and easy dinner tomorrow after returning home from parent-teacher conferences? I've got to remember to get C batteries for the smoke alarm sometime today so it won't chirp again at 2 a.m. tonight and wake us up. If I stay up late tomorrow, I will find the extra time to finish the blanket I started for my niece's baby shower this weekend.

On and on we go, like well-oiled machines. Sometimes, we can't stop ourselves. We become addicted to our own super-high efficiency. We can't shut off the never-ending list of details and multi-tasking constantly flowing in our minds and running our lives. We want to do a good job. Yet, when we do, no one notices. Precisely because we've done it so well. Trapped again.

3. Unhappy wife, unhappy life

Other times, we finally approach overload, and one last detail slams us over the edge. Someone doesn't hang up his coat or change the toilet paper roll, and we instantly turn from super mom to crabby, overworked housewife. The whole household knows the tide has turned. Often, however, the family, and especially the husband, is left scratching their heads wondering what happened and hoping super wife returns to sanity soon so life can resume as usual.

4. The two-part solution is simple

Number one

Take your wife out of the house. Take her away from her never-ending list of things to do, phone calls to answer, kids to feed, messes to clean up. Take her out on a date. Take her anywhere: to the park, to a fancy restaurant, to a fast food drive up, to an ice cream store, to a campground, to a hotel. The place is not important. Just know that your wife often simply cannot relax in her own home, which is really her workplace 24/7. To change her mood, simply change the scenery. Release her from her own trap. It will go a long way, and work in your favor.

Number two

Know that feeling taken for granted is a huge energy drain for your wife. Feeling like Cinderella is a complete turn-off for her. This is where your list comes into play; the list you've made of the things you appreciate about what she does for you and your family. You have the power to turn your wife from crabby old Cinderella into a divine Princess. By simply acknowledging her efforts on your behalf, you turn her invisible efforts into visible praise and appreciation. This is what we women live for.

Tell her thank you for picking up your shirts, for making healthy and inexpensive lunches for the kids every day and for handling deli meats before breakfast at 7 a.m. Tell her you appreciate how clean the floor is, the sink is, the laundry is, the bathroom is. Express to her your admiration of how she handles the children's homework, piano lessons, temper tantrums, and schoolyard dramas. Compliment how her eyes look just as beautiful as the day you met her. Tell her you would marry her all over again.

But don't just copy the words written here. Find things you really feel in your own heart that you appreciate, things that you may not have noticed before, things that you haven't expressed your appreciation of to her before. She will intuitively know the difference. Your sincerity will literally sweep her off her feet. Your heartfelt and expressed admiration will give her more energy than she's had in years. And best of all, it won't cost you a dime.

What are you waiting for? Get out that pencil and paper. Start looking for things about your wife to appreciate. And get ready for some high voltage love to start flowing.

The post A message from a housewife to all husbands: How to show your wife you truly love her appeared first on FamilyToday.

If you have ever enjoyed eating lunch at school with your children, you know first-hand that out of the watchful gaze of parents, they all automatically go for their desserts first. School is long and kids look forward to dessert all day. Why fight it? The trick is to make their dessert choices as healthy as can be. Here are two healthy whole grain recipes to put in their back-to-school lunchboxes and feel good about making both parent and child happy.

Whole Wheat Brownies

1 cup melted butter

7 Tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened

4 eggs

1 scant cup white sugar

1 scant cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour (For fabulous results use King Arthur's white whole wheat flour, available at most health food and some grocery stores)

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

Optional variations, add any of the following: 1 cup nuts like walnuts, pecans or almonds; 1 cup dried fruit like raisins, blueberries, or cranberries; 1 cup chocolate chips (or carob chips, if you really want to be healthy).

Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a glass measuring cup or bowl for 5-10 minutes in the oven. Remove and add cocoa powder. Allow to cool slightly.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl. This is a great opportunity to get your children involved in preparations, allowing them to do the mixing with a fork or wire whisk. They love to eat what they've helped to prepare. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add slightly cooled butter/cocoa mixture and stir again until blended. Add flour, salt and baking powder and mix well. Fold in optional nuts, dried fruit and/or chocolate chips.

Pour into greased 8 x 11 pan. Bake 30 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy fresh or save some for future lunches by freezing individual portions in baggies that can go straight from freezer to lunchbox. These will help keep the lunch cool and will defrost by lunchtime.

Chocolate Whole Grain Muffins

3 cups flour (You can use all whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour or the lighter specialty variety of whole wheat pastry flour. As another option use 1 1/2 cups white all-purpose flour combined with 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour for a lighter but a bit less healthy muffin)

6 Tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/2 cups yogurt

1 cup water

Mix together, cover and refrigerate overnight or 12 to 24 hours. Again, here is a perfect opportunity to get your children to help with the mixing when nothing can be messed up!

The next morning, add:

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup

2 beaten eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 Tablespoons oil or melted butter

Mix well with an electric mixer. Fill greased or papered muffin cups and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Freeze some muffins in individual baggies for future quick and easy lunchbox desserts.

For optional variations, fold into the final batter:

1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

1 cup dried blueberries or cranberries

1 cup raisins and 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 cup chocolate or carob chips

Sneaky but healthy variation for both of the above recipes

If your kids are low on vegetable consumption and you want to be a really sneaky health-promoting mom, try adding 1/2 cup of roasted beet puree to either of the above recipes. Roast beets in the oven for dinner the night before. Peel beets and place in lidded glass bowl with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Bake at 375° for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. When done the beets will easily stick through with a fork. You can bake beets and russet potatoes at the same time in the same oven (not in the same glass bowl of course) for two quick and easy dinner items. After dinner or the next day, take the leftover beets and puree them in your blender to use in the chocolate brownie or muffin recipe. The sugar and cocoa powder will camouflage the beet flavor and give the brownies and muffins a slightly red velvet color. Your kids will never know they are eating beets if you don't tell them.

The post Healthy lunchbox treats appeared first on FamilyToday.

Back-to-school time is the perfect opportunity to change our breakfast habits for the better and steer our kids toward healthier choices. As my wonderfully wise grandmother used to say, "Start out the way you intend to continue."� With a little advanced planning we can create a whole new breakfast routine and even involve our children in some of the preparations. I have found if they help prepare the meal, they are more likely to enjoy eating it. Here are three fun and easy recipes for healthy school-day breakfasts your kids will love.

Whole wheat pancakes and waffles

Even the pickiest eaters will never know that these breakfast favorites are whole wheat. You partially prepare the batter the night before which saves time in the morning. For an even quicker weekday breakfast, make two batches on the weekend and refrigerate the extras. Pop leftover pancakes in the toaster or simply place waffles back into your waffle maker for a few minutes to refresh and reheat. Voila! Your own healthy homemade fast food that kids can even prepare for themselves.

The morning or night before:

Mix 1 1/2 cups yogurt with 3/4 cup water. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour and mix well with a fork. This is a fabulous, foolproof opportunity for even a young child to help prepare the next morning's breakfast as you are doing the dinner dishes.

Cover and let rest in fridge overnight or 12 to 24 hours.

The next morning, sprinkle 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the top.

Add about ¼ to ½ cup water, depending on how thick or thin you like your batter. This allows the salt and soda to dissolve.

Add:

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons oil

Optional: 1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup if you like sweet pancakes.

(For waffles, add 1 tablespoon additional oil).

Mix well with an electric mixer. Let sit for 5-15 minutes. Pour 1/4 cup onto buttered griddle or waffle iron and cook as usual. Makes about 24 pancakes.

Whole wheat muffins

Everybody loves muffins. This basic recipe can be altered with countless variations to accommodate your family's favorites. Again, the batter is partially prepared the night before to save time. You can also make this recipe on the weekend, freeze the leftovers and have a quick and easy homemade breakfast item for your kids to prepare themselves. Simply reheat frozen muffins for 10 minutes in your oven or toaster oven in the same pan you used to bake them.

Basic Muffin Recipe:

3 cups flour (use 100 percent whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour or use 50/50 white and whole wheat for a lighter but slightly less healthy muffin)

1 cup yogurt

1 cup water

Mix together, cover and refrigerate overnight or 12 to 24 hours. Again, this is a great chance to involve your children. Ask them to whisk the flour mixture with a fork for you.

The next morning, add:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons oil or melted butter

Mix well with an electric mixer. Fill greased or papered muffin cups and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes. Paper cups make for quick cleanup and easy freezing of leftovers.

For variations fold any of these items in to the final batter:

1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen

1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 t. cinnamon

1 cup dried cranberries or apricots

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 mashed ripe bananas and 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Homemade Granola with yogurt or hot oatmeal

For a variation on the standard American theme of cereal with milk, try making your own granola on the weekend. Store it in a canister on the counter for quick, self-serve breakfasts. Enjoy this granola with milk or for something different and healthier, try it on top of plain yogurt or as a topping for hot oatmeal. If you have a crock pot, you can easily prepare hot oatmeal the night before by adding all the ingredients and cooking on low heat while you sleep.

Granola

Combine:

8 cups Rolled Oats

1 cup grape nut or rice crispy cereal

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups chopped nuts

1 cup sesame seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)

Mix together in a large roasting pan or jellyroll pan. Another perfect opportunity to involve kids with stirring, letting them help create their own healthy breakfasts and learn how to cook. Toast in 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt and combine in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat:

1/2 cup butter (one stick)

2 cups peanut or almond butter (optional, easily omitted for nut allergy families)

1 cup honey

1 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

When melted and combined, pull roasting tray out of the oven. Pour the melted mixture over the oat mixture and thoroughly combine. Continue to roast in the 350 degree oven for 20 more minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Mix in 1 cup raisins or other dried fruit like blueberries, cranberries or apricots. For a tropical theme, add dried pineapple and coconut. If you like flax, add flax seeds at this point; remember to preserve their delicate oil by not roasting them.

With a little extra effort and advanced planning on the weekends, your back-to-school breakfast routine will include healthy meals.

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Make music together

Summer is the perfect time to experiment and discover a child's hidden talents. Allow them to try playing a new instrument. If they already play one instrument, encourage them to try another. Visit a music store and watch your child carefully to see if they become drawn to anything in particular.

If your child shows interest, check a thrift shop or online classified ads to see if you can purchase a used instrument inexpensively. Let your child fall in love with a piano, electric keyboard, guitar, drums, horns, harp, triangle, xylophone, ukulele, or even a cowbell. If your children are very young, you could even make your own instruments. Put rice in a plastic container and shake to the beat. Stretch butcher paper over a can and fasten with elastic bands to make a drum. Bang pots and pans with wooden spoons.

Have fun making music with your kids and their new instruments. Compose your own songs and record yourselves playing your music. Kids love the intoxicating power of holding a microphone, even if it's hooked up to an old tape recorder. You could make a music video of yourselves, upload it to YouTube and share with friends. Have a sing-a-long karaoke party or crazy dance session with their choice of music playing really loud.

Try taking a few music lessons, even if just for the summer months. Many teachers offer the first lesson for free as a trial. Even one lesson could be an enriching experience for your child and lead to more interest later. If you can't afford to purchase an instrument, perhaps consider singing lessons, possibly including the whole family together!

Enjoy watching other people playing music and using their creativity. Attend a symphony, jazz, or other concert at a free outdoor venue. Watch a ballet or other dance performance. Catch a play in the theater. You can often buy inexpensive, last minute "will call" tickets for bargain prices minutes before a performance. Seeing others make music and art will inspire your children's creativity in a very memorable way and demonstrate the importance your family places on the value of the arts in our lives.

Advance their education...and yours

Visit a museum of art, history, natural history or science. Go to a zoo or aquarium. Many museums have one day or evening per week offering free or reduced admission. Take advantage of museum education programs and classes like pottery, painting, fused glassmaking, bird watching, scientific experimentation or photography.

Enroll in any kind of class. Some kitchen stores offer cooking classes for parents and kids - together or separately. Have your kids try a gymnastics, trampoline, karate or dance class. The first class is often free and summertime can bring low attendance so it's a great time to try new activities in different venues they haven't seen before.

Make a day trip to your nearest university campus. Inquire about summer courses or day programs for children. Tour the library, student union and dorms. Inspire your children with visions of their future college lives that will motivate them to do well in school now.

Have a math facts competition with flash cards. See who is fastest. Give rewards for every level of participation. Conduct some easy but impressive science experiments that your kids will remember for years.

Buy fancy new journals and get out the art supplies. Write your own biographies or fictional stories and illustrate them. Create your own comic books based on your kids' life experiences so far.

Research another culture

Visit your library and ask about activities and classes that they provide. Some libraries keep a file of other organizations' different programs offered locally for kids. Let your kids browse the stacks and follow their interests in the children's area but also in the adult section. Let them find and check out new cookbooks, movies, craft guides and science handbooks to inspire some fun activities you can do at home. If you're already a regular at your local library, try another nearby library the kids haven't seen before, especially if it's larger or in a more urban setting.

Listen to foreign languages on DVDs borrowed from the library. Pick a theme and use it to create different weekly dinners: Italian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese or Indian. Research the culture and history at the library. Learn some vocabulary words to describe what's on the table and practice phrases for polite dinnertime conversation. Tell stories from your chosen country at dinner or bedtime. Listen to music from the country too.

Go to a thrift store and look for a few inexpensive items to add to your cultural theme. It's exciting when you come upon unexpected treasures: a cheap copy of the Mona Lisa painting for your Italian pizza restaurant, colorful shawls to create a sari costume to wear to your Indian meal, a fancy table cloth with matching napkins to create a Thai atmosphere, intricate chopsticks for your Chinese dishes or matching ceramic plates and rice bowls for sushi.

Summer experiences, especially those that are hands-on, imaginative and engaging, will help your children stay sharp through the summer months. Nurturing a child's creativity and supporting their imagination will create wonderful memories you all will treasure for years to come.

The post How to keep your kids’ minds engaged during the summer appeared first on FamilyToday.

What are some simple, free and easy ways to reconnect, put our spouse first and show him how much love we still have for him?

1. Say "I love you."

The most obvious, but often neglected way is to simply say, with feeling and gleam in your eyes, "I love you."� Of course, we may know it's true, but we never get tired of hearing those words. Say, "I love you"� when your spouse does something kind or when you can see they're working hard. Say "I love you"� when you say good-bye on the phone. Say it every morning, every evening and whenever your spouse leaves the house. Don't forget to put the emotion behind it so the words have real meaning. Look into her eyes and tell her you love her. Don't let it just become a tape that plays, "I love you, bye."� Feel the love as you say the words.

2. Random acts of service

Another fantastic but unspoken way to say, "I love you,"� is to take one of the chores your spouse has always done and do it for them as a surprise. "Honey, guess what? You don't have to do the vacuuming and dusting (or perhaps the laundry or lawn mowing or grocery shopping) this week. The kids and I have already done it."� "Hubby, I took your truck to the car wash, vacuumed the interior and filled it up with gas."� "Honey, you are not cooking tonight. I brought home Chinese takeout."� What a welcome treat. You really know someone cares when he makes your life easier by giving you a break in some way.

You could try giving your spouse a complete night off with the guys or with the girls. Encourage them to take their friends and go to a movie or an activity without you and the kids. Tell them to start a monthly book club or guys' night. Give her total independence for a brief while, guilt free. He will come back refreshed, revived and full of love for you.

3. Small surprise gifts

Flowers and chocolate seem cliché. But bringing home an unexpected gift really does work, especially on birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, like Valentine's Day or even the Fourth of July. It is a small gesture, but for women in particular, a $5 flowering plant, balloons or a surprise Easter basket goes a long way. Burning a CD of your spouse's favorite songs and leaving it in his car with a special note is another fun way to show you were thinking of him. You could even include songs from when you were dating, something you haven't heard in years.

4. The gift of touch

Men often prefer physical touch as an expression of love. One way to show physical love is to get the whole family involved in a back rub train. Everybody gets in line and even the littlest kids can give dad a rub with their feet. After a few minutes, the train's engine goes to the back of the line and becomes the caboose. Everyone gets a turn receiving physical touch. It could even become a rough housing fest, another way to physically show love, as everybody piles on dad in a big group hug filled with laughter. All of a sudden the TV show becomes a lot less important. Everyone connects with love for a moment.

A foot rub is another wonderful idea. If your spouse is sitting in front of the TV or computer, just walk up, gently grab one of her feet and start rubbing. You don't even have to say anything. Just remember to do both feet. Then walk away after five or 10 minutes, leaving her wanting more but with a relaxed smile on her face.

5. Food: A way to our hearts

In some households, the children's culinary tastes often set the tone. Getting picky kids to eat healthy sometimes becomes our focus and we serve the same things, week after week. Gourmet meals made from following a recipe become a distant memory. Make an effort to create one of your spouse's favorite meals from the time before children arrived. The smells and tastes will bring back memories and revive you both. Once in a while, you can even feed the kids ahead of time, and then get out the wedding china, candles, fancy napkins and table cloths. If you don't have money to spend on a date at a fancy restaurant, turn your home into a fine dining adventure alone with your mate. Or, make it an informal picnic with a blanket on the floor, complete with a basket and picnic foods - indoors in January.

At weeknight family meals, shift the focus away from the kids for a few minutes and really tune in to your spouse. Tell everyone you are going to listen to what mommy or daddy has to say about their day. Give your spouse a turn in the spotlight. Really listening with your full attention and concern shows love in a huge way. Have the kids clear the table and start washing dishes while you spend a few minutes connecting with your spouse. Even five minutes of undivided attention and unconditional love make a huge difference.

Trying just one of these ideas could create that spark you are seeking. Your spouse will know you care. And you will feel great about yourself for bringing more love into your household and heart.

The post 5 fun ways to show love to your spouse appeared first on FamilyToday.

Enjoy the great outdoors

Go fishing

Cook and eat anything you catch.

Go camping

even for only one night, in a tent, camper, or just under the stars!

Go hiking or enjoy long walks in nature

Collect rocks or wildflowers to dry. Take photographs.

Take a picnic lunch or dinner to a park - even on a weeknight

Go casual with paper plates or even fancy with china and table cloths.

Swim in a lake or river

Float on inner tubes.

Put up a slip-and-slide mat in your yard

There are many backyard water activities that can keep kids cool and pass the time. Run through the sprinklers. Have a water balloon fight.

Go biking

Go for a trail ride or ride downtown to get ice cream instead of taking the car.

See local attractions

Visit a botanical garden, zoo or animal sanctuary.

Go ice blocking

Find a grassy hill and slide down it on a block of ice. This is a fun way to go "sledding" in the summer.

Get Active with sports

For example, have a family tennis tournament. Go golfing. Play a game or just hit a bucket of balls and putt on the green. Try Frisbee golf or miniature golf. Take everyone horseback riding. Visit the YMCA, recreation center or gym and workout together. Try a yoga-for-kids class.

Get in the water

Go water skiing or rent a jet ski, canoe or kayak.

Stay indoors (if necessary)

On a super hot day, go bowling. Go ice skating or visit a roller skating rink.

Attend a baseball game

You don't need to have a professional baseball team in your area. Baseball is fun to watch at any level.

Enjoy yummy food

Bake some tasty treats

Kids love kneading dough. Bake bread, rolls, cinnamon buns, cupcakes or breadsticks. Get creative and try new recipes and fancy toppings.

Throw a pizza party

Everyone chooses toppings and makes their own favorite masterpiece.

Cool off with frozen treats

Make homemade ice cream. Have an ice cream sundae or root beer float party. Make Popcicles in freezer molds. Prepare smoothies and serve in fancy glasses with fruit skewers or umbrella straws.

Visit a farmer's market

Let your kids pick out dinner. Or, find a working farm where you can see animals, buy fresh milk or cheese or pick your own berries or apples.

Try your hand at gardening

Plant a garden in your yard or in pots or even on your window sill, just to watch the seeds sprout. Don't worry if it doesn't turn out perfectly.

Play fun games

Become a kid again

Visit an arcade, amusement park or water park.

Organize outdoor games

Have a sack race with old pillow cases. Take a large sheet outside and have everyone grab a side and lift it up and down like a parachute. Build an obstacle course in your yard with buckets, ropes, boards and boxes to jump over and crawl under. Time how long it takes to run through your course.

Think inside the box

Get large cardboard boxes from an appliance store. Build forts or medieval castles and cut out interesting shapes.

Get out and ride

Use chalk and draw a road lines on your driveway for scooters, roller skates and bikes. Include stop signs, traffic lights and even stores to visit.

Night games during the day

Play old fashioned street games like sharks and minnows, capture the flag, car lot, kick the can and hide and seek. Kids love it when parents play too.

Enjoy some "unplugged" fun

See if your family can go TV free for a week. Play charades, checkers, card games and chess instead.

Start creative craft projects

Garage sales

Hold a garage sale or attend one and look for treasures.

Try a new hairstyle

It can grow out before school starts if you don't like it. Or just experiment with curlers, braids and buns.

Try your hand at carpentry

Build something with scrap wood using hammers, nails and paint.

Create puppets with socks and buttons

Have a puppet show.

Make a pinata

You can make one with paper Mache. Stuff it with treats and then smash it.

Christmas in July

Begin making handmade gifts for Christmas.

Learn a new skill

Learn to knit or crochet at your local yarn store. Build a simple cardboard loom and try weaving.

Do artwork

Paint or draw self-portraits or portraits of your family members or pets. Finger paint on butcher paper outdoors with younger children.

Create personalized dinnerware

Visit a ceramics shop and create hand printed plates.

Creative jewelry

Buy some beads and make necklaces, or use painted macaroni and string.

Get out the summer reading list

Start a book club with kids in your neighborhood.

Sometimes all it takes is a single idea to get your children (and yourself) out of the doldrums and enjoying summer vacation. Just pick an activity from the list and get them started on something. Watch with amazement as their imaginations take over.

The post Fun ideas to alleviate summer boredom appeared first on FamilyToday.

Meanwhile, paid work, housework, bills, laundry and other parental responsibilities need to be accomplished. It becomes easy to allow children too much time with their electronic babysitters just so we can get things done. But then you start feeling guilty about allowing your kids' brains to rot just so you can get a few things done. Here are some ideas for having both a fun and productive summer.

Summer is supposed to be fun

Turn this tug-of-war of conflicting needs on its head. Create a synergistic summer where everyone's needs get met - including your own. Get your children involved in your day-to-day activities in a fun fashion. Find opportunities to combine the need for household chores with the equally necessary fun and education of your kids.

Help your kids discover real food

Kids are always hungry. However, they will eat way too much junk food if we allow it. It's our responsibility to teach them about cooking and nutrition. Summer's more relaxed schedule provides an excellent opportunity.

Take your kids to a farmer's market or community garden. Let them discover where food really comes from. Let them choose some nutritious food items that they like. Then, break out the cookbooks and teach them how to make something exciting from scratch using ingredients they found themselves.

Kids of all ages love to play with dough. Watch how they can't resist molding the ball of dough that you put in front of them. Make some pie crust and let them roll out pies. Create intricate lattice tops or cut out fun shapes with cookie cutters to place over the pie filling, anything from sweet berries to savory chicken and veggies.

Pizza dough is fun to roll out and very forgiving for beginning chefs. Make individual pizzas to bake in the oven or on the outdoor grill. Mix the same dough with herbs, brush with butter or olive oil, sprinkle sesame seeds on top, and create breadsticks. Roll out some sweeter dough and let your kids apply gooey toppings, such as cinnamon, honey, raisins or nuts. Roll up the creation and cut and bake your own spiral cinnamon buns.

Make cleaning fun

Kids love to make a mess. Adults are responsible for keeping things clean. Cleaning is not usually a fun task, but you can make it fun. Take a day together and do some deep cleaning of one room in your house. It could be a child's room, the family room or even your bedroom.

Start by moving all the furniture out and making a mess. Brainstorm a new and exciting arrangement for the room that no one has thought of before. Let your teenagers help you move the heavy stuff and put them in charge of setting up their electronics. Let younger kids build a fort with the bedding and cushions that are now strewn about the room.

While your children have an adventure in their newly constructed fort, take some time to vacuum the floor and corners of the room and under the cushions. This often overlooked job that needs to be done at least yearly is much more fun when everyone participates. Again, your children will feel a greater sense of ownership and pride in their home as they help you decide what goes where and when they add their muscle power to putting everything in place.

Photographs: An important part of your kids' history

While rearranging our family room recently, my kids and I came across old family photo albums stashed in a drawer. Some were my great grandparents' black and white photographs. We sat eagerly looking through the pages and discovered old pictures of a few historic sites we had visited just a week before. The kids excitedly remarked upon seeing the same site "now and then."� Another photo showed a house with the address prominently displayed. I said we could go and see the same house and neighborhood, comparing how it looked then with how it looks now. I was surprised how fascinated they were by this idea.

Photographs don't have to be old to seem like history to your children. Get out your wedding album and let the kids get a kick out of seeing a different perspective of you and your husband's younger selves. Tell them in detail who all the guests were. Tell them stories they may not have heard before about that special day. Take out their baby pictures and tell them stories about themselves. You will all learn new things by looking at the past with a different perspective.

Family connections

Looking through photographs may draw some friends and family to mind, people you adore but haven't seen in a long while. Try calling some of them. Summer is a great opportunity to reconnect with family. Kids love cousins, aunts and uncles and parents can enjoy reconnecting while the children entertain each other.

Free outings

Kids and parents both need exercise. Try a new hiking, walking or biking trail. Visit historic sites, museums or nature centers. Many of these places charge no admission. Pack a picnic lunch and go to a lake or reservoir.

Getting out in nature and away from home is one of the blessings of summer. Your children want and need this type of adventure. They invite you to create balance by leaving your adult world behind and enjoying yourself once in a while.

The post How to have a fun and productive summer with your kids appeared first on FamilyToday.