It's no secret that I'm no domestic diva.

As you may know, I grew up with a housekeeper -- which means that  I never learned how to "keep house." 

Thank G-d, I finally found Kathy Peel's Family Manager System. It really taught me what I needed to know...

But beyond learning what *I* needed to know...I'm going to be perfectly honest here...I had trouble teaching my children what THEY needed to know -- because no one ever taught me when I was a child.

It seems to come so naturally for other moms. They seem to know instinctively when to tell their child to clean up and how to teach them how to clean a bathroom, do their laundry etc...

I was CLUELESS...until I found this great solution:

These great little flip books were the perfect visual aid to help me teach my children how to clean their rooms and do various household chores. The basket system actually makes it (almost) fun for my kids to clean up. Seriously, they took to it like a duck to water and I couldn't be happier with my small investment in this product.

 Recently they added a Clean and Flip book that teaches kids to do their own laundry and you can get it for when you purchase both books and use the code: FREELAUNDRY. 

So...if you're domesticallly challenged, and don't want to raise domestically challenged kids -- stop the cycle and order you clean and flip books to day at:

http://www.solutionsforbusymoms.com/cleannflip 

By: Nicole Dean, Creator of Kids Activity Calendar

Summer is time for outdoor fun with your children. However, sometimes the days are long and your ideas are short. Here are some ideas to help you make sure your active ones are busy and getting lots of fresh air this summer.

Garden
Your child will learn science, responsibility and have fun by planting a garden and maintaining it. In fact, if you have the time or inclination, you can make the entire landscape edible. How fun would it be to be able to just wander around the yard snacking? Blueberry bushes, strawberries, herbs, and fruit trees are all easy to maintain. Some vegetables, like tomatoes require nothing but a lot of water and sunshine to grow like weeds. Start small and see what happens.

Flat You
Lay on the sidewalk and take turns outlining each other. Decorate your flat selves by drawing clothing and funny faces. To make this project educational, you can read the book “Flat Stanley” as well.

Hopscotch
Teach your kids how to play hopscotch. Let them draw their own hopscotch patterns. If they are like I was as a kid, they’ll make hundreds of squares and hop around all day.

Hoola Hoops
Has your child ever tried to hoola-hoop? Show him how. Then, take hoola hoops and make a pretend circus in the yard or try to get your dog to jump through one. You are only limited by your imagination.

Bubbles
Bubbles are always a favorite. Take turns chasing and popping them. Blow bubbles with various bubble wands to see how their shapes and sizes differ.

Turn on the Sprinklers
There’s no need to buy a pool when the old-fashioned sprinklers are just as much fun. There is definitely something special about running around in the front yard through the sprinklers, especially when the neighbor kids see you having fun and join in.

Be sure to print out this list and keep it handy for the next time your children say “MOMMMMMM — we’re bored!”

Article by:
Nicole Dean is a co-founder of www.KidsActivityCalendar.com -- a resource to help parents teach their kids the alphabet in a fun, positive way.

If you're like me, you want to do what you can to get your kids
prepared for kindergarten. Unfortunately, there just aren't a lot
of fun and easy learning materials out there. You have to sort
through a bunch in order to find some really great stuff.

Until now. There's a new program called
http://www.KidsActivityCalendar.com

Each week you will receive coloring sheets and worksheets in your
email along with craft and activity suggestions and even a snack
list that incorporates the letter of the week.

This is the perfect solution for stay-at-home moms, daycare
providers, homeschoolers, or any mom who just wants to give her
child a boost in language development.

Here is a sample page for you to check out.
So, enjoy the letter "A" free --
http://www.kidsactivitycalendar.com/letter-a-sample.htm