Parenting the Ephraim's Child

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TRAVELING IDEAS

Here are some travel ideas taken from a series of articles by Susan Fox in the Family Fun magazine. Fox writes: “In the course of logging about 60,000 travel miles with my kids in the past eight years, I've found that most complaints can be tempered with simple solutions that can actually make it fun to travel as a family. A good game, for example, makes the miles fly by. In addition to games, I've developed many activities and strategies designed to amuse the most bored backseat passengers.”

1. Audiotapes for the road http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48audiotape/famf48audiotape.html

2. Car-ride treats http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48cartreat/famf48cartreat.html

3. Classic road-trip games http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48cargames/famf48cargames.html

4. Getting-to-know-you games http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48knowyou/famf48knowyou.html

5. Inventing, Finding, and Counting http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48invent/famf48invent.html

6. Scavenger Hunt for The Car http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48scavcar/famf48scavcar.html

7. Scavenger Hunt for The Plane http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48scavplane/famf48scavplane.html

8. Tray-top Games http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48traytop/famf48traytop.html

9. The Ultimate Travel Activity Bag http://familyfun.go.com/family-travel/road-trips/feature/famf48gamebag/famf48gamebag.html

10. Don’t forget favorite music, stories, etc. and just talking with your child as you travel.

SUMMER HELPS

As the lazy days of summer progress, often the biggest problem with an Ephraim’s Child is boredom. Try to plan activities or options for your child to keep busy. That doesn’t mean you are the new Activities Director like on a cruise ship, but some preparation on your part may help the summer go smoother.

Here are some good websites to get you started. Throughout the summer we will be listing helpful sites such as these here and we will also have a summer ideas string on our message board.

http://www.funattic.com/game_summer.htm – Lists over 30 ideas - also try the free games section

http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/ – A Disney site with links to other good sites and articles

http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/summerplay.htm – Some backyard fun ideas

http://www.kidsturncentral.com/summer/summerfun.htm – Some more ideas, new ones added all summer

http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev073.shtml – A teacher site, link to 25 activities to keep kids' brains active

http://babyparenting.about.com/od/summerfun/ For younger children (toddlers)

http://www.fvsd.ab.ca/stm/end_of_the_year_and_summer_activ.htm#summer%20fun%20for%20parents%20and%20kids – Lots of links to good places on this site *make sure to check out the 101 ideas to do with your preschooler

GOOD READS

Now is the perfect time for making resolutions to do things different and better in 2005. Why not resolve that this year you will have a better relationship with your Ephraim's Child? A good book to get you started is Parenting with Love by Glen I. Latham.

(From the back cover) In Parenting with Love, author Glen Latham teaches parents simple and effective ways to change their own behavior and thus create an environment in which their children will behave well. Every parent can benefit from this book - a book so simple that changes can be made in a day, bringing into reach every parent's ideal of a loving home.

Note from us: Just remember that because the Ephraim's Child is MORE, these techniques may not work as magically as the examples given. But the book has tons of good stuff anyway.

Click below to buy this book now!