Seeing the long list of things I have to do, I ask for help from my kids. They can help tidy up around the house. I usually ask the kids for support. They can do some small chores to help me out. They know how to wash the dishes. They can sweep and vacuum. Some days they cooperate. Other days they need a few bribes to do what they need to get done.

I want to teach them the value of helping others out and that it is crucial to take care of where they live. They need to know they have to earn everything they get. I want to teach them they need to support their family and take care of one another. I also want to teach them valuable life skills.

Having our house in order is also important. Everything runs smoother when the house is in order. They are good helpers. Hopefully they will take away several other lessons when they help me out. I hope they gain experience in working with others and helping others. I hope they want to help others and not be selfish. It is a trait of successful people to serve others.

Getting away from it all, can be a great experience. Why do I like to travel? Why would I travel with my kids? I like to try new things. Food is awesome in many parts of the world. Kids need to know that there are other cultures and traditions out there. That there are other ways of life. People have other values in parts of the world. I want my kids to see that there are other possibilities. They can get away from the four walls.

We get lost and then we can find our way around. Learning to navigate in a foreign country can be unsettling. However, once you figure out where you want to go, you can get assistance. If you stay at a hotel where there is a concierge, they can point you in the right direction. It is best to have a plan. Even if you have a lose agenda, you can fine tune it once you get to your destination.

Traveling to other parts of the world can make you stronger. You may have fears of what will happen in a foreign country. However, if you make your way around, have fun, enjoy the experience, and come back with everyone you left with (including your kids), it can be a wonderful adventure that builds you up.

My kids have a strict routine now that they are back in school. They have to read, do homework, practice, and help clean up. I don’t want them to fall behind. It is easy for me to fall behind, and I don’t want them to fall behind on their work because of me. I do a lot. Being a parent requires an MBA, nowadays.

There is so much going on in this world, that it is easy to get distracted. I want them to be able to focus on what is important. I don’t want them to fall into the trap of getting away from what is important right now. Then to look at what is important next. I want them to have the skills they will need to succeed.

I may not agree with all of the subjects that they are taught and the methods, but I feel they do need to focus on one thing at a time. I want to teach them the value of hard work and getting things done on time with excellence. Homework may not seem important to them. I see it as a tool to help them become disciplined. I used to not like routines. Now I see the value in them.

School has started. The kids are excited to go back to school. Everything is new for my youngest who gets to go to Kindergarten. She likes it. For me, this marks my journey into some challenges with trying to manage my life as well as helping them manage their school work. It has begun. The process of analyzing and assessing what works and what does not work. Things keep moving faster and faster. It is not easy keeping up with three kids.

These are different times, than when my Grandmother had eight kids. She was able to stay at home with her kids. My Grandfather worked. She worked around the house. She was able to manage a lot. I remember laundry was hung out to dry on the line. Those days were simpler. I think they were able to live on one salary.

When the kids were off school and I had to continue to work, it was not easy to manage. They go to do activities when I was home. They played with friends. They did do some chores around the house. They were not motivated. There is something about going back to school and the discipline. For this I am grateful.

When I get the hang of something, sooner or later there is a change in program. When I start to feel comfortable, it seems like there is going to be a shift. It is not easy to accept change. Yet, everything changes. Too many changes all at once are not good. It can be difficult to keep up. In changing the program or activities for kids, I feel it is important to do it slowly.

Adjustments in minor increments are easier to manage than multiple tasks at once. It can be detrimental to change too many things at once. It can overload the brain. Even adults cannot multitask.

It is not nice to change up some things without warning. It can shock people and kids. A gentle warning and an ease into the circumstances is preferred for some personalities. Some things are best administered quickly like a shot.

Changing too many things at once could be scary for children. It could completely disorient them. Kids can thrive in most environments, except ones without routines. Some routines are necessary for a sense of security. Routines can ground kids and adults. Changing programs or our way of life can be a good thing.

Are your kids bored? Do they tell you that they don’t know what to do? There are opportunities to try new things. There are good experiments, that can be done. Your kids are bored because their limits are not tested. They are not being challenged. Somehow, they got into a mundane routine. The same old same routines are played out.

It is crucial to shake up routines. Kids need to be challenged in a safe environment. However, they will not grow if wrapped up in bubble wrap world. Growth is essential to new learning. They can make room for new experiences and knowledge.

As adults, it also important to shake up our routines and get outside of our normal routines. As a parent it is best to lead the charge to finding new areas of our lives to expand and grow. You will not be bored if you pursue your goals and reach farther. Stretching yourself will be the best example to your kids. They will see your fire and enthusiasm. When you are lit up, they will be lit up. They will be having so much fun experimenting, they will not have time to be bored. Neither will you.

When I got home from work today, I swear my dog gave me a kiss. I got home and the dog greeted me enthusiastically. I started to make my way into the kitchen. I had to make dinner. The dog wanted to go outside, so I let her outside. I was there with her for a little while. Then, I came inside, she followed me inside. When I got inside I grabbed some items to grill on the barbeque. She followed me outside. This continued. I am working on this now and she is laying on the couch nearby. I feel as if the dog really has affections for me.

If only we could know as readily that people were affectionate towards us. My kids need to know how I feel about them, even though I may be occupied at the moment. Do your kids know they are loved? Do you know how to let them know you are thinking of them? Do you know how to show them that they are worthy of love?

I not only tell my kids that they are loved but I show them that they are loved. It is much like the dog who greets me when I get home. I am happy to see them. I let them know and feel that they are valued, by spending time with them.

There are questions that plague every parent. How to be a better parent. How to get your kids to do what you want them to do. How to be a great example. How to be the best you can be. How to make a difference in your children’s lives. How to influence them to do more. How to encourage them to be better.

Then you have to begin with the end in mind. If you want your kids to be well behaved, you have to be well behaved and notice when they are behaving well. It starts with acknowledging the good behavior every day. Not just every once in a while. My daughter was so good, when she was told that she had to keep to herself in another room, while I attended a meeting. She got to have ice cream after the meeting. She was rewarded with ice cream and other things that she wanted. She was also praised. I told her that she was good, and that she may be good other times, but won’t always get as many treats.

She has had excellent behavior the past few days. The knows how much I appreciate it. She knows what good behavior looks like. It takes some good communication and some understanding to show your kids how to be good.

When I think of what I want out of life. I know I want an extraordinary life. What does that mean? What can I do to get there? How am I supposed to get there? These are questions that come up. I know I want to achieve a lot. To get there I know I will have to analyze my life in every aspect. I know I have to make improvements. It is not just one time task. Some may have analyze once a week, once a month, once a quarter.

It is important to take the time to dwell on this. It is important to take action. Without taking action on our goals, the ideas are only dreams. Without the dreams achieved there can be no extraordinary life. It takes work to make it happen. There is no way around it. To be extraordinary requires deep thought, commitment, and energy.

I want to teach my kids that it is important to think about what they want to achieve and to come up with a plan to achieve those goals. I want them to have an extraordinary life. They have to see me with an extraordinary life. Anyone can be ordinary.

When you have an important decision to make. Always trust your gut. When you want to do the right thing for your kids, trust your gut. You know when you do something that is not good for them. You know you are not setting a great example. My kids have a great life, if I do say so myself. They do not want for anything. They have great adventures. They have lots of toys. I have not spoiled them. I choose, to set boundaries with them.

I make sure they know what is wrong from right. I don’t have a manual on how to create great kids that will become great adults. Whet I do know is that they need love and appreciation. They don’t need stuff. They appreciate when we take the time to be with them. They know we care, when we listen to them. They know we care when we recognize their achievements. They also know we care, when we set up boundaries.

We know when we have done something that we should not have done, when it comes to dealing with our kids. You know it because, you cringe, in that moment you make the error. Your gut tells you that it is not right.