• Use CLEAR PACKING TAPE to repair odds and ends around the house, repair books, hang pictures on walls.  Works better than regular tape!
• My kids love “drawing” on STEAMED-UP WINDOWS. After they’re done I hand them a paper towel to wipe!! They’re having fun and the windows get cleaned!
• When children use bad language or misbehave, try sending them to the BATHROOM since they are using “bathroom language/behavior”.  Gets boring all by yourself.
• We have found that FAMILY MEETINGS help to ease tension between siblings as well as creat a great opportunity to open the doors of communication between us and kids.  At our weekly meetings we discuss the issues that have been placed in out “Family Matters” jar by family members throughout the past week.  We have discussed things like: sticking-up for yourself and the things you like or believe in; setting guidelines for when out with friends; remembering to ask before borrowing from a sibling; what to do when teased at school, etc.  Since we have been doing these family meetings, my husband and I have noticed a difference in our kids’ attitudes towards each other and us. (Alisa Jolivette)

Encouragement: A publication by Angela DiCicco and Gail Signor