Monthly Archives: August 2013

A garden outside of your home is a luxury that homeowners, as compared to apartment owners, can enjoy. There is no place more serene and relaxing then your own garden which you have nurtured with your own hands. However, in order to enjoy the lush green grass, outlined by the beautifully organized seasonal blossoms, you need to put in some real effort and one of the  things that you need to do is to make your garden childproof; which means that it should be absolutely safe for your children to play there and to roam around.

• Children are really curious beings and because of that they tend to poke their noses everywhere; even where it doesn’t belong. So if you are into gardening, make sure that you remove all the sharp gardening tools, lawn mowers, fertilizers, chemicals and sprays away from their reach. This doesn’t mean putting them away in the corner; you should lock them up in the garden shed right away so even if you are not looking, you know they would be safe.

• The essence of a beautiful garden is planting beautifully coloured flowers and plants. However there is often a price that is attached to them. Many of these could be poisonous if digested. So if you have planted some of these to enhance the look of your garden, be sure to take them out if you are starting a family or if your toddler has just started to come out into the lawn. It is also possible that there might be poisonous plants and flowers in there without you knowing about them, so take a closer look and take out all the wild plants and weeds that have popped up from the ground.

• If you have invested a lot of time in starting a vegetable garden then you will need to protect it from the kids too. Although it could be really informative and exploratory for them to stroll in the vegetable garden, you will never want that they should pick the unripe fruits or veggies before time. Similarly the flowers and wines that you have carefully planted to improve the landscape of the garden need to be protected from the kids too. It is best to build an aesthetically appealing fence of smaller height that borders these areas.

• Last but not the least, the water fixtures or anything that is likely to contain water poses a drowning risk for the children especially if they are toddlers. So if you have fountains, duck pond or even a bucket that is usually filled with water, be sure to place a netting or some form of covering over it when kids are playing outside or when you are not supervising it.

There is nothing more precious than kids and their protection, till they are old enough, is the parents’ responsibility. Just follow your instincts and always be watchful of things that could happen if you are not looking and that would be the best way to prevent accidents both in the garden and elsewhere.

Image source: Image ID: 17186335
http://www.123rf.com/

Undoubtedly, when the child gets ready to go to school for the first time, it is the mother who faces the most anxiety and concern as she realizes that this period marks the beginning of her child actually becoming detached from her. And while this is true, it is also correct that within a few years, her views are going to change radically and she would wish there was no summer break.

This isn’t because she begins loving them less; it’s merely because she cannot match up with the energy of her children and now has to be the sole entertainer throughout the 24 hours of the day for the complete summer months. But no need to fret because here are some pretty cool ideas for the summer break that would keep them busy and entertained and out of your hair.

• Time to redecorate: The long summer break is the perfect time to do some redecorating. If you ask me, the best place to start would be your kids’ room. Plan out a mural and assign painting tasks. If you think that would be too much for you and/or your kids then start working on a big collage. It’s really fun to do; not to mention easy too. You can get loads of ideas from the internet. Just be sure to use safe items and to have it done under your supervision if your kids are small.

• Build a clubhouse: Building a clubhouse is an especially fun thing for kids to do because they really look forward to their own private space and therefore can remain busy for hours working on a project like this. If you are building up a proper club house with wooden boards then assign them the easy and safe task, like painting the boards or making signs that are going to hang outside the club house.

• Lemonade Stand: The time out of school is not a time devoid of learning. Your kids can learn quite a lot by putting up a lemonade stand. Again, help them build it up; really nice and colourful to make it attractive. Teach them how to make a jug of lemonade and serving ideas. Your kids are going to find it really fun and they can learn the importance of working hard to earn money and the value of money itself.

• Host a Pool Party: Pool parties can be extremely fun and enjoyable. Have your kids confirm who can be available for attending a pool party and then fix a date with them. This way, they are going to learn the essentials of planning and hosting an event. Next, have them make colourful signboards to make the party more interesting. You can give them packets of small balloons to be filled with water for water fight.

The more you involve your kids in activities like these, not only will they keep busy in constructive deeds, they are also going to learn how to become responsible members of the family. By the end of summer, you are going to wish it wasn’t time for school so soon!

Image: Copyright (c) <a href=’http://www.123rf.com’>123RF Stock Photos</a>