Carnival of Family Life

Thank you for coming to this week's Carnival of Family Life. I am grateful to Kailani for allowing me to host this week. It was fun to read the great variety of posts.

Next week's carnival will be at Sandier Pastures, in far off Dubai. To send in an entry for future carnivals use this form.

For this week's Carnival of Family Life we're going to look at look at the stages many families go through.


Maintaining your marriage

After the honeymoon, we need to remember to make the effort to keep a marriage strong.

Amanda Regan writes about The Sunday Moan & Groan. #4. at The GOOD, The BAD & The MISCHIEF. Amanda explains how a simple misunderstanding of words can lead to relationship worries.

On a more personal note... Dana explains some of the challenges with having her husband work away from home at Principled Discovery.

Jill writes about her relationship with her husband in Ode to My Hubby at The Diaper Diaries.


First came love, then came marriage,
Then came baby in the baby carriage

Children are one of the joys, and challenges of starting a family.

Elena has some good advice for expecting mothers in Pregnancy: First Things First at busybeemama.com.

New mothers some times struggle with what, and how to feed their children. Cathy Reviews Kidco Electric Food Mill as a CFO: Chief Family Officer.

Mommy Babble shares some ideas to help mothers in Diaper Rash is a Pain In the Butt.

Jenny is wondering how to do allowance in Little Paychecks at the so called me. Do you have any advice to give?

Not all children come after nine months. Suzanne presents The Adoption Decision by Laura Christianson on adventures in daily living.


Raising children

Raising children is a challenge.

While some schools in the UK are pushing for more testing, Melitsa argues that children need More time for play at Play-Activities.com.

Living with children presents a special set of problems. Emily Berry tells the secret to MacDonalds’s success in You don’t have to get the kids out of the car! on Mommin' It Up!

Do you have this problem? Family Briefs.com has Squirrels in the Attic, and would like some suggestions for getting rid of them.

Parenting may be the hardest job we’ll ever have. Patricia has 30 Ways to Instantly be a Better Parent.

Eric Ellen explores some issues of a Massive Toy Recall – My Thoughts, Your Thoughts, Some Tips at Husbandhood.

Linsey Knerl explains some of the problems and benefits of Short People.... at Facipiers and Stinky Toes.

Feeding our children is an important aspect of raising them. Char Polanosky presents 21 Healthy Lunchbox and Snack Ideas posted at Raising A Healthy Family.


Parenting

This is really just more on raising children. I broke it up because there were so many ideas.

One of the worries parents have is how to keep their children safe. Megan Bayliss writes on We welcome you Keeping Kids Safe at Imaginif...

Parents even have to keep our children safe from toys. pickel has a Lead Free Toys List, updated daily at My Two Boys.

Some times we need to keep children safe from themselves. We humbly submit It was a pawn.

SingForHim gives a light-hearted look at a Mom Profile: The Don't-Stay-at-Home Mom at Real Life.

Jordan says "I've finally begun to understand living my life WITH my son." in Living our life at MamaBlogga.

Christina presents what can we do when we don’t want to do it anymore? at Solo Mother, saying, "Being a parent is hard. Being a single parent is harder. How on earth do you get through those days when you just don't want to be a parent??"

Expat Chef writes about reinforcement theory and the use of candy as a reword in Burying the Treasure at The Expatriate's Kitchen.


Children with special issues

Children with special needs may need extra help.

Summer reviews What You Can Do Right Now to Help Your Child with Autism on Mom Is Teaching, and offers the book in a contest.

Leticia Velasquez, as the mother of a Down’s syndrome children, shares some thoughts in "I'll pray for your child to be cured" posted at cause of our joy.


Creating Memories for children

As parents one of the most important things we do is to create memories for our children.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door reminds us that Memories are made of the things we DO, not the things we BUY on Millionaire Mommy Next Door.

Vacations and holidays are a great way to create memories. Grace, who will be hosting the Carnival of Family Life next week, shows pictures from the Obon Festival in Japan at her Sandier Pastures.

SengAun Ong has a Freshwater Aquarium Starter Guide posted at Tipskey - Unlock Practicality, explaining that a freshwater aquarium at home can be a material for homeschool biology and a relationship bonder.

Doing service projects is one of the best ways to build memories. Stretch Mark Mama reports on her Trash Mash, at Stretch Mark Mama.

Mommy Poppins writes about new services which provide shared pet ownership in Mommy, Can I Have a Puppy, Sometimes? at Mommy Poppins—Get more out of NYC for kids.

Memories are really all about spending time together. Kevin Heath has Fun Activities Mom or Dad Can Do With Your Kids at More4kids.

Children love simple toys. Host Bee has a Recipe for playdough at Busy Bee Lifestyle.


Teenagers

As our children become teens, we have new things to worry about.

Before our teenagers go off into the wide world, there are a number of life skills they should know. In Life Skills (Updated) Annette Berlin list some basic skills and ideas on how to teach them, at Homeschooling Journey.

Teenage years can be hard on teenagers. Dianne M. Buxton helps with Lose Weight Safely - in Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes at Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes. She has some ideas on safe dieting for dancers and young athletes.

Christine writes about Teenage anst in Teenagers, School and Texting Oh My! at Are We There Yet?


Memories for Adults

Memories are important for both children and parents. Alta celebrates the Day After Yesterday at Love Country Living.

Leisa also thinks about her birthday in Good Times at downwiththekids.net.

JD has a touching and humorous account of saying good-bye to her dad in I Scattered My Dad’s Ashes so you don’t have to, posted at I Do Things So You Don't Have To.

Riley writes about memories in The Wonderful World of Disney at All Rileyed Up.


Being Grandparents

My father teases me that the best part of being a parent is being a grandparent. Jerry Stearns has suggestions on Relationships-Fun Activities To Do With Your Grandchildren, Ages 6-9 at Your Life After 50,


There are other common issues relating to families. Here are a few:

Finding a balance between: Work, Personal and Family

One of the challenges for fathers is finding a balance between work and family life. Ben Yoskovitz presents How-To Start a Company and Family at the Same Time with nice graphics at Instigator Blog.

Sometimes it is hard for parents to find the time to exercise. In A HowTo Guide for The Kids Club at your Gym Csara shares some ideas and her experience at Baby Talkers.

Micellaneous Mum presents Roll up, roll up, plenty to go around posted at Miscellanous Adventures of an Aussie Mum.


Education and School

School can add a lot of stress and pressure. Julie Bonner has Top 5 Tips to Make This an Organized School Year to help things go smoother at her blog Declutter It!

Music is an important part of our education. Tupelo Kenyon writes about the Benefits of Music for Personal Development on Tupelo Kenyon.

Kailani, the organizer of the Carnival of Family Life, shows off her daughter in Photo Contest: The First Day of Kindergarten at Local Girl.

There is a lot of excitement at the start of a new school year. Char Polanosky writes about one such situation in The Envelope Please… at Casual Keystrokes.

HowToMe has ideas on How to Teach your Tactile or Kinesthetic Learner to Study (4 of 4).

Corrie explains Why we choose to learn everywhere posted at Tyler's Triumph.
mom & dad have an ode to their kindergarten son in Kindergarten Kid posted at raising4boys.com.


Remembering our parents

It is good to let our parents know we appreciate their efforts to raise us. Alfa King pays Tribute to his beloved Dad at Alfa King Memories.


Relationships

Warren Wong has some good thoughts both parents and children in Make People Comfortable By Greeting Them Right at Personal Development for INTJs.

TherapyDoc has some ideas on how to have healthy relationships with our spouses and children in You're not the boss of me: Playing defense at Everyone Needs Therapy.

Hal Sommerschield presents No! No! No! Don't Do That! posted at North Star Mental Fitness Blog.

Charlie Close shares pictures in The Cooperators posted at Summer Grasses, stories from the seasons of life by Charlie Close.

Whymommy writes about relationships and internet communities in Blogging and a Room of One's Own, posted at Toddler Planet.

Charles H. Green explores issues about trust in The Dark Side of Trust? Not! at Trust Matters.

A picture is worth a thousand words. confess mail has a great picture in I thought I was marrying him, not his family... posted at ConfessMail.


Money

Learning the rules of finance makes a family more successful.

Stephanie encourages us to Don't Waste Your Time or Money on Bad Movies at Stop the Ride!

In addition to money, Fiona Lohrenz askes Parents - Do you have a contract with your childcare provider? at Child Care Only.

Lill Hawkins explores the different between frugal and cheap in Frugal is the New Cheap at News from Hawkhill Acres.

Frugal Duchess has some great tips in Money & Management Lessons From a Lemondade Stand at The Frugal Duchess

Betsy Teutsch shares how her son learned some lessons about money in Money Changes Things: What Topps This? at Money Changes Things.


College

Super Saver has some good news on College Costs and Average Debt at Graduation at My Wealth Builder.

Scott H shares 5 Questions Parents and Students Should Ask When Choosing a College at College and Finance.


Miscellaneous

Terri Mauro reports that Kids Prefer Food That Says McDonald's? Excellent! at About Parenting Special Needs.

Donetta presents Carnaval of family life. posted at A Life Uncommon, saying, "Sweet Onion"

zamejias has A Confession at Verb.


Conclusion:

Thank you for coming to this week's Carnival of Family Life.

Thank you to all the participants in this carnival.


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Technorati tags: children, family, parenting, memories