Five Easy Ideas to Make Babysitting More Fun

So it is just now about 8:oo O’clock on Monday morning, and no, school hasn’t started yet. I’m drinking my second cup of instant coffee, and I am about ready to set off for a day of babysitting. Before I go I thought I could leave some fun ideas for teens looking for a way to keep toddlers and younger children entertained.

Most kids think it’s really cool if they get a chance to eat outside. To them it’s a mini-adventure. So grab a blanket and make a “finger friendly” meal and head out to the back yard or porch.

Have the kids help you make the meal. Always do light cooking, unless asked to do otherwise, but it helps them to feel special and needed. You can never begin boosting confidence too early!

Turn up the music and rock out with the kids. Make sure it is a kid friendly tune, dress up with them, and jump around. The key to this and the other suggestions is not being afraid to look silly. Remember, if kids see that your having fun, they’ll probably being have it too.
Every kid loves to build a blanket fort. Grab some pillows, blankets, and get to it! Don’t be afraid that they’ll be disappointed, to kids a propped up pillow with a blanket thrown on top, is the Taj Mahal.

Play along! when your babysitting, you’re not only an authoritative figure, you’re there to make sure the kids have a good time wile Mom and Dad are away. So build a fort, play pretend games, and just go with the flow.

Miranda’s Book Review of The Burn Journals

A book review by Miranda:

I have recently finished reading “The Burn Journals” by Brent Runyon. It was wonderful, though at times a hard read due to the graphic details of some scenes. Over all, the book was fascinating. It was both painful and enlightening. “The Burn Journals” is a real life account of the author who attempted suicide by soaking his bathrobe with gasoline, and burning himself alive. An interesting point through out the book is: not once through out the entire story was Mr. Runyon able to describe the exact reason for his attempted suicide.

I recommend this book to every teen who finds themselves stuck in depression. There is help out there, if only you ask. The book has made it to college’s “Top 20’s Most Recommended” list. The story inspired me personally, calling me to reach out to other teens who may be feeling similar to Mr. Runyon.

Life is the most precious thing we can possibly possess and there is no excuse for intentionally ending it. By allowing yourself to commit such an act you are taking your power, your life, and handing it to the person or thing your trying to escape. You might as well be saying, “Here. Tell me how to feel about myself.” There is always hope, and always someone willing to help. Just ask. You can call the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit www.teendepression.org for more specific information about depression and suicide.

When Your Sibling Leaves for College

Is your brother or sister leaving for college? Depending on your relationship with them, you might be excited or completely devastated. To help you deal with this, you can watch teens share their advice for when siblings leave for college.

How to Deal With Teen Drinking and Summer Parties

It’s hard to be a teen today and not be faced with peer pressure at some point.  Many of the teens I talk to tell me that teen drinking and parties are fairly popular and it’s not always easy to find alternatives.  At the same time, I’ve found many teens who have navigated their way through the world of teen drinking and parties and found other ways to have fun.  Watch these teens share their experiences with teen drinking and summer parties and how they’ve been able to deal with it.   Here are a few more tips that might help.

• Make a list of the things you love doing.  What would be on your list?  Are you a dancer? Athlete? Artist? Movie buff? Maybe you have another hobby.  This can be a great starting point for not only thinking of other things to do but for also surrounding yourself with friends who have similiar interests.
• Don’t try to do this alone.  Find someone you can trust to talk to and bounce ideas off of about your situation.  Maybe it’s adult who might offer a different perspective, but someone your own age can work too.

When Was Your Last Compliment?

One woman’s simple compliment was a great reminder to me of how far random acts of kindness and compliments can go. 

I had just spent over 8 hours in the car with two small children and was checking out some groceries.  The women checking us out started up a casual conversation and said we were so friendly.  I honestly felt so far from that and we told her we were all kind of tired.  She continued to comment on my braces, and had this huge smile and said, “I just love your braces.  I think they make you look so young” and …I don’t quite remember the rest, but her kind words went a long way that day.  Honestly, I’m pretty self conscious about having braces so for her to give that type of compliment, she had no idea how much it meant to me. 

More important, her compliment was a reminder of how I need to do more of this.  I don’t stop enough and tell people about the good I notice in them.  I saw how quickly you can make a difference and then it turns into a ripple effect.  I am going to try to pay more attention to this and give not only those close to me more compliments, but strangers too!  Will you join me?

Fun In The Sun–With a Broken Bone

Summer time. It’s supposed to be a fun time to hang out with friends, meet boys and go swimming. Having a broken bone doesn’t even cross you’re mind. But what if you did break a bone during the summer? You wouldn’t be able to go swimming. If it was a foot or leg or ankle break and/or sprain then it would complicate things even more. You couldn’t go to the mall on crutches, or if you did, it’d be very hard because you couldn’t carry your shopping bags.  Broken bones can really affect your social life and your summer fun. But it doesn’t have to. Here’s some ideas that you can do so that you can still have fun regardless of your broken bones.

• Get a mani or pedi. If you’ve got a broken foot/leg get a mani with a friend. If you’ve got a broken wrist/arm/finger get a pedi with a friend.
• Go to the movies. A broken arm shouldn’t affect this. If you’re on crutches, you might have some difficulty getting up the stairs to the seats, so try sitting in the middle instead of the way back. 
• Make a scrap book online. It might be hard with a broken arm, but it shouldn’t be hard with a broken leg. A good website for making a scrapbook would be www.shutterfly.com Another website to edit pictures on is www.picnik.com
• Make your own music.  Try your hand at writing songs. If you hurt your arm, maybe even make a music video with your friends. If you’ve broken your leg, maybe film your friends in a video or even be in some scenes sitting down.

I hope none of you DO have a broken bone (like I do) but if you or a friend does, try doing one of these activities.

How do you treat your friends?

Several icons recently passed away, including Michael Jackson. It seems like the media brought up all of Jackson’s flaws in the past few years. Now that he has passed, music fans are celebrating all of his albums and awards.

This made me think about how we treat our friends. Are you typically someone who looks for flaws or strengths? Sometimes it seems like girls are so hard on each other. How can we be more supportive of each other?

Make Summer More Exciting

Here are 10 fun things to do this summer. At less than 10 dollars each, you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.

1. Go to a local pool. Submission to many pools is only 4 to 5 dollars. Pack a lunch and go early so you really get your money’s worth. If food’s not allowed, bring a cooler to keep in your car. It should keep fresh as long as it doesn’t sit too long.

2. Make your own set of washers. It’s the perfect game for hanging out in the yard.

3. Head to the mini-golf course. One game is usually about 7 dollars. If it’s too hot out, check online to see if there’s an indoor course nearby. Challenge your friends to see who can get the lowest score.

4. Have a picnic at the park. You and your friends can each bring something to munch on. Pack a frisbee and a bunch of board games, and you’re all set!

5. Have a water ballon fight. Nothing says “fun” like water balloons! Even filling them up is a blast.

6. Have a girls’ night. It’s easy to bond when you’re just hanging out or making a snack together. It’s important to take time out of your busy lives to laugh.

7. Use the sprinkler. Running across the sprinkler makes you feel like a kid again. Alternate trips to the sprinkler with sunning on the lawn so you can work on your tan at the same time (remembering to use sunscreen, of course.)

8. Host a movie marathon. Have each girl grab their top movie pick, make some popcorn and find a comfortable spot. You could even pick movies in the same category, such as comedy, or have everyone dress up as their favorite character from one of the movies.

9. Be sporty. Many parks have soccer or football fields, sand volleyball or basketball courses, or hiking trails. There’s no pressure to be a super athlete, so you can just have a great time goofing around with your friends.

10. Window shop. Just because you’re out shopping doesn’t mean you have to buy anything. Don’t bring any money and you won’t be tempted to buy anything. If you’re willing to part with a few bucks, try shopping for antiques. Not only is it fun to see all of the merchandise, but you might come across an affordable item with a lot of character.

Want more great ideas about having fun this summer with your friends? Watch Molly and Sarah share more tips, or read these tips.

Mean Girls and Competition

Competition between girls is everywhere! Find out what teens think about mean girls, competition between girls, and how to deal with it.

Switching Gears: From School Stress to Summer Fun

Have you ever wondered how to go from a stress-filled school year to a fun summer? It should be easy, but sometimes it’s hard to find the right balance. Teen girls share advice on how to find time to relax and make the most of your summer!

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