Serving the God of the Future

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In my Bible study, I love to read about Joshua. He so courageously led the Israelites after the death of his mentor, Moses. He lived a long life for God, battling lots of battles and setting a good example for God’s people. Near the end of his 110 years, he gathered the people together for a farewell address. He reiterated much of what God had done for them over the years, then he issued this challenge:

“Choose you this day whom you will serve!”

He knew that it wasn’t an issue of if they would serve but who. He also knew that although God had done so much for them; in their humanity and innate sinfulness, they wouldn’t necessarily choose Him. So he gave them the options available:

1. The gods of the Past
The passage actually reads, “the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the (River).” too often, we make idols out of the mistakes that our parents made or become a servant to the abuses or bad routines of our past. instead of letting these things shape us and help us to mature, we say things like:

“I’ll never change. I’ll always be this way.”
“This is the way I was raised. I can’t live any other way.”
“I behave this way because of the way I was treated when I was younger.”
“I can’t live a Godly life because I have done too lots of bad things.”

If you say things like these, or believe them, you are serving the gods of the Past.

2. The gods of the Present
Another choice Joshua gave them was “the gods…in whose land ye dwell”. In case you hadn’t noticed, our culture isn’t typically very God-friendly. There are lots of things competing for our devotion and service. even good things like careers and homes can be things we idolize or serve. shopping for the current fashion can be a lot more crucial to us than finding God’s purpose for our life. We can look to Hollywood to tell us how to live instead of God’s Word. If this is the way you live, you are serving the gods of the Present.

3. The God of the Future
As Christians, we know that God has created a home in heaven for us if we give our lives to Him. However, do we really comprehend that He holds the whole future in His hands? He already knows what is going to happen and nothing will happen without His consent.

Let’s bring this down to where we live:

If you are serving a god of the past, remember, God was there. He saw what happened to you, what you did, the hurts and the bad choices. but He loves you and is calling you out of that past; no matter how bad or good it may have been, to a bright, healthy future with Him!

If you are serving a god of the present, know that God is here, ideal now. Yet, He knows that fads are fleeting and they won’t satisfy for the long term. lots of of them may even be harmful to a lively life with Him. He is calling you to look ahead and follow him wherever he leads!

The people of Israel accepted Joshua’s ultimatum and made their choice:

“The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.”

For the sake of a joy-filled life of purpose, health and peace; I hope you make the same choice.

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About This Author

Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a partner to the most terrific man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com.

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Spotlight blog | Ziggy’s blog

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This week I interviewed Laura Day from Ziggy’s Blog.

Laura is a single mother of 2 girls, working full-time as a medical transcriptionist and in college studying to be a special education teacher. Scroll down for my exclusive interview with Laura.

HM: When did you start blogging?Laura: end of January 2009.

HM: Why do you blog?Laura: I’m not sure why I actually started blogging. I had come across a few blogs and chose I would try it. then I started blogging on some of the harmful teen trends my daughter got involved in when she was younger. I had such a good reaction I chose to continue blogging on the teen trends that my daughter didn’t get involved in (or least not that I know of).

It gives me a little “me” time without actually leaving the house, and I have found it to be enjoyable. The blogging community is a substantial and friendly place.

HM: What is your blog about?Laura: I’m a single mother raising two teen daughters. My blog includes a lot of messages on harmful teen trends, plus I blog about life as a single mom.

HM: What are your supreme goals for your blog?Laura: My main goal is to inform parents of tweens & teens (and even children) of all the wild and harmful trends that teenagers are mixed up in so they can be aware of what to view out for in their own child. My oldest daughter started cutting when she was 13 & I had no idea kids were doing this. It was such a shock to me, but now that I’m aware of it, I see a lot of teens that cut…and the list goes on and on.

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HM: What do you want your readers to get out of your blog?Laura: I hope they acquire knowledge about what teenagers are having to deal with in today’s world. Gone are the Leave It To Beaver days, but I do try to lighten up at times with a little humor. I want them to delight in reading my blog and to check out often.

HM: What do you do to get your readers to keep coming back?Laura: Well, I’m still fairly new, I have joined several blog communities to help get my blog seen.

Also, with consent from my daughter, I blog about the teen trends she experienced, what she was feeling, what I was feeling…I try to keep it real.

HM: Do you have any favorite blogs or any blogs that you read regularly?Laura: I have quite a few parenting blogs that I read on a regular basis, really too numerous to list here, but they are all on my blogroll.

HM: Do you have any guidance for other bloggers?Laura: best now, I’m still asking for advice/help with my blog, but I would say write about what you enjoy. blogging shouldn’t be a chore.

You can check out Laura at Ziggy’s Blog.

I invite all mommy and health bloggers to be in the spotlight. Click here for much more information on how your blog can be in the spotlight on healthy Moms.

Join the healthy mothers Community

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BRACE YOURSELF: THE ZERO TO ten scale

the very best guidance Ryan as well as I got during our very first days with Julian came from a source that I can no longer remember, possibly the pediatrician who made rounds in the hospital. It was this:

Babies requirement to go from 0 to 10 on a everyday basis. A sleeping infant is at 0 as well as may spend many of his day that way. At 10, loud as well as incessant crying, your infant is likewise doing his job. At 0, 1, as well as 2, you most likely feel like a quite great parent, while at 8, 9, as well as 10 you presume you are doing whatever wrong, your infant is in awful pain, as well as desire that someone, possibly the genuine mom of this baby, would come show you what the issue is.

Remember this scale, rookie moms. Your own baby’s crying is surprisingly challenging to endure. as well as it’s not since you’ve been reinvented as the most empathetic person on the world or since you are so totally bonded with your baby. It’s since the noise is blood-curdlingly horrific as well as you understand that nobody else is responsible. Whatever the issue is, it’s yours to solve.

There may not be a issue is the point, however. It may just be your baby’s everyday see to the number 10. rock her, modification her, shush her, swing her, feed her. even put her down in her crib as well as leave the room. Hey, for some kids, that works!

Remember this tip, expecting readers, to ensure that when your infant is at 5, 6, or 7, you can preserve a bit point of view as well as save some energy for the score of 10 that normally shows up around 4 or 5 pm.

Toddler as well as preschooler moms, are you still reading? Here’s my advanced patented theory of parenting: Your walking, speaking kid likewise needs to go from 0 to 10 on a everyday basis. That’s why he’s hyperventilating over a light switch that you flipped on when he wished to DO IT BY MAH SELF! He’s just exercising his capability to get to 10.

Maintaining point of view for the preschool set: When your youngster is bouncing off the walls with glee, rolling around in the laundry you just folded, as well as hurling plastic tractors down a slide toward other kids, at least it is a pleased 10. Isn’t it much more enjoyable than a tantrum about getting in the cars and truck seat that required you to brace your knee against your child’s torso while you buckled him in? What? I do this to my child on a routine basis.

Find some positive methods to assist your kid get to 10 every day, to run around like a  maniac; to jump on a stack of pillows, stuffed animals, as well as scarves; to throw rocks into water; as well as to shriek “HOORAY!” as well as “POOP IS FUNNY!” loud sufficient for the neighbors to hear. then hope that you’ve purchased yourself one more day.

Does your kid reach 10 every day? What suggestion have you passed on the most to new parents?

A risk-free as well as healthy Halloween with diy deal with paints!!

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If there’s one thing you select to do this Halloween, I desire you to reevaluate utilizing store-bought deal with paints as well as hair coloring for your child. I was shocked (not sure why thinking about the outrageous loosey-goosey policies in cosmetics), to discover out exactly how horribly toxic so numerous of these “traditional” Halloween products are. as well as we put them on our KIDS???

The campaign for risk-free Cosmetics, a national coalition of nonprofit health and wellness as well as environmental groups, were bravely identified to phone call these business out as well as spread the word that they present major health and wellness dangers to anybody who may utilize them.

How did they do it?

The campaign sent 10 prominent children‘s deal with paints to an independent lab to be evaluated for a variety of harmful metals. Horrifically, all of the products evaluated were contaminated with low levels of lead (no level of lead is acceptable or safe!!), which can damage children’s establishing brains. “Six of the products were contaminated with nickel, cobalt and/or chromium which can cause lifelong skin problems. numerous of the products contained two, three or even all four of these metals. because of the lack of cosmetic market policy in the United States, deal with paint, hair color as well as other products on U.S. shelves include harmful heavy metals as well as toxic substances that are banned or restricted in other countries. Disturbingly, parents have no method of understanding what’s truly in these products just by reading the labels” (Safe Cosmetics).

The frightening Truth?

Ten out of 10 deal with paints evaluated contained lead

Six out of 10 deal with paints evaluated contained understood skin allergens nickel, cobalt and/ or chromium – at levels far exceeding the suggestions of market studies.

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Labels contained misleading claims, such as “hypoallergenic,” on products with understood skin allergens.

Hair colors as well as other cosmetic products contained hazardous chemicals that are banned or restricted in Europe, Canada as well as Japan as well as contained colors not authorized for utilize in cosmetics by the FDA.

These tests show us that our kids are being subjected to potentially harmful levels of heavy metals from deal with paints as well as other typically utilized Halloween products, a few of which insurance claim to be “safe,” “non-toxic” or “hypoallergenic.” These results even more suggest that the FDA is not ensuring that deal with paints as well as other cosmetics are safe, as well as it is not taking the required steps to safeguard the most susceptible – our children” (Thank you risk-free Cosmetics for this helpful information).

Here is a fantastic recipe on exactly how to make your own risk-free as well as natural deal with paints – you can discover much more recipes including hair spray, hair gel as well as deal with Paints Made with Food – at the SafeCosmetics diy recipes page!!

Face paint Made with natural Food Coloring

Natural food coloring is offered at health and wellness food stores as well as generally originated from foods as well as spices. We suggest reading up about natural food colorings as well as prospective allergies first. Do not substitute traditional food coloring, which may include synthetic chemical ingredients.

Ingredients:

-Base of safe, unscented lotion (search Skin Deep for risk-free options) OR pure cocoa butter (available at health and wellness food stores) OR safe, fluoride-free toothpaste (search Skin Deep; prevent mint flavors, as they can make skin tingly)

-Natural food coloring (see note above)

Instructions:

Mix a few drops of natural food coloring into the base component of your choice. test on a little patch of skin before applying to deal with or body.

Have a risk-free as well as healthy Halloween!!

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Healthy alternatives to Halloween treats

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Traditionally, on Halloween kids dress up in fun or scary costumes and knock on neighbors’ doors greeting them with, “Trick or treat!”  If no treat is given kids could do something naughty on the neighbor’s property.  over the years the ever popular Halloween treats have grown and the candy industry in the us rakes in billions of dollars each year.

Candy and sugar not only is bad for your child‘s teeth, but too much of it can result in diabetes, obesity and behavior problems.  here at the healthy mothers magazine we want your children to have a safe and healthy Halloween this year.  So, we have come up with a few healthy alternatives to the conventional sugary Halloween treats.

1.  Halloween Goodie Bags instead of Candy

You don’t have to greet trick or Treaters with candy pass out goodie bags instead.  You can find low-cost Halloween themed toys at your local dollar store or discount store.  some of our favorites are stickers, pencils and play jewelry.  break open the packages and place one or two of each item in ziplock bags or party favor bags.

2. limit the number of houses your kids visit.

Even if you live in what looks like a good middle class neighborhood with hundreds of modern homes do you really know that numerous neighbors?  It might not be that safe for your kids to check out every neighbor.  If you limit the number of homes your child check outs on Halloween this will also limit the amount of candy your child gets.  two or three pieces of sweets a day is much more than enough sugar for your child.  If his candy lasts a week this will make Halloween special.

3. instead of trick or Treating take your child to a community party.

Most towns and organizations hold Halloween parties.  numerous of these parties have costume contests, and fun games that your whole family can get involved in.  many likely if your child goes to a party she will come home with a lot less candy than she would if she went trick or treating.

Halloween is a fun holiday and you can make it extra special for your child without the added sugar.  If you are planning on sending your kids out trick or treating this year make sure they are accompanied by and adult, and can be seen in the dark.  have a happy, safe and healthy Halloween.

(Originally published on October 1, 2012, healthy alternatives to Halloween Treats)

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#WordlessWednesday with #linky on a Tuesday – getting ready for the party

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Wordless Wednesday is live on thehealthymoms.net and talbertzoo.com. link up to your Wordless Wednesday post.

Place my button on your blog so I know that you are linking up here.

Add your Wordless Wednesday Link

Leave me a comment so I can visit your blog.

Visit the other blogs linking up.

Link to this post:#WordlessWednesday with #linky on a Tuesday – getting ready for the Party

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Welcome to height Flu season

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It is that time of year again. The temperatures are dropping, snow is falling and you get the dreaded phone call from your child‘s school. “Mrs. Smith, this is the school nurse. I have Johnny here and he isn’t feeling well. could you please come and pick him up from school?”

If you are anything like me you don’t like getting calls like this because once one person in your family is sick, soon everyone will have it.  Colds, the flu and other germs can spread like wildfire.  But, how do you know if it is just the cold or the influenza virus?  Our friends at the Cleveland clinic Akron General, have supplied some ideas for your family during the height cold and flu season.

Cascia Talbert
Founder
Healthy mommies Magazine

 

Is It a cold or the Flu?

“Flu activity a lot of frequently peaks in the united states between December and February,” according to the Centers for disease control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, though, there are some steps that you can take to help secure yourself and your loved ones from cold and flu.

 

Get a flu shot – it’s not too late! It’s your best flu prevention method and it can minimize your chances of catching the flu and can minimize the severity of your symptoms.

Wash your hands before eating and don’t put your hands near your face or in your mouth.
If someone in your family has the flu, clean and disinfect surfaces that may be contaminated with germs.
Help your immune system fight off a cold or flu by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, exercising moderately, managing anxiety and avoiding drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Stock the cabinets

“In preparation for the cold and flu season it’s advisable to stock up on some basic items for home,” says Douglas W. Harley, DO, Cleveland clinic Akron general primary care physician. “These can include a supply of facial tissues, cough drops/syrup, hydrating fluids such as water or sports drinks, and NSAIDs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen. These basic supplies will allow you to weather a lot of of the symptoms the cold or the flu might throw at you this season. Preventative items such as vitamin C, Echinacea, and other over-the-counter vitamins may offer some added benefit in stopping the onset of a cold or the flu, however the current medical literature is limited on their effectiveness.”

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I’m sick, now what?

Since cold and flu are both viruses, antibiotics are not effective in treating either illness. The following items may help to minimize symptoms of cold and flu, though:
Medications to relieve aches and fever
Medications for congestion and nasal discharge
Bed rest and boosted intake of fluids
Warm, salt water gargling for sore throat
Warm steam for congestion

Is it a cold or the flu?

Well, just how sick are you? Sometimes, the symptoms can be similar. The flu comes on unexpectedly and your symptoms are a lot more intense – your fever is higher, your cough is a lot more severe and you may experience strong aches, pains and fatigue. Colds are typically milder than the flu and can linger from several days to several weeks. below are some of the symptoms of a cold versus the flu.

Cold symptoms:
Low-grade fever
Chills
Headache
Sneezing and/or a stuffy, runny nose
Mild, hacking cough
Scratchy, tickly or sore throat
Achy muscles and bones or fatigue

Flu symptoms:
High fever
Often severe aches and pains
Headache (more common with flu than cold)
Sometimes sneezing
Cough, often becoming severe
Clear nasal discharge
Sometimes a sore throat
Extreme exhaustion
Several weeks of fatigue

When is “the flu” not the flu?

With the “stomach flu” or “24-hour flu,” severe bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, or gastroenteritis, can make you just as miserable as flu, but the viruses that activate them are different. A stomach virus targets your intestines rather than your airways, which is where the flu virus attacks.

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When must I see my doctor?

While a cold or flu often can be treated at home, a lot more severe cases require a doctor’s care, especially for young children or the elderly who are a lot more likely to develop complications. If you have symptoms of the flu and are in a high risk group, or are very sick or anxious about your illness, contact your health care provider.
For flu patients, antiviral medications, when started within the first two days of symptoms, may minimize how long you’ll have the flu and the severity of symptoms. If you suspect you have the flu, it’s crucial to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible in buy to possibly benefit from antiviral medications.

Emergency rooms are for people who are very sick; the CDC recommends that you do not go to an er if you are only mildly ill. If you or a family member are experiencing any of the below emergency alerting signs, it may be time to visit an emergency room.

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Pressure or pain in the chest
Confusion, disorientation or fainting
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Your primary care physician (PCP) is the best person to visit if you are sick, considering that they know your health history. If you are unable to see your PCP, visit akrongeneral.org/flu for a complete list of Cleveland clinic and Akron general locations that can supply prompt treatment. through Cleveland clinic Akron General’s expanded network, we’re sure to be where you need us.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates scientific and healthcare facility care with research and education. located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four distinguished physicians with a vision of supplying impressive individual care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland clinic has pioneered lots of medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S.News & world report consistently names Cleveland clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s best Hospitals” survey. a lot more than 3,000 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 11,000 nurses represent 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. The Cleveland clinic health system includes a main campus near downtown Cleveland, eight community hospitals, a lot more than 90 northern Ohio outpatient locations, including 18 full-service family health centers, Cleveland clinic Florida, the Lou Ruvo center for brain health in Las Vegas, Cleveland clinic Canada, and Cleveland clinic Abu Dhabi. In 2014, there were 5.9 million outpatient visits throughout the Cleveland clinic health system and 152,500 healthcare facility admissions. individuals came for treatment from every state and 147 countries. visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org. follow us at www.twitter.com/ClevelandClinic.
about Cleveland clinic Akron General
Cleveland clinic Akron general is a nonprofit healthcare organization that has been improving the health and lives of the people and communities it serves considering that 1914. Akron general includes: Akron general medical Center, a 532-bed teaching and research medical center, and Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation, the area’s largest provider of rehabilitation services; Akron general Partners, which includes Partners physician Group, the Akron general health & wellness Centers, Lodi community Hospital, community health Centers and other companies; Akron general checking out nurse service and Affiliates; and Akron general Foundation. Recently, U.S. news & world report ranked Akron general medical center as the seventh best healthcare facility in Ohio. For a lot more information about Akron General, visit akrongeneral.org.

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*image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

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3 methods to provide Your Teens self-reliance While keeping a peace of Mind

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Your teens will provide you a number of dilemmas. A major one would be figuring out exactly how much independent decision-making to enable them.

While habitually doing things for your teens that they’re capable of doing themselves won’t hurt them, being the decision-maker in every circumstance may send an inadvertent message that you don’t trust them or lack confidence in their abilities.

The result might be kids who lack self-esteem, self-reliance as well as problem-solving capabilities as well as who can’t handle age-appropriate responsibilities. You want the opposite. You want your youngsters to grow up with the know-how to make practical decisions on their own.

So exactly how can you provide your teens more self-reliance while attaining peace of mind? If you don’t understand where to begin, don’t feel lost. All you requirement to do is put some flexibility on their plate. below are some suggested measures.

1. enable Them to walk house from School

If your teens are 14 as well as above, enabling them to go house from institution as well as stay alone while you’re at work is one of the very first things you can do to provide them independence. enable them to make their own afternoon snack as well as run bit tasks like washing dishes as well as taking out the trash.

But if leaving them alone makes you uncomfortable, choices like ADT house security as well as your neighbor’s supervision are offered to make the circumstance better. For instance, a expert house security system is linked to a tracking center where alarm triggers are sent. You can have a peace of mind understanding that your youngsters are being monitored by a trusted individual, day as well as night, even when they’re alone inside the house.

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2. let Them Prioritize

Your teens should be able to recognize what is important as well as the order of importance. tell them to unique between tasks that are important as well as the ones that can be performed in free time. The kids should recognize that some things seem important, however can be done later. The present time should be provided to important tasks that may impact more people.

You can assist your teens get started by asking them to make a listing of their everyday tasks. Then, ask them to rate the tasks based on priority, beginning from what they feel should be done urgently to what they feel can be attended to later. produce a listing of your own as well as tally their rankings with yours, as well as show them whether they requirement to re-think or they’ve prioritized well.

3. establish ownership

Have a “this is mine as well as this is yours” mindset to provide them obligation for the things they own in addition to the things they’re not enabled to utilize without your permission. When youngsters understand they own specific devices, they’re going to take higher care of them since they’re unlikely to have sufficient funds to replace damaged items. The privilege of utilizing parent-owned gadgets can be revoked if the self-reliance is abused or trust is broken.

Also, praise them if they do a great task at comprehending privileges as well as acting responsibly. state something positive like, “you’ve done a excellent task at keeping your iPad scratch-free as well as utilizing it for your homework.” Praise can assist them grow independent more quickly as well as responsibly than if you criticize the negatives as well as seldom acknowledge the positives.

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With these measures, you’ll raise teens who’re successful in living an independent life.

 

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6 toys found IN any house

I wonder if my friends Deb and Elliott, now parents to two kids ages zero and two, remember when they had no children of their own and they hosted a Hanukkah party where the rest of us let our kids run wild in their house. The astounding thing about their home — that our kids had never before seen — was that they had NO toys. Or so they thought.

Scarlett was a maniac toddler who helped herself to removing and tasting all the delicate ornaments on their Christmas tree, and Holden kept throwing their fancy throw pillows. (Hey, why are they called throw PILLOWS?) In this excerpt from our new book stuff Every mom should Know, we guide you to some better choices for playthings should you find yourself in a toy-free house.

Six toys found in any House

Most adult homes have lots of hidden toys yet to be discovered. This little-known fact can come in handy when visiting your cool child-free friends (or the grandparents!). Our six ideas will prevent you from toting your entire toy chest for the afternoon.

1. masking tape or painter’s tape. You can create an indoor hopscotch game, train tracks, or even a tiny city using a little tape and some imagination.

2. The kitchen sink. find a place where it’s okay to get a little splashy and let your child wash some plastic dishes or toys in the sink or a bowl. have a hose outside? even better! put it on a slow trickle.

3. blankets and pillows. See previous entry for instructions to make a killer blanket fort.

4. Paper and pens. With your supervision, the little one can doodle, draw, practice letters, and solve your homemade mazes without damaging the table-tops. test your skills at airplane making. add clear tape for fun that goes on and on.

5. DVD cases. A shelf packed with movies or video games is almost as good as a set of train tracks. encourage your child to make a path out of the cases on the floor of the living room while the adults sit around drinking coffee.

6. A set of party cups. Paper or plastic cups can be used as little snack containers or the building blocks of a pyramid. A younger child can make a stack of 3 or 10 with some help. An older child can challenge herself to see how quickly she can make and unmake the pyramid. (Hand over your phone as a stopwatch.)

(coloring sheet designed by made by joel)

Find stuff Every mom should know at Amazon.com.