PunchBugKIDS Blog

How To Be a Good Soccer Parent

As a parent, you can make or break your child’s soccer experience. You can be a source of support and encouragement or you can be the reason your child stops playing.

Who doesn’t love the fun of an advent calendar? The excitement of receiving it on the first day of December, the joy that builds up as you open a surprise each day. The anticipation of the arrival of Santa! This holiday season capture that excitement along with the spirit of giving by creating a reverse advent calendar with your family.

I pledge to put down the cell phone while driving. Why? Because every day I put my children at risk when they are in my car and I am ashamed.

Halloween Candy and Charity Go Hand in Hand

For many families Halloween is a favorite holiday. Who doesn’t love dressing up and going out trick-or-treating? One of the best parts is returning home at the end the night and counting out your loot! However, many parents will soon agonize over the tons of candy our little ones have managed to haul home.

Here’s a unique way to capture memories. Interview your child each year on their birthday using the same set of 20 questions. Record their answers in a scrapbook with photos or take a video and see how they grow and mature each year!

As the holidays approach we often look for ways to be charitable. And, we often want to include the whole family in our charitable endeavors. While children especially can benefit from participating in a charity that resonates with them, the concept of charity can be perplexing for them. A concrete idea, such as purchasing school supplies for classrooms, can be a great way to introduce charity to children.

Over the years I've written down the strange, borderline rude and often hilarious things my kids would say to me. Here is a collection of some of my favorites...

From an early age, kids have a love and curiosity with being outside. My favorite example of this always revolves around mud puddles and toddlers. Combine those and what is always bound to happen? The toddler jumps in the mud puddle with pure joy on their face, as they want to do it again and again and again. I say, let’s foster that joy of being outside in nature and provide as many opportunities as possible for our kids.

As the founder of Princeton Playspace and a speech pathologist, my motto is and always will be #playmatters. A child playing is a child working. They learn by doing, repetition, and problem solving. And while playing, there are infinite possibilities to learn language!

Volunteer Opportunities for Young Children

Do you find yourself struggling to find age appropriate volunteer opportunities for your elementary aged child? Kids in this age group often want hands-on involvement in everything they do, including community service work. However opportunities for independent volunteering can be difficult to come by.

If you're a mom you probably feel like you live in your car. So, it would stand to reason that the most likely time an emergency pops up is when you're in your car. I don't mean the type of emergency that actually involves a collision. I mean the unexpected bout of car sickness, or the "I'm so thirsty I'm dying" screams that emanate from the backseat on a regular basis. And although my kids are getting older, I realized just recently that I may never outgrow the need for an emergency stash in the car. Here are some handy items I recommend keeping on hand in your car in case of an emergency:

Ouch! Common Sports Injuries in Children

More children are competing in athletic activities than ever before. While the numerous health benefits of physical activity are well documented (including weight management, bone health, and improved self-esteem), participation in formal athletics also carries the risk of injury.

All infants will cry, some more than others. In fact, infants will cry more during the first three months of their lives than at any other time. It is normal for crying to total nearly two hours a day in the first six weeks and to slowly decrease to approximately 70 minutes a day by twelve weeks. Most crying is distressing for families, and even more so when the crying is felt to be excessive or due to colic.

Growing up, my father involved me in sports from an early age. He made sure that I tried a variety of activities to see what I was suited for and what I liked to do, and. I finally settled on basketball and baseball in high school, but not before I had tried every other seasonal sport that was offered. Now in my 13th year as a Director of Athletics and 19th as a high school boys basketball coach, I am frequently asked: “How do I choose a sport for my child?”

Speech can be a funny thing...

Kids can do random acts of kindness too!

Send your kids to school and challenge them to do random acts of kindness for a day. See how much satisfaction they derive from knowing they did something for others. They’ll quickly learn that everyone benefits when students, schools, and communities embrace kindness.

We love our kids and always want what’s best for them. So it breaks our heart when we hear they are part of what’s considered the most inactive generation in history. A major concern is that we are doing our young children a disservice and harming their physical growth by allowing them to consume too much of the technology they crave. So what can we do as parents to put our children on a healthier path?

The health benefits of breastfeeding (both to baby and mama) have been proven over and over again. Breastfeeding can promote wellbeing in many ways - it provides the specific nutrients a baby needs, and reduces rates of breast and ovarian cancer in nursing mamas. Once nursing is established, it’s also very convenient – no bottles to lug around or wash, no time spent making bottles, and it’s free! Here are some simple tips to get you started on the path to breastfeeding with ease.

5 Ways to Make Wellness a Family Lifestyle

What activities should we sign up for? Are my kids taking the right classes? Are they making new friends?

For parents, these questions are endless. But too often, in the rush to ensure a child’s school and social success, parents overlook an even more important topic – family fitness and wellness.

Now with that baby in your arms or the toddler running around, you may be starting to consider how long you want to wait before having another child. You may also be breastfeeding and want a more reliable method of birth control. Well the good news is, there are plenty of options.

Dental Milestones: From Baby Teeth to Molars

Teething! Just one of the many reasons parents of new babies have been losing sleep. (Lots and lots of sleep!) Do you ever feel like your baby is perpetually teething?

On Guard: Protecting Children’s Mouths from Trauma

Our children are active all the time and we surely want them to be. Physical activity enhances harmonious development and as parents, we enroll our growing kids in various sports, starting at fairly early ages.

Remember when we used to simply play? I mean when we were literally shooed out of the house, unencumbered by coaches and parents and schedules and given the freedom to make our own fun? Ahhh, fresh air. Can you feel the sun on your face or the rain or snow?

Birthdays and holidays are exciting times for families to gather together and celebrate. Families and friends delight in their traditions for the festivities. Gift giving, at least from a child’s point of view, is usually the highlight.

Creative Alternatives to Birthday Party Gifts

In this world of abundance, the idea of giving our children even more new toys just seems excessive. When you host a birthday party for your child, traditionally each invited guest brings a small gift for your child. Depending on the size of your party that can amount to a lot of new toys. Consider instead some of these ideas as alternative ways celebrate your child’s next birthday

A children’s party doesn’t have to be all about pizza and ice cream. Kids will enjoy eating healthy food, as long as it looks tempting and tastes great. Here are a few ideas for serving up party food that will please everyone!

Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat specialists are often asked a variety of questions related to disorders of the head and neck. From tonsils to ear tubes, here are answers to several commonly asked questions.

Talking to your children about sex can be a challenging conversation at any age. Parents are a child's most important source of information about sex because they are available to answer questions right away and are able to share knowledge, values and attitudes.

Human beings are born to play. It used to be accepted that young children needed time to play. Just a few generations ago in the United States most children played until they went to kindergarten, and even in kindergarten they spent most of the time playing! Yet nowadays play is not so easy to come by for young children.

Did you know that music can:

Make a runner run faster?

Make a sick person more comfortable?

Make a scary movie scarier?

Make athletes lift heavier weights and jump greater distances?

Soothe, pamper, relax and heal?

A few years ago, the National Center for Family Literacy and Google conducted online surveys of roughly 300 parents asking: are you ever unable to help your kids with their homework? It may come as no surprise that at least half those polled said “yes.”

Your Financial Health: The Four Biggest Financial Mistakes New Parents Make

The moment that Jefferson, who is now five, entered the world my life changed forever. In addition to all the pride and love that a new child brings it also made me feel profoundly responsible for his well-being. With so many competing priorities and endless number of options it was challenging to decide what I needed to do to secure my family’s financial future – and I have an MBA in finance! I’ve since learned that there are generally four common mistakes can cause the most trouble for new parents.

Birthdays can be great! Except … if it’s your brother or sister’s, and you have to be nice while he or she gets the presents … or if it’s yours, and your presents are dictionaries and socks … or if you’re the host, and there are soda and cake smears on the table and kids screaming everywhere…

The books on this list are about all kinds of children having all kinds of birthdays. There are many different stories, but one thing they all have in common is they show that cake and candles mean you’re growing up – which is the really great part of having a birthday.

Get Your Family Hooked on Healthy Foods – A Food Makeover for Your Dinner Table!

One key to raising healthy children is simply moving your family to a predominantly whole foods diet and steering away from processed foods. What's the difference and why should you care about making the switch?

Dr. Sarah Werbel and Dr. Kim Osias are two local moms who happen to be physicians. As busy moms they know how difficult it can be to stay vigilant about healthy family living. Here are their tips on simple ways to promote a healthy family lifestyle.

Over the past decade many studies have proven that exercise does indeed make us smarter. Dr. John Ratey, a top psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, says in his recent book, SPARK!, that exercise is also good for the brain, in that it makes us smarter, more alert and able to memorize things faster and for longer periods of time.

It’s Called the Great Outdoors for a Reason

Our children belong outdoors. Richard Louv’s landmark book, Last Child in the Woods, illuminates a wealth of research that reveals what many parents already intuit. Children who spend ample periods of time outdoors in unscripted, improvised play are healthier and less stressed.

Let Me Do It Myself! Montessori in the Home

It seems daunting to many that I have the responsibility of not just one, but four children to guide and direct. I was introduced to the Montessori way of learning when my first son was just an infant and I enrolled him in a Montessori school. Over the years, Montessori teachers have shared many common sense principles of the Montessori method that I have incorporated into my home allowing my children to become more independent, self-reliant and responsible.

Summer is a Child’s Opportunity to Learn

For most children, summer is a time to leave classes and homework behind. However, when they return to school in the fall after the long summer break, students can find themselves struggling to catch up.

It's sushi your kids won't refuse! Forget the shrimp, forget the spicy tuna...no need for soy sauce or wasabi. Get out the chopsticks and create the perfect party platter or impromptu dessert tray in a matter of minutes.

It’s My Birthday and I’ll Cry if I Want to: What to Expect From the Terrible Twos.

Almost every parent is familiar with the phrase, “terrible twos.” It is a term that is befitting of most two year olds, but really can apply to children from the ages of 1 through 4. Why do toddlers get such a bad rap? This age is a time of great change in physical, social, emotional, and language development, all of which result in children exploring their environment and testing their boundaries.

So your kids are having a great time playing until someone falls and bumps their mouth. The tears start and you need to know what to do. Mouth traumas, including injuries involving the front teeth, are very common. Fortunately, there are many different types of treatment available to preserve your child’s smile.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful! Rainy Day Activities

As adults it’s hard enough for us not to catch a case of the blues when the weather outside is not cooperating. When you have children stuck in the house with you it can pose an even bigger challenge. What is a parent to do? Here are a few ways to keep your children busy and engaged from head to toe on inclement weather days.

Books that Make You Want to Hold Your Kids Close

Parenting is more demanding now than when we were growing up. Television had 3 stations. There weren’t options like DVR and ON DEMAND, so it didn’t have the pull on kids it has today. Video games were non-existent, and if you had an after-school activity other than softball or piano lessons, you were rare. You had toys, books, and your backyard.

5 Ways to Play with your Food (Go ahead, it’s FUN!)

Cooking shouldn't have to be a chore. Here are some great ideas to bring joy back to the art of cooking, kid style!

I recently attended an educational conference where the keynote speaker, a preschool director in New Jersey, mentioned that some parents of children in her preschool program asked her to remove the word “play” from the curriculum in order to focus on learning!

Get your safety goggles out and get ready for some science fun! Here are two great experiments to try at home with your kids. Adult supervision is of course recommended.

I write in praise of failure. Now I don’t much enjoy failing myself, and I certainly can’t imagine anyone declaring profoundly that they love to fail. Yet failure is definitely underrated.

Glue Isn’t Just for Sticking: Rethinking the use of basic art materials

With the availability of a dizzying array of colorful and glittering art supplies today, it is easy to forget the basics. School glue, crayons, and scissors are just a few staple items that can easily be found in most school supply boxes. Yet these items have been more readily pushed aside for flashier art supplies like glitter glues, scented markers, and fancy paper cutters.

Sprains vs. Fractures: What to Do When Child's Play Becomes Rough

Whether from a fall from the monkey bars or from pivoting the wrong way during a basketball game, broken bones and sprains and strains are common injuries among children. And to complicate matters, children are also subject to a unique injury called a growth plate fracture that can have serious consequences if not treated immediately.

Jump into spring with these delicious treats. You really can't go wrong with cupcakes at any time of the year. But why not celebrate spring with bright, pastel frosting and colorful butterflies. It's a sure sign that spring is here!

Make these delicious pop tarts during your next play date. Your kids will have fun making them and will enjoy eating them with friends even more!

There are some items that I find in my kids’ backpacks that just crack me up!

Try your hand at these delicious Chocolate Covered Oreo® Cookies. Perfect for any holiday. Get creative with seasonal cookie molds and various colored chocolate or candy melts.

Letters to the Troops

Giving starts at home. As you spend time with your family, consider taking a few moments to teach your children the importance of giving back to their community. This time of year we like to focus on our troops overseas who are separated from their loved ones.

Give of a little of yourself to our troops. Teach your children the importance of giving back to those who serve and protect our Country by having them write letters to the troops. Encourage them to share personal thoughts, drawings and good wishes. Consider adding a carepackage from home. The non-profits below provide detailed information to get you started.

Teach your children the

importance of giving back

to those who serve

and protect our Country.

Write Letters to the Troops.

Our Just for Tots section

is specifically designed for

the three and under set.

Here we go again. Pencils sharpened, lunches packed, its off to school we go!

Create one of these healthy and delicious fruit salads for your next party!

Wow! These brownies are beyond anything we've tasted. And they couldn't be easier to make. Within minutes you'll have a treat that's sure to be the hit of your party.

Snow Globes are fun to make any time of year! Kids can make these as a decoration for their room or as a present for their grandparents by selecting sentimental objects.

Tired of the everyday boring juice box? Step it up a notch with this fun concoction.

Want to make a cupcake that's festive this Easter but don't have much time? Here's our solution. A cupcake that takes minutes to make but adds some Easter flair to your holiday.

Looking for unique party games for your Star Wars themed party? Welcome to the Jedi Training Academy.

Do yourself a favor and be thoughtful about which books you place on your nursery’s bookshelves. Chances are that the one book your child will want to read over and over again will be the one book that annoys you to no end!

Everything You Need, Right At Your Fingertips!

Art Classes, Gymnastics,

Soccer Leagues, Tutoring,

Music Lessons, and more!

Kids love this stuff and so will you. It’s easy, quick and inexpensive to make. Your kids can be involved at every step of the process and the result is an interactive toy for them to enjoy all day long.

Make me proud! I tell my kids this every day. What I expect from them are a few simple manners that I believe every child should learn.

Ho, Ho, Ho! Looking for that perfect holiday treat to bring to your child's preschool class? Check out these simple and delicious santa snacks.

Looking back I laugh at how stumped I was. “Mommy, Mommy, I know exactly what I want for my birthday! Twin Ken dolls.”

This craft is cute as a button! Use your creativity to make your own custom button picture frame.

There’s nothing better than homemade granola! Put your personal touch on this delicious and healthy treat by customizing your own blend of dried fruits and nuts.

Every summer my children and I visit my parents in North Carolina. There we love to pick ripe, juicy peaches from the peach trees in their back yard. This peach crumble has become our favorite treat of the summer.