How to Handle Unsolicited Parenting Advice

How to Handle Unsolicited Parenting Advice

When it comes to parenting it seems everyone has an opinion. Whether it's from your own mother, your mother-in-law, your next door neighbor, or a complete stranger, as a parent you are likely to receive lots of advice - much of which is not asked for and not wanted.

Many people feel they are experts in the field and therefore, they are ready and willing to give you advice. The problem is, unless you ask for the advice, you probably don’t want it. Even so, most of this advice is given with good intentions – and it is up to you to respond to it in whatever way you see fit.

However, since the advice is given with good intentions, you probably want to respond in a polite way. At the same time, because you don’t want the advice you may feel a bit offended. So how should you handle unsolicited parenting advice?

Public Parenting

Every parent has or will experience a time when their child misbehaves in public. You may be at the grocery store waiting to pay and your child decides to cry because he/she is tired or maybe because you didn’t buy the candy they wanted. This is a perfect time for someone to offer advice about how to help your child calm down.

You could of course let the advisor know that you don’t need any advice – but that could be considered rude. Another way to handle this is to simply thank the well-intentioned person and ask if they have any solutions for another situation, such as how to get your child to sleep through the night, etc. – you may even go as far as asking for their phone number so you can call them if needed. In most cases the advice giver will back off from giving additional parenting tips.

Isn’t He Too Old For That?

Sometimes family members as well as strangers like to help out with parenting advice – but in a subtle way. They may ask if your child is too old for this or shouldn’t she be better at that by now. Rather than being hurt or offended, take control of the conversation. Ask what their experience is with children. If they are not qualified to give advice they may immediately feel regret for asking the question; on the other hand, if they happen to be experts in some way, you may get some free advice that is truly helpful.

Spoiled Rotten

What one parent considers spoiling a child is what another thinks of as being a good parent. Parenting styles differ. If you are accused of spoiling your child you should simply give appreciation for the opinion but feel confident with your own parenting skills and style.

Keep in mind that most people giving parenting advice really do not mean any harm or hurt to you. Responding in kindness and understanding can keep the interaction cordial and in some cases, it may be the best way to build or enhance a relationship.

Debbie Allen is a regular contributor at Package From Santa blogs. She often writes about ways to live a happy and healthy lifestyle – her topics cover everything from craft projects to ways to save money and recipes.

Valentine's Day Greetings!

Valentine's Day Greetings From Santa...

Santa asked the team at Package From Santa to deliver the above message... From Santa and everyone at Package From Santa - 

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope your day is filled with love and joy....

XOXOXO

Have Your Trail Mix Your Way!

Now days you can buy various kinds of Trail Mix at your favorite grocery store. However, this limits you to choosing from what is available. The reality is, you can create delicious trail mix treats very easily. And when you make it yourself you get to choose exactly what goes in. In other words, you can have your trail mix your way!

Typical Trail Mix Ingredients

Although there is not a right or wrong ‘mix’, the typical ingredient choices include nuts, seeds, dried fruit, grains, sweets and seasonings. Obviously, within these choices you can go very healthy or create a mix that is heavy on calories and fat content.

Cooked, Roasted or Raw

Some people prefer a ‘cooked’ mix. That is, the sweets, such as chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch chips may be melted and combined with the dry ingredients. Nuts and other ingredients can be roasted or added raw.

Mix It Up

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Seasonings and spices can make even an ordinary Trail Mix more exciting to eat. You can create a sweet mix, a salty and sweet mix, a spicy mix, or whatever sounds good to you. Add in some surprises – for instance, you could add a few wasabi peas or M&Ms. These ingredients can make the mix more interesting and fun to eat.

Debbie Allen is a regular contributor at Package From Santa blogs. She shares tips and ideas about everything from real letters from Santa to recipes, kids’ health, home decor and ways to save money. You can read more of her content at The Things Women Want.

Top Sledding Safety Tips

Many states across the nation have snow-covered hills ready and waiting to be conquered. Sledding is lots of fun, but countless sledding injuries happen each winter. Read over these sledding safety tips before you and your kids venture out to sled down a hill.

The Right Hill and the Right Sled

Choose hills that are covered in snow – not in ice. You should also look for hills that will allow your sled to glide to a stop at the bottom – that is, the hill should have a gradual slope and a flat area at the bottom.

Be sure that the end of your ride will not include landing on or near a street, parking lot, pond, fence, trees, or other dangers.

The hill should be as smooth as possible – avoid hills that have lots of rocks, bumps, or trees.
There is a wide range of sled styles available, but you should choose one that is designed with safety in mind. Some sleds can be steered – which adds to the riders’ safety, and some sleds even come with brake mechanisms. Spending a little extra on a safe sled is money well-spent.

Dress Appropriately

Sledding is a cold-weather activity so you naturally need to dress warm. Ideally you should be bundled up with a hat or hood, gloves, boots, and a winter coat or jacket. Since scarves can potentially get caught in the sled they should be avoided.

Depending on the snow and other circumstances, you may find that your clothing becomes wet. This is a definite safety hazard – take extra clothing just in case.

With just a little effort you can limit the risks associated with sledding. Use sensible precautions, such as keeping young children with adults and allowing only 1 sled to go down the hill at a time. When you follow these sledding safety tips you will not only have a fun day at the hills, you’ll also create great memories!

Debbie Allen is a regular contributor at Package From Santa blogs. She enjoys sharing tips and ideas about everything from child-friendly activities and home décor to business management.

Popcorn Balls – They’re Not Just for Halloween

Popcorn Balls – They’re Not Just for Halloween

Be different - do your own thing - decorate your popcorn balls with candy!

Popcorn balls can be a delicious treat any time of year and for any occasion. The Package From Santa team has found a super easy way to make popcorn balls – in fact, it only takes 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients For 1 Dozen Popcorn Balls

• Popped Popcorn – 10 cups
• Large Marshmallows – 10 ounces
• Butter – ¼ cup
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon
• Candy Decorations - optional

Add popcorn to large bowl, cake pan or other large container.

Combine marshmallows, salt and butter in a saucepan – use low to medium heat and stir constantly until the mix is melted. Pour over popcorn and mix well.

Allow to cool slightly then with buttered hands, shape into 12 balls. Place on waxed paper and decorate with candy if desired – the melted mixture will act as a sweet-and-tasty glue!

Debbie Allen enjoys sharing tips and ideas that can make your life easier and more fun. She writes about everything from new ideas to try when your kids write letters to Santa, recipes, ways to save money and home remedies.

How Do You Deck Out Potato Skins?

Whether you’re planning a Super Bowl Party or just looking for an inexpensive way to feed your own family, a potato bar can be the ideal solution! When it comes to feeding a crowd, potato skins are a great option. They can be customized to each person’s preference and even if you ‘go all out’ with toppings, your overall costs will still be very low.

You can bake and prepare the potatoes yourself or you can purchase frozen potatoes that are already scooped out. This makes your prep time faster and easier.

We suggest that you set up a ‘potato bar’. This makes it possible for everyone to add the toppings they prefer. Not only is this convenient for your guests – it also takes the work off of you.

Variety is the key to pleasing everyone. Some people like to fill potato skins with meat and cheese and others prefer veggies. You can’t go wrong if you provide a bit of everything at your potato bar. Dice up the veggies and prepare the other toppings, then display them in small containers at your bar. This will look nice and it will add to the enjoyment of everyone.

While there isn’t a wrong way to top a potato, we do have some suggestions  – but of course, you probably have some ideas of your own!

Potato Skin Fillers

• ·         Chili
• ·         Taco meat
• ·         Diced ham
• ·         Bacon
• ·         Refried beans
• ·         Shredded cheese
• ·         Roasted peppers
• ·         Banana peppers
• ·         Onions (offer green and sweet red onions)
• ·         Jalepenos
• ·         Diced tomatoes
• ·         Salsa
• ·         Sour Cream
• ·         Cheese sauce
• ·         Bar-B-Q sauce
• ·         Herbs
• ·         Salt & Pepper

Set your potato bar up in a way that makes sense. You will need to include serving dishes and utensils and napkins. Since the potato is the foundation of this dish you will need to place the potatoes in a very convenient location.

Try grouping your toppings. Placing all the meats together will make it easier for everyone. A person that prefers only vegetables can easily be preparing his/her potato at the same time a meat-lover is creating a work of ‘meat art’.

Some items will be used by nearly everyone. Shredded cheese, creams and sauces fall into that category.

The idea is to make toppings as easily accessible as possible. That will make it easier for everyone – even kids, to prepare their potato their way. Plus, it means you can relax!

Debbie Allen enjoys sharing tips and ideas that can make your life easier. She writes about everything from new ideas to try when your kids write letters to Santa, recipes, and even ways to save money.

Zap the Messes & Live In A Clean House

Zap the Messes & Live In A Clean House

Whether you live alone or you live with a houseful of people – small messes can make it difficult to keep a clean house. Some things can quickly clutter up your space and make it look untidy.

The trick is – finding ways to keep up with the messes. Believe it or not, there are some simple things you can do that will make a big difference. Let’s talk about some of the strategies that you can put to work right away.

It Starts (And Stops) At The Front Door

Think about the things that come through your front door and the clutter that accumulates in that area. Mail can be a real problem. Make it a habit to sort through your mail as soon as you bring it in. Put the junk mail where it belongs and create a special place to organize and store mail that needs your attention.

Are shoes, boots, jackets and umbrellas a problem? Take control. If you don’t have a handy coat closet you can use creative storage options. For instance, you can add a coat tree or a storage bench. Now days there are lots of pretty furniture pieces that offer storage and more.

5 Minute Room-Duty

Although you can’t thoroughly clean a room in five minutes you can do a quick pick-up. For example, it doesn’t take long to straighten a bed cover or to gather the things that do not belong in the space. If you will give each area just 5 minutes a day you will be surprised at the effects.

It’s a good idea to carry a tote or laundry basket with you. This can be used to hold anything that doesn’t belong in an area. As you move through the house you can put things where they go. This saves you steps and time.

Timing Makes It Less Painful

Few people enjoy doing housework, but when we break the work down into small tasks we find that most chores can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less. Determining what you can do in a matter of 10, 15, or 20 minutes can help you get more done. For example, even though you may not always have the time you would like to clean your home you can usually find at least 10 – 15 minutes a day. In that way you can keep up with many chores.

Multi-Task When You Can

Find ways to do more than one thing at a time. A good example of this is doing small tasks while you are on the phone or even when you are waiting on the microwave. For instance, you can put dishes away or wipe down the countertop. Laundry can be folded while you watch TV. Commercial time can be used for various tasks. If nothing else you can use the time to do a quick exercise or two.

Use these tips from Package From Santa to get a clean house in a hurry.