Meikah's Web

Blame it on Thursday KPIs, weekly goals and the heavy rains, but today I can't help looking back at my journey as a working mom.

I remember when Wizheart asked me to marry him, my father said to me, "I hope he doesn't mind if you continue working. I don't see you happy to be at home and manage your household." My father knows me so well, you see. Ha ha!

So, even after I got married and have kids, I continue to work. You know what they say about raising kids that it takes a village? It's true and I thank God for sending reliable people as my support system.

Because I was armed with good credentials, finding a good job was never a problem. I climbed the corporate ladder, and let's just say I reached the top handling operations for an American-owned company. I am proud to say that that was the most meaningful work that I had handled so far because I was able to improve operations and had the employees find reason to do their work well. I felt really accomplished, especially that my admin team was able to set up annual salary increase based on performance.

While I felt accomplished in my career, I didn't feel satisfied financially. I was earning higher than most, yes, but it was never enough. Little did I know that I was already in the rat race cycle.

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Because there was quite enough, I felt so free to spend as much as I could. It didn't help that every day after work, I got to pass by 11 malls! Ha ha! And because of my position in the company, COO and Chair of the Board, the banks perhaps got wind of that info so they would send me pre-approved credit cards. Would you believe I had seven credit cards with high credit limits. Imagine my buying, which in truth, my lending capacity! It was crazy!

When that life got abruptly interrupted and I found myself working from home, that was when realizations slowly came. My finances dipped more than 50%, but my financial obligations remained high! I didn't see it coming. My husband and I had to do a major adjustment. I am just thankful that my husband was ever supportive. We NEVER fought about money. And thanks to his very good financial management, I am now down to one credit card and we are almost debt-free. Our major expenses these days are home mortgage and the kids education. Wohoo!

Right now, we are living a less toxic life, thanks to the Lord. We may not be earning as much as we used to, but what is important is that we are healthy and we are no longer paying off big debts. It's true that it doesn't matter how much you make, it's how much you save.

If you, my dear readers, are still living in that myth of a corporate maverick, think again! You may be paid big, and that is because you are exchanging your time--and even your life--for your company's success. Yes, it's fulfilling to be handling big responsibilities, accomplishing somebody else's dreams, and to be fully made up and wearing nice business clothes... but with empty pockets?

Is that the way you want to live?

Well, I don't like that kind of life. So, now I am continuing with my life, building my own finances, and fulfilling my own dreams.

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Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching — May 28th to be exact — and you may be wondering what you’re going to be doing on your day off. It’s a four-day weekend, so of course, you want to make the most of it.

The weather is showing its warmer side, and you’ve got a long to-do list of outdoor work that winter has prevented. Why not do something fun instead? We’ve compiled a list of 19 family-friendly activities perfect for the long Memorial Day weekend this year, just in case you need some help.

1. Memorial Day Parade

Every city or town will hold a Memorial Day parade each year. Parades are a fun way to get outside and celebrate those who are serving or who have served our country.

2. Memorial Day Cookout

Whether you are already planning on attending one or maybe you’re tossing the idea around, a Memorial Day cookout is a great way to kick off the start of the summer season. Make it fun with some festive and patriotic food and décor the kids will love to help with. Invite a local veteran or the family of someone who is deployed to show your gratitude for their sacrifice and make their holiday weekend even more special.

3. Explore History

Depending on where you live, there’s typically some historical museum or monuments to explore. If not, take a look at your city’s history and set up a tour to explore. It’s a great way to learn about your town with your kids!

4. Run (or walk!) a 5k

Typically, there are a handful of Memorial Day races to take part it. If you’re not a runner, look for a family-friendly 5k walk. You can even make it a point to find one that supports Military assistance programs etc.

5. Patriotic Movie Marathon

There is a plethora of wartime movies from Saving Private Ryan to the more recent American Sniper. Depending on the age of those watching, there are numerous patriotic movies to watch and learn about our history.

6. Pay Your Respects

Take the time to go to a local veteran’s cemetery to pay your respects to those who served our country. Typically, local veteran associated cemeteries will hold ceremonial events to honor those who lost their lives during service. These events usually provide visitors with additional information on how you can support the military and military families, with volunteer projects or events.

7. Explore Nature

By now the weather is warmer and far more welcoming to some outdoor exploring. What better way to celebrate as a family than to plan an outdoor adventure. Take the long weekend to try out some white-water rafting, canoeing or even some good old-fashioned camping.

8. Baseball Game

Why not take the whole family out to support your local baseball team? Don’t want to deal with large crowds at a major league baseball game? Try looking for a minor league event nearby. These are typically smaller events and very family friendly.

9. Thank Your Heroes

There’s no better way to spend the holiday than to take some time to thank those who are currently serving our country. There are plenty of programs that can help assist you in writing out thank-you letters and getting them to the troops.

10. Care Package

On a similar note, you can also put together a care package for those currently serving abroad. A lot of times, these service men and women do not get the opportunity to be at home with their families during every holiday. Why not work with a local agency or find one online to help you curate a package of fun things to say “thank-you” to our troops?

11. Re-Enactments

If you have never been to a re-enactment, you are in for a treat. All across the country, men and women gather in historical clothing to re-enact wartime events. While most of them are either Revolutionary War or Civil War, it can be such a great time to witness. Look online at various places and regulations before heading out to watch a re-enactment live.

12. Family Trip

Since it is a four-day weekend, many families will take the time to take a trip to see extended family or plan a Memorial Day weekend getaway. If you are hoping to stay with the Memorial Day theme, there are many ideas for you to try out. A great vacation idea is visiting Arlington Cemetery to witness the events they put on during this weekend.

13. A Moment of Remembrance

Each Memorial Day at 3 p.m., you can take the time for a moment of silence to remember all those who lost their lives in service. It’s becoming more commonplace since 1997.

14. Go Biking

May is National Biking month. So, go ahead and get that bike out of the garage and take some time to enjoy the perfect weather in your support of this additional holiday!

15. Festive Baking

Why not use the holiday as an excuse to get creative with your cooking and baking. There’s sure to be rejoicing when you whip up a delicious patriotic dessert. Making food is a great family activity because kids love sugar and spending time with you!

16. Reading of the Names

Many cities will hold an event where you can hear a reading of those who died during service from your town or a specific war. Take a moment to look up any events that are going on near you.

17. Muscle Car Show

Whether they go hand-in-hand or not, this time of year there are tons of muscle car shows that start popping up all around town. It’s a fun way to get out of the house, be outside and gawk over some beautifully kept cars throughout history.

18. Crafts

Get crafty this season and make some red-, white- and blue-themed art. You can make colorful streamers for your cookout or take the time to make a piece of jewelry out of gemstone beads and wear your patriotism all year long. There are plenty of ideas for crafting online!

19. Honor

This holiday finds a way to honor those who lost their lives while fighting for the freedom we get to experience today.

There are so many ways to celebrate as a family this holiday. Remember, this day is a day to honor those who died during their service to our country, but know that commemorating that freedom is just another way to honor that service. Find creative ways to teach your children or implement into your own life a tradition of gratitude for all those who serve in our military each day.

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There is certainly no shortage of commercially available nursery décor items on the market, but when you want something a bit more personal, the do-it-yourself approach is the way to go. Whether you are a crafting novice or an experienced builder, adding special DIY touches to your nursery is a great way to customize the space and create a comfortable place for your new bundle of joy. From tiny touches to major design elements, nursery projects come in all scopes and sizes. Here are just a few of our favorite special DIY touches to add to a nursery.

Paint Your Own Mural

You don’t need to be the next Da Vinci or Michelangelo to paint a mural in your baby’s bedroom. In fact, if you are going for an outdoorsy theme, creating a mountain range mural requires basically no skills whatsoever. All you need is paint in black and three shades of green, graph paper, a large leveled ruler, painter’s tape and brushes. Start by measuring your wall and then drawing out your design to scale on graph paper. Making a mountain range only requires straight angled lines, so don’t worry too much about getting it “perfect.”

Once you’ve settled on your design, recreate it on the wall using painter’s tape. Paint over using black as your background and the various shades of green as your mountains. To add more dimension, use both flat and satin paints. For a full tutorial, check out Wills Casa.

You can also create a mural of your own design using simple geometric shapes. Drawing your design to scale on graph paper before you get started makes it much easier to transfer the full-size image to your wall. You could also draw or print your design on a transparent sheet and use an overhead projector to project it on the wall at full-size. Then, you would just need to trace the outline and paint the rest of the design.

Make Beaded Dreamcatchers

Give your new little one sweet dreams by hanging up a beaded dreamcatcher made with your own hands. Native Americans have used dreamcatchers for centuries to protect sleeping people–especially children and infants–from nightmares and bad dreams. It is believed that dreamcatchers catch both good and bad dreams in their webs. The good dreams gently trickle down the feathers to the sleeper below while the bad ones are caught in the web and burned in the light of day.

Making your own dreamcatcher is a great way to add a special touch to your nursery. You can use beads, feathers, and jump rings in various colors to create one that matches the room’s décor and, believe it or not, making a beaded dreamcatcher isn’t that difficult. There are plenty of tutorials online, and while there is some variance, the basic supplies needed include a hoop, string, feathers and beads. When shopping for beads for your dreamcatcher, choose ones that are not overly large or heavy. If you want to make the dreamcatcher even more powerful, consider using gemstones that are known for certain metaphysical properties. Amethyst beads, for example, are known to help you sleep and can bring pleasant dreams.

Create Your Own Baby Blankets

There are a lot of ways to make a baby blanket. If you know how to knit or crochet, there are countless patterns available online for free that will enable you to make one with any type of design you can imagine. If you are less experienced in the fiber arts, though, there are also plenty of easy baby blankets that require only the most basic sewing skills.

To make a super simple yet cuddly cozy blanket for your new little one, you will need a sewing machine, a 36” x 36” piece of cotton fabric, a 41” x 41” piece of fluffy cotton or poly/cotton such as chenille, scissors, pins, and matching thread. You could technically sew this blanket by hand, but a sewing machine makes the project much faster and easier.

Start by laying out your fluffy fabric with the right side down. Next, center the cotton piece on top of it with the right side up. Starting about an inch or two from a corner, pinch the raw edge of the fluffy fabric and then fold over the cotton fabric. Pin in place. The raw edge should be hidden. Continue the entire way around the blanket but ignore the corners.

Start sewing along one side right after a corner. When you reach the corner, leave your needle in the fluffy fabric and cut off the excess material. Next, fold the corner’s raw edge in and hold in place with your thumb as you sew the rest of the way to the edge. Continue all the way around. Finally, remove all pins and snip loose threads.

This project is extremely easy. The fluffy fabric is also very forgiving and hides a multitude of mistakes, making it ideal for sewing newbies.

Go Scandi-chic

When it comes to decorating an infant’s nursery, you can’t go wrong with Scandinavian design. The simple aesthetics associated with this design style are extremely popular, and for good reason. Scandinavian design values both form and function and enables parents to create rooms that are as beautiful as they are practical. Scandi-chic design is modern, bright and clean, and making your own décor is easy.

Simple wood pieces are extremely popular in Scandinavian design, and if you can handle a saw, you can make your own. Cut out and paint wooden shapes to use as frames, artwork, hooks, etc. You can even make your own baby gym based on Scandinavian design at a fraction of the cost of buying one from a manufacturer.

Regardless of your skill level and your budget, there are a lot of great ways to add DIY touches to your baby’s nursery. Try one of the projects listed above or get extra creative and make something of your own design!

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Who knew I would dress up like this to attend Havana Nights Party in Okada?

“”But the 59-year-old onetime workaholic doesn’t feel done, and instead decides to devote all her energy to following a “happiness compass” that guides her midlife reinvention. “In this day and age, if you start taking care of yourself, it’s not unreasonable to think that the 50s might truly be halfway up the mountain,” she writes. “This may be the middle of your life, not the beginning of the long goodbye.””

That was taken from an WSJ article, The New Rules of Middle Age, Written by Women.

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Yeah, when we reach 50s - instead of focusing on getting old and cranky, why don’t we reinvent ourselves. Let’s look for that “happiness compass,” which may mean doing something new—breaking the routine that has occupied most of our lives the past 50—or it could mean embarking into something new. Trust the process. Let’s embrace the changing season of our lives.

Midlife is exciting actually. 😊

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There's nothing more rewarding than telling your family and friends about important milestones in your life---may they be lifecycle events or otherwise.

For the month of March, what is celebrated is graduation or moving up. I remember when my kids were little, I would make DIY invitation cards using fancy paper and colored pens, and I would give them out to close family members.

There were no online templates for invitation cards then like Basic Invite.

Here are five reasons why you would want to make your invitations with Basic Invite.

Almost Unlimited Colors

Basic Invite is one of the few websites that gives customers color options with instant previews online. You select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different color options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail. This is what sets the Basic Invite apart from almost any other online stationery company and the biggest draw of the company.

Residency graduation invitations and announcements will look attractive in different colors.

Custom Samples

Few websites allow customers the ability to order a printed sample of their actual invitation so they can see exactly how it will look on print as well as the paper quality before they ever have to place their final order.

These customized samples come in handy when you make professional graduation invitations because you can proofread and maintain high standard.

Over 40 Different Colors of Envelopes

Basic Invite is just as colorful with their envelopes as they are with their invitations. Customers can choose from over 40 different colors when it comes to their envelopes so that they can make their invitation stand out even before it is opened.

All envelopes are peel and seal so the envelopes can be quickly and securely closed.

Graduation invitations for college would definitely look good with these envelopes.

Address Capturing Service

Basic Invite offers an address capturing service that allows customers to simply share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other form of social media to request their friends and family’s addresses which will be stored in the customer’s account and can then be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders.

Isn't inviting made easy through this feature?

Foil cards

These are available in gold, silver, and rose gold. Customers can choose flat or raised foil on all of Basic Invite’s foil designs.

Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51.

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When Hilary Clinton was once asked why she stood by Bill amidst the Monica Lewinsky scandal, she said something like, Bill was the only person I could talk to, and once we started talking many years ago, we never stopped.

That statement never leaves me because I can relate to that "talking part" (and thankfully not to the scandal. Ha ha!)

It's the same with Wizheart and me. We have never stopped talking since day one.

We would exchange stories all the time---all the more when we are apart---may they be about our work (we would even do each other's work assignments!), our hobbies, our travels, our kids, our finances, our favorite food/books/movies/music, our dreams, practically just about everything. There was one time, when the kids were still toddlers that they would tell us to stop talking and giggling because they were going to sleep already.

Last Valentine's Day, we went on our first dinner date of the year, and suddenly we realized that we couldn't remember when the last time we dated. We thought long and hard and agreed that we didn't date for about a year!

You see, we used to go on dinner dates at least once a month, or have breakfast and dinner together at home, or squeeze lunch together on workdays. Our favorite was having breakfast over newspaper reading during Sundays. But since, even Saturday nights are eaten up by what-have-you, we don't get to do it anymore. I couldn't remember the last time we had that time together, too. I guess the daily grind wore us down, and, yeah, we missed it.

So, during that dinner, we happily talked about our current life---and well, this time, we talked mostly about his work as there will be changes around it in the coming months.

Who goes on a Valentine's Day dinner date and talk about Six Sigma, and enjoy every minute of it? Us! Ha ha! If the next-table couple were eavesdropping, they would probably wonder what we were talking about as we discuss champions v project managers, DMAIC v PDC, process maps, and statistical probabilities way into the late evening. But that's how diverse our topics of conversations are.

Well, these conversations with the husband, they always rescue me from a bad day. When things are bad in the office, or my day isn't going well, I will just look forward to the end of the day knowing he will be there, and we will share stories about our day. Even if I am in my worst mood, I always end up laughing my lungs out because of his antics.

To be able to converse with your husband to me is an important ingredient in a marriage. I cannot imagine living with someone whom you can't converse or you always think of things to talk about.

My husband and I are blessed to always have conversations to share with.

I see the same bond with my parents.

If you're in a relationship right now, do you have a good communication with you partner?

Can you (literally) talk about anything and everything under the sun?

If yes, then fight for that kind of relationship and nurture it every day.

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This is my life squad (insert my brother).

I feel like being loved 50 times 50 more, and I have been truly blessed, really.

The photo above was taken during my birthday (October 3, 2018). My niece, who is now my business partner as well, together with other partners, pulled off a surprise party for me. Super fun! Amazeballs!

Now, four months later, I look at this picture again, and my heart bursts with gladness. I have now a family of my own with grown-up kids, all in their teens and already independent, and I still have both my parents with me (mother is 76 and father is 83). I would have wanted to have my brother there but he couldn't. I have a husband, who since day one, never stops loving me unconditionally and never limits me.

Fifty years is something, and let me share with you how I feel.

Semi-retired

At 46, I decided to go home-based and joined a startup. Working for a startup is really exciting. You get to dabble on new things. The fun part was doing the crowdfunding, and then manufacturing the products and promoting them.

After the initial hustle, when it all settled down, I felt I had started my semi-retirement. I say that because the work I did no longer touch on corporate planning (macro management), but more task-oriented (micro management).

In good shape

My first health challenge came at 38 to 39 years old. I was walking in Glorietta, when I felt suddenly dizzy. I had to call a friend to get me from there. Several days and weeks later and perhaps months, I would experience dizziness every now and then, and my blood pressure would be 140/90. It was my first time to experience headaches, but most of the time I would feel light-headed. One time, I was even brought to the ER for feeling really bad. I took lab tests and the lab results were not bad. In fact, the numbers were within the normal range. Then I would feel hot creeping to my body during the night. Little did I know that that was part of pre-menopausal.

True enough at 45 years old, my menstruation started becoming erratic until it completely stopped. Since, then, I haven't had any episodes of dizziness or hypertension. Good thing, I recovered. Up until today, I never felt any better. In fact, I am always on the go and I always feel I have this bundle of limitless energy with me. I credit my good shape to the nutritionals that I have been taking for the past four years now. Praise God for good, or should I say, much improved health not only for me, but for my whole family!

Settled

The same year that I turned 50, my marriage also reached 20 years, and my older son turned 18. These numbers spell settled! Ha ha!

For 25 years or so in corporate, I had reached COO and EVP levels, and now as an omni-channel retail strategist consultant, I feel that career wise, I have done a lot already. But as the saying goes, no other success can compensate for failure in the home.

Thus, I am most proud that I have a very good marriage. My husband and I have such a great relationship with trust, respect, and love. Marrying him was my best decision ever. Then our teenage sons are growing to be independent and reliable. Although, they grew up with nannies at their beck and call, they are not spoiled at all. What I am most thankful for is that they have high EQ.

Candid

I guess it comes with age that you can no longer tolerate nonsense. I observed that I have become more open about my feelings, more critical about things.

Wary

I can't believe that some people can say really bad things about other people one minute and be sweet and chummy with the same people in the next minute. Scary!

Not to brag, but when I probably say something offensive about a person, I don't think I can behave the same way with him afterwards.

I am now less naive, and so, wary about my interaction with people.

Fulfilled

At 50, yes I am fulfilled. My fulfillment comes from having a wonderful family and strong support system.

I consider my success at this phase is my children who are good. Not perfect, but good, responsible young individuals. I feel proudest of them when other people, including their teachers and the nuns, would come up to me and tell me that my sons are good, they are sweet and responsible---the best part? I get this all the time!

Purposeful

I know the Lord promises to keep us, to prosper us, and never to forsake us. He has been good and faithful to me. Now, I want to pay it forward by living a life for others--and that is to be a woman after the welfare of anyone who comes into my life.

It's not a good development but lately, I often hear people getting ill. So, I am making it my advocacy to spread the true wellness by educating people how they should properly take care of their body, mind, and soul.

Who wants to join me in this renewed purposeful life?

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This message melts my heart.

Despite my being busy at times and absent from some moments of their lives, I am glad that I still am able to give them the kind of inspiration that can guide them through their life's journey.

And God's relentless love tells my soul, my whole being, that everything will be all right in my world.

This Valentine's Day, the world's hearts day, reminds me that love is not enough if it is not pure and it doesn't spring from God and family.

Have Valentine's Day, everyone!

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Do you have children who are super active and who don't seem to mind being bruised?
Tell me about it!

When my now teenage sons were growing up, they couldn't be still. They run, tumble down, bike, skate, and play ball wherever you find them. Each time they do those acrobatics, I would just close my eyes and whisper a pray that they wouldn't hurt themselves. Even now that they are teenagers, they would still jump and wrestle with each other. They are just a bundle of unlimited energy!

INFLATABLE AIR TRACK

Wish I discovered much earlier these inflatable airtracks that are safe for kids and all ages.

FUNCTION

This inflatable airtrack actually has many uses.

It is good for fitness. You can try out the gymnastics air track for this. There's even a training set gymnastics home edition that is easy to set up right at home.
Develop your balance while breathing fresh air with the long air track for outdoor game.
Practice your routine with the air track tumble cheerleaders mat.
You create adrenaline rush from crawling, running, walking, and bouncing again and again with the inflatable air tumble track.

SAFETY

If you're like me who is a little wary about inflatables and their toxic components, well, don't worry. Wholesaleairtrack makes them toxic-free and durable. Like for example, the gymnastics air track, it is made with an imported DWF material to produce to get the best protection effects.

The gymnastics tumbling mats for the home have better air tightness, for reinforcement are made for all seams. When users inflate the air mat, they can gain ample space for exercising. The air cushions are suitable for gyms, fitness clubs, training centers, schools or gardens, and the 100% waterproof feature enables them to be put on the pool or sea surface for floating to have fun.

The air cushions have low impact, which make them much easier on the knees and perfect for young tumblers. Toddlers can make use of the air inflatable mat to practice back handsprings and tucks at home whenever they need.

Safety, therefore, is of utmost important. That’s why you need to find reliable suppliers of these inflatable air tracks. There have been several operators but most offer poor quality. You must find a supplier-manufacturer that offers airtracks that last long and are safe to use; and the best part is the one that offers free shipping. To ensure premium quality on items, shipment of all the products will be directly from the factories to Wholesaleairtrack and then after careful checking, to you, the customer.

Compared with other mats, Wholesaleairtrack air mats are reasonably priced but with amazing quality.

STORAGE

It may look sturdy but to store away these inflatables is quite easy. In fact, it is easy to inflate and deflate them. The air mats can be deflated quickly, which make them easy to store or pack up and go.

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If you are a parent of a toddler, you’re probably surprised at how often they seem like a little adult. Not only are they beginning to test boundaries, but they are also trying to negotiate with you—and learn more about how to navigate their way through the world. Rest assured, it’ll be quite some time before your little one truly becomes independent. Even so, it’s helpful to teach them about virtues like responsibility as early as possible.

According to pediatric psychologists, exploring self-awareness and accountability helps keep your child from making excuses for negative behavior in the future. If you’re wondering how to get started, we’ll help you learn some of the most age-appropriate responsibility activities and lessons for toddlers. By practicing the strategies below, you will build them a solid foundation for when they get ready to enter kindergarten or preschool.

1. Ask Them to Complete Simple Tasks

Most toddler boys and girls are able to keep an attention span, understand commands and use an exceptional amount of manual dexterity by 18 months of age. Once they reach this milestone, you can begin asking them to complete simple tasks, like stacking a set of blocks, picking up their plastic fork after dropping it on the ground or putting their shirt in their drawer. Don’t make the request too complicated—and expect for there to be some mishaps along the way. The key is that your child is responding to your question and learning that being asked to help is commonplace.

Avoid making them repeat an activity until they reach perfection. Instead, respond to their willingness to assist with praise. If you follow this formula, they’ll begin to associate responsibility with positive feelings. As they grow older and move on to more complicated chores, like feeding the dog or cleaning up their mess, they’ll be less likely to argue or have a temper tantrum.

2. Explore Consequences

You may think you’re being a kind parent by avoiding hard and fast rules, but a lack of consequences can lead to issues down the road. If your little one never learns to pick up after themselves or help their younger siblings, they will find it harder to follow directions in school. Decide which household guidelines are important to you. They may be as simple as putting away toys and art supplies after play time and eating at least some of their meal at dinner.

If your toddler doesn’t follow the rules, give them simple and clear outcomes. For example, leaving crayons on the kitchen table means that there’s no coloring time tomorrow—or refusing to eat any spaghetti means they won’t get to try dessert. Stay firm with your consequences and let your child work through the emotions that come with them. Resisting the urge to rescue your son or daughter from frustration and anger will help them with problem solving down the road.

3. Create Structure

Part of learning how to be responsible is knowing that there are things you must do before you engage in activities you like to do. Whether it’s the weekend, holiday break or summer, create and stick with a schedule. One of the most basic ways to implement structure is sticking with a morning routine. For instance, your little one may need to eat breakfast and brush their teeth before they can continue on with the day.

You can also add responsibilities to their nighttime schedule. A bath could be necessary before reading an exciting story and heading off to bed. If they resist, remember the importance of consequences. Help them decide whether they’d rather get in the tub now or miss story time altogether.

4. Enlist Some Help

If you offer a variety of engaging opportunities for discovering responsibility, your child will learn and adapt faster. Play games, read books and turn on television shows focused on consequences and good behavior. Sesame Street and Tayo the Little Bus are just two of the most popular toddler TV programs that teach lessons and explore how to do the right thing. Family movies like Frozen, Up and The Lion King are also both educational and entertaining.

Add a few responsibility reads like Why Do I Have to Make My Bed? and I Just Forgot to your usual bookshelf favorites. Even if your kid doesn’t understand every storyline, it helps to get them started with positive messages early. Start by getting them acquainted with responsible characters and soon enough they’ll begin to absorb how their favorite cartoons fulfill their obligations and duties.

5. Model Responsible Behavior

Since your child is watching your every move, make sure you’re showing them how to be responsible. Communicate with them about what you’re doing and why it’s important. Involve them when you pick up your dirty laundry or brush your teeth. Tell them that putting clothes in the hamper keeps the house tidy and that using a toothbrush and toothpaste each night keeps their teeth healthy.

As you continue to model good behavior, consider using the pronoun “we” instead of “I.” This simple grammatical change allows your child to become an active participant in discovering how to be responsible. They’ll also learn family rules and norms much easier.

Teaching Responsibility Early Offers Many Rewards Later

The more time and effort you put into responsibility lessons now, the easier it will be for your kid to complete important tasks in their grade school years and beyond. They’ll be more likely to do their homework, will give you less of a hard time during Sunday chores and won’t be confused when you explain why it’s necessary to fulfill certain academic and personal obligations.

We’re not saying that your kid isn’t just that—a kid. There will be hiccups, no matter how hard you try. However, you can find peace of mind in knowing that a few moments of persistence each day will pay off when it’s time for your child to work hard, get good grades and become a responsible pre-teen, teenager and adult.

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