Bottoms on the mat. Eyes to me.

Now… hands up if you’ve done parent help before?

This week I had the chance to do my first parent help session, where all, bar four kids, read me a book. If anything, it was a great chance to see where Ella sits in relation to the rest of the class in regards to her reading.

I also discovered that:

• One little boy really likes Vegemite, judging by his face. Too cute!
• The entire story of one little girl’s garden and what flowers and animals are in it. I probably didn’t quite need that much detail.
• That I’m meant to also read to my own child, because “every other mum reads to their own kid and you didn’t read to me.’’. Boy, was I in trouble!

Have you done parent help yet? What was your experience?

Now, onto some winning reading.

Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Firstly, an apology. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here and, for that, I’m sorry. I promise to visit more often.

I’ve been busy being an Editor of a local newspaper, a community worker in three other roles and, most importantly, a devoted husband and a loving dad to the three princesses.

I’m afraid I’ve neglected my role as The Bloke In the Shed.

Yet I am driven back to it to ask for a favour.

On June 20, I’ll be participating in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout raising funds and awareness for their wonderful programs in assisting the huge number of homeless in our community.

That means me, the night stars and only a piece of cardboard separating my bones and the cement at Launceston’s Aurora Stadium. Some of you may recall Kel mentioning how I’ve never even camped in my life.

Through the newspaper I’ve been able to raise awareness of the cause and this first-class charity. However, I’m a late starter to the event and am behind the goal set for each business leader to raise.

If you can spare a dollar or two – and I mean just even a dollar or two – please donate. But it’s not a problem at all if you can’t.

If you know others who might be interested in supporting the cause, you can share the link to my profile http://www.ceosleepout.org.au/ceos/tas-ceos/julian-obrien.

Thanks in anticipation and I promise to not be a stranger. I may even post on the night!

Following on from Holly’s misinterpretation of song lyrics, this week it has just been words in general. Here were just a few:

• She called her singlet a “Cinderella”. They sound (sort of) similar.
• While eating corn on the cob, she asked if she too could have some “unicorn”
• Her favourite band at the moment is “Un Direction”. (Actually, the second word sounds slightly different but far too rude for this blog!)

Do your kids have funny words for things?

Now, onto some winning words – complete with links!

Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.

2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.

3. Grab the button below to add to your post.

4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.

5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

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Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Ella is a pretty competent reader for her age. However, she’s having trouble distinguishing between the “b” and “d” letters.

I thought I’d ask some mums if they’d had the same issue – and plenty have. Even more had tips to help me teach her the difference. Knowing there are probably plenty more mums out there scratching their head over this one, I thought I’d share.

Here are the suggestions given:

Bat before ball. Drum before drumstick

The idea behind this is to draw a baseball bat (or whatever bat your child might associate with) and then a ball. The bat and ball make the shape of a “b’’. Similarly with the drum, the round drum first, then the long, thin drumstick. The drum and drumstick make the shape of a “d’’.

A couple of people mentioned their children often still struggled with getting the bat and ball and the drum and drumsticks in the right order.

Knuckles together make a bed – b-e-d

This is a quick and easy way for children to learn the difference – and spell a new word at the same time. Although, Ella hasn’t quite mastered keeping her knuckles together! Make “thumbs up’’ with both hands, then put your knuckles together, with thumbs still raised in the air. This makes the shape of a bed. Trace letters “b’’ on one side and “d’’ on the other for your child to see.

Ella picked this one up easier than the bat and ball. She now quickly puts her “bed hands’’ together when she’s trying to determine between the “b’’ and “d’’ letters. Although, she’s asked about 10 times: “where’s the e?’’

While Ella certainly struggles in other areas, I feel pretty blessed she is a keen reader and writer – to the point of pestering me to teach her more.

Next week I’ll share some of the things we’ve done to encourage her reading and writing.

How have you taught your child to learn the difference between b and d? What tricks have you used?

Some of the wins from this week:

• Well, not quite a win but… Two-year-old Holly was happily singing Shake Your Booty this morning. Not really a song I want my two-year-old to be singing, to be honest. Then I listened more closely to the lyrics and realised her version was actually “Shake your boobie’’. Oh, the horror! A littler misinterpretation there, maybe.
• My little mum business has just gone from one dream project (seafood) to another dream job (food and wine). I may just gain a few pounds over the next few months.
• Ella had to talk about her favourite book as part of prep news this week. She chose to talk about – and take – her TWO favourite books: The Faraway Tree Collection and The Magic Wishing Chair Collection. The teacher was just a tad shocked at the mere size of the books. And my back was just a bit shocked at how heavy they were carrying them into school. Next time we might opt for Fox in Sox.

I’d love to hear what song lyrics you’ve heard misinterpreted?

Now, onto some other ways to win…

Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Getting rid of the pacifier has been on our to-do list with Holly for the last few months. Finally, on Friday night, we did it.

After talking about it on Instagram and Facebook on the weekend, I thought I’d reveal exactly how we went about it for those about to go through the same process.

Exactly when you get rid of the dummy is really up to you. Ella was two and a half when she lost hers and Holly has just reached the same age. Both girls weren’t allowed their dummy during the day – only for sleeps.

Here’s what we did:

Two to three months out:

Tell your child the dummy fairy will come and take their dummies one night to give to a little baby who needs it more than they do. The girls felt like it was less about what they were losing and more about how they were able to help someone else. And a little baby to boot! Continue to tell them this story over a two- to three-month period.

Two weeks out:

Read some children’s books on getting rid of the dummy, pacifier or binky – whatever they call it. We didn’t do this, but had the added bonus of childcare actually reading a book on the topic during the past few weeks. I think this really helped Holly because the message wasn’t coming from us. (If anyone’s interested to know what it was called, let me know in the comments and I’ll find out for you).

One week out:

Take your child shopping and let them pick out something they’d really like to receive from the dummy fairy in exchange for their pacifier. Seeing what they’re getting makes it all the more real. Alternatively, you may want to keep the gift a surprise and let them guess in the lead up to the big night. We also began to get Holly talking to friends, family and child carers about how she was going to give her dummies to the little babies.

The day of:

Choose a day that’s not going to interrupt their schedule too much. We chose a Friday night, so if she didn’t sleep well she had the weekend to make up for lost sleep. Talk excitedly about the big event with your child and with others you run into it.

The night of:

Have your child put the pacifiers into a container at bedtime or late afternoon. We put together a little letter this time. We didn’t do that with Ella. We bundled that up with the dummies and sat it on the kitchen bench for easy access for the dummy fairy – super important, of course! When they go to bed that night, reiterate what they’ve done and how proud you are of them for helping the little babies.

I’m not saying this is guaranteed to work for your child. Each child is different. For us, it’s worked both times and we’d happily do it again – if we had to. Thankfully, we don’t!

I will add that Holly has sat up in bed reading to herself until 9pm the past three nights. That’s later than usual, but at least she wasn’t yelling out for dummies. In fact, she’s only mentioned the dummy once, which was the second night. We just went over the story of the dummy fairy and the babies and she was happy with that. She’s also slept through the night, without waking – which is the thing I was most worried about.

If you’d like other ideas for getting rid of the pacifier, make sure to read Five super techniques for losing the pacifier.

How did you get rid of the pacifier for your child? What worked and what didn’t?

There’s one real winning moment from our week and it had everything to do with the dummy fairy. Those who follow Three Li’l Princesses via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter will know the dummy fairy was visiting here last night to take Holly’s dummies to give to other little babies who needed them more.

We used this strategy for Ella when she was the same age – 2.5 years – and it worked a treat. I’m happy to say, despite her sitting up in bed and reading until 9pm, there were no tears and she slept through the night.

Tucking her into bed tonight, she did ask “where’s my dummies?’’. A little “remember the dummy fairies gave them to the little babies’’ speech and she was fine with it.

I must say, it’s a huge relief. During the week I’ll share the process for getting Holly prepared for the dummy fairy – including writing the letter above – and how this time differed to getting rid of the pacifier with Ella.

What age was your child when you got rid of the pacifier?

Now, onto some other ways to win…

Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Featured post by Sara Stringer

Birthday parties have become way more competitive since we were kids. Remember our childhoods — when birthday parties meant going to someone’s house, playing a game or two, eating some cake, clapping while the birthday girl (or boy) opened presents and then we all went home?

Those days are over.

Today it’s all about who you can hire and how much it costs and what you give away as party favours. It’s about competitive gift buying and whether or not you should have the bouncy castle because someone else just had a party with a bouncy castle and you don’t want to copy but…

It’s enough to give anybody a migraine.

Here’s the truth: the best birthday parties don’t actually have anything to do with the accoutrements. The best birthday parties are the parties where all of the kids have a bunch of fun and on a shoestring budget.

Here’s how.

1. Decide on a theme

Even if your son or daughter is dead set on having a Transformers themed party, that’s okay. You don’t have to hire people dressed as Transformers to wander around. Instead, get a bunch of cardboard — cut it into fun shapes, supply some markers and have everybody design their own Autobots costumes out of cardboard and paper. Cheap, easy and the kids are involved. You can use promo deals at NerdWallet to help make the craft supplies more affordable.

2. Party Favours

You don’t have to buy complicated or expensive party favours to give out to the guests — especially if you have invited an entire class of kids. Instead, stock up on smaller, cheaper take home gifts. You can order small items in bulk at a cheap price and so you can stuff the bags full of favours. Kids will love getting bags full of trinkets (more than getting one bigger thing that may or may not suit his or her taste).

3. Decorate Your Own Cupcakes

Instead of spending a ton of money on a big fancy cake (that could cause fighting between guests over who gets which bit of icing); bake a few batches of cupcakes and stock up on cake decorating bits. Have the guests decorate their own cupcakes (you can have a smaller, specially made cake for the birthday boy or girl to facilitate the blowing out of candles). This way everybody gets the icing and decorations they want and they’ll have fun making them.

4. Games

This is going to depend largely upon the age of the children attending the birthday party. Instead of piñatas and pin-the-whatever-on-the-something, look for games that encourage cooperation instead of competition. This way there aren’t as many hard feelings over who wins and who doesn’t.

5. The Movie

After the games and the treats, kids are often hyped up. Settle them down in front of a movie before sending them home with parents. This way the parents will get kids who are happy, well fed and of a perfectly acceptable energy level instead of a kid who has basically been wound up beyond recognition (plus, you can use the time they spend watching the movie to start cleaning up).

What do you do to keep the cost of birthday parties down?

DISCLAIMER: Consideration was received for the review and publishing of this featured article

Evening all. I’m popping in quickly tonight to upload the Aussie Giveaway Linky. I’m part way through writing a chapter for the bio novel and am eager to keep going. However, first I really should let you in on our wins for the week:

• This is our 100th Aussie Giveaway Linkup. Completely shocked by that. Where did the last 100 Saturdays/Sundays go?
• Two-year-old Holly has developed the occasional bit of attitude, with her favourite word being “anythink’’. Translated, this means “nothing’’. If I ask her: “Holly, what are you up to?’’, she throws a sharp “anythink’’ back, complete with adult-like scoffing and furrowed brow. It is so hard to keep a straight face. (PS. I do have a cute and funny video I need to share of her soon too!).
• I’ve booked The Bloke in The Shed in for a weekend away in Melbourne to watch Collingwood v Carlton for his birthday. That’s definitely a win – whether the Pies win or lose. I’ve just got to remember to turn the phone off before the game.
• Apparently Holly loves me more than her dad. Me: “Why don’t you love Dad?’’. Holly: “Because he’s a naughty ratbag.’’ Me: “Why is he a naughty ratbag?’’ Holly: “Because he fights on me’’. Translated: Julian tickles her and does general annoying dad things. Just wait till she’s old enough to understand dad jokes.

What were your wins this week?

Now, onto this week’s Australian competitions and giveaways…

Aussie Giveaway Linkup instructions:

If you’re a blogger or business wanting to take part in the Aussie Giveaway Linkup:

1. Only link directly to the giveaway post/s and include the prize and end date in the linky tool below. Link each giveaway separately. If you need to delete it, hover over your link, wait until the red “x’’ appears and click.
2. Giveaways must be open to Australian residents and be run by Australian-based bloggers or businesses.
3. Grab the button below to add to your post.
4. A new list is added each Sunday so bloggers need to add their links weekly.
5. Start entering the giveaways! Entry is at your own risk. We do not take responsibility for unfulfilled prizes or a blogger/business not abiding by their own terms and conditions.

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

Over the next few weeks I thought I’d share some birthday inspiration from the girls’ birthday parties. Today is how to make a piñata using a cardboard box and a loose piñata pattern for a number five pinata.

Step 1:

Find a decent-sized box. Ours was a sand and water table box, because it was a rectangle shape. There’s no exact measurements here, so choose the size you like. I found for number five, it works best to have a rectangle rather than a square-shaped box.

Step 2:

Draw on the front of the box the shape you wish to make. So for us, it was number five. Make sure the sides of your number five drawing go directly to the edges. You’ll see why in a minute.

Step 3:

Using a Stanley knife (or a kitchen knife in our case), start cutting the inside sections of the five – that is, the half circle at the bottom of the five and the straight and curved sections of the top. Do not cut along the length of the box at the sides, only across the width.

Step 4:

I found it useful to then use the knife or a long pencil to trace through to the back of the box from the inside. Repeat the cutting steps.

Step 5:

On the half circle at the bottom, you should now have cut the front half circle, back half circle and across the width of the side of the box (as shown).

Step 6:

For the top, you should now have cut into the box from right to left, followed by a cut downward and then finally the curve shape. Do this for front and back, along with the right-hand length of the box (as shown – so much easier to see in pictures than to explain in words!)

Step 7:

Go through and measure strips to cover the exposed outer edges to enclose the pinata. Then use tape to stick the strips to the pinata. You should have plenty of cardboard leftover to do this.

Step 8:

Now to decorate. Take some streamers and slice three quarters of the way up the width of the streamer, being careful not to cut all the way through. These cuts can be about 1-2 centimetres apart. TIP: To make it easier, put a few layers of screamers together and cut a few streamers at once.

Step 9:

Wrap the streamers around the number five cardboard cut out. You can alternate between colours or use one colour. It’s completely up to you.

Step 10:

You’ll notice we left a few holes to allow us to put in treats for the kids.

Find yourself a decent stick, the end of a broom or, in our case, an umbrella to use to bash it open at the party. It’s fairly durable, so it takes a bit to crack open, but then, that’s half the fun!

What are your favourite birthday party games?