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  • Vinnie CEO Sleepout: How your perception of winter can change

    Vinnie CEO Sleepout: How your perception of winter can change

    Vinnies CEO Sleepout

    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!

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #103: Wordsmith edition

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup #103: Wordsmith edition

    Holly2

    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.

     

     Loading InLinkz …


    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

  • Teaching your child the difference between the b and d letters

    Teaching your child the difference between the b and d letters

    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

    B and D letters 2
    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

    B and D letters
    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?

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #102: Shake Your Booty

    Holly dancing

    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.




    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses



  • How to get rid of the pacifier – once and for all

    How to get rid of the pacifier – once and for all

    getting rid of pacifier

    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?

  • Aussie Giveaway Linkup #101: The no dummies edition

    Aussie Giveaway Linkup #101: The no dummies edition

    get rid of the pacifier

    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.

     


    Aussie Giveaway Linky
    Hosted by Three Lil Princesses