3 Kids and Us

Parental Advice on Teaching Your Kid How to Drive

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It’s no secret that teaching your kid how to drive requires tons of patience. Of course sending your child off to a driving school would make matters a lot easier, especially on you, but the overall memories and quality time spent together will be priceless. Who doesn’t remember who taught them how to drive? For most of us, it was an unforgettable experience, whether it was positive or not.

Get yourself acquainted with our list of to-do’s and you will be able to ride shotgun with much more ease.

Keep your cool

It’s going to be extremely easy to lose your cool. This entire process will be a test of your patience in its truest form, so keeping your voice down and approaching each lesson with a calm attitude are musts and should be practiced as frequently as possible.

Make sure you’re in a calm state of mind

If you’re not in the right state of mind, there is no telling what mood the lesson will take you. It will help to remind yourself that you too once learned how to drive and probably tested the patience of a parent or an older sibling. Check your worries and negative thoughts at the passenger side door.

Brush up on the rules of the road

As your child’s driving guru, you should be up-to-date on the rules of the road, so hit the books and refresh your mind. Being able to properly inform your kid on safety and regulations will not only be important for the driving test, but for the written test as well.

Be exemplary

Practice what you’re preaching. Teaching your kid the right way to perform on the road shouldn’t be restricted to when they’re behind the wheel, rather you should be setting a good example. Think twice before you decide not to use your blinker when changing lanes on the expressway or expressing your road rage to someone that cuts you off.

Drive on roads you’re familiar with

Take your kid to a road or street that you frequent. Know the speed limit, the signage, and the traffic levels at specific times of the day. Having this knowledge is only beneficial to knowing what to expect and the level of preparedness your child will need to be.

Put them in real-life situations

You’re essentially putting your child through a driving bootcamp, so try to be as realistic with your lessons as possible. Once you think they are ready, have them turn the radio on and off. Bring their siblings or your spouse along for the ride and carry on a conversation. This will assist in them not feeling overwhelmed when the time does come for them to turn the radio on or go on a road trip with passengers.

Make them find their own way around

Make them find their way around town by providing them with minimal to no hints. Being a passenger is a different perspective than that of a driver, and it will therefore be crucial for them to gain a sense of direction. Their patience may run up with this pointer, but we promise that it will only benefit them as a driver.

Provide honest and positive feedback

The process of learning how to drive is not easy and not to be taken lightly. Be honest with your child and don’t sugarcoat things. Constructive criticism may not always be easy for them to accept, but it is extremely necessary. Follow your constructive criticism up with a positive remark and be sure to provide them with enough positive feedback.

Being a teacher isn’t for everyone, but teaching your kid to drive can be! Keep your patience, give honest and positive feedback and test your kid with real-life situations and they will surely be fit for their driving and written test!

San Francisco Family Road Trip

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Looking to get away with the family and leaving the home life behind for a bit? Try taking a road trip along California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Whether you live along the coast or not, starting in San Francisco and working your way down the California-1 highway will help you escape the crazy traffic of busier interstates and it will provide scenic views of the California coast.

San Francisco

Start your coastal get-away in the fantastic city of San Francisco. Grab some fresh seafood for lunch at fisherman’s wharf, see the famous sea lions sunning themselves on the docks and then hit the road. Drive across the golden gate bridge, and do some hiking in the golden gate park before setting off on your adventure.

Monterey

Four hours south of San Francisco on the California-1, you will arrive at your first stop; Monterey, California. Here you can take a break from driving and engage in some fun water activities. Monterey’s coastal location makes it perfect for scuba diving, whale watching, kayaking, surfing, and many other fun water activities. If you prefer to stay off the water but want to learn about the local marine life check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. If history is your thing, Monterey has you covered. As one of the oldest cities in California, you can check out the first theater in California or the site where the California constitution was written.

Santa Barbara

After spending the night, continue south on the California – 1 for 5 more hours and you will arrive in Santa Barbara. With great dining and wine drinking on quiet streets, Santa Barbara is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of bigger cities. Its location is picturesque as it’s surrounded by mountains and beach. You can stroll on the beach or take a horseback ride along the sandy beaches. Explore art galleries or eat fresh food prepared with local ingredients from the area’s farmers. Looking for new wines to drink? Take a tour at a local winery or time your road trip with a wine festival and let your taste buds do the exploring.

Whether you live in California or not, taking a scenic trip on the California-1 offers adventure or rest and relaxation. Taking your new car on a scenic drive can be the perfect way to discover the California coast and a few of the wonderful places it has to offer. You and your family may even discover a new version of yourselves on this trip!

7 Christmas Gift Ideas for Baby Girls

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Christmas shopping is one of those tasks that leave us mixed with emotion, wanting to get just the right gift for each person on the list, yet not wanting to break the bank. If you have baby girls on your list, then you may be feeling like falling into the same old baby doll trap. But, here are seven ideas for the baby girls on your list that don’t include dolls.

Gender Neutral Gifts

If you really don’t know the child that well, this is your safest gift option. Gender neutral gifts such as books, blocks, and snuggly stuffed bears are a good way to meet your gift giving obligations without purchasing something that may not mesh with the child’s personality.

Athletic Options

Contrary to the old saying, not all girls are dressed in pink and want to play house. Depending on the age of the baby this may be more difficult than some other gift options. Consider a year membership to Gymboree or some type of organization that works on the child’s motor skills and then wrap a sporty little outfit in the box with the gift certificate.

Stretch Their Brain

It’s never too early to stimulate a child’s brain. Check into one of the many learning toys on the market. There are toys for all ages that will stimulate brain growth and aid in their development.

Homemade

Baby’s may be too young to truly understand the sentiment behind homemade gifts, but if you give a baby a one of a kind homemade stuffed animal, or cozy blanket, they will find the sentiment in it all on their own. For most of us some of our fondest childhood snuggle friends and memories were simple homemade gifts that we drug around for decades.

 Movement Toys­

Once a baby becomes mobile there is no stopping them. Consider some type of walker or push toy that helps the child in their physical development. Just remember they don’t walk for long before they are running and you are trying to keep up with them.

Creative Outlets

Children are never too young to learn how to create things. Again, be conscious of age appropriate safety limitations, but think about getting the child one of the many age appropriate arts and crafts kit toys on the market. This could be something as simple as a fasteners blanket that teaches them how to tie shoestrings, and button buttons, to something more advanced like coloring books and washable crayons. Avoid the scented crayons for younger age groups however, since they will not have a sense of food versus smells like food.

Entertainment

Consider getting the child one of their favorite movies, or books. Reading to your child at an early age helps stimulate their minds ability to form sounds and read. Some shows meant for toddler age children such as “Baby Einstein” are great gifts that engage young children in music, reading, and adventure entertaining them while they learn from a very early age.

The most important thing to remember when buying a gift for a baby girl is to keep in mind the child’s age, and possible interests so that you can give them a gift that is not only safe for them to handle, but something they will cherish for years to come.

5 Ways to Get Your Kids to Help With Chores

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As many parents know it can be a nightmare trying to get your kids to help around the house. I cannot count the times I have heard ‘I am busy’, ‘I am tired’ or ‘I’ll do it later’. I know many parents who have experienced similar problems with getting their kids involved with chores so I have made a list of methods and ideas that could be helpful.

Start Early

If you start getting your kids involved with chores from an early age, they are less likely to resist with helping out as they get older. You could start when your child is at an age when they are able to understand basic words. Simple jobs like putting their toys away or putting their coats and shoes in the correct place can be a great place to start getting your child involved with chores.

Make It Fun

Making chores fun is essential if you want your kids involved with the chores. This can be achieved quite easily. Music can be a useful tool in adding fun to chores, dancing and singing whilst sweeping and hovering can make these chores fun. If you have younger children who enjoy using water guns, use a spray bottle filled with soapy water to clean windows. These are cheap as well as effective ideas.

Reward Charts

Reward charts can be an awesome tool no matter your kids’ age. For younger kids use a chart where they get a sticker for every completed chore, and when their chores are complete they get a reward. For older kids you can use reward charts to allow them to gain extra time for activities or later bedtimes at the weekend.

Reward charts can be a way for kids to earn pocket money. You decide how much each chore is worth and at the end of the week your kid is paid for their work. This is a great way to teach kids about responsibility and earning their own money.

Get Kids Cooking

Kids love being involved in whatever you are doing in the kitchen, especially if you’re baking or making their favourite food. By getting your kids involved with preparing meals you are not only allowing them to be creative and help with chores, you are also giving them invaluable life skills they can use throughout their lives.

Talk With Your Kids

If after trying different methods you are still having no luck try talking to your kids. Kids are intelligent and if you explain to them why you want their help you will normally find they are more willing to help. A good tip to remember is to never use chores as punishments as you will undo all the work you have accomplished. Always praise your kids when they have completed their chores. Your kids will respect you for acknowledging their hard work.

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!