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About Cleverly Changing
Hi, I'm Elle Owner of CleverlyChanging. My blog seeks to encourage, empower, & inspire others to live cleverly, changing when necessary. Perfect parenting, doesn't exist, but informed and attentive parenting does. I desire to regularly share savings tips, wisdom, and experiences I gain from everyday life as a wife and mother of twins with others so we can empower each other to become better parents and better people in general.
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Parent Archive
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My Open Heart
Posted on May 15, 2012 | No CommentsLately, I haven’t shared a post about what was on my heart. I’m still enjoying my children, probably more than ever. I really didn’t think they could get any sweeter than when they were sweet precious infants, but they are growing more adorable each day. They say some of the funniest things and keep me smiling and believing that good still exists. For a while now, one of my 3 year-old daughters calls me her “Clever Mommy.” It so adorable because she gives me the tightest hugs and says, “You’re my clever Mommy and I love you.” One of the... -
Engage your baby: Tips to help develop your child’s speech
Posted on May 11, 2012 | No CommentsHow early do babies start learning? Immediately, babies are learning as soon as they exit their mother’s womb, so start engage your baby with dialog as soon as he or she comes home. Early exposure to language will help your child develop his or her own speech patterns faster. When my daughters arrived home from the hospital, I was overjoyed. For 9 months I earlier waited for the opportunity to be able to talk to them about life and share the world with them. As I nursed, changed them, bathed them, etc I always talked to them about what I... -
End of year Bullying/ What You Should be Aware of?
Posted on May 8, 2012 | No CommentsBullying is not a new phenomenon, but it recent years it has become much more frightening for children. Parents should always lookout for signs of bullying. The old saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is untrue. Words can be daggers to someone else. We all know that bullying is a problem throughout the school year, but it can become a bigger problem at the end of the year when some children may seek revenge because they know they will not suffer the full consequences. Bullying can have a devastating effect on the... -
Sickle Cell and Pool Safety
Posted on May 6, 2012 | No CommentsThis year my family will take a trip to Great Wolf lodge, a family friendly resort and water park. I am excited about the trip and the break, but also concerned about my daughter’s Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and pool safety. As many of you may know, one of my daughters is living with Sickle Cell Disease, a genetic blood disorder. For many Sickle Cell Patients, they are advised not to swim in public swimming pools or cold-water pools. Why does cold water pools affect Sickle Cell Patients? Cold water pools can cause a person living with SCD to be... -
Reading Tips for Children ages 3-5
Posted on May 1, 2012 | No CommentsLiteracy is very important to me. I love to read and I taught my children to read early as well. I wanted my children to explore the world beyond their physical reach through books, so as babies I read to them often and even during their infant years they listened and looked at the book’s pictures. At the age of 1 they learned their phonetics and remembered a few words. At the age of two they read a little better and now at three years old they are early readers who can comprehend the words they read. How do you... -
5 Parenting Tips for Playground Safety
Posted on April 26, 2012 | No CommentsNatalie Kocsis once said “The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing.” To young children a the playground is their universe, a kingdom where they can rule solo or within a group. As parents, my husband and I love taking my children to playgrounds because it is free fun. A couple of months ago, I took my kids to a new playground and realized my children played very differently with me than they did with their father. When their dad takes them to the park their love to explore and try the play equipment often encourages their... -
A Cry For Chains? A Six Year Old’s Plea For Invention and Help
Posted on April 20, 2012 | No CommentsNews stations across the US reported about a 6 year old being arrested and charged with with simple assault and damage to property after having a temper tantrum. The report describes a violent outburst: tearing things off the wall, throwing books, toys, and furniture (one which injured the school’s principal). The school chose to have the kindergartner arrested, charged, and left in a jail cell until her mother came to retrieve her. When I heard the report, I felt the school needed to do something to protect the child, the other children, and adults in the classroom as well. Unfortunately,... -
Dave Ramsey’s “The Super Red Racer”
Posted on April 19, 2012 | 2 CommentsFrom Life Lessons with Jr. The Super Red Racer is about a young boy name Junior who wants a new bike that he saw on TV, he then develops a plan to start working to make money. The book helps children learn that working and serving others is cool and rewarding. Junior gets a job working for a farmer and learning new skills. I really liked that Junior took on a job that was new to him and learned the benefits of working hard, even when the job is not but not easy and glamorous. Main Principles Taught Toys cost... -
Fun Functional Container Craft with Popsicle Sticks
Posted on April 18, 2012 | No CommentsI’m always looking for creative ways to entertain my children and recycle things at the same time. We constructed a craft that was both fun and functional. This craft was great because it was also an educational activity for my daughters. What did it teach? The first lesson was about patterns. I let my children pick which Popsicle sticks they liked best, from those chosen we created a reoccurring pattern. Each time I placed the next stick onto the container they had to guess which one came next. (As a result, I had to glue them all separately; otherwise the... -
Warning It only takes a few seconds: Child Proof & CPR guide
Posted on April 4, 2012 | No CommentsHearing about Tiffany Hebb’s son, Ollie, who experienced a fatal Washing Machine Accident sent chills down my spine. Of course, w, as parents and caregivers, always want to keep an eye on our children, but that is not always possible. As Hebb’s family grieves over their toddler who climbed into the washing machine while his mother was in another room reading a magazine ,we may be quick to point fingers. However, we have to keep in mind that it only takes a few seconds for children to get hurt. Therefore, I wanted to send out a child proofing reminder checklist... -
Women’s Health Tips: How In-tune are we? (FREE App Info)
Posted on April 1, 2012 | No CommentsAfter having kids, going to the doctor regularly became one of the top priorities in my life. Sure, I am busy trying to help make sure my family is maintaining good healthy habits, but it is hard to watch-over them if I am not taking care of myself and my own needs. I also pride myself in looking young and healthy, so I want to make sure that my inside matches my outside. As females, we are usually the nurturers and care-givers of the home, so it is important for us to do our best health-wise, so we can be... -
Classes for Parents @greenberriesco (breastfeeding, cloth diapering, fitness, & more)
Posted on March 21, 2012 | No CommentsOne of my favorite shops offers classes for parents. Location: 6925 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21045. Facing Snowden River Pkwy, between Dogs & Co. and Edible Arrangements. Phone: 410.290.6253 Web: www.greenberriescompany.com, Facebook, Twitter Standard Store Hours Mon – Fri 10-7 pm Saturday 10-6 pm Sunday 12-5 pm Remember to like them on Facebook and on Twitter: Also don’t forget to let them know that you found out about their store and programs from CleverlyChanging.com Here is their 2012 schedule for March and April’s Classes BREASTFEEDING Breastfeeding 101 – Right from the Start! | Sunday, March 18 from 5-8 pm... -
Parents How Well Do you Know You? Are you fulfilled by Your Career?
Posted on March 19, 2012 | No CommentsRecently, I have been trying to decide whether or not I will enter a different career path after my children start school. My ultimate desire is to find something that I love to do, helps people, and pays well. The other night, I found a FREE Humanmetrics test online, based on Jung and Briggs Myers personality approach. I was so pleased I could not wait to share the test with you all. The test is great because: It’s short, the test asks about 72 questions Provides the description of your personality type Gives you a analysis based on your answers... -
7 Reasons I Love Being A Mom of twins
Posted on March 13, 2012 | No CommentsI love being a Mom to twins, I really love spending time with my girls and learning about their likes and dislikes. Most of all, I enjoy watching there curiosity in action. I feel like being a parent is a special honor and privilege that was bestowed upon me. Here are 7 reasons I love being a mom to twins: 1. Double the love. At first having twins is hard work. When you bring your little ones home for the first time it is overwhelming, but once you get the hang of it, you have the double hugs, kisses, and... -
Tips for Parents on How to Shop for Kids Clothes on a Budget
Posted on February 28, 2012 | No CommentsEvery season retail stores go through a clearance cycle. Following the cycle and managing an inventory of what types of clothing your child will need the next season is one of the best ways to shop. If you have a child and you are trying to maintain your budget here are some tips I use. 1. Follow Seasonal Sales. Big clearance months coordinate with holidays. When you shop on or the day before a holiday stores will often give an additional percentage off of their clearance items, which were already marked down. 2. Use retail coupons. I like the “Coupon... -
How Much Do We Love Our Children? How to Recognize the Risk Factors of Teen Dating Violence (link to FREE prevention Course)
Posted on February 17, 2012 | No CommentsFebruary is Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice, teens between the age of 12 and 19 years old experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault. Did you know that “one in three adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner?” The statistics are very painful to read. Teens who are struggling trying to find themselves and cope with the physical and mental changes that take place as they grow; unfortunately also have to struggle to survive.... -
Raising Swiper: Signs to recognize if your kid is the school bully?
Posted on February 7, 2012 | 1 CommentIt is almost hard to believe that for more than a decade our children have enjoyed the “Dora the Explorer” series on Nickelodeon. The show is geared for the viewing pleasure of preschoolers, but one character on the show continues to worry me: Swiper. Swiper is a sneaky, thieving bully that takes things from Dora or her friends. My concern is whether or not our children are learning to enjoy the thrill of being a cruel bully from Swiper and other TV bullies as well. Children like different characters for a variety of reasons, but Swiper’s character has no point,... -
Review: Potty Time With Bear (DVD)
Posted on January 29, 2012 | No CommentsIf you are looking for a good DVD to introduce or reiterate to your child how to use the potty and go to the bathroom “Potty Time With Bear” is an excellent DVD. The DVD doesn’t just focus on going to the potty, the DVD is very descriptive in the words they used. I really like how the bear explains as he talks, which is similar to how I try to teach my children at home. The bear is very positive and has a soothing voice. The characters are likable and fun to watch. The bear calls children that go... -
Fun Free Educational iPAD Apps for Younger Kids
Posted on January 24, 2012 | 3 CommentsMotion Math: Hungry Fish One of my favorites for preschoolers is the Motion Math: Hungry Fish. This app helps young children learn math. Kids will learn addition by feeding the hungry fish. The game is very simple, little fish swim near the larger fish but are only edible when they contain the correct number on their bellies. The large hungry fish will only eat the number on his stomach and in some case you need to add smaller fish together to create the correct number. The game teaches and keeps their attention. Check out the Motion Math website for other educational... -
What Your Child Wants From You
Posted on January 5, 2012 | 2 CommentsFrom time to time our children really amaze us. Today, my daughter starting chanting an encouraging song, “Go Mommie, Go Mommie,” she sang as I cooked dinner. Was she singing because she was overjoyed that I was finally making a home-cooked meal? I don’t really know, but her song made me feel good. Just as she knows what makes my heart rejoice, I also have to uplift and cheer her up when she is least likely to expect it. I always have to be in her corner. This made me think, what do our children want from us anyway? It...
