You probably think that since I’m a regular contributor to the Family & Parenting channel of IowaMoms.com, I’m an expert on the subject. I’ve got it all under control. My kids are model citizens, and my house is spotless.

Well, sorry to disappoint.

The truth is, I probably have far more to learn from all of you than you have to learn from me!

Take, for instance, the subject of getting your kids to help around the house. Or just picking up AFTER THEMSELVES. My husband and I are nearing our combined wits’ end on this topic. In fact, he called me at work today, clearly having run out of patience. “How am I supposed to get the kids to help without fighting with them all day?” Sadly, I had no answer for him.

It’s gotten to the point where my kids will raid the refrigerator, slurp down a Go-Gurt, and just leave the still-oozing tube on the carpet. They don’t even think twice!

I keep wondering where we went wrong. It’s not like we’ve ever condoned that kind of behavior, and it’s not like they see us throwing our apples cores behind the couch. We definitely haven’t been immaculate housekeepers over the years, but we’re not disgusting slobs either. We like things clean. We like things tidy. Most of the time, we just get overwhelmed and run out of time to get it all done.

We’ve tried yelling. We’ve tried bribery. We’ve tried a point system for positive reinforcement. We’ve threatened spanking. We’ve tried guilt. We’ve referenced Bible verses. Nothing seems to work.

So if there’s something that works well for you, or you have an idea of how we can get our three hoodlum boys (ages 10, 6, and almost 4) to pitch in and be responsible members of our family, please, PLEASE comment!

Otherwise, Nanny’s gonna be getting a call…

Posted by Paula @ boogersandburps

If you’re like my family, a “real vacation” is not in the plans this summer. Gas prices, food prices, and trying to dig out of our debt have pretty much claimed any extra penny we thought we had. But if you’re not able to fly to Florida or drive to South Dakota, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun and create some memories with your kiddos.

One activity that my husband used to do with his family growing up was to play “Get Lost in the Country.” No, this isn’t that hazing prank where you find yourself naked and blindfolded in the middle of a cornfield. Instead, you just jump in the car with the family, gas up (I know, I know…THE PRICES!), and head for the outskirts of town.

Decide where you’ll begin, and then decide the order in which your kids will have their “turn” giving directions. Start driving, and when you come to the first place where you can turn, have the child whose turn it is say either, “Left,” “Right,” or “Straight” and then follow your child’s command. When you come to the next place you can turn, have the next child give the direction.

Now realize, this may lead you off the blacktop and onto gravel. Embrace the gravel! You will get your best glimpse into rural Iowa on the gravel roads. If one of your child’s directions has you driving on a dirt road, go for it, provided it’s not a mud road. Getting stuck and having to walk three miles to the nearest farmhouse is NOT part of the game. Once when we were playing this game with my husband’s parents (Yes, we even play this as adults!), we ended up driving on a dirt road that kept getting narrower and narrower until we came to a dead end in the middle of a cornfield. Now THAT’S getting lost in the country!

While you’re getting “lost,” notice the scenery along the way. Have your kids see how many different kinds of animals they can identify. Count the number of barns or windmills. What colors are the tractors you see? How about wildflowers?

After you’re good and lost, next comes the challenging part: finding your way back home. Now, it usually helps if you’ve got an Iowa road map with you. If you don’t, well, you’ll be playing the advanced version of the game! Show your kids on the map where you’ve driven and how you’ll now get home. Figure how many miles you’ve gone. And if you pass an ice cream shop on the way back, for goodness’ sake—stop!

You may be surprised at how refreshing it is to stop focusing on the destination for once and just enjoy the ride.

Contributed by Paula
boogers and burps