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14 gifts to give children that are NOT toys
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Not all gifts you give your child have to be toys. For ways to enhance your childs life and help them learn and grow, consider these 14 gift ideas. - photo by Troy Martin
Not all gifts are created equal, and with the saturated toy market providing an endless number of new options almost daily, its easy to forget there is more to your childs life than having the biggest toy collection.

Here are 14 gift options to consider if youre tired of picking up pieces from the latest Lego set or action series.

1. Art supplies

Whether a child is a blossoming Da Vinci or just likes to have fun with a paintbrush and some bright colors, art supplies offer a world of activities that can help improve fine motor skills, creative thinking and the ability to complete a project from start to finish.

2. Books

With more and more interest in online gaming and other social media activities, its hard to get kids interested in books. But, that doesnt mean you shouldnt try.

Take a trip to a bookstore and let your child browse the stacks to see what interests them. Or, set up a wish list on your Amazon account and let them create their own list of desired titles.

3. Cooking lessons

One of the most important skills every person needs to know is how to feed themselves.

Cooking classes are a great way to give your child these lifelong skills. Knowing how to cook also gives your child a fun activity that they can later show off to the rest of the family.

4. Cardboard boxes

Cardboard boxes are some of the most versatile items your kids can get their hands on, and they're fun for kids at any age.

They're not something you would give as a birthday gift, but boxes are a great impromptu just because item. Your kids can decorate them, make bedroom furniture like a nightstand, turn them into make-believe rocket ships or use them as an art canvas.

Best of all, theyre basically free.

5. Magazine subscription

There are a number of magazines just for kids, many of which encourage learning and creativity. Plus, receiving mail every month gives your child something to look forward to while providing a good dose of fun, education and encouragement to improve their reading skills.

6. Piggy bank

Its never too early to teach your kids how to save money.

Help your child learn saving skills by giving them a bank account of their own. It doesnt even need to be a pig!

A bank can be anything like a large souvenir cup from a theme park, a small cardboard box they can decorate themselves or an empty jar from the kitchen. You can even help them collect spare change around the house to get started.

7. Personal toolkit

DIY is here to stay, and even the least mechanically adept people probably have a basic set of tools.

Giving your child a starter kit with their own mini hammer, screwdrivers and a tape measure will get your budding handyman or woman ready to help around the house!

8. Calendar

How many days until.?

Children like to know whats going on and when things will happen. Having their own place to count days, weeks and months will help them learn about the passage of time and how to plan.

9. A watch

Watches are a great way to help a child develop a sense of time. It can also give a child the opportunity to learn responsibility and independence by teaching them how to know how much time is left in an activity and how to be on time to things.

10. Theater tickets

We dont mean the movie kind!

There are a number of family oriented stage performances that local theaters include in their annual program schedule. Check your local theater schedule for performances that the entire family can attend.

11. Music

Music can stir the heart, the soul and the mind. Whether they want to dance, celebrate or just rock to something while they clean their rooms, music could be a source of inspiration for your kids for years to come.

12. Musical instruments

Listening to music is a great way to increase intelligence in children. Making your own sounds, melodies and rhythms is just as important.

You don't have to go out and spend a bunch of money at a music store for your child. Instruments can come in all shapes and sizes, like bongo drums and maracas or a basic inexpensive flute. Gaining the ability to make music can help shape your childs mind and spirit.

13. A scrapbook

From preschool on, life gives you and your kids lots of little moments you want to keep as memorabilia. Scrapbooks are a great way to save these memories and tell the story of your childs life.

14. Mommy/daddy dates

Date nights arent just for mom and dad.

Spending quality one-on-one time with your child tremendously benefits your relationship. Doing an activity together of the child's choosing will give both of you memories youll look back on fondly for the rest of your lives.

If you have more than one child, these "dates" can help make sure each child receives individual attention from each parent no matter how busy your schedules become.

Next time youre searching for just the right gift for your child, consider one of these ideas to enhance your childs life experiences.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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