Things to do when you are bored

The Ultimate List of Things for Kids to Do When They’re Bored – 200+ Ideas

1. Read a book. (101 best chapter books and 101 best picture books)
2. Listen to an audiobook.
3. Set up a seed experiment with gravity or light and water.
4. Do an experiment with paper shapes.
5. Play with perspective.
6. Do paper chromatography.
7. Do t-shirt chromatography.
8. Build paper towers.
9. Do an experiment with soda.
10. Do an egg drop experiment.
11. Microwave soap.
12. Go to the beach.
13. Go to the pool.
14. Play Snakes & Ladders (free printable Snakes & Ladders game board here).
15. Play a board game. (The best games for the elementary crowd and the best games for preschoolers and the best family game night games for non-readers and the best “date night” games for tweens, teens, and adults)
16. Make homemade root beer sherbet or homemade ice cream.
17. Make colored salt dough.
18. Make a terrarium.
19. Make egg geodes.
20. Interview each other.
21. Make a geoboard.
22. Do a random act of kindness.
23. Go to the zoo.
24. Go to the aquarium.
25. Go on a rainbow scavenger hunt.
26. Make fruit kabobs.
27. Have a glow stick treasure hunt.
28. Make a tape resist painting.
29. Make a beaded butterfly.
30. Make binoculars.
31. Play glow in the dark ring toss.
32. Make a fairy garden.
33. Have a living room carnival.
34. Make a mosaic using dyed rice.
35. Make a yarn doll.
36. Make astronaut pudding.
37. Make marzipan piggies.
38. Make a lamb of God mobile.
39. Make a play mailbox.
40. Make mud pies.
41. Make a picture with baking soda and vinegar.
42. Melt beads for suncatchers.
43. Paint with cookie cutters.
44. Play in a creek.
45. Explore colors with homemade play dough.
46. Go to a children’s museum.
47. Make a simple scavenger hunt.
48. Read The Rainbow Fish and do some related activities.
49. Go to an amusement park.
50. Go to a water park.
51. Build an island.
52. Grow a garden.
53. Do a giant word search.
54. Grow a Venus Flytrap.
55. Write in a journal.
56. Read Little Cloud and learn about clouds.
57. Test out paper airplanes.
58. Play sight word Go Fish.
59. Make slime.
60. Make string art.
61. Make washi tape butterflies.
62. Cook with mom or dad (10 tips for cooking with small children and 11 tips for cooking with older children)
63. Play water balloon dodgeball.
64. Have a sponge relay race.
65. Act out your favorite book.
66. Play catch.
67. Plant a tree.
68. Bake cookies.
69. Blow bubbles.
70. Sing patriotic songs like My Country Tis of Thee, God Bless America, the Star Spangled Banner, and America the Beautiful.
71. Play frisbee.
72. Play bocce ball.
73. Play lawn darts. (They’re not like they used to be.)
74. Play croquet.
75. Play horseshoes (you don’t need pits for this set from Amazon, and you can even play in the house).
76. Go to the library.
77. Make paper mâché.
78. Homemade bowling – spray paint 2-liter bottles and set them up in the yard. Use a kickball or soccer ball to knock them down.
79. Make macaroni necklaces.
80. Learn how to tie dye.
81. Go on a picnic.
82. Go bird watching.
83. Build a blanket fort.
84. Explore a small area in your yard with a magnifying glass.
85. Go geocaching.
86. Go on a hike.
87. Play balloon volleyball.
88. Camp out in the backyard.
89. Make toy parachutes.
90. Make some homemade juggling balls and learn how to juggle.
91. Play Simon Says.
92. Play Duck Duck Goose.
93. Open a movie theater in your living room, complete with tickets, buttered popcorn, and candy snacks.
94. Make bath bombs using citric acid and baking soda.
95. Make sock puppets.
96. Write a letter to Grandma.
97. Learn about constellations so you can find them at night.
98. Publish a pretend newspaper.
99. Learn origami.
100. Try to replicate famous art.
101. Learn the alphabet in sign language.
102. Pick flowers from your garden and make a flower arrangement for your dining room table.
103. Practice somersaults.
104. Jump on the trampoline.
105. Learn to hula hoop.
106. Host a tea party. Bonus if you read poetry.
107. Dress up in costumes.
108. Put together a jigsaw puzzle.
109. Make indoor s’mores – stack a graham cracker, square of chocolate, and marshmallow. Top with another graham cracker and microwave for 10 seconds.
110. Draw with sidewalk chalk.
111. Explore the world with Google Maps or Google Earth.
112. Make friendship bracelets.
113. Do some Mad Libs.
114. Learn a new card game.
115. Learn how to do Sudoku.
116. Jump rope.
117. Finger paint.
118. Write a haiku.
119. Make a card and mail it to someone special.
120. Learn to play chess or checkers.
121. Play charades.
122. Learn a poem and recite it to your mom.
123. Make a photo album.
124. Organize your bedroom.
125. Climb a tree.
126. Play hopscotch.
127. Visit a farmer’s market and try something you’ve never eaten before.
128. Play musical chairs.
129. Go roller skating.
130. Play Twister. (Take this outside if you’re like us and lack living room floor space.)
131. Make an indoor obstacle course.
132. Take silly selfies.
133. Write to a pen pal or sponsored child.
134. Sew a pillow.
135. Make a sundae bar with lots of toppings.
136. Search the couch for loose change.
137. Bathe the dog.
138. Run in the sprinkler.
139. Search for four-leaf clovers.
140. Draw pictures.
141. Learn a few magic tricks.
142. Listen to music.
143. Write a story.
144. Write a letter to the president.
145. Fix something that’s broken.
146. Read a magazine.
147. Go through your stuff and fill a bag with items to donate.
148. Write in a journal.
149. Try a new craft.
150. Go to a playground or park.
151. Search for cool rocks.
152. Look at old pictures.
153. Make pipe cleaner jewelry.
154. Play with Wikki Stix.
155. Take a bubble bath.
156. Water the plants.
157. Have a dance party. (My kids love these CDs.)
158. Ride your bike.
159. Ride your scooter.
160. Wash the car.
161. Create a comic book.
162. Write a song.
163. Put on a puppet show.
164. Trace your body and make a new outfit on the outline.
165. Do handprint art.
166. Do footprint art.
167. Have a staring contest.
168. Blow cotton swabs through a straw at a bowl. (My kids love this!)
169. Play badminton.
170. Make a tie blanket out of fleece.
171. Make a tie pillow out of fleece.
172. Make up new rules to an old game.
173. Build a bird house.
174. Have a water gun battle.
175. Paint with shaving cream.
176. Catch fireflies.
177. Melt crayons in the sun.
178. Paint rocks with paint.
179. Heat rocks in the oven and “paint” them with crayons. (Be super careful!)
180. Build a bird house. 
181. Walk the dog. (Don’t have a dog? Walk the neighbor’s dog!)
182. Have a scavenger hunt. (Search on Pinterest for a good template.)
183. Climb a tree.
184. Weed the garden.
185. Make a stop-motion video.
186. Build a volcano out of paper mâché or modeling clay and then explode it using baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, and some food coloring.
187. Hunt for animal tracks.
188. Make a magazine collage or vision board.
189. Have a living room picnic.
190. Learn to crochet. (This is the YouTube video that I used when I first learned.)
191. Wash the car.
192. Make marshmallow and toothpick towers.
193. Play with Magformers.
194. Play hide and seek.
195. Write a story.
196. Redecorate your bedroom.
197. Build with Lego.
198. Have a Nerf Gun battle.
199. Take some interesting photos.
200. Challenge someone to an UNO championship.

Words of Wisdom from Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs' last words
He died a billionaire at 56yrs of Pancreatic Cancer and here are his last words on the sick bed:

"I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes my life is an epitome of success.

However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to.

At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and

wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death.

You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you.

Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – "Life".

When a person goes into the operating room, he will realize that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading – "Book of Healthy Life".

Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.

Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends...

Treat yourself well. Cherish others.

As we grow older, and hence wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a $300 or $30 watch - they both tell the same time...

Whether we carry a $300 or $30 wallet/handbag - the amount of money inside is the same;

Whether we drive a $150,000 car or a $30,000 car, the road and distance is the same, and we get to the same destination.

Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine - the hangover is the same;

Whether the house we live in is 300 or 3000 sq ft - loneliness is the same.

You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world.

Whether you fly first or economy class, if the plane goes down - you go down with it...

Therefore.. I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, .... That is true happiness!!

Five Undeniable Facts of Life :
1. Don't educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be Happy. So when they grow up they will know the value of things not the price.

2. Best awarded words in London ... "Eat your food as your medicines. Otherwise you have to eat medicines as your food."

3. The One who loves you will never leave you for another because even if there are 100 reasons to give up he or she will find one reason to hold on.

4. There is a big difference between a human being and being human.
Only a few really understand it.

5. You are loved when you are born. You will be loved when you die. In between, You have to manage!

NOTE: If you just want to Walk Fast, Walk Alone! But if you want to Walk Far, Walk Together!

Six Best Doctors in the World
1. Sunlight
2. Rest
3. Exercise
4. Diet
5. Self Confidence and
6. Friends

Maintain them in all stages of Life and enjoy a healthy life.

Nevertheless

Nevertheless...
by Max Lucado

And the king and his men... spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” ...Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).
- 2 Samuel 5:6-9

Did you see it? Most hurry past it. Let’s not. Pull out a pen and underline this twelve-letter masterpiece.

Nevertheless.

“Nevertheless David took the stronghold...”

Wouldn’t you love God to write a nevertheless in your biography? Born to alcoholics, nevertheless she led a sober life. Never went to college, nevertheless he mastered a trade. Didn’t read the Bible until retirement age, nevertheless he came to a deep and abiding faith.

We all need a nevertheless. And God has plenty to go around. Strongholds mean nothing to him. Remember Paul’s words? “We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4 NLT).

You and I fight with toothpicks; God comes with battering rams and cannons. What he did for David, he can do for us. The question is, will we do what David did? The king models much here.

Two types of thoughts continually vie for your attention. One proclaims God’s strengths; the other lists your failures. One longs to build you up; the other seeks to tear you down. And here’s the great news: you select the voice you hear. Why listen to the mockers? Why heed their voices? Why give ear to pea-brains and scoffers when you can, with the same ear, listen to the voice of God?

Do what David did.
Turn a deaf ear to the old voices.
Open a wide eye to the new choices.
Who knows, you may be a prayer away from a nevertheless. God loves to give them.
Peter stuck his foot in his mouth.
Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt.
The Samaritan woman had been married five times.
Jesus was dead in the grave ...

Nevertheless, Peter preached, Joseph ruled, the woman shared, Jesus rose -- and you?

You fill in the blank. Your nevertheless awaits you.

Political Correctness for Kids

Political Correctness For Kids Your bedroom isn't cluttered; it's "passage-restrictive." Kids don't get in trouble anymore.  They merely hit "social speed bumps." You're not having a bad hair day; you're suffering from "rebellious follicle syndrome." No one's tall anymore.  They're "vertically enhanced." You're not shy.  You're "conversationally selective." You don't talk a lot.  You're just "abundantly verbal." It's not called gossip anymore.  It's "transmission of near-factual information." The food at the school cafeteria isn't awful.  It's "digestively challenged." Your homework isn't missing; it's just having an "out-of-notebook experience." You're not sleeping in class; you're "rationing consciousness." You don't have smelly gym socks; you have "odor-retentive athletic footwear." You weren't passing notes in class.  You were "participating in the discreet exchange of penned meditations." You're not being sent to the principal's office.  You're "going on a mandatory field trip to the administrative building."

Ways to Make Bad Days Better

28 Ways to Turn Around a Bad Day

1. Acknowledge your feelings. This may sound like therapist mumbo jumbo (and maybe it is, but hey, I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid), but it’s really important that you take note of the fact that you are in a bad mood. You’re angry or sad or disappointed or whatever else you may be feeling, and those feelings are valid and real. The key is to just feel those feelings, and then you will be able to move past them more easily.
2. Figure out the reason. Maybe you know why you’re in a crummy mood. Maybe you stepped in cat barf or you’re running late or you got a speeding ticket. Whatever happened, acknowledge that. Then identify what is not the cause of your bad mood, and let those people off the hook. The key here is to precisely pinpoint what’s causing your bad mood and learn from that experience so as to prevent it in the future.Now that you’ve identified the feelings and the cause of the feelings, try one or more of the suggestions below to turn the day around: 
3. Meditate on some positive affirmations. This set of 40 beautiful affirmations for Christian moms are printable. I laminated mine and meditate on them frequently, both on good days and on bad. They give me a starting point for my morning prayers and an attitude refresher when I’m feeling sad or angry or left out. The key here is to read the card and think and pray about it for a minute or two.
4. Blow bubbles. What is she talking about? you’re thinking, right? Well, hear me out. The key here is deep breathing, taking a long time to suck in the air and taking an equally long time to blow it out. Sure, you could just take a few deep breaths, but you could also blow bubbles and make the whole exercise a lot more fun.
5. Get a change of scenery. Taking a break from whatever is stressing you out does a lot of good. If your kids are causing the issue, go outside. If it’s your boss, go to the bathroom. Take a walk around the block or the floor. The key here is to interrupt the thoughts and routines you are stuck in.
6. Along those same lines, go outside. There have been scientific studies that have shown the benefits of just 15 minutes outside. Going outside refreshes and distracts you. The fresh air makes you more awake, reduces symptoms of ADHD in both kids and adults, improves both creativity and overall brain function, lowers heart rate, and reduces stresses of all kinds. (Reference) The key here is simple: just go outside and walk around!
7. Journal. Taking the time to journal a little often helps with any problem. You don’t have to write out whole sentences or paragraphs though, even a bulleted list will help. The key here is to take time to name what you’re thinking and feeling and allow it to live on the page and get out of your brain. Writing is cathartic, trust me.
8. Relieve the tension. When you’re having a bad day, chances are good that your muscles are tense. You may have a headache thanks to all the tightness in your head, neck, and shoulders. One great way to relieve all this muscle stress is an exercise I learned in a middle school drama camp. It works best if you can lie on the floor, but it is still very effective even if you’re stuck at a desk in a cubicle at work. The key here is to squeeze your muscles as tightly as you possibly can and then release them very slowly.
   Begin by closing your eyes if you can. Next, starting with your eyes, squeeze every muscle you can control. Scrunch your eyes shut and furrow your brow. Then consciously relax those muscles. Move on to your nose and mouth. Again, scrunch and contract every muscle you can. Purse your lips into a frown, and grit your teeth. Then relax all those muscles. Next, your shoulders and upper back. Imagine the muscles getting as tight as possible, and then relax them. Move down your body in this way, constricting and then relaxing every muscle group. Don’t forget your butt. By the time you’ve reached your toes, you will probably be feeling a lot more loose and relaxed. It’s always worked for me.
9. Make a cup of tea or coffee and drink it slowly. There is something soothing about making a cup of tea or coffee, breathing deeply as it brews to inhale the aroma, stirring and watching as the sugar or cream blends in, and then sipping it slowly as it cools. It’s an exercise in mindfulness and being present in the moment. The key here is to be fully aware of everything you’re doing and try to focus your mind on what’s right in front of you.
10. Do service. This comes from my OA experience. If you are stuck in your own head or having trouble with temptation or a rotten mood, you’re supposed to reach out to someone to encourage them. Not to complain or vent, but to encourage and uplift the other person. The key here is to shift your focus from yourself and your problems to God and the work He can do through you for someone else.
11. Give a compliment. This is sort of an extension of doing service, but it’s a little different. Cheer yourself up by cheering someone else. Whether you call your best friend, text your husband, or send an email to a coworker, thinking about what you like in another person is sure to bring a smile to your face. The key here is to be genuinely appreciative of the person you’re complimenting.
12. Freshen up. Head to the bathroom and wash your face, reapply your makeup, and touch up your hair. Change your hairstyle if you want. The key here is to trick your brain into resetting by echoing your morning routine. You can even change your clothes if you want to.
13. Shift your perspective. Your perspective can change everything. If you’re stressed out about cleaning up yet another mess made by your children or husband, consider that they are alive, healthy, and vibrant enough to make messes. If your work is getting you down, think about how thankful you are to have a job that pays the bills. The key here is to shine a new light on the issue and illuminate how you’re fortunate to have that “problem.”
14. Practice gratitude. The practice of being grateful helps with so many different issues. Think about all the things you have and all the things you’re grateful for, and record them in a journal or in Evernote or somewhere you can look at them again later. It may be hard to find things at first, especially when you’re having a bad day, but you will find the thoughts come rolling in quickly once you get started. The key here is to shift your focus from your problems to your blessings.
15. Turn on some upbeat music. We like praise & worship music at my house. (Well, I do. My kids like KIDZ BOP. Barf.) But whatever your particular brand of music preference, turning it up loud and maybe even dancing a little will change your mood almost instantly. You can’t dance in a bad mood. The key here is to play upbeat music. Ballads and sad songs won’t help.
16. Pray. This should really be #1 on the list, right? God is our Comforter and the source of all peace and love in the universe. If you pray about this thing that’s bothering you and your bad mood and bad day, He will answer. Cry out to Him and ask Him to change your day, change your attitude, and draw your heart closer to Himself. The key here is to open your heart to God’s leadings and use His peace to turn your day around.
17. Watch some silly videos on YouTube. These can be videos of babies laughing or cats being jerks or whatever makes you happy, but the key here is to interrupt your negative thoughts with laughter. Choose whatever you know will work for you.
18. Make something. I don’t know about you, but being creative makes me very happy. Take a look at the crafty materials you have, search Pinterest, and find something that you can create in the time you have. Maybe you work on a crochet project, maybe you make a popsicle stick project, maybe you paint or draw. The key here is to do something that you love and to celebrate the finished product.
19. Hug someone. Hugs are magic; they inspire feelings of attachment, connection, trust, and intimacy among adults as well as children. Hugs lower heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of stress hormones in the body. (Reference: Psychology Today) The key here is to let yourself go and enjoy the moment and the feelings that come along with the hug.
20. Read the Bible. God’s word is chock full of inspiration words for living. Try 36 quotes and Bible verses for when you’re having a bad day, 10 Bible verses for when things are hopeless or 13 Bible verses for times of stress or search above for Bible verses. I’ve written tons of thematic posts that might be helpful to you today, including on disappointment, anger and resentment, and anxiety and worry. The key here is to get into God’s word and all Him to speak to you through it.
21. Clean something. I don’t know about you, but living in a cluttered and dirty mess gets me down, way down. When I feel really bad, especially really angry or frustrated, it helps me tremendously to clean up and make my space a little nicer. I don’t know what it is about cleaning that clears my head and calms me down, but it never fails. The key here is to tackle a project small enough that you can make a big difference in whatever time you have available.
22. Take a nap. Naps are magic. They refresh both your mind and body and leave you with a general sense of peace and calm. Whatever was bothering you might still be there, but you get a fresh start on the day with a whole new outlook. After your nap, you might also consider freshening up which was listed above. The key here is not to sleep so long that you wreck the night or feel groggy.
23. Paint your nails. Painting your finger or toe nails forces you to slow down. It forces you to sit still for a few minutes and just relax and wait. You can practice your breathing during this time or read a good book or pray. The key is to relax, enjoy your solitude, and do something that will refresh and recharge you while you wait.
24. Light a candle and watch the flame for a couple of minutes. There is something special about lighting a candle; that’s why it is done during some religious ceremonies. The flame itself, flickering and dancing, is soothing and calming. The scent is a bonus that always adds to my feelings of peace. The key here is again, to sit and enjoy the moment.
25. Diffuse essential oils. I don’t diffuse oils as much as I used to because there have been some concerns raised about the safety of diffusing around pets. But essential oils definitely have mood-lifting qualities that can work, so if you don’t have pets, throw some of your favorites into your diffuser and turn it on! The key here is to diffuse comforting, uplifting oils that will make you feel good.
26. Soak up some time with your pet. Cuddly, furry pets like cats and dogs are preferable here, but any pet really will do. Stroke his fur and notice the softness. Scratch his ears and enjoy his purr or happy panting. Play with him. If you only have a fish, spend a few minutes watching him swim. The key here is to be mindful and present with your pet and forget about your troubles for a few minutes.
27. Read a story to your kids. I love stories, and my kids love to be read to. Choose a happy book like Bear Stays Up for Christmas or Click Clack Moo. Bear Stays Up is a Christmas book, but the ending is so heartwarming and wonderful that I keep it out all year long. It reminds me that goodness and kindness gets rewarded, no matter how much life may make me feel otherwise. The key here is to get lost in the story and enjoy the cuddle time with your kids.
28. Look up silly jokes on Pinterest and read them to your kids.Pinterest has the best jokes, seriously. I don’t know where people come up with all this corniness, but I love it. My boss loves it, too, and we all try to share silly jokes on our weekly team meetings. I’m sure you’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, so find some jokes and giggle with your kids. The key here is to tell lots of jokes and laugh yourself silly.

Resume funnies

Resume Blunders How bad a mistake can you make on your resume?  Here are some real-life examples: "My intensity and focus are at inordinately high levels, and my ability to complete projects on time is unspeakable." "Education: Curses in liberal arts, curses in computer science, curses in accounting." "Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store." "Personal: Married, 1992 Chevrolet." "I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse." "I am a rabid typist." "Created a new market for pigs by processing, advertising and selling a gourmet pig mail order service on the side." "Exposure to German for two years, but many words are not appropriate for business." "Proven ability to track down and correct erors." "Personal interests: Donating blood.  15 gallons so far." "I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely nothing and absolutely no one." "References: None, I've left a path of destruction behind me." "Strengths: Ability to meet deadlines while maintaining composer." "Don't take the comments of my former employer too seriously, they were unappreciative beggars and slave drivers." "My goal is to be a meteorologist.  But since I possess no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage." "I procrastinate--especially when the task is unpleasant." "I am loyal to my employer at all costs...Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voicemail." "Qualifications: No education or experience." "Disposed of $2.5 billion in assets." "Accomplishments: Oversight of entire department." "Extensive background in accounting. I can also stand on my head!" Cover letter: "Thank you for your consideration.  Hope to hear from you shorty!"

Becoming a Better Person

1. I’m starting with this one because it’s the one I feel most passionately about. Put your phone down and look at the person you’re with. Remember back in the day when no one had a cell phone? We actually looked each other in the eye when we talked, and sometimes we even stared off into space without something to distract us. Try it. It’s uncomfortable, but you’ll get the hang of it before you know it.
2. Call an old friend. It’s nice to be remembered, and no one ever picks up the phone anymore. I have Old Grandma on my list of phone favorites, and that reminds me to call her once a week or so. She is one of my favorite people, and I cherish the times I get to hear her voice.
3. Text an old friend. It’s nicest to be remembered with a phone call, but if a text is all you can manage, go for it. I once texted my childhood best friend, and she thought it was some weird “forward this to everyone you know” kind of things so she ignored it. I ended up calling her some time later and explained that it had been a genuine “I’m thinking about you and hope you’re well” message that I crafted all by myself. So it really all comes back to the phone call I mentioned in #2. But like I said, if you can’t manage a phone call, a text is better than nothing.
4. Smile at a stranger. Everyone is fighting a battle you can’t see, and kindness costs you absolutely nothing. Smile a real, honest and true smile at people on the street.
5. Say please and thank you and mean it. One of Grace’s first words was thank you because she heard us say it about seventy thousand  times a day. We say thank you to each other, we say thank you to the clerk at the grocery store, we say thank you to people who have not helped us in any way. Some people are over-apologizers, we are over-thank-ers, I guess. But it is a great habit to have, to appreciate people and their contributions to the world.
6. Quit comparing. I have heard all kinds of quotes about comparisons:
   

   Comparison is the thief of joy. -Theodore Roosevelt

   Social media is training us to compare our lives, instead of appreciating everything we are. No wonder why everyone is always depressed. -Bill Murray

   Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. -Jon Acuff

   Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it’s stupid. -Albert Einstein

   The bottom line is that comparing yourself to others hurts both you and them, but mostly you. When you compare, you always come out either ahead or behind. If you come out ahead, you get cocky and smug. If you come out behind, you beat yourself up. Neither way is helpful. Just quit the comparison game and look at where you were before and how far you’ve grown.
7. Think before you speak and act. Does this one need explanation?
8. Spread positivity instead of complaints. Surely you’ve heard the old saying that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar? It’s an old saying because there’s truth in it. Everyone loves sweet speech, and no one likes to listen to people complaining or whining. I tend to tune that crap out, and I venture to guess that a lot of other people do, too. So improve the silence and focus on positivity.
9. Exercise. You don’t have to walk six miles a day, but do something every day to move your body and make your heart and lungs work hard. It’s a great stress reliever and powerful antidepressant, among other benefits. You will have more energy and sleep better afterward, too.
10. Get out in the world and have a good time. Smiles and laughs are contagious, so get out of your shell and enjoy do something you really like. Smile the whole time and laugh about whatever tickles you. Repeat at least once a week.
11. Be truly happy for other people. When a friend comes to you with a great success, do you celebrate with her or secretly covet her good fortune? Envy is really a failure of the spirit to be grateful and content for what you already have. In the Bible, the 23rd Psalm begins, “The Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need.” and that is true, is it not? It would be quite unusual in our wealthy culture for anyone to go without the things she truly needs. So buck up, buttercup. Enjoy your friend’s success without wishing it was yours.
12. Feel your feelings. I have been in weekly therapy for most of the last 7 years. Yes, seven years. I expect, because of my diagnosis, that I’ll probably be in some sort of therapy for the rest of my life actually, and I’m okay with that. The biggest thing I’ve learned from my therapist is that I need to feel my feelings. I need to not stuff them down and invalidate them. I need to not eat them. I need to not spend money to soothe them. There is a long list of things I shouldn’t do to assuage my feelings, and a pretty short list of things I should do: Experience them. Cry. Be in the moment. Laugh.
    My therapist also says, “The only way through this is through it.” and while that made no sense to me in the beginning, it makes total sense now. The only way to get over anything, especially hard things, is to feel the feelings and process the emotions from within them. You can’t push or explain them away and expect to “get over it.”
13. Trust God. I have a controlling personality. I like to know what to expect, and I like things to work out the way I planned. This is something I’m butting heads with in my work in Overeaters Anonymous. I don’t trust God to work on my behalf; I feel like I have to take charge and make things happen. When you trust, you pray more and listen more and don’t try to force everything to happen on your own time.
14. Know that every experience is part of the bigger picture.Everything works out in the end, and if everything hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end yet. (This was one in the post I shared recently called 101 life lessons I want to teach my daughters.) Nowhere is this as evident as in the Bible book of Genesis where Joseph’s brothers try to kill him and eventually sell him into slavery. He works as a slave until his owner’s wife tries to seduce him, and then she has him sent to prison when he rebuffs her. He stays in prison for years before being selected to interpret the Pharaoh’s curious dreams. Then suddenly, he is the second in command of the nation of Egypt where he single-handedly saves his entire family as well as the whole nation of Egypt and many surrounding lands. God works in mysterious ways, and He can never be rushed. Joseph may have thought along the way that he was doomed, and that things would never look up for him (although I don’t think he did because he was very devoted to God and always believed that God would bless him), but in the end, it all worked out perfectly for him.
15. Ask for help. I am independent. I detest needing help from anyone (except my husband) anytime. I hate being reliant on others. I like to be self-sufficient, and I like to not depend on other people. It’s just the way I am (and something my therapist is working with me about).  There have been times in my life when I couldn’t avoid asking for help, though, like when I was in the hospital and a dear friend took care of my kids almost every day for six weeks. My sister now watches the girls an evening every other week so that Joe and I can go to therapy together. She also takes my girls to homeschool field trips while I work. Numerous friends cooked us meals when my mother died. These are all very good things, and I know that God will bless all these women for helping me in my need. 
16. Learn something new. I love learning. I love it so much that I kind of get over my hobbies after a few months because they’ve become old and I no longer need to learn anything to do them. I was really into crocheting until I could do an afghan in my sleep. (I’m thinking about changing up to a new pattern which will introduce some novelty into my crochet habit.) I was really into Bible journaling until I had amassed all the tools I could ever use and then some. I have dabbled in photography, but once I had the basics down, it lost its luster. I love to read and learn, so coming up with newer and better always appeals to me.
17. Follow through. The other side of my learning coin is that I rarely follow through with things. This is my husband’s biggest pet peeve about me. We have a very large box of yarn in our bedroom from my first foray into crocheting three or four years ago. I keep promising to use it up – and I totally intend to – but my attention soon wanes and I forget to get back to it. Following through with projects and following up on your commitments makes you responsible and dependable and a person of integrity. I aspire to all this.
18. Hug more. Hugs are magical; they inspire feelings of attachment, connection, trust, and intimacy among adults as well as children. Hugs lower heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of stress hormones in the body. (Reference: Psychology Today) 
19. Drive nice. Let people merge, even if they sped up and didn’t wait in line. Take turns. Don’t speed up if someone tries to pass you. Drive the way you would drive if there was a police officer behind you.
20. Use nice manners. Hold open the door. Say excuse me when you burp. Write thank you notes. Chew with your mouth closed. Don’t interrupt. Use your indoor voice indoors. Look people in the eye when you speak to them. 
21. Be on time. There is nothing that drives me crazy more than people who are always late. I think being late is disrespectful and shows the person who’s waiting for you that their time is not as important as your time. My mom was always at least 15 minutes late for everything she ever did, usually a lot more. I remember having to sit in the principal’s office after morning kindergarten every day because she never came on time to pick me up. Later, I sat and waited for her for hours after school activities. She left me sitting and waiting all the time, so I had lots of time to think about how rude it was to not be on time.
22. Compliment people. Hugs are magic, but compliments are not far behind. There is an old saying in psychology that behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated. Common sense, right? Scientific studies have shown that compliments are extremely motivating and improve performance in every situation. (References: Forbes & Psych Central & Psychology Today) 
23. Begin each day with prayer. You don’t have to spend an hour in prayer, but I think my days go better and I am a kinder, gentler, better human being when I start my day by greeting my God.
24. Be more generous, especially with your time and knowledge.You have to make choices where your time is concerned, certainly, but when you are cheerfully generous with your time and knowledge, you spread goodness in the world. God gave you all this knowledge and all these experiences to help others, so make them count by sharing what you’ve learned.
25. Refrain from judging everything and everyone around you. I grew up with a mother who criticized everything, all the time, and it has been difficult for me to break that habit. My default is to think about what is wrong with people and situations, but I pray every morning that God will give me the ability to see things through His eyes, celebrating the good in people instead of seeing what’s wrong with them.
26. Clean up after yourself. Whether your mess is literal or figurative, clean up your own messes. Sometimes this means getting a paper towel and wiping up a spill, but more often, it means swallowing your pride and making an apology. But always set things right.
27. Forgive freely. Accept apologies without feeling the need to say, “It’s okay,” especially when it isn’t okay. But don’t allow 
28. Donate. Whether you donate stuff or time or money, you certainly have excess of something that you can share with someone who needs it. Check out my post on random acts of kindness for kids and adults for some help in this area.
29. Practice gratitude. Brené Brown says that people who are joyful practice gratitude daily, so I am all in. Whether you set up a grateful jar (full honesty – ours fizzled out), write in a gratitude journal, pray a gratitude prayer, or do something all together different, it is important to remember your blessings and record them somehow for future reference when you’re feeling low.

How can we change the downward spiral of children?

What is wrong?

Today’s children are being deprived of the fundamentals of a healthy childhood, such as:

• Emotionally available parents
• Clearly defined limits and guidance
• Responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement and outdoors
• Creative play, social interaction, opportunities for unstructured times and boredom

Instead, children are being served with:

• Digitally distracted parents
• Indulgent parents who let kids “Rule the world”
• Sense of entitlement rather than responsibility
• Inadequate sleep and unbalanced nutrition
• Sedentary indoor lifestyle
• Endless stimulation, technological babysitters, instant gratification, and absence of dull moments

Could anyone imagine that it is possible to raise a healthy generation in such an unhealthy environment? Of course not! There are no shortcuts to parenting, and we can’t trick human nature. As we see, the outcomes are devastating. Our children pay for the loss of well-balanced childhood with their emotional well-being.

How to fix it?

If we want our children to grow into happy and healthy individuals, we have to wake up and go back to the basics. It is still possible! I know this because hundreds of my clients see positive changes in their kids’ emotional state within weeks (and in some cases, even days) of implementing these recommendations:

1. Set limits and remember that you are your child’s PARENT, not a friend. Offer kids well-balanced lifestyle filled with what kids NEED, not just what they WANT. Don’t be afraid to say “No!” to your kids if what they want is not what they need.

• Provide nutritious food and limits snacks.
• Spend one hour a day in green space: biking, hiking, fishing, watching birds/insects
• Have a daily technology-free family dinner.
• Play one board game a day. (List of family games)
• Involve your child in one chore a day (folding laundry, tidying up toys, hanging clothes, unpacking groceries, setting the table etc)
• Implement consistent sleep routine to ensure that your child gets lots of sleep in a technology-free bedroom

2. Teach responsibility and independence. Don’t over-protect them from small failures. It trains them the skills needed to overcome greater life’s challenges:

• Don’t pack your child’s backpack, don’t carry her backpack, don’t bring to school his forgotten lunch box/agenda, and don’t peel a banana for a 5-year-old child. Teach them the skills rather than do it for them.

3. Teach delayed gratification and provide opportunities for “boredom” as boredom is the time when creativity awakens:

• Don’t feel responsible for being your child’s entertainment crew.
• Do not use technology as a cure for boredom.
• Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants, malls. Use these moments as opportunities to train their brains to function under “boredom”
• Help them create a “boredom first aid kit” with activity ideas for “I am bored” times.

 4. Be emotionally available to connect with kids and teach them self-regulation and social skills:

• Turn off your phones until kids are in bed to avoid digital distraction.
• Become your child’s emotional coach. Teach them to recognize and deal with frustration and anger.
• Teach greeting, turn taking, sharing, empathy, table manners, conversation skills,
• Connect emotionally – Smile, hug, kiss, tickle, read, dance, jump, or crawl with your child.

We must make changes in our kids’ lives before this entire generation of children will be medicated! It is not too late yet, but soon it will be… -Victoria Prooday