The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong(BGCA)’s Post

HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY! . . . Children's Day is a special occasion dedicated to the young minds that bring so much joy and wonder to our world. It's a day to celebrate the innocence, curiosity, and playfulness of childhood. On this day, we recognize the importance of allowing children to be children, to have fun, and to create memories that will last a lifetime. Why is it important for kids to have fun and merry on Children's Day? 1. Stress-free childhood: Childhood is a time of discovery and exploration, and it's essential to keep it stress-free. Fun and play help kids develop social skills, build relationships, and learn valuable life lessons. 2. Boosts creativity: Engaging in creative activities like art, music, and imagination games fosters creativity and self-expression. 3. Develops social skills: Playing with friends and family helps children develop essential social skills like sharing, taking turns, and empathy. 4. Builds confidence: Having fun and trying new things helps kids build confidence and develop a sense of self-worth. 5. Creates lifelong memories: Happy memories of childhood are cherished forever, and Children's Day is an opportunity to create more of those special moments. 6. Break from routine: Children's Day offers a welcome break from the routine of school and daily life, allowing kids to relax and recharge. How to make Children's Day special? 1. Organize fun activities: Plan games, crafts, and outdoor activities that bring joy to children. 2. Spend quality time: Spend the day with your kids, engaging in activities they love. 3. Make it a family affair: Involve the whole family in celebrating Children's Day. 4. Give gifts: Surprise your kids with small gifts or treats that bring a smile to their faces. 5. Create memories: Capture the special moments through photos and videos to cherish forever. Children's Day is a celebration of childhood innocence, curiosity, and playfulness. It's a reminder to let kids be kids and enjoy their childhood to the fullest. By prioritizing fun and play on this special day, we can help children develop essential life skills, build confidence, and create lifelong memories. So, let's come together to make Children's Day a joyous and unforgettable experience for our young ones!

Problem: Struggling to Find the Perfect Gift for Kids? Finding the perfect gift for kids can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what will truly bring joy to the little ones in your life. You might worry about choosing something age-appropriate, educational, or simply something that will capture their interest and keep them entertained. And let’s not forget the added pressure of finding a gift that stands out and makes a lasting impression! Solution: GiftEverytime for Kids – Your Ultimate Gifting Destination At GiftEverytime for Kids, we understand the challenges of finding the ideal gift for children. That’s why we’ve curated a wide range of unique, fun, and educational gifts that cater to every child's interests and developmental needs. Our platform makes it easy to discover the perfect present, whether you're shopping for a birthday, holiday, or any special occasion. @gifteverytime.com #gift #returngift #birthdaygift

When you give someone a gift, you don’t (usually) give them something that makes them have to work harder - the content you outsource to a content writer shouldn’t make you work harder (to achieve the same goals) either. _ _ _ Meet Bo. Bo is the newest addition to the Blatman household. Yes, that’s right, a goldfish. No, I didn’t buy the goldfish as a gift for my kids. Neither did my husband. Bo was gifted to my 17-month-old as a party favor by one of the toddlers at her daycare! Honestly, I don’t know what the kid’s parent was thinking - who the heck gifts a bunch of toddlers a goldfish in a plastic container without checking that the parents are on board? To be honest, between my kids and my business, the last thing I needed was another living thing to keep, well… alive. This gift, although it came with pretty colored rocks to keep Bo entertained, and a little bag of fish food to keep Bo fed, also came with WORK. Remember to feed Bo daily, not too much, but not too little. Remember to clean Bo’s water, but make sure the water is at room temperature before switching it out. Remember that your kids will be super excited and try to play with Bo, even though Bo is a fish, not a dog or cat. Remember that Passover is coming and if Bo’s still alive, someone will need to be asked to feed Bo while we’re away for the week. Why couldn’t the parent have chosen a dollar store gift that’s a little less demanding… like a whistle?!?  _ _ _ As a service provider, I make sure that the deliverables I provide add value, not strain. Any questions I may ask are to inform my creative process, so that the final result is as polished and requires the least amount of edits as possible. Ultimately, I want to “gift” you content that helps you achieve your business goals as seamlessly and effectively as possible. Content that answers customers’ questions before they even ask. Content that positions you as a leader. Content that doesn’t send you running for a “ladle because your daughter dropped her hairclip into Bo’s tank.” _ _ _ If you want content that helps your target audience understand who you are, what you do, and the value you could bring to their lives, so they can choose you with less work on your part, let’s connect. 

We often call ourselves 'Just a Mom' Women tend to make their skills and talents invisible to others, including themselves. Here are some professions that most moms do but don't think of as skills: 👉🏻Cook: Women are mostly responsible for feeding their families. Housekeeper: While taking care of the kids and spouse, cleaning is mostly on you. 👇🏻Laundryman: Or should I say, Laundrywoman? With four family members, including a husband who does landscaping, a toddler who I think helps my husband part-time, and a newborn, I have at least 6-7 loads every week. My empty laundry basket happiness usually lasts less than 5 seconds. 👉🏻Personal Grocery Shopper: Do you like to go to Walmart? I honestly do not so much. Once you walk into the door, it feels like a black hole that sucks you in for at least 1-2 hours. Now, professions and roles that we do not think of right away and that are way more demanding than we think: ✅️Meal prep specialist: Are your kids going to school? Then, lunchboxes are probably on your to-do lists, and I am sure you are trying to make them nutritious and healthy. ✅️Personal Assistant: We are planning and coordinating family calendars, doctor appointments, and activities for children, partners, and pets. Running errands: This could include anything. ✅️Party planner: Organizing family gatherings, celebrations, and holidays, ensuring everyone has a memorable time. Decorating and ordering food and drinks are all on this list as well. ✅️Logistics Coordination or a personal driver: Arranging transportation for every child. School, classes, games, and physical activities. Make sure to fill up your gas tank on time. ✅️Household Budgeting and Finances: Creating and maintaining a household budget, paying bills, and managing grocery shopping. ✅️Information Hub: Acting as the central point of contact for family communication, relaying messages, and keeping everyone informed. Have you ever felt that you are the only person who knows or is supposed to know everything in the house? Including where every family member's socks are. That is definitely me! ✅️Early Childhood Development Educator: Engaging in activities that stimulate children's learning and development through play, reading, and educational outings. And you need to keep your toddler busy as well, so he or she can burn that energy till the end of the day. ✅️Emotional Support: Providing emotional support and guidance to family members, fostering a positive and loving home environment, mediating family disagreements and conflicts, and promoting open communication and understanding. ✅️Spiritual and Cultural Guide: Passing on family traditions, values, and religious beliefs to younger generations. ✅️Health and Wellness Advocate: Encouraging healthy habits within the family, promoting physical activity, and researching any side effects of medication and vaccination. The bottom line is being a mother is not just a full-time job but a career that requires many skills.

Parents of middle graders, whether it's your child's birthday, report card reward, or just because, we understand that figuring out the ideal gift for your curious tweens can be a real challenge. We've prepared a comprehensive guide to ease your worrying, and perhaps, turn gift shopping from a stress-filled task into an activity of joy and fulfillment. From the hottest toys that are flying off the shelves, to unique, original tween-centric gifts that are universally loved; we know the perfect picks that celebrate the interests and aptitudes of 9-12-year-olds while helping them learn, grow, and excel in their personal journey. Importantly, we believe a lovingly chosen gift can double as an excellent tool for education. So our guide is brimming with educational present ideas sure to captivate your child's evolving curiosity. Bear in mind that the gift itself is just as important as the joy, surprise and love it embodies. Therefore, while navigating through our top-notch selection, ensure to pick out what ignites your child's interests and enriches their unique personalities. The key here is balance- between something they crave and something that will stimulate their cognitive, emotional and social development. Remember, we live in a time where screen time dominates our kids' lives more than ever. A recent study indicated that the average screen time for children between ages 8-12 is nearly six hours a day. This is where we have the opportunity to counterbalance and instigate intrigue beyond the digital realm. We can proactively engage their creativity, imagination, and interest in a tangible, tactile manner. Lastly, as parents, we are not always buying gifts but are consistently in the search for ideas and knowledge that uplift and encourage our children's growth. Engage with fellow parents to discuss, learn, and share your experiences and best practices in the comments section below. By doing so, we are building a robust community where feedback, insights, and stories are shared to help us all become more informed gift-givers and intuitive parents. To all my fellow parents out there, happy shopping! And don't forget that the real gift lies in fostering their development and celebrating their uniqueness with every present we give. Let's embark on this rewarding journey together, after all, it takes a village to raise a child. #Parenting #MiddleGradeGifts #ChildDevelopment #HappyShopping Read the full post on https://lnkd.in/d5fNFV_P.

Happy belated Mothers Day to all you amazing moms out there! My offering to you (and to dads too) is a tool to help young children understand how screens affect their brains/bodies and why limits are healthy and important. This helps children understand why parents create screen time rules. As a bonus, this tool also provides a menu of activities children can do instead. Picture books are the best way to introduce young children to topics that are complex and advanced - for example, the psychological and physiological effects of screen time. My friend, Co-Chair of our Early Childhood Work Group, and Founder of Quiet Book Queen & Crafts in Between, Kailan Carr, has written the best picture book on this topic I’ve found by far: "Screens Away, Time to Play". Kailan does a wonderful job of explaining how screens impact us in language that is simple and accessible to children. The book is light and fun - with playful, rhyming lyrics and beautiful, inviting illustrations. Its tone is pitch perfect on a difficult, sometimes fraught topic. "Screens Away, Time to Play" is not at all judgy. It does not shame children or parents about screen use. Instead, it very matter-of-factly explains to kids how tablets and phones are designed to “make us want to stay all day”, but too much of them overstimulates our brains and bodies. It then goes on to list a whole bunch of activities children could do instead. One thing I love about this book is it doesn’t dwell on screens. Much of its pages are spent showcasing fun, hands-on, creative play options a child can do after putting away their screens. The biggest complaint I hear about screens from parents of young children is that their child melts down when the screen is taken away. Quickly transitioning your child to another activity is one of the best ways to avoid meltdowns. Parents, who often have a million things on their minds, can struggle to come up with activity ideas in the moment. You can flip through "Screens Away, Time to Play" and pick 2-3 options to offer your child for the next activity when they let them know it’s time for the screens to go away. Kailan shared she hopes “screens away, time to play” will become a catch phrase parents can use when it’s time to transition away from screens. This quickly shifts to the positive (time to play) and will remind children of the book’s message on why screen limits are good for them. I can personally attest that my cousin’s 5-year-old daughter (who gets a lot less screen time than she’d like) loved this book - it was the first one she asked me to read when I visited earlier this year. You can buy it on Kailan’s website or Amazon (where it has 4.9 stars): https://lnkd.in/eVTj75Sm Hope you (or a mom or dad in your life) find it helpful!

Over the last four months, I’ve been working on something special that I’d like to introduce to you all - my new venture, One Little Acorn. Born out of my passion for design and sustainability, One Little Acorn aims to reduce the waste in baby and toddler clothes, toys, and books, by celebrating and gifting pre-loved items. Having spent years working in the fashion industry, specialising in childrenswear, as well as having two children of my own, I’ve seen how quickly kids grow out of new items. Parents end up collecting so many amazing clothes, toys and books, only for many of them to go to waste. Yet, so many of these items would make an incredible gift for other children to use, with each item often getting a few months of use before it could be passed on. While I was happy buying my own children preloved items, it took time, dedication and effort to find the perfect pre-loved gifts that I would be proud to give my friends and family. So, I want to shake things up and make it easier for everyone to gift and celebrate key moments with pre-loved items. I want to spread the joy each child takes from these items and have them last longer, go further and continue to make memories rather than go to waste. One Little Acorn sources high-quality, beautiful baby items to be revived, cleaned and carefully curated into unique gift boxes for new babies, baby showers, first birthdays, and more. I take great care and attention to ensure the items are back to being as good as new, creating a one-of-a-kind special gift you can feel confident giving to your little loved ones.   Each one-of-a-kind box is carefully packaged in recycled and fully recyclable packaging and includes a personalised handwritten message, making it a memorable, loving and thoughtful gift for anyone with young children. Most importantly, we want you to pass it on and make it a gift that just keeps on giving. Because, just like the little acorn, one small change can make a mighty big difference. I believe that buying the best for our children is about buying the best for their future too.   If you want to find out more or are interested in these special gifts, head over to my website https://lnkd.in/ejySYBTF   If you like what you see, please like or share this post and help spread the seeds of change.   Thank you, Heather

Why It Takes a Village to Raise a Child and What That Means Today “It takes a village to raise a child” is a well-known proverb. It draws us back to the meaning of community and how important it is to get support from others for helping you raise your child. Kids will also benefit from being around different people and learning from other adults. Community and cooperation used to be the natural answer for people living in small groups, especially in rural settings. In today’s world, we live in highly concentrated cities but seem to rely less on each other. When I had my first baby, I felt like asking for help meant I’m failing at motherhood. This doesn’t have to be the case. I’ll go through why it takes a village to raise a child and what that means today, including tips for building your own village. Build Protective Networks Why does it take a village to raise your child? To start with, we all know parenting can be overwhelming sometimes. Both parents and children can benefit from having a bigger support system than just the immediate family. Your kids will also learn more from interacting with other people. Today, having a village means building a sense of community around you. The more people you can trust, the better equipped you’ll be to handle any possible problems. Even in today’s world, you can create your own village by surrounding yourself with other parents and children. Here are some of the ways you can build your own village to raise a child. Teach kids to respect other adults. Build friendships. Encourage hobbies. Volunteer to carpool. Help out others. Organize a text chain. Deal with problems in person. Get to know your neighbours. Remember that everybody struggles. The Bottom Line Parenting is rewarding and great, but sometimes it gets hard. Fomenting the feeling of community around your family helps you get through it. Both your family and the people in the village you build around you will benefit from this protective network.  Another reason why it takes a village to raise a child is that when kids see adults support each other, they’ll learn this as the model to follow. You’ll give your child more tools to manage any issues in their relationships in a healthy way Courtesy Kristin( Smart Parent Advice)

🌟 **Celebrating National Single Parents Day from a former single parent!** 🌟 Today, on **National Single Parents Day**, we honor and recognize the incredible individuals who bravely navigate the demanding responsibilities of raising children on their own. 🙌👏 🌟 **Resilience in Showing Up** 🌟 Being a single parent is no easy feat. It's like juggling multiple roles, wearing different hats, and dancing to the rhythm of life—all at once. 🎭💪 Here are some thoughts on resilience and showing up: 1. **Encourage Us (Please!)**: Raising kids alone is really hard, and encouragement goes a long way. We appreciate being told we're doing a good job. Your recognition and acknowledgment mean the world to us. 🌟 2. **We're Not Always Sad and Struggling**: Yes, there are challenges, but we're not perpetually frazzled. Just like any parent, we have our moments of joy, laughter, and triumphs. 🌈 3. **We Need Your Help (Even If We Don't Ask)**: Sometimes, pride gets in the way, and we hesitate to seek help. But trust me, we could use that carpool partner or an extra hand with household tasks. 🤝 4. **Seeing Us Matters**: When you offer to help, it makes us feel seen and valued. Even if you're unsure how to assist, reaching out matters. Tell us what you can do, and it'll lighten our load. 🌼 5. **Spouse Away for the Weekend?**: Please don't call yourself a single parent. We know you're holding down the fort, but our journey is unique. Let's celebrate our resilience together! 🌟 Remember, single parents are real-life superheroes—no capes required! 🦸♀️🦸♂️ #NationalSingleParentsDay #Resilience #Superheroes #ParentingJourney 🔗 [Learn more about National Single Parents Day]

There are milestones as a parent that are bittersweet. We have one upon us. The picture below is the last check daycare will get with two kids tuition on it. Ave is off to summer camp and then Kindergarten in the fall. The bittersweet aspect is obvious. Yes, I am going to love the $1,200-$1,500 a month (4 or 5 week month) we will save. However, it brings a close to the thought of my little princess 👸 truly being little. Jordan Peterson has a quote that I heard at the start of COVID that changed everything for me as a Dad. "...but all I'm saying is that period between 0 and 4 or 0 and 5, there's something about it that's really, it's like a peak experience in life." I tried to maximize these years with her. Picking up early from school when I could, or making it to dance class at 9am when she wasn't in daycare full time, whatever it was, trying to be present. Sure this seems pessimistic, but it created urgency. An urgency to take part in that peak experience that Peterson is talking about. I tell clients/friends/family regularly that have young kids this type of stuff. Whatever you think is important outside of this, it isn't. Figure out a way to maximize this time with your kids. How do you do this? What advice do you have for young parents?