The spring weather has been colder and rainier than usual and my kids are bored on the weekends. Here are some ideas for things for the older kids to do on those cold wet and rainy days.

You can try putting a scrapbook together that can be sent to a relative like grandma. Don’t make it seem like homework. Instead buy a small notebook and encourage the kids to tell her about the things in their lives through the expression of images. All you need for this are plenty of old magazines and the usual art supplies.

You can also try making own jigsaw puzzles. This is done by gluing magazine pictures to cardboard and then cutting them with a pair of scissors. The kids can then trade puzzles with each other and see if they can put them together. You can use these again and again if you store the puzzles in bags or boxes. They also make neat gifts for other kids if your kids get bored with them.

Making mini pizzas is also a good distraction on a rainy day. I use an English muffin or tortilla and then set out different toppings on the table. They then can create their own pizzas. Once they complete their creations it is only a minute or two under the broiler or in the pizza oven

In the same vein is cookie decorating. I just use freezer dough. I slice it up into coins and just give them icing, candies and all the tools they need to be creative with the cookie dough. Sometimes I roll it out in sheets as well.

Little kids get stressed like we do if they do not get to work out. This is why I sometimes recommend an exercise DVD. Get them doing some aerobics. This makes them less irritable and less maniacal if they have been acting out.

Use all of the empty boxes form a recycling bin to create some kind of miniature city or castle. You can also make something like a dollhouse out of a cardboard box. Let the kids draw on the boxes as well.

6. Use all the empty boxes from the recycling bin to create a city, or a castle, or cars for toys. The ideas are endless. Kids can draw on and decorate the boxes, and the mess is easily dealt with by recycling.

Sometimes when it’s raining I just let my kids play outside anyway. I only do this if it is not too cold or if none of the kids or sick. They love playing in the rain. Afterwards we strip their clothes off and have hot baths. The good thing about this is that they eat all of their dinner and sleep really well all night.

Sometimes it is just possible to get a really sick kid. Like a kid with cancer. In this type of case getting your child to take his or her medicine can become a matter of life or death. Even getting a child to take medicine for a cold can be a challenge so medicines for serious disorders like cancer can be even tougher. Sometimes missing one antibiotic dose can make even a simple bronchitis case much worse so it is crucial to know how to convince your kids to take their meds.

On the web site for the National Children’s Cancer Society there is a lot of advice on how to get sick kids to take unpleasant medications – especially the life saving ones. Often it is not even the taste of the medication. Sometimes the kid is just defiant because they are at an age where they do not like to be forced to do anything.

Sometimes too it is that they just don’t like swallowing pills. Many kids have a fear of choking – a psychological phobia about getting the pill stuck in their throat. Some pain killers like oxycontin are toxic if you crush them. Be very sure to check with your doctor before crushing a pill and giving it to a kid.

One thing you can do is offer the child some other type of food with the medicine. Give the child a choice. Say something like – “would you like tangerine juice or grape juice with your your medicine.” It makes the kid feel more like they are in control.

If there is a way to make the medication taste better do it. Make sure it is okay with your doctor first. Sometimes you can disguise liquid or powder medications by dipping the spoon into strawberry or chocolate syrup first.

It’s also a good idea to establish a routine with your kids about medication. Don’t shock or surprise him or her with it. With every dose have them put a sticker up, like a gold star, on a calendar. Try to turn it into a bit of a game. Make the point of the game to reach the end of the medication taking. This helps them feel a sense of achievement for taking the meds. This is a trick too recommended by the Cancer society to help your kid take his or her meds.

The biggest challenge is not to make it into a battle. Give the kids an out. If your child starts becoming angry and combative then allow them to take a bit of a break from you. Let your child have his or her own way every now and then especially if the child is not feeling well at all. This lets him or her feel more in control.

It’s easy to pick up swear words and you can’t really blame children for it. Most of them think it is part of normal language. The worst is when your little enunciator is only two years old and starts swearing like a sailor in his high chair. Of course the most likely place he or she heard these words in the first place is probably from you.

Still it is very disturbing seeing this little angelic being cursing like the devil even if it is kind of funny. Some kids swear just as you feel that you might come out with a few curse words of your own.

The upside here is that if your kid is swearing it is a good sign he or she is listening to everything. It is natural for a kid to pick up words fast and a sign that he or she catches on quickly. The thing is too that they will catch up on words that have some kind of emotion attached to them.

The worst thing you can do is encourage a baby to swear by smiling or laughing. This is just positive reinforcement and he or she will just do it more. Swearing can get them into big trouble if they go back to school. Best to nip this kind of thing in the bud before they are called down to the principal’s office or you get that call at home that your kid is a bad influence on the other children in the home.

One way to stop your kids from imitating you from swearing is to stop doing it yourself. Simply avoid bad language. Try alternative expressions to swear words such as hogwash, phooey, nuts, shoot or blast it. This also makes your kids laugh and it just does not sound as bad as the real cursing.

One of the challenges here is that a kid under the age of three is often saying words with little ability to know what they mean. It is after their third birthday that the comprehend the meaning of what they are saying more. Once your kid is over three years you are more likely to get a response if you say something like “This is not a word we use in our family.” Or “This is not a polite word.”

Another trick is to make the word and not the child bad. Do not shame the child for using the language. Instead point out the bad word and encourage the kid to move away from it psychologically. A shamed kid is also more likely to swear out of nervousness and it becomes a vicious cycle.

If your four year old swears a short time out might help. You could also try taking away a favorite toy. If your older kid swears then it is time for grounding, withdrawal of allowance or time spent in their rooms. Forget the old washing their mouths out with soap. Nobody does this anymore.

Eating in restaurants with kids does not have to be a chore. You can get everyone through it with having to leave early because they are tired, restless or causing a scene.

Here are some ways to inject some sanity into the process of eating out with your kids.

Keep them amused while waiting for food to arrive. I do this by keeping little plastic games and also crayons and papers in my purse. Younger kids can draw and older kids can play a game like hang man.

Don’t bother dressing the kids up unless it is a very fancy restaurant. They will just feel all stiff and uncomfortable. The more comfy they feel the more likely your children are to stay still at the table.

Don’t give your kids a load of soda before the food arrives. This makes them all hyper. Serve them water or milk until the food comes. Sugar on an empty stomach makes them hysterical and then sleepy.

Admonish kids who are negative about food. Once one kids says they hate a food the other younger kids will refuse to eat it too. Don’t bring the neighbour’s kid if he or she is a picky eater. Simply do not tolerate this type of behavior or they will all start going eww and not eat their expensive restaurant food.

I have found that if I want to finish a meal in a restaurant then I have to be served first. Sometimes I just say to the waiter – “serve me first”. If they finish eating before me then I won’t get to finish my meal.

Take the kids to the bathroom before you all sit down. Make them all go at once. Otherwise you will spend your meal going back and forth to the bathroom.

Don’t let your child order some pricey item she’s never had before without having her first try an appetizer or tasting portion. Teenagers are famous for this. They will tell you that they want a Reuben or Shrimp Marinara and then make a face once it arrives. Stick with what you know and you can’t go wrong.

Sometimes if we are in a restaurant where the food is unusual, like a Chinese restaurant, it helps to tell the kids that it tastes like something they already know and love. This is where the old “it tastes just like chicken” cliché comes in handy.

Mostly it is good to stick to kid friendly restaurants until your children are a little older. This means dining at MacDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC and the like. There is no sense in stressing yourself by taking your kid somewhere fancy if you do not have to. Save that kind of restaurant for a date with your husband.