5 Secrets to Getting Siblings to Agree

As a mom of three boys that are very close in age, I often find it challenging to get a consensus... on anything. Even picking a movie on family movie night can be difficult. Today I am sharing a few simple tips on getting siblings to agree.

1) Teach compromise - Disagreements aren't always bad. It can be difficult and painful for parents, but learning to compromise is a life skill worth teaching. (And when it doesn't work... you can always try the four other options below.)

2) Take turns - This seems obvious, but it does work. Kids really want to feel that things are "fair", so keep track, and give everyone a chance to have their own way.

3) Get creative - In the past, my husband and I have had to get creative when trying to get our boys to agree. We have even made decisions based on mathematics! e.g. Everyone's first choice gets a 3 points, everyone's second choice gets 2 points, and everyone's third choice gets 1 point. Then, I add up all the values, and the winner is clear.

You could also "make it a game" using a fortune teller. Netflix has one that you can download here.

4) Let everyone win - Sometimes (not always) the best solution is to find a way to let everyone "win". e.g. On a recent vacation, my boys couldn't agree on a movie, so they watched Netflix movies on different devices.

5) Make suggestions that everyone can live with - Sometimes parents have to step in and become mediators. e.g. When choosing a movie for family movie night, I try to make suggestions that everyone will be happy with. (Below, I share a few Netflix titles that kids will have no trouble agreeing on.)

My boys are buddies, and they get along most of the time, but these tips are really helpful on the occasions when they can't agree. What works for you when you are trying to get your kids to agree on something? Leave your suggestions in the comments below. Thanks!

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I receive special gifts and perks as part of my affiliation with Netflix.... however (as always) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

DIY Travel Journals

When we travel, I like my boys to fill out travel journals. When they were younger, they just scribbled and drew pictures, but now that they are older, they can actually use their journals to chronicle their adventures. Today, I am sharing the DIY Travel Journals I just made for our recent trip to Florida. I love that I was able to create CUSTOM Travel Journals for LESS than $2!

I started with basic composition books that I purchased for just $1 each.

Then, I designed simple 4X6 tags at Picmonkey.com. I printed the tags (like regular 4X6 photos) for only $0.19 each at my local photo processing store.

I attached the tags to the journals using double-sided tape.

I was easily able to make six journals (for my boys and their cousins) for less than $8. Pretty fantastic, right?

The boys will also use double sided tape to add photos and ticket stubs to their books. I think these DIY travel journals make a fantastic keepsake, don't you? 

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Travel Snack Packs

Feeding and entertaining kids while travelling can be a challenge. I like packing lunches and snacks to take with us because it is much more economical and convenient than grabbing food "on the go". For our upcoming family trip to Florida, I packed some fun travel snack packs for my boys to take in their backpacks.

I started with a storage box from the dollar store, and I packed each section with some things that I had in my cupboard and some special "vacation treat" purchases.

I included things like: cereal, pretzels, crackers, gum, and sweet treats.

I finished by labelling my boys' travel snack boxes with their names.

Cute, right? I think this is a really fun way to pack snacks for a special trip. Do you think your kids would enjoy these travel snack boxes?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

April Fools Day Breakfast {donut seeds}

I never put a lot of effort into April Fools day because I am not a big fan of "pranks", but this year, I came up with a simple idea that my boys are going to love. Check out this cute little April Fools Day Treat -- donut seeds.

I filled a clear bag with Cheerios, and I added a little tag that said "donut seeds". To download and print the adorable tag I designed: right click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I plan on adding some purple milk (i.e. milk tinted with food coloring). Cute, right? Do you know someone that would enjoy this special April Fool's Day breakfast? Enjoy!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Easter Teacher Gift {with free printable tags}

My boys and I love their teachers, so we like to give them little treats on special occasions. This year, we put together simple Easter gift bags for our "EGGS"tra special teachers.

I placed a chocolate bunny and chocolate eggs in a clear bag. Then, I used some curling ribbon to attach a cute little tag.

To download this tag (for free): right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

This really is a simple way to recognize the special teacher in your life, and the free printable tags are sweet, don't you think?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Sharpie 3D Artwork

My boys have always loved crafting, but as they get older, I like to challenge them with more sophisticated art projects. Last week, my oldest son came home raving about a 3D Sharpie art project that he did at school. I thought it would be fun to replicate it at home with my other boys.

This simple art technique uses: old cereal boxes, yarn, white glue, a glue stick, tin foil, felt, tape and Sharpies. 

1) Cut a "canvas" from an empty cereal box.
2) Draw a simple design, and cover the design with glue and yarn. Allow to dry.
3) Cover the dull side of a piece of tinfoil with glue (from a glue stick), and place on top of the yarn design.
4) Fold the edges of the tinfoil, and secure to the back of the canvas with tape.
5) Smooth the tinfoil with the piece of felt to make the design "pop".
6) Color with Sharpies. Allow to dry.

I was really impressed with the designs my boys came up with. Doesn't the combination of tin foil and Sharpies create a beautiful effect?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Leprechaun Trap {with leprechaun bait}

Each year my boys build a leprechaun trap the night before St.Patrick's Day. They spend a lot of time designing and creating their traps, and today I am sharing their 2016 version.

My boys decided that last year's design wasn't tall enough, so they made this one extra tall by stacking boxes. They cut holes in the top of the bottom box, the bottom of the top box, and the top of the top box. Then, they covered the top hole with tissue paper. When the leprechaun steps on it, he'll fall right through!

Of course, the leprechaun will need stairs, so my boys built one set from Lego and another set from pipe cleaners. To set the trap, they used leprechaun bait.

Here is a close up of their final trap.

We have our fingers crossed for success this year... but even if our leprechaun manages to escape, I'm confident he'll leave some gold behind!

Do you set a leprechaun trap for St. Patrick's Day? If you catch one, take a picture and send it to me so I can show my boys.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

***Update***

We didn't catch a leprechaun, but the tricky little guy dropped some gold while he was trying to escape. Maybe next year!