Cozi Blog

Cut the Chaos: Sports Parenting

When my now 13-year-old son was much younger, he played in the YMCA basketball league. My husband was coaching, and I was an enthusiastic sideline regular. Maybe too enthusiastic, it turns out.

After one game in which my son had not played up to my standards, I asked my husband exasperatedly, “What was the matter with him? Why didn’t he pick up his man?” My husband answered calmly, “Because he’s eight.” In that moment, I became Reformed Sports Mom.

Since my reformation, I’ve spent hundreds of hours on the sidelines. I’ve been team mom, snack mom, photo-day mom, banner mom and fund-raising mom. I get sports; it’s about winning and losing. But it’s also about playing the game with honor — and that goes for parents too.

Do remember that these are kids, not professional athletes. Every player out there is a child: your daughter, her teammates and the opposition. They’ll win, they’ll lose, and they’ll cry or goof around. It’s a long road from T-ball to the NCAA. (And no, your baby won’t fall behind athletically if you don’t hire a private coach for her at age six, no matter what your crazy sports-parent neighbor claims.)

Don’t coach from the sidelines. If you are not wearing the goofy golf shirt that says “coach,” then it is not your place to instruct your child from the sidelines. Period. If your kids are constantly looking to you on the sidelines, chances are they’re not paying attention to the game. Plus, they’ll never learn to listen to their own instincts if you keep telling them what to do.

Do respect the coaches and the referees. At the youth sports level below junior high, most coaches and refs are volunteers. Some are great; some are not. But they are all devoting hours to training, coaching and calling games while wearing really bad outfits. Show up for practices and games on time and keep negative comments to yourself. And, please, think about how you’d look in kneesocks before you question a ref’s call.

Don’t celebrate excessively. It can be incredibly exciting when your team scores in the final seconds. But when your team wins, somebody else’s team loses. A little cheering is fine, but wild whooping and thunder sticks (yes, I’ve seen them at youth sports, folks) is too much. When your child is on the losing side, you’ll appreciate the restraint.

Do remember the solo athlete. It’s tough to be the goalie, pitcher or field-goal kicker. If your team benefits from a goalie’s mistake or a pitcher’s walk, keep your cheering to a minimum.

Don’t sign your kids up for multiple teams in the same season. Yes, I know that your kid is special, but there is no way a 10-year-old can manage two sports equitably. (Or manage them at all! Talk about chaos!) If you are hoping that sports will enhance your child’s life by teaching him teamwork and sacrifice, allowing him to play two sports simultaneously does exactly the opposite. It puts your child above the team, which is the wrong lesson.

Do have fun. Youth sports can be a great experience for kids and parents: new friends, new skills, lots of snacks. Remember what you are there for, though — a healthy outlet for youthful energy. Get yourself a floppy hat, some sunscreen and a cold iced tea. Find a positive cheer (”Go Blue!“) and always clap for both teams at the end of the game.

--from Lian Dolan, for Making Life Better

End-of-Summer Campout

A fun end-of-summer party idea is a campout!

This theme works especially well with children between the ages of 8 and 12. A fun overnight slumber party in late August is a perfect way to end summer.

Here are some fun activities to pass the time:

• Enjoy a proper cookout, and end the evening with s’mores.

• Have a water balloon fight.

• Tell scary ghost stories before going to bed. Have the storyteller hold a flashlight.

• Play flashlight tag.

• Pitch tents together.

• Use a telescope and gaze at the stars. Teach a fun astronomy lesson while you do this.

• Make tie-dyed T-shirts—a great take-home campout party favor.

• Blow bubbles and shine your flashlights on them. This produces cool effects everyone is sure to love.

• Make luminary bags with your guests to light the path to their tents.

• Take a long hike/walk through your neighborhood, or, even better, in a nearby wooded area or park.

• Have a sing-along around the campfire. Does anyone play guitar?

• Provide bug jars and catch fireflies.

Favors for this party can include flashlights, tie-dyed T-shirts, or little knapsacks filled with camping stuff (bug spray, glow-in-the-dark stickers, water guns, glow bracelets, little plastic animals that you would find in the woods, etc.). The ideas are endless.

As you can see, overnight camping parties are great fun. Kids love them, and you will too, given the variety of activities that can easily fill the night.

One cautionary note, and this is true of any sleepover: Make sure to get contact information from parents when they drop their kids off. Some kids are ready to spend the night away from home and others are not. In case someone wants to go home or gets sick, make sure to have the parents’ contact details on hand to make that important call.

Happy camping trails to you!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Organizing a Carpool

A car pool is a great way for busy families to help one another save time and fuel. But you can run into problems if the drivers don't agree on shared duties, schedules and safety procedures. Here, a step-by-step checklist to get your car pool up and running, ensuring you an easy ride.

Do some research. Call the school or activity center to learn procedures for dropping off kids, and have parents make sure their auto insurance coverage is sufficient for shuttling groups of children who are not their own.

Make a schedule. Give each driver a copy of a calendar that includes the current and coming months and has squares big enough to write in. After a schedule has been agreed on, write down everyone's responsibilities on a master calendar and appoint one person to keep the master schedule.

Gather vital information. Assume the unexpected will occur from time to time — a sick child, a car breakdown, a last-minute conflict. Draw up and distribute a phone tree, and use it to find a backup driver under such circumstances.

Discuss safety. Agree that drivers will make sure their cars are in safe condition and are each stocked with a first-aid kit and road-emergency equipment, including a spare tire, a jack and jumper cables. Confirm that each child will be securely strapped in with a seat belt before the driver starts the engine. Also, if there's no one to receive a child at his home or drop-off point, agree that the driver will not leave him and will try to contact his parents.

MakingLifeBetter provides tips and smart strategies to help you feel good, look good, and get more out of life.

Christmas in July Activities

It’s strange to think about, but in five months it will be the week before Christmas! Some people like to celebrate Christmas in July on the 25th day of this month. Even though the holidays are not very close, you still can do something fun and different on a hot summer day by celebrating Christmas in July.

Find some jingle-jangle inspiration for your celebration here:

• Provide the kids with red and green construction paper, markers, glitter, glue, and crayons for making festive holiday creations.

• Bake a batch of sugar cookies, and cut them out in fun holiday shapes. Have the kids ice them with red and green frosting, and add other festive touches.

• Bring out Dad’s shaving cream, and have the kids create wintry scenes. Make sure to lay newspaper down on the table. This is fun and messy, and everyone comes out smelling really fresh and clean!

• Sing Christmas carols.

• Play a version of holiday charades.

• Using cotton balls and glue sticks, create snow people!

• Tell the tale of The Night Before Christmas.

• Bring out a miniature Christmas tree, and let the kids decorate it with small ornaments or little paper ones that they create.

• Send the kids on a holiday treasure hunt for small goodies hidden around your home and yard.

• Remember that in the Southern Hemisphere it is warm on Christmas day. A traditional holiday meal there is “shrimp on the barbie!” Discuss how weather is different all around the globe depending on the season, and how Christmas feels different when it is 90 degrees outdoors. It’s fun and educational!

Happy Christmas in July!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Banana Split Fun

Banana splits are so yummy, especially for kids during summertime. One of the BEST parts of this ice cream classic is that you can either make your own concoctions or stick to the tried and true. If your child loves to make and eat banana splits, a great summer-themed party could revolve all around making, judging, and eating them!

Make invitations using bright yellow construction paper cut into the shape of bananas. Write all of the party details on one side, and draw brown spots on the other. Alternatively, hand-deliver real bananas with tags tied to them that include all of the party details. On the invitation, ask guests to bring their own favorite banana split ingredient to the party with them, or have them bring a banana that they dress up in some way, such as with a hat.

Decorate the party area with yellow and brown balloons, streamers, and party ware. Place a large piece of butcher paper on a table. The kids can draw a huge banana split together and hang it in the party area.

Make the banana splits on the party table. Lay out dishes with all of the toppings, as well as spoons, bowls, etc. You may want to pull the chairs away from the table while the kids are making their treats.

The main activity of the party will be making banana splits. You can have a competition in which the kids make their splits using your ingredients and the special ingredient they brought. Hold a tasting competition, allowing everyone to taste everyone else’s and vote on prize-winning splits.

If you have had the kids bring a banana that is “dressed up,” have a competition to see whose is most creative, funniest, etc. Hand out banana candies as prizes, and make sure everyone wins!

Here are a few more activity ideas:

• Play Pass the Banana, with the kids passing a banana around the table while music plays. When the music stops, whoever is holding the banana wins a prize.

• Have the kids jump up and down and do “banana splits!”

• Hold a series of relay races with bananas. Divide the kids into two teams, and have a bowl of bananas at the opposite end of the starting point. Each child must run to the end, peel a banana, eat it, place the peel on his or her head, and race back to the team. The first team done wins!

For another relay race, have the kids peel a banana at the start, race to the other end and make a mini banana split, eat it, and race back. The next kid must do the same. The first team done wins!

For a favor, have the kids exchange toppings that they brought. Combine them into plastic containers so the kids can try them on banana splits they make at home!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Fun Outdoor Family Games

Be a kid again (with your kids) and have a blast.

Remember when you were in grade school? Dirt didn’t matter, and sweat meant you were having a great time. Why not recapture that feeling and energy? “As a parent, you’re a role model,” says Chris Carmichael, author of 5 Essentials for a Winning Life. “Rather than choose something passive, like going to a movie or the mall, opt for intense outdoor games, which can lead to much richer experiences.”

Batonathon
“Relays are awesome,” says Gayle Hutchinson, Ed.D., “especially if you time them. Kids love the challenge.” Use a banana as your baton and come up with a new way to hold it as you run each lap: between your knees, under your arm, on your head.

Stomp
You’ll need balloons and string for this one: Let the kids blow up their own balloons and tie one to their ankle with string. When you announce “go,” they try to stomp on one another’s balloons until they’re all popped.

Let the Mud Fly
Even if it’s a little soggy outside, there’s still ripe opportunity for rousing sport. Play a game of muddy soccer or tag football, and join your crew as they slip and slide their way to a great time. A little mess means a lot of fun.

Jolly Volley
Picnic blankets are for more than just sitting. You’ll need two teams and two blankets. Each team holds a blanket and volleys a ball or balloon to the other blanket. The goal? Catching — and having — a ball.

No Balls, Balloons or Bananas?
No problem. Start with two people arm in arm. They chase the other players; each person they tag gets added to the chain. Remember: Only players at either end of the chain can tag someone.

provides tips and smart strategies to help you feel good, look good, and get more out of life.

Corral Kids’ Sports Gear

Active kids don’t always stop moving to put away their things, which can make your home look like an obstacle course filled with sports equipment. A few kid-friendly strategies will make it easier for the kids to do the clean up, instead of you. You’ll get a clutter-free space, and the kids will learn valuable life skills.

These tools work because they take a minimum number of steps to put things away, and they can be located exactly where needed. Simplicity rules! 

• Set up storage systems everywhere equipment tends to land. There may be two or three drop points in a home – chances are they are by exterior doors.
• Storage systems that are kid-accessible and easy to use are crucial. Simple is the operative word. Make use of hooks, open bins and open shelves that are sturdy enough for constant use.
• So there is no question about what goes where, label everything. Adhere digital photos to shelves and bins with clear shipping tape for young children.

Believe it or not, the tools that keep your laundry room tidy are great for organizing kids’ sports equipment. A heavy-duty laundry cart with a compartmentalized sorter can sort equipment by the owner or the sport. Carts with mesh bags are ideal because they offer visibility. It’s easy for kids to throw their larger items into the carts and pull them out later. Carts with casters are excellent choices for public rooms because they can easily be whisked away when company comes. 

Laundry carts with added shelves and a hanging bar are extremely versatile. While sports equipment can be stored in the sorter, shoes and helmets can be stored on the shelves.  The hanging bar provides a place to hang the team uniform. Add pot rack hooks to the hanging bar to catch uniform shirts – easier than a hanger - or a mesh laundry bag for practice balls.

Hooks by themselves can make a big difference in keeping pool toys and beach towels in order. Store pool toys in plastic sand pails hung on hooks. Punch a few holes in the pails for drainage. The pails make it easy for kids to carry their toys to and from the pool. Hang the hooks by the door nearest the pool, and make sure there are enough for everyone’s towels and pails. Protect the floor from drips by positioning boot trays under the hooks. Those long swim noodles can be captured in an umbrella stand. 

Clear Spaces owner Denise Lee merges seven years of social service experience and seventeen years experience in Information Technology to bring you effective and personal organizing solutions for the home, the small business and the student. The Clear Spaces approach is holistic -- empowering you to live the life you want to live.

Staying Sane During Spring Sports Season

Spring has sprung, and if your family is full of busy, young kids, your family calendar is undoubtedly bursting with spring sports events. With baseball, lacrosse, spring soccer, tennis, and swimming all hitting between March and June, no season seems busier than spring for kids’ sports. Some of you may have multiple kids, each in a different sport, or if you’re really lucky (LOL) you might even have a child playing multiple sports simultaneously.

Fortunately, Cozi doesn’t have a limit on the number of activities you can add to any given day in your family planner, so while your family might reach the breaking point on insane busyness, your Cozi calendar won’t let you down.

In addition to adding all your kids’ sports practices, games, clinics, and tournaments to your family calendar, you can also use Cozi to help with other spring sports planning.

• Keep lists in the shopping list section for each sport or for each child. Include lists of key dates coming up so that you can see them at a glance.
• Add directions for game locations so that you can call in for directions while en route.
• Having snacks and drinks in stock can make or break your pre-game prep, so remember to keep game-day essentials in a dedicated shopping list.
• Keep a separate checklist for items to pack up on game days. For tennis tournaments, you might need stadium chairs, but for lacrosse games, you’ll need field chairs. If you keep a separate list for what you need for each sport, you’ll never find yourself without a seat!
• Kids love to have extended family cheer them on at sports events. During the spring sports season (or all year round!), consider adding extended family members to your Cozi account to allow them easy access to sports schedules. If you’ve added directions to lists in your account, family members can access game information and directions without having to ask you. (NOTE: If the extended family members have their own Cozi accounts, don’t forget to use different e-mail addresses for them in your account so that you don’t create an account conflict.)

So take a deep breath, add your key dates to your calendar, and create a slew of lists to get your spring sports season off to a winning start. The season will pass more quickly than you imagine, and you want to keep it as simple as possible and enjoy the fun!

Protect Your Kids in Sports

Parents can help ensure that kids stay safe in team sports. To make sure your children play it safe, follow this action plan from the National Alliance for Youth Sports.

Prepare Your Kids
Have your little ones warm up before games, wear safety equipment, and drink liquids throughout games and practices.

Observe the Coach
Attend a game or practice to check that the coach knows and adheres to the rules of the game, offers specific tips for improvement (“Drop your elbow when you throw”) rather than generalities (“You need to throw harder”) and is patient with kids who aren’t stars.

If the coach doesn’t perform satisfactorily in any of these areas, talk to him privately. Most coaches have kids’ best interests in mind and will listen and make adjustments. If not, go to the league supervisor.

Screen the Coaches
Do a background check on the coach. The cost is usually minimal — about $15 per report. Talk to other parents and approach the league supervisor to make your request. There’s strength in numbers.

Check The Condition of Equipment
Appropriate equipment should be available for each child and should be properly sized and in good shape. Point out equipment problems to the coach or league supervisor and ask that they be rectified. Or buy your child his own equipment — but be sure to label it clearly with his name.

--Making Life Better

Family Night Ideas

Have you ever noticed that spur-of-the-moment ideas often produce the most fun of all? Sometimes it can be fun to toss planning to the winds. Think of family nights together as little celebrations that turn almost any evening into a special event.

Tailgating at Home
Who says that tailgate have to happen in stadium parking lots? On the big game day, back the SUV up the driveway and party away. Grill up some hot dogs and burgers. Toss Frisbees. Use a snow bank as a cooler for the soda cans. Then head back indoors, set out your favorite snacks, and let the game begin.

Movie Nights
Fluff up the sofa cushions, gather the family, and crank up the video. Make movie night a regular weekly event, and give each family member a turn at choosing the theme. Or pull out a great old comedy that you loved way back when. You might be surprised by how many new laughs an old, old favorite can ring up.

Nights for Remembering
Kids love seeing images of themselves when they were younger. So make a night of it: Dig out the album, dust off those home movies, and spend the evening reminiscing about events, friends, family—and the younger you.

Going Back to Basics
Turn off the TV. Light lanterns and candles. Roast marshmallows in the fireplace. Live life as it was before electricity. Take turns reading chapters of a mystery novel. Entertain one another with music and songs. Tell ghost stories and take turns making each part creepier than the last.

Idea Nights
An evening spent coming up with ideas for family night can be an event in itself. Then act on the ideas—make it a date, a priority to count on. Even if it’s just one night a month. One night for fun...one night to celebrate being a family. More than likely, you’ll discover plenty that’s new about the people you’ve been closest to all along.

--Making Life Better