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Hi, I’m Sharlene!

A mother of 5 boys, grandmother of 12, and author of Good Music Brighter Children. I started the blog, “good parenting brighter children” to share my 40+ years of experience swimming in the delightful (and sometimes shark infested) waters of parenthood. It’s been quite the experience and one I want to share.

Hopefully, you find this blog helpful and inspiring as you travel your own unique parenthood journey.

the latest from the Blog

43 of the Best Family Picnic Ideas to Last a Lifetime

How to Fix Sleep Disorders in Children: 10 Amazing Ways!

10 Amazing Benefits of Drinking Water and How it Makes Kids Smarter

Gardening With Kids & Grandkids: 10 Simple and Amazing Steps

Here are 7 Amazing Ways of Making Paper Flowers with Kids

Best Breakfast Yogurt for Healthy Smart Kids in the Kitchen

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❤️IT’S SUMMER & TIME FOR A PICNIC! 🪁This

❤️IT’S SUMMER & TIME FOR A PICNIC! 🪁This week it’s all about picnics—what to plan, what to bring, the perfect menus, games to play, snacks to bring, and much more! ⛱I’ve included 43 ideas, suggestions, toys, games, food, menus, etc., to use as a springboard when planning your next picnic. 🪁Whether it’s in the park, in the mountains, at the beach, a spring, summer, winter, or fall picnic—I’ve got you covered—with every picnic theme under the sun (or rain or snow)! ⛱If you plan right—you can take your family to distant lands all wrapped up in a picnic! 🪁None of these ideas or specific to a holiday or time of the year—but they all have THREE things in common—fun, fun, and more fun! 💙⛱Find out all the juicy details & recipes here: link in bio

💙WANT TO SLEEP? DUMP THE TECH DEVICES—ALL OF

💙WANT TO SLEEP? DUMP THE TECH DEVICES—ALL OF THEM! 💤If you really want to help your child have a good night’s sleep—get rid of all tech devices at least 2 hours prior to bedtime. This includes TV, video games, computers, cell phones—the works! 😴Do NOT let your child or teen take their cell phones to bed—no matter how much they scream and yell. Teens have been known to stay up surfing their phones and texting into the wee hours of the morning—which doesn’t help their abilities to learn at school! 💙😴Details: link in bio

💙CALMING FOODS TO HELP YOU & YOUR CHILD SLEEP

💙CALMING FOODS TO HELP YOU & YOUR CHILD SLEEP 😴Eating certain foods before bedtime can help a child nod off. Most contain tryptophan or magnesium and should be eaten 1 hour before bedtime. This is only a partial list—get the full list and suggestions on the blog. *Bananas: contains magnesium, melatonin, and serotonin—eat ½ banana 30 minutes before bedtime *Warm milk: contains tryptophan and calcium to better absorb the tryptophan. Also contains serotonin which helps calm the mind. *Chamomile tea with Valerian & Passiflora: acts as a sedative and can relieve the body of emotional stress. Valerian and Passiflora are wonderful herbs that can gently put a child to sleep—can be taken as a tea or essential oil on the feet *Cheddar Cheese: rich in tryptophan and protein—can help with sleep *Almonds: contains tryptophan and magnesium to help with sleep. Three or 4 will do! *Honey: helps the brain switch off orexin, a neurotransmitter that keeps people alert. 💙💤Details: link in bio

💙MUSIC SOOTHES THE SAVAGE BEAST! 😴There is

💙MUSIC SOOTHES THE SAVAGE BEAST! 😴There is something about music that can calm and soothe a restless child. 💤Try playing these selections of classical music for your child as they are falling asleep. They just may work wonders! *Clair de Lune by Debussy *Adagio in G Minor by Albinoni *Pachelbel Canon in D with Ocean Sounds (my favorite) *Or any music that features calming nature sounds—rain, wind, ocean, forest 😴OR—try the Brainwave Music system (Amazon). More information about this amazing calming, sleep series is on my blog. 💙💤More details here: link in bio

💙MELATONIN: FRIEND OR FOE? AND WHAT’S WITH MA

💙MELATONIN: FRIEND OR FOE? AND WHAT’S WITH MAGNESIUM? 😴Some people lament that they take melatonin for sleep and it doesn’t work. Here’s why: 💤First, melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland which regulates sleep/wake cycles. 😴Melatonin will ONLY help your child (or you) to sleep IF the body is deficient in it. If it doesn’t help your child or you to sleep—then the amount of melatonin in your body is sufficient. And your sleep issues are presumably triggered by something else. 💤If it helps—give your child 3-5mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bed. My grandson is autistic and melatonin definitely helps him get to sleep. 💙Now for magnesium—it’s a very important mineral with multiple uses. It can have a calming effect on the body but gets depleted when your child or teen is under stress. 😴You can try giving them one 75mg magnesium citrate (some people like magnesium glycinate for sleep) 20 minutes before bedtime. 💙💤More details here: link in bio

💙EVER TRY YOGA FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP? 😴Research recently found that yoga can help kids or adults suffering from insomnia. 💤Basic yoga can help your child get to sleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed and energetic. 😴The infographic illustrates some yoga positions that help with sleep. 💤Each pose needs to be held for 20 seconds. 😴Try them out with your kids/grandkids. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain! 💙😴More details here: link in bio

💙HOW SLEEP HELPS KIDS LEARN & IMPROVES THEIR MO

💙HOW SLEEP HELPS KIDS LEARN & IMPROVES THEIR MOODS! 😴Did you know that a good night’s sleep is imperative to help a child learn in school? 💤The Harvard Women’s Health Watch found that sleep helps a child with learning and memory. 😴Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, young people who had slept after learning a task did better on tests later. 💤However, they also found that kids who experience sleep loss are more irritable, impatient, and have difficulty learning because lack of sleep actually destroys GREY MATTER. They’re also more susceptible to depression and anxiety. Likewise, when kids get enough sleep, the opposite occurs. 😴The lesson? Make certain your kids/grandkids are getting an excellent night’s sleep! 💙💤More details here: link in bio

❤️GETTING TO SLEEP AND STAYING ASLEEP ⭐️T

❤️GETTING TO SLEEP AND STAYING ASLEEP ⭐️This week, it’s all about helping your kids/grandkids get a good night’s sleep! 😴Did you know that 60+ million Americans have sleep issues? A good night’s sleep is essential to good health—for everyone! 😴Sometimes, getting kids to bed and getting them to sleep is an impossible feat. And children with severe learning issues or autism oftentimes have sleep issues. 💤First—a suggestion to help your children get their sleep: Establish a bedtime ROUTINE every night! 💙Kids like organization, continuity, and a ROUTINE they can depend on and trust. 💤I have the exact time frame and breakdown of each routine item on my blog (link in bio) but some ideas include: *Having an alarm clock *Brushing teeth, shower or bathing; going to the bathroom *Storytime *Have a favorite blanket or toy to go to bed with 💤And more… 💙😴Check out the details here: link in bio

💙BOOKS TO HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE O

💙BOOKS TO HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER 💦Here are some fun books to teach your kids about the importance of water. 💧Also included is one of my favorite books on water—“You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty” by F. Batmanghelidj, MD 💙💦More about water: link in bio

💙HOW DRINKING WATER HELPS WITH SHORT-TERM MEMOR

💙HOW DRINKING WATER HELPS WITH SHORT-TERM MEMORY IN KIDS 💦A mere drop of 2% water in kids can trigger fuzzy short-term memory. 💧It can also cause kids to have problems understanding basic math, and focusing on a computer screen or printed page of a book. 💦Drinking lots of water every day can prevent memory loss well into old age. 💧Before your kids do their homework—have them drink a big glass of water. And again—send them to school with a thermos of water and tell them to sip it throughout the day—not just at lunch. 💦It just may be the catalyst to improving their memories & learning! 💙💧More information: Link in bio

💙HOW WATER HELPS KIDS SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA & A

💙HOW WATER HELPS KIDS SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA & ALLERGIES 💦Your kids/grandkids need water for their cells to grow. As they grow, 75% of the cell volume must be filled with water. 💧Children can develop asthma and allergies during the growth stage of their physical development if they don’t have enough water for their body systems to function. 💦Some research indicates that asthma can be caused by chronic dehydration and by increasing water and adding a bit of salt (to the tongue), asthma coughing disappears. 💧And kids with allergies should increase their water intake. 💦Give your kids a glass of water BEFORE eating food. And ban the sodas! There is NOTHING good about sodas. And with some kids, orange juice can trigger an allergic reaction. 💧Are you ready to have your kids/grandkids drink more water? Hope so! 💙💦More info: link in bio

💙HOW DRINKING WATER ELIMINATES DEHYDRATION 💦Dehydration means your body doesn’t have enough water to function properly. 75% of people (including children) are chronically dehydrated. 💧Even mild dehydration will slow down your child’s metabolism; cause fatigue; cause your child to feel grumpy or tied and give your child headaches. 💦Dehydration can happen quickly—so keep water with you in the car—and at home. If your kids play sports or are involved in strenuous activities—send them with plenty of water! 💧If your child/grandchild comes home from school grumpy or tired—give them a big glass of water. Room temperature is usually preferred for young kids. Sometimes a very cold glass of water can trigger a headache. 💙💦More vital information about water is here: link in bio

💙HOW WATER REDUCES FATIGUE AND HELPS KIDS LEARN

💙HOW WATER REDUCES FATIGUE AND HELPS KIDS LEARN 💦When kids are thirsty, they get tired—very easily! 💧Studies show that a lack of not enough water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. And according to F. Batmanghelidi, MD, water is the main source of energy or the “cash flow” of the body. 💦Water helps kids to think—so send a thermos of water with your kids to school each day. Here’s why (all these are based on research):
*💧Water keeps their brains working at peak performance *💦Water gives a child electrical energy for brain functions, particularly thinking *💧Water is needed for sustained focus energy *💦Water can help prevent ADHD in children. With plenty of water in a child’s system—their attention spans will increase. *💧Water helps kids and teens have an increased desire to make goals—because water integrates mind & body functions. 💙Want your child/grandchild to learn? It starts with hydrating their systems! Go drink some water with your kids/grandkids! 💙💧More important info here: link in bio

💙WHY DRINKING WATER IS SO IMPORTANT & HOW MUCH

💙WHY DRINKING WATER IS SO IMPORTANT & HOW MUCH YOU SHOULD DRINK EACH DAY 💦It’s almost summer—a good time to boost your water intake and understand the reasons why! This week, I’m posting reasons “why” water for kids—and a link to my blog in the biol 💧First—everyone knows that water is essential to life. 75% of your child’s body is made up of water and 70% of the body of an adult. (the earth is also 70% water) 💦Your children/grandchildren lose water every day through sweat & urine. It needs to be replenished. And fever, vomiting or diarrhea will also cause your child to lose water. 💙💧Here’s how much water a child or teen needs each day: 💦Children age 9-12: Five (8oz/ea.) glasses or water each day or 40 ounces 💧Children age 9-12: Seven (8oz/ea.) glasses of water daily or 56 ounces 💦Teens age 13+: Eight-ten (8oz/ea.) glasses of water or at least 80 ounces. 💙Are you getting enough water each day? 💦PS: milk and sodas don’t count towards your daily water intake 💧Go have a BIG glass of water! 💙💦More info here: link in bio

💚MORE PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF GARDENING: LAW O

💚MORE PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF GARDENING: LAW OF THE HARVEST 🪴Here are some more things your kids/grandkids can learn when growing a garden: #3: 🥭THE LAW OF THE HARVEST. Most of the time, when growing a garden, you reap what you sow. But that doesn’t always happen with gardens OR when raising kids. 🥬We’ve planted a lot of gardens and sometimes the plants refuse to grow—either Mother Nature’s fault or ours. 🪴The same thing can be said when raising kids—parents can nurture, water, and “weed” their children; give them lots of opportunities, but sometimes they don’t seem to be “growing” into their potential. ❤️Be patient! Your children will blossom when they are ready—just like those tomato plants that look like they're giving up the ghost and then miraculously grow into delicious food! 💙🪴PS: These are pictures of our “garden-girl-granddaughter.” She loves to garden and we send her pictures throughout the week to show her the progress of her plants. The strawberries came up early this year—she was ecstatic! ❤️🥭More details here: link in bio

💚PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF GARDENING: PLANTING S

💚PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF GARDENING: PLANTING SEEDS EVERY DAY & THE BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY 🪴As your garden grows, take the time to teach your kids/grandkids a few philosophical tips about gardening such as… #1: 🎍💙The importance of planting CHARACTER SEEDS such as spreading kindness, generosity, compassion, helpfulness, etc., to others. And growing character seeds don’t cost a thing! #2: 💚🪴The BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY. Every garden has a diverse variety of veggies and fruits. It’s the same with people—diversity makes life more interesting and fun! Why? Because everyone brings to this earth their talents, strengths, and creativity to make this world a more fascinating place! 💛Differences in people create a magnificent garden of beauty! ❤️More details here: link in bio

💚WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE FRUITS & VEGGIES IN

💚WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE FRUITS & VEGGIES IN YOUR GARDEN & ON YOUR TREES 🪴Once your garden and fruit trees start producing, it will surprise you just how many things you can bake & cook with all the fruits & veggies in your garden and on your trees—it’s also humbling! 🎍You can freeze-dry, can, create jams, jellies, relishes, butters, pies, cakes, pickles, ice creams; summer salads & more for your family & friends. 🪴Here are some of the things I’ve made with our kids/grandkids with our harvest (and pics of our trees and some veggies) and I’ve included a link on the blog to the recipes for some of these: *Zucchini relish, cake, salad *Marinated carrots (btw: carrots are NOT easy to grow) *Apple Butter, Cobbler & Pie *Apricot & raspberry jam *Summer salads *Refrigerator pickles *Peach cobbler *Lemonade *Strawberry & raspberry ice cream *Lemon, orange & banana ice cream ❤️🪴More details here: link in bio

💚HOW PLANTS GROW 💦Plants need 3 simple thin

💚HOW PLANTS GROW 💦Plants need 3 simple things to grow: sunlight, water, and healthy soil! 💦Know how much water each of your plants requires—and feed them accordingly. Too much or too little water is not good. 🌞Most of the plants we grow in our garden require lots of sunshine—yours will, too. 🪴We also put eggshells, organic banana peels, and even an uncoated aspirin when planting our plants—just a few tricks to ensure healthy veggies. And yes, it works! 🪴And, plant a few fruit trees—in California we had lemon, orange, apricot, and plum trees. Our lemon trees were so prolific, that we supplied lemons to the entire neighborhood—no joke! In UT we have a healthy apple tree and a peach tree (that recently died). ❤️🪴More details here: link in bio

❤️MORE TIPS FOR PLANTING A GARDEN 💚Here ar

❤️MORE TIPS FOR PLANTING A GARDEN 💚Here are some more tips when planting a garden: 🪴Tip #4: Either plant seeds (the hard way) or get plant starts (much easier). Plant starts give your plants a jump-start in your garden—you can find starts at nurseries or grow your own. 🎍Be a farmer and save your heirloom seeds from year-to-year. And do NOT purchase GMO seeds—they are fake and asexual and have more issues than what I can cover here. 🪴Tip #5: Prepare the Soil & Plant the Seeds: gardens need a spring cleaning every year. Clear away debris and amend the soil. And involve your kids/grandkids in this dirty project—kids love dirt! 💚🪴More tips & tricks here: link in bio

💚TIPS FOR PLANTING A HEALTHY GARDEN 🪴Here a

💚TIPS FOR PLANTING A HEALTHY GARDEN 🪴Here are a couple of things to do before planting a garden: 🎍Tip #1: Get your soil tested. You need to know if there are nutrients missing in the soil—and if so, you need to add them if you want to have a healthy harvest of veggies. Most colleges and universities offer soil testing for about $30 🪴Tip #2: Plant veggies your kids/grandkids will actually eat. Hold a family council and let everyone have a say in what they want to plant. A great way to teach your kids the democratic process. 🎍Tip #3: Plant at least 1 berry plant so your kids/grandkids can see something grow on a bramble bush. We grow raspberries, strawberries & blackberries. We’ve never grown blueberries, but blueberry plants can last 19 years! 💚🪴More details here: link in bio

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