My family began going roller skating every weekend as soon as my children could walk. We also ice skated, so my children thought everyone in the world knew how to roller skate and ice skate. Sometimes my girls skated with their dolls who were dressed in infant Christmas dresses or baby Christmas dresses. They wore matching girls Christmas dresses and played games.

Roller skating wheels can be locked so that toddlers and young children can walk on the floor and enjoy skating without doing a lot of falling. Also, little ones don’t usually cry when they fall down at the roller skating rink. They are already so close to the floor, and they don’t get cold or wet. The transition from roller skates to ice skates comes easily.

Reasons Families Enjoy Roller Skating:

* Skating is fun.

Roller skating is not only fun, but is a sport for all ages. The atmosphere at a roller skating rink has a way of making families happy. Everyone also enjoys the music and the food.

* Roller skating is affordable.

Most roller skating rinks include the cost of traditional skate rental with admission. Some rinks have special family rates.

* Safe, family-friendly indoor roller skating rinks are everywhere.

Many roller skating rinks are family owned and operated. Rink owners know their clientele, so roller skating rinks do a great job of providing a safe place environment for families.

* Some roller skating rinks allow parents to push strollers around the arena.

New mothers and fathers can enjoy roller skating at rinks that allow strollers on the floor.

* Games that teach are usually played during roller skating sessions.

In addition to getting in exercise, roller skating rink patrons get to play games that teach listening skills.

* Roller skating does not require fancy clothes.

Dressing up is not necessary for roller skating. Parents don’t have to dress up their little girls in Christmas dresses, but if a child wants to wear fancy clothes, it’s okay to dress up and roller skate at the same time.

Further Reading:

* Kathy Fry’s Skatelog.com – Inline Skating and Quad Skating

* About.com Inline Skating

* Stroller Skating?! – By Jo Ann Schneider Farris

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

When my children were young, I wondered what it would be like to eat a meal in a fancy restaurant. I pictured my girls dressed in cute baby girl clothes sitting quietly at the table. Their manners were perfect, and they wore girls dresses that magically stayed clean. The restaurant’s employees couldn’t wait to serve my children. Dressed in girls clothing, their behavior was superb as they slowly ate their meal. Our family was able to relax.

Of course, my “restaurant fantasy” never happened.  In fact, I have some great “memories.”   For example, once, my son’s shoe ended up being kicked in a man’s lunch just as the poor guy was about to take his first bite into his sandwich!

As time went on, our family avoided eating out altogether or looked for kid-friendly restaurants.  Eating out with children is hard. Being a parent may mean that you may be eating a lot Chinese take-out food for awhile…

How to Take Young Children Out to Eat

1. Go to child-friendly restaurants. Look for fun places that serve foods children like. Avoid quiet, romantic restaurants.

2. If the restaurant doesn’t supply coloring books or toys, bring your own.

3. Ask if your family can be seated away from other patrons in a large corner booth. “Trap” young children into small areas where they can’t bother adults who don’t like children.

4. Make sure the restaurant has a kids’ menu and that the items on that menu are foods your child will eat.

5. Don’t plan on having a quiet or relaxing meal. “Let’s eat and get out of here,” may become your family’s motto until your children are teens.

6. Bring some finger foods or snacks to the restaurant. Your children may not want to wait for the meal.

7. Always come prepared with wipes to help clean faces and dirty hands. Bring a change of baby girls clothes. Boys should also have a change of clothes handy.

8. Clean up a bit especially if your children make a huge mess and tip generously. That way, the restaurant’s staff will not dread seeing your family again.

9. Thank the restaurant’s manager, owner, or employees.

10. Consider going to restaurants where you order at a counter, set up and bus your own table, and serve yourself.

Further Reading

***Eating Out with Baby

***How to Dine Out With Young Children – From About.com Parenting Preschoolers

***Check, Please! How to Eat Out with Toddlers – From Parents.com

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

A flower girl plays a very important part at a wedding. She is the one who scatters beautiful flowers towards the alter where the bride and groom will meet.

Historical Facts About Flower Girls and Weddings:

Long, long ago, little boys and little girls would walk ahead of the bride during weddings. They would sprinkle a mixtures of grains, flowers, and sweet smelling herbs in the bride’s path. The mixture represented positive thoughts and hopes for the bride’s fertility. The mixture also symbolized wishes for a great future for the bride and groom.

Today’s Flower Girls:

Today, flowers at weddings symbolize good luck. Flower girls are usually between the ages of five and ten, and some brides choose to have more than one flower girl. A basket of rose petals is usually scatterd in the bride’s path by flower girls, or the flower girl may just carry a basket or bouquet of flowers down the aisle.

Flower girls do not take part in every wedding, but having a flower girl will make a child remember her involvement at a wedding.

How to Dress a Flower Girl:

1. Consider allowing a child to pick her own flower girl dress. Inexpensive and cheap flower girl dresses and toddler flower girl dresses will charm a little girl and will make the wedding a memorable experience for a child.

2. Make sure the dress is comfortable and pretty, and that the flower girl dress is made of fabric that doesn’t irritate a child’s tender skin.

3. Short toddler flower girl dresses may be a good choice so little girls don’t accidentally slip over long skirts during the wedding.

4. Make sure the shoes the flower girl wears are comfortable. It may be a good idea for the child to “practice” by wearing the shoes before the wedding day.

5. Decide on a hairstyle for the flower girl in advance. Consider hair accessories that match flower girl dresses.

6. Before the wedding, have your flower girl(s) read books or stories about a flower girl’s role at a wedding.

7. The parents of the flower girls usually pay for flower girl dresses.

8. Remember that girls of all ages just love wearing flower girl dresses year round!

Further Reading:

* Tips on Choosing a Flower Girl – From Weddings.About.com

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

Birthday parties that center around dolls are favorites for girls of all ages since most girls love playing with dolls. Every girl and her doll can put on a pretty birthday dress, play games, and enjoy friends and dolls.  A baby or toddler may also enjoy a doll birthday party since they can wear a first birthday dress.

Doll Birthday Party Basics:

1. Purchase or make doll birthday party invitations that explain that each child should bring a doll to the party.  American Girl Doll Party Invitations are a popular choice, but other options are available.

2. Specify if the doll each guest should bring should be a baby doll or a more grown-up doll. Also make sure the invitation suggests wearing birthday dresses.

3. A sample of what the invitation could say is:

“You and your favorite doll are cordially invited to attend _____________’s seventh birthday party!”

3. Be sure to specify the time and place in the invitation.

4. Decorate the party room in pink and purple. Little girls love those colors.

5. If baby dolls are invited to the party, ask each girl to bring their own doll high chair. Inexpensive doll baby high chairs can also be found at discount stores and may make excellent party favors.

6. Limit the guests who come to the party to no more than eight children. Larger groups may be difficult to handle.

7. If baby dolls come to the party, include baby bottles, bowls, and spoons as party favors. Suggest each baby doll wear first birthday dresses. Allow each child to eat with or “feed” her doll. If “older” dolls come to the party, spend some time dressing up dolls with inexpensive party favors that can be purchased from craft supply stores.

8. If toddlers come to the party wearing first birthday dresses, it may be wise to ask each parent to bring a high chair or booster seat to the party. The doll high chairs or chairs with dolls wearing birthday dresses can be set up next to each child.

9. Consider asking your local bakery for ideas on doll birthday party cakes. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a cake, cupcakes decorated with pink or purple frosting may be all you need. Other finger foods should be served.

10. Take photos of each girl with her doll and birthday dress.

Further Reading:

*Kids’ Parties & Celebrations – From About.com

*Doll Birthday Party Ideas

*Make a Barbie Cake

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

When I was a little girl, I read a book called Lost Race of Mars.  I recall that the two main characters in the book, two children named Jim and Sally, were lucky enough to have parents who decided that Christmas should come more than once a year.  Every year, the family gave surprise presents to one another in May or June.   What a great idea!

I must admit that even though summer is getting closer, it’s fun to think about the Christmas holiday season. It could be quite fun to put on Christmas dresses, make holiday cookies and treats, and drink hot chocolate. Infants should definitely be wearing infant Christmas dresses and baby Christmas dresses at any time of the year since Christmas clothes won’t fit a baby or toddler for long.

Ways to Celebrate Christmas and the Winter Holidays Year Round:

1. Bake and decorate some holiday cookies.

2. Get your holiday decorations, including an artificial tree, out of storage and decorate your house.

3. Do some holiday crafts with your kids.

4. Sing Christmas songs, listen to holiday music, and watch holiday movies together.

5. Get those letters to Santa written early.

6. Make a traditional holiday dinner with all the trimmings and enjoy dinner time together as a family.

7. Drink hot chocolate or hot apple cider.

8. Put up Christmas lights.

9.  Dress up your daughters in their prettiest Christmas dresses.

10.  Go ice skating and don’t forget the presents!

More About Celebrating Christmas Year Round:

• *Xmas Fun
• *7 Ways to Celebrate Christmas Year Round
• *Operation Christmas Child

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

When my youngest daughter turned five years old, she and I came up with a very special birthday party idea. We asked eight little girls to come to a unique dress up party. Each little girl brought their own child size chair and little table, and every child dressed up in their finest clothes. They even wore hair decorations and makeup!

Each guest wore their prettiest rare editions dresses and toddler rare editions dresses. We decorated the birthday party room with a pink tablecloth, played games especially for little girls, and listened to princess music.  The children ate their food on dainty size toy plates and drank out of toy cups.  They ate miniature cupcakes, bite-sized cookies, jelly beans, and mini sandwiches.   They used their best manners.   We all had so much fun.

Dress Up Party Tips:

1.  Allow your child to invite five to eight little girls to the party.  More than eight guests may make the party too difficult to manage.

2.  If you do not have a room in your home for such a party, rent a party room at a family friendly place that would allow you to set up the party the way you wish.

3. Little girls like having their moms around, so ask the mothers of the children who are invited to attend the party too.

4.  Bring a music player and play music in the background that is especially for little girls such as Disney Princess Fairy Tale Songs.

5.  Make sure each child who attends the party receives a goody bag filled with dainty and girl-like party favors.

6.  Decorate the party room in pink and lavender.

7.  Allow the children to eat their foods on tea party dishes and drink out of tea party cups.  Pretend dishes from a toy store work great!

8.  Doilies, lace, ribbons, bows, and petite party napkins are a must.

9. Don’t forget the pink and purple flowers!

Suggested Dress Up Party Foods:

• Miniature cupcakes
• Pink lemonade
• Mini sugar cookies
• Vanilla wafers
• Jelly beans
• Sweet tarts
• Tiny finger sandwiches
• Fresh fruit cut in tiny bite-size pieces

Dress up parties are a great way for little girls to celebrate.  It’s just “plain fun” to dress up and wear pretty rare editions!

More Party Ideas:

• Birthday Party Ideas
• Toddler Birthday Party Planning
• Kids’ Party Ideas – From Disney Family Fun

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

Would you like to spend more time with your little girl or boy? Homeschooling is an option that may make that idea a reality. Picture yourself taking your time on a beautiful day while others are rushing around getting their children to school.

Your relaxed lifestyle might make it possible for you to dress your child in little girls clothes, go to the mall, go to a museum, or to the park.  Wouldn’t it be fun for your little girl to spend time with her younger sister who is dressed in cute baby girls clothes? They could play together on the swings or in the sandbox. They could do crafts, watch an educational DVD, or go to the library. How about going to the zoo? You could push your toddler dressed in little girls dresses or baby girls clothes in her stroller.  Your children could learn all about animals. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

In recent years, many different homeschooling methods have been developed. Finding the best educational option for your family is the key to homeschooling success. Some homeschooling options are listed below.

Public Online Education

State-funded virtual schools that use a standardized curriculum from sources such as K12.com or from Connections Academy, are very popular ways to educate children at home.

Private Online Education, Correspondence Schools, and Distance Learning Programs

Many parents do not want to be limited to a standardized public school curriculum. Instead of using a public virtual school, some homeschooling families choose to purchase curriculum from private online schools such as Laurel Springs School or the American School of Correspondence.

Unschooling, Relaxed Homeschooling, and Eclectic Homeschooling Methods

Unschooling is child led learning and is also a way for a family to do whatever they wish to do to develop their children’s education. Sometimes a curriculum and/or traditional school materials are used; sometimes the family may just go to a museum or experience an educational experience in another way. A variety of systems and/or educational options and styles are used.

Homeschool Support Groups, Co-Ops, and Play Groups

In most cities, those new to homeschooling will find support groups that can not only help families with homeschooling methods, but these groups can also provide socialization options for homeschoolers. Girls and boys (and parents too) get a chance to make friends with other homeschooling families. Sometimes young girls put on their best little girls clothes when they go to a homeschool co-op or play group.

Public Homeschool Supplemental Programs

Some public school districts are offering once a week homeschool supplemental programs. Children attend these programs once a week for a full day. Families retain their homeschooling status and parents are able to educate their children any way they wish.

More About Homeschooling:

• About.com Homeschooling
• What Is Unschooling?

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

Participation in local beauty pageants is a great experience for those interested in becoming beauty queens. Also, preparing for a pageant is fun. Most participants make a lot of friends and also enjoy dressing up and practicing their talent. Beauty pageants for children usually focus on beauty, gowns, and talent.

Winning pageant dresses and pageant gowns should be elegant and should sparkle on stage. Toddler pageant dresses should be cute, but also must be beautiful and frilly. Girls pageant dresses and kids pageant gowns should fit perfectly. At some pageants, it is okay for young ladies to wear formal girls dresses.

Girls also love the makeup, jewelry, and fancy hairstyles that are part of beauty pageants.  For the talent phase, participants dance, sing, play an instrument, or act.

How to Prepare for a Beauty Pageant:

1.   Before entering your child in a beauty pageant, read the pageant application carefully.

2.   Understand all the rules and guidelines that will be required before entering your child in any pageant event.

3.   Choose the right clothes, shoes, hairstyle, and makeup.

4.   Make sure to check out all the pageant dresses that are available for purchase online or at retail stores in your area.

5.   Prepare and practice for the talent part of the pageant way in advance.

6.   Work on manners and presentation techniques.

7.   If there is an interview portion of the pageant, practice interviewing strategies with your child.

8.   Make sure your child is in the best physical shape possible.  Spend time teaching your child the importance of exercise.

9.    Consider hiring a private pageant coach to help prepare a child for a beauty pageant.

More About Beauty Pageants:

• Girls Pageant Dresses From SophiasStyle.com
• 101 Beauty Pageant Tips
• Beauty Pageants for Children

_{The author of this article is Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com’s Guide to Figure Skating and the mother of three children.}

Now that the kids are back into the full swing of the school year, it’s likely that homework is a part of that swing. Homework is a very important part of school for your kids – it helps teach them responsibility, reinforces the material they’ve learned in school and much more. As parents, it’s our job to provide our kids with homework help and support, especially when they first reach the grade that take home work is regularly assigned. I know some of you moms and dads are still cringing at the memory of your own school nights filled with homework but don’t worry, they need not ever know you weren’t a perfect student either!

Who better to give homework helping advice than the U.S. Department of Education? Click here to read their full article on homework advice. In the meantime, here are the highlights:

Make Education A Priority In Your Home

1. Designate an area of your house as a homework space. It could be a desk or even just the kitchen table. Make sure that it is a quiet and well lit area.
2. Set a regular time for homework, one that works with both you and your child’s schedule.
3. Turn off the TV, radio and other distracting gizmos when it is homework time. This means other members of the family need to have quiet time too.
4. Check your child’s homework to make sure it is started and finished on time. Children are more likely to complete their homework if they know you care.
5. If needed, limit extracurriculars, TV time and other activities. Kids should learn to balance work with play, but school should be #1. If play is interfering too much with work, your child may need to cut back or drop an activity altogether.
6. Your child learns by watching you, so set a good example! Read, write, and encourage educational activities like trips to zoos, museums, and reading aloud together.

Provide Assistance, Not the Answers

1. Helping them with homework is expected, but be careful not to simply work out the problem for them.
2. Show your kids how to study for a test, such as helping them make a practice test or how to use the library as a resource. This will help them become independent studiers (college is coming up quick you know!)
3. Find out how your child learns best and cater to that. For example, if he or she needs to touch and handle things to learn, cut an apple four ways when learning fractions. A week or two of simple observation will help you understand his or her learning style. You can always ask the teacher too!
4. Ask your child questions about the assignment. Break it into smaller parts and make sure he or she truly understands the assignment and that the final answer makes sense.
5. Praise your kids for a job well done! Positive reinforcement will help them immensely, and can be fun for you too. After a lengthy project or to reward a perfect score on a test, buy her those new girl’s clothes she’s had her eye on, or take a special trip to the movies.

Communicate with the Teacher

1. Start off the school year right by asking what the teacher expects. Find out what types of assignments will be given and how the teacher wants you to be involved in them.
2. If homework problems do arise, gather together everyone to solve the issue – teacher, parents and student.
3. Remember that different problems require different solutions. You might have to try a few different ideas before you resolve the issue.
4. Believe that the school and the teacher want to help your child. Work together to help your child be successful!

What goes better with a birthday party than ice cream? Nothing I can think of! In fact, ice cream is so wonderful that you can even plan a birthday party with an ice cream theme. Read on to find tips from Sophias Style on all the elements of your cool bash – her birthday dress, decorations and even the cake.

Among our selection of boutique birthday dresses is this Sugar & Pickles brand dress. It couldn’t be a more perfect 1^st birthday dress for an ice cream party! It’s on sale right now for just $24.99 and it doesn’t scream “Birthday!” so she can wear it for other occasions too. I promise grandma, aunts, cousins and all your other party guests will “ooo” and “ahh” over it.

Now it’s on to the party decorations. You can create these whimsical balloon ice cream cone decorations in just a few simple steps. Start by making a cone out of brown paper and securing its shape with glue. Then punch a hole in the bottom and tie the string. Use clear tape to adhere a helium-filled balloon to the cone and then tie your creation to a chair back or gather several in a bunch. At the end of the day these make great party favors for your pint-sized guests. Don’t forget to use your real-life favorite ice cream flavors for inspiration. Light green ice cream balloons look like a scoop of mint chip, and white, brown and pink balloons will look reminiscent of scrumptious Neapolitan. Yum!

Now that everyone and everything is looking good, it’s time to move on to the things that taste good (but let’s be honest, we want the cake to look good too!) Of course in keeping with the ice cream theme, it’s time for cake! The baking part is easy – simply bake a few pans of cupcakes, either boxed or your favorite recipe. This ice cream cupcake creation is all about the frosting.  Start with a real ice cream cone and build your ice cream scoop tower from there! This could also be a great activity during the party. Each party guest can create and decorate a personalized birthday cake. If you want this look without the work, there’s also no shame in taking this idea to your local bakery and letting someone else work the magic!

No matter what party theme you choose, it’s always a good idea to start your party plans by shopping the SophiasStyle.com first birthday dresses department!