We all have little parenting tricks to help keep the peace. Here are 5 (or so) of mine, what are some of yours?

1. Smiles for Miles:
   When your kids are having a absolutely awful melt down. Look at them and get them to look at you. Tears and all. Say: “I bet you cant smile! Dont do it!” And you start to smile. I can guarantee it stops that tantrum and they start giggling all sorts!
2. Booboo Buddies:
   I know my girls love bandaids and completely come up with boo boos to constantly need them. I need to buy stock in them! But instead, I started buying stickers to help with the boo boos.
3. Let them lose, but win!
   We play all sorts of games. Uno, go fish, board games. Everything. They have more fun getting together to make me and my husband lose, then they care about winning. Best part is they are working together! Which is awesome because they like to bicker a lot.
4. Le-go and Lego:
   Our kids play dress up a lot. The boys love to put on the girl stuff, but the girls would rather play in the dirt outside, wear no shoes, and ride bikes. Don’t even bat a eye at them. Let them do what they want and worry more if that Lego cookie is going to fit in the tea cup that your son just gave you to eat.
5. Ready or not:
   We love our huge family hide and seek games. Im usually the counter for our seekers so everyone can hear the count down. My husband has a ton of fun hiding the kids in crazy spots. He has stuffed the couch with kids, put them behind pack and plays, under pillows, behind his back. All the kids always get found right away because they cant stop giggling from how funny it is.……Oooh! Another! (I guess I do my best thinking in the middle of the night)
6. Own it:
   When you have a bigger family, its inevitable to end up sharing everything. Space, socks, bathrooms, toys, and food. The one thing we always do, we let them not share one thing. Its all theirs and none of the other kids can touch it. Something that makes them feel good because, sharing everything isn’t always fun. On their birthday, we do the same thing. For that whole day they dont have to share whatever they got, unless they want to. Most always end up sharing because they want to play with everyone. But sometimes its nice to call something your own. Even when you’re only 3.
7. Through Rain and Snow:
   Last night, it finally started “snowing.” When something like that happens, I let the kids come outside. Half were in pjs, the rest waiting to take showers. It doesn’t matter. Let them come outside and dance in the snow, or rain puddles. Dont think twice about it. Let them have that fun. When they are older, and think back to their childhood, they’ll have their memories of warmth, love, and fun. Thats what will get them through all of the tough times.
8. Family Fill Up:
   Family dinners. I grew up in a huge Italian family. We had those big movie style Italian sunday dinners. Its one of my favorite child hood memories. I want my kids to have the same thing. So once a week, we do a big dinner like that. Granted, we can’t be with our other family due to distance, but I make it big and special. The kids love it, love all the food, love the conversation we have. No electronics, no tv, no nothing but us and them. Its probably the best part of the week.