Blog Posts by Parentables

William & Kate.In case you haven't heard any of the people shouting from the roof tops in your neck of the woods, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (a.k.a. William and Kate) officially announced that they are expecting their first child. It is perhaps bad news for the tabloids who have been speculating a pregnancy ever since they walked down the aisle just over 18 months ago. What will they report on now?

Read More: 10 Celebrity Parenting Events that had Everyone Talking

As far as celebrities go, I happen to like Will and Kate. However, while I knew people were interested in them, I didn't realize just how intense and widespread the infatuation with them was until my Facebook feed started blowing up over the official pregnancy announcement. Friends and media outlets are all thrilled to spread the word and while I am happy for them, I wonder to what degree the details are our business?

Read More: 'Fame Daddy' Launches World's First Celebrity Sperm Bank

The announcement went on

Volunteering.We spend a lot of time on charity work at this time of year. One of the most memorable ways we get involved is an annual trip to El Salvador to take gifts to the children in villages for Christmas. It's been five years since we first started making the trip. Instead of spending a lot of money on each other for Christmas presents we really focus our attention on giving to the needy in El Salvador. We'll usually go over for about a week and help in the villages.

Read More: 5 Effortless and Economical Ways to Make a Difference During the Holidays

We like to take backpacks and fill them up with toys and necessities for the children. One year, we purchased a bunch of backpacks and soccer balls, flattened them out and packed them into big duffel bags as our checked luggage. Everyone took a small carry-on for their personal items and clothing for the trip. That way, shipping for the gifts was paid for. We've tried to keep this up every year.

Read More: Michelle Duggar on the

Beautiful home.With the holidays comes an influx of entertaining in our homes. Even if you aren't hosting a big holiday meal, chances are that you may be having friends over for some holiday cheer or may have the unexpected visitor swing by because they are back in their hometown visiting family.

Read More: 54 Easy Ways to Declutter and Organize Your Home

While it may seem like it's too late to give your home a makeover before the doorbell rings, that's not the case at all. Here are five ways you can update your home in time for the holidays without hiring a decorator or spending a fortune.

Read More: The 4-Step System to Decorating Like a Park Avenue Millionaire on a Butler's Budget

There may be no easier project than re-upholstering a chair or bench seat. Even if you don't think you are capable of it, I promise you are. Find a fabric (bolder is better), grab your staple gun, and within about an hour you'll have a completely new look

Whoops.Mistakes: everybody makes them, no one seems to love them. But love them we should. Mistakes are a beneficial part of life, especially when we're taught to cope well with them as we're growing up.

Read More: 6 Ways to Boost Your Happiness and Be a Positive Role Model for Your Kids

Teach your kids not to fear mistakes, but to embrace them with these 6 tactics for handling mistakes with grace and courage.

Read More: 6 Crucial Life Lessons to Practice While You Teach Your Child

Photo: Martin Fisch / Creative Commons

Before we can handle mistakes, we need to help our kids define for themselves what actually constitutes a mistake. One way to get started is to have our kids clearly define the points on their moral compasses so that they may try to act in line with expectations they set for themselves. When they violate their own expectations and perform at a lower quality of behavior than they believe they are capable of, then they

w00t.I just finished reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. (Yes, I'm aware of being a little behind the times; the book came out in 2009 and has been a bestseller ever since.)

Read More: 3 Reasons Putting Yourself First Will Make Your Kids Happier

The gist of the book is that Rubin wants to be happier and stop taking life for granted. She conducts a year-long experiment called the Happiness Project, devoting each month to a particular area of growth. She also develops a Resolutions Chart that tracks her progress on a daily basis.

Read More: How Focusing on Mundane Household Tasks Can Make You Happy

While the idea of organizing my personal happiness with charts is intimidating and, knowing me, would likely diminish my happiness significantly, Rubin offers some valuable tips that I'll be putting into action.

1. De-cluttering the house

Rubin cites a study that eliminating clutter would cut down the amount of housework in the average home by 40 percent. Reading

King of the statueBecoming a parent is likely to be the biggest responsibility you have in life. That's a daunting thought, and it causes many of us to have the urge to draw the curtains and never let our kids see the light of day, lest they get hurt.

Read More: 6 Ways to Boost Your Happiness and Be a Positive Role Model for Your Kids

Unfortunately, overprotectiveness never serves the purpose we intend. By shielding our kids from life's realities, we stall the inevitable lessons they will have to learn for themselves. Give your kids a leg up with these 6 tips so they can be fully equipped to meet life's challenges by the time they are ready to forge ahead on their own into adulthood.

Read More: How to Take More Pleasure in Parenthood: 4 Tips for a Calmer, Happier Existence

Photo: AndreChinn / Creative Commons

It's natural to love in other people what we love about ourselves. Unfortunately for our kids, the opposite can also be true: we may have

AVOID.Overheard: 11-year-old, Chet, to 6-year-old, Maia, "Come into my room. I'm having a Black Friday sale. If you buy one GoGo, you get one for free…only today."

Read More: 7 Reasons Why Coupons Rock

With three kids writing extensive lists to Santa, I am busy searching for deals. The idea of Black Friday sales appeal to me, but I am not willing to get out of bed before the sun rises to stand in line. So I'm online deal hunting.

Read More: 3 Apps to Make Your Shopping Easier

Here are 10 tips to help you search for deals online this holiday season.

1. Bookmark and check websites that organize and present Cyber Monday deals like www.CyberMonday.com.

2. Look for Black Friday deals in circulars and on websites like www.blackfriday.com. Last year, my dad set out for Best Buy pre-dawn and came home empty-handed, while I logged in at midnight and snagged a deal. I'd seen the laptop I wanted in a newspaper circular, which did not indicate whether or not the sale price would be

Thanks!Kids get excited about Thanksgiving Day. Besides being thrilled about a having a few days off of school, they're looking forward to seeing extended family members and, of course, eating their favorite foods. But are they involved in the process of preparing for Thanksgiving Day at your house?

Read More: 8 Ways to Cut the Cost of Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Day is a golden opportunity to give your children ownership of small pieces of your festivities. Think of it as assigning them a Thanksgiving Day job. You'll definitely appreciate taking a task or two off of your checklist. But more importantly, your kids will feel like they contributed to the overall feeling of goodness that the day brings.

Read More: 3 Thanksgiving Crafts for the Uncrafty

If you're interested having your kids help you get ready for Thanksgiving, use these five simple options as a starting point:

1. Prepare a side dish. If your kids are interested in cooking, let them make a side