Your Big Yellow Bus
January 29, 2007
The big yellow school bus is coming down my road again. The neighborhood kids seem happy. The dogs are not. The kids are no longer around during the day and Jersey is going to drop a little weight without all the treats they have been bringing her this summer. I must admit that when I see the bus, I feel sorry for those poor suckers. And I express my gratitude that I’m no longer going back to school this time of year.
But I am noticing that September stirs in me the urge to learn and do something new. How long do we have to be out of school before we lose the September urge? How long does it take, how many generations must pass, before we lose our agrarian urge to harvest in the fall?
Creating Good Feng Shui in Babys Room
January 29, 2007
Getting ready for a new baby requires a lot of thought and planning from what diapers the baby will wear down to the decoration and arrangement of baby’s room. Today’s parents want to create a haven for their little one that will help the baby feel comforted and nurtured, as well as stimulated enough so that they thrive. Increasingly, parents are going beyond the traditional coordinated "theme" rooms to ensure baby has a healthy environment by incorporating feng shui.
Feng shui, the Chinese system for arrangement and placement, so often used in businesses and homes is now making its way into the nursery, and for good reason, too. Feng Shui proposes that by arranging and aligning the room correctly, energy will flow better in the room and that all who reside in the room will thrive and prosper better than if the energy is the room was incorrect or did not flow smoothly. Understandably, no one needs to thrive and prosper more than a baby.
Games Of The Past Meet The Present
January 28, 2007
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters’ children for a couple days, when she and her husband traveled to a bed and breakfast for some much need rest and relaxation. They don’t have a chance to get away that often, so I was more than happy to help them out for this little getaway. And, well, I would hope that she would do the same thing for me.
Once I agreed to taking care of her children, reality set in. My sister has six children, and while the youngest wouldn’t be staying with me, all the others would be. Add those five children to my three, you have eight, and add that to my small apartment and you have enough to drive any mom up a wall! How would I keep eight children occupied in my small home, without spending a lot of money?
One of the first activities we played was Twister. Twister was a gift for Christmas, so it was a game the children were still learning. As I watched them play, my I started thinking about the games my siblings and I played as children — those easy games that usually required no extra supplies. There were six of us, and I can remember keeping ourselves occupied with old favorites such as “Mother May I?” and “Old Maid”. After reminiscing, I decided that I would take this opportunity to teach them these favorite games.
From High School Summer Camp to Cinematographer for the Stars
January 28, 2007
From High School Summer Camp to Cinematographer for the Stars
by: Karen Thurm Safran
Jeremy Jackson, a student at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, enrolled in a Digital Video Production summer course at iD Tech Camps UCLA location. At this weeklong, hands-on technology summer program for ages 7-17 located at universities nationwide, Jeremy developed an understanding for shooting, editing, and creating special effects using Adobe software.
Jeremy’s father, an animator for Disney, inspired his son at a young age with a passion for filmmaking and CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Since perfecting his skills at camp, Jeremy attends Hollywood movie premieres as the cinematographer for 16 year-old Fred Medill, the host of “Fred TV.” A series with informative interviews of celebrities in motion pictures and television, and star athletes, “Fred TV” has taken Hollywood by storm. Jeremy can be seen at many Hollywood premieres behind the camera as Fred interviews celebrities.
While having used Adobe® software for school projects, Jeremy never used Adobe Photoshop® and Adobe After Effects® to create special effects for a movie until attending iD Tech Camps. Along with classmates, Jeremy created high-end special effects and learned advanced compositing and cinematography. Many of the effects that they created have been used in popular Hollywood movies. While a completely new program for Jeremy, After Effects quickly became a favorite.
Develop Your Childs Critical Thinking Skills
January 28, 2007
1. Encourage Questions.
Don’t answer every question, instead ask what do they think. Asking questions stimulates conversation between you and your child.
2. Don’t Criticize.
Criticism invites low self-esteem. Children feel that they have failed or disappointed their parents when they are criticized. Find alternate ways of correcting the problem. A child will likely shut down communication if they feel that their parents are not supportive.
3. Respect Your Child’s Opinions.
Your child is not an extension of you. Although it is difficult to accept at times, it is normal and healthy for your child to have their own opinion. Children who are confident in expressing their opinions are less likely to join gangs or succumb to peer pressure.
4. Teach Your Child To Embrace Diversity.
Encourage your child to learn about different cultures and ethnicities. A well informed child can will understand and respect other people’s values.
5. Teach Your Child To Set Personal Boundaries.
Children need to have their personal space respected in order for them to respect other people’s personal space. Help your child to establish their boundaries and insist that he/she enforce them with their peers.
Super Nanny - A Users Guide to Watching Super Nanny
January 28, 2007
There are many things to like about the television show Super Nanny that has captured the public interest in recent weeks.
First, the nanny character is very likeable, if a little scary at times. She has that old-fashioned school-teacher demeanour that says, ‘Listen up. I know best and I am in charge here.’ Many of the families featured need someone who takes charge.
Second, if you are a parent, how can you not get involved in a show that gets you into the challenges of child rearing in such a nitty gritty, warts n’all way that doesn’t involve you? Okay, it is voyeuristic but it is doesn’t relate to you, does it???!!! Importantly, this program has got people talking about raising kids, which is fantastic.
Third, while I don’t agree with every technique presented the program gives good, solid advice and strategies about some common challenges many parents face. Importantly, it helps parenting become a happy experience again for many people as it is the little challenges that we face that can make the job so difficult.
Following is a user’s guide for watching Super Nanny to help you be discerning about what you see and to encourage you think about some of the principles that may be behind (or should be behind) the strategies presented.
How To Develop Your Babys Brain
January 27, 2007
Have you ever wondered why toys for babies tend to have so many bells, whistles and lights? Or why they have so many different textures, and materials and colors? It’s almost as if we want to provide young babies with a whole world of stimulation and we can’t quite get it to them fast enough.
Play gyms or activity gyms as they are sometimes called tend to be a firm favorite with babies from newborn up to about 12 months. These play gyms and activity nests mostly come in the form of comfortable, quilted or softly padded playmats, sometimes raised at the edges with a space in the middle for baby (like a ring doughnut). And these play gyms can be either brightly colored or in soft, pastel shades. But don’t be fooled by thinking they are just snug and comfy resting places for babies to fall asleep in! These activity gyms can provide a plethora of visual, audio and tactile stimulation for fast developing young inquisitive minds.
Colic Baby Bootcamp - Parent Survival Tips
January 27, 2007
Surviving a baby with colic truly deserves an award of some sort. The relentless screaming can really drive you to the edge.
Unfortunately for the parents of a colic baby, most of the focus of surviving is usually geared towards how to relieve the suffering for your baby. But, what about your suffering?
Here are 10 tips on HOW to keep your sanity while enduring a fit of colic.
1. Buy a baby monitor with lights that indicate the level of noise coming from your baby. Take this monitor with you everywhere, put it on mute and get as far away from the screaming as possible. Physically check on your baby every now and then to make sure everything is alright. When the levels on the lights stop dancing, chances are your baby has calmed down.
2. Put on headphones. Listen to music. Keep the above monitor with you to determine when baby has calmed down.
3. Take a shower. The warm water will relax you, and the noise will drown out the ear-piercing crying.
4. Go for a walk. Exercise is great for alleviating tension and the motion might settle the baby down.
Awesome Dads Top Ten Ways To Be The Foundation of Your Family
January 27, 2007
Part of the responsibility of being a father is to establish a strong foundation for the family. Just like a building foundation, much of this work goes unseen and rarely gets acknowledged, yet the strength and integrity of the entire structure relies on it. The following intentions, although not always perfectly fulfilled, give us guidance in our mission.
Grounded in Reality
While my children may put me on a pedestal, I have my feet firmly on the ground and acknowledge my own strengths and weaknesses.
Demonstrative Love
I take the time to know and understand the best way to communicate my love to each and every child. My children see my love for my wife clearly expressed.
Mutual Respect.
By honoring and never ridiculing the thoughts, emotions and actions of my family, each member clearly experiences and understands my great respect for them.
Consistently Predictable.
My family is comforted and anchored by my predictability. My deepest values are consistently
demonstrated in my speech and behavior.
Predictable Spontaneity.
My family knows that I am extremely curious and love to explore and learn. My spontaneity is
Teaching Your Children with Coupons
January 27, 2007
Coupons can be a great tool in educating your child about saving money, being frugal, and shopping smart. Who doesn’t want their children to grow up knowing how to save easily on every purchase? With coupon clipping you’ll show them money saving skills they can use throughout their life!
Teaching your child with coupons can start at an early age. Pointing all of the inserts of the coupons in your Sunday paper can be a great way to teach children the colors. It is also a good way to read to your children, and the time spent will show them the value that coupons can bring to their life.
As your child grows, you can let them take a more active role in using the coupons you collect together. Letting them in on helping to manage your coupon folder will show them the importance of time and money management. Go through and get rid of old coupons together, pointing to a calendar to let them learn about time and expiration. Show them that organization and thinking ahead of a purchase will help them save money. These savings can be applied throughout their life, so it’s important to get them playing an active role in your coupon management.
