Should Taking Your Kids Out Of School For Family Vacation Be Illegal?

I was watching the Today Show the other day and one segment really surprised me. You can see it here. Apparently in some states it is "illegal" to take your kids out of school to go on a family vacation. Really?!?

If the kid misses a month of school maybe, but a week or less absolutely not.   As long as the parent knows that it is the family's responsibility to get caught back up to the class. 

The teacher would be copying all the handouts anyways. Honestly, how much time would it take to put them in a paper clip or folder for when the kid returns. 

What is your opinion on this?

Where to Find Low Cost Halloween Costumes

It's the beginning of October and that means it's time for Halloween. When you have kids that means costumes, candy and lots of money out of your pocketbook.

Here are five places to find low cost Halloween costumes for your kids and even yourself.

Thrift Stores
The most obvious place to look for costumes is your local thrift or second hand store. These are one place to look, but many times the outfits are picked over with good ones taken fast.

eBay.com
The second most obvious and commonly searched place for costumes is eBay.com.  You can find pretty much any costume your little one may want, however, people are out there to make a big profit and you need to fight others (bidding of course) to win a really great costume.

Amazon.com
You may not know that Amazon sells more than just e-books. They sell lots of other stuff including new and used Halloween costumes and accessories. Best part is there is no bidding and the prices are low in most cases.

Make Your Own
If you still can't afford to pay for an already made costume, consider making one yourself. You can easily make an easy costume with a plain colored sweat suit or a black bodysuit and tights. Another option is to use a cardboard box to create a really cool costume. Use your imagination! Be an animal, a bottle of ketchup, a robot, a washing machine, or an iPad.  Need ideas just give a quick search online.

Clearance Sales
The absolute best way to find a cheap Halloween costume is to buy them during the after Halloween clearance sales. Buy them after the holiday for the next year. Buy a size or two bigger and try to stick to classic costumes - nothing too trendy because they could be out of style by next year.

No matter what your little one wants to be for Halloween you can find a way to dress-up  for less than retail. You just need to know where to look.

The Food Fairies Are Back

Source

Now that I have my vehicle back, I am able to go to the grocery store during the day while the kids are at school. When we only had one working vehicle we would all go grocery shopping in the evening. That was fun...LOL. Three kids and hubby along for every grocery trip.

My youngest mentioned one week how she loved it when the food would magically appear at home while they were at school. I then asked her how she thought the food got there. She said "The food fairies must have brought it."

I have to admit it was much easier to do the grocery shopping alone. I, too, am glad the food fairies are back. 

Do you have food fairies or do you do the grocery shopping as a family?

Help You Child Get Organized for Middle School Success

The school year is under way and you may notice your middle schooler needs some help getting and staying organized. They probably have more teachers, more homework, projects and crazy schedules than they did in elementary school. 

Kids entering middle school can easily become overwhelmed with all the changes. They went from one main teacher to 6+ teachers.  Kids being the oldest in the school back to being the youngest and sometimes smallest.  Plus

Here are a few ways to help you middle school child get organized.

Use a Planner
Many schools require the students to use a planner but if yours does not than find a calendar that your child likes to use. In the planner, make sure they write down their homework every day for each class along with any projects and their due dates.

Many times kids think they can remember whether or not they have homework. Kids may be good at remembering the fact that they do have homework - they just can't remember whether it was numbers 1-21 or 1-31, only odd or even problems, or even when it's due. It's the important details that slip their memory most of the time.


Homework Time
Preferably have them do homework as soon as they get home while all the info is still somewhat fresh in their mind.  Have a small snack while working if they are hungry, but get it done right after school. This helps them avoid being up late into the night working on a project that is due the next day.

Homework Space
Create a space for your child to do their homework and have all the supplies they need. A kitchen table, a desk in their room, etc.  Almost any place will work as long as it's fairly quiet, has room for them to write, and allows them to concentrate.

Another suggestion is to have a box filled with pencils, a calculator, hole punch, dictionary, eraser and anything else they use to do their homework. This box should be close by so the kids aren't getting up constantly to go find the stuff they need.

Also consider having a space for important papers, library books, and class folders.

Calendar
Many middle schools have ABC days or alternating days. Meaning they offer different classes on different days. You child may have Gym on A days, Music on B days and a World Language on C days. Help you child remember which day it is by placing a calendar up where they can see it. Also have them put all the folders and stuff they need for the next day in their back pack the night before. 

I have two kids in middle school and so I write down on the school's ABC calendar my kid's name and which class they have on each day. It's easier than trying to remember A day is gym for my son and chorus for my daughter.

Avoid Over Scheduling
One last thing, as parents you want your kids to be well rounded, but school work should always come first. If they are excelling at school then add one or two extra curricular activities per season. Many kids nowadays rush home from school, head to practice a couple nights a week, squeezing in dinner on the road and then have to stay up late doing homework only to repeat it all the next day.

Face it most adults don't like having to work all day, come home to rush around, eat on the run and than do it all the next day. You get burned out, need some time to relax and so do the kids. Scale back the after school activities.

Having a planner to write their homework in, a set time and place to do homework and a calendar to prepare for the day will help your child be organized for their day at school.

Back to School and Separation Anxiety

It's almost that time again. Time for kids to head back to school.

We've all see it. Kids crying their eyes out because they don't want to be left at school. Moms making it even harder on the kids by getting teary eyed, saying lots of good-bye and giving way too many hugs. Poor little ones think they are being left someplace really terrible or worse they aren't going to see their parents ever again.

Let's make it easy on the kids by following a few simple tips.


Get to Know Their School
Most schools will allow you to bring your kids on a tour (at some point) prior to the start of the school year. Your child will see where their classroom will be, where the lunchroom is, and most importantly where they will be having recess.

If possible, arrange a play date with other kids that will be attending school with your child. That way they will already have someone they know on the first day of school.



Keep Your Emotions In Check
It's fine to miss your children while they are away at school, but don't let them see you get all misty eyed. Wait till the kids are gone otherwise they will think there is something wrong with going to school.

Be consistent
Kids feel safer when they know what to expect. Each school day they go to school to see the same teachers, students and staff. They know that the same person will pick them up after school. They know mom or dad will fix dinner around 6 and bedtime is at 8:30.  Change is fine, but not everyday. Be as consistent as possible. Even if it means dinner is sometime between 4-6 and bedtime is always before 9:30 p.m. 

Create a Good-bye Ritual
A simple hug and kiss or a wave with a quick "See you later" can help kids know you love them and will see them later.

When my son started preschool he didn't want to leave his favorite security blanket. For the first couple weeks of preschool he carried around a small piece of the blanket, so he could always reach into his pocket and feel the blanket without anyone seeing.

My youngest just didn't want to go to school. The guidance counselor recommended reading "The Kissing Hand" with her. It an adorable story about a little raccoon going off to school who misses his mother.

Help you child ease back to school by preparing them ahead of time by letting them know what to expect. Create a routine, so they know what to expect to happen. Plus a quick and simple good-bye lets kids know there is nothing to worry about and that you will see them later. These simple things can make your child's back to school experience that much better.

Tips for Traveling With Kids

http://www.IStockPhoto.com

Whether you are traveling by car, bus, train or plane, if you are traveling with kids, you will need these helpful tips to keep your kids content during the trip.

Games/Activities
First of all you need to keep them busy or occupied.

I've traveled by car with my three kids since they were born and there's one thing we absolutely can't live without.  It's a portable DVD player.  They are pretty inexpensive. You can find one on sale for $40.

I select a couple movies that are gender neutral such as Finding Nemo, Shrek, The Incredibles, and Monsters Inc. When you let the kids chose you run the risk of arguing because the movie is too girly, etc. Boys don't usually enjoy watching princess movies and vice versa.

In addition to watching movies each kid has a binder that includes various printable games, activities, coloring pages and a stash of crayons, pencils, etc.

Here are a couple of the ones I really like.
License Plate Game Printable
ABC Game Printable and I Spy Bingo Game Printable Plus lots of helpful tips.
DIY Magnetic Board Games
Printable Hidden Picture Puzzles
Coloring Page Printables

Snacks
For each kid create a box/bag full of serving-size snacks that they enjoy. Preferably non messy snacks they can eat by themselves. Some ideas include snack baggies full of gummies, trail mix, m&m's, goldfish, pretzels and raisins.  If you have little ones let them pick out one snack every couple hours.

Breaks
Kids get cranky when they are forced to sit for long periods of time. To avoid the crankiness - take lots of breaks so your kids can get out and stretch their legs.  If you are driving, find a rest stop and let your kids run around after using the restroom. Bring along a beach ball, Frisbee, jump rope, etc.

Let you kids know where you plan to stop ahead of time. Consider giving them a map to follow your route as you go. This will help stop some of the "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer?" questions.

Sleep
I remember when I was young my parents would leave our home in the evening, so my siblings and I would sleep most of the way. My parents would take turns sleeping and driving.  It helps to bring a small blanket and travel pillow for each child if you hope for them to sleep during the trip.

Totally Random Stuff

Today is a miscellany type day. I've included a couple interesting sites I've found over the past couple days. Totally random stuff. Enjoy!

Chip It by Sherwin-Williams

I think this is a really neat site. You upload a photo and it will tell you what colors of paint you would need to match the photo. The photo above is one I took of my daughter's room and the colors that the site said would match. This site makes a nice tool for any home improvement or craft project.

World's Biggest Lego Set
My little guy still loves his Legos and when we saw this online I had to share. It's huge! With the announcement that they will be making more Star Wars movies I guess Lego went all out and made a life size (or bigger) model.  Have fun visiting the link and searching through all their Lego Star Wars creations.

Roof Top Storage that Doubles as a Boat
This looked really cool and handy if you are a prepper. It's a roof-top storage container that doubles as a dingy. It's really pricey at $1500 or so, but helpful if you live in flood prone areas. Just a neat idea. Great invention.

So those were my random picks for today. Have a great day and see you tomorrow!

Fun with Flat Stanley

My niece in first grade is doing a project based on the book, Flat Stanley. Luckily, she choose to send us Flat Stanley to visit for a week or so.

In case you aren't familiar here's the brief description. Flat Stanley is a character in a book who gets squished flat and now gets to have all sorts of adventures because he can be mailed.

So like I said he came to visit us. He got to hang out with my youngest while she was doing crafts.

He also got to met our kitten, Gizmo. I don't think he had such a fun time with him. He got a couple bite marks on his little hand. He'll be okay though. The kitten liked to cuddle with him during one of his many naps.

Flat Stanley even got to go with us to our area's Family Fun Day at a local park. He did lots of crafts, rode ponies, saw farm animals and even got to see a state police helicopter close up. Maybe a little too close.

If you want to do this fun project with your kids. Visit FlatStanley.com for free printables under their Resources link.

* I was not compensated in any way for this blog post or for referring you to the link contained in the post.

Summer Vacation Planner - Part 2

In the last post I included the basics of how I start to plan out my kids' summer vacation. This post will go into more detail about what I actually put on the planner.

"I'm Bored!" How often have you heard that? I've heard my fair share, so each summer I try to plan some activities to keep their summer fun.

I also try to make sure they don't forget everything they just spent 9 months learning in school and I want them to stay physically active too.

Basically I try to plan out my kids' day just like the teachers do. I want to include Reading, Phys. Ed, Math, Science, Music and some social time too. However, I don't want my kids to feel like they are back in school, so I sneak all these subjects in their daily activities.

Here are some ways to incorporate learning into everyday life.

Reading
I'm a firm believer and lover of reading. I find kids enjoy reading when they like the story. You just need to find a book your child is interested in. Ex. trains, fairies, wizards, dogs, robots, Legos, Star Wars, etc.

Phys. Ed.
This one is easy. Running around a playground, jumping on a trampoline, swimming, playing catch are all great ways to exercise.

Math
A simple trip to the store is an easy lesson in math. Figuring tax and calculating change. Another way to sneak in a math lesson is cooking which involves measuring ingredients. There are also lots and lots of worksheets and games online.

Science
My kids love science and find any science project to be fun. There are tons of experiments on the sites listed below.

National Geographic.com
Scholastic.com
ScienceKids.co.nz

Music
This is easy too. Have the radio playing in the background. Try listening to a variety of music. Let the kids make their own music and record it (most phones have record notes features).

I also schedule regular play dates (get togethers) with their friends. The get togethers aren't fancy - just kids getting together and playing with their toys or video games, swimming, or playing outside.

Let me be clear. When I say I plan out stuff to do each day. I don't schedule/plan out every minute of the day.  I like to let my kids be kids and use their imagination.

My kids play a lot throughout the day. I usually do a project or something fun with them either right after breakfast or after lunch. A variety of music is on throughout the day while I'm working around the house and math is sprinkled in too. I do spend 15-20 minutes each day helping my youngest with her math, and at bedtime my kids are allowed to read before falling asleep.

I normally plan a trip to the library, a playground or some other outing once a week. Just to get out of the house. I find this helps cut down on the bickering and Mom like to be around other adults too. :)

So that is how I keep my kids busy over summer vacation. Feel free to share your family's summer plans.

Summer Vacation Planner - Part 1

My kiddos only have a couple weeks of school before they are released for summer vacation. Then I will have them for 10 weeks straight. All day - Every day!

Just like most kids they get bored easily, so I need to plan out some activities to keep their summer fun.

I start off printing out a calendar. I always use these adorable calendars created by HelloCuteness.com.    I think they are adorable and the kids like them too, but you can use any blank calendar.

First I add any appointments to the calendars to avoid scheduling conflicts. Then I add in any trips that have already been planned.

It's time to fill in the rest. Now you need to figure out what you want your kids to do all summer. Visit a day camp? Go to the local swimming pool or beach? Hang out with their friends? Trips to the library?

One thing we try to do each year is go to the movies. Each movie company holds their own summer promotion. The one near me offers their Cinemark's Summer Movie Clubhouse. It only costs $1 per kid per movie and is offered twice a week at 10 a.m. Some places such as Muvico, offer free movies to kids. Be sure to check your local movie theaters for summer deals.

Also check places like roller rinks, bowling alleys, amusement parks for deals. Many place will offer free or discounted items for children who received "A"s on their report card. It really can't hurt to ask if the company has any specials going on for the summer.

My kids love to read so that is added on our calendar. They read a book every week or two.  Their schools usually encourage reading over the summer with a contest. The kids who read over the summer and turn in a reading log get a ice cream party or small prize when they return in the fall. Here is a reading log we've used in the past from CountryClipart.com if the school doesn't provide one. Plus here's one I made.

If you need help thinking of some ideas to add to your calendar here is an article that helped me this year. It's 100 Summer Fun Ideas for Kids and Parents from About.com.

This summer will be different for us because we've always been able to visit parks, playgrounds, family, friends and of course the library. Now we need to find activities that can be done at home. It's a bit trickier with older kids who get bored easily.

I'm hopeful that it will all work out wonderfully. Feel free to share how you plan your children's summer vacation.

Freebies on Friday - May 17, 2013

This week I've included two ebooks that I thought would be beneficial. It seems so many kids lately have peanut allergies and there aren't a lot of cookbooks specifically for those people. I've also included a book about activities for kids - something I will be talking about in up coming blog posts.



The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book: Great Dairy-, Egg-, and Nut-Free Treats for the Whole Family


Quirk Books Entertains Your Kids

It's getting a little harder to find quality free samples, but I'm determined to keep looking. Here are 3 I found this week.

U by Kotex Sample
Glad Force Flex Trash with Febreeze Sample for Sam's Club Members
Judy B. Jones Book

Have a wonderful weekend and see you on Monday! Enjoy!

* Please note the ebook links are affiliate links but at the time of this publication all the books were listed as free on Amazon.com. All the remaining links are not-affiliate links and I am not compensated for sending people to any of them.

Teacher Appreciation Day or End of Year Gift

If you have kids in elementary school than you've probably heard of Teacher Appreciation Day. My question is why celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day with a gift in May only to give another gift to thank them at the end of the school year?

Now don't get me wrong I really like my kids' teachers. Actually they've had some of the coolest ones ever, seriously! I truly appreciate all their hard work, but I seem to be buying gifts for them around every turn. If I said yes to every request I'd spend a fortune.

I've worked with teachers for a couple years and have been friends with a fair number over the years.  Many I've spoken with would love nothing more than a sincere thank you note from a parent every once in a while. They'd also really like the parent to volunteer and help out in the classroom every once in a while. See what the teacher experiences day in day out - then you will really appreciate them.

I'm sure most parents want to help your child's teacher improve their classroom, but can't always donate time or money. One teacher, who taught all three of my kids, put up a poster board with sticky notes for all to see during conference time. The poster board was full of sticky notes with anything she wants or needs for her classroom. That way if any parent wants to donate or help out at any time during the school year, they knew what she wants or needs. Everything from stickers, popsicle sticks, dry erase markers, even a camera for the classroom. Much of it was stuff many of us have laying around the house being unused.

The question though is why give a gift for both? Some parents/schools go overboard, in my opinion, asking parents to donate toward a teacher gift a couple times a year. While I don't give in to peer pressure, I do sometimes question which holiday to follow.

Do some parents actually give a gift to their child/children's teacher 2-3 times a year (Teacher Appreciation Day, End of the Year not to mention Christmas)?!! That's becomes a bit costly especially if you have more than one kid.


So I decided this school year that I wouldn't celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and give an End of the Year Gift. I give a donation to a class gift for one and a hand written note from my child and I for the other day.

Feel free to share how you show appreciation for your child's teacher.

Freebies on Friday - May 10, 2013

TGIF! To start the weekend off on a thrifty note I'm sending out my usual Freebies on Friday post.

This week I've included 4 ebooks and 3 samples by mail. I hope you enjoy them and have a wonderful weekend.

Upcycling 101: How To Recycle Your Household Trash, Old Items, and More


110 Ideas to Keep Kids Busy Without Technology


Wake Up! You're Probably Never Going to Look Like That: How to be Happier, Healthier and Imperfectly Fit


Decluttering Your Home; The Easy Way: The Complete guide on Decluttering, Get Tips On Organizing And Bringing Order Back To Your Home



Samples
Jelly Kidz - Jelly Bean Vitamin Sample
Garnier Fructis Fall Fight Shampoo and Conditioner
Free Pepsi Next

* Please note the ebook links are affiliate links but at the time of this publication all the books were listed as free on Amazon.com. All the remaining links are not-affiliate links and I am not compensated for sending people to any of them.

8 Keys to Good Parenting

Most parents want the best for their children. In my life experiences and research I've found 8 key ingredients to good parenting.

Listen
After having 3 kids and working with hundreds more I've found most kids just want someone to listen to them.

Let them tell you about their favorite game, their adventures, dreams, or problems. Let them vent. The important thing is not to judge, just give them your undivided attention. Not while watching tv or reading or checking your phone. Drop everything and listen.

Ask Questions
After you've let your kids talk their hearts out ask them questions. Ask them "why they think something happened?", "what they really wanted to happen?", "who their favorite character is and why?"  Get them to elaborate and show you were really listening.

Say No
Learn to say "No". Kids need boundaries - nothing too strict, but just enough to keep them safe. You want them to make some mistakes on their own and you don't want to stifle their creativity.

For example, my kids have a bed time of 9 p.m. They know at that time they need to be in bed. However, if they can't fall asleep they can read quietly in bed till they become tired. It encourages my kids to read on their own and they know to respect everyone else by being quiet so they can sleep.

Say Yes
Whenever you can - say "Yes". Can a friend come over? Can I play a game on my computer? Can we go to a playground?

Even if you need to apply conditions to your answer such as "Yes we can go to the playground, but we need to wait for your father to get home.".  It's important for them to hear "yes" sometimes.


Teach/Share
Let your children help you. Teach them how to do what you are doing. If they want to help clean the dishes, show them how to do it carefully so nothing breaks.

Share some of your past with them. If your child is having trouble with math and you did as a child tell them so.  It can help just by knowing you went through the same things.

Have Adventures as a Family
Create memories as a family. Go on adventures together. It doesn't have to be expensive. A simple camping trip to your "exotic" back yard can create a bunch of fun memories.

We've made lots of memories by taking inexpensive trips to the beach and relatives out of state. They had fun playing with new friends and jumping the waves.

Disconnect
This is so important nowadays. Turn off the cell phone, iPod, Nintendo DS, and any other electronic device and just be together.

Read, watch a television show together or eat a meal. Just focus on being together with no distractions.

Get Involved
Listening to your child and asking questions could encourage you to get involved. Maybe your child needs your help that requires you to talk to his/her teacher.  It could be as simple as learning how to play the game their are interested in/obsessed with. Go to their extracurricular practices and actually get involved instead of reading a book or playing on your phone.

Know what's going on in your child's life. Listen, pay undivided attention and get involved. These are all important to good parenting.

Storing Clothes for Younger Siblings

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I have 3 kids. Two girls and a boy.

Well my oldest daughter is currently 13 and my youngest is 8. Being a frugal minded mom - I save my oldest daughter's clothes to give to my youngest when she is able to fit into them. Since there is such a different in their ages I had to find an organized way to store the clothes and a place to keep them.

Keeping them was no problem as we have an average size attic. Under the bed storage would also work.

Organizing the clothes was easy as well. I purchased a couple storage totes (blue plastic 18 gallon size). Nothing fancy, but very strong and durable.

I've been doing this since my youngest was born and have always needed about 4-6 storage totes. It takes up a bit of space, but it saves me tons of money when it comes time to buy clothes.

It's the easiest to sort the clothes by size and season. For example right now I have 5 totes (size 7/8 Winter, size 10/12 Summer, size 10/12 Winter, size 14/16 and up Summer, size 14/16 and up Winter).

I save everything that is still in good condition - no stains, rips, etc. Then when my youngest can finally wear that size she and I go through the saved clothes and she picks out what she likes and what fits.

If the clothes don't fit my daughter when she reaches the size I simply donate or sell them on eBay. Which can happen with height and weight differences varying between siblings.

In the five years between my oldest and youngest trends change, so we try to buy less trendy clothes. We get the basics and then wait to purchase a couple trendy accessories later.

In cases where you only have one child - you can still use this system. Just keep a tote or two and purchase items in larger sizes on sale, clearance or at yard sales. Or better yet ask for hand me downs from friends and relatives with the promise to pass the clothes along when you're done with them.

Kids grow fast and buying clothes can be very expensive. Use this simple system to save your family some money.

Kids, Electronics and Communication Skills

It seems kids nowadays are far more technologically advanced than their elders. Preschool aged kids are being introduced to the computer to help them learn their ABCs and 123s. Elementary school aged kids are learning how to do PowerPoint presentations instead of plain old book reports. By the time they are in middle and high school they are expected to know how to use a computer fluently.

Heck my son knows more about working our entertainment system than I do. He knows how to get a video to play from our computer onto the tv screen without reading a user manual.  It's almost second nature to kids today.

However, have you heard teen aged kids talk on the phone recently? When I was younger we stayed on the phone for hours on end. Now it seems you need to pull teeth to get them to say almost anything.  "Hi!", "Yeah", "Okay", "Whatever" and "Fine" are about all you'll hear from most teens when you ask them a question.

How many times have you seen 2 kids sitting in the same room not saying a word but they are busy texting away to each other. I suppose it's their equivalent of whispering or passing notes.

As a parent I try to limit the amount of screen time my kids have and encourage them be more social. Whether it be television, computer, hand held games, iPods, etc. these devices are considered a treat.

When my kids were younger, my family used these types of devices when we are waiting at the orthodontist, on long car rides and occasionally for educational purposes. Now that they are older, the kids use them once all their homework is done for about 30 minutes. Let's face it if it were left up to the kids they would play for hours on end.

Many kids would prefer to play video games all afternoon instead of playing outside, but encouraging them to have face-to-face time with others helps them learn to read body language and to respond to the emotions of others.

Thank goodness, the 5th grade teachers at my son's school feel the same way I do and actually makes the students do oral reports each month in front of the class. Nothing fancy - only 1-2 minutes, but it helps them get over any fear of speaking in front of others. Plus it encourages them to share a little bit about themselves with their classmates. Perfect for kids who are more reserved.

Learning to use a computer and other electronics is useful and beneficial to their education, but just like everything else, they need to be done in moderation.

Our Little Bundle of Joy

We have a new addition to our family. He arrived this weekend and boy is he a handful!

Meet Gizmo

My cousin's cat had a litter of kittens and we were able to choose one. He's just over 8 weeks old and adorable.

This little guy is a bundle of energy. Awake for 2 hours and then sleep for 20 minutes. That seems to be his routine. It is almost like having another human baby in the house.  He's up at night, sleeps during the day, and the whole house needs baby-proofing.

He's very friendly, not afraid of our dogs (mixed breed rescues) and really wants to play with my "Little Romeo" who's a 15 year old male cat. Unfortunately, it will take a little while for my older cat to warm up to a young, hyper kitten.

Gizmo has already taken to my oldest daughter (13 year old). She's more calm and patient. My youngest kid (8 year old) on the other hand is a little fearful. Gizmo darts around and has some sharp little claws.

So keep an eye out for him in future blog post photos. Not to mention funny stories. I'm sure there will be plenty.

Fun Ways to Learn Online

Today I'm sharing a couple of my family's favorite educational sites. My kiddos use these sites to help them with their schoolwork. I love that they have fun learning and it doesn't cost me a dime.

Kids today have become so technologically advanced. Even babies and toddlers are using computers. Because of this, teachers and parents are working hard to use technology to making learning fun by turning it into a game. Kids learn and have fun at the same time. Win Win!

Math-Play.com
This is an amazing site. It is organized by grades 1-8 and by type of math game. I love that this site offers games for older kids as well, not just addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It also offers fractions, equations, integers as well. There are even a couple versions of Jeopardy to play in teams.

"Free Money Game" has really helped my daughter learn how to count money. She also uses the "Time Matching Game". These are fun ways for her to practice the skills she is learning in school.


SheppardSoftware.com
What an awesome site! We especially love the Fruit Shoot Addition game. There are lots of really fun games that are appropriate for all ages, even high school and college. That makes this site even more valuable. Not many offer education games for older students. 

My oldest child uses their World Geography and US Geography games and tutorials to help with her homework. We also routinely play the US capitals game. Be sure to check out their chemistry section and science section - great for older students.

FunBrain.com
This site is geared toward elementary and middle school aged students. It is organized by grade level and is more like an arcade than the previous two sites.

FunBrain.com offers lots of games, but they also offer a couple books for kids to read online including a special version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".  My youngest really enjoys doing the Mad Libs Jr games.

These three sites are some of my family's favorites. I feel good letting my kids play video games so long as they are learning at the same time. These sites offer a wide variety of games so they have plenty to choose from and don't get bored.

* I have not received any compensation for my mentioning of these sites. These are my own personal opinions and just really enjoy the sites and hope you will to.

Family Fun Too Expensive

This past weekend my oldest daughter attended a birthday party at a local bowling alley. So instead of sitting around waiting for her to be done, my hubby, the kids and I decided to play too.

We walked up to the counter and were told it would cost $14 per person for 2 hours of bowling and shoe rental. Whoa! That's $56 for the four of us. I haven't been bowling in over a year and that seemed a bit pricey to me. Especially since one child bowled free with her friends.

We did have a really fun time for those 2 hours and I highly recommend getting out and having a variety of experiences.  However, it made me think - is this really expensive in comparison to similar activities in my area?

An evening at the movies can be just as expensive in my area with tickets costing $10.50 per person for adults (age 12 and up) and $7.50 per kid.  After taxes it costs our family of 5 just under $50.

Roller skating is also about the same in our area. It only costs $6.00 per person and skates are $4.00 to rent for a total of $10 per person. A family of 5 costs $50.

This was a rare treat for us. We do activities like this once or twice a year - making them more special and memorable for us.

Guns in School - Kids Going Crazy

Okay, I was being sarcastic with the title.  All you need to do is a quick search online to see all the  stupid reasons kids are getting suspended these days. When I say stupid I mean like burping in class or hugging a friend.

Just this month a second grader from a school in Maryland was suspended for eating his PopTart into the shape of a gun. A seven year old boy playing with his food. I honestly don't see how this is a realistic threat to anyone. Who is he really going to hurt with his PopTart?

I'm a baffled with the lack of common sense in the public school systems here in the United States. Kids are getting suspended and even arrested for doing normal kid behavior. Stupid stuff, yes, but normal.

A teenage boy suspended for burping during gym class. Really??? That is annoying and rude, but seriously why couldn't the school just give him detention? 

In Pennsylvania, a kindergartener was suspended for bringing in a bubble blower to school.   She was originally suspended for 10 days, but the later reduced the suspension to 2 days.  Are bubbles now a deadly weapon?

The zero-tolerance policies of some of our nation's school systems are ridiculous. I completely understand a zero tolerance policy concerning weapons in school, but toys are not real weapons, fingers pretending to be guns are not real weapons, and even drawings are not real weapons. These policies leave no room for common sense which seems to be missing in the many school administrators lately.

In the past, I've worked in an elementary school as a recess monitor, so I know not all kids are the same. Some are inherently bad. Even little kids can be "evil", but most are just normal kids wanting acceptance and attention.

Even hugging a friend can get your child sent to the principal's office. Really! As a recess monitor, we were told the kids aren't supposed to touch each other AT ALL. No holding hands, hugging, pats on the back. Little girls on the playground couldn't hold hands to play ring around the rosie. No playing touch football or freeze tag. It was truly sad.

Please learn what the policies are for your child's school and speak up. Be involved and most importantly - let kids be kids!