Help Your Kids Ace Their Exams

Mid year exams are quickly approaching and I was searching for a way to help my daughter ace her very first exams.

Here are some sure fire ways to great on tests or exams that your children could benefit from also.

1. Use a Rhyme or Song
Make it fun and it's more likely to be remembered. Anyone remember "School House Rock"? Look at this video to learn the quadratic formula set to Pop Goes the Weasel.

2. Youtube.com
Search for videos on key topics you are studying.  Sometimes just hearing a difficult subject explained by someone else will help give you the Ah-ha moment.

3. Flashcards
Use index cards or an app on your smart phone.  Chegg Flashcards, Quizlet and StudyBlue are all good applications for your phone or tablet that will help you study from any location.

4. Breaks
Get up and leave your study area. Eat a healthy snack, get a drink (caffeine?!?), go for a walk, or just veg out in front of the television a few minutes. Stretch your legs or do a little yoga. Just give your brain and body a break.

5. Classical or Ambient Music
Some people benefit from having background noise. Soft music can help students feel less anxious about the task at hand.

6. Take Your Time
Plan ahead and don't cram all your studying into one night. Review for a short time each day will work much better.

7. A Good Night's Sleep & Healthy Breakfast
That is really important to get a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast with some protein. Some whole wheat toast peanut or almond butter and a piece of fruit will help you feel full but won't upset a queasy stomach.

Locks of Love

This morning my oldest decided it was time she got her hair cut. It was getting a bit long and hard to manage.

We made our way to the mall which was really crowded on Christmas Eve. We went into Cartoon Cuts which is really a kid's hair salon, but they offer Locks of Love.

Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hair pieces for children under 21 who have long term medical hair loss. Get more information about Locks of Love here.

She ended up donating 10" of hair and this is the second time she's done it. We are very proud of her and am glad she found her own way to help others.

By the way, she is still getting used to having such sort hair.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Teaching Kids to Be Thankful

This is November and Thanksgiving isn't too far off. It's a perfect time to start teaching kids about being thankful (if you haven't already).

Well I have a little one that just seems to have a hard time being thankful.

It's not that unusual for kids to be self centered when they are little. Kids commonly want to be first in line, want the newest toy even though they have loads of toys at home, and basically want everything their way.

That doesn't mean they will always be that way. Sometimes we, as parents, need to show them all the wonderful things they already have in life. Then from there they can start helping others feels so blessed.

Grateful Journal
One thing my family does is keep a grateful journal.

Nothing fancy or complicated.

We purchased pocket sized weekly calendars for each of us at the dollar store and write one sentence or phrase a day.

There are only two rules we follow. Everyone must write something everyday and you can't write the same thing more than once a month.

I've found it really helps us to focus on the good things that happen in our lives. Obviously some days are easier than others, but there is always something to be thankful for. 


Grateful Jar
Another thing we do is have a grateful jar. This is fun and easy too.

Whenever something memorable happens we write it on a slip of paper and stick it in a jar labeled 2013.

Then at the end of the year, usually on New Years Eve, we read through all the slips of paper. Reminiscing about all the fun we had the past year.

Modeling
My family also tries to teach how to be thankful by showing we are thankful. That means saying it to a stranger who holds open a door, a family member who helps with the dishes or a child for picking up their toys.

How to you teach your children to give thanks?

Rubber Band Bracelets

These rubber band bracelets are all the rage among kids lately. Today I bought some of the bands at my local craft store and my kids have gone crazy and made a bunch already.

First things first. These are pretty tiny and should be kept away from little ones and animals.

These are really easy to make. Basically you are just interlocking the little rubber bands together.  They can be made in any color combination. We did our favorite football team (Raven's), their school colors, camouflage, rainbow, even holiday colors.

I have to say this is a really fun and easy craft for elementary school aged kids and older. Another nice thing to note is that it's not expensive. All the supplies to make a bunch of bracelets only cost $5. Plus they don't take a lot of room or require any tools.

You can find these rubber band bracelet supplies at your local craft store or on Amazon.

Update:
I just found this amazing link to A.C. Moore.com that has 2 dozen different patterns to create a variety of different rubber band bracelets.  These are also called stretch band bracelets or Rainbow Loom bracelets. So have fun and share some of your creations.

Fun iPhone Apps for Moms with Kids

As a mom of three, my kids ask to play on my phone quite a bit. Whether we are in a restaurant waiting for our food or in the doctors office waiting to be called back, kids get bored.

Here are a couple really fun, kid-friendly games that moms can enjoy, too.

Mini Pets

My little wanna be vet loves playing this game. She enjoys caring for all the different animals.

Hay Day
My big girl had always wanted to play on Farmville on my Facebook account (way back when), but she found Hay Day and has enjoyed it ever since. It can even be downloaded onto the iPod Touch.

Addictive Voices
This one is kinda fun. You record a message and then press any of the faces to hear your message in a funny voice. My kids really the little duck and chick.

Doodoo Pad - Drawing Pad for Kids
A really neat drawing app that all my kids enjoy. My oldest draws cupcakes with mustaches, my boy draws little stick figure ninjas and my youngest draws pretty much anything.

Most, if not all, of these are fr*ee apps available on Apple's iTunes store.  Please share any family/kid friendly apps that your family enjoys.


* These are NOT affiliate links and I am  not compensated in any way for recommending these apps.  My kids and I just enjoy using these apps.

Meet the Teacher Event

Today was my younger daughter's "Meet the Teacher" event at school. It's a 2 hour period where families can come and see where their child's class is located. Most importantly they can meet the teacher. They can also bring in their school supplies, so they don't have to haul everything on the bus.

I wish every elementary school would do this. It allows kids to get familiar with their classroom and not feel so nervous the first day of school. Plus they get to see which of their friends will be in their class with them.

One trick I learned last year was when I visited my child's classroom is to look for their daily schedule. I just used my iPhone camera  to take a photo - quick and easy. Now I know when she goes to lunch, specials, etc. in case I need to schedule a doctor or dentist appointment during the school.

Another trick I've learned is to take a photo of her in front of her locker, so she can remember her locker number on the first day of school.

If you have any tips or tricks to share for the first week of school feel free to leave a message. Thanks!

Back from Vacation

The past week my family and I were on vacation in Avon, NC with my hubby's family. This is the first time I've ever been to the Outer Banks. It is sure was beautiful.

We visited the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It's a very pretty lighthouse. You are able to climb to the top and look around for $8 per person. We decided to stay on the ground, because there was a hour wait to climb it. There was also a really interesting museum that was fr#ee to the public.

We got some fishing in. My daughter caught a fish and my son caught a fish and a crab.  My hubby even helped a man get a baby shark off his hook. He technically wrestled a shark. LOL

We went fishing from the Avon Fishing Pier and let me say we won't be doing that again. The pier isn't exactly the sturdiest pier I've ever been on. It swayed pretty bad with the wind and it looked and felt like a kid built it.  It's really wavy.


As we were driving down Rt. 13 past Hatteras we saw this awesome looking space ship. I had to get a photo of it, because it was so big and even had photos of aliens in some of the windows. Too funny!

On our way home we had to stop by Digger's Dungeon - Home of Grave Digger. We are Monster Jam fans and this was really great! Hubby and little girl even rode a monster truck over a school bus. She really got a kick out of that. It only cost $5 per person to ride. We got to see a Grave Digger truck up close and they even have a diner, a shop, a small zoo (farm animals), and a playground. It was very family friendly.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend going to Avon, NC as a family unless you are die hard beach or water sports fans. That area is more quiet than family oriented. I have to say if we were to go back we would stay in Kill Devil or Nags Head. There was much more stuff to do - like mini golf, laser tag, shops, etc.

Well glad I'm glad to be home. Now I have a week to get the kids ready to start school on Monday. So much to do.  See you tomorrow.

Stuff to Do on Vacation Rainy Days

You and your family are on vacation and unfortunately it starts to rain. Whether it rains for a couple hours or couple days. Your vacation isn't ruined just because it's raining. Here are a couple activities your family can do when the rain comes down.

Galleries/Museums
Find a local art gallery and view works by local artists. There are many children's museums throughout the country as well as lots of historical museums. Just be mindful that many other people will have the same idea, so plan for crowds or get there early. 

Laser Tag
For more active folks, try an indoor laser tag facility. Kids and adults can run around hunting the other team in hopes of winning. There are usually a limited number of people that can be on a team, which works out when other places are really crowded.

Mini Golf
Most popular tourist destinations have at least one indoor mini golf place, so you can play regardless of the weather outside. This is always a good option, because family members of almost all ages can play.

Aquariums
Aquariums are always a nice option. Walk around and view all the animals at your own pace. Many will allow strollers and even have interactive displays for younger children.

Art/Craft Businesses
For a more hands-on activity try a local arts and crafts business. Some offer make and paint pottery, while others offer make your own jewelry or scrapbooking classes.

Shopping
Of course, shopping is always an option when it's raining. It's a nice time to find a souvenir to bring home. Just be warned that the stores are usually crowded on rainy days. Try smaller specialty shops or boutiques to find unique gifts as opposed to big malls or chain stores.

Fishing
If being outside in the rain doesn't bother you - you can always go fishing (you may need a license). The fish really don't care if it's raining.

There are lots of rainy day activities to choose from when you are on a family vacation.

Must Have Supplies for Back To School

With all the stores having their Back to School sales I thought I would share my must have supplies for back to school. My family has used (and still does) all these products.

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Backpack/Bookbag
Choose one that is sturdy and will fit all their notebooks, binders and supplies. Make sure you know what type of backpacks your child's school allows. Some schools do not allow bags with wheels, some require them to be clear, while other schools only allow drawstring bags.

My kids' middle school only allow drawstring bags carried around the school and the one pictured above was the sturdiest one I've found. We've tried many different ones over the years and this hasn't ripped or tore after using it daily for 6 months (so far).  Plus, it was $7 at Walmart. 

Planner
If your child's school doesn't require one, I recommend you purchase a student planner. In it your child should record all his homework as it's assigned. Each night check their planner to insure all their homework and any projects are completed.  This is also a wonderful place to leave messages for their teacher and for them to respond back.

All my kids' schools require planner similar to the ones sold here. Ours are purchased directly from the school for $5 each.

Homework Folder
This works great for elementary schoolers, but it is used in higher grades as well. Basically, you designate one folder for all homework. That way your child only has to check one place for all their homework - not individual binders/folders.

I highly recommend using a 2 pocket poly folder like the one above. They last a whole lot longer than the paper ones that rip pretty quick with daily use. They even come in a variety of colors and only cost $1 or less.

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Pencils
This one is obvious - keeping a supply of pencils on hand. I try to make sure each of my kids has at least 3 pencils in their backpack each morning. There really is no excuse to lose 3 pencils.

I also want to suggest skipping the pretty designed pencils because they usually are harder to sharpen. After working with many teachers over the year most recommend using Dixon Ticonderoga brand pencils because they are easy to sharpen and good quality. I realize they do cost a bit more, but I've found them to be worth the cost.

These are obviously the basics and there are plenty more supplies that would help your child be even more prepared for school. These are the brands/products that have worked for our family for quite a while and I know they can help your family too.

Personalized Game of Guess Who

My kids had received 2 games of Guess Who, a while back, in a kid's meal from one of their favorite restaurants. They played it once and then it was left sitting for a couple months. Normal unfortunately for kid's meal toys in my house.

I was trying to find fun activities for my kids while we are on vacation next week and wanted to surprise them with a personalized game for them to play.

We had a portable version of the game, but you could easily do this with the regular size game and it would work much better. These pictures are so tiny, but I made it work.

I made one with all our immediate family members. I also made one that has a bunch of Harry Potter characters because we are big Harry Potter fans.

I collected all the photos I wanted to use in a folder on my computer than selected the ones to print. Then I chose "Contact Sheet" or "Index" on the print settings. I will print out a bunch of thumbnail size pictures. I still needed to shrink them a bit so I printed the page out 55% instead of 100% size. You can obviously make the photos whatever size you need.

Hope this inspires some of you to create your own personalized games for your family.

Quick Science Experiment Thats Fun for Little Kids

Today the kids and I had fun with some common household stuff to make a fun weather related activity.

This is a quick, easy and inexpensive little experiment, but it demonstrates what happens when too much liquid fills up the clouds. It rains food coloring down to the bottom. Perfect for homeschooling families wanting a quick science lesson.

First you need a small clear glass, regular tap water, some shaving cream and food coloring.

Next fill the glass about 2/3 of the way full of water.

Spray shaving cream on top of the water so it looks like a cloud or mountain on top.

After putting shaving cream on top slowly drip some food coloring (darker colors work better). Watch what happens in the water.

You can continue to add more food coloring - even multiple colors.  See how it changes the colors at the bottom in the water.

Have fun playing with this experiment.

My Favorite Rainy Day Activities

It's raining off and on all day today, so I created a list of rainy day activities my kids could do because, of course, they're bored. LOL

Balloon volleyball
This one only requires a balloon (not helium) and something to be the net. We use a cushion or coffee table to be the net. I like this activity because it gets the kids up and moving.

Be a Star
Create your own movie. Lots of kids have their own iPod or DSi which allows them to record short videos, but most smart phones record videos as well.  The kids can dress up in costumes to put on a play or maybe show off their latest artwork, creations, or video game skills.

Arts and Crafts
My kids really like this Giant Rainbow Collage. We also have fun making stuff out of duct tape. Some of our faves are wallets, bags, covering notebooks, and pens/pencils. Another craft we have fun with on rainy days


Pitch a Tent
When it's been raining a couple days we like to set up a small tent in the living room and let the kids have an indoor "camp out".  They get out their sleeping bags, create a pretend campfire and eat marshmallows.

Cooking Up a Storm
When it's raining outside we bake up some cookies or a cake. Something fun and delicious. We get all messy and have a blast. Plus it makes the house smell good.

These are just a couple of my favorite rainy day activities that I do with my kids.

First Official Day of Summer

Today is my kids first official day of summer vacation and I've already experienced a complete meltdown, the "I'm Bored" complains, and the "Why can't I play on my iPod all day" questions. Really?!!

I'll admit it. This morning I let the kids sleep in (so I could sleep in, too).  I let them play their video games this morning while I got in the shower and all ready for the day.

However, I had lots to do today. Cleaning up after a weekend of messes, balance the checkbook, do the laundry, and lots of other normal household chores.  The kids wanted to sit around in their pjs all day playing video games.  Call me a mean old mom, but I don't want my kids to become couch potatoes all summer. I wanted to start the summer off right.

So for the first official day of summer vacation I had planned for them to play in the swimming pool, do one small workbook page (2-3 minutes of work tops), and maybe play some games.

They obviously had other plans.

Well after one major meltdown from my boy who didn't want to do any kind of work this summer and a temper tantrum from the cat after I cleaned his litter box. We managed to get onto my plan and with a low and behold they actually had fun. Shocker! (sarcastic)

I rounded up the family and laid down the plan so they know what to expect each day. A tiny bit of work in their workbooks (bridge from 3rd to 4th grade and 5th to 6th grade). Play in the pool or outside on the trampoline if it's nice. A craft or project of some sort and maybe a movie at night after dinner or sooner if it's rainy.

That left lots and lots of free time to play whatever they want and have some friends come over too. I'm hoping this isn't a sign of how the summer will turn out. Wish me luck!

So how is your summer going so far?

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.

4 Fun Science Experiments for Kids

Over the weekend I was searching the web for fun science activities to do with my kids when they start their summer break next week. Here are 5 of my favorites.

Source

1. Sparkly Explosion by Preschool Powol Packets. This is a really easy experiment that is fun for all ages. Using the same ingredients as a baking soda volcano, but more colorful and less time consuming (no volcano).

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2. Solar S'mores by Butter With A Side of Bread.  This is fun and delicious. They offer a easy to follow tutorial with lots of pictures - which always helps.

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3. Newspaper Chair by PBSKids.org. The challenge is to make a chair that someone could actually sit in from only newspaper and some tape. 

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4. Egg Sucked into a Bottle by Kids Science Experiments.net. This one definitely need adult supervision because it involves matches, but it's really neat.

I chose these experiments because I have kids finishing up grades 3, 5 and 7 and these appeal to all three of them. Some of the experiments may not be appropriate for younger kids. As always use your best judgment as a parent.

If you decide to try these, feel free to share your results by leaving a comment below.

Freebies on Friday - June 7, 2013

Happy Friday everyone!

This week there are 4 e-books and 4 free samples for you. After seeing so many commercials for Luminosity on TV, I'm kind of interested in reading the Brain Training e-book.  I'm also looking forward to spanning the "101 Almost Free Things to Do with Your Kids This Summer". As for the samples, I've used the Vlasic coupons at my local Wal-Mart and it worked like a charm. 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See you Monday!


e-Books

101 Almost Free Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer


The Vegetable Container Gardening Guide: How to Grow Food in a Container Garden


31 Hot Summer BBQ Recipes: Beat the Heat with These Amazing Recipes


Brain Training: How to Optimize Your Brains Effectiveness (Live Optimized)


Samples
Free Vlasic Relish w/coupon at Wal-Mart courtesy of PassionforSavings.com.
3M Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes
b-liv by cellnique free skin care sample pack of their large pores, blackheads, or treatments kits.
Krispy Kreme Donut Free donut on 6/7/13 only for National Donut Day.

* 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.

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!

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.

Easter Clothes Shopping With Kids

Ugh!!!

It's no fun going shopping for clothes when you have to bring kids with you. I had to take all 3 kids (13, 11 and 8 yrs) to the store this morning to get Easter outfits.

My two oldest kids hate shopping. My boy will wear almost anything you give him. My oldest wants nothing pink and loves bright crazy colors. My little one is a girly girl and wants shoes and accessories to match just don't touch her hair.

We went to one store (Marshall's) and found 2 dresses for them and a top for me. We were in and out in one hour. Not bad.

I don't go to Marshall's very much - maybe once a year. This time I found a long brightly colored dress for my oldest for $39.99 made by Calvin Klein originally $68.00. My youngest found a cute peach colored dress (pictured above) for $14.99 originally $24.99. Plus I found a cute top for $14.99.  All in all - not too bad.

We're more of a thrift store kind of family. I love hunting for bargains, but every once in a while I love shopping for bargains at regular stores.

I made sure my boy had his Nintendo DS to keep him busy. Believe me it was a life saver. Girls trying on clothes - need I say more.

Some other ways I keep my kids busy and quiet while I'm shopping especially trying on clothes are reading a book, or bringing a doll or small toy to play with. My only rules are: it has to be quiet, it has to be small, they have to carry it, and it can't be sold in the store we are going to. They also have to pay attention where they are walking, so they don't run into people.

Please feel free to share other ways you keep your kids quiet and occupied while you are trying to shop or run errands. I'm all ears :)

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.