Glow

Posts Tagged ‘parenting’

Encourage your children’s creativity by providing them with the time, resurces and the space for making art.Set aside some interruption-free quality time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because  nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” every 2 minutes.

Choose the right drawing materials too as this is very  important. Many craft materials can be improvised, think of decorated kitchen roll tubes and potatoes as stamps, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Ensure that you check safety information and always follow instructions. During any ‘art-time’ children should always be surpervised because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings: As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book as a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is ideal for containing supplies, or if space does not permit, a portable tackle box is a good option too. Untidy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials: Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their crativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!  Provide also coloring books or coloring pages which are bountiful online – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the  chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need to simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw. 

Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy coloring images of fairies and princesses  - at sites like Princess Coloring Pages  you’ll find the best printable colouring pages

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

A family focused on a common goal, works together and talks together. Family projects bring all family members closer. Whether you choose to create a garden, watch the night sky together or put together a time capsule, you will enjoy the camaraderie and conversation that develops.

Here are some great family project ideas that you might want to adopt – and who knows, some of these may well become a family tradition before too long.

SPOTTING SATELLITES

Did you know that there are over eight thousand artificial objects orbiting Earth? Over 2,500 are satellites, operative and inoperative while the remaining objects are orbital debris: parts such as nosecone shrouds, lenses, hatch covers, rocket bodies, and even objects that ‘escape’ from manned spacecraft during operations.

To spot satellites, grab a few lawn chairs and head for the garden. Depending on the evening you choose, you will see from one of many satellites passing overhead. These could range from communications satellites, to space trash. They look like bright stars, passing overhead in a straight path. Those in the know state that the first hour or so after sun down is the best time to spot them. There still has to be enough light in the sky for the satellites to reflect it – so dusk is the best time. When you spot a satellite log what you see and keep a family record.

MAKE A COLORING BOOK

Make coloring books together. Print coloring pages from the Internet and create coloring books for relatives, friends, nephews, nieces or even for yourselves to be put away for a rainy day. You could also keep a book or two aside as something for younger children to do when they visit your home.

You really can’t go wrong if you create a Disney coloring book because children of all ages love the many Disney characters from Mulan to Mickey Mouse and from Goofy to Mowgli. To get you started, at sites like Disney Coloring Pages you’ll find many Mickey Mouse coloring pages to print and collate.

Next, create a cover sheet that reads something like, ‘The Smith Family Coloring Book’ and perhaps add ‘To’ and ‘From’ if you plan to give it as a gift.

CONTAINER GARDENS

Container (terrarium) gardens are an ideal project for families living in the Gulf – indoor gardening is much more bearable than the outdoor variety at this time of year. Shopping for plants together on a cool evening and choosing a suitable container are all part of the fun. Because terrariums recycle their moisture, they need very little attention – and they actually thrive on neglect!

Any clear container can be made into a terrarium; the main requirement is that it be watertight. Choose something that is sufficiently large to accommodate the plants, and has a cover or lid to keep the moisture from escaping. Jars, aquariums and large glass or plastic bottles are some of the more common containers used. To begin your garden place a 2cm layer of small gravel (small pebbles) on the bottom of the container and top it with a good potting soil. The number of plants you place in the garden will depend on the size of the receptacle and the plants. Plants such as miniature African violets, Aeschynanthus, Podocarpus and Fittonia do very well in containers, as do very small ferns and creeping figs. Try not to over plant and leave space for the plants to grow. Water your garden lightly and stand back to admire your work.  

PRESERVE THE PAST

A time capsule can be a great family project to commemorate a special occasion. Fill it with photographs and mementos and then decide how long you would like to put it away for. For instance, is it something you’ll want to look at in 5 or 15 years time? The next step is to choose a container and a good location for said box. 

Any waterproof, airtight and preferably fireproof container will do, there are even websites that will ship custom-made time capsules to you. If your stay at your current location is temporary (if for example you are staying in a rental property) then it is understood that the time capsule is best not buried in the garden! Ask everyone in the family to contribute a few items – clippings, photographs, drawings, hand prints, letters, arts and crafts, toys or just about anything else that fits into the capsule. Mark everything you add very clearly so you or others will know where each item came from and who included it.Finally, fill the capsule, seal it, and then make sure you put it out of sight and out of mind.

PAINT!

From an arts and craft supplier purchase a large canvas and a set of acrylic paints. Divide the canvas into 4, 5 or more areas depending on the number of people in your family. Use masking tape to ‘fence off’ each area and mark each square or rectangle lightly in pencil with the name of the artist for that area, for example Mum, Dad, etc.

So that you don’t crowd each other, it’s best that just two family members paint at a time. The effect is striking if only four complementing colors are used and if each person fills their area completely with paint, using stripes, zigzags, dots or whatever pattern they like best. When the painting is complete, and this may take more than one week-end, ensure it is dry before removing the masking tape – then marvel at your modern art and hang!

FOSTER A PUPPY OR KITTEN

Our family has done this many times and we all have fond and happy memories of each little guest. Animal Welfare Charities the world over are always in need of foster homes and are happy when puppies and kittens go to families with children because to say that an animal has lived in a family environment is a great ‘selling’ point when a permanent home is sought.

TRACE YOUR FAMILY TREE

If you have little knowledge about your ancestors, a few old photographs and a consuming curiosity, make tracing your family tree a family project.

Enter your ancestor information at www.familytreesearcher.com and it will search family trees at eight online databases. This free service will create the best family tree searches based on your ancestry and also includes hints for researching your family tree further.

SLOW FOOD

Instead of heading for your favorite fast-food restaurant this week-end, stay home and prepare some slow-food together. If you really want to make it into a project you could even shop for the groceries together.

Even the youngest member of a family can help prepare a meal – a toddler can shake a salad mix together, wash potatoes and other vegetables and even help to set the table.

GAMES NIGHT

Take the phone off the hook, turn off the television, bring out a board game and what do you have? An evening of fun and laughter that brings the whole family closer together. Family game nights are a wonderful way to spend quality time and create a family tradition that you and your kids will remember and cherish for years to come.  To make it extra special, add snacks, invite guests, hold tournaments and always display the winner’s name on the fridge! 

Here are some favorite games to consider:

Ages 6-8: Sorry!, Monopoly Jr., Clue Jr., Scrabble Jr. and card games such as UNO.

Ages 8-10: All the above plus the Game of Life, Monopoly, Jenga and Frustration.

Ages 10-12: All the above plus Scrabble, Yahtzee, Cluedo and Pictionary.

Ages 13 and up: All the above plus Boggle, Atmosfear (teenagers love this DVD board game), Risk, Trivial Pursuit and card games such as Rummy.

School, work, phones, playstation games, the internet, television, friends – let’s face it – every family gets pulled in a million directions. Set aside some family time and pull yourselves together! Talk with each other, share and keep your precious family connected! 

Encourage creativity in your children by providing them with the time, resurces and the space for making art.Set aside some interruption-free quality time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because  nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” every 2 minutes.

Choose the right drawing materials too as this is very  important. Many craft materials can be improvised, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Be sure to check safety information and follow instructions. During any ‘art-time’ children should always be surpervised because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings: As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book for a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is a perfect solution for containing supplies, or if space does not allow, a portable fishing tackle or tool box is a good option too. Messy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid ink-stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials: Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of blank paper to inspire their crativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!Also provide coloring books or coloring pages – of which you’ll find plenty online. Granted – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need to simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw. 

Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy coloring images of fairies and princesses  - at sites like Princess Coloring Pages  you’ll find the best princess coloring

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

Encourage creativity in your children by providing them with the time, resources, encouragement and the space for making art. Try to set aside interruption-free time for drawing, in a mess-proof zone – so that their creativity can run wild. Make sure you cover all surfaces so that any splashes of paint or scribbles of crayon are ‘caught’ – because nothing squishes creativity more so than a parent saying “Don’t make a mess” at regular intervals.

Choosing the right drawing materials is also very important. Many craft materials can be improvised, but when drawing tools and paper are required, opt for a small selection of good quality age-appropriate products, rather than loads of inferior products. Be sure to check safety information and follow instructions. Young children should always be surpervised during ‘art time’ because many necessary materials – such as crayons – pose a choking hazard.

Surroundings:As with writing or working at a computer, good posture and a comfortable position are important for drawing. A child-size table and chair is actually preferable to an easel. If the chair is a little high, provide a phone book as a footrest. A coffee table and an inexpensive plastic chair work well. A small kitchen storage trolley is ideal for containing supplies, or if space does not permit, a portable tackle box is a good option too. Messy toddlers may need a drop-cloth and supervision to avoid stained walls, as even ‘washable’ pens very often don’t deliver on that promise!

Art Materials:Avoid cheap markers, too-hard pencils and thin paints – these types of materials are discouraging to the child and therefore  a waste of money. Provide many sheets of plain blank paper to inspire their creativity and occasionally invest in a canvas so that your child can paint something and chances are you’ll want to hang it on your wall!  Provide also coloring books or coloring pages which are bountiful online – coloring pages are not so great for creativity, however they do provide children with the  chance to practice their fine motor skills and sometimes it’s very relaxing and just what they need. They can simply color in without the ‘pressure’ of thinking about WHAT to draw.  Little boys typically enjoy coloring pictures of cars and trucks while little girls usually enjoy colouring images of princesses and fairies - sites like like Fairy Coloring Pages you’ll find many fairy print and color

When it comes to drawing and coloring, at each age/stage of your child’s life provide….

Toddlers:

• Child-safe markers and wipe-off boards
• Chalk boards and safe chalk
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Juniors:

• Sketchbook
• Student colored pencils
• Washable Markers
• Oil pastels
• Plain paper and coloring pages

Middle School:

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Graphite Pencils
• Watercolor sketch paper
• Watercolor pencils
• Marker pens, marker paper
• Plain paper and coloring pages

High School

• Sketchbook  or scrapbook
• Quality drawing papers and boards
• Graphite Pencils
• Artists’ quality colored pencils
• Illustration markers, marker paper
• Pastel paper and hard pastels if liked
• Plain paper and canvases to work on

All ages:

• Safe sharpeners, erasers, dusters, stencils and rulers
• A  folder for storing large pieces
• Storage boxes for smaller pieces
• Consider photographing or scanning pieces for a permanent record.

Summer Break Reading List!

You hear the groans from kids and parents alike as every June teachers merrily wave the students on their way to summer vacation with cries of, “Have fun! Play safe! Enjoy your vacation! Read! Read! Read! Make sure you read at least three novels before the fall.”

Why do schools do this? Research shows that kids who read during the summer break do better in school. It’s that simple. These students not only become stronger readers, but their writing and spelling skills also improve. By making a point to read a few books during the summer months, students are doing themselves a big favor. But try telling that to someone who just wants to ride, skate, swim, and play!

How can we encourage summer reading?

To get the reading off to a good start, engage your reader in the selection process. Forget your own ideas about what constitutes a “classic” and let them choose their own titles from the list, if one has been provided by the school. If your child’s school hasn’t sent them home with a summer reading list, create one by browsing online together. Look for Web sites that highlight award-winning books, like mommypicks.com. Make sure your child has takes an active role in creating the list with you. The plain truth is that if your child doesn’t like the book they won’t stick with it past the first chapter?

Next, head to the store, library, or online bookstore with two or three ideas in mind. Explain that while a cover may look cool, or they may have made a movie out of it, it helps to read the back cover blurb or the online summary to see if the story sounds interesting. Next—and for some of you this may be the biggest challenge—give them some breathing room. Let them “surf”. Stay close in case there are questions, but choosing one’s own book gives the reader ownership. That alone may be the most effective way to get the book read.

How to get the pages turning …

Once the books arrive at home, your best bet to a hassle free experience is to share the reading. Depending on age and ability parents can read the book to the child, alternate reading one page with each other, or listen to your child read aloud for a while and you finish up the chapter. Kids of all ages love to have a story read to them—some just show it more than others.

Is all this effort really worth it? Experts say that children with parents who are actively involved in their schooling do better in the classroom. By taking an interest in your child’s reading you are showing them that reading is something you truly care about, and not just something your child has to do for school.

Give the book a voice!

Still can’t keep the pages turning? Go over the story together one chapter at a time and then talk about it so you are sure they were understanding the plot. Keep in mind that asking direct questions isn’t the best method! Instead, ask your reader for clarification. Just say you didn’t get the point about something, and can they help. Their answer, as they roll their eyes, will let you know if they are “getting it.”

Another way to get students to read is to have them record themselves reading the book. It is a long process and one you are best not to get too involved in as students like to read the story, listen to themselves, laugh hilariously and then re-read the story again but this time “with feeling.” Once done your reader can play the recording for you as they show you the pictures and watch your reaction. If it is a chapter book, this process might be a long one, so surprise them by reading a chapter first and then have them record one. Neither of you may have the energy to keep recording it, but by this time you are already into chapter three and, with luck, the reader will be hooked.

Above all, make sure it’s evident that you are enjoying the reading. You never know, you may discover some new authors and hidden gems that will give your “classics” a run for their money.

Posted by Claire Fripp, book enthusiast, elementary and middle school English teacher, and mother of three.

Finding a good birthday present is sometimes very difficult. Especially for the young ones, so into technology and gadgets that you’ve never even heard of. You could go to a number of large electronic stores and try to get them something that looks interesting, at least from your point of view, but what do you do if they already have it, or worse, something better?

You could ask different salesmen and see what they suggest, but salesmen will probably just recommend the most expensive thing they have, without really explaining why it’s so expensive. Of course, you could buy that item, and be very happy with your purchase, until you give it to the young one who informs you there is something better, for only a fraction of the price.

Choosing the Sansa e260 mp3 is a sure way of showing your young one you know a thing or two about technology. Let him be impressed with your new found technological knowledge, by giving him this player, and seeing his reaction.

Don’t spend time worrying if he’s going to like his present, once you give it to him, his face will let you know. Who knows, you might even be tempted to buy one, after seeing what it can do, and listening to music is an activity that doesn’t require a certain age.

You might have tried for a long while to connect to your young one through his hobbies, and this is an excellent opportunity. Show him you’re not totally anti-technology and talk to him about gadgets, mp3 players, and other things you know he’s interested in. You might also learn some new things.

You can be certain that knowing a thing or two about these things will allow you to make good choices in the future as well, not only regarding mp3 players and presents, but for other, more expensive items.

There are some people who simply cannot live without the latest technology. They know everything about that, always must have the newest gadget, and keep them dearly at home or office. This hobby could be a useful one, but it surely is expensive. I reckon I am one of these crazy people, but I have to concentrate on just a few areas, as I don’t have unlimited financial resources.

 People who are crazy about gadgets will have no limits in spending money on their hobby. It’s useless telling them they have everything they need. Sadly, once a year it is their birthday. This can dismay everybody, can’t it?

 Long before that scary day, you have to pay them lots of visits, observe carefully, and even take photographs, so that you could find out what the perfect birthday gift might be, and not buy them something they already acquired. If you choose the easy way, you may go to the store and buy whatever has the biggest number of features, or the highest price, or, you may simply ask for some recommendation.

 I would definitely recommend the 160gb archos 605. It is everything your friend might wish, and even more. The quality of being able to connect to other devices your friend must have, such as a plasma TV, or wireless routers, comes as a bonus. The nice thing is you don’t have to explain your friend all its features, or how it works, as he surely knows everything about it, and it has been on his shopping list. You will surely make him a great, happy surprise with the portable media player.

 Now that you have got rid of the burden of looking for something for his next birthday, you can enjoy yourself, ease off, and have fun. I would suggest having your name engraved on his little gadget, so that he could remember how obliging you have been, when he gets you something for your birthday.

I love cartoons, and of course, my cute, adorable, and sweet little kids love them, too. Every evening, before going to bed, we watch the latest episodes of “The PowerPuff Girls”, or “Dexter’s Laboratory”. There is some argument on which is better, of course. I like Dexter, while they prefer Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup.

I have tried to share with them my all-time passion for Disney cartoons, but after a few attempts I had to give it up. They fancy watching Cartoon Network more than watching Sleeping Beauty, so they convinced me to watch TV with them, even if I’m still in love with my classic Disney cartoons. 

They like watching cartoons so much that they asked me to get them something so they could watch their favorite episodes while going on trips, or on brakes at school. While I was against this at first, their sad faces got to me and I promised them I’d find something good. I decided to get them an mp3 player with video capabilities, and I had a lot of options.

I have come across the sansa view 8gb , which seems just perfect. Any child could easily use it, so I bought two, one for each girl, so that they wouldn’t fight on them. I loaded them up with their favorite cartoons, wrapped them, and made a beautiful surprise to my kids. Their happy dance when they opened the boxes and saw their new players was worth seeing!

They were so excited they took their new players with them everywhere. I also showed them how to load cartoons and music on their new players. Now I’m free to watch my Disney cartoons whenever I want, and I even uploaded some “Tom and Jerry” for them to watch. They seem to like them so far!

Modern mother is mum of modern technological period. She is modern from the view point of being more technology oriented. Modern mum and networking are closely related. Internet surfing provides link to them about various data and advice to deal with every aspects of life.

The modern mother is busy enough to cope up with the critical situation of work as well as home. In order to share every responsibilities of home with her husband she is struggling to the fittest. She is trying to keep balance between house and working environment. This type of mother is more career oriented but she does not neglect her house and children. She is very much conscious and advance in bringing up her children.

Modern mother utilizes modern technology to tackle with every problem. She can solve the problems regarding health, education and career of her children through internet. Internet also helps to seek information about new born babies concerning their feeding, sleep, health advice and immunization program.

Modern Mum Forums are places where mothers can share their views to face every challenge taking place during every phase of their motherhood. This forum helps them to cope up with every problems starting from pregnancy to teenage.

Modern mother is very much interactive and independent. She is competitive too. She always tries to see her child in the first position in school and in doing that she spoils the career of her child. She always keeps high expectation on them in getting higher ranks in all subjects. As a result she hurts them and destroys their confidence.

Modern mother hardly gets time to do shopping for her family. On Line shopping makes provision for shopping at perfect choice and low price. She purchases blue ipod for her children at moderate prices. She is very much figure conscious and uses every modern beauty tips to look attractive and glamorous.

Modern mothers fight with both the situation of building career and maintaining house. They use modern technology to make her work easy and time saving.

I am a mum of two and until recently I knew very little about the Internet and what I did know concerned me. I knew that i needed to let my children use the web as its so important to their development and IT skills. So I had to find away to keep things safe and under control. Just to give you a bit of back-ground on my family I have two children Sally aged six and Sam aged fifteen. Sally has just started using the Internet and uses our family computer and Sam is a real wiz and uses his own lap top computer which connects wirelessely from his room.

So anyway back to the point, I began my quest for information about protecting my children on the Internet ironically enough on the Internet. I found a wealth of advice which now seems very obvious. The first and probably most important tip I found online was all about setting clear ground rules for Internet use such as when the computer can be used and what for. The second piece of advice was all about where you keep the computer it made it clear that the computer should be kept in full view of other people. This made a lot of sense but I could hardly take my boys lap top away at this stage. It was however the third piece of advice which was of most use to me. The site I was on recommended two bits of software PC Tattle Tale and Net Nanny. The first piece of software (PC Tattle Tale) was ideal for keeping an eye on Sam’s surfing as it records everything he does online without him knowing. The second piece of software Net Nanny was far more suitable for my youngest Sally as it actively blocks content you don’t want them to see. I bought them both and now I sleep sound at night knowing I am keeping an electronic eye on my kids and in Sam’s case he doesn’t even realize.