Parenting Sites 411

Do you ever wonder where in the world your children come up with some of their words?  Words that my kids use like “pud muddles” and “dishin’washin’contergent”.  That stuff cracks me up.  Well, now there’s a book out there with all the words that you need to know.  You know, the meaning of the words you need to know not just the words.

Have you ever had your kids pull off a WISHJACK?  Do you know what that is?  It’s when a child maliciously blows out the candles on another child’s birthday cake.  Whew, talk about causing a stir.  Or maybe you need to know what a KODICK is, that’s the child who refuses to cooperate in the taking of a family photograph.  And, I have one of those in my family for sure.

What about the Invisibooboo?  I”m sure you know what that one is right?  That’s when we put those mysterious bandaids on and we never even see the place that needs it.  Or here’s a good one that applies to my family, THREEMAGEDDON which is the supposed hellfire and brimstone that would erupt should an annoyed mother reach the third digit  while counting aloud to 3 to get a non-compliant child to get his act together..
"ONE !….TWOOOOOOO !!!!…..  "

Eric Ruhalter is the author of a book with more of these funny words and definitions.  If you would like to take a look, the name of the book is The Kid Dictionary and you can find it at that link.  Go give it a whirl, see if you could add some words to it that come from your own children.

You know, I spend a lot of time talking about what I would like for my child’s teachers and administrators to know about my son.  And, I think that’s true with most parents.  And, with that fact being said, I think our teachers generally want to know about our kids and more about what goes on at home, but sometimes it simply isn’t possible for them to take it all in.

So, with that, my suggestion would be to:

1. Be brief, they don’t necessarily need all of the background as to how and why (although my son’s teacher probably just fell out of her chair laughing because I give so much detail is numbing).
2. Make sue the teacher understand who is Mamaw, who is Nanny, who is Nonny, who is Papaw, whos Grampa.  No the teacher can remember all that but she can remember it well enough to acknowledge that he/she’s heard those names before.
3. Ask questions about family health.  I know my mom has cancer and when she is sick and can’t spend time with kids, it affects them a lot. 
4. Know if there is a parent or older sibling who can help a child with an assignment before you send it home.  If the project requires a lot in adult supervision then maybe it needs to be done at school.  Kid just aren’t meant to put sticks together with glue guns and the such without adult supervision.
5. And, finally I’ll hush but if you have 20 students, 10 students or 60 students, realize that the good ones are good and have been steered in the right direction – you can just keep leading.  Some of the students will be just half-way getting around because they think no one really cares  - here’s your chance, get to the kid, his/her hobbies, his family life, and then there’s those kids are on the end where you do all of the above and you do it for 100 kids over and over and the sad think is, you still can’t get them all.

Ok, here’s the link in case you missed it yesterday, Blissfully Domestic’s Homeschool Bliss.  Go take it now, it’s 12 simple and short questions.  Then, come back and tell me what kind of parent you are let me know if you think the quiz was right on.

For me, I’d have to say the quiz was petty doggone accurate.  I grew up with a parent whose discipline mirrored this example exactly as well so it is quite odd for me to read it.  But, basically what it says,

“You are an Observer!  Observers allow children to learn from experience. 

Believing that children learn from their experiences and with a high tolerance for mistakes, you feel children do best with minimal intervention.

Ok, so I know some of you didn’t go take the quiz, so here, I’ll make it even easier on you.  You want to do this because I have something else I want to talk about on this subject in the next few days.  So,don’t get left out.

Edu-Parent Quiz provided by DreamBox Learning a kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade math game.

Some of my children’s favorite toys are actually not toys at all.  As a matter of fact, it is quite frustrating when I find them with adult “toys” in their hands wondering what in the heck they are going to do.  Yes, I have watched as one son tried to completely remove a door.  He had earlier watched his father work on the door so that it would remain open, but thankfully he didn’t have the strength to then remove the door himself. 

But, something that my husband is plain naughty about is buying my children toys that work with gears.  I say that as if it is a bad thing and  know it’s not.  But, that’s my husbands big love and always has been, “How Does This Work?” and he has passed that right on down to our children.

So, I thought now would be a good time to share with you a set of gears that make awesome gifts for children once they are old enough to keep up with small parts and obviously old enough not to put them in their mouth.  It’s truly amazing to me that some of the most favored toys for boys is something like Learning Resources - Gears! Gears! Gears! Lights and Action Building Set

Regardless of whether you can actually get to a movie theater with your children to see movies or if you do most of your film viewing at home with DVDs, chances are at one time or another you’ve wondered if the movie you’ve selected is indeed appropriate for younger viewers.  Hopefully you aren’t left wondering this AFTER you’ve already purchased movie tickets or rented the DVD and are already seated and watching the movie in question.

The good news is there are a BUNCH of great websites out there that specialize in family-centered movie reviews and give you a specialized idea of what you can expect once the movie begins.

• The Movie Mom - sponsored by Yahoo! Movies,  gives each movie and dvd a ‘grade’ based on how appropriate it is for children.  Plus she’ll tell you exactly what gave each movie the rating it has.
• The Parents Council Television Reviews - Don’t be fooled by the name, this website also reviews DVDs and films and holds each program/movie to very stringent guidelines.  You can expect no fooling around from this site.
• Parent Previews - Like Movie Mom, they give each film a “grade” and then break the movie down and grade it on sexual content, alcohol and drug inclusion, violence, and language.
• Kids in Mind - Reviews each movie and gives it a three digit number.  Each number refers to a rating from 1-10 on sex/nudity, violence/gore and profanity.  Plus they go further and site each incident where one of those three areas appears in the film so you actually know EXACTLY what to expect.
• Plugged In Online - Goes beyond just movies to review television and music as well.
• Family Style - Also reviews each film based on the “big sins” as well as displaying other critics reviews of the film but includes no in-depth review.

So the next time you want to take your family to the drive-in or check out that big blockbuster at rental store, check these sites first and see if the movie you want is REALLY the movie you want.

So does “Harry Potter” reign supreme at your house?  It’s a big household activity over here, but my eldest son doesn’t actually read the books himself (though he has been known to make off with my copy of “Order of the Phoenix” and claim that he is reading it).  When he was a baby, however, we read the books to him each night at bedtime.  As a result, my husband and I became lifelong fans of the series and are currently awaiting the release on Friday night/Saturday with bated breath.

Are you planning to take your (older) kids and go to the midnight release party in your area?  If so, you can’t go wrong with Barnes and Noble.   They do up a great party every time a book is released and this last book is no exception.  Expect activities for you and your children, prizes to be won and an opportunity to dress up as your favorite character.  The fun starts around 8pm, depending on your local store.  Check the webpage for exact details.

How about Borders?  If you have one near you, they are also planning a big bash for the big release.  At their Grand Hallows Ball, there’ll be a Potter Spelling Bee, the Great Snape Debate, and yet another costume contest.  Also, you can pick up an exclusive poster when you pick up your copy.  This party starts at 9:30 at my local store, but you may want to check the website and see if your store has a different schedule.

Lots of independent booksellers are throwing their own parties as well, so if you have a favorite smaller bookstore in your area and would like to support them and join in the fun, be sure to call them up before Friday and ask what the plan is.

Or, you could be like me and have your copy already reserved on Amazon.com for guaranteed release date delivery.  “Crowds” and “midnight” don’t really mix well in my opinion, but I could be a minority opinion in that one.  The important thing is getting that book in your hot little hands come Saturday.  And stay away from those spoilers!

Water safety is a big part of the summer. From learning to not run on wet pavement to knowing when it is not safe to even be in the water, kids who are near water have to learn the basics to keep the fun safe.

Fuller’s biggest thing to learn at the lake and at my best friend’s pool is going to be not to run on the docks. It makes sense to not run, but since his toddler feet can often betray him into flying through the air, it is even more important.

Splash Zone USA is a great site to introduce kids to pool and hot tub safety. The site has a song, an interactive area with games, and .pdf coloring book to print out (where the bulk of the safety tips and rules are located).

The Red Cross has an excellent section on water safety, that covers everything from general water safety to pools to water skiing. A repeat tip for almost every section is Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport or boating activity.

Lifespan.org offers great water safety tips as well, including the pressing one that you keep your eyes on your children at all times. I know that we empty our kid pool when we are done, and that seems to me like common sense, but it is just as easy for someone to to not do so and then let their kids play outside unsupervised.

I think one of the biggest tips I can give parents is to practice water safety yourself. If your children see you demonstrating how to do it right, then it will be easier for them to follow in your footsteps. And everyone will have more fun because you are all safe.

water safety, children water safety, teaching water safety

Well, most of the students around our geographic area are out of school or days away from screaming, “No more teachers! No more books!”

I remember those days, when I couldn’t wait to ditch the daily routine and sleep in, without much to do but watch soaps, swim, and hang out with friends. There was one summer that I remember as being very scheduled with tennis camp and photography lessons.

But I know that I didn’t just lounge around a not do anything mental in my summers. In fact I remember workbooks. Those pages of quick lessons and worksheets designed to keep my mind sharp and ready for the next year of learning.

There are lots of online resources available to parents on ways to keep your kids minds active and available to learning. While workbooks are fun, the internet offers a wide variety of worksheets, activities, and projects that make kids not even realize they might be learning something.

Over at Education World, there is a list of 25 activities designed to “fight summer boredom and build thinking skills.” The activities range from coloring, to making ice cream in a bag, rock collecting, and even planning a party.

Quite a few parents use the summer months to help their children focus in on a subject that he or she didn’t do se well in over the school year. Summer tutor programs are available in most cities today- from Sylvan to Score to The Honors Learning Center. Over on Math and Reading Help for Kids, they offer a list of articles about the subject of tutoring at home.

And of course, the greatest resource children have are their parents. As a family you could take a look at these summer fun activities and figure out a way to get everyone involved in learning, cooperating, and possibly exercising. It probably beats sitting around watching soaps all day.

summer activities for children, summer tutoring, family summer fun

Last summer our family was heading to the local mall for some errand. While there we noticed a sign on the movie theater that there was a free family film festival on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. When I got home I immediately hit the internet to find out the deal. Turns out, Regal Cinemas (the theater company at our local mall), hosts free movies in the summer.

There are usually two movies, one rated G and one rated PG, to be enjoyed.

I could offer you a list of all the free movies this summer, but someone already handled that task: Raising 4 Boys has listed several free family movies and movie deals for theaters around the country.

Have fun and eat some extra popcorn for me!

family films, free movies, kids movies

My heart is breaking over the news that a 15 month old little boy died yesterday, after being left in a car by his father. Apparently his father forgot to drop him off at day care and left him in the hot car all day.

I hope this tragedy will serve as a reminder to all parents that leaving children in cars is an awful idea. You should never, ever do it.

Kids in Cars is a website devoted to sending that message to parents. Currently they are collecting data for their database of all in instances where children left in cars or unattended around cars has resulted in tragedy- abductions, trunk entrapment, power window strangulation, and running over the child.

When I was traveling with Fuller last month, I was very tempted to leave him in the car while I ran into McDonald’s to use the bathroom. He was sleeping so soundly and I really, really had to go. But there was no way I could do it. I had to wake him up to take him inside, but I knew that leaving him in the car was not a good idea.

Kids in Cars has safety tips to prevent those situations, like using drive throughs (I love the one at our bank) and having the childcare providers bring the children to the car. But I have vowed that even if I have to wake Fuller up from his nap, I cannot leave him in the car.

Kids in Cars offers resources to purchase that give you an edge in preventing these tragedies: rear gaurds for backing up and education resources for schools and parents that include posters and brochures.

There is currently legislation in the works, the Cameron Gulbransen KIDS AND CARS Safety Act of 2007, that would require car manufacturers to include safety measures to prevent power window strangulation, monitors to check detect children behind cars, and extra breaking measures for when the car is moved out of park.

Kids and Cars is another website, with a similar goal as Kids in Cars. The personal stories on the site are heartbreaking, because they could have been prevented by the parent. The people behind Kids and Cars are supporters of this legislation and give a link to where you can sign a petition to send to your Senators and State Representatives. I signed the petition, won’t you?

P.S. This entry has been dugg. Please help spread the word about this petition and digg it too!

children in cars, Cameron Gulbransen KIDS AND CARS Safety Act of 2007, child tragedies

I’ve mentioned before that our television viewing area has two PBS stations- one for Chattanooga and one for Georgia. It is kind of like a mother’s little helper everyday. In fact, this post right now is being brought to you by the words Curious and George.

I was a big fan of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. My cousin likes to tell the story of how I always knew when Mr. Roger’s would be on, even though I couldn’t tell time. I would drop whatever I was doing to go watch Mr. Roger’s. I have fond memories of Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow. I am glad to pass this along to Fuller in his early development of learning skills.

Last week Fuller’s morning viewing schedule was interrupted by nice ladies telling the kids to get their parents so they could hear an important announcement about their station. It was the standard “Please give to PBS” pitch that comes about once a quarter.

Our PBS station, WTCI, has a Kids Klub program where you can support the station and get a bunch of kid stuff in return. For $40 we got a Curious George t-shirt and tickets to a lot of local attractions. Fuller’s name will be on TV the week of his birthday (every kids’ dream, right?), and we get to go to a special fun day at Lake Winnie this summer. The nice ladies wore me down and I called up to pledge my $40. Fuller’s t-shirt should be here in 4 to 6 weeks. Hopefully it will still fit.

Another bonus of watching so much PBS is that we heard about the Family Fun Day with the Walk Around Cookie Monster. It was held this past Saturday and I made it a point to get out of the house and take Fuller to meet the famous Cookie. It was also another small way to support our local PBS station ($3 per person to get in). And Fuller got to do one of his favorite activities- bounce in an inflatable obstacle course.

Is public television part of your family? Do you support local public television? Do you remember PBS as a kid?

PBS, Public Television, television, Cookie Monster, kid’s tv

Last night I tried to watch the Oscars. I went to bed at 11:30, because my eyes being closed were much more important than knowing who won Best Picture.

The funny thing is, ever since Damon and I became parents, we have seen less and less of the inside of a movie theater. We do have a membership to Blockbuster and it gets used frequently, but it might be days before we actually watch the rental. Even taking time to sit down and watch a movie in our own home is difficult these days.

Our son is only two, but he has been to the movies three times. Last summer we took him to Regal Cinemas Family Film Festival. There he saw Curious George and The Curse of the Wererabbit. And recently we took him to see Happy Feet.

Watching the Oscars and noting how funny it is that we haven’t been to a movie in quite some time made me wonder about how parent’s pick the movies their families get to see. I know that there are several websites out on the internet that are geared toward families and helping you with this decision.

Family Style Film Guide- they give you graphs on profanity, nudity, sex, violence, and drugs and alcohol
Parent Previews- letter grades for overall, violence, sexual content, language, and drugs and alcohol
Yahoo’s Movie Mom- Nell Minow is an author, radio personality, and movie critic. Her reviews focus on profanity, nudity, alcohol/ drugs, violence/ scariness, and diversity issues. She gives each film a letter grade and offers other films that families might enjoy that have similar themes or topics.
Kids in Mind- this site gives a rating number (1 to 10) for sex/ nudity, violence/ gore, and profanity. And then it lists the instances in the movie where they occur.

These are only four of the many websites available to us as parents. Do you have a favorite site you use to get information on films for your family?