Tuesday, December 4, 2012
There are countless ways to display the Elf, as he flies off store shelves this holiday season.
Over the past decade, the “Elf on the Shelf” has become a tradition in many homes. According to online research, the Elf was born in 2005 when a mother and daughter decided to write a book. After being rejected by numerous publishing houses, the pair decided to self-publish the book – first printing 300 copies. By the end of 2010, more 1.5 million copies of “Elf on the Shelf” had been sold. The basic premise is that Santa sends his "Elf scouts" to families’ homes. Once the family reads "The Elf on the Shelf” book, it is directed to give the elf doll (which comes with the book) a name and register it on a website to make "the adoption" official. From then on, the Elf lives with the family and watches the children’s behavior every Christmas …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Is it the parents’ influence and guidance, or are children genetically predestined to be particular about the foods they prefer to eat?
Maybe we’re just lucky. To date, we’ve been fortunate to not deal with picky eating with our two sons. I’m not a picky eater, so during my pregnancies I continued to eat EVERYTHING. This allowed the tastes of these foods to transfer through the amniotic fluid to my growing sons in utero. Yep! According to an NPR report, a mom’s tastes have a direct impact on the growing child’s future preferences. Fascinating! When we were at the point of venturing into the world of baby food, I was adamant about starting with vegetables – green veggies to be specific. These were likely the least tasty, so I figured it was best to start with those before the sweeter foods. I clearly remember my oldest son’s reaction when I spooned the peas into his mouth. …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
The fall is a beautiful time for exploring our surrounding area and might offer some fun surprises...like a free zoo with exotic animals in the middle of farm country!
Fall is my most favorite time of the year! When I was first able to drive, I used to explore country roads and take in the amazing fall foliage that our area has to offer. That was back when gas was $1.28/gallon. (chuckle) Pennsylvania still remains as one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen, even after my travels across the United States. As much as I dislike the humidity in this part of the country, it sure does allow us to live in a lush environment full of color and sustenance. As fall settles upon us, the roadways become works of art. Bursts of gold and red, fluorescent orange and deep purples. You have to admit it is breathtaking, especially against the backdrop of cloudy autumn skies. As a parent, I’ve enjoyed continuing my back …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Marriage requires a lot of work and a little splash of spontaneity.
Last weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. Every October, I set a certain mental expectation of what it should be like. Flowers aren’t necessary, nor are chocolates or jewelry. But year after year, I have this hope that we will do something memorable. Something spontaneous. Something different. Something special. For our five-year anniversary, my hubby tried to surprise me with an overnight escape to Philadelphia. I was told I should pack a bag, dress to “go out” and be ready to leave by 5 p.m. It was our first getaway since our son was born. Very exciting indeed! To put it mildly, the little getaway wasn’t quite as romantic as my husband had anticipated. It involved us being first on the scene at a terrible …
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Children know their day-to-day actions are being monitored at home and school. How different would things be if adults were evaluated on a similar system?
Last week I was driving behind a school bus as it delivered morning kindergarten students to their prospective bus stops. My windows were down, the sunroof was open, the sun was shining, and my heart warmed as I heard one father eagerly ask his daughter, “Did you get a gold star today?” as she jumped off the bus. She nodded her head with a beaming smile as he gave her a bear hug. Initially I thought it was so sweet, this dad genuinely inquiring about his youngster's morning at school. But then another thought occurred to me. When do we stop being graded on our daily behavior? Stars, smiley faces, and green, yellow and red circles are awarded to children every day at school based on the way they act toward one another, how respectful they …
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Popular book draws attention and some level of shame to many who read it. More importantly, what impact does it have on today’s youth?
All I can say is thank goodness for eReaders. As part of a monthly book club, it was inevitable that the ever-so-popular “Fifty Shades of Grey” was destined to be a book of selection. After all, it’s the talk of the town these days. My great-aunt has even told me she’s read it. Awkward! I had mixed feelings on this, much as I did when the Harry Potter wave hit. I had no interest in Harry or his sorcery, but felt intrigued by all the commotion. I suppose that’s how books become best sellers. People talk. People gawk. People read. Only the "Fifty" series has actually surpassed the "Harry" series and is now the world's fastest-selling paperback of all time, currently at 40 million copies, per Wikipedia. Only a few chapters into this book does…
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Ironing dress shirts and packing lunches aren’t this columnist’s favorite things, but a regular routine is looking pretty good right about now.
Many parents are singing praises and thanking the heavens that school has begun this week. “I can’t WAIT to send the kids back!” I’ve been hearing. “This was the longest, hottest summer EVER!” But, this time of year is always bittersweet for me. My husband is a teacher, so he, along with my two sons, head back to the classroom for another year of homework, tests and interesting school stories. I go back to my routine of packing snacks and lunches, checking homework and rushing around in the morning to make sure everyone has their library books and art smocks. I always look back at our summer thinking, “Where did it go?!” But seldom do I have regrets. We pack every summer as tightly as we can, kicking things off with our annual garage sale…
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Gifted or special needs seem to be the two educational extremes. What if your child falls into the “grey area?”
I have two boys. The oldest, as are many first-born, is an over-achiever and thrives on praise and task completion. The youngest … well, let’s just say he’s got the gift of gab and aspires to be a professional circus clown when he grows up. Focus isn’t his strong suit. As my oldest has progressed through his elementary school years, my husband and I have often struggled with the fact that he’s not being challenged as much as he could be in school. He’s pretty smart (in my motherly opinion), but he hasn’t been identified as ‘gifted’ even though some of his classmates are in a special group where they do fun and exciting things. We’ve never pushed for that label – “gifted.” We don’t put value on that and truly just want him to learn at a …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Recollections of teasing, vomit, groping and George Carlin are keeping this mom up at night as the new school year approaches.
I sometimes dream about the school bus tortures I witnessed and also fell victim to during my school years. If it sounds a bit dramatic, it’s because it WAS. Standing and waiting for the bus was torture enough. Share your school bus nightmares in the comments below. I can remember “Dress Up Wednesdays” when my mom insisted I wear a skirt and flats (as opposed to my typical jeans, flannel button-up and Converse high tops). I was a tomboy through and through, but she tried to make me a lady. On those days in particular, I can vividly recall the ice beneath my feet as I gingerly slid from my front door, down our long driveway, across the country road and over to our neighbor’s driveway where the bus stop awaited me. At that point, I stood …
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Most area schools offer half-day kindergarten as the norm. But is there a benefit for those who are given the exclusive option of a full-day class?
It’s official. I’m going to cry my eyes out on August 27. My youngest child will be climbing the steep stairs to the big yellow bus and heading off to kindergarten. For months, I was tormented by this decision. Should we send him now that he's five or would another year of preschool be better? Should we ask for full-day or half-day? Morning or afternoon? Decisions, decisions. What are your thoughts about the benefits of full-day vs. half-day kindergarten classes? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Back in the day, a child turned five (or close enough to it) and off they went to school. No tests to take, no evaluations - five equaled kindergarten. Now, parents often decide to hold their child back an extra year, sending them to …
Richard
10:50 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Enjoy the ImageAMMO.com Show ... Make your own ELF on the Shelf SHOW! Go to http://iaws.imageammo.com/share.php?u=32337eaa58b41892322c07839871add6&w=15fceb65c1aa8549902a2cd5f0a92baa more ›