Thankfully, he was given a specific subject (genetic diseases) for this one, so we didn’t have to figure out what to do. If you or your child have ever done one…coming up with the idea is like 75% of the “battle”!

His “disease” was Rett Syndrome. So we did a bunch of on-line research, printed out pictures of children affected and also of the DNA and chromosome breakdowns and put it all together on a giant posterboard with all of the information we came up with. (and Mel actually did do most of the “work” on this one!)

It was interesting learning about the disease, and he got an A+ on his project.

Now…we’re off to find something “original” to do the fourth quarter project on (yeah, we have a couple months….but we have to figure this one out by ourselves!)

I found some great inexpensive ebooks to help us in our dilemna!

101 Easy Science Projects
Step By Step Instructions For Lots Of Easy Science Projects For Kids In Grades K – 12.

Super Science Fair Projects
Detailed, Step-by-step Instructions On How To Do An Award Winning Science Fair Project. A Parent’s Guide.

24 Hour Science Projects
Five Complete Science Fair Project Guides
Until next time,

Amy

My children know that once they outgrow their clothes, we go through them to decide if they should be donated or thrown away. The one question I have them ask themselves is “would I want someone to give this to me?”

We’ve been doing this since Mel was about 6 and Lamont was about 4. Of course at that time I had to guide them more on what was appropriate to donate, but now they do a pretty good job themselves.

Lamont participated in a food drive at school during the holidays for the homeless. He asked me why they only do that during that time of the year. I believe his exact words were “aren’t they [the homeless] always hungry?”

Of course, you’ve heard the saying “from the mouths of babes.”

Every time we get a notice for a donation collection we begin to go through our things. Mel and Lamont look through their own rooms and find clothes and toys that are in good condition that they no longer use. I go through the rest of the house.

Anytime we are wanting to get rid of something larger such as appliances or furniture I call the charities in my community to ask if anyone wants them before I try to sell them. Of course the first thing we ask ourselves is “would I want this”. If the answer is no, it gets tossed instead.

I usually call the shelters first for women and children, then the church charities. You’d be surprised at how badly they need donations.

I think it says something about a person when they are willing to give to those less fortunate, and I also believe that positive energy flows through things like this. How good do you feel when you watch your kids open their Christmas or birthday gifts?

Imagine how good you’d feel knowing that those items you and your children don’t use anymore could mean the world to another kid that is less fortunate?

Teach your children how important it is to give now, and that will come back to them ten fold. When you feel good about something you’ve done for someone else, it shows…and it makes people want to do more and give you more as well. Maybe not material things, but those are the least important things in our lives anyway if you really look at it.

Those that are up today may not be tomorrow. Take a look at our economy, so many hardworking people are losing their jobs and homes…and for many it is due to no fault of their own.

If you are able to give, and can include your children in that, it will not only help others and make you feel good, but instill positive energy and habits for your children.

 Just a little something we should all slow down and think about sometimes.

Til next time,

Amy

Puzzles that are appropriate for a child’s age and developmental level provide a fun yet challenging learning experience. 

Puzzles for toddlers are very different from puzzles for school children. 

Here are some things to look for in puzzles for every age.

Babies and Toddlers

Babies and toddlers can learn a lot from the right kind of puzzle.

Shape stackers are a good type of puzzle for babies because the pieces are easy for small hands to grasp. 

ABC and Number Wooden Puzzles that have a board with pictures of the corresponding pieces allow a toddler to learn how to match objects.  The pieces fit loosely, so they’re not too hard for small hands to put together. 

Foam jigsaw-type puzzles are also good for babies and toddlers.

Hand-eye coordination is another important thing that puzzles teach.  It can be tricky for a little one to get the pieces where they belong at first, but after a few tries she will be delighted to see that she can do it.

Another benefit of toddler puzzles is that they can help teach the names of colors and shapes.  You can help by pointing out the colors or shapes of the pieces that your child is matching.  Some puzzles have pieces with letters, numbers or animals on them, and you can use those in the same way.

Preschoolers

Puzzles for preschoolers may be a little more advanced.  Jigsaw puzzles with a few large pieces are good for this age group -  Like this Search and Learn Farm Animal Puzzle.

 They are still developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, so they are probably not ready for puzzles with small pieces yet.

At this age children can benefit tremendously from working together to solve puzzles.  They might share strategies such as sorting pieces by color or searching for patterns. 

This aids in social development and communication skills as well as intellectual development.

Schoolchildren

Elementary schoolers can move on to more advanced jigsaw puzzles.  The pieces can be smaller and the designs more complex.  Many children love the Map of the World puzzle. 

Children of this age can still benefit from the teamwork lessons learned by solving puzzles together.

Once your child has become adept at putting together flat puzzles,  he or she might enjoy working on three-dimensional puzzles.  These add new challenges and make nice bedroom décor when they’re finished.  Many of them do not even require glue to stay together.

Puzzles are a fun way to learn important skills.  They also provide a great opportunity for your child to work with you or other children toward a common goal.   The educational benefits of puzzles are greater than those of many more complex and higher priced toys and they can be reinforced with each new puzzle your child completes.

Check out PuzzlesUSA.com Deal Of The Day!

Puzzles can be great FAMILY FUN!

Till next time! 

“Remember to smile, honey.”

“You are going to win!” 

“Don’t disappoint mommy.”

You may have heard these words spoken to children during sports competitions

or, more specifically, beauty pageants. 

While some may call it friendly competition -

others are asking …

“Are you pushing your child too far?”

Here are examples of how putting too much pressure on your children can do more harm than good …
“Whenever I take Melissa to her dance class, she screams and cries all the way there. I have to struggle just to get her inside the room. She goes off into a tantrum and refuses to participate.” 

“What happened, Billy, why did you drop the ball? It was an easy grounder; what’s wrong with you? From now on, you are going to practice every day after school!” 

Why are parents putting so much pressure on children?

In Melissa’s case, her mom probably wanted to be a dancer and missed her chance. 

In Billy’s case, his dad sees his son’s inability to perform as an embarrassment or an affront against him. 

Parents who push their children too far do so for their own selfish reasons. Instead of encouraging a child to excel in a sport or recreation they are particularly good at; some parents choose for them, and because the child wants to please – will succumb to the parent’s wishes. 

Certainly it may start out as friendly competition; but when a parent refuses to acknowledge the child may not have the skills or acumen to continue to participate, the line is crossed and the pushing and cajoling begins. Who decided that children must accomplish the impossible before they reach the age of maturity?  Moreover, why is the obvious damage to the child’s psychological state being overlooked?

Competition, in most cases, can be healthy.  It improves a child’s self-esteem and builds confidence. However, when parents push a child to perform that which they are neither capable nor interested; a recipe for disaster ensues. 

Children must be allowed to play and act as children.  It is vital to their emotional and psychological growth.  To relegate them to a higher standard of excellence before they are sufficiently prepared is a recipe for disaster.

 Anyway, we got the boys Guitar Hero 3 for their XBox 360 for Christmas…and who knew it would turn into a family game? It’s not quite as easy at it looks…but it’s not too difficult either.

It’s definitely great for kids of all ages (well, they’d have to be big enough to be able to hold the “guitar” and press all of the buttons) and it does promote hand-eye coordination.

You have to choose your level (easy, medium, hard or expert) then your character and their clothes and guitar style…then you pick your song. The more you play (and “pass” the songs) the more songs, characters, and outfits you unlock.

There are also songs you can “purchase” with your money you’ve earned by playing your gigs. And of course it wouldn’t be a true rocker experience without trashed hotel charges and stolen wall art.

In Guiar Hero III you have a choice to play against another player, or with the other player, and even in a “team” co-op career mode. The first two versions are one player only.

My only complaint about this game, is that there are songs on the store demo’s (PlayStation 2) that are not available on the Xbox version. I guess we’ll have to get it for Play Station as well, huh?

Overall, I definitely think this game was worth the money. All four of us play together and laugh and have fun…and there is no violence!

Until next time,

Amy

 I am trying to figure out a better system to motivate my boys to do the things they really do need to be doing and a reward/consequence system that really works.

I know we all have different opinions…how many chores or what responsibilities are too much for children? Or not enough? And how should they be rewarded? And how much?

Right now, Mel (my 12 year old) is responsible for taking out the garbage. Taking it out of the house and putting the cans on the street on trash days.

Lamont (my 10 year old) is to clear the table and unload the dishwasher once the dishes are clean.

They are both responsible for cleaning their bedrooms, their game room, picking up their dirty clothes (and making sure they end up in the laundry room) and they each have one day per week that they are SUPPOSED to clean their bathroom and the downstairs bathroom.

(I buy the Clorox cleaning wipes so it really shouldn’t be a hard thing to do….just wipe down the sink, toilet and tub with the wipes!)

                                  
When they were younger Using an “I can do it chart” (shown above)  worked a lot better. It still somewhat works for Lamont, but Mel being a preteen is a whole other story …

I’d like to motivate them with money…kind of like a wage and kind of like an allowance. The idea behind this is to teach them money, shopping, and savings skills. The problem is…I still find t-shirts and socks behind my couch and in the bathroom and on the stairs…

Oh, and I have mentioned how thier bathroom looks? I have to go in there at least every other week and basically clean it myself (the whole time lecturing them on how this is THEIR job, not mine) … but it doesn’t seem to be working for me!

Ok, so why don’t you share what has or hasn’t worked or what you are trying now? What chores are your child(ren) responsible for (and their ages)? Do you reward them for doing their chores? What is the consequence for NOT doing them? If so, how much, if not why not? Either way,  please share your view(s) on the subject!

Until next time,

Amy

My boys have no interest in this toy, but they are video game loving boys that are 10 and 12…so I really didn’t think they would.

 However, I am purchasing one for my friend’s daughter who is 6. Christina fell in love with Squawkers McCaw as soon as she saw the first commercial.

For younger children it is a great toy because they can teach it to say different words…and believe it or not many kids learn a lot more when they feel they can “teach” someone or something else.

Even though this is not an educational toy, you can use it to help teach your smaller child responsibilities about pets or how to be a positive influence. After all, what you say is what your child will say, is what Squawkers McCaw will say.

Get your FurReal Friends Squawkers McCaw Animatronic Parrot today.

As far as teaching the child responsibilities for pets, I would definitely recommend any robotic or toy pet that the child can interact with before purchasing a pet for that child.

My thoughts on this are that children often grow bored with something after a short period of time (my kids grew tired of our dogs when they weren’t puppies and our cats when they weren’t kitties anymore).

You can use the toy parrot as a standard for the child to some degree…teach them how they have to love the pet, feed it, spend time with it, clean up after it (ok, this can be hard with a toy, but be creative!) and most of all make sure they understand what a huge responsibility it is. You can’t just get rid of it when you grow tired of it!

Since we are briefly discussing pets, I thought I should also encourage you to spay and neuter your pets! If you don’t have one or are looking into getting one, please check with your local shelters first.

Until next time,

Amy

If you haven’t visited Back to Basic Toys …

You are missing out on a true treasure!

When I was a little girl … and heck even when Amy and Brian were small toys were made to promote a childs developmental skills and to encourage their creativity.

Yep, I said CREATIVITY.

So do yourself and your child a favor … This Christmas Have some GOOD OLD FASHIONED FUN ….. when they receive classic toys as gifts … This is just a SMALL sample of the Fantastic Toys they offer ….

Rock ‘N Bounce Pony	Hand Crafted Tree House
Jumbo Tinker Toys	Radio Flyer All-Terrain Wagon
Pedal Fire Truck	Electric Scooter

You’ll find toys for kids of ALL AGES

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What was so special about Robosapien….and was “he” worth it???

 As far as why he was special…he came with his very own cup that he could pick up and hold and carry around. GREAT!!! But, what for?

He can dance…in a robot sort of way. He does have reflexes and can walk and bend. And of course he has a remote control. (which is kind of cool)

Mel and Lamont played with Robosapien for all of twenty minutes before they grew bored of him and moved on to other toys.

Since then, I’ve seen them take Robosapien off of the shelf and dust him off to show him to friends twice. So we spent $100 on this toy that got used for less than an hour total.

Worth it? I’d say not, but of course the boys wouldn’t let me donate him…because…”we DO play with him mom!!!” Yeah, okay.

Since then, the same company has made other versions including mini versions of Robosapien. (they’ve begged for others but we decided one is enough, especially since he doesn’t get played with!)

Maybe my boys didn’t utilize his full potential, but they got bored. They can make him dance and it does amuse them for a few minutes, but it wasn’t as exciting as they thought he’d be.

Don’t get me wrong, Robosapien is a unique toy and can be very cool but my boys never really got into him.

This year they’ve came out with the Remote Control Robosapien V2 Media.   I think my boys would have had more fun with him.

He has a Head-mounted camera that takes photographs.There is a full-color integrated LCD screen with built-in speakers on his armor. It plays movies, and videos. You can also play video games on screen.

Watch out for my next post about FurReal Friends Squawkers McCaw Parrot and please feel free to add your comments or questions. We want to hear from YOU! Until next time, Amy

He would play with them constantly. He never ran out of unique things to build.

He would build houses and building and cities – as well as people and cars and anything else you can think of.

Even though I never thought about it when he was small, he was actually preparing himself for his future….

Brian always loved shapes, putting stuff together, and math. When he was small he used to say he wanted to be an architect. And you know what? He went into drafting. I don’t think he wants to be an actual architect anymore, but he has drawn some awesome homes and buildings. He makes good money and loves his job!

So let your child DREAM BIG DREAMS. Let your Childs imagination soar. With Legos your child can build and create. And through their play they may actually be shaping their future life. Visit the LEGO Holiday Gift Shop!

You have so many Lego sets to choose from. Choose a set from one of your childs favorite characters such as Star Wars, Batman, SpongeBob Squarepants, Bob the Builder, Harry Potter, Thomas and Friends plus so much more ….

You never know, your child could become a builder of a spaceship, a rocket scientist or an astronaut. You can never tell what will spark a child’s imagination. Let your child find his/her creative side with a Legos set today.

You’ll find Legos for people of ALL ages.  More than 400,000,000 children and adults will play with LEGO bricks this year.

FREE SHIPPING on LEGO orders of $99 or more placed before 30-Nov-07. Use Code FSA99 at checkout. Valid in US only, exclusions apply.

Till Next time!