Kids 8-11
Summer camp -- parents get "kid-sick"
Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Fun & activities, In the news
A friend recently sent her 11-year-old off to camp. "I'm really going to miss him," she sniffed. I tried to be empathetic, but I was too busy daydreaming about what I'd do with seven whole days to myself. I knew that if it was me putting my kids on that bus, however, I'd be more than a little sad and worried as well.Camp organizers and leaders say that they've seen a huge increase in what they call "kid-sickness" in the last 10 years. Though kids are eagerly looking forward to the many adventures camp brings, parents feel sad and worried when their kids go away. It's another reflection of our generation of parenting, says CNN, one that is far more anxiety-ridden than the parents that came before us.
My friend recovered from her angst by day two, I think, and says she's now looking forward to her week long break every summer. More importantly, she's celebrating the fact that the experience was a success for her son. Camp, for kids who want to try it, can be a confidence-building activity that creates memories to last a lifetime.
"Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii" is an actual child's name
Kids 8-11, Divorce & custody, Weird but true
There has been much discussion here about unusual baby names. From Superman to Metallica, we've covered them all. Today, I bring you yet another one: Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii. Other than her parents, I can't believe anyone would think that a suitable name for a child. A judge in New Plymouth, New Zealand clearly disapproves. He not only ordered the name changed, he had the poor child temporarily placed under court guardianship until a suitable name could be chosen.This story is a little different from most in that this child is not a baby. She's a nine-year-old girl whose unusual name came to the attention of the court during a custody hearing. Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt was appalled and concerned for the girl. "It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap," he said.
Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii's parents might be too dense to recognize the impact a ridiculous name can have on a child, but Talula herself is not. Her attorney says that she has never told any of her friends her real name and that she instead goes by "K".
This all took place back in February, but apparently Judge Murfitt was so disturbed he went on a fact-finding mission looking for another inappropriate names in New Zealand. He discovered a Number 16 Bus Shelter, Violence and Benson and Hedges (twins).
Classroom Connection: Back to school supply dos and don'ts
Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Education, Resources
Right about now back to school supply lists are cropping up everywhere. Staples usually has brightly colored fliers available with supply lists for each grade level, and almost every office supply store advertises having just exactly what you're child will need to get the new school year started. This advertising unfortunately happens well before teachers actually send out supply lists from the classrooms, and every year kids come to school with heaps of supplies they really don't need-and often, are missing a few that they could really use.
Here's the thing. Most public schools, including the one I teach at, are not actually allowed to require parents to provide any supplies at all for their children. The thing about public education is that it's supposed to be free-including materials. But because of the advertising pressure that starts mid summer and builds with a frenzy towards those last weeks in August when schools start, parents often get pushed into buying items their kids don't really need and will likely not use-or even be allowed to use at school.
Private schools of course, are allowed to request that parents buy supplies, but it's still a frugal idea to wait until the required supply list arrives in the mail, than to forge ahead using an in store checklist. But if your kid is already itching to buy new stuff, here are some basic dos and don'ts to help you decide what's necessary and what maybe isn't't.
DOS:
A sturdy backpack. Something that your child can zip and unzip himself with enough pockets to store homework, lunch, and an extra piece of clothing (or several.) Many kids like the rolling backpacks-but they often are hard to store in the classrooms, as they're typically too big for cubbies.
#2 Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. These are unanimously teacher's favorite pencils for writing-because they don't break in the sharpener! Don't skimp on the cheaper brands-but remember, if your child attends a public school, pencils should be provided. Still, a couple extra (sharpened) pencils that stay in your child's backpack will make it convenient for her to do homework while waiting for the bus.
Big eraser. The small erasers on the back of pencils inevitably get used much faster than the pencils. The big pink erasers are the best option. Some of the jelly-like erasers with designs and patterns on them don't actually erase very well.
A sturdy folder for homework. A system at home for checking backpacks, doing and returning homework-is a great idea. Having a consistent place to store homework will make it easier for your child to remember to do it! Kids love the two-pocket folders with fun graphics on the covers. Keep in mind, many teachers will use a particular homework folder for every child in the class-so check with your child's teacher if you're not completely sure you want to make the purchase.
A small, durable pencil case. Again, your child's teacher will likely provide the class with necessary supply containers. However, it's a great thing for your child to keep in her backpack with a few sharpened pencils and a good eraser-to take advantage of long waits for the school bus, or for you to pick her up, and get some homework done.
A notebook/journal. Kids love to doodle, write, and draw-and having a special notebook gives them a constructive and fun place to do so. Again, certainly not a must-have, but if you're going to splurge on an item your kid really wants, this one should be at the top of the list.
DON'TS:
Pencil sharpeners. Unless your teacher specifically asks you to provide one, skip it. They inevitably make a huge mess-everywhere.
Multiple-subject notebooks. For the early grades these are completely unnecessary. For the older grades, wait and see exactly what your child's teacher asks you to supply. Many times little kids end up hauling these around in their backpacks for weeks-without using them for anything!
Glue sticks & tape. Again, unless your teacher specifically asks you to provide these items, don't. Unless you send them in for the whole class---which is often a boon for teachers working with tight budgets. Independent kids with glue sticks however, can make a mess and get into trouble by using them when they aren't't supposed to be.
Rulers. Elementary age kids will not need rulers for school. Every classroom should have an adequate supply. Middle school kids doing geometry might, but again, your child's teacher will be very clear if you need to make that purchase.
Stapler. See above. And oy, have you ever noticed how much young children LOVE to staple EVERYTHING?
Post-it Notes. These are tempting-especially in all the cute styles and designs that are available. But they immediately become a distraction among peers, and are generally not a good idea.
Binders. Most elementary students (K-3) won't need a binder for any reason. Older students who are learning how to keep notes, or do homework from multiple classes might, but your child's teacher will let you know if this is a must have.
Scissors. Again-all elementary classrooms should have an adequate supply.
Crayons. Ditto. Every elementary classroom will have plenty of these!
Hopefully this list will help you navigate the lively process of buying back-to-school supplies with your child. These are tips of course, from my experience. I'm curious to hear what you have found are some back-to-school supply must-haves?
Parents pinch pennies for back-to-school shopping
Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Money & work, In the news, Education
Gas prices, food prices, a lazy stock market, heck, even my dog's food increased in price significantly last month. There's no denying it, the cost of every day living is on the rise, and families are feeling it in their pocketbooks. That might not be good news to retailers, most of whom are gearing up right now for the back-to-school season. A whopping 90% of parents who completed an online survey said that they'd change their shopping habits this year, while 71% said they'd spend less, and 83% said they'd cut back on new clothes.I can almost hear the protesting teenagers now.
As a mom and a grown woman, the pragmatic me says, "Kids don't need new clothes in July (or September, for that matter). Why not wait until they weather cools down, or even until Christmas?" The teenager who still lives inside of me, though, cringes. I remember needing that "perfect" outfit for the first day of school. My own daughter is young enough to be thrilled by a new backpack and some sharp looking pencils (as well as the dozen other items her teacher will likely require), but I know my day is coming when how much we spend on school clothes will be an issue at my house.
Will your back-to-school budget be affected by the economy this year?
Best parenting advice from grandmothers
Newborns, Babies, Toddlers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens
I have always sought the advice of mothers I admire, especially grandmothers. For parents like me who are in the thick of it, the wisdom of women who can see and reflect on the big picture is an invaluable asset. With five children under the age of nine, I am very busy and thus guilty of "short-term" parenting. You know, sweating the small things, not savoring fleeting moments, and other things that happen when we fail to look at the long picture. There's nothing like a conversation with a smart grandmother to put my parenting in perspective.
Just as important as the advice on what to do have been the cautionary tales on what not to do. One grandmother I know wished that she taught her sons to clean up. Their messy habits made them lousy roommates in college and in marriage. Another grandmother friend of mine regrets getting lax about hiding presents at Christmas time. She advised me to go to extraordinary lengths to keep Santa going, because "Christmas was never the same until I had grandkids."
For this column, I talked to my favorite grandmothers, including my own mother, and asked them to give their best advice for mothers. Here's what they had to say:
Gas containers must now be child resistant
Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Health & safety, In the news
President George Bush has signed into law the Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act, which is designed to prevent kids from being burned or otherwise injured from gasoline. The Act requires portable gasoline containers to conform to child resistance safety requirements already in place for other flammable liquids. This new requirement applies to containers manufactured for sale in the United States on or after January 17, 2009."Families who purchase gasoline cans with child resistant gas caps and who keep all flammable liquids out of the sight and reach of children are improving the safety of their homes," said Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Acting Chairman Nancy Nord.
Keep your kids safe around gasoline by following this tips, courtesy of CPSC:
- Buy a gasoline container that is child resistant.
- Place a gasoline container in a well ventilated, cool area.
- Never store gasoline or other fuel inside the house, in the basement, or near a fuel-burning appliance, open flames, pilot lights, stoves, heaters, electric mowers, or any other sources of ignition.
- Never smoke near gasoline.
- Never carry gasoline in the trunk of the car. Escaping vapors can easily ignite.
- Keep gasoline, kerosene and other fuels out of the reach of children. Never permit children to play with matches or fuel.
The long, sordid tale of E.B. White's "Stuart Little"
Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Sleep
After a bedtime routine of bath, brushing teeth, and book reading, my daughters still often resist settling in under getting under the covers and settling in for the night. So we started a new routine where, once they are tucked in and quiet, we turn off all the lights and I read them a few pages from a chapter book (with my booklight). Not only does this give them incentive to get settled into bed, I figure, they're imaginations get a workout as they try to picture the story in their heads. Last week, my three-year-old pulled out Stuart Little. I wasn't sure if they were ready for it yet, but they seem mesmerized by the story so far, and it's so much fun to sink back into an old children's classic. Stuart Little has delighted children for decades, but did you know that the book got off to a rocky start? The New Yorker has an excellent piece about the relationship between E.B. White, his wife Katherine, and book reviewer Anne Carroll Moore. Moore is credited with creating the idea of a children's library and story time, and became a powerful influence in children's literature. Though she pushed White for years to finish his book, once the manuscript was finished she fought its publication. Saying "I was never so disappointed in a book in my life," and that it had been written by "a sick mind," she refused to order it for the New York Public Library, and therefore influences libraries across the nation as well.
It's a story that's nearly as interesting as the book itself. Parents with an interest in children's literature, classics, or even the history of the New York City Library will find this piece of the past engrossing.
Radar gun toting boy aims to stop speeders
Kids 8-11, Health & safety, Weird but true, Gadgets & tech
Lots of little boys dream of careers in law enforcement. In preparation, they spend hours playing cop, arresting their little friends and writing tickets. But this sort of pretend police work is just child's play for Landon Wilburn of Louisville, Kentucky. He found an effective way to actually enforce the law and has become a neighborhood hero because of it.Like a lot of subdivisions, the one where 11-year-old Landon lives has a problem with cars speeding through the streets. Residents have complained to police and Landon and his friends regularly yell at drivers to slow down. But when these efforts failed, Landon came up with a better idea. He got out his Hot Wheels toy radar gun, donned a bright orange vest, and grabbed his siren-equipped flashlight. He set himself up on the side of the street and began tracking the speed of passing cars.
Yeah, it's a toy but it actually works! The speed limit in Landon's neighborhood is 25 mph, but he clocked some cars going close to 55 mph. At least they were until they spotted what they assumed was a police officer with a radar gun aimed at them. Neighbor George Ayers says, "When I saw it happening, I got the biggest kick out of it. People were locking up their brakes when they saw him."
Fortunately, Landon may soon find his radar gun is no longer needed. After commissioning a study on speeding in the area, speed humps are being installed in the neighborhood.
Lemonade stands affected by economy too!
Kids 8-11, Money & work, Fun & activities, Playground bureau
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, or so the old saying goes. But what about when life gives you expensive lemons? Although that may seem like an oxymoron, kids are getting hit hard with the rising price of lemons just as their parents suffer the insanity of gas price gouging.
When I was a kid I used to both buy and sell lemonade for less than a quarter. And I made a little bit of money. These days though, kids are charging more for their lemonade, to the tune of anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar. A dollar for lemonade?? Yep. And these kids are making some money, too.
Just ask the kids interviewed for the New York Magazine article linked to above. Now, granted, they live in New York City, where things are more expensive in general. Some of them charge 25 cents and some of them charge a dollar. All of them are making a profit, one group up to $240! Why? Well, because people feel sorry for them in the current economy. Being cute doesn't hurt either. What about you? What is the most you would pay for a glass of lemonade? And, how much do you think it's appropriate for your kids to charge when they sell it? After all, most likely you're the one buying those lemons!
Barbie gets leather and fishnets
Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, In the news, Weird but true, Toys & games, Shopping & recalls
Barbie has always provoked strong emotions in some, but with the introduction of Bratz dolls, she seemed downright quaint. Well, she is quaint no more. With Mattel's September release of a doll based on the DC comic superhero Black Canary, Barbie is going to find herself back on the naughty girl list.Clad in black thigh-high leather boots and gloves, fishnet stockings and a motorcycle jacket, this S&M Barbie is stirring more than little girls' imaginations. A spokesman for the religious group Christian Voice finds this sexed-up plaything to be just too much. "Barbie has always been on the tarty side and this is taking it too far. A children's doll in sexually suggestive clothing is irresponsible – it's filth."
I agree that perhaps this isn't Barbie's best look and wouldn't buy it for my kid. But that won't be a problem because she doesn't want Black Canary. When I showed her this photo and asked for her opinion, she looked aghast. "She's not wearing any pants!" she exclaimed. Good girl.
Classroom Connection: Playing with numbers
Newborns, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Fun & activities, Education
Still, there are a couple weeks of summer left, and it is the perfect time to help your child review and practice number concepts that may have gotten left on the back burner for most of vacation. Strong math skills are critical for young learners to excel, and all too often the focus in the early grades is unduly put on reading.
Without a solid understanding of numbers, children in first and second grade can really struggle as new and more complex mathematical concepts are introduced. But a good foundation in math depends on a whole lot more than algorithms and repetition. While the workbooks that many kids do over the summer can build confidence, what they rarely do is build comprehension. Children need to understand the concepts behind number operations in order problem solve with flexibility.
So, while a grade-level appropriate workbook might have been a great way to practice and review some concepts at the beginning of the summer, now is the time to set it aside, and start playing with numbers.
Following are a few activities that you can integrate into your daily routine at home that will give your child practice with the most fundamental concepts in math: comparing, quantifying, counting on, counting back, etc. Mastery of these apparently simple skills is actually what allows young learners to problem solve with flexiblility and apply multiple strategies when encountering new math problems--rather than relying only on a memorized algorithm.
· While cooking dinner: take a handful of dried pasta, beans, etc and have your child count the pile. Notice how she counts. Is it by ones? Twos? Challenge her to count it in at least three different ways.
· While driving to and from anywhere: count by twos, fives, tens, and ones. Once your child has mastered counting forward (to 100) practice counting backwards. Then shake things up by starting at random numbers (i.e. "count by twos starting at 46" or for an even greater challenge ask your child to count by twos starting at an odd number like 37.)
· While eating breakfast: ask your child to estimate how many pieces of cereal might fit into a measuring cup. Talk about what it means to make an estimate (in school I tell kids it's a "good guess") and what might be a reasonable or an unreasonable estimate.
· Anytime: ask your child to compare amounts of objects. Buttons, beads, marbles, stickers, etc are all fun objects to count and compare: which has most? Which has the fewest? How do they know?
· Before dinner: tell your child you need his help finding out what the family wants for dinner. Give him two menu options and have him take a survey of what each family member prefers. Surveys are a great way for children to practice collecting and organizing data. Other survey ideas: let your child use the phone to poll relatives on their favorite color, food, sport, etc. Or take a clipboard and a pencil to the park for some informal tallying.
· If you only have 3 minutes: Ask your child a bunch of quickie questions to get them thinking about the number system. "What comes before 21?" "What comes after 56?" What is one more than 18?" etc.
· If you have 5 minutes: Grab a ball to toss in the yard. Every time you toss your child the ball ask a question relating to a number pattern (such as any number plus one, any number plus two, doubles facts, any number plus 10.) This activity is especially great for hands-on learners. If your kiddo stumbles on a particular fact, keep coming back to it until it becomes familiar.
· If you have 10 minutes, ask your child to solve a problem using pictures, numbers and words. Using multiple approaches helps children become flexible with their problems solving, and encourages them to double check and support their thinking. Problems can be as simple as: how many legs are in our family? To something more complex-such as how many fingers and toes (knees, elbows, and tongues!) are in our family all together?
Almost anytime and anyplace presents itself as an opportunity for playing with numbers, once you're in the mindset. So have fun, and give your child a head start on the school year by using numbers daily in various settings.
Summer is almost over. It happens so fast, really, though I say this from the standpoint of a teacher--and not as a parent (although I have a three year old who does his share of crawling up my legs in boredom.) I know that for most of you, the end of July starts feeling like the final stage in a marathon: you're counting the days until you can send your kids back to school and enjoy your morning cup of coffee in peace.
The rise of post-apocalyptic literature -- for kids
Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, That's entertainment
Humanity has done its best to destroy itself, but didn't succeed completely -- a few plucky individuals have survived and have banded together to rebuild society... It's not an uncommon theme; in fact post-apocalyptic tales are a whole sub-genre of science fiction, with recent films like the Terminator, Matrix, and, of course, the Mad Max series bringing them to the mainstream. These darker tales can be fun, exciting, and even enlightening.What's new about the genre, however, is the number of such stories aimed at kids. Jeanne DuPrau's "Books of Ember" series, for example, coming to the big screen soon and featuring Bill Murray, is about a group of kids who have to figure out how to survive and save their civilization. It's aimed at pre-teens. Even Pixar's Wall-E is a sort of post-apocalyptic tale, with the title character doggedly trying to clean up a world too polluted for humans to live in.
So are these darker tales appropriate fodder for kids? "We have more ways of ending the world than we had before," explains DuPrau. "These are big, hard truths that are facing kids, and they need to know these things."
"There's a direct connection between things [kids] may do and the end of the world," notes author Michael Grant, whose novel "Gone" tells the story of a world where everyone over the age of fourteen has disappeared and the kids are left to fend for themselves. "When I was a kid hiding under the desk from Russian missiles, no one ever said, 'Here, Michael, here's what we need to do to avoid that'."
In reading books like this, I always focused on the adventure of post-disaster survival, rather than the lessons to be learned from the disasters and ensuing chaos, but perhaps kids need these lessons more these days. We do have a lot hanging over our heads now -- economic collapse, war, political instability, global climate change -- so perhaps kids do need an outlet for dealing with the word as it is today.
'Cindy Brady' teaching her son about hangovers
Kids 8-11, Celeb kids, Celeb parenting, Behaving badly
They say that experience is the best teacher, but I don't think that applies in all cases. For example, Susan Olsen, better known as Cindy from the Brady Bunch, is teaching her 10-year-old son the dangers of alcohol by binge drinking and showing up for work with a vomit-inducing hangover. The 47-year-old Olsen was being interviewed on a Colorado radio show when she began showing signs of intestinal distress. Clutching her stomach and covering her mouth, the former cutie-pie suddenly bolted for the bathroom. When asked what happened, she proudly told the truth: she drank too much wine the night before and was dealing with a bad hangover. "Of course I threw up in the bathroom. It's better than throwing up on their face," she said. "I'm a very, very, very honest person. I also am a person who doesn't drink."
I agree, cookies are better tossed in the bathroom than on the table. And honesty usually is the best policy. But what about her 10-year-old son, who was with her in the studio? When asked if she was at all bothered by the fact that he witnessed this display, she she insisted she was not. "That's the way kids learn," she said.
The way that kids learn what, exactly? That mom can't hold her booze? That getting drunk the night before you have to work is perfectly acceptable as long as you are honest about it? And if she really never drinks, what prompted her son to invite listeners to come "watch her drink like a pig" at a local bar?
Is it OK to lie to your kids?
Because of an argument I recently had with my mom, an article titled "House of lies: Is fibbing to your kids ever OK?" grabbed my attention.
A few months ago, my 8 and 6 year old spent spring break in Arizona visiting their grandparents. My kids are very close with my parents and while there, the subject of peer pressure came up in a conversation they were having about school with their grandmother. My mother explained that both children and adults are susceptible to peer pressure. As an example, she said it was like "when Uncle Pat goes out to smoke on the patio and convinces your Daddy to smoke with him.".
The problem is that our kids have no idea that their Dad has ever smoked cigarettes. My mom, apparently, didn't know that.
It's true that my husband, Sean, shared a cigarette with my brother a couple years ago. However, it is the rare social occasion where Sean smokes and it is always out of the sight of the kids.
When the kids returned home, one of the first things they told us was that Grandma told them "Daddy smoked with Uncle Pat." Clearly they were shocked and wanted to sort out the story. Totally surprised by the revelation, my husband told them that grandma must have been mistaken and left it at that. The kids believed him and that was the end of the story ... sort of.
When my mom found out, she was upset because she felt that Sean's explanation undermined her credibility with the kids. She also thinks that this could have been a teachable moment: children and adults must overcome temptations to give in to peer pressure -- even Daddy. More importantly, she insists that we should not lie to the children, lest they catch Sean smoking one day.
My husband and I do not believe that we need to tell our kids everything. While it would be best if Sean never smoked at all (and he hasn't in a long time), I agree with his decision to "lie" in this instance given how rarely he smokes. In this case, I do not think it is something we need to discuss or explain to the kids. Sometimes, withholding some information, especially when they are young, is for their own good.
So, is it OK to lie to your kids? Weigh in. Both my mom and I are curious about your answers.
To learn more about Rachel, visit her website @ www.rachelcamposduffy.com
Melanie Brown is a demanding mom
Babies, Kids 8-11, Money & work, Celeb kids, Life & style, Celeb parenting
Spice Girl Melanie Brown has a working wish list that a lot of parents would envy. She says that before she will agree to take a job, her prospective employer must agree to some basic ground rules: her children must be allowed to accompany her to work and she must be allowed to finish up for the day in time to put the kids to bed.My first thought was that she is pretty lucky to be in a position to make such demands. She gets to have a career and not miss a minute with her kids. But then I thought more about it and realized that if Mel gets her way, 9-year-old Phoenix Chi and 1-year-old Angel Iris are likely spending all day, every day, on a set or wherever it is that Melanie makes her money (what does she do these days?).
While on some level, I guess I do envy her ability to have her working parent demands met, I wonder how the kids feel about it. Is she really doing what is best for her children by dragging them to work with her? Or is she being selfish in trying to have it all?
