Students Of Success

The question of whether you need a toddler bed rail, depends largely on how active your little one is. But the question of when to use the bedrail, is a decision for Mom and Dad, and one that should not be taken until the child is at least two years old.

Some children are more precocious than others, and even with their crib mattress in the lowest position, they can be scaling the heights and heading over the rails before you know it.
Most toddler beds are not designed to use rails with. Generally, they are low enough that falling out of bed is not a serious issue. And at this age, a toddler who wants out of the bed, is going to get out, regardless of what measures you take.

A toddler benefits most from a bed rail, when they reach the size that a regular twin size bed is needed. These are the ones with more height, when you combine their box spring and mattress. That means a longer distance to fall.

Most models of toddler bed rails are made to fit between a mattress and box spring, using some variation of an L-shape. The actual height of the rail varies, and can be affected by the depth of your mattress. This is an important item to consider when looking at the size of a rail. If you are left with only a few inches of protection, a restless child can roll right over the top at night.

Another consideration, is the construction. Toddlers can be restless, and temperamental. Banging their heads on rails can cause bruises and a bigger tantrum than they were having to start with. You may wish to consider rails that are padded, for extra protection.

Before looking for a bed rail, measure the bed’s height, and the mattress depth. Then compare the features offered by each manufacturer of rails, including padding, portability, and ease of use.

Visit http://www.babyandtoddlerville.com and sign up for free weekly tips that will take the mystery and fear out of parenting your precious little one

Every day has the potential to be a good, and in some cases, a great day for you. Few of us get up in the morning thinking that we want this to be a bad day. Yet in many cases the day turns that way because of a person, an event or because we worry something in the future.

This Teaching Moment is about those small events that throw you off balance and negatively impact your day.

What stole your day? Was it a boss, an unruly child, the erratic driver on the way to work, not getting the “B” you expected on the history paper, a discourteous server at lunch, etc.

Every day there are numerous people or events that can prevent us from having a good day - if we let them. The key is not letting them “steal your day.”

In most cases we can not control these life experiences, but we can control how we react to them. Lao-Tzu, a Chinese Philosopher said: “He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.”

Question for discussion:

1. Discuss the pluses and minus of your day with your family. Be specific.

2. Discuss with your family something that almost “stole your day.” Describe the event and how you handled it.

3. Do you notice a pattern? Are there particular people or events that seem to always steal your day? Say, the drive to work, the bus to school, and the neighbor’s barking dog? etc. Discuss.

Suggestions for implementation:

1. Do your- family members have suggestions on how you could have handled a particular situation? This is a learning experience for everyone in the family. The idea is to share positive ways to keep you positive and focused on what is really important.

2. Make this a fun discussion stimulating experience for everyone.

3. Learn to accept others. They may be having a bad day for any number of reasons. Take a couple of deep breathes and say to yourself: “I’m not going to let this steal my day.”

We hope you have found this Teaching Moment helpful.

Accent On Success® an organization dedicated to giving parents and teachers the tools they need to help children succeed in school and in life. Their first book, Goal Setting for Students®, has recently won three national parenting book awards.

Please visit our website http://www.teachingmoments.com/ for additional easy-to-implement parenting. Thank You, Laura

If you are a member of a stepfamily, you know how difficult it can be to integrate all of the new members and adjust to the new boundaries and rules. The following ideas may help you make a successful transition during this challenging process.

Have patience. Establishing new families takes time. Just because you love your new partner, it is unrealistic to think that you will automatically love his or her children. It is equally unrealistic to expect that your new partner’s children will instantly love you. It can be difficult to accept that even though you wish to have a relationship with your stepchildren, they may not be ready for a relationship with you.

Expect to adjust. With proper help and guidance, children can recover from family disruption. All children experience a difficult adjustment period following a divorce or remarriage.

It takes time, patience, and perhaps some professional assistance, but most children are able to regain their emotional bearings. It is critical that the adults manage their own emotional recovery in order to help the children adjust without trauma.

If you are part of a part-time stepfamily, you may need a longer adjustment period. All relationships take time to grow and develop. When stepchildren see you less often, you have less time to get to know each other. This is why it may take a part-time stepfamily longer to move through the adjustment process.

Don’t expect your new family to be like your first family. If you expect that your stepfamily will be just like the family of your first marriage, you are setting yourself up for frustration. Your new family will have its own unique identity and will evolve in its own special way.

Expect confusion. Forming a stepfamily is a confusing time for everyone. Think about how confusing it is for a child to become part of two new families. All of the family membersparents and childrenmust learn to understand the new structure and learn to navigate the boundaries.

Allow time for grieving. Stepfamilies begin with an experience of loss, and everyone needs to grieve. The adults’ losses are not the same as those of the children, and both must be respected. Adults grieve the following losses:

• The loss of a partner

• The loss of a marriage relationship

• Lost dreams of the way they thought it would be

• They must adjust to changes that result from the divorce or death (moving to a new house, starting a new job, adjusting to changes in lifestyle, etc.)

Children grieve, too. Their losses are usually different from those of their parents:

• They may now be living with one parent instead of two.

• They may have less time with one or both parents during times of dating and remarriage.

• There may be less stability in their homes.

• They must adjust to changes that result from the divorce or death. (They may have a new place to live and go to a new school; they may have lost friends in this process.)

• They have lost the fantasy of how they wanted their family to be.

Children have an especially difficult time resolving their grief when their parents are hostile with one another, when one or both of their parents remarry, and if they have trouble accepting their new stepparents.

Acknowledge the absent parent. When one of the original parents is absent, the children need a special kind of understanding. An absent parent (who has died or who lives elsewhere and doesn’t visit) is part of a child’s past. The child must be allowed to have memories of this parent. The children who have access to both of their parents are those who adjust the best to divorce. They should be allowed to regularly speak with, visit, and write to their noncustodial parent.

Help the kids fit in. Children of stepfamilies belong to two households. It is understandable that they have questions about where they fit in. They are usually able to adjust to having two sets of rules as long as they are not asked to choose which is better.

Be clear about the rules. Ideally, both sets of parents should discuss the family rules and what will happen if rules are broken. When the adults agree on the rules, they should explain them to the children. Most successful stepfamilies have learned that the rules should be decided together in the beginning, and that the biological parent should do the explaining and disciplining. The stepparent may have more involvement after the relationships with the stepchildren have been established. All of this works best when the parents can agree to be flexible and cooperative with one another. This may be difficult immediately following a divorce or remarriage, but it is important to work toward this objective.

Educate yourselves and seek emotional support. Read books about managing stepfamilies, attend classes, and participate in stepfamily support groups. Seek the help of an experienced mental health professional to help you through the rough spots. Marriage and Family Therapists have specific skills and training for working with families and stepfamilies.

Give the kids their own space. Make physical space available for the children who don’t live with you. Children need a sense of belonging. Creating a room or section of a room for visiting children will help them feel like part of your family.

Expect them to think it’s temporary. Accept the fact that your children may expect you and their other parent to reconcile. They may fantasize that your new relationship with your partner is only temporary. This is especially true in the beginning. Find a time to sit down with the children and explain that when two people are unable to live together anymore, it doesn’t mean they love their children any less. This is especially important for the parent who has moved away, since the children will inevitably feel a sense of rejection.

Expect resentment. No matter how good a parent you are, you will never be the biological parent of your stepchildren. It is natural for a stepchild to feel some resentment for you, especially when you are setting limits for their behavior.

Show the children love. Sometimes children need love the most at a time when it is the most difficult to give it to them. While bad behavior should never be rewarded, always praise children when they are behaving well.

Garrett Coan is a professional therapist,coach and psychotherapist. His two Northern New Jersey office locations are accessible to individuals who reside in Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Rockland County, and Manhattan. He offers online and telephone coaching and counseling services for those who live at a distance. He can be accessed through http://www.creativecounselors.com or 201-303-4303.

My Dad’s Weird (Unlike Me)

Three! I was just three mouse clicks away from hacking into Bayfield High’s computer system when…

BOOM!

My bedroom rocked. What was that? Earthquake? World War Three?
A shock wave (or maybe just shock) toppled me out of my computer chair. I almost landed on Fang, my dad’s deaf ferret. Fang hissed and spat.

Then I smelt smoke.

‘Nnnnno!’ I cried. ‘Dad’s blown himself up! Again!’

I rushed to his rescue. Almost. For my earphones were still connected to my stereo, my left foot snagged in the jumble of power cables under my desk, and Fang took out my other leg with a biting crash tackle. I tumbled through my door into the hall, bringing down my chair, stereo and something that made a nasty, tinkling crash.

I looked up. A cloud of smoke rolled down the zigzag hall, shrouding a shadowy figure. Out waddled… a Frankenstein possum. ‘Ack,’ he coughed, and scratched his stitches.

More movement behind. Out lurched… my dad! Splattered with globs of fire-extinguisher foam, his eyebrows smoking, but alive.
Damn him! Why did Dad have to worry me so much? Causing worry was supposed to be my job!

Somewhat mad, I let rip a big Vietnamese rice burp. But my dad didn’t notice, not even when I kicked my guilty door shut. He just swayed and smoked in the hall like a black dog on a hot tin roof, eyes bug-wide open, beard half shaved, the hair on his head part gone, part pointing in every direction (looking for the missing crop circle perhaps). Luckily, when he gets blown up like this, my dad wouldn’t notice if I’d rented out my room to a homeless family (I hadn’t, but there’s a future money-making idea…).

I should point out that my old man normally has only a few kangaroos missing from his brain paddock, by which I mean he’s only partly a mad scientist. He’s actually a pass mark single father and a very clever inventor who’s invented clever inventions like the laser toaster (banned in every state), the wallaby wheelchair (zero sales) and chocolate flavoured toothpaste (his bestseller to date). That’s where I inherited my brains from. (Have I mentioned I’m brilliant yet?)

Yet unlike me, my dad is also somewhat weird. Especially at… normal things. For example, he works very strange and too long hours, sometimes wears his shirts backwards (like now) and, when cooking, has been known to burn water (which explains why we eat a lot of Vietnamese take-away) (which I don’t really mind) (burrrp).

If you think I’m being too critical of my dad, well, I have to be, because I’m the Organised One. It’s hard enough starting high school, topping every science test and preparing to wrestle with puberty, without worrying if my dad is going to blow himself up inventing a fart magnifier at nine in the evening. He just needs to get a faster car and a social life. (If he married Ms Trang from the Vietnamese restaurant on the corner, we could have discount take-aways every day.)

Even more embarrassing, my dad’s way too soft hearted. Every week he comes home from his long walks with yet another run-down, half-dead dog, cat, bat, galah, possum, kangaroo or homeless crazy person he’s scraped off the expressway or retrieved from under the electrical wires. Healthy animals are gross enough, let alone splattered or electrocuted ones.

So our house is too pitiful for me to invite any friends home (don’t believe any other rumour you might hear). The only good thing about Dad being such a softie is that I can almost always con my way (especially if I use goo-goo eyes or guilt him out about my lack of a mother (but that’s another story (and not really his fault (Aren’t brackets fun?))))…

VROOM!

I jolted with surprise as hall fans kicked in, blowing away the smoke.

‘Erasmus!’ My dad focused on me at last.

‘That’s my name,’ I replied, casually waving away my burp fumes. (In case you readers haven’t guessed, I’m also the hero and teller of this story (a story that is 95 % true).) ‘What went boom this time?’

‘Who boom?’ My dad flicked at his burning ear hair. ‘Oh, that boom! Well, I wanted to celebrate, so I decided to light up a cigar. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I failed to notice the build up of methane caused by the close proximity of a certain flatulent camel named Abdul.’

I began to untangle myself. ‘So camel fart gas caused your lab to blow up? Cool!’

‘There was a fire, but I put it out.’ My dad suddenly looked right at me. ‘How’d you get that black eye, Erasmus?’

‘Oh… that?’ I fingered my still-sore cheek. ‘Ah… cricket ball. Hazard of being small and hating cricket, I guess.’

‘Hmm…’ Dad raised one smouldering eyebrow.

I quickly changed the subject. ‘Um, you said you were celebrating something?’

‘Yes!’ My dad jolted back to his happy state. ‘I’ve finally finished it! The Nobel Prize will be ours!’

‘I’m happy for you, Dad,’ I yawned. ‘But I’m busy, um… e-mailing my stockbroker in Singapore.’

‘Your fiendish schemes can wait, Raz. You simply must see my latest invention!’ With a smile almost off his dial, my dad ignored my frown and picked up my roller chair, indicating I should sit. I grumbled, and sat. ‘Let’s roll!’ Dad laughed, scaring the one-eyed cat skulking outside the toilet door.

I sighed and figured I’d better play along. After all, my dad did pay my generous pocket money, and he was pushing me down the zigzag hall at speed, and I did love speed. Plus I didn’t want him to check my room too closely. Besides, he seemed so excited, even I was becoming a bit interested.

‘Eeeeh!’ My dad imitated a car braking as he pulled my chair to a skidding halt. A bandaged puppy slid by, her three legs skittering. We were outside the secret door, beyond which a solar powered escalator led to my dad’s even more secret lab in the basement. Normally, I wasn’t allowed down there (though I had snuck in before (roughly 367 times)).

‘Are you ready, Raz?’ My dad grinned. ‘Ready to see the most amazing invention in the history of inventions?’

I humoured him, and nodded. A willy wagtail with a bandaged wing plonked in my lap. ‘Stupid bird. Poop in someone else’s lap.’ I stood up. ‘Let’s go, Crazy Dad.’

‘Look out,’ he warned.

I ducked, and a ferret in a mini hang-glider cursed past my ear. Crazy Dad grinned even harder and reached out toward his secret door.

From ‘Erasmus James and the Galactic ZAPP Machine’, by DC Green, published this August by Ibis for Kids (ISBN: 1920923551).

An award-winning fiction and non-fiction writer, DC Green used to travel the world for surf magazines. He lives on the east coast of Australia with one slightly crazy daughter and three very crazy cats.

‘DC is a sharper, swarthier JK Rowling.’ - Derek Rielly, ‘Stab’ magazine.

‘DC Green is the new Roald Dahl.’ - DC Green.

Liked this chapter of ‘Erasmus James’? Check out the first four free at DC Green Yarns: http://dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com/

Book orders: http://www.bookmarkaustralia.com.au/

Dear Daughter,

I love you so much. I wish that I could always protect you from all dangers, but I know that I can’t. You are growing up and you will have to face dangers and make some decisions on your own. However, I am always here and I can always be a pretty good coach. Please talk to me anytime about any problem you may have, even if you have messed up. I have messed up a few times myself.

I was thinking about my last letter on dating. I would like to continue those thoughts. As I think about the potential dangers to avoid, drugs and alcohol are at the top of the list.

The moment you learn that a boyfriend is using any type of illegal drug, begin choosing the location for the break up. Never let the relationship continue thinking that he will give up the drugs for you. I know this sounds cruel, but it is true. People who are using drugs will look you in the eye and convincingly lie about the drug use. The drug use actually alters their personality. They will lie and do things that they wouldn’t normally do.

When you break up with someone over drug use, it’s a little different situation. As described before, choose a semi-private but public location, such as a restaurant. Take your own transportation and enough one dollar bills to pay for whatever you order, if you are meeting in a restaurant.

Get straight to the issue. If you like him, tell him so. If he has some good points, compliment him. Then tell him that you cannot continue dating him because he uses drugs. Tell him that this is something you decided long ago and that you are sticking to it. If it is true, tell him that you still consider him to be a friend, but you will not date him.

He will try to minimize the drug use. He may say that he doesn’t use drugs that often, and that it’s no big deal, everyone does it. He may say that he can quit anytime he wants to quit. He may try to make you feel guilty for treating him so badly. Don’t believe any of this. Tell him that only he can decide what he wants to do, you wish him the best and that you hope, for his sake, he does decide to give up the drugs. Get up and leave.

In about a week or so he may call to tell you that he is off all drugs and doing great. Congratulate him and tell him that you will not consider dating him until he has been drug free for at least a year. He will then try to make you feel bad for being so unreasonable. He may even try to make you feel guilty for not helping him stay off drugs by continuing the relationship. Without you he may start using drugs again. Don’t buy any of this. Tell him that it is up to him to quit the drugs, not you. You are not responsible for his behavior. By the way, if you are thinking that everyone does some drugs so there is no one left to date, you are hanging around the wrong people.

While we are on the subject, do we need to talk about drug use? I don’t think that we do, but if we do, please, please, let’s talk. You need to know that there is a lot of false information out there, most of which comes from the people who are using the drugs. They make it sound really good. It’s not. I have seen many people lose their family, friends, their productive lifestyle, and sometimes their life, because the drug became number one in their life.

Do you know what upsets me the most? Not a single one of those people set out to destroy their life. I am certain that if these people had known what destruction lay ahead, they would have never taken that first drug that seemed so harmless. In reality, the most dangerous illegal drug is the first one taken. It seems so harmless in the beginning.

In spite of the seriousness of drug use there is a simple solution; simply don’t do it. Don’t take that first drug. No matter how harmless it may seem or how good other people make it sound, don’t do it. Make that decision now, before you find yourself faced with “friends” who are encouraging you to “just try it.” Make the decision now so that you will not have to decide when under pressure. There comes a time when you have to make some decisions about yourself. Make good decisions.

By the way, what would you do if you were with a group of friends and suddenly alcohol or an illegal drug turns up? You may be thinking “Don’t take it.” That’s a good answer, but you must do more in this situation. You must leave the group immediately. If the individual with the drugs or alcohol is caught and arrested, the whole group will be arrested. It is important that you choose wisely when it comes to friends. I will have more to say about this in a future letter.

Let me also mention a few things about alcohol. Alcohol is probably the most dangerous drug available in terms of destruction to individuals and families. The reason it is so destructive is because it is legal, socially accepted and readily available.

For those who have trouble with alcohol, the onset of problems is slow and not even noticeable to the victim. Victims of both drug and alcohol dependence often have their world falling apart all around them, and they are in total denial of the problem and the consequences.

You are under age. It is illegal for you to drink alcohol. This makes my advice simple for now. Don’t do it. It’s that simple. No doubt you will find yourself at a party and there will be alcohol present. Don’t do it, leave immediately. It’s illegal and you could be arrested.

When you become an adult and are living on your own, you will have to decide what you will do about alcohol. Some people can drink socially and never have a problem with alcohol abuse or dependence. Other people begin with social drinking and the use slowly increases until it becomes abuse with the entire range of social, and eventually, physical problems. Which group are you in? I don’t know either.

I want you to know that there is a danger involved. To avoid the danger, the best thing to do is choose to not drink alcohol. This is the safest route and the one that I recommend to you.

As far as dating someone who is using alcohol, it is similar to the drug issue. You are under age. If your date brings alcohol around you, he is putting you in danger. You could be arrested. He is being irresponsible and this is your cue to plan the break up. What if he is older and is of legal age to use alcohol? It doesn’t matter. He is still endangering you. Plan the break up.

What will you do later on, when you are of legal age to drink alcohol, and your boyfriend drinks alcohol? This is not a black and white situation. If you have chosen the safe route and you do not drink alcohol, you may have decided that you will only date people who, like you, do not drink alcohol. If so, this simplifies things.

On the other hand, if you wish to continue dating the person, there may or may not be danger. As discussed earlier, some people have trouble with alcohol and some don’t. If the relationship becomes serious, discuss your concerns with him. If you have a good relationship, an in-depth discussion should not be a problem. Remember that you always have access to professional drug and alcohol counselors who can help you evaluate your situation. Be sure you are comfortable with the situation up front rather than after the marriage.

Alan Yarbrough, Ed. D. is a retired psychologist. Letters to my Daughter is a series of heart-touching letters written by a Christian psychologist to his teenage daughter. These letters deliver what most parents want to say, but rarely do. Available at www.pricelessebooks.com or www.amazon.com

The first few days home from the hospital are important for both baby and parents. As parents you will have gone through intense birth process that is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. As a new mother you will be drained - both emotionally and physically. The father can often have feelings of being overwhelmed by the huge responsibility he now faces. There probably is not much anyone can say or do to help you to fully prepare for what you are about to experience.

During your first days at home it may be wise to limit the amount of visitors that you welcome into your home because you’ll need a lot of time to recover from the birth process. Other than your immediate family and good friends you might want to ask other friends to wait a week or two before they descend on you with gifts and wanting to hold the new baby.

New mothers will want to pay attention to the way that they feel so that those “baby blues” don’t creep up and surprise you unexpectedly. It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts and sad for the first couple of weeks after giving birth. Your body is going through some major physical changes after the birth of your baby. Your hormones will be changing and you likely will be feeling a lack of sleep. It is important to remember that this is natural and to allow yourself a good amount of time to recover from this. If you find yourself feeling more and more depressed it is advised that you should discuss it with your doctor to see if you are suffering from “postpartum depression”. Symptoms of postpartum depression include:

Overwhelming feelings of sadness and depression accompanied by crying.

Having little or no energy.

Feelings of guilt and worthlessness.

Having no interest in your baby or being overly concerned and worried about your baby.

Weight gain accompanied with overeating or Weight loss accompanied by not eating.

Insomnia or oversleeping.

If you do have postpartum depression then there are a few ways that you can try to beat it:
Try and get as much rest and relaxation as possible. When the baby is asleep use this quiet time to get some rest yourself.

Be more understanding with yourself and do not put yourself under too much pressure to “get back to normal”. Ensure that your family is aware that you need help with housework and so on.

Try to limit the time that you spend just alone - keep your mind and body relatively active (for example by taking short pleasant walks).

Get professional help if the depression seems to be ongoing.

Discuss with other mothers their experiences after birth. You may find that your friends and family members also went through the same issues as you.

During the first few days at home your family will be adjusting to the additional member of your family. If you have other children at home you may be dealing with feelings of jealousy as the new baby takes centre stage. Make sure that you include your other children in the day-to-day activities that are part of the new baby’s routine. Remember that you are trying to adjust to some huge changes in your life so allow yourself the understanding and care that you would give to family and friends in your situation.

Keziah Engineer is the author of the best selling ebook “THE BABY CARE BOOK” - a resource that teaches new parents absolutely everything they need to know about their newborn babies: http://www.global-ebooks.com/babybook.htm

Have you ever sat and watch a child struggle with a blank page? Have you ever wondered why some children just seem to detest anything to do with writing? Have you seem them just give up in frustration and walk away angry and distraught? Well you are not alone. Every one possesses the capability to write stories, plays, poems or journal writings. There is something that belongs to you and nobody else - something that you can always keep a secret. There is something so special that it is priceless, and yet it costs you nothing. This is something that can never be taken away from you, but is yours to share with as many people as you choose. This is something you can keep for a lifetime and use anytime. Do you know what it is? Do you give up? This is your imagination.

Poets and artisans of ancient Greece attributed their inspiration to playful whispers from Muses. Eventually, they recognized the mystic murmurings to be their own imaginations. Einstein claimed that imagination was more important than knowledge. Knowledge was limited, he said, whereas imagination could “embrace the entire world stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

As co-author/facilitator of a literacy program in Ontario, ‘The Muse Program’ Debbie has had a unique opportunity to observe children at work and see the methods that work best. The hesitation comes for some as they sit facing a blank page. Even with a vivid imagination, without the tools to utilize it, it becomes a stumbling block for many children.

Debbie has peppered her books with practical questions easily understood by children of any background. Their answers to those leading questions will provide a strong basis for a story. There is a broad comfort zone, because she leads them through familiar territory so that they can write about what they know best.

Using techniques she has developed with her own children to stretch their imaginations and her artistic background, she is able to conjure up images in their minds that are more easily transformed into words on that intimidating blank page.

The first in the series, ‘Short Stories with Imagination’ is designed to encourage the use of imagination and to help foster a child’s self-image, opening up a whole new world to explore. Based on real-life childhood memories, these stories promote the idea that anything is possible. With a little help from our imaginations, an ordinary day can become one filled with adventure - sailing with pirates, running a race, or experiencing the thrill of a plane ride for the first time.

‘Storybuilding with Imagination’, the second in the Imagination Series, uses the proven techniques Debbie has developed and helps walk the child through the general principals of story writing. Following her lead helps the child untangle the confusing trail of mazes, and feel the pride of a job well done. ‘Storybuilding with Imagination’ is written simply, visually and interactively, so that children can follow along, regardless of reading and writing capabilities.

Kid’s Writing Place could be called an Internet learning room where children are mused and/or become the muse to others, helping to spark children’s imaginations and promote writing skills. Encouraging the use of imagination helps a child build strength and courage, thus fostering a child’s self-image. At Kid’s Writing Place, children that are intimidated by that blank page can come and get story beginning ideas, or those that are full of ideas but just can’t seem to finish the ending can get help with their ideas. Those that are well on their way to becoming the next generation of authors can have their work read and critiqued by others. This not only enhances skill improvement but promotes interaction between others.

The goals of Kid’s Writing Place are to Foster Literacy through the Imagination. This is achieved through the interaction, cooperation and brainstorming of the children working together and learning how to build on their ideas. This on-line forum was inspired by a writer’s fascination with the ability to motivate the creative process within children using their imagination. Visit www.designsbydebbie.ca/kidswritingplace and join in the fun of letting your own imagination soar and be amazed at the places that it can take you.

“The kids of today are our future”, says Designs by Debbie founder, “I believe that we are all capable of helping to improve our children’s futures, starting with their own imaginations.”

Debbie is co-author of ‘The Muse Program’ a literacy program for children. Musing children has been a life-time goal of Debbie’s, helping children reach their full potenital - http://www.designsbydebbie.ca.

For additional information contact:
Debbie Long
debbie@designsbydebbie.ca

A kids college savings plan is very important for you to do as a parent. You will want to start saving early! The sooner you start saving for college the better! You can start by saving a certain amount of money each month for your child’s education and increase the amount you save over time.

You would probably agree, that your kids college savings plan is important. Should I invest the money I have saved for my child’s education in stocks, bonds or annuity? Well, based on the amount of time you have to invest this money will determine what financial vehicle is best for you.

For instance, if your child is younger, the more risk you are able to take which may allow you to invest in stocks.

However, if you have less time to invest the money you have saved for college, a money market or certificate of deposit may be where you should consider placing those funds.

As part of my kids college savings, what is a 529 College Savings Plan? This type of plan allows you to save for your child’s college education on a tax deferred basis.

The contributions made to the plan grow until your child takes money from the plan when he or she begins college.

As your child takes money from the plan to pay tuition, you pay taxes on the contributions made to the college plan based on your child’s tax rate which is usually lower.

For my kids college savings plan, are there any tax credits available to help pay for my child’s education? Yes. The Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits. These tax credits provide a dollar for dollar reduction in the amount of federal income taxes you may owe.

The Hope Credit can be used for college expenses incurred for the first two years of college, and up to a certain amount per year.

The Lifetime Learning Credit applies to tuition costs for undergraduates and graduate students. This credit can be used for a certain amount of your child’s college expenses each year.

How can I pay for my child’s college education if I do not have enough money saved? You or your child can complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA).

The FAFSA application will determine whether or not your child, will be eligible to receive financial aid from the following programs: grants, work study, subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Your child can also apply for various scholarships for college.

Nocita Carter creates websites with tips on various subjects including personal finance tips for you
http://www.personal-finance-tips-for-you.com

It’s been raining for a week and the kids and bored and restless. How do you cure those rainy day blahs? Try some of these parent tested and kid approved ideas and your children will be hoping for another rainy day when the sun finally peaks through.

1. Share a book. Pick an action packed, funny book and take turns reading aloud. Some great choices are My Brother Louis Measures Worms by Barbara Robinson, The Great Brain by John Fitzgerald or Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parrish. For more great reads, check with your local library. Your librarian should have reading lists available.

2. Put on a play. Your children can write their own play and act it out or make paper bag puppets for additional fun. A great book for quick and easy skit ideas is The Skit Book by Margaret Read MacDonald.

3. Go on an indoor picnic. Put out a blanket and pack a basket full of goodies. For a quick but special picnic lunch, jazz up ordinary sandwiches with cookie cutters in animal shapes.

4. Hold rainy day Olympics. Make the events things that can be done in the house, such as standing on one leg or seeing who can make his bed the fastest. Give the winners chocolate coins instead of medals.
5. Learn a new craft or hobby. Check your local library for instructional videos that will tell you how to knit, crochet or paint and buy enough supplies for everyone to give it a try. If you decide to learn to knit or crochet, your children can make scarves or blankets to donate to a local shelter.

6. Hold a fancy dress party. Put together a trunk of old cocktail dresses, suits, fancy hats, and costume jewelry. Have everyone dress up and give prizes for the most creative and fancy costumes.

7. Go on safari. Make an indoor tent by draping a blanket over a table or several chairs. Serve trail mix as a snack and provide binoculars for hunting wild animals. Then pull up a cushion and read Maurice Sendek’s Where the Wild Things Are or play a video or DVD about wild baby animals.

8. Get ready for a yard sale. Work with your children to clean out the attic, garage and bedrooms. Clean and price all the items and box them up by category so that you can quickly set up your sale on the next sunny weekend.

9. Have an indoor market. Buy snacks, activities, and other inexpensive items and set up a store table for each child. Provide market baskets and spare change so they can buy from each other and make sure you stop by the shops, too. For additional fun, let them keep their profits to restock their shops for the next rainy day.

10. Make portrait cookies. Buy a sugar cookie mix, a gingerbread cookie cutter, colored icing and sprinkles. Roll out the sugar cookies and help the kids cut out their people and then let them decorate the gingerbread men to look like themselves, friends and family. For additional fun, find dog or cat cookie cutters so your children can include the family pet.

Katelyn Thomas is the editor for Cecil Child, a free online parenting magazine for Cecil County residents at http://www.cecilchild.com

Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school. Flash cards and repetitive chanting have their place, but, for my children, were pure drudgery. Frustrated by their lack of interest in practicing their math facts, I have searched for ways to make memorizing math facts more fun.

Our favorite math web site, Aplusmath is an easy to use site offering a worksheet generator, online flashcards and games including Matho, Concentration and Hidden Pictures. Matho combines both bingo and math facts in an exciting timed game. Or, match the math problem to the answer in concentration. Discover beautiful photographs by solving math problems in the hidden pictures game.

Both of my children enjoy music, so tapes and CD’s are perfect for us. Rock ‘n Learn makes fun audio programs featuring “cool music that teaches”. The math facts programs come in rap, rock and country versions to satisfy a variety of musical tastes. My son happily reviews multiplication facts to a funky rap beat.

A favorite educational “toy” is Leap Frog’s Twist & Shout. Children twist and shout their way to learning facts. It’s fun, it’s lively and the learning is done to a toe-tapping musical beat. Kids move and groove their way through four games, each with a “teach” and a “quiz” mode. Then they twist the number dial to solve the equation and hit it to select an answer. Answers are heard and seen on the LCD screen.

We have also made good use of the Hot Dots flash cards. Hot Dots flashcards can be used like regular flash cards, or add the Hot Dots Power Pen and children can drill independently with instant reinforcement! Kids simply touch the pen to a dot and it responds instantly signaling a correct or incorrect answer.

If traditional flashcards aren’t enough to inspire your kids to practice math facts, try these fun alternatives. Helping your child learn math facts now will make more advanced math so much easier. Have fun!

Caren Bugay has lots of tips and resources to enhance your child’s education. Find more great ideas at http://www.helpyourkidslearn.blogspot.com