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Brother Tiger, Brother Bear
I thought this would be an animal story. Last week, on his 59th birthday, Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy was mauled by his seven year old 600 lb. white tiger, Montecore, in front of a sellout crowd at the Mirage Hotel where the show has been playing...
Convicting Children
The conviction of 14-year-old Lionel Tate for first-degree murder and the subsequent life in prison sentence has been all but absent from the media lately. After the Florida court handed down the shocking sentence three weeks ago, it seems the media...
e-Book on Russian Women (Part 1)
Introduction It is of course wonderful to be writing this second edition of my first book. The first edition, has many clients will remember, was written when we where a much smaller organisation operating for a small pool of clients in South...
How To Reduce Banking Fees
Nobody likes to pay banking fees, but if you aren't active in trying to reduce them, you are probably paying more in fees than you need to be. One of the most important actions to take in order to reduce the banking fees is to figure out exactly...
Parents, Teach Thought-Stopping! Fix Crooked Thinking Caps
Does your child pout, blame and brood? Does he gripe, groan, and grumble? Do you worry about your child’s attitude? If so, maybe your child’s thinking cap is crooked. If it is, you can help. First, understand what’s going haywire under that cap....
Taking Great Birthday Party Pictures
Say "Happy Birthday" Capture the precious moments of your kid birthday party for all time by taking great pictures with your still camera, digital camera and your video camera. Your child gets ready to blow out the candles on their birthday cake...
The Power In A Gathering Of Women
Forget "fight or flight" as the only duo of responses in the face of stress. For women, there's a third response: "befriend". A landmark UCLA study turned five decades of stress research on its head with the revelation that a cascade of brain...
The Problem With Recording Schools
It seams that every recording magazine has a glorious picture of
some billion dollar recording studio filled with the best gear
and huge recording console. This seams to get a lot of kids
excited. Does this show what the music industry truly is...
The Quest for a Quality Nursing Home
Choosing a long-term health care or assisted living facility that is right for you and your family is a big decision and a big commitment; comparable to buying a house. Though the conclusion to move to or help your loved one transition to a Lifecare...
What is the Treatment for Bipolar Disorder?
How do we treat bipolar disorder? Specifically, how do we treat mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder? The treatment of these two clinical states is not the same. The treatment of mania is dependent upon its severity and acuity. For...
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Old-fashioned Ways to Inspire Children
Walk through any toy store and you will see walls and walls of toys that are loud -- toys that require batteries, have flashing lights, or that look like your child's favorite movie character. But, what about those of us who want to raise children with imagination and curiosity? I'll tell you what we do. We choose to fill our houses with some of the following old-fashioned items.
Books
No house can have enough books. Make sure your house has a representation of great Fiction Books and non-fiction books. A mix of the two is very important.
Most homes have a deficit of non-fiction books, so make sure your home is filled with Science, History and Art books. Children need to learn to read and appreciate non-fiction books in order to do well in research when they reach higher levels of study.
Felt Boards
Children love to tell stories with felt. You'll need a felt board to start. You can make your own board from a sheet of felt or purchase a board from one of the suppliers below.
Once you have the board, let the fun begin. I personally use both options with my children.
StoryTeller has a great line of products -- felt sets, felt books, and so much more. The quality of their products is excellent. Visit their site to get a sample and feel the thick felt yourself. Be sure to check out the dolls with the felt clothing that sticks to them!
Go to a craft or fabric store and buy sheets of felt in all colors. Then, cut out shapes in all colors and sizes. (You'll be amazed at how quickly a child will make an alien, ship, house, or person out of nothing but a few circles, rectangles, and triangles.)
Blocks and Legos
Children can play for hours building towers, bridges, cities, creatures, and more with these toys that inspire creativity, patience, and small-motor skills. When the masterpiece is finished, have your child pretend to be a giant and smash through the blocks -- or grab a few small cars and drive around the new city! Be sure to name the city and have your child tell you all about it.
Art Supplies
Give your child some crayons, scissors, junk mail, and glue. He or she will be entertained for hours if given encouragement. Please SUPERVISE
closely if you don't want your child to have a self-induced bad haircut or attach the dog to her artwork!
Puppets
Make puppets out of socks, paper bags, felt, cloth, or popsicle sticks. Make a stage and tell stories. Get out the video camera and capture your child's brilliance!
Musical Instruments
Whether your musical instruments are home-made with a comb and wax paper or store bought, making music is a wonderful way to spend the day. Teach your child that music can be made from anything, from an old oatmeal container, to scratching two pieces of sandpaper together. Go on a walk and just listen to the sounds of the world -- music is everywhere in our lives.
Dress-up Clothes
Get out old prom dresses, big hats, shirts and ties, old Halloween costumes (or buy extra pieces after Halloween for year-round fun!). Bring out a box of costumes and watch the shows with your children as the stars. Keep a camera handy to capture the fun. Also, keep an eye on the pets. Cats don't always appreciate wearing a sombrero. Trust me, I have the scars to prove it!
Doll-houses
There is nothing more fun than watching your child make up stories as the family members move around in a doll house. Plus, if it is a wooden dollhouse, there is the added benefit of decorating it with some wallpaper scraps and carpet remnants! Your dollhouse could be a family heirloom if you put enough love into it.
In the Kitchen
Kids love to play Kitchen, whether it is mixing air, or getting to play with food. Give your child a great time by giving them safe kitchen utensils to play with in the bathtub. Mixing, pouring, and scooping bubbles and water entertains my children long enough for them to look pruny. Or for a fun alternative, give them puffed rice cereal and some bowls and utensils on the kitchen floor. Just plan to vacuum afterwards as there'll be quite a wonderful mess!
About the Author
About the Author: Nicole is the wacky mom behind www.ShowMomTheMoney.com . She was recently awarded the WAHM Community MVP of the Year 2004 by WAHMTalkRadio.com. Nicole also owns www.ShowKidsTheFun.com - a fun site to inspire parents to keep the lines of communication open with their children.
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