Link for today…could you pass eighth grade science?
I did surprisingly well considering eighth grade was a L-O-N-G time ago for me. Some of the questions that I got wrong made my head hurt, so I guessed. What do you know, just like in middle school.
February 29, 2008
Handipoints in the news!
From MSNBC
At Handipoints, parents can program in their own point system alongside a virtual awards system created by the developers. A kid who makes his bed might earn two points toward a new DVD from Mom and a new virtual outfit from the game-makers. The idea is to give you organization and incentive for doing what you should do anyway.
“It’s really just a way for you to make your life easier, not a replacement for the things that you need to be in the off-line world,” says HandiLand CEO Viva Chu.
Nice to see Handipoints getting the attention it so rightfully deserves.
It is my children’s favorite online site. And it is the only site that encourages good behavior off line as well.
February 28, 2008
The Cat-a-log
Shopping for new clothes for the cat, a princess cheerleading tennis player.
February 27, 2008
Do Smoke Alarms Wake Children?
This morning on the Today show I watched a segment about smoke alarms and their efficacy in waking children. They showed a family with young elementary school aged children and set off a smoke alarm after they went to sleep for the night. The results were shocking. The parents were sure that their children would wake up and continue on with the fire escape plan that they had discussed and practiced as a family.
The children slept right through the alarm. They let the alarm go on for 20 minutes. Toward the end of that time the oldest child woke up and stumbled downstairs to see what was going on, but he did not seem to know what was going on or that he should be evacuating or perhaps waking his sibling that shared his bedroom. Two of the children woke up in their beds, pulled the covers over their heads, and promptly went back to sleep.
I can say with a fair degree of certainty that the smoke alarms would not wake up most of my children. They sleep so soundly. I know I would have to go and wake them up should the need to evacuate arise.
According to the USFA, the U.S. Fire Association:
What is imperative at the moment is for our citizens to understand the need not to rely solely on smoke alarms as the entire answer to escaping from fire. These recent news events serve to reinforce the need for home escape planning. Smoke alarms are a tool in the planning process. Parents need to clearly understand their supporting roles in the escape plan. After going over the plan with your family, you should conduct a walkthrough of the plan. When you feel comfortable with your plan, hold a fire drill at night (activate your alarm) while your children are sleeping so that you and they can determine the appropriate response to a smoke alarm.
I think this is something we will be trying at our house soon.
February 26, 2008
Handiland, Like Playland Only Virtual
My children are absolutely in love with the new features over at Handiland. When I logged them on the first time after the changes had gone into effect and they saw other cats walking around, they were so excited.
The chat feature is perfect for those beginning reader ages or those who take forever and a day to type. There is a drop down menu of preselected phrases and sentences. My 7 and 8 yr old sons were able to chat with other cats saying things like “Hello.” “You are a cool cat!” and the like.
My daughter immediately latched onto, “I like your shoes.”
They all enjoyed seeing what the other cats were wearing. One cat that was walking around swinging a golf club was particularly funny to them.
So tell me, do your kids love the new Handiland features? What is their favorite part?
February 24, 2008
The Dishwasher
Sunday morning my daughter took it upon herself to once again wash the dish that was left in the sink. It was making me laugh because she would huff under her breath about what hard work it was to scrub this dish. Totally acting the part of a tiny martyr. Except no one was making her do it. And I think it is pretty obvious that she loves washing dishes.
Even funnier was later on in the day when she said that she “always has to wash the dishes.”
Also, please ignore my half demolished kitchen in the background. And yes, that IS a harvest gold sink circa 1972. I know. I know. Try to contain your jealousy.
February 23, 2008
I Want His Secret
I read this article about the man who remembers everything; every detail of every day of his life. He remembers what occurred on every date of his life.
This skill would come in very handy for children who insist that I said something when I know for certain I did not.
February 22, 2008
She Works Hard for Her Money
This is just further proof of my long held belief that the only people who want to do particular chores are those that are not yet old enough to do them properly. It is a running joke in my house. One of my younger sons will ask, “When will I be old enough to (insert something here like use the snowblower, use the lawn mower, chop down trees with a chainsaw…)”
And the answer invariably is, “When you are old enough not to want to anymore.”
They laugh. But really it is true.
Last night my 4 year old daughter decided she wanted to wash the dishes that were in the sink. She pulled her chair over and intently scrubbed the plate and mug that were in there. In the process using up probably half the bottle of dish soap.
She scrubbed and scrubbed. Working her little fingers to the bone. I don’t think there has ever been a plate and mug so clean in the history of dish ware. In fact, they still had remnants of soap clinging to them. That is just how clean they were.
When she was done she got down from the chair, declared herself the best dishwasher ever, and said that she wished she could wash them every night.
I said to her, “Oh sweetie, you can! Just as soon as you are old enough not to want to.”
February 21, 2008
Total Eclipse of the Moon
Did you have that 80’s (I think) song running through your head last night?
I remember when I was in fifth grade, Mr. Greenberg’s class, and we were going to have a solar eclipse. I was so into space and astronomy at the time. I had read about for the weeks leading up to the event. The teachers and newspapers had warned about looking directly into the eclipse, assuring us all that to do so would cause instantaneous blindness. Oh how paranoid I was! What if I looked at it by accident?
So, I had made my own solar eclipse viewing thing, which if I recall correctly was a cardboard box with another piece of cardboard with a pinhole in. There may have been tinfoil involved? I can’t recall that part. What I remember with absolute clarity is that it was cloudy and raining that day. Not even a hint of sun in the sky. And I remember my overwhelming disappointment.
Last night, the kids were very excited about the prospect of seeing the lunar eclipse. We had a great view of it from inside our house, something we discovered after we went out onto our front lawn to locate the moon, and promptly froze. Apparently the brightly shining ball of light radiating into our family room window was not enough of a clue.
The kids all thought that it was very cool, although we all wished we lived somewhere with less trees. All those pesky trees in the way of our moon viewing!
We tried in vain to take photos. In the end deciding that we should just enjoy the moment and not try capturing it. Which is probably good advice for many events. Though I did vow to read the manual that came with my camera so I can work it on something other than automatic.
So what about everyone else, did you get to see the eclipse?
February 19, 2008
Dirty Little Secret: American Idol
My children and I love watching American Idol. My husband not so much. He tolerates it but given the choice, he wouldn’t be watching it.
There are so few shoes on television now-a-days that families can watch together (though I will admit that there have been a few times that I hastily pushed the FF button on our tivo because the things they were showing or discussing were not appropriate for my younger children)
Anyway, we are looking forward to tonight. I will shut down my laptop at 8:00 pm and we will all watch and start to pick our favorites. Some nights I even make popcorn. It is fun. It reminds me of watching the Sonny and Cher show or Donnie and Marie when I was a little kid.
What about your family? Are there any shows that you enjoy watching all together?
