2008 March | Mommy Points

March 11, 2008

A Great Read

Filed under: Children — Chris @ 9:06 am

As a homeschooling parent I come across a lot of books, probably more than parents who send their children to traditional schools since I am always searching for books that will tie in nicely to whatever we are studying. I am frequently checking out history books or science books that I hope will hold my children’s interest and turn something that can be dry into something that is exciting.

I have to say that there are quite a few not-so-good books out there, whether they are poorly written or boring.

Last week I came across the book, The Declaration of Independence: the Words that Made America by Sam Fink . This is a fabulous book. It breaks down the entire Declaration of Independence into phrases which are shown on large print on the right hand side of the page. The left hand side of the page is a large illustration. This makes the document accessible to everyone.

I have since discovered that Sam Fink has authored several other books, among them the Gettysburg Address and the Constitution of the United States. All of these books will soon become part of our permanent home library.

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March 9, 2008

Focusing on the Spring part

Filed under: Children — Chris @ 8:56 am

So, did you change your clocks? Do you also feel like now the day has slipped away?

My husband thinks it is silly, but I honestly feel the missing hour when we change our clocks.

I am trying to focus on the positive part that this must mean Spring will be here soon, right?

Today we are going to down to our local YMCA. I have been wanting to join for a long while now, but the fees are really prohibitive. Add on top of the the fees for swimming lessons, which is the real reason that I want to join, and we might need a second mortgage. I only exaggerate slightly.

For years my older children took swim lessons at our local pond. Over the past two summers it has become glaringly apparent that they really can NOT swim. A fact which terrifies me. They can swim short distances, which I think is what learning to swim in a pond, where you can easily put your feet down, will do for you. But they can not swim for any length of time.

Hopefully a couple of sessions of private swim lessons can fix the bad habits my older children have gotten into. The younger children can just join the regular swim classes. And I am never wasting my money on those swim lessons at the pond again.

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March 6, 2008

Spring Forward

Filed under: Just For Fun — Chris @ 5:46 pm

Did you realize that we are turning our clocks ahead this weekend? Earlier than usual? Craziness, I say!

My husband always makes fun of me because for weeks after any time change I go on and on about the “real” time versus the “clock” time. He doesn’t seem to notice at all, but it does effect me. I am such a delicate flower.

I hate it being dark in the morning, because who wants to get up when it is dark. I know once spring is here and we can be outside more I will enjoy the longer daylight hours into the evening. But still a piece of me can’t help but think it would be easier to just stick with one time.

So what sort of tricks do you have for getting your children adjusted to a new time? Do they notice?

On a related note, it is time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

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March 5, 2008

In the News Again!

Filed under: On The Web — Chris @ 12:47 am

An article in the yahoo business section.

Handipoints Creates New Educational Virtual World: Family Web site combines virtual community, positive reinforcement and teaches the value of savings and work.

Handipoints is an online community and powerful parenting tool with over 140,000 users. Frankly, I had no idea that there were that many people using Handipoints! I’m not surprised since I have not heard of a system that incorporates all the features that Handipoints does.

Unlike other children’s Web sites, Handipoints marries offline tasks with online games and entertainment to teach children the value of their work and foster good behavior through positive reinforcement. While they’re having fun online, children learn about saving money and building responsible habits in their daily lives.

The best part of the article, one that really highlights why Handipoints is different from all of the other virtual worlds out there.

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March 4, 2008

Read Aloud Day: Why Not Celebrate

Filed under: Children, Ideas, On The Web — Chris @ 9:35 am

Did you know March 2 was National Read Aloud Day? Well, it was.

It was also the birthday of Dr Seuss the author of beloved children’s books like Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham.

What a better time to collect all your Dr Seuss books and spend the afternoon reading them again. Become reacquainted with Mulberry Street, Dick and Sally, The Whos Down in Whoville, the Truffula Trees, and Horton the elephant.

Last year Random House donated a dollar to Project 236 for each card received for Dr. Seuss’ birthday to Project 236 provides books to impoverished children throughout the country.

According to the Project 236 website, for children living in poverty there is an average of one book for every 300 children. One book for every 300 children. Let that statistic sink in for a few minutes. I can’t even conceive of a life without books. Without being surrounded by books. They were the way I escaped as a child. They enabled me to imagine a different life. They gave me hope. The written word is powerful. I can’t imagine what it would have been like not to have access to books.

To quote Dr Seuss:

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
–The Lorax

Equally as surprising to me was the statistic that in middle classs neighborhoods there is an average of 13 books per child. Thirteen? Is that all? It makes me want to go and cut everyone’s cable television wires. And then stomp on their nintendo game systems.

But I won’t. Instead I will continue to buy books as presents whenever possible.

This year NEA is launching a Cat a Van Reading Tour across America. Go find out if they are coming near you!

During the cat trek, the tours will visit more than 18 cities in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas to provide more than 12,000 books and cash grants valued at $100,000, thanks to a generous donations from NEA’s Books Across America, a program that provides book donations and financial backing to public school libraries in need.

And what sort of holiday would it be without a fun food to go along with it?

Does coloring your eggs and ham green sound as completely unappetizing to you as it does to me? What about pretend green eggs and ham?

I found this recipe at Family Fun.

While I have no desire to make a fake green ham cake this weekend, maybe you do. But the eggs? I am all over those. They are simply mint ice cream sitting on a large dollop of whipped cream. Easy to do and fun for the children.

Happy Reading.

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