How to Get Your Kids Ready and Out the Door Faster in the Morning

June 26, 2012 by 5 Comments

When school is in session, isn’t it amazing that while your kids’ schedule is pretty
much the same, knowing if they will stay on that schedule can be a daily (unwanted)
game of “hit or miss”? For a variety of reasons, it can be really challenging to get them
out of the house so that they can get to class on time.

If you’re a parent who has been struggling with finding ways to get your kids ready
and out of the door faster in the morning, here are some tips to make it easier on both
you and them:

Plan the night before. Let’s face it. The evening time is not much
less hectic than the morning. This is because while the a.m. hours are about getting the
kids off to school, the evening hours are about taking care of all of the things that they
were assigned while they were in class. This can cause us to forget to plan for the next
day. However, in taking a few minutes each night to pick out clothes and iron them, as
well as reorganize backpacks and pack lunches, you have shaved off at least 30 minutes off of the morning hours that can be devoted to doing other things.


Have breakfast preplanned. If you are a pretty good planner, you
are probably already in the habit of having your kids’ lunches prepared; yet, have you
ever noticed that mornings in the kitchen can tend to be pretty hectic while everyone is
running around trying to figure out what they’re going to eat? Make things less chaotic
by posting up a breakfast menu very similar to the one that you may have for dinner. [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids

First Recital!!

June 25, 2012 by 4 Comments

His first recital- and mommy is so proud. He did a great job, but more importantly, he had a great time. Just look at that smile on his face! He loves his dance class.
How cute is he? LOL. (The girls, too, LOL)

He takes tap and ballet, and he was [Read more…]

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Top 5 Kid Friendly Interior Design Ideas

June 25, 2012 by 2 Comments

Sometimes, when we’re thinking about renovating a room (or two) in the house,
unless we’re expecting a child, the kids’ rooms end up being low on the priority list. It’s
not that we don’t love them or want them to have the very best; it’s just that either they’re
too young to have a firm opinion on how they would like their room to look or we end up
drawing a blank on some cool (and relatively inexpensive) interior design ideas. If you
can relate, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five ways to decorate their room in a
cool and kid-friendly kind of way.

Go up the wall (kind of). One of the quickest (and cheapest) ways
to change a child’s room is to change their walls. You can do this by painting it a different
color (bright shades or chalkboard paint are two popular options) or by wallpapering it.
When it comes to wallpaper, these days, there are a lot more options than it used to be.
You can find everything from geometric shapes and animal patterns, to metallic sequin-
prints, hearts and insects (like ladybugs and butterflies). You can even alternate walls
with different styles for a unique look. Poster prints and wall stickers are hot trends too.
BareWalls.com and Joanne’s are two places that have a ton of those kinds of options.

Put the room into sections. If your child’s room is limited in
space, day beds and bunk beds are still viable choices to make more room. However,
something that is becoming increasingly popular is separating one portion of the room
from another with either a curtain or literal room dividers (that you can find at IKEA or
Wal-Mart). While one side is designated for sleeping, the other can have either their
entertainment equipment or it can be set up to be like a study for homework purposes.

Surround the [Read more…]

Filed Under: home, kids

Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium Opens New 1,500-Square-Foot Exhibit On World Oceans Day

June 14, 2012 by 3 Comments
Interactive exhibit will immerse visitors in the world of water conservation
Maze includes watershed environments, rivers, lakes, oceans and environmental threats
Weekend programming includes art exhibits, hands-on activities
and much more
A-MAZE-ING Water will feature elements of the New York Seascape,
the aquarium’s conservation program that works to preserve local NY waters
Exhibit will be open through September 9th
Brooklyn, N.Y. – May X, 2012 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium will open a new summer exhibit, A-MAZE-ING Water, as part of the celebration of World Oceans Day on June 8, 2012. The event and exhibit will run through September 9.
The program will feature Water’s Extreme Journey, where visitors will travel through a 1,500-square-foot maze, learning about the environmental threats that plague our waterways along their way to an ocean-themed destination.
Water’s Extreme Journey interactive maze will be located under the pavilion tent at the aquarium. Children will be engaged with a range of interactive experiences as they ride a zipline through pollutants, put together water cycle puzzles, spin a wildlife wheel of facts and learn the importance of water. Educational messaging helps visitors to become caring, informed stewards of our local and global waterways and the wildlife that depends on them. Guests will also learn about the aquarium’s New York Seascape, a conservation program designed to restore healthy populations of local marine species—many of them threatened—and to protect New York marine waters.
Water’s Extreme Journey exhibit will be open daily. A-MAZE-ING Water will also feature special hands-on activities that will take place on weekends only and include:
  • Take Action Mailbox Station – Visitors can act immediately on their concerns based upon what they just experienced in the maze and appeal to local legislators to support clean water initiatives. This area gives them the opportunity to voice their concerns by writing a letter, drawing a picture, or making a collage. Letters and art will be delivered to local government officials.
  • Giant Community Mosaic –Using imagination, visitors can create more than 600 mosaic tiles that combine to make a large-scale work of art. The Wyland-designed mosaic reinforces the power of community coming together for a common goal.
  • Model of Local Watershed – A model of a typical watershed will give visitors a chance [Read more…]
Filed Under: family, kids

WIN Clifford- from Douglas Cuddle Toys

June 14, 2012 by 44 Comments

Clifford is arguably one of the top ten most recognizable dogs in the US, possibly the world, but my measurements for that conclusion is still pending. Clifford is the big red dog who lives with his owner and their family. Fun fact that I am sure all of you die hard Clifford fans know, Clifford started out as the runt of the litter. The books are great fun for kids because it gets some creative thinking moving. It can give them some fun ideas about size changes and gives them very silly ideas like mice the size of elephants or elephants the size of poodles.

Also, there is a lesson behind every story, most of which involve being an active member of your community, acceptance, and kindness. I feel community is a very important topic kids should learn. With computers and cell phone further connecting people, while still keeping them separate, kids need [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids, review

Travel- A Zoo Day for Little (and Friend)

May 28, 2012 by 1 Comment

At the end of a LONG trip, and about ready to head on home. Little and I fly out late Tuesday night, barring issues resulting from this tropical storm (or anything else). [Read more…]

Filed Under: family, kids, travel

Dog on Fleas and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo- Fun Kid’s Music

May 27, 2012 by 2 Comments

Check out this nifty mix of kids music, including some catchy tunes and some kid friendly hip hop 🙂 Not my fav, but it amused the hubs, LOL.
First up is the newest CD by Don On Fleas, it is called Invisible Friends. Dog on Fleas is a band which has a folky/poppy/upbeat sound to it. Their music is meant to be enjoyed by everyone, kids and adults. Their music is catchy and has a positive message weaved in as well. Not in a way that overcomes the song and make it obnoxious, but in a way which complements each song. We particularly enjoyed the song “Just Another Finger”.

The title might seem like something crude, and OK it’s funny 🙂 – but in actuality its about your thumb. Very catchy and will easily get caught in your head (but not in a Barney song kind way, think good song on the radio). Dog on Fleas encourages kids to be their best selves, so parents will enjoy that. Of course, Little Man likes songs with a catchy chorus and this CD is full of them.

Next up is Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. This band is a family which makes [Read more…]

Filed Under: kids

National Learn to Swim Day is Tomorrow @SwimWays

May 18, 2012 by 3 Comments

My sweet little guy can’t wait to start his swim lessons! OK, so, he’s a little scared. So is mom. But he really needs to learn to swim for his own safety- and the sanity of every adult in the vicinity 🙂 It’s important that kids learn to swim at an early age so that they will be safe at parties, the beach, vacation- you don’t want your fun day to end in tragedy. It’s something we should all do. If you can’t swim? Now is a great time to learn.

SwimWays

Filed Under: kids