Putting Your Kids First

Check out garage sales! So many people are having them, now that the weather and time permit! Great deals to be had!

Check out your local library for summer activities and programs. Many have great FREE shows and craft activities. Some have programs where you read books and weekly go in to get prizes. It is a great way to encourage reading in the summer.

Check out used book stores and garage sales for books. Keep some in your car for trips, to bring into a restaurant (esp. if you have a long wait), visiting relatives, etc. Books make the best friends!

As promised…more cost saving, fun summer activities for you to do with your kids.

If you are planning a trip to an amusement park, museum, aquarium, specific location, or a certain city. Go to the their web sites. You could find valuable information, as to best times to visit, best days, free or lower cost days or times, where to obtain discount tickets and more. Ask to receive a brochure, pamphlet or visitor’s guide about the place.  Give yourself enough time to receive it in the mail and have time still to plan your trip. Many times you will find coupons inside the brochure. You will also find fun things to do, often free or low cost. If you are going out of town, check the entertainment coupon book site. They offer two for one or discounted prices on many things from food to clothing, to boating, movies, tours, grocery stores, amusement parks, miniture golfing, bike rentals, car rentals, sports events, museums and so much more.  http://www.entertainment.com/ For ~ $25-45 (depending on the city you pick, cities are listed on their web site) it might be worth it to purchase one for the area that you are going to be visiting. You can then plan your meals and amusement activities around the coupons in the book. Before you leave the area, do a good deed and donate the book to a charitable organization in the town.

Are your kids out of control?? Hyperactive?? Hurting other kids? Can’t sit still? Bouncing off the wall? Are they moody, crying a lot, angry?? It could be the food dyes (ESP RED #40) that is causing this behavior! It is NOT SUGAR that is the blame…….it is mostly food dyes..Red, Yellow and Blue. Read the labels it is on MANY foods you buy at typical grocery stores.  It is even in medications! (Tylenol and Motrin make a dye free formula.) Whole Foods, Wild Oats and Trader Joe’s sells items void of these toxins. These dyes are made from petroleum..yes..same stuff that goes into your gas tank. YUM!?!? NO way!!!

Please take this post seriously! Stop blamming your children for misbehaving. It could be YOU feeding them the very poison that is creating this behavior! I have saved many families by encouraging them to remove dyes and perservatives.

Here are many web sites to help you read more about this! We need ot get the word out. Many countries have banned these. There is even proof of cancer being caused by these toxins.

http://www.diet-studies.com/adhd.html
http://www.chem-tox.com/pregnancy/artificial.htm
http://www.feingold.org/effects.html                  
http://diet-studies.com/dyesinfood.html
http://www.red40.com/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_coloring
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3742423.stm 

http://www.feingold.org/Bluebook/page-17-graphpage.pdf

Summer officially begins on June 21st. For many of the mom’s it starts the day the kids are out of school. Some families will put their kids in camp full time, others will have their kids enrolled in a few park and recreation classes, while others go on vacations or just hang out at home. I have a few ideas of things to help you keep busy. Also, some ideas of healthy summer treats,  and activities. Stay tuned for more……………

Make your own popsicles with 100% fruit juice or pureed fruit. It’s healthier than store bought and a lot cheaper! You can buy plastic containers that will hold the liquid and have a plastic top, acting as a stick. Freeze it and you have great popsicles!

Check out Toys R Us. They have a great summer program with crafts and other activities, often they hand out toys….all for free. The program is called Camp Geoffrey. It is usually for children ages 3 to 10.

Have a picnic in front of your TV. Put out a blanket on the floor, put in a DVD, bring in the food and enjoy a meal and a movie in a different way! Many libraries have free or low cost movie rentals.

Speaking of the library. Many libraries have great summer programs. they offer activities,  puppet shows, crafts, movies, speakers and other reading related activities. Libraries are wonderful places for families!!! Read, read and then read some more. A good reader can go anywhere they want. Statistics prove that top notch readers do much better in school and in life! Read to your kids, too. No child is too young to be read to. Everyone enjoys it!

Get out of the house. If you have a dog, bring her or him to a dog park, or go for a family walk or hike. (Remember to bring lots of water for the humans and dogs). If you do not have a dog, borrow a friend’s. They will be grateful, especially the dog! Pet stores sell small collapsible bowls that you can carry on your walk.

This was emailed to me…..it speaks volumes……esp. regarding the importance of being with your children and not sending them to daycare!!!! I had to put it on my blog!

 Childhood Doesn’t Wait
>
> I was sitting on a bench
> while in a nearby mall,
> When I noticed a young mother
> with two children who were small.
>
> The youngest one was whining,
> “Pick me up,” I heard him beg
> but the mother’s face grew angry
> as the child clung to her leg.
>
> “Don’t hang on to me,” she shouted
> as she pushed his hands away,
> I wish I’d had the courage
> to go up to her and say…
>
> “The time will come too quickly
> when those little arms that tug,
> Won’t ask for you to hold them
> or won’t freely give a hug.
>
> “The day will sneak up subtly
> just as it did with me,
> When you can’t recall the last time
> that your child sat on your knee.
>
> “Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
> when we cherished time alone
> Our babies grow and leave behind
> those special times we’ve know.
>
> “So when your child comes to you
> with a book that you can share,
> Or asks that you would tuck him in
> and help him say his prayer…
>
> “When he comes to sit and chat
> or would like to take a walk,
> Before you answer that you can’t
> ’cause there’s no time to talk
>
> “Remember what all parents learn
> so many times too late,
> That years go by too quickly
> and that childhood doesn’t wait.
>
> “Take every opportunity,
> if one should slip away
> Reach hard to get it back again,
> don’t wait another day.”
>
> I watched that mother walk away
> her children followed near,
> I hope she’ll pick them up
> before her chances disappear
>
> by Kathie Davis

I just heard about this wonderful organization. www.operationdvd.us  This organization, which is about a year old helps collect used and new DVD’s to ship overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan so our servicemen and women can enjoy movies! They do not have much to do on their off time, except play cards, talk and watch movies. They have DVD players, so they need movies. Lots of them. So far they have collected 250,000 DVD’s. Their goal is to obtain over a million. There is a donation fund set up to cover postage.

You can make a difference. Contact Steve Hallaway (co-founder) at the phone number or email listed on the web site at “contact us.” Have the collection boxes sent to you for your schools, scout troops, businesses, churches, temples, senior centers, youth groups, any organization that you are afilliated with to make this happen.

We can make this goal triple!!! or more!

Oprah is going to be doing a show on this, as well.

There will be nationwide coverage of this organization in a few months at LAX.

 Do your part! Make a difference!

Wow…It finally is here!  We are moving along. I think it’s time for more summer vacation tips!