Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants

This book is the 3rd funniest I've read so far by Dav Pilkey.

It is about a bad mad Scientist named (well he wasn't bad at first, actually) Professor Pippy P. Poopypants.

I especially liked the flip-o-rama, that was the funniest part of the book. And it began when Professor Poopypants come when George and Harold do another prank. They attempted to turn the teachers into snowmen by using styrofoam wormy things, and powderded paste. They sprayed the teachers with water.

I won't tell you what the P in his middle name stands for, you'll have to read the book!

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

This is the second funniest book I've ever read by Dav Pilkey. It tells about how George and Harold turned their mean, mean, mean Principal into Captain Underpants. His name was Benny Krupp.

They used a 3D hypno-ring to hypnotize him. George and Harold got into lots and lots of trouble. One time they put frogs in the teacher's Jello. Another time they glued the bathroom door shut. And gluing the bathroom door shut was part of the biggest prank they've ever done. But, Mr. Krupp caught them. He did this by using small video cameras all around the school.

Read more about the Adventures of Captain Underpants here:

I got glasses

A week and a half ago I got glasses. They're not sunglasses, they're prescription glasses. I didn't get the pair I wanted though, because I have astigmatism. That means that my eyes aren't shaped like a basketball, they're shaped like a football.

I like to read with them a lot. They help me with my vision.

Dav Pilkey Captain Underpants

Captain Underpants is an incredibly funny book. I've read 3 of the Captain Underpants books so far. One is called The Big Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part 2, the Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers

This book is the funniest one I've read by Dav Pilkey so far. It's about the RoboBoogers, which are monsters packed with boogers. Their names are Carl, Trixie and Frankenbooger. The funniest part is when the battle of the RoboBoogers and Captain Underpants fight.

White Fang

White Fang is a book about a cub who is half wolf, half dog. The mom is a dog. She married a wolf. The mom and cub got captured by Indians. The father died. The Indians took good care of the dog and cub.

p.s. The dog belonged to a Indian. p.p.s. I will not tell you the end.

Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary

Runaway Ralph is also one of my favorite books. It's about a mouse that lives in a hotel and he runs away because his little cousins and brothers and sisters and relatives are trying to get his motorcycle, and they actually loosen a certain part of it, so Ralph went to school with his friend. And at school, he feels lonely. Especially on Sundays and Saturdays. There's no mice to play with, it's too clean for mice. I can't tell you the end.

Runaway Ralph is a book and it was also made into a movie. You can get it on Amazon.com
Runaway Ralph

Ramona Forever

Ramona Forever is just as interesting as Ramona the Pest. But now, I think Ramona's in 2nd or 3rd grade and she has a new teacher, but I didn't tell you something about her sister Beezus. (That's what they call her but it's not her name - it's Beatrice.) Beezus is sometimes really bossy, and sometimes she's real sensitive too, and in Ramona Forever their cat dies.

I like Ramona Forever because it teaches you not to be bossy that much. Also, look for Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary.

Ramona the Pest

I'm going to tell you about a book called Ramona the Pest. It's one of my favorite books, other than Farmer Boy. It starts out when Ramona goes to Kindergarten, she's about 5 years old. Ramona loves kindergarten, she had a teacher named Miss Binney. And she mostly loves her friends, Davey and Joey, Howie, and Susan.

Ramona often didn't usually get what she expected to, and sometimes she was very impatient. And Willa Jean and Howie's mother's name is Mrs. Kemp. Ramona the Pest is an interesting book.

p.s. I still can't tell you the end!

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Farmer Boy

I'm going to tell you about a book called Farmer Boy. It was written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and it was about a boy named Almanzo Wilder. This boy lived on a farm and he was also a very good help to his Dad, like just about all kids are. And also, he just loved farming. And usually he was very hungry. Sometimes he ate rye 'n injun bread. Other times he ate other stuff like turkey, bacon, pie, ham, and pumpkins.

Sometimes Almanzo helped spread the seeds while his Father spread the other seeds that were harder to spread. He liked to brush the colts and horses, he also liked to drive the two horses, his Father let him, named Bess and Beauty. And also, he helped harvest the food. He also helped with the wolf that came after the sheep. He even bought a little pig he named Lucy.

p.s. I won't tell you the end, it's a secret. You can get Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder on Amazon.com.

Save $10 at Amazon.com food

Right now until November 30th, you can save $10 off of your grocery order at Amazon.com. Just enter the code GROCERY3 at checkout. You also get free shipping when you spend $25!

Here is a yummy place to start: Cascadian Farms Organic Chewy Granola Bar, Chocolate Chip, 6-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)

Dinner Planning

Mom says that getting dinner on the table is an issue whether you are homeschooling or not, so she wanted me to put this article on dinner planning here. I hope you enjoy reading it. Please leave a comment if you do.

Dinner Planning For School Days


Another summer has quickly passed us by. The kids have reluctantly gone back to school. It stands to reason that life should be a little less hectic, right? Unfortunately, that’s usually not the case. Between all of your daily ‘Mom obligations’, helping with homework and providing transportation to every extra-curricular activity under the sun, you probably have little time to devote to dinner planning.



Many times busy parents resort to hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, frozen pizza or frequent trips to a fast-food restaurant. That’s not healthy for you or the kids – not to mention its pretty rough on the family grocery budget.



Kitchen time savers

There are things you can do to cut down on time spent in the kitchen. Pick one day a week and prepare several freezer friendly meals. You can even go the extra mile and package them in individual serving size containers. Doing so will provide your family with a larger variety of entrée choices, on any given day.



Do you have friends that are intrigued with the idea of a one-day a week cooking spree or a meal planning service? Get together with 2 or 3 of them. Each of you decides on 2 main dishes you want to prepare. Buy enough ingredients to make the entrees for each family.



You need to plan ahead

One simple thing that you can do is keep an ample supply of fresh fruits, salad ingredients, soups and fresh sandwich fixings, on hand. Quick meals such as this are nutritious and don’t require a great deal of preparation time.



If you take on the task of meal planning and want to get in the habit of consistently putting together weekly menus yourself, you may be surprised at how much time it involves. Did you know that the typical family meal planner spends roughly 3 hours per week combing through cookbooks, choosing recipes and compiling a grocery list? That translates into 156 hours, per year. Yikes!



A menu service can help

You can say goodbye to last minute thrown together meals and eliminate the stress of dinner planning for your family by subscribing to a meal planning service. This type of service is very affordable, usually costing only a few cents per day. Menus are often designed to be family friendly and easily adaptable.



When you purchase a subscription to a service such as this, your membership will typically feature a weekly menu emailed right to your inbox. This includes seven main dish recipes, side dish suggestions and dessert ideas. As an added benefit, you receive a detailed shopping list, categorized by aisle, which makes your trip to the grocery store that much easier. Simply cross off items already in your pantry, add any other products you may be in need of and you’re off!



If you enjoy planning your own menu, you may want to consider a dinner planning service, in addition to your own choices. Why? It will still save you time, in the long run. Use the membership menu as a base. Then, search for recipes that will deliciously compliment that weekly plan.



Remember, nothing is more important than family time. Don’t let dinner planning get you down. Consider the suggestions we’ve made and you’ll spend less time
slaving over hot stove and more time with the people you love.


For a free one week trial of a family friendly meal planning service, visit www.dinewithoutwhine.com

Pinky and Rex and the Bully

Pinky and Rex and the Bully is about a boy named Pinky and a girl named Rex and one day while Pinky's riding on his bike after school, a 3rd grade bully knocks him off his bike.

Then the bully starts teasing Pinky. He calls him a sissy and then he says only a girl would ride a pink bike and have a name like Pinky. Pinky's favorite color is pink. But his real name is William.

I won't tell you what happens in the end, that way you have to read it yourself.

Little House In The Big Woods

My mom and I are reading Little House in the Big Woods. It is the true story of a woman named Laura Ingalls Wilder. She lived over 200 years ago. She wrote about her life as a farmer's daughter. The books tell what it was like to live a long time ago in America before there were things like TV, computers, even cars. Laura only got one piece of storebought candy every year usually. My Mom reminds me of how happy she and her family were even without a lot of stuff.

Little House in the Big Woods is the first book about Laura's life when she was a little girl.




Note from Mom:I'm really excited about delving into the Little House series with Caleb and the kids. I've read the books a couple of times myself and have always loved them. I even sat on the couch last night and completed The First Four Years, about Laura and Manly's experiences as newlyweds. My mouth waters when they talk about the food they ate. It was so simple and so tasty! But I wouldn't trade her hardships for my own. Although, I wonder if things are really that much different now as far as economic uncertainty. And the experiences of her unrelenting nausea and the difficulties she had doing housework during her pregnancies sure sounded familiar. :)

I'm doing home school, but that still requires some organizing according to my Mom. She thought you might like this article about getting organized now that it's back to school time.

Back-to-School Organizing

Tips for the Mom-On-The-Go

Back to school can be a stressful time of year. Families must change from
the laid-back summer schedule to the non-stop school and activity calendars
that keep moms jumping from one activity to the next without a moment's
rest. Fortunately, today there is help.

GO MOM !NC, a leader in products to help you organize your busy life,
provides its latest advice to keep Moms organized as they get their families
back-to-school this fall. "Across the nation, busy parents are focused on
easing their children into the new school year," states Molly Gold, founder
of GO MOM !NC. "My role as a Family Scheduling Expert is to help Moms focus
on how they can better organize themselves to be ready for all that change
and be mindful of how their own workload will evolve alongside of their
family."

Want the cliff notes on how you can get organized for Fall 2006? Take a
look below:

. Plan Ahead - The only way you can command your time is to consciously map
it. Simply put, use a family-oriented planner that enables you to track all
family members' schedules in one place. When you monitor your family
schedule, you can then plan how and when to accomplish important
back-to-school tasks, such as replacing clothes, purchasing school supplies,
and attending back-to-school night. Stock your kids' homework stations with
pencil and paper basics while purchasing classroom items. Take it one step
further by creating an emergency project box full of grade appropriate tools
that will hold the night before anxiety at bay. Visit Target stores for an
ample supply of poster board, report folders, markers, glue sticks, and an
assortment of interesting arts and crafts items in small quantities to allow
your child's creativity to shine, one project at a time.

. Plan for Paper - Before you start stacking all those important school
papers in a long forgotten corner of your kitchen, or on top of last month's
bills, put your paper trail in place beginning with in/out boxes for each
family member. Show everyone where to place their papers and then sort them
daily with your planner at hand to note important deadlines and tasks. When
setting up your own filing system, check out the new GO MOM!® School
Organizer. With monthly pockets for everything from school-related projects
and fundraisers, to teacher newsletters and activities rosters, you can't
help but be ready for the first round of parent/teacher conferences at the
end of first quarter. If it's your house that keeps you buried, you'll find
the GO MOM!® Home Organizer to be equally as effective in helping you
categorize and sort the most important papers as you manage your family's
busy days.


. Plan to Purge - We all do better with a clean, organized environment. If
you haven't yet gone through everyone's closets, dressers, and bedrooms
while evaluating wardrobes for school, do it as soon as you have your
routine in motion. Make room for the year ahead by rounding up all outgrown
items, discarding everything that can't be repaired, both in the toy and
clothing departments. For items in good condition, arrange for a charitable
donation or enlist your kids' help and plan a yard sale in late September.
Take advantage of your clean slate and give each room a quick cleaning with
an all-purpose cleaner like Mr. Clean Extra Power Multi-Surface Cleaner for
even the toughest jobs. From scrubbing baseboards to replacing air filters,
flipping mattresses and cleaning windows, Fall is a great time to freshen
your home and welcome the change of seasons. And for Moms of older kids,
enlist their helping hands as you plow through this process. Respect and
responsibility for both our possessions and environment are life skills
worth teaching.

GO MOM !NC is based in Apex, NC and promotes the use of The GO MOM!®
Organizer and GO MOM!® Planner, unique day planner systems for everything
that is family. Founder Molly Gold is a 40-year-old mother of three and
the creator of the GO MOM!® product line, which will grow this September to
include The GO MOM!® Wall Organizer, The GO MOM!® School Organizer, and The
GO MOM!® Home Organizer. All products in the GO MOM!® line are produced via
license partnership with Mead Westvaco Consumer and Office Products and sold
at major retailers nationwide, including Target, Staples, and Office Max.

GO MOM !NC helps mothers make positive mothering a daily reality within the
structure GO MOM!® Schedule. Organize. Grow.® Gold is known for her keen
insights into Family Scheduling and has been featured both in print and on
air media alike and is currently available for media interviews.

Attention busy Moms! The time is now to get both you and your kids
organized for an exciting and successful school year ahead. To learn more
about how you can stay ahead of the game, go to http://www.gomominc.com.

Molly Gold currently serves on Proctor & Gamble's Mr. Clean Team Expert
Panel, Cartoon Network's Tickle U Advisory Board, and as Family Scheduling
Expert at both http://www.BlueSuitMom.com, and http://www.NewBaby.com. Her
work has been featured in Parents and Parenting Magazines, Better Homes and
Gardens, The Washington Post, ABC's Good Morning America, and most recently
NBC's Today Show Weekend Edition. Contact her today at
http://www.gomominc.com or via publicist Diana Ennen at
diana@virtualwordpublishing.com, (954) 971-4025.

Why mom doesn't let me watch much TV

My Mom doesn't let me and my brother and sister watch much TV at all.
She says it's articles like this that say it all about the disadvantages of kids watching TV.

She encourages us to do things instead of tv.
We play with Legos and Bionicles a lot. We do crossword puzzles, we play outside. We play board games. We do our chores and we read a LOT.

I'm an internet based kid

I thought you might like to listen to me talk about my internet business.

My Mom interviewed me and asked me questions about my blog.

Click HERE to listen.

Bionicles

In this post you can listen to me talking about my Bionicles, which are some of my favorite toys.

Bionicles:

Arthur Makes The Team

Arthur makes the team is about, as you probably know, an Aardvark named Arthur. Arthur tries and tries with the help of Francine, the coach assistant, to catch a ball the right way, and soon he's good at it, and he teaches Francine how to throw a ball straight.
Because she always throws it over the fence!

Get Arthur Makes The Team:

Too Much Noise!

Too Much Noise is a book about a man that thinks his house is very, very noisy. He wants some peace and quiet so he goes to a wise man and asks how his house can be quiet. But the wise man tells him to get more animals. The end is quite surprising.

Get Too Much Noise:

SuperFudge

Superfudge is a book, sometimes a funny book. And it's about a boy named Peter and a boy named Farley Dexter Hatcher. But everyone calls him Fudge. I've read this book a few times and quite enjoyed it.

Would you like to know about Peter's friends? One is named Jimmy Fargo. Another is named Alex Santo. And a half friend named Daniel.

Peter's mom is going to have a baby in this book and Peter worries that it's going to be just like Fudge and make his life miserable.

Get Superfudge on amazon.com:

Kid Spelling Help

Help Your Children Be Better at Spelling

She insisted that her daughter not be penalized for misspellings--but spelling counts even out of the classroom, whether we like it or not. And millions don't like it, and it's no wonder. After all, English is not only loaded down with ninety spelling rules, they're accompanied by about 3,500 exceptions! And forget about spelling a word the way it sounds. The first lines of this poem prove that:

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough.
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, laugh and through . . .

I'll start by asking which of these words are correctly spelled. segue, dicotomy, bouillion, scissars, brouhaha, begger, shepard, lieutenent, calander, guaruntee. Are you sure? Remember that you can't look them up. This is a test--just like the ones your child takes in school. Answers come later; for now, it's enough if you're starting to sympathize with the spelling-challenged.

Spelling demons abound-troublesome words loaded with silent letters (ache), and words that sound alike but are spelled differently (allowed/aloud). Then there are those troublesome double consonants where only one is sounded (allowed). Ever wondered about them? Educator James Cornish offers this explanation: During the Early English period, printers were paid by the letter. Adding an unnecessary one here and there increased their earnings-and messed with our heads forever after. As for those ninety spelling rules, the only one most of us recall is the "i before e, except after c," but then weird neighbors come calling.

So now that you've taken a spelling test, been reminded of the vagaries of English, and are either a bad speller yourself or know one-perhaps your child--read on for some tips:

1. Talk often about the importance of spelling and play spelling games, such as Scrabble, Hangman, and Boggle.

2. Explain that all final copies, even worksheets, should be well-spelled.

3. Carelessness accounts for many misspellings, so remind your child to double-check by rereading the piece backward, starting with the very last word.

4. When unsure about a spelling, your child should circle it as she writes and look it up later.

5. Since looking up a hard-to-spell word can be a problem, consider investing in How to Spell It. Here, you find the word as you think it's spelled, as in numonia, and right beside it is the correct spelling, pneumonia.

6. When asked to look over written work, don't make the corrections yourself. Instead, place a light checkmark in the margin beside the line with the misspelling.

7. Frequently misspelled words should be recorded in a personal dictionary for easy reference. Just jot down the letters of the alphabet, each on a separate sheet of paper, together with several of their spelling demons.

8. For confusing words, encourage your child to come up with a mnemonic. (dessert: "Strawberry Shortcake is my favorite deSSert.")

9. For repeatedly misspelled words, try VAKT (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Tactile). On a long sheet of paper, slowly write the word in cursive, saying it at the same time. Your child then traces it with a finger, while also saying the word. When ready, she turns the paper over and spells the word. If incorrect, these steps are repeated.

10. Help your child "hear" how some words are actually spelled, like "choc-o-late," and "la-sag-na."

11. Remind your child that a computer spell checker can reinforce correct spelling but also mislead. It doesn't know, for example, that there's a difference between then and than.

Answers: segue is correct. Correct spellings of the others: dichotomy, bouillon, scissors, brouhaha, beggar, shepherd, lieutenant, calendar, guarantee

Carol Josel is a teacher and learning specialist. Her books offer expert advice, activities, and lessons to help parents and their children both at home and at school. Vist http://CarolJosel.com for free parent resources.

5 Ways To Help Your Kids Do Math

Uh oh. Your kids arrive home with their school reports and it's poor marks from the math department. Now what do you do?

You may not be a math teacher, but thankfully there are ways you can help your kids improve their grades.

Studies have shown that children are much more likely to perform well in a subject that interests them. So here are 5 ways to get your kids excited about math and actually looking forward to the next math class:

1. Inspire them.

Some kids don't enjoy math because they just can't see the point of it. Unlike reading or painting, all those mathematical symbols and numbers don't seem to mean anything.

What you need to do is show them how important math is in the real world.

Tell them stories about the great engineering feats throughout history. From building the great pyramids of Egypt, to the Hoover dam, to the latest space missions to Mars, nothing would have been achieved without mathematics, and mathematicians.

2. Get practical.

Involve your kids in some real world math away from the classroom. Find something your child is interested in and relate it to math in some way.

For example, do they like baseball? Terrific. During a game, ask them how many points the losing team has to score to beat the other one. And how many games do they need to win before they have enough points to win the league?

If they enjoy helping around the home then let them do the "clever stuff". Ask them to work out the sizes for that wood you're going to cut. Or get them to measure out the ingredients for the cake you're about to bake.

When you're in a store, ask your kids to add up the prices and keep a running total while you shop. Then ask them how much change you should expect at the checkout.

3. Take life "step-by-step".

Success in math - as in life - is largely about breaking large projects down into manageable, bite-sized pieces.

Many kids feel overwhelmed when they see a list of math questions, and it's at this point they may decide that math is "boring" or "hard".

Show them the magic of taking one question at a time, and breaking it into tiny steps that make it easy.

4. Encourage creativity.

Kids may become mentally "stuck" on a topic because they're only looking at it in one way. Perhaps they need to step outside the box and see it from a different angle.

Show them the beauty of alternative viewpoints. Help them to see situations from other people's perspective.

Get them into the habit of exploring different ways of solving a problem. Even something simple like tidying up a room can have several possible "solutions" or ways of approaching it.

Crosswords and lateral thinking puzzles are good for this kind of flexible thinking.

5. Be positive.

Eliminate negative statements like "math is hard" (even if you thought of yourself as a math dunce at school!).

Explain how everyone has a natural ability to do math and that solving math problems isn't so different from solving other kinds of problems in life.

Above all, inspire confidence in your kids. Teach them persistence and how there's always a solution to every problem.

We all perform better when we enjoy what we do, and getting kids interested in math is the real key to success.

They may not turn into mathematical geniuses, but they'll thank you in later life when they enter the world of work and start counting their salaries.

Now who said your kids couldn't do math?

Kenneth Williams is author of Fun With Figures at http://FunWithFigures.com

Brain Food For Kids

While mom's favorite line was, "You are what you eat," she should have added, "Eat well; what's good for your heart is good for your brain." After all, the two go hand in hand and both require good habits.. It takes a lot to think, learn, and remember.

Now, if your child has ever said, "I can't do that; it's too hard!" here are a few brainy facts to stop her in her tracks. Remind her that her brain uses 20-25% of her body's energy, so it's no wonder that thinking is as tiring as physical labor. She must feed it well. Then wow her with the fact that a computer built with her brain's capacity would cover the state of Texas and be 100 stories tall! Couple that with experts' suggestions that we use only between one and ten percent of our brain's capacity and out the window goes that "It's too hard" complaint. No more excuses.

What's called for instead are some mind-boosting suggestions to keep brains running smoothly and performing at their best--tips that are simple, beneficial, proven. You know now that thinking burns lots of energy-just ask your child after a test-filled day. To ward off further mental fatigue during homework/study time, turn off CD's and TV's and be sure he takes an exercise break between assignments and test prep. Researchers say that physical activity not only strengthens bodies, it also increases blood flow, hence oxygen, to the brain. In fact, says University of California's Carl Cotman, "Exercise stimulates the production of all kinds of wonderful molecules that keep neurons (brain cells) strong . . . and increases these molecules in the brain." Quite a pay off!

The right foods are essential, too, so here are a number of mind-boosting nutrition tips to take to heart:

1. To keep your child working faster, testing better, and being more creative, serve breakfast every day, like a bowl of cereal or plate of pancakes topped with berries.

2. Choose low-fat varieties of dairy products, soups, meats, etc.

3. Include calcium-rich foods, such as skim milk, low-fat yogurt, broccoli, and spinach to "clean" the brain.

4. Enjoy a daily serving of soy in one of its many forms. If tofu is distasteful, try edamame, soy milk, power bars, and nuts. (Heat a cup of chocolate soy milk in the microwave for yummy hot cocoa, topped with a marshmallow).

5. Folate is essential for a good mind, so include lentils, fortified cereals, wheat germ, papaya, asparagus, cantaloupe, and eggs in your meal planning.

6. Dish up beans and other legumes, like peas, black beans, and chick peas..

7. Serve seafood at least twice a week, including omega-3 rich tuna, salmon, and herring.

8. Replace chips and pretzels with seeds, nuts, and raisins.

9. Shop for whole-grains: cereals, breads, rice, pasta.

10. Aim for seven to nine daily servings of brightly colored fruits and veggies: tomatoes, strawberries, yams, spinach, and so on. Best of all is the blueberry, otherwise known as the brain berry.

Here are a few extras, too. Researchers say that learning how to read music and play an instrument helps kids with thinking in space and time, fractions, proportions, and the like-a worthy pursuit. Mind games also keep brains in top working order, so get your child reading, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, working on math exercises, playing cards, and enjoying board games like chess, checkers, Scattergories, and Monopoly.

Meanwhile, try following a map together into unknown territory, visiting exhibits, meeting new people, and by all means, playing words games. For instance, can you come up with the 200 or so smaller words embedded in TRANSPORTATION?

Carol Josel is a teacher and learning specialist. Her books offer expert advice, activities, and lessons to help parents and their children both at home and at school. Vist http://CarolJosel.com for free parent resources.

Helping Your Kids Love School

I thought these tips on how to help your child enjoy school were good whether you send your child off to school or homeschool.

Helping Your Kids Love School

To some, it's a magical place-one of discovery, camaraderie, empowerment. For others it's akin to a lock-up, a holding cell until real life can actually begin-and the wait seems endless.

School, to them, is little more than boring lectures, useless facts, teachers' dirty looks-and you've got to wonder why. How come some kids value the importance of a good education, while others see no point to it at all? In "A Letter to the World," the unknown writer speaks: "So world . . . teach him the wonder of books, give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hill."

It all begins at home, always has. We have to stop paying mere lip service to the value of a good education-how it opens doors and is a means to a better end-and start backing it up with our words and deeds. We need to model the behavior and attitudes we want to see in our young, promoting the work of schools and making it our top priority. Homework should be viewed as an opportunity, not a burden, and study, the highest calling. Adulthood demands accountability and self-discipline-and it takes a parent, not a village, to prepare the way. Start by finding out what makes learning easier or harder for your child. Sometimes it's the teacher and/or the pacing of the material; sometimes, it's the subject matter itself; sometimes it's getting needed help and attention-or not. Then, keep building on that foundation:

1. Frequently tell your child how grateful you are to his teachers and how excited you are about what's being taught.

2. Remind her that every teacher has something new and important to share, so to be sure and listen well-and make a note of it.

3. Create an environment that supports and values life-long learning. Visit historical sites, be frequent guests in libraries and museums, be caught reading often, and converse about the day's events-at home, in school, locally, and globally.

4. Keep expectations and standards high, and don't accept 'good enough' as good enough.

5. Encourage him to work even when not in the mood-just like the rest of us- and set up a schoolwork schedule, starting with the hardest subject first.

6. Limit television, video games, and instant messaging.

7. Keep telling her that you believe in her ability to learn; eventually she'll come to believe it, too.

8. Rather than insisting on straight A's, insist on best effort.

9. Emphasize learning, not grades.

10. Help him feel proud of his efforts and celebrate accomplishments.

11. Praise only the praiseworthy. As someone once said, "Not every picture belongs on the fridge door."

12. Commend good grades and improvements; map out strategies to raise disappointing performance together.

13. Encourage friendships with kids who make academics a priority. Bill Gates adds, "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."

14. Instead of asking, "How was school today?" ask, "What did you learn today?"

And finally, keep on learning yourself, never losing your fascination with this world of ours, always sharing that wonderment with your child. I mean, did you know that your nose and ears will never stop growing, that women blink twice as much as men, or that Americans eat an average of eighteen acres of pizza every day? Remarkable, don't you think? Now, pass it on.

Carol Josel is a teacher and learning specialist. Her books offer expert advice, activities, and lessons to help parents and their children both at home and at school. Vist http://CarolJosel.com for free parent resources.

Rescue Heroes Movie

Have you ever seen Rescue Heroes the movie?

The Rescue Heroes are based on a group of heroes trying to save people from accidents. In one incident, a crazy Photographer flew into the eye of a storm and got stuck and almost died. He was in a plane. But the Rescue Heroes saved him with the QR Jet.

Max and Maggie in Spring

First I'm going to tell you about the second episode or story in Max and Maggie in Spring.

Maggie comes to Max's house, knocks on the door. Noone answers. So, she opens the door and says: "Max! Where are you?!" And Max says: "I can't hear you, I'm in the shower!"

Max finds out that when you take a shower in April, it doesn't bring flowers. That's what he thought though. He is very disappointed about it but Maggie has a gift for him. And when he opens it... I'll let you find out what she gives him.

Max and Maggie in Spring (Nice Mice)

The Story of the Orchestra

Have you ever heard an orchestra? I haven't. You may have heard one with a piano, a harp, or maybe a flute. But this story has more than just those instruments. Some of them are stringed, some of them you blow on with your mouth and some of them can be as tall as a two story building if it was straight like the contra bassoon. And there are more insruments!

There is the Harpshichord, which plays like a harp but looks like a piano. The Oboe, and there's the Triangle, the double Bass, the Cello, Violins, Violas, and more.

The Story of the Orchestra is a book all about music. And what you like to hear some of the people who played music's names?

One of them was named Beethoven. One was called Mozart. There was Brahms, Bach, Hayden, Vivaldi, Gershwyn, and Tchaikovsky. They all composed Classical music.

Note to parents: I was thrilled to find this book and CD set to help my kids learn about classical music. I am even learning a thing or two! The book prompts you to listen to a track on the CD so that your child can hear the specific composer you're reading about, and even the specific instrument that you're learning about. What a great way to begin your child's education and appreciation of fine music.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables was a little sad at the end. But first let's start at the beginning. There was this orphan named Anne and she got mixed up with a man named Matthew and a woman named Merilla. Merilla had actually wanted a boy. Matthew was Merilla's brother, but when he found out she was a girl he got really enchanted with her and he didn't want her to leave. So he talked her into letting Anne stay.

Anne had a few mistakes but she turned out great. She learned a lesson in every mistake. And Anne turned out to make a lot of friends.



Complete Anne of Green Gable Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of the Island, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside)

Easy Ways to Teach Your Children How to Spend, Save and Give

Mommy opened a Dollar Dog savings account for me today. I had $50 that I had saved and earned. Plus the bank gave me an extra $5! Mommy is always talking about how important it is for me to save money and that it's never too early to start.

Easy Ways to Teach Your Children How to Spend, Save and Give

It is never too early to teach your children about the value of saving and giving money. If you start when they are young, they will always have the practice of saving money, budgeting and giving to charity. No matter what their age from two years old to teenagers, there are some basic things that you can do to encourage them to do this.

Start by buying your child three piggy banks. If they are young, get them to help you pick one out. If they are older, you can help them make a bank or take them to a paint your own pottery place to decorate them. Label one bank save, one spend and one give. You should also open a bank account for them so that they can periodically deposit the "save" money into their account as well as larger gifts of money and they can watch their bank account grow.

Each time they get an allowance, you should help them break the money into three groups. You can do this however you want to such as breaking it into thirds or putting 10% in give, 40% in save and 50% in spend. As they get older, they can help determine how the money will be divided.

For the "give" bank, have your child help choose where they want to donate the money. They might choose church. If they love animals, they could give the money to a local animal shelter or use it to purchase food for the shelter. They could buy diapers for an agency that helps new Moms or food for a homeless shelter. Sometimes using the money to buy material items to donate helps children better understand how important their money is to different organizations and exactly how they have helped someone.

The "save" bank can also be broken into long term and short term saving. Some of the money could be saved for college or a car when they are older. However, it is also fun to have them save money for an item that they really want such as an article of clothing or a toy. This teaches them the importance of budgeting money. If there is something that they really want, they might choose to put more money in the "save" bank and less in the "spend" bank. They might also just choose to not use the "spend" money for a few weeks until they spend it on what the really want.

However you choose to spend, save or give, make it a family affair and make it fun for your children. Include them in all the decision making since it is their money, but don't forget that you are the parent and you have the final say if they are not saving or giving wisely. If you can start them on the spend, save, give process at a young age, it will be a habit and value that they will carry with them into adulthood and one that they can pass onto their children.

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The Renaissance Festival

I went to the Renaissance Festival last weekend and I had a very good time. There's fencing there, and they have a strength test, and they have a maze. You have to try to get to the tippy top and slide. And they even have real swords for sale. I saw one that was $76.
They had real live jousting and they had a King and Queen too. And they had a Junior Joust for kids. I split a roasted turkey leg with my Nannie. And I got my picture taken on a fake horse.

And they had real ponies there that you could ride. And they had bows and arrows and wooden swords that you could buy, and they had a tea room. And they had fire juggling . There were all sorts of rides too.

Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day

Alexander and the terrible horrible no good very bad day is about Alexander, and he has a very very very bad day. He went to the shoe store, and he asked for blue shoes with red stripes but the clerk said that they didn't have any, so he had to get plain white ones. In the morning when he woke up he accidentally tripped on his skateboard and he went to sleep with gum in his mouth and got gum in his hair and he accidentally dropped his sweater in the sink while it was still running.

Lots of bad things happened to him that day. And he wanted to move away to Australia that day. But his Mom said bad things still happen, even in Australia.

Buy Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day at amazon.com

Nate the Great and The Lost List

Nate the Great and the Lost List is about, as you probably know, Nate the Great and a boy named Claude, who lost his list one day. And he tries to get clues from his friends. He drew a map inbetween Claude's house and the grocery store, and he tried to get help from Annie and Fang (the dog). And they finally find the list at Rosamond's house.

Buy Nate the Great and the Lost List at Amazon.com.

Nate the Great and the Lost List

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy is a book about a stuffed bear named Corduroy. And Corduroy lives in a toy department and he waits there day after day for someone to pick up him and buy him. But then a girl named Lisa came and her Mother and Lisa wanted Corduroy but her Mom said we can't get him today. And so they came the next day, and Lisa bought Corduroy and sewed a button on his overalls.

You can get Corduroy by Don Freeman at Amazon.com. Just click below.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

The book Chyrsanthemum is about a girl named Chrysanthemum, and she gets teased by her schoolmates almost all the time.

And then one day they went to musical school and there was a woman named Mrs. Twinkle, and her name could scarcely fit on her nametag like Chrysanthemum's, and her name was named after a flower, like Mrs. Twinkle.

And then when Jo, Rita and Victoria learn about it, they stop teasing Chrysanthemum, and start being nice to her instead of bullies. And then one day Mrs. Twinkle had a baby and named her Chrysanthemum.

Note from Mom:
Kevin Henkes is one of our favorite kid's book authors, and this is one of his best. You just can't help loving Cyrsanthemum, as well as her parents! A great book to help teach kids to love their individuality.

Nate the Great On the Owl Express

Nate the Great On the Owl Express is about Nate the Great, as you probably already know, and his cousin Olivia Sharp. And he is being a bodyguard for an owl named Hoot. And someone wrote a note about Hoot. The note says: "It will be a happy day when Hoot the owl flies away." Your Neighbor

At the beginning, Olivia Sharp thinks that it is a bad note about Hoot, and at the end, Nate the Great realizes that it's a get well note.

Buy Nate the Great On the Owl Express on Amazon.com

Nate The Great And The Stolen Base

Nate the Great and the Stolen Base is a really good book! I read it twice. And that was my third Nate the Great book. I'm looking for more Nate the Great books. Now let's get to what it's about.

It's about Nate the Great and Oliver, and they are looking for a stolen base. A plastic gloopy octopus with 8 arms. And some of the characters were Rosamond, Annie, Nate the Great, Oliver, Harry, Claude, Finley and Pip and Esmerelda belong to Rosamond's Rangers. And first base is a tuna fish can, and third base is a large dog bone. Rosamond is a very strange coach!

Buy Nate the Great at Amazon.com.

The Phantom Tollbooth

I liked The Phantom Tollbooth. It was about a boy named Milo, a bug named the Humbug, and a dog named Tock. Milo went into a world that had Dictionopolis and Digitopolis. Milo used to be discontented all the time in his room and he always felt bored, but at the end of the journey, he learned that there are plenty of things to do in his room. And he wanted to go on another trip.

Note from Mom:
The Phantom Tollbooth was one of my favorite books as a kid. Although some of the allusions were a bit over Caleb's head, he still enjoyed it.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a book about a boy named Tom, his real name is Thomas Sawyer. And he gets into trouble all the time. He loves to go on adventures with his friend Huck, Huckleberry Finn. You will enjoy reading this book, and if you get into trouble a lot of time you will really enjoy it.

Huckleberry Finn is the son of the town drunkard. Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly, and his half brother Sid.

One of their adventures was going into a graveyard, and while they were there, 3 people came, one was called Injun Joe, a murderer. And another one was Dr. Robinson. And the last one was Muff Potter. They dug up a grave and found a little box in it, and they opened the box, and then.... (you'll have to read it to find out!)

You can buy The Adventures of Tom Sawyer on Amazon.com. Just click on the picture below.

Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The

Where The Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows is a very happy book, and near the end it is sad. You will like the all the adventures of this boy named Billy and his dogs Little Ann and Old Dan. The dogs are hounds. I read the book and I enjoyed it. My Mom read parts of the book to me. And there was a contest about who got the most raccoon hides, or skins. And Billy and his dogs won jackpot money, a gold cup, and a silver cup.

Note from Mom:Somehow I missed Where the Red Fern Grows while I was growing up, and so it was a real joy to read it with Caleb. Billy learns some important lessons about life and love and what's truly important in this classic coming of age novel. We're looking forward to seeing the movie now to see how it compares.

Buy Where the Red Fern Grows on Amazon.com. Just click on the picture!

About the Rain Forest

Did you know that the rain forest has the most animals in the whole world? Like the loris? The loris is a very small and slow creature that jumps around. And it also has a monkey called the spider monkey. It is called the spider monkey because it uses its tail as an extra arm and it looks like it's hanging on a web.
And there are also bats too. Fruit bats and vampire bats.

Did you know that some of the trees in the rain forest can grow as high as a 20 story building?
I learned about the rain forest by reading this book:

Pippi Longstocking

I liked Pippi Longstocking. It was about a girl who didn't have a mother or a father. And her father was a sailor. Pippi went to the circus, she has two friends named Tommy and Annika. And one time they went together to go to a picnic. And Pippi Longstocking went to a coffee party one time. And Pippi Longstocking also saved two boy's lives in the book.

Note from Mom: Pippi Longstocking was the original Riot Girrrl. What's not to love about her? I was thrilled that Caleb enjoyed the book.
Pippi Longstocking on Amazon.com

Atoms and Molecules

Did you know that an atom is the smallest thing in the world? I'm going to tell you some parts of atoms.

The core is called a nucleus.
And the nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons.

Protons have a positive electrical charge. Electrons move around the nucleus in electron clouds or energy levels, each of which can hold a certain number of electrons. Neutrons have no charge.

Scientists used to think that electrons orbit around the nucleus like the planets orbit around the sun. But they were wrong.

What Is An Equinox?

Today I wanted to learn about what an equinox is so we looked it up in the Encyclopedia and on the internet. We found out that an equinox is something that happens twice a year (in spring and autumn) on the days when daylight is the same length as nighttime. When it happens, the Sun is directly over the Equator at noon.

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz was a great book! I read the whole thing, except for half a chapter.

I liked the part when this girl named Dorothy killed the wicked witch of the East and the West. And she saw the good witch of the North and the South.

And the characters were Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Wizard of Oz. Also the winged monkeys and the Queen of Mice.

First Human Body Encyclopedia

The Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia teaches you about your body and the food that you need. I like to read it, usually at night. One thing I learned is that your body temperature should not be higher or lower than 98.6 F. The skull is made up of 22 parts. Babies have more bones than adults. The bones join up together and become fewer bones.

Note from Mom: Caleb is using the Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia for his Health/Science book right now. He loves reading it and often shares what he's learning with me and his siblings. The sections are nice and short and great for reading and discussion. The 3 year old and 5 year old even enjoy looking at the pictures and they ask me questions about the body.


The Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia (Kingfisher First Reference)

Geography Fun For Kids

I have a Geo Safari World. You have to answer questions about Geography. And if you get the right answer you get ten points for each one. It's really fun. It's a globe and it has buttons, it has an on and off button. It has a volume button. You can even get help on it. And there's a repeat button too.

I've learned the capital of Syria, which is Damascus. I've learned about the oceans and I can tell you one of the islands in the Indian Ocean. The Cocos Islands, the Christmas Islands. Sri Lanka- that's a big one. It's near India. I've learned about the continents, like Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America.

Note from Mom:
This globe/game has made geography fun for the kids. Caleb and his 5 year old brother love to play it and it surprises me how well they score on the questions. Instead of just reading the child can look at and touch the globe which seems to make geography easier to remember.


GeoSafari Makes Geography Fun For Kids

Business Ideas For Kids

Mom here. :)
All of my kiddos have their own websites. It's a way for me to sock some money away for them, but I hope that as they mature they will take over a bit and get excited about online entrepreneurship.
I have a free ebook you can download with online business ideas for kids. Here is the link: Business Ideas for Kids- A Parents Guide to eBiz. Enjoy and get inspired!