805moms - Those Crazy Kids...

11 year old girl grows food to feed the homeless

Tiffany — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:20:41 GMT

This girl is truly amazing - check out her website

http://www.katieskrops.com/

Chain-smoking toddler enters rehab

Jackie — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:45:27 GMT

The chain-smoking Indonesian toddler who gained instant worldwide fame via a viral video of him puffing away has gone into rehab - and given up cigarettes.

Aldi Suganda, 2, is now heading home, and there's concern he may give in to temptation and resume smoking once he gets there. He was smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day.

Aldi and Diana mother were taken to the capital, Jakarta, for intensive medical and psychological treatment, a trip paid for by the local government. Over the next two days, he underwent a battery of tests, including a chest X-ray and ultrasound on his heart and lungs. Results showed a thickening on the left wall of his heart. It turns out, the thickening of a wall of Aldi's heart is because he's obese, so his heart has to work harder, and not from the smoking, which doctors say hasn't affected his health - yet.

Read more: http://www.momlogic.com/2010/09/smok...#ixzz0yQVVMNBH

Is hiring a tutor for your child worth the money?

hart — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:25:28 GMT

WalletPop has an article about hiring tutors.

Self-confidence in the classroom and, in later years, the workplace, was one of the reasons one Southern California mother sent her son to a tutor. Her child was having a tough time in third grade and was falling behind -- and losing confidence. She wanted him to get more individualized treatment than he'd receive in summer school so she hired a tutor. "They helped bring up his self-esteem by making him feel accomplished and showing him how hard he's working," she says. "It can be expensive, but for how he feels about himself, especially after a rough year and now getting ready to return to school, it truly is worth the money."

Hiring a tutor happens as often for a struggling child as for an advanced one, says Mokris. "The parents may [recognize] that a child is brilliant and needs some extra stimulation or has a particular interest in math," she says.

Tutoring is also used for kids who may have always received A's, but may not have the study skills required to navigate a new level. "[A]dvanced students have too much work to organize and master themselves," explains Becker. "They get overwhelmed and start to fall behind."

"I have had many tutors for the girls," says one Los Angeles-area university professor and mother of four. "When they were young, they needed extra help, for reading, writing, just learning to think critically. It was very helpful. When they were older, we had tutors for specific subjects: physics, math, English. This was in prep for SATs," she says.

How to Shop for a Tutor

"A tutor should be patient, structured and know how to add fun to the session," says Becker. In addition, she recommends that parents "look for someone who has good content knowledge and whose personality matches with the child's."

The tutor should also be willing to try various teaching methods in order to figure out the child's particular learning style. Once they hit upon that "[parents] should expect the child's confidence level to rise within a month," says Becker.

At Kumon, instructors are expected to be cheerleaders for the student, says Mokris."[T]hey need to work with the student and the family to try and ensure that the student is working at the 'just right' level." Good communication between the tutor, the teacher at school, the family and the child is also critical, she says. And tutors should be in it for the long haul. "It takes someone who sees the big picture."

Measuring Results Is an Inexact Science

In terms of results, however, Mokris cautions patience. The goal of tutoring, "shouldn't be about the very next task, or even the standardized test for that year, all of which are just snapshots," she says. "My measure is what happens to a child in the future, if the child is able to do whatever they want to do, then it's a success."

According to Becker, the time it takes parents and students to begin to see academic results depends on the subject matter. A student working (at least) two hours a week with a tutor should see improvement within three months, "at the latest," she says. A successful tutoring program will also help students complete their homework more quickly, she says. Parents may also observe their child looking forward to the tutoring sessions, "maybe organizing their pens and pencils while waiting for the tutor to arrive" and discussing the answers they got right at school, instead of the answers they missed.

But perhaps the ultimate test of a successful tutoring relationship is "when the student doesn't need them anymore," says Becker.

Of course, there are always issues that tutoring alone can't solve. "Sometimes, students are successful in tutoring but have other emotional issues and take it out by not turning in homework, purposefully not passing tests, or not showing up to school to take them...in this case, tutoring can only do so much," says Becker. But for all of those students with issues that go beyond the classroom, there are plenty more kids who just need a little extra guidance and confidence.

One student came to Club Z because she was at risk of being held back a grade. "Our tutor, Bette, worked with her through the spring and summer," says Becker. The child was allowed to move on to the next grade where she flourished. "She just needed someone to re-explain what she was being taught and to give her extra practice in the subject."

Should parents "friend" their kids on Facebook?

Jackie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:06:17 GMT

In a recent survey, 75% of parents questioned said they were "friends" with their kids on Facebook. Many parents even make it a rule that the kids have to be friends with the parents if they want to join. Nearly 30 percent of the teens questioned said if given the choice they would unfriend their parents. These children were twice as likely to want to unfriend their mother than their father (OUCH).

Many parents are worried they are not seeing everything their children are doing on the web even if they are friends. Twenty percent of parents admitted they had told their children to unfriend someone.

I agree with monitoring what your children are doing online. Do you think "friending" your child on Facebook is a must?

Source: Yahoo Finance

10 Ways to Make the Switch from Summer to School

VenturaBabyMomma — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:17:54 GMT

GOOD TIPS FOR STARTING BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

10 Ways to Make the Switch from Summer to School
July 24 , 2006
Source: Scholastic Parents

Rise and shine � a new school year is starting!

1. Restart Routines. Kids need time to adjust, so provide a head start. About two weeks before school starts, make bedtime earlier and dust off the alarm clock. Aim to serve meals at approximately the same times your child will be eating throughout the school year. To make sure your morning timing is right, stage a test run. Have him ready to go by the time the bus or carpool would arrive � then remind him he still has a few days of summer left!

2. Go Over Ground Rules. Decide when and where she'll do homework. Be sure to cover tricky topics: can she watch TV after she finishes her work? How late can friends visit on school nights? When's the caffeine cut-off? What about chores? Establishing guidelines and going over them together will make sure you're on the same page once school's in session. Some families even draw up a written contract spelling out everyone's expectations.

3. De-stress Dressing. Let your child choose special first-day clothes � a souvenir shirt from a park you visited this summer or a new dress to match her best friend's. To avoid arguing over school-appropriate clothes, bring the fall wardrobe front and center. Replace sandals and swimsuits with socks, sneakers, and lightweight sweaters.

4. Develop a Game Plan � Together. Discuss goals for the upcoming year, triumphs from the year before, and some skills he would like to improve. Goals might include:

* Making three new friends, or sitting at a different lunch table every week
* Becoming captain of the chess team or a spelling bee finalist
* Making the honor roll
* Helping a new student adjust

Listen, and ask questions. Setting his own priorities will make them more meaningful. Throughout the year, track his progress and encourage his efforts.

5. Keep Passions in Play. If your child became a weaving whiz at summer camp or a diving champ at the local pool, keep it going. Integrate new summer hobbies into the school year by finding after-school clubs or groups that will let her continue to do the cool new things she tried this summer!

6. Summon the Learning Spirit. Assign creative "homework" as summer wanes: Ask him to identify a paw print in the park or photograph something that changes colors. Make family flashcards and quiz each other: What was the farthest you went from home this summer? What plans were rained out? Who got the most bug bites?

7. Take a Family Field Trip. Plan one last fact-packed trip to top off months of water parks and baseball games. You don't have to go far: Visit a nature sanctuary to learn about different plants and trees, or examine an old ship down at the docks. Whether you pick an aquarium or a modern art museum, the combination of fun and learning is sure to get kids back in school spirit.

8. Set Up a Homework Area. Create a quiet, well-lit space for study. Prevent first day freak-outs by hauling out the necessities: backpack, dictionary, atlas, calculator, art supplies, paper, and pencils. Make it personal and fun, but free from distractions.

9. Sharpen Skills. Add more factual brain-bending activities into the everyday mix. Sudoku games, crossword puzzles, word searches, and trivia all encourage your child to sit still, focus, and complete a task from start to finish.

10. Go for a Test Run. Take a trip to school and get familiar with the new classroom. Make sure to find the cafeteria, gym, theater, and library. Don't forget about bathrooms! It's also a good time to size up cubbies, try out lockers, and locate a pay phone. The first trip back might prompt an attack of the end-of-summer bummers, so stop for a fun treat on the way home and remind her that is she well prepared.

How are you beating the heat?

Alvarez — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:51:32 GMT

It is hard to have kids inside when it is so hot outside. What are some of the things you are doing to beat the heat? Another heat wave today!

An excessive heat warning is scheduled from noon today to 8 p.m. Wednesday for local mountains and valleys. Forecasters predict temperatures up to 106 in parts of local mountains and as high as 107 in some local valleys.

At beaches, highs in the mid 70s to lower 80s are expected.

The heat wave is expected to last through Thursday. Weather service forecasts show temperatures dropping sharply by this weekend.

Ojai and Simi Valley were the hottest places in the county on Monday with highs of 102 and 100 respectively, according to the weather service. Other valley areas saw highs in the 90s, while coastal areas had highs in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Reported lows ranged from 45 in Lockwood Valley to 66 in Simi Valley.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/aug/...#ixzz0xXF7WBh0
- vcstar.com

Summer Camp for Kids.....In Prison?

jacklivimama — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:08:37 GMT

Good idea, or not? What do you think?

CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) -- They were unlikely dance partners in an unlikely dance hall: a 29-year-old murderer and a 10-year-old boy doing an impromptu tango as Luther Vandross' "Dance with My Father" sounded from a boom box in a prison gym.

It was one of the lighter moments at the emotional end of a weeklong summer camp where inmate dads and their children reconnected after years apart. Seven fathers - all in prison-issued jeans and blue, short-sleeved shirts - swayed to the song with their children, some openly crying.

The Hope House Father to Child Summer Camp Behind Bars recently held at the prison offered them a hint of what life together could have been like.

Federal and state prisons in Ohio, North Carolina and Maryland have hosted this summer camp for 10 years, but the program at the North Branch Correctional Institution in July was the first in a maximum-security facility.

It's a reward program for inmates - many of whom will spend the majority of their lives in jail. More importantly, it's a program for the children, organizers said.

"Every child needs to know the love of their parents," said Hope House Director Carol Fennelly. "In a true and perfect world, fathers would be mentors to their own children - that's what we try to create. It's a safe place where these kids can love their fathers without feeling ashamed."

Hope House, a Washington-based nonprofit group, organizes these camps and other programs to strengthen the bond between children and their imprisoned fathers. Throughout the year, they facilitate face-to-face video calls between the fathers and their families hours apart from each other. They also record inmates reading books aloud and then mail those audio tapes to the kids. Another program called Girl Scouts Beyond Bars offers similar opportunities for daughters to communicate with their imprisoned mothers.

Spending a few hours each morning inside the prison gym with their children, the inmates at North Branch tried to make up time for missed birthday parties, summer trips not taken, their absence during pickup basketball games.

"This is will be the only reference point some of these guys will ever have to their kids," said Geray Williams, 32, one of the seven dads chosen to attend the camp inside North Branch. "Just spending time with them is all that matters."

In 2008 the Department of Justice estimated that more than half of all inmates were parents. That leaves 1.7 million children nationwide - about one in 50 U.S. residents under 18 - with a parent in jail.

Source: Associated Press

How do you know what "normal" behavior is for 3 year old?

larissa — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:03:44 GMT

I'm looking for info and to read some books on where my 3 year old is brain development wise. I sometimes wonder what is normal behavior and what is just a bad habit, or part of the age. Anyone read anything good, or have a great site they refer to?

It's okat to be/have an only child!

Alvarez — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:45:10 GMT

The latest research shows that it does not make much difference if your child is an only child which should be comforting to those who may have had that worry with one child:

Mon, Aug 16, 2010 (HealthDay News) � Boys and girls who grow up without siblings are no less capable of developing good social skills than those raised with brothers and sisters, new research indicates.

The observations stem from an analysis involving more than 13,000 middle school and high school students conducted by a team of researchers at Ohio State University.

"I don't think anyone has to be concerned that if you don't have siblings, you won't learn the social skills you need to get along with other students in high school," study co-author Donna Bobbitt-Zeher, an assistant professor of sociology on OSU's Marion campus, said in a news release from the American Sociological Association (ASA).

Together with OSU colleague Douglas Downey, Bobbit-Zeher is slated to present the findings Monday at the ASA annual meeting in Atlanta.

Interest in the question of how siblings might affect socialization skills has been growing in recent years, the authors noted, with an earlier study by Downey suggesting that kindergarten-aged kids fare better if they grow up with siblings.

"As family sizes get smaller in industrialized countries, there is concern about what it might mean for society as more children grow up without brothers and sisters," Bobbit-Zeher said. "The fear is that they may be losing something by not learning social skills through interacting with siblings."

The authors theorize that even without siblings to help them learn interactive skills, children can avail themselves of the lessons of the schoolyard.

"Kids interact in school, they're participating in extracurricular activities, and theyre socializing in and out of school," observed Bobbit-Zeher. "Anyone who didn't have that peer interaction at home with siblings gets a lot of opportunities to develop social skills as they go through school."

--Alan Mozes

First day of school rituals?

Alvarez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:14:02 GMT

Does anyone have any special traditions or first day of school rituals they do for their kids? Of course we have the first day of school photos. I was thinking maybe taking them out to ice cream after wards to talk about their first day. Also I want to have them draw something about the first day of school and then at the end of the year draw something again and compare them (: What about you? Any ideas?

Personality set for life by 1st grade

805harleymama — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:38:20 GMT

Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives, from our early childhood years to after we're over the hill, according to a new study.

The results show personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior.

We remain recognizably the same person.

1. Talkative youngsters tended to show interest in intellectual matters, speak fluently, try to control situations, and exhibit a high degree of intelligence as adults.

2. Children rated as highly adaptable tended, as middle-age adults, to behave cheerfully, speak fluently and show interest in intellectual matters.

3. Students rated as impulsive were inclined to speak loudly, display a wide range of interests and be talkative as adults.

4. Children characterized as self-minimizing were likely to express guilt, seek reassurance, say negative things about themselves and express insecurity as adults.

Source: Yahoo News

Hilarious: 3 yo sextuplets out of control on Today show (Video)

Annabelle — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:20:55 GMT

Natalie Moralies suprisingly upbeat even after being smacked in the head:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Best Back To School Deals?

VenturaBabyMomma — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:09:12 GMT

Where are you doing your back to school shopping? What deals have you seen that are the best? Post them here!