More and more families are deciding to educate their children at home. The home schooling industry, which provides everything from curricula to text books, is now a multibillion dollar business. Tracy Smith reports.
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Sunday, September 21, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Njeri's list of 51 Movies You Should Introduce Your Kids To!!!!!
Njeri over at Urbanplaydates.com just came out with her list of 51 movies you should introduce your kids to. The list is actually pretty good and she's has an excellent point about the hibernating for the next few months. The list is comprehensive and includes movies for every child from tots to teens! I encourage everyone to visit the site and checkout the list. I picked my top one from each category....drum role please!
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Alright that clip wasn't from the movie, but did't you love Kermit!!!
Mask
Mahogany
The Toy
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Crooklyn
Fame
Bustin' Loose
The Muppets Take Manhattan
Alright that clip wasn't from the movie, but did't you love Kermit!!!
Mask
Mahogany
The Toy
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Crooklyn
Fame
Bustin' Loose
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Where the hell is hallmark? It's Grandparents Day.
Hat tip to Njeri @ urbanplaydates.com She wrote an excellent post on Grandparents Day.
Where the hell is hallmark? I just went on their site and ain’t no cards for Grandparents Day. Yes today folks, Sunday September 7, 2008 is Grandparents Day.
Nope not even a mention on their homepage. Ok.Ok.Ok. so to be fair to Hallmark, you had to put grandparents into the search engine and presto! You can choose from a whopping seven cards (that you had to print out on your own printer). Also to be fair to Hallmark I haven’t seen one commercial from our retailer friends, which is strange because they are usually licking their marketing chops to promote such holidays as Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Columbus Day. I haven’t checked the news, but I don’t remember seeing any promotions on a special three part series from CNN neither. Nope folks nobodyyyyy.
The AP in Chicago put out an article about the every changing role of grandparents. According to the article “What's changed in recent decades is the increased complexity of family problems that experts say has contributed to a roughly 30 percent jump since 1990 in the number of children being raised by grandparents -- currently about 3.7 million.
You know and I know these individuals who aren’t taking care of their responsibilities, for whatever reason and grandma and/or grandpa have taken over and become the primary caregiver. Why? Because they know that one generation has already been lost and losing another layer on the family foundation would only impede its success.
I cringed all through this article and before we start to generalize and stereotype what “these grandparents” look like the article dispelled any pre-conceived conceptions with this statement “Yet the issue crosses demographic boundaries.”Some people think it's just an inner-city, African-American grandmother issue, and it's not,"
People I was pretty much in tears and it’s not like I wasn’t aware of the issue, but I guess when I read information it just hits home harder for me.
My heart goes out to the Dacuses. They highlighted their story and I thought it was worthy of including in my blog because it’s who they are and what they did is typical of what many grandparents are going through. So here’s a snippet:
“The Dacuses don't have a lot of money and manage on Social Security and two company pensions. But they couldn't stand by when great-grandson Ethan appeared headed for a foster home as an infant. Born prematurely and under 4 pounds, he needed round-the-clock care for months, and his mother -- their granddaughter -- was single and unemployed and not up to the job.
None of their seven children wanted to raise him -- "They all work and have families of their own," explained Nora, a retired supermarket manager. So Dave, now 73, a retired maintenance supervisor at Emerson Electric Co., converted the basement of their two-bedroom ranch home into a playroom and they took him in as their own.
Now their seventies are dominated by child care. Trips and other indulgences are rare. The couple says they can't afford them in the face of $2,600-a-year school tuition, clothes and other child costs, and they want to save their time, energy and money for Ethan anyway.
"It does change your life," Nora said. "We don't get to put our feet up. But he's just ours. I can't think of a day without him."
Now you know…great-parents taking care of a six-year old and paying tuition to ensure the kid has an education….wow! This folks and many others like them deserve so much more.
I’m blessed…and oh sooo thankful that my son has a great support system built around him. I have to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to his grand-mother, grand-father, and great-grandparents, who not only provide him with financial support, but attention, lessons, discipline, encouragement and most of and love.
So I hope after reading this that some folks are reaching for their phones and placing calls to their mother, father, or grandparents to say thank you. And to all the grand-parents and great-grandparents who are playing essential roles in their grandchildren’s lives. Thanks! Thanks for doing what you do and Happy Grand-parents day.
To read entire article just visit www.urbanplaydates.com. Also if you’re a grandparent looking to connect with other grandparents…well yes you guessed it there is a social networking site for you called grandparents.com
Even Barny Remember Granparets...
Where the hell is hallmark? I just went on their site and ain’t no cards for Grandparents Day. Yes today folks, Sunday September 7, 2008 is Grandparents Day.
Nope not even a mention on their homepage. Ok.Ok.Ok. so to be fair to Hallmark, you had to put grandparents into the search engine and presto! You can choose from a whopping seven cards (that you had to print out on your own printer). Also to be fair to Hallmark I haven’t seen one commercial from our retailer friends, which is strange because they are usually licking their marketing chops to promote such holidays as Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Columbus Day. I haven’t checked the news, but I don’t remember seeing any promotions on a special three part series from CNN neither. Nope folks nobodyyyyy.
The AP in Chicago put out an article about the every changing role of grandparents. According to the article “What's changed in recent decades is the increased complexity of family problems that experts say has contributed to a roughly 30 percent jump since 1990 in the number of children being raised by grandparents -- currently about 3.7 million.
You know and I know these individuals who aren’t taking care of their responsibilities, for whatever reason and grandma and/or grandpa have taken over and become the primary caregiver. Why? Because they know that one generation has already been lost and losing another layer on the family foundation would only impede its success.
I cringed all through this article and before we start to generalize and stereotype what “these grandparents” look like the article dispelled any pre-conceived conceptions with this statement “Yet the issue crosses demographic boundaries.”Some people think it's just an inner-city, African-American grandmother issue, and it's not,"
People I was pretty much in tears and it’s not like I wasn’t aware of the issue, but I guess when I read information it just hits home harder for me.
My heart goes out to the Dacuses. They highlighted their story and I thought it was worthy of including in my blog because it’s who they are and what they did is typical of what many grandparents are going through. So here’s a snippet:
“The Dacuses don't have a lot of money and manage on Social Security and two company pensions. But they couldn't stand by when great-grandson Ethan appeared headed for a foster home as an infant. Born prematurely and under 4 pounds, he needed round-the-clock care for months, and his mother -- their granddaughter -- was single and unemployed and not up to the job.
None of their seven children wanted to raise him -- "They all work and have families of their own," explained Nora, a retired supermarket manager. So Dave, now 73, a retired maintenance supervisor at Emerson Electric Co., converted the basement of their two-bedroom ranch home into a playroom and they took him in as their own.
Now their seventies are dominated by child care. Trips and other indulgences are rare. The couple says they can't afford them in the face of $2,600-a-year school tuition, clothes and other child costs, and they want to save their time, energy and money for Ethan anyway.
"It does change your life," Nora said. "We don't get to put our feet up. But he's just ours. I can't think of a day without him."
Now you know…great-parents taking care of a six-year old and paying tuition to ensure the kid has an education….wow! This folks and many others like them deserve so much more.
I’m blessed…and oh sooo thankful that my son has a great support system built around him. I have to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to his grand-mother, grand-father, and great-grandparents, who not only provide him with financial support, but attention, lessons, discipline, encouragement and most of and love.
So I hope after reading this that some folks are reaching for their phones and placing calls to their mother, father, or grandparents to say thank you. And to all the grand-parents and great-grandparents who are playing essential roles in their grandchildren’s lives. Thanks! Thanks for doing what you do and Happy Grand-parents day.
To read entire article just visit www.urbanplaydates.com. Also if you’re a grandparent looking to connect with other grandparents…well yes you guessed it there is a social networking site for you called grandparents.com
Even Barny Remember Granparets...
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Tree House You Can Rent Out?
It’s a tuff housing market, but I don’t think that this dad realizes that he actually created a gold mine. Hell, I would try and rent this sucker for real. Ain’t nothin wrong with additional revenue stream! Asking price $500.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Right on time..as I was posting about our lemonade stand
Low and behold I found this on youtube. Now our lemonade stand didn’t have blenders and all, but we did have the kids put the lemon into a canister, add some sweet water, and ice and then they shake it up…but nonetheless this youtube video is a great motivational tool.
Ahh! The old Lemonade stand…Just one last lesson.
Before mom and the kid went inside to count how much money they earned…mom and the kid had a talk.
Mom says to the kid.
Look baby we are going to have to give our neighbors a cut of our money.
The kid says. What do you mean?
Mom says it means that we are going to have to give them some of our money. One of the biggest reasons we made so much money was because of our location. We would have never made this much if we sold it in front of ours.
The kid looks mad
The mom says. In business you have to sometimes pay for the use of things like the use of the yard. So how much do you want to give them.
The kid says. She only sold cookies and only had about 10 bags so she should get $10. Mind you we made $120.
Mom looks disappointed and finally mom and the kid decided on $30. And yes mom took her start-up money too. But, the kid did have more than enough money to not only buy the video game he wanted, but an extra remote control.
Next lesson….how to save!
Mom says to the kid.
Look baby we are going to have to give our neighbors a cut of our money.
The kid says. What do you mean?
Mom says it means that we are going to have to give them some of our money. One of the biggest reasons we made so much money was because of our location. We would have never made this much if we sold it in front of ours.
The kid looks mad
The mom says. In business you have to sometimes pay for the use of things like the use of the yard. So how much do you want to give them.
The kid says. She only sold cookies and only had about 10 bags so she should get $10. Mind you we made $120.
Mom looks disappointed and finally mom and the kid decided on $30. And yes mom took her start-up money too. But, the kid did have more than enough money to not only buy the video game he wanted, but an extra remote control.
Next lesson….how to save!
Ahh! The old Lemonade stand...the Wrap-Up
The best story: Well there is actually two.
1) A young couple rode down the street and of course the children start yelling "get your ice cold lemonade"…well we thought they didn’t hear them, but half way up the block the car pulled over and the boyfriend jump out of the car and got two cups (haha...he of course made the comment that his girl made him get out and get the drinks).
2) Another young couple who loved the product so much that they brought back two more friends.
The most interesting story….well there was actually three!
1) From about a block away we could see this young AA couple walking towards the lemonade stand. Next thing we know they crossed the street right in front of the stand and never acknowledged the kids as they were yelling “Ice cold lemonade” …(although everyone didn’t stop and buy from the kids at least they acknowledged them). But NOOOOOOOOO! that wasn’t the kicker.
No these two lil pea brains had the audacity to walk back pass us (well on the other side of street) sipping some ice tea brought from the coffee house down the street for $3! I….mom had to restrain myself from hopping that fence and giving them a piece of my mind. I know I know….but I’m sure these are the same folks who always have something to say about parental involvement…and these same folks spent $6 on some ice-tea when they could have supported some kids in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Pleasss! I don't want to see them again.
2) I don’t how many folks where blasting their gospel music ridding down the street and when they reached the stop sign and the kids starting yelling about Ice Cold Lemonade…these folks looked so confused and guilty that all they could do was smile.
3) One of our entrepreneurs went missing. Oh courses it was the kid who needed the lesson the most. Yes, he went missing for 10 mins…Where was he? Inside counting his money.
1) A young couple rode down the street and of course the children start yelling "get your ice cold lemonade"…well we thought they didn’t hear them, but half way up the block the car pulled over and the boyfriend jump out of the car and got two cups (haha...he of course made the comment that his girl made him get out and get the drinks).
2) Another young couple who loved the product so much that they brought back two more friends.
The most interesting story….well there was actually three!
1) From about a block away we could see this young AA couple walking towards the lemonade stand. Next thing we know they crossed the street right in front of the stand and never acknowledged the kids as they were yelling “Ice cold lemonade” …(although everyone didn’t stop and buy from the kids at least they acknowledged them). But NOOOOOOOOO! that wasn’t the kicker.
No these two lil pea brains had the audacity to walk back pass us (well on the other side of street) sipping some ice tea brought from the coffee house down the street for $3! I….mom had to restrain myself from hopping that fence and giving them a piece of my mind. I know I know….but I’m sure these are the same folks who always have something to say about parental involvement…and these same folks spent $6 on some ice-tea when they could have supported some kids in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Pleasss! I don't want to see them again.
2) I don’t how many folks where blasting their gospel music ridding down the street and when they reached the stop sign and the kids starting yelling about Ice Cold Lemonade…these folks looked so confused and guilty that all they could do was smile.
3) One of our entrepreneurs went missing. Oh courses it was the kid who needed the lesson the most. Yes, he went missing for 10 mins…Where was he? Inside counting his money.
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