Monthly Archives: June 2012

cc courtesy of woodleywonderworks on Flickr

Will personal reinvention become a thing of the past?]

. Kids & Tweens, Opinion, Social Media . ,

When I was seven years old, I had one of the most mortifying  experiences of my young life. No matter how many years go by, this event is scorched into my memory- even now as I write this, my cheeks are starting to burn with embarrassment by just remembering it.

On this day, I got all dressed up and went with my dad to a play at the local children’s theatre. My mom stayed home with my sister who was just a baby at the time, so it was just me and my dad- a lovely father daughter outing. At intermission we went out in the courtyard to enjoy a brownie and some lemonade from the snack stand then I decided to join a bunch of other kids in walking around the edge of the courtyard fountain. Big mistake. Trying to show off, I climbed to the top ring of the fountain to walk along its slippery, brick edge. Then I fell in. Sputtering and drenched, I was hauled from the fountain by various grownups while other kids (many that I knew from school) looked on and laughed their behinds off.  Continue reading →

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6 classic books your kids will love this summer

. Education, Kids & Tweens . , ,
There is nothing like taking a break from the heat of a summer’s day to stretch out in the shade with a good book. Today’s bookstores and libraries are exploding with tons of hip children’s and young adult literature. While it’s great to have so many choices, take some time this summer to share a book from your childhood with your kids. Before you pick up your next batch of reading material, review this list of six fabulous books to find some literary inspiration. Continue reading →
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Making Grandma a Techie

. Families . , , ,
Your parents want to spend more time with their grandkids, but you all live busy lives. Kids are swamped with academic commitments, dance lessons and soccer practices, and that once a week call to grandma that you are able to slot into their schedule just doesn’t really feel like quality time. Thankfully, grandparents can adopt a few key technologies that will help them connect with the grandkids easily and often.


Video Messaging Services

Face time is important, but it doesn’t have to happen in the same room anymore. Video chat programs allow your parents to chat with the kids in real time using only a computer, a webcam, free software, and an Internet connection. Through a video chat, your kids can talk with relatives in a more comfortable and interactive way- think of it as the ability to show AND tell! Ask a kid over the phone, “how’s school going?” and you are lucky to get a response of “fine” out of them. But over a webcam, they can show off their artwork, the A+ they got on their spelling test, or even the new family dog. Now, that’s vastly more interesting for both parties than a quick phone call, right?  These programs are also a great way for grandparents to talk to or play games with friends or other relatives who have retired to other cities.

Continue reading →