Buying a computer can be a very stressful and expensive endeavor, computer technology improves at an astoundingly fast rate making a new computer seem obsolete within months. This leads to a lot of frustration when picking out a new computer. It doesn't have to be all that badand can actually be a lot of fun. By taking the time to do your research and giving yourself a good plan you can take most of the stress out of it if not the expense.
The first thing you need to do is decide what your going to be doing with the computer in question. Are you making documents, editing pictures, or doing homework? Perhaps it's a combination of all three. What about online or PC based gaming? Will you be doing any of that? Is the computer going to stay in just one place or will you need to be able to take it with you? How many people are going to be using the computer? These are all questions that should be asked before you even start your shopping for a computer.
Once you decide what your going to be using it for then you can start figuring out what kind of computer you need to get. This is a big decision to make because buying a computer can be a considerable investment so some thought should go into this step. It wouldn't be good to buy one on the spur of the moment only to get it home and a couple of weeks later discover that it's not what we need or want.
Laptops are popular choice due to their ease of movement and the ability to take them with us wherever we need to go. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and weights which gives them great versatility. The latest trend in laptops is for very thin and light notebooks that can easily be carried in a small bag. These are great for people who spend a lot of time on the go and want something to take with them that's small and not very heavy. The downside to laptops is that they are often more delicate than a bigger desktop system and aren't a very good choice for younger children. It's far too easy for a younger child to knock one off a desk or drop it and that can damage both the system itself and the screen sometimes permanently requiring a totally new machine to replace them.
Desktop systems are a classic choice and are a good fit for most families. Each year the desktop gets smaller and smaller allowing for them to fit into smaller spaces while still retaining the durability of a desktop system. There's also a wide variety of monitors and accessories allowing for a complete customization of the desktop system to completely fit the look and function that you may need. Some of the accessories available now include wireless cards, keyboards, and mice which allows for a computer setup without having to worry about all the wires getting twisted and making a mess. If you want to get fancy and have a system that looks good as well as works good there's also various packages you can get with special decals and lighting to make a fashion statement with. Really when it comes to desktops there's no limit to the things you can do.
Now for the actual buying of the computer. There's a couple of different ways to go about purchasing your computer once you have decided what you want. You can go directly to the manufacturer as most big computer companies have the option to order direct and customize your system to exactly what you want. Most of the time they have special pricing that you can only get through them. For a less customized and more standard system you can go through many different stores. Most major electronics chains carry different computers and all you have to do is look and see if they have what you are looking for. Do a little bit of comparison shopping and you can find some great deals.
There's a lot to consider when buying a computer because it is a major purchase but utilizing some basic tips will make the experience a lot more enjoyable for you. With the vast amount of technology available out there you might even have fun.
Showing posts with label Back To School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Back To School. Show all posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Helping your child pick the best extracurricular activities
With the wide variety of extracurricular activities available at most school what's the best way to pick which ones for your child to participate in? Which ones are they going to get the most out of both on a fun level and on a looking towards the future level? Should we let our children choose their activities strictly on their own or should we offer our own input and guidance? These are the kinds of questions that we ask ourselves as parents when our children start being old enough to participate in activities outside of school. The answers to these questions can have a long lasting impact on how our children develop and should be taken very seriously.
It's very hard not to step in and take the decision completely out of our children's hands after all we're the parent and think that we must know better due to our much vaster experience and knowledge. However, this is not always the best solution and can lead to great resentment and poor performance in the activity from the child involved. A much better approach is to be involved in the decision making process giving guidance and advice but also letting the child have the major say in the issue. After all it's them that will participating in the activity not us.
Start by contacting the school and finding out what activities are available at your child age and grade level and what's necessary to participate. This is an important first step because your child may not be aware of all the things that are offered at their school. It might surprise you exactly how much variety is available and can be a bit intimidating but remember that your child won't be participating in all of the activities only the ones that they choose and you agree to.
Next sit down with your child and ask them what activities they are interested in. Have the list of activities with you during this conversation so that they can see what exactly is available and what is involved with each. This will help them make a more informed decision. Talk about the pros and cons of each activity and exactly how much time each one will take. It's also important to talk about the amount of commitment required so that they understand the seriousness of signing up especially for team activities where the members count on each other. Don't scare them away from the activity but make sure they know all the things involved.
Once you've looked over all the activities it's time to start narrowing down the list. There are going to be some activities that your child has absolutely no interest in and it's best to get those out of the way before continuing. Once you have a smaller list it's much easier to go through and decide which ones to participate in. One way to narrow the list further is to ask your child to rate how interested they are in each activity and then narrow the list down again by removing the ones that they are only kind of interested in. This should hopefully make your list much smaller and easier to manage. Go through it again and talk about each activity and why they want to participate. Try to gauge which activities they really seem the most excited about and narrow the list down to those activities.
Now it's time to figure out which activities your child will have the time to participate in. Take a sheet of paper and make a schedule of the week marking out the time that is spent in school. Look at what's left and this is the time available for extra curricular activities. Ask you child how much of this time they want to devote to activities and remind them that if they fill their schedule too much they won't have any free time. Debate the merits of each one with them but in the end it's going to depend on what they think they can handle and what you think they can handle. Try to reach a compromise.
At the end you have a schedule of activities that should be possible for your child to participate in and still have time for homework and rest. Make sure to watch out for overloaded schedules but other than that follow your child's lead.
It's very hard not to step in and take the decision completely out of our children's hands after all we're the parent and think that we must know better due to our much vaster experience and knowledge. However, this is not always the best solution and can lead to great resentment and poor performance in the activity from the child involved. A much better approach is to be involved in the decision making process giving guidance and advice but also letting the child have the major say in the issue. After all it's them that will participating in the activity not us.
Start by contacting the school and finding out what activities are available at your child age and grade level and what's necessary to participate. This is an important first step because your child may not be aware of all the things that are offered at their school. It might surprise you exactly how much variety is available and can be a bit intimidating but remember that your child won't be participating in all of the activities only the ones that they choose and you agree to.
Next sit down with your child and ask them what activities they are interested in. Have the list of activities with you during this conversation so that they can see what exactly is available and what is involved with each. This will help them make a more informed decision. Talk about the pros and cons of each activity and exactly how much time each one will take. It's also important to talk about the amount of commitment required so that they understand the seriousness of signing up especially for team activities where the members count on each other. Don't scare them away from the activity but make sure they know all the things involved.
Once you've looked over all the activities it's time to start narrowing down the list. There are going to be some activities that your child has absolutely no interest in and it's best to get those out of the way before continuing. Once you have a smaller list it's much easier to go through and decide which ones to participate in. One way to narrow the list further is to ask your child to rate how interested they are in each activity and then narrow the list down again by removing the ones that they are only kind of interested in. This should hopefully make your list much smaller and easier to manage. Go through it again and talk about each activity and why they want to participate. Try to gauge which activities they really seem the most excited about and narrow the list down to those activities.
Now it's time to figure out which activities your child will have the time to participate in. Take a sheet of paper and make a schedule of the week marking out the time that is spent in school. Look at what's left and this is the time available for extra curricular activities. Ask you child how much of this time they want to devote to activities and remind them that if they fill their schedule too much they won't have any free time. Debate the merits of each one with them but in the end it's going to depend on what they think they can handle and what you think they can handle. Try to reach a compromise.
At the end you have a schedule of activities that should be possible for your child to participate in and still have time for homework and rest. Make sure to watch out for overloaded schedules but other than that follow your child's lead.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Electronics trends for children and teens
I remember when I was young and the first Nintendo system came out. We were so excited but had no idea that it was just the beginning of a long trend that would get more and more advanced. The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and encompasses a lot of area, everything from gaming systems, to mp3 players, to fancy calculators that do all our figuring for use. There's such a wide range of electronics available that it's hard to know what's out there and what's going to interest our children.
The biggest trend in electronics is cell phones and pretty much every teen and even some preteens want them. Far from the big bulky phones of my youth today's cell phones have a compact design and a wealth of different features. The teens of today use their phones not just for talking to each other but also for texting, checking email, taking pictures, listening to music, and watching videos. They are only limited by how much they want to invest in a phone as cell companies rush to put out phones with new features to attract more teens and preteens. At the same time service carriers are rolling out plans that are specifically designed with the younger user in mind. Cell phones have also become a fashion accessory as there are a variety of charms to decorate them with and even designer cell holders to carry them in.
The next big trend is mp3 players. The convenience of being bale to store music and take it with them is very appealing to teens. The amount of music that can be carried all depends on the storage size of the player and they come in wide range of sizes to meet the tastes of the market. All of this in size that in most cases is small enough to carry in a pocket or in a purse. There's even a market for mp3 accessories that has everything from decoration to carrying cases. Various speakers of all sorts of shapes, sizes and volume are available for those who don't wish to use a headset to listen to their music. When it comes to headsets there's also a wide variety of options to choose from and your teen is only limited by there personal taste when it comes to mp3 accessories.
Of course portable games are still very big with the teen and preteen crowd and that doesn't seem to be decreasing in the least. Today's teens are on the on the go and want to be able to take their games with them when they go places. Add in the fact that some games systems also play video and you have an all around entertainment device that a teen can carry with them. Of course in spirit of customization and personalization there are many accessories to go with these gaming devices. In addition to the multitude of colors that they already come in there are decals to decorate them and a multitude of cases to carry them in. All of which allow for a very personal gaming experience.
It's important to remember that while we may not always agree with it these items have become an everyday part of our children's lives. The age for a first cell phone seems to get younger and younger every year and while this may not seem necessary at first it has practical applications also. A child carrying a cell phone always has a way to contact someone in the case of an emergency and is much easier to make contact with when they are away from home. Some phones even have a GPS feature that allows a parent to check the location of the phone and see if their child is where they are supposed to be. Electronic games and mp3 players provide entertainment on long bus rides and give our children something to do other than get in trouble. These electronics have their place in our children's daily lives as long as we take the time to teach them when and where they are appropriate to be used.
The biggest trend in electronics is cell phones and pretty much every teen and even some preteens want them. Far from the big bulky phones of my youth today's cell phones have a compact design and a wealth of different features. The teens of today use their phones not just for talking to each other but also for texting, checking email, taking pictures, listening to music, and watching videos. They are only limited by how much they want to invest in a phone as cell companies rush to put out phones with new features to attract more teens and preteens. At the same time service carriers are rolling out plans that are specifically designed with the younger user in mind. Cell phones have also become a fashion accessory as there are a variety of charms to decorate them with and even designer cell holders to carry them in.
The next big trend is mp3 players. The convenience of being bale to store music and take it with them is very appealing to teens. The amount of music that can be carried all depends on the storage size of the player and they come in wide range of sizes to meet the tastes of the market. All of this in size that in most cases is small enough to carry in a pocket or in a purse. There's even a market for mp3 accessories that has everything from decoration to carrying cases. Various speakers of all sorts of shapes, sizes and volume are available for those who don't wish to use a headset to listen to their music. When it comes to headsets there's also a wide variety of options to choose from and your teen is only limited by there personal taste when it comes to mp3 accessories.
Of course portable games are still very big with the teen and preteen crowd and that doesn't seem to be decreasing in the least. Today's teens are on the on the go and want to be able to take their games with them when they go places. Add in the fact that some games systems also play video and you have an all around entertainment device that a teen can carry with them. Of course in spirit of customization and personalization there are many accessories to go with these gaming devices. In addition to the multitude of colors that they already come in there are decals to decorate them and a multitude of cases to carry them in. All of which allow for a very personal gaming experience.
It's important to remember that while we may not always agree with it these items have become an everyday part of our children's lives. The age for a first cell phone seems to get younger and younger every year and while this may not seem necessary at first it has practical applications also. A child carrying a cell phone always has a way to contact someone in the case of an emergency and is much easier to make contact with when they are away from home. Some phones even have a GPS feature that allows a parent to check the location of the phone and see if their child is where they are supposed to be. Electronic games and mp3 players provide entertainment on long bus rides and give our children something to do other than get in trouble. These electronics have their place in our children's daily lives as long as we take the time to teach them when and where they are appropriate to be used.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Eating Healthy with kids
One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to make sure that our children are eating healthy. It's especially difficult during the school year when they are rushing off to school and after school activities. With the easy availability of fast food and ready to eat meals and snacks making it less time consuming to eat unhealthy foods it becomes and uphill battle to keep our kids healthy.
There are some things that we can do to make the meals our children eat healthy and yet still have enough time to handle the other things in our lives. All it takes is a little bit of time to get started on the right track and the knowledge to know what we are doing.
First let's talk about snacks. How easy is it to just grab a bag of chips or a candy bar and use it as a quick snack after school? It's very easy and also it's not very healthy. Instead of a bag of chips or something similar instead hand your child a bag of baby carrots or a bag of apple slices. Both of these now come in convenient snack size bags that can be found in the produce area. If your child wants something a little sweeter there's always the classic standby of a box of raisins. For a little bit of a change there's even yogurt covered raising that are readily available.
Breakfasts are hard because the family is rushing around trying to get out of the house and it's convenient to grab whatever cereal is available and call it breakfast. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but we need to take the time to look at the cereal boxes and look for ones that are a bit healthier. Some things to look for when looking at cereals is how much sugar they contain and how many calories per serving. Look for cereals that are low on both of those items.
Lunches are a little bit harder but still not difficult. One of the things to watch for when choosing lunch foods is healthy ingredients and as close to all natural foods as possible. The more processing a food has the less healthy that it is. Another thing to look for is organic food this food is made with ingredients that are grown in a more healthy manner and contain less harmful chemicals than other foods do. There's such a wide range of foods available that it's relatively easy to find something that your child likes that is still good for them.
Salads are a great choice for both lunches and dinners with the variety of things available it's no problem to use a little bit of creativity and keep salad meals new and interesting. Don't limit yourself to the things that you would normally put into a salad, tomato, cheese, eggs, and carrots are all great in salads but why stop there. Cranberries, almonds, walnuts, mandarin oranges, slices of chicken or ham, and avocado are all healthy ways to spice up a salad and make it more enjoyable to eat. Actually just about any fruit can be used to give the salad a little bit of texture and flavor. Don't be afraid to experiment a little and find out what your child likes the best.
On to desserts because after eating all that healthy food the last thing that you should be doing is grabbing a big sugary dessert. Instead of the traditional desserts of cakes and pies or items like that there are much better alternatives. A nice bowl of fruit adds a nice sweet treat after a meal and has the added benefit of providing extra vitamins and nutrients that your child needs. Mix it up with a little cream for an added treat or slice a bunch of different types of fruit and mix them all into a bowl for a taste explosion.
There are a lot of different things that we as parents can do to make sure that our kids are getting healthier foods to eat and lots of reasons why we should. The examples that we set about eating are what carries through as they get older and sets the standards for how they'll eat as adults. We want to give them the best possible foundation to start with and that includes a healthy diet.
There are some things that we can do to make the meals our children eat healthy and yet still have enough time to handle the other things in our lives. All it takes is a little bit of time to get started on the right track and the knowledge to know what we are doing.
First let's talk about snacks. How easy is it to just grab a bag of chips or a candy bar and use it as a quick snack after school? It's very easy and also it's not very healthy. Instead of a bag of chips or something similar instead hand your child a bag of baby carrots or a bag of apple slices. Both of these now come in convenient snack size bags that can be found in the produce area. If your child wants something a little sweeter there's always the classic standby of a box of raisins. For a little bit of a change there's even yogurt covered raising that are readily available.
Breakfasts are hard because the family is rushing around trying to get out of the house and it's convenient to grab whatever cereal is available and call it breakfast. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but we need to take the time to look at the cereal boxes and look for ones that are a bit healthier. Some things to look for when looking at cereals is how much sugar they contain and how many calories per serving. Look for cereals that are low on both of those items.
Lunches are a little bit harder but still not difficult. One of the things to watch for when choosing lunch foods is healthy ingredients and as close to all natural foods as possible. The more processing a food has the less healthy that it is. Another thing to look for is organic food this food is made with ingredients that are grown in a more healthy manner and contain less harmful chemicals than other foods do. There's such a wide range of foods available that it's relatively easy to find something that your child likes that is still good for them.
Salads are a great choice for both lunches and dinners with the variety of things available it's no problem to use a little bit of creativity and keep salad meals new and interesting. Don't limit yourself to the things that you would normally put into a salad, tomato, cheese, eggs, and carrots are all great in salads but why stop there. Cranberries, almonds, walnuts, mandarin oranges, slices of chicken or ham, and avocado are all healthy ways to spice up a salad and make it more enjoyable to eat. Actually just about any fruit can be used to give the salad a little bit of texture and flavor. Don't be afraid to experiment a little and find out what your child likes the best.
On to desserts because after eating all that healthy food the last thing that you should be doing is grabbing a big sugary dessert. Instead of the traditional desserts of cakes and pies or items like that there are much better alternatives. A nice bowl of fruit adds a nice sweet treat after a meal and has the added benefit of providing extra vitamins and nutrients that your child needs. Mix it up with a little cream for an added treat or slice a bunch of different types of fruit and mix them all into a bowl for a taste explosion.
There are a lot of different things that we as parents can do to make sure that our kids are getting healthier foods to eat and lots of reasons why we should. The examples that we set about eating are what carries through as they get older and sets the standards for how they'll eat as adults. We want to give them the best possible foundation to start with and that includes a healthy diet.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Doing School Work on the Computer
While the increased usage of computers in our daily lives has possibly created a more productive overall use of our time, it has also introduced us to forms of entertainment that can quickly consume great amounts of time and attention. When factoring in school work to the computer usage equation, the possibilities of wasted time are vast. School work is not always the most conducive activity for keeping a person focused.
Doing school work on the computer is an exercise in both time management and staying on task. With the click of a mouse button an hour of study time can be lost to a game of solitaire or a quick search of websites. Distractions abound on a computer, too frequently an Instant Message will appear asking for a fraction of your time. A notification from the speakers tells you have an email waiting and a pop-up bubble tells you an RSS feed has appeared that you need to check out. A 10 second glance at an email can quickly become 30 minutes as you go from link to link reading the latest news.
An additional noted effect of the increase of work done on a computer is the inability to have legible hand writing. With the majority of written work being typed instead of hand written, reports have shown an exponential decrease in quality of penmanship. While this may not seem important at first it can be a symptom of an even bigger problem and can teach children that doing things the "old fashioned" way is not important when in fact it also has it's time and place.
The act of studying and doing school work tends to become monotonous and the brain seeks for ways to distract itself. Whether that be staring at a picture for a few seconds or listening to music. This need for stimulation does not have to be a negative thing however. A quick distraction may allow a student to more readily absorb information once they go back to schoolwork. Working on a computer especially requires occasional breaks where the student takes their eyes off of the computer and gives them a break.
On the other side of that coin is the increased productivity gained from using computers for school work. The ease of typing out a paper often allows for better thought transmission and more detailed work done than traditional hand writing. The ability to easily go back and reword a thought or expand on a thought allows for students to more fully realize their potential. Along with ease also comes a saving in time by working on the computer. It is most of the time quicker to type a paper than to write it out by hand so typing allows a student to get more done in a shorter period of time.
Studying on a computer allows a student to have multiple avenues of teaching at their immediate disposal. Alternative views are easily found and questions can be quickly addressed by online dictionaries, encyclopedias or specialized websites. With the addition of the internet there is hardly a question that can be posed that an answer cannot be found for. Of course we do have to pay attention to where our children go on the internet and teach them which sites are best to find answers on. Just because something is online does not mean that it is true.
Whether or not to allow our children to do their work on the computer has become a matter of great debate both among parents and among teachers. It has great potential as a learning aid but many are afraid of the dangers contained at the same time. Also some worry about the potential for cheating when there is so much information readily available. As technology advances this debate will only become more and more pronounced. For the time being though it's an individual thing and it upt o each parent and school to decide for themselves.
Doing school work on the computer is an exercise in both time management and staying on task. With the click of a mouse button an hour of study time can be lost to a game of solitaire or a quick search of websites. Distractions abound on a computer, too frequently an Instant Message will appear asking for a fraction of your time. A notification from the speakers tells you have an email waiting and a pop-up bubble tells you an RSS feed has appeared that you need to check out. A 10 second glance at an email can quickly become 30 minutes as you go from link to link reading the latest news.
An additional noted effect of the increase of work done on a computer is the inability to have legible hand writing. With the majority of written work being typed instead of hand written, reports have shown an exponential decrease in quality of penmanship. While this may not seem important at first it can be a symptom of an even bigger problem and can teach children that doing things the "old fashioned" way is not important when in fact it also has it's time and place.
The act of studying and doing school work tends to become monotonous and the brain seeks for ways to distract itself. Whether that be staring at a picture for a few seconds or listening to music. This need for stimulation does not have to be a negative thing however. A quick distraction may allow a student to more readily absorb information once they go back to schoolwork. Working on a computer especially requires occasional breaks where the student takes their eyes off of the computer and gives them a break.
On the other side of that coin is the increased productivity gained from using computers for school work. The ease of typing out a paper often allows for better thought transmission and more detailed work done than traditional hand writing. The ability to easily go back and reword a thought or expand on a thought allows for students to more fully realize their potential. Along with ease also comes a saving in time by working on the computer. It is most of the time quicker to type a paper than to write it out by hand so typing allows a student to get more done in a shorter period of time.
Studying on a computer allows a student to have multiple avenues of teaching at their immediate disposal. Alternative views are easily found and questions can be quickly addressed by online dictionaries, encyclopedias or specialized websites. With the addition of the internet there is hardly a question that can be posed that an answer cannot be found for. Of course we do have to pay attention to where our children go on the internet and teach them which sites are best to find answers on. Just because something is online does not mean that it is true.
Whether or not to allow our children to do their work on the computer has become a matter of great debate both among parents and among teachers. It has great potential as a learning aid but many are afraid of the dangers contained at the same time. Also some worry about the potential for cheating when there is so much information readily available. As technology advances this debate will only become more and more pronounced. For the time being though it's an individual thing and it upt o each parent and school to decide for themselves.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Current trends in teen fashion for boys
The world of fashion is a bewildering place and even more so when you are the parent of a teen. The clothing that they wear is sometimes a bit bewildering and hard for a parent to understand. Often as parents all we can do is shake our heads and wonder what happened to the styles of our own teens. It is possible to navigate this bold new world of fashion though and maybe understand it a little bit.
Fashion for teen boys has become all about the deconstructed look.. Instead of clothes looking shiny and new when bought now they want to buy them looking lived in and worn. One of the funniest parts of this fashion to a parent is the fact that deconstructed clothing that looks old and worn often costs more than clothing that doesn't follow this style. Hard to understand for a parent but quite normal to a teen.
One of the biggest areas that you'll see this look in teen boys in is their pants. The current look in jeans is old looking. Painted spots, torn holes, and frayed cuffs all adorn the current crop of fashionable jeans. The high or normal sitting waist has been replaced with the low waist with the legs worn slightly longer than necessary for a slouched lived in kind of look. There's a bit of variety with the shape of the leg though as both straight leg and boot leg styles are currently popular.
There are options that are popular that have a slightly cleaner look to them. The classic cargo pant and cargo short is always a good investment and rarely seems to go out of style. Indeed it can be easily combined with the current crop of popular top styles. Plaid shorts for guys also seems to be making a strong comeback for a bit more of a preppier look.
There's even more variety when it comes to tops. Going along with the look in jeans the deconstructed look is popular in tops too. Frayed and faded tops layered over each other is an immensely popular style and lends itself to a multitude of different styles especially when graphic tees are added in. Tees can be worn under or over a another shirt sometimes one with long sleeves or short ones also. They can also be worn layered over each other for a colorful comfortable look. A really cute and popular look is to take a graphic tee and wear it over top of a thin long sleeved shirt with a pair slouched jeans and flip flops. This pulls together to create a comfortable casual look that is all the rage right now.
Of course there are some things that are classic and never really go out of style. Polo shirts are one of those items. While the fit of the polo may change a bit and popular colors vary from year to year the polo shirt is a closet classic that ages well from year to year. It can be worn with the faded jeans for a casual look, cargo pant for a cleaner look, or with plaid shorts for a hip preppy look. All of these combinations make it a must have for any wardrobe.
The biggest tip that can be given to any parent when it comes to buying clothing for their teen boy is to take their clue from him. What does he like? What kinds of activities does he participate in? Are there particular colors that he really likes? Fashion is an expression of ourselves and our personalities. It allows us to show the world what we like and sometimes what we don't. We need to take an active role in guiding our children but it's important to let them have their own say so that what they have to wear is something that reflects them. Remember that they will be the ones wearing it not us.
Fashion for teen boys has become all about the deconstructed look.. Instead of clothes looking shiny and new when bought now they want to buy them looking lived in and worn. One of the funniest parts of this fashion to a parent is the fact that deconstructed clothing that looks old and worn often costs more than clothing that doesn't follow this style. Hard to understand for a parent but quite normal to a teen.
One of the biggest areas that you'll see this look in teen boys in is their pants. The current look in jeans is old looking. Painted spots, torn holes, and frayed cuffs all adorn the current crop of fashionable jeans. The high or normal sitting waist has been replaced with the low waist with the legs worn slightly longer than necessary for a slouched lived in kind of look. There's a bit of variety with the shape of the leg though as both straight leg and boot leg styles are currently popular.
There are options that are popular that have a slightly cleaner look to them. The classic cargo pant and cargo short is always a good investment and rarely seems to go out of style. Indeed it can be easily combined with the current crop of popular top styles. Plaid shorts for guys also seems to be making a strong comeback for a bit more of a preppier look.
There's even more variety when it comes to tops. Going along with the look in jeans the deconstructed look is popular in tops too. Frayed and faded tops layered over each other is an immensely popular style and lends itself to a multitude of different styles especially when graphic tees are added in. Tees can be worn under or over a another shirt sometimes one with long sleeves or short ones also. They can also be worn layered over each other for a colorful comfortable look. A really cute and popular look is to take a graphic tee and wear it over top of a thin long sleeved shirt with a pair slouched jeans and flip flops. This pulls together to create a comfortable casual look that is all the rage right now.
Of course there are some things that are classic and never really go out of style. Polo shirts are one of those items. While the fit of the polo may change a bit and popular colors vary from year to year the polo shirt is a closet classic that ages well from year to year. It can be worn with the faded jeans for a casual look, cargo pant for a cleaner look, or with plaid shorts for a hip preppy look. All of these combinations make it a must have for any wardrobe.
The biggest tip that can be given to any parent when it comes to buying clothing for their teen boy is to take their clue from him. What does he like? What kinds of activities does he participate in? Are there particular colors that he really likes? Fashion is an expression of ourselves and our personalities. It allows us to show the world what we like and sometimes what we don't. We need to take an active role in guiding our children but it's important to let them have their own say so that what they have to wear is something that reflects them. Remember that they will be the ones wearing it not us.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Current fashion trends for teen girls
Today is a great time to be a teen girl when it comes to the wide variety of fashions that are available. There's such a dazzling display of colors, patterns, and styles that it's easy to get turned around and not know what's popular any more. It's also easy to lose track of the fact that our teen girls are still young women and that not all styles are appropriate for them to wear. The key is balance being fashionable with still being a teen and having fun being young.
The deconstructed look that has taken over teen boys fashion has also found it's way over to the girls but with a feminine twist. Instead of pairing a faded shirt with a graphic tee a girl may opt to instead mix it up with a colorful cami showing a hint of lace. It's still a comfortable casual style but gives a little more of a girlish touch to the look. Or, going the opposite way she may pair the graphic tee with a vintage blouse for a look that's slightly sharper and not quite as casual.
The low rise jeans craze has also hit the female gender and has in fact gone a little bit further as girls jeans become lower and tighter than their male counterparts. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but can be taken to an extreme that is inappropriate for someone of that age. Noone really needs to see what underwear your teen daughter is wearing so care should always be taken to find jeans that fit well.
Capris are also a popular look that lend themselves to wide range of possibilities. The nice thing about capris is that they can go from being casual to being crisp and businesslike with just a change of top and accessory. Paired with a nice button down vest and sensible shoes they create a smart look that's equally at home in both a classroom or at the mall for an afternoon shopping trip. On the other hand pair them with a tee or a halter top and a pair of wedge shoes and you have a comfortable casual look that she can wear hanging out with friends. The possibilities are only limited by the imagination and use of accessories.
Of course there is the ever popular skirt. Skirts never really go out of fashion they just change shape and size. This year the mini is yet again in fashion which has a lot of parents concerned. They just aren't ready for their daughter to leave the house showing that much skin. Well, there's a solution for the this problem that can keep both parents and daughters happy. That solution is the footless tights that are enjoying another year of popularity. These tights allow a teen girl to wear a skirt that by itself would be too short for modesty but with the tights it becomes both wearable and fashionable.
Dresses are also a very fashionable choice and there's a wide range of dress styles to choose from. For casual wear the ever popular halter dress is always a good choice. Available in a variety of colors and lengths there's sure to be one that will please even the most finicky teen girl. For more formal occasions the halter dress can be paired with a nice shirt or sweater giving it a more demure appearance that lends itself well to occasions where a halter dress by itself would not be appropriate.
One of the best things about fashion for teen girls is the variety and the color. The current trend of bright colors and bold prints makes for a more interesting fashion statement than in past seasons. Layers make for a mor versatile wardrobe that can be made up of less individual pieces so that it's possible to go for quality instead of quantity. All of these things make is possible for a girl to really exercise her sense of individuality and create a look that is truly her own.
The deconstructed look that has taken over teen boys fashion has also found it's way over to the girls but with a feminine twist. Instead of pairing a faded shirt with a graphic tee a girl may opt to instead mix it up with a colorful cami showing a hint of lace. It's still a comfortable casual style but gives a little more of a girlish touch to the look. Or, going the opposite way she may pair the graphic tee with a vintage blouse for a look that's slightly sharper and not quite as casual.
The low rise jeans craze has also hit the female gender and has in fact gone a little bit further as girls jeans become lower and tighter than their male counterparts. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but can be taken to an extreme that is inappropriate for someone of that age. Noone really needs to see what underwear your teen daughter is wearing so care should always be taken to find jeans that fit well.
Capris are also a popular look that lend themselves to wide range of possibilities. The nice thing about capris is that they can go from being casual to being crisp and businesslike with just a change of top and accessory. Paired with a nice button down vest and sensible shoes they create a smart look that's equally at home in both a classroom or at the mall for an afternoon shopping trip. On the other hand pair them with a tee or a halter top and a pair of wedge shoes and you have a comfortable casual look that she can wear hanging out with friends. The possibilities are only limited by the imagination and use of accessories.
Of course there is the ever popular skirt. Skirts never really go out of fashion they just change shape and size. This year the mini is yet again in fashion which has a lot of parents concerned. They just aren't ready for their daughter to leave the house showing that much skin. Well, there's a solution for the this problem that can keep both parents and daughters happy. That solution is the footless tights that are enjoying another year of popularity. These tights allow a teen girl to wear a skirt that by itself would be too short for modesty but with the tights it becomes both wearable and fashionable.
Dresses are also a very fashionable choice and there's a wide range of dress styles to choose from. For casual wear the ever popular halter dress is always a good choice. Available in a variety of colors and lengths there's sure to be one that will please even the most finicky teen girl. For more formal occasions the halter dress can be paired with a nice shirt or sweater giving it a more demure appearance that lends itself well to occasions where a halter dress by itself would not be appropriate.
One of the best things about fashion for teen girls is the variety and the color. The current trend of bright colors and bold prints makes for a more interesting fashion statement than in past seasons. Layers make for a mor versatile wardrobe that can be made up of less individual pieces so that it's possible to go for quality instead of quantity. All of these things make is possible for a girl to really exercise her sense of individuality and create a look that is truly her own.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Closet Organizers that make life easier
One of the hardest things to do is to try to stay organized especially when there are children involved. Children don't always understand the importance of staying organized and are prone to just leaving things where they lay. One of the biggest problem areas can be the closet especially if it's a large one. Quite often it becomes a catch all for everything and can become quite messy. The good news is that there is help for this problem.
There are a variety of closet organizers available on the market today and your only limited by imagination and how much you want to spend. Solution can be as simple as using shoe boxes to hold small items or as complex as full size closet organizers involving shelves and hangers that have every possible combination of places to store items.
Shoe boxes are a cheap and easy way to keep things in place. Next time you buy shoes for yourself or your family put those left over boxes to good use. Put a label on the outside end so that you know the contents and use them to store small or medium items in the closet. They are great for small toys or school supplies. For something that looks a little bit nicer you can even help your child cover them in decorative paper or wall paper and can even have them match the decor of the room. This allows you to organize while still keeping the room looking nice. Or, there are a multitude of clear plastic shoe boxes available for purchase that match everything and have the added benefit of being much sturdier due to the heaviness of the plastic instead of the cardboard of a regular shoe box.
Another option is to use the plastic drawers and carts that are available at many stores. These come in various sizes and shapes and can fit into almost any space. The nice thing about these is that with them being clear plastic they are easy to see the contents if a label should somehow get misplaced. Depending on what type you get they will often stack on top of each other allowing you to fit the most amount of storage into the smallest possible space. It's not recommended though that you stack them higher than the child's head as this can cause a safety hazard.
There's also the organizers that are designed to maximize storage in closet space. These tend to be more expensive than the previous two methods and take a little bit more time to put together but they can be the nicest looking and most effective out of the three options. They come in two different forms. Ones that are already designed out and all you have to do is find one that fits in the closet space available are easy and convenient but don't allow much for creativity or personalization. Then there are the ones where you decide exactly what you need. How many shelves, how big of a hanging area, and box areas for storage are some of the areas that you can customize. These take more time to put together because you have to decide exactly how much space you have and what you need to store in the area but when you are done you have a closet that is organized to your exact specifications.
It can be a very daunting task to try to organize a closet but the benefits far outweigh the set up time. The time that can be saved by being able to go to the closet and easily find items can be far better used on other projects like homework or extra curricular activities. It also saves money how many times have we bought a second item because our child loved it and thought it was lost and then later it's found and we have duplicates? By having everything organized we avoid this problem and save ourselves both time and money.
There are a variety of closet organizers available on the market today and your only limited by imagination and how much you want to spend. Solution can be as simple as using shoe boxes to hold small items or as complex as full size closet organizers involving shelves and hangers that have every possible combination of places to store items.
Shoe boxes are a cheap and easy way to keep things in place. Next time you buy shoes for yourself or your family put those left over boxes to good use. Put a label on the outside end so that you know the contents and use them to store small or medium items in the closet. They are great for small toys or school supplies. For something that looks a little bit nicer you can even help your child cover them in decorative paper or wall paper and can even have them match the decor of the room. This allows you to organize while still keeping the room looking nice. Or, there are a multitude of clear plastic shoe boxes available for purchase that match everything and have the added benefit of being much sturdier due to the heaviness of the plastic instead of the cardboard of a regular shoe box.
Another option is to use the plastic drawers and carts that are available at many stores. These come in various sizes and shapes and can fit into almost any space. The nice thing about these is that with them being clear plastic they are easy to see the contents if a label should somehow get misplaced. Depending on what type you get they will often stack on top of each other allowing you to fit the most amount of storage into the smallest possible space. It's not recommended though that you stack them higher than the child's head as this can cause a safety hazard.
There's also the organizers that are designed to maximize storage in closet space. These tend to be more expensive than the previous two methods and take a little bit more time to put together but they can be the nicest looking and most effective out of the three options. They come in two different forms. Ones that are already designed out and all you have to do is find one that fits in the closet space available are easy and convenient but don't allow much for creativity or personalization. Then there are the ones where you decide exactly what you need. How many shelves, how big of a hanging area, and box areas for storage are some of the areas that you can customize. These take more time to put together because you have to decide exactly how much space you have and what you need to store in the area but when you are done you have a closet that is organized to your exact specifications.
It can be a very daunting task to try to organize a closet but the benefits far outweigh the set up time. The time that can be saved by being able to go to the closet and easily find items can be far better used on other projects like homework or extra curricular activities. It also saves money how many times have we bought a second item because our child loved it and thought it was lost and then later it's found and we have duplicates? By having everything organized we avoid this problem and save ourselves both time and money.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Balancing extracurricular activities with school work
As parents it's important to help our children and give them the best tools to succeed in life. One of these tools is knowing how to balance things that need to be done. This especially important as our children get older and want to participate in school activities. We want them to be able to do these activities but at the same time school work is important to their future and we don't want them to neglect it. It's possible for them to learn to balance both and be able to handle being active.
One thing that helps is to make sure that your child is only signing up for things that they can handle. Nothing is accomplished by taking on activities that they have no way to complete. This can have a serious negative affect on their self esteem when they aren't able to complete things. It's better to avoid problems by planning ahead and helping them to only sign up for the things that they can handle. It may seem harsh and counter productive but it's not a bad thing to teach our children to be realistic about their abilities as they reach for the stars.
The next thing we can do is teach them how to manage their time effectively. The time to complete activities and homework has to come from somewhere and there still has to be time for things like eating and sleeping. We can facilitate time management by posting a calendar that has spots for time during the day and letting our children schedule in their activities so they know exactly where they have to be and when. We should help them but as they get older it's important to let them do most of the scheduling themselves so that they learn responsibility that will help them later in life. Sometimes they'll make mistakes and that's okay also because we learn through making mistakes. It's how we handle those mistakes and move on from them that helps us grow as people and move on in our lives.
One of the most important things that we can do to help them is to teach them how important the schoolwork is to them. It's easy to get caught up in our activities and want to focus just on them so sometimes it's necessary for the parent to step in and redirect focus just a little bit. As much as we would like to believe that our child is the next big sports star or chess champion it's so rare that it actually happens that we need them to have the education as a back up. A good education is important because it give them something to use when they get older. It's not that we should neglect activities outside of school as not being important but we have to teach them the importance of balancing both aspects of their time in school.
All of these things work together to help our children find time for both school work and activities. We're our childs biggest supporters and their first role models so it's up to us to set these examples. This means that sometimes we have to take the initiative to talk to them about things and to step in when we see problems developing that are too big for them to handle on their own.
One thing that helps is to make sure that your child is only signing up for things that they can handle. Nothing is accomplished by taking on activities that they have no way to complete. This can have a serious negative affect on their self esteem when they aren't able to complete things. It's better to avoid problems by planning ahead and helping them to only sign up for the things that they can handle. It may seem harsh and counter productive but it's not a bad thing to teach our children to be realistic about their abilities as they reach for the stars.
The next thing we can do is teach them how to manage their time effectively. The time to complete activities and homework has to come from somewhere and there still has to be time for things like eating and sleeping. We can facilitate time management by posting a calendar that has spots for time during the day and letting our children schedule in their activities so they know exactly where they have to be and when. We should help them but as they get older it's important to let them do most of the scheduling themselves so that they learn responsibility that will help them later in life. Sometimes they'll make mistakes and that's okay also because we learn through making mistakes. It's how we handle those mistakes and move on from them that helps us grow as people and move on in our lives.
One of the most important things that we can do to help them is to teach them how important the schoolwork is to them. It's easy to get caught up in our activities and want to focus just on them so sometimes it's necessary for the parent to step in and redirect focus just a little bit. As much as we would like to believe that our child is the next big sports star or chess champion it's so rare that it actually happens that we need them to have the education as a back up. A good education is important because it give them something to use when they get older. It's not that we should neglect activities outside of school as not being important but we have to teach them the importance of balancing both aspects of their time in school.
All of these things work together to help our children find time for both school work and activities. We're our childs biggest supporters and their first role models so it's up to us to set these examples. This means that sometimes we have to take the initiative to talk to them about things and to step in when we see problems developing that are too big for them to handle on their own.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Teaching Responsibility
When your children start school, you have many great opportunities to teach them how to be responsible. As your children get older, you want to make sure they have this value or life skill. Being a responsible person gives you the edge with so many opportunities in life. Start your children down the right path.
Help your child to find a place where homework is kept. When it is completed, remind them to put it in their backpack. If they don’t, and you get a phone call from school the next day, don’t go rushing to bring their homework to them. They will probably lose points in class by not handing it in the first day, but this is a small consequence when you want them to learn to take care of their own homework.
Likewise, do the same thing with other situations involving school. If they have a certain shirt that they wear on school spirit day, remind them to get it in the dirty clothes basket to be washed in advance. Don’t let their panic on the morning push you to do a quick load of laundry. Teach them the consequence of forgetting is wearing a different shirt. You can look for other chances to teach these lessons.
If your children learn this skill while they are young, it will follow them as they get older. When they begin junior high and high school, they will already know the consequences of forgetting things for school, and they will be better prepared. As they get jobs, that sense of accountability will show in their performance at work. Their success in school and at work will be a direct result of the skills they learn when they are young.
Help your child to find a place where homework is kept. When it is completed, remind them to put it in their backpack. If they don’t, and you get a phone call from school the next day, don’t go rushing to bring their homework to them. They will probably lose points in class by not handing it in the first day, but this is a small consequence when you want them to learn to take care of their own homework.
Likewise, do the same thing with other situations involving school. If they have a certain shirt that they wear on school spirit day, remind them to get it in the dirty clothes basket to be washed in advance. Don’t let their panic on the morning push you to do a quick load of laundry. Teach them the consequence of forgetting is wearing a different shirt. You can look for other chances to teach these lessons.
If your children learn this skill while they are young, it will follow them as they get older. When they begin junior high and high school, they will already know the consequences of forgetting things for school, and they will be better prepared. As they get jobs, that sense of accountability will show in their performance at work. Their success in school and at work will be a direct result of the skills they learn when they are young.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Supplies for Success
School shopping. The stores love this time of the year. They load their shelves with products – full of color and covered in cute patterns and popular pictures. They tease us with the newest and best products available, guaranteed to save us time and make things simpler. My children run up and down the aisles in the school section, hoping I will buy them the decorator erasers.
I have a tote in my closet full of school supplies from last year that we didn’t need. I seem to be collecting them. We didn’t need them again next year, but rest assured - I will keep them yet another year. We might want to use the forty red pens that I purchased two years ago.
You can be more sensible when purchasing school supplies. Go with what items you used last year. Your daughter might want the big, shiny trapper keeper, but did she use one last year? Did she find it easier to keep subjects in individual folders, or did she like a binder system with folders? When purchasing supplies, also consider how much of the items will need to go back and forth from home and school. When you add in books, do you or your children want to be carting around that much weight?
Decorator pencils are very cute. However, the average yellow pencils work just as well. The same idea applies to other supplies. Determine what items you need and use, and decide if you will allow a few of the cuter (and not necessary) items to slip into the cart as well. Packing school supplies to take on the first day of school is part of the excitement. And that striped eraser just might make someone smile wider.
I have a tote in my closet full of school supplies from last year that we didn’t need. I seem to be collecting them. We didn’t need them again next year, but rest assured - I will keep them yet another year. We might want to use the forty red pens that I purchased two years ago.
You can be more sensible when purchasing school supplies. Go with what items you used last year. Your daughter might want the big, shiny trapper keeper, but did she use one last year? Did she find it easier to keep subjects in individual folders, or did she like a binder system with folders? When purchasing supplies, also consider how much of the items will need to go back and forth from home and school. When you add in books, do you or your children want to be carting around that much weight?
Decorator pencils are very cute. However, the average yellow pencils work just as well. The same idea applies to other supplies. Determine what items you need and use, and decide if you will allow a few of the cuter (and not necessary) items to slip into the cart as well. Packing school supplies to take on the first day of school is part of the excitement. And that striped eraser just might make someone smile wider.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Where to find time for Homework
As your children get older, or if you are returning to school, you might find that there is not enough time in the day to complete homework. I’ve just started back to school after an eight year gap, and I have experienced the stress in realizing that there are not enough hours in the day. I have five children and a full-time job. Here are some secrets I have found.
If you have younger children, find a place they can go play while you get some reading done. Our local mall has a play area with cushioned seats for the parents to watch. My boys like to go play there and it is entertaining for them. I can sit and watch them while I get some reading done for my science class. There are other places that you can take your children too, including the park. Just check around your neighborhood for ideas.
Take your homework with you wherever you go. You never know when you might have fifteen minutes at the doctor’s office to write down the answers to homework questions or read that last chapter.
Swap play times with a friend. Since I have to get homework done during the week for my class, I don’t have a lot of time during the week, but a lot more on the weekend. I have found that I can get a friend to take my kids for a few hours during the week and then take hers for her on the weekend. This gets her out of the house for a few hours, and gives me time I need during the week to complete my homework. Older children are a great help also. I’ve found that bribery works well too.
If you have younger children, find a place they can go play while you get some reading done. Our local mall has a play area with cushioned seats for the parents to watch. My boys like to go play there and it is entertaining for them. I can sit and watch them while I get some reading done for my science class. There are other places that you can take your children too, including the park. Just check around your neighborhood for ideas.
Take your homework with you wherever you go. You never know when you might have fifteen minutes at the doctor’s office to write down the answers to homework questions or read that last chapter.
Swap play times with a friend. Since I have to get homework done during the week for my class, I don’t have a lot of time during the week, but a lot more on the weekend. I have found that I can get a friend to take my kids for a few hours during the week and then take hers for her on the weekend. This gets her out of the house for a few hours, and gives me time I need during the week to complete my homework. Older children are a great help also. I’ve found that bribery works well too.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Teacher Recognition
My kids love to make a card for their new teacher at the beginning of the school year. This might be viewed as a form of brown-nosing, but since they came up with the idea on their own, I figured it was probably innocent. They do the same thing for their piano and guitar teachers.
Lots of parents get gifts for their children’s teachers at Christmas and the end of the year. If you chose to do this, keep in mind a few suggestions that have come from teachers.
They don’t want any more apple decorations. They have so many, they could start their own store. Apples have always been the symbol of a school teacher and they have received quite a few over the years.
Personal gifts are great. Teachers spend a lot of their own time grading homework and preparing lessons. Giving a gift that reminds them that they are a regular person is very thoughtful. Ideas can include spa gift certificates, lotions, and personal items.
Teachers also spend their own money providing supplies for their classroom. You can check with the teacher and find out what items they are in need of. Many schools have book fairs and the teachers will include their own wish list for their classroom. Other items that could be useful would be treats and reward that the teachers give out to students. You can find out what kinds of things they give out by talking with your child. The teacher might also collect a specific item, and a gift relating to their hobbies would be great as well.
Of course, teachers would appreciate any gift they are given, but value the ones that are given with a little extra thought in mind.
Lots of parents get gifts for their children’s teachers at Christmas and the end of the year. If you chose to do this, keep in mind a few suggestions that have come from teachers.
They don’t want any more apple decorations. They have so many, they could start their own store. Apples have always been the symbol of a school teacher and they have received quite a few over the years.
Personal gifts are great. Teachers spend a lot of their own time grading homework and preparing lessons. Giving a gift that reminds them that they are a regular person is very thoughtful. Ideas can include spa gift certificates, lotions, and personal items.
Teachers also spend their own money providing supplies for their classroom. You can check with the teacher and find out what items they are in need of. Many schools have book fairs and the teachers will include their own wish list for their classroom. Other items that could be useful would be treats and reward that the teachers give out to students. You can find out what kinds of things they give out by talking with your child. The teacher might also collect a specific item, and a gift relating to their hobbies would be great as well.
Of course, teachers would appreciate any gift they are given, but value the ones that are given with a little extra thought in mind.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Shopping for a Pre-school
When you make the decision to send a child to preschool, there are many different things to look for and some will depend on your circumstances. We all want the best for our children and we want the preschool experience to be a success for our children. The attitude they have when attending preschool can have an effect on how they view school later.
Decide what your needs are. You might be looking for a preschool to give your child some social skills and teach them basics such as colors, shapes, and letters. You might be looking for a place to take your child while you go back to school during the morning hours. Or you might be working and need full-time daycare.
When shopping for a preschool, keep in mind the things that are most important to you. First impressions might not be the best when you are walking into a center full of children – chaos might be reining. Meet with the director and find out what their preschool program involves. Take a tour of the school and meet the teachers. Look at the classrooms – notice the bulletin boards and the mood of the children. You can also arrange a time to meet specifically with the teacher.
After your visit, write down your impressions and what you liked and did not like. Write down any follow up questions you might have. When you have visited all the preschools on your list, decide which one you prefer. Take your child back for another visit and ask to go into the classroom with him. See how your child reacts. Watch how the teacher addresses your child when they meet them and how the other children respond. If the atmosphere seems friendly and fun, this is probably a good choice.
Decide what your needs are. You might be looking for a preschool to give your child some social skills and teach them basics such as colors, shapes, and letters. You might be looking for a place to take your child while you go back to school during the morning hours. Or you might be working and need full-time daycare.
When shopping for a preschool, keep in mind the things that are most important to you. First impressions might not be the best when you are walking into a center full of children – chaos might be reining. Meet with the director and find out what their preschool program involves. Take a tour of the school and meet the teachers. Look at the classrooms – notice the bulletin boards and the mood of the children. You can also arrange a time to meet specifically with the teacher.
After your visit, write down your impressions and what you liked and did not like. Write down any follow up questions you might have. When you have visited all the preschools on your list, decide which one you prefer. Take your child back for another visit and ask to go into the classroom with him. See how your child reacts. Watch how the teacher addresses your child when they meet them and how the other children respond. If the atmosphere seems friendly and fun, this is probably a good choice.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Shoes and the people who wear them
It was my fist day back to school. I stood outside my classroom, waiting for the instructor to unlock the door. I looked around at my fellow classmates. I suppressed a laugh when I noticed one girl and her outfit. She was very stylish in a bright sundress, and looked like she could have stepped out of a fashion magazine. She was dressed to the “T”, including her silver pointy shoes. I have to give her credit for not having heels, at least they were somewhat sensible. I stood in my Skechers sport shoes and smiled inside.
If you are going to be walking a lot, it is a good idea to have comfortable shoes. Make sure you have worn them a few times so that you aren’t creating blisters on your first day of school. The same ideas apply to your children. Don’t send them to school in their brand new shoes until they have worn them around the house for a while and had a chance to break them in a little bit.
When you are picking out shoes for your child, or for yourself, consider what their purpose will be. Obviously, if they are to go with a specific outfit, the comfort might not be as important as it would be if you were planning on jogging in them. Find shoes that feel good and fit your feet. Children can typically wear a ½ size larger than their current foot size to allow for some growth.
Later in the day at school, I saw the same girl. I wanted to go up and ask her how her feet were doing, but she was too far away, and I was too tired from walking to try to catch up with her. Besides, I think I already knew the answer.
If you are going to be walking a lot, it is a good idea to have comfortable shoes. Make sure you have worn them a few times so that you aren’t creating blisters on your first day of school. The same ideas apply to your children. Don’t send them to school in their brand new shoes until they have worn them around the house for a while and had a chance to break them in a little bit.
When you are picking out shoes for your child, or for yourself, consider what their purpose will be. Obviously, if they are to go with a specific outfit, the comfort might not be as important as it would be if you were planning on jogging in them. Find shoes that feel good and fit your feet. Children can typically wear a ½ size larger than their current foot size to allow for some growth.
Later in the day at school, I saw the same girl. I wanted to go up and ask her how her feet were doing, but she was too far away, and I was too tired from walking to try to catch up with her. Besides, I think I already knew the answer.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Setting limits with clothes shopping
I had a friend that I went to school with. Her father gave her a credit card to her favorite clothing store, and told her that her limit was $500 – and not to go over it. Each month her dad would pay off her credit card, giving her another $500 to spend. She loaded up the credit card each month with new clothes. She had so many clothes that there were some she had never worn, and she rarely wore the same outfit more than once.
I like simplicity. I could not understand the point of buying clothes that did not get used. I wondered what her life would be like when she got married and her dad no longer paid the credit card.
I believe it is important to set reasonable limits on our children and their spending habits. The limit can be whatever you see fit, but should be appropriate for the child and should be able to teach them some value. Finding value in things helps us to appreciate them more and they will have a greater desire to take care of them.
When I was young, we did not have a lot of money, and my mom set a spending limit for my school clothes. I was given $100 to get clothes with. It did not matter to her whether I went to a local department store or hit the big brand name stores, the amount was the same. I would buy my $42 Guess jeans and a few shirts, and that would take up all my money. I learned early on the lesson of value. The Guess jeans were really important to me and because they cost so much money, I took care of them. I could have spent the money better elsewhere, but I still learned from it.
I like simplicity. I could not understand the point of buying clothes that did not get used. I wondered what her life would be like when she got married and her dad no longer paid the credit card.
I believe it is important to set reasonable limits on our children and their spending habits. The limit can be whatever you see fit, but should be appropriate for the child and should be able to teach them some value. Finding value in things helps us to appreciate them more and they will have a greater desire to take care of them.
When I was young, we did not have a lot of money, and my mom set a spending limit for my school clothes. I was given $100 to get clothes with. It did not matter to her whether I went to a local department store or hit the big brand name stores, the amount was the same. I would buy my $42 Guess jeans and a few shirts, and that would take up all my money. I learned early on the lesson of value. The Guess jeans were really important to me and because they cost so much money, I took care of them. I could have spent the money better elsewhere, but I still learned from it.
Monday, June 30, 2008
School Routine
When school begins again, it takes my family a few weeks to adjust from the carefree days of summer to the strict schedule that always accompanies school. I’ve done what I could before school started to ease my kids back, but I’ve found that having a regular routine once school has started helps make the adjustment quicker.
Each weekday is pretty much the same at my house. We get up at the same time and each child is responsible for making their bed, picking up their clothes, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I wake up at the same time each day to help them where needed. They have picked out their clothes the night before and know where everything is that they need for the day.
Homework has been completed the night before and is ready in their backpack. Part of our morning routine actually begins at night. The kids are bathed and everything is put away for the following day.
The morning happens the same way each school day. They know what to expect, what time to leave the house, and what to get ready. They are established into a routine, whether they are aware or not. The t.v. stays off, which helps eliminate distractions.
Following a routine can set good habits. Children handle daily stress better when they know what to expect. When a routine is established and followed, it allows kids to have some control over their day because they already know what will be happening. It makes getting ready for school each day much simpler.
Starting good habits for the day will help your child as they get older. Having a nutritious meal and completing proper grooming is a part of our daily lives and it is always good to start our children out on these good habits.
Each weekday is pretty much the same at my house. We get up at the same time and each child is responsible for making their bed, picking up their clothes, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I wake up at the same time each day to help them where needed. They have picked out their clothes the night before and know where everything is that they need for the day.
Homework has been completed the night before and is ready in their backpack. Part of our morning routine actually begins at night. The kids are bathed and everything is put away for the following day.
The morning happens the same way each school day. They know what to expect, what time to leave the house, and what to get ready. They are established into a routine, whether they are aware or not. The t.v. stays off, which helps eliminate distractions.
Following a routine can set good habits. Children handle daily stress better when they know what to expect. When a routine is established and followed, it allows kids to have some control over their day because they already know what will be happening. It makes getting ready for school each day much simpler.
Starting good habits for the day will help your child as they get older. Having a nutritious meal and completing proper grooming is a part of our daily lives and it is always good to start our children out on these good habits.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
School Bully
When I was in fifth grade, I had a girl who sat behind me and pulled my hair. I would turn around and ask her to stop. She would laugh and then do it again a minute later. There are all kinds of school bullies, from the innocent but cutting remarks to the violent hitting and punching. When your kid has a bully at school, something must be done. What to do will depend on the situation. Here are some suggestions.
If your child has a problem during class, ask the teacher to move them to a different desk. Sometimes the student isn’t bullying your child, but any child that is sitting by them. I had a daughter who was partnered up with the most difficult student in the class because the teacher thought that my daughter would help him behave. Instead, she started complaining about school and didn’t want to go anymore. When I talked to her about the reasons why, I asked the teacher to move her. It took care of the problem for my daughter.
If your child is being hurt at school, the teacher and principle need to know. More than likely, there is a procedure that the school follows with a student who is physically hurting other children. If they don’t seem to be acting as you feel they should, talk to them again and find a resolution that you can all be happy with.
If your child is the bully, you need to put a stop to it now. Hopefully the reasons would be obvious to you. This is not the type of behavior you want your child to continue. They need to learn to respect other children and behave properly.
If your child has a problem during class, ask the teacher to move them to a different desk. Sometimes the student isn’t bullying your child, but any child that is sitting by them. I had a daughter who was partnered up with the most difficult student in the class because the teacher thought that my daughter would help him behave. Instead, she started complaining about school and didn’t want to go anymore. When I talked to her about the reasons why, I asked the teacher to move her. It took care of the problem for my daughter.
If your child is being hurt at school, the teacher and principle need to know. More than likely, there is a procedure that the school follows with a student who is physically hurting other children. If they don’t seem to be acting as you feel they should, talk to them again and find a resolution that you can all be happy with.
If your child is the bully, you need to put a stop to it now. Hopefully the reasons would be obvious to you. This is not the type of behavior you want your child to continue. They need to learn to respect other children and behave properly.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
School books for college
Okay, before you head to the bookstore, have you been to the bank and been approved for a loan? Buying books can be like purchasing a major home appliance. I was shocked to find that one French book was $175.00. Wow. That is a week’s worth of groceries at my house, or a new pair of shoes for every member in my family. Once the sticker shock has worn off, here are some ideas to help you find the best deals.
Find out if you have a book exchange at your school. Many colleges have student organizations that sponsor a book exchange where you can buy used books for less than the bookstore rate. If there isn’t one available, this might be something that you can start at your campus. This is also a great place to sell back your used books because you can set the price and get more than the bookstore will give you. Also, check out some other places online that sell books. Just make sure that you have all the information about what book you need, including the edition. You can be stuck without a book while you wait for shipping, so make sure you order early.
Campus bookstores will sell used books, but they usually go first. So make sure you start shopping for your books early to assure finding a used book. Campus bookstores are going to be the most expensive place to get your books, so check out your other choices first.
If you don’t have any other options, you will end up purchasing full price for your books. This gets really expensive really fast. Try to keep your books in good condition so that you can sell them back for the most money possible.
Find out if you have a book exchange at your school. Many colleges have student organizations that sponsor a book exchange where you can buy used books for less than the bookstore rate. If there isn’t one available, this might be something that you can start at your campus. This is also a great place to sell back your used books because you can set the price and get more than the bookstore will give you. Also, check out some other places online that sell books. Just make sure that you have all the information about what book you need, including the edition. You can be stuck without a book while you wait for shipping, so make sure you order early.
Campus bookstores will sell used books, but they usually go first. So make sure you start shopping for your books early to assure finding a used book. Campus bookstores are going to be the most expensive place to get your books, so check out your other choices first.
If you don’t have any other options, you will end up purchasing full price for your books. This gets really expensive really fast. Try to keep your books in good condition so that you can sell them back for the most money possible.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Schedules
I just started back to college. My oldest boy just started morning kindergarten. My youngest boy started pre-school. I had another child start junior high, and two others that are in elementary school. My schedule is insane. More than insane. I’m not really sure how I am even managing to keep it all straight. We are just finishing the first week, and I haven’t forgotten to pick up anyone, and I even went to the right classes myself.
Having a schedule is a great way to help you stay on task. We can give our children schedules, and I’ve even heard of husbands that had a schedule, although I believe that is just an urban legend.
If you are having difficulty completing what you need to do each day, try writing it out. Break your day down into the times that you are awake. Next, include time to get ready in the morning and complete any household chores you normally do. Make spaces for your meals and other necessities that you do each day. Then look at how much time I left. Don’t be scared when you see how little time there is. The purpose of a schedule is to make the most of the time you have.
Prioritize the events and tasks that need to be completed first. Find a way to work your schedule to make the best use of time. You can try running all your errands at the same time or on the same day. Group similar tasks together. Then take your schedule with you and try to follow it. Adapt where needed.
It takes some time to adjust to having a schedule, but assessing your time, prioritizing it, and filling your available time with the tasks you need to complete will help you get done everything you need to do in a day.
Having a schedule is a great way to help you stay on task. We can give our children schedules, and I’ve even heard of husbands that had a schedule, although I believe that is just an urban legend.
If you are having difficulty completing what you need to do each day, try writing it out. Break your day down into the times that you are awake. Next, include time to get ready in the morning and complete any household chores you normally do. Make spaces for your meals and other necessities that you do each day. Then look at how much time I left. Don’t be scared when you see how little time there is. The purpose of a schedule is to make the most of the time you have.
Prioritize the events and tasks that need to be completed first. Find a way to work your schedule to make the best use of time. You can try running all your errands at the same time or on the same day. Group similar tasks together. Then take your schedule with you and try to follow it. Adapt where needed.
It takes some time to adjust to having a schedule, but assessing your time, prioritizing it, and filling your available time with the tasks you need to complete will help you get done everything you need to do in a day.
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