The Chatterbox

The Chatterbox

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June 30, 2010
Print These Free Independence Day Activities!
The Fourth of July somehow snuck up on me this year. How about you? And how do kids manage to get bored this early in the summer? Here's the solution: Free Independence Day Printables. Check these out: 50 Stars and 13 Stripes Patriotic Book Star Design Fourth of July Maze The Quotable Fourth Patriotic Songs Word Search All About the Statue of Liberty Patriotic People Mobile There are lots more all-American printables and activities here. Happy Independence Week!
Fourth of July, Independence Day, Printable Activities
June 23, 2010
It's Camping Season -- What to Pack? What to Eat?
Almost every year my family goes camping in Vermont over Fourth of July weekend. And every year I forget to pack something major. Last year it was pillows, and the year before that it was paddles for our kayak. That was the same year my cousin forgot to bring his tent. Whoops! So we really could've used this list of 12 Essential Camping Supplies. It's handy if you're a new and/or forgetful camper, reminding you to pack the big stuff (tent, air mattress, sleeping bags) and the small stuff (matches, toothbrush, some kind of bug repellant). The other big camping question is what to eat...
Camping, Camping Recipes, Camping Supplies
June 16, 2010
Our Brains -- and Families -- Fried by Technology
We all spend our share of time "plugged in" – on our laptop, iPhone, Blackberry... So what's the effect on our minds and home life? It's not so good. Kids with parents who are constantly on their computers and phones feel hurt and jealous, and may suffer developmental affects if Mom and Dad spend more quality time with technology than on interacting with their children. Makes sense (scary, huh?). In terms of affecting our minds, check out the interactive tests and multimedia features in this NYTimes article on technology leading to impatience, forgetfulness, and lack of focus. I wasn'...
Addiction, Cell Phones, Computers, Family, Internet use, Technology
June 15, 2010
What do you do with all their art?
I am asked this questions constantly! What do you do with the art work your kids make?! My answer is almost always .... I recycle it. But That doesn't help most moms who want to keep it, and who's kids are more attached to it than my son ( he gets his lack of sentimentality from me). Here are a few things you can do with the art to preserve, show off and make memories . 1. Make a clothes line display .Get some cool themed ribbon , clothes pins and 2 inexpensive hooks. Put the hooks along your child's bedroom wall 4-8 feet apart, tie the ribbon on, then using the clothes pins hang the art to...
Art Storage, Arts and Crafts, Kids Art
June 9, 2010
Welcome, Baby John -- A Name for the Ages!
My sister welcomed her first baby into the world early this morning! She and her husband went with a traditional name, John, which was easy to settle on because both grandfathers have that name. As a proud aunt, I'm biased, but I think it's a refreshingly simple and traditional name in this age of Zanders and Barrons and Maddoxes (no offense to kids with those kinds of names!). John is just a name that stands the test of time and trends. It's fun to check out the Name Lab whether you're expecting or just curious. I just checked it out and learned that John is just barely in the Top 20...
Babies and Toddlers, Popular names
June 9, 2010
BP boycott?
One day last week (the afternoons can be a blur) I picked up T. from school, and took the kids to run an errand during the narrow margin of time we have before swim team practice. I realized that the van’s gas light was on. Maybe it had been on for some time, I didn’t know. It definitely was ON, though, in that insistent way that doesn’t bode well. But we were approaching our neighborhood and there are only two gas stations on the way to our house—both on opposite sides of the road, and both BP stations. “How am I going to get gas? I wondered out loud. “There’s a gas station!” T. pointed out...
Children, Environment, Environmental Health, Family, Parenting
June 2, 2010
The 2-Year-Old Chain Smoker -- How Sad!
I'm sure you've seen this on the news: the 2-year-old who smokes two packs a day (that's 40 cigarettes). He's in Indonesia, where the government has reportedly offered his parents a car if they can get the boy to quit smoking. In this country, his parents would be jailed and get some serious counseling, we can only hope. It's such a sad story. The boy, Ardi Rizal, is not only addicted to smoking but is also very overweight. His father offered Ardi his first puff of a cigarette at 18 months. :-( Videos of Ardi smoking have rocked Youtube with hundreds of thousands of views (too disturbing...
Babies and Toddlers, Smoking