The Chatterbox

The Chatterbox

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January 31, 2011
3 Cheap But Meaningful Valentine's Day Activities
1 .Storytime with  hot chocolate and heart shapped marshmallows We did this ( with regular marshmallows) for Christmas and it was my son's favorite activity we did for the holidays. I already have some special Valentine's Day books put aside and my eye on those heart shapped marshmallows that are only in the store for a few weeks! It doesn't take long so even the businest family can make time for this. 2. Share Some Love When better to teach your child about giving love than Valentine's Day? Go to the store with your child and  a pre set amount of money . Have your...
Valentine's Day
January 28, 2011
Are Times Tough for College Students?
College students get a bad rap -- partying, Ugg-boot-wearing kids on the awkward brink of adulthood, often supported by the bank of Mom and Dad. (I'm generalizing.) But a new survey indicates that college freshman have a record high level of stress and record low levels of emotional health. More than 200,000 first-year students at four-year colleges across the U.S. participated in the survey. The survey and related articles attribute a lot of the stress to the bad economy. Increasing numbers of students have unemployed or financially struggling parents, and they know how...
College Life, Mental Health, Teen Depression, teen health, Teen Stress
January 19, 2011
A Celebrity Baby Name Haiku
Honor Bronx Egypt Poet Jagger Sparrow Caje Indiana Sage Go ahead -- check out all the crazy celebrity baby names out there and write your own baby name haiku (all you need are five syllables in the first line, seven in the second line, and five in the third)! By the way, these poetic names come to us courtesy of these, um, creative celeb moms: Honor - Jessica Alba, Bronx - Ashlee Simpson Wentz, Egypt - Alicia Keys, Poet and Jagger - Soleil Moon Frye, Sparrow - Nicole Richie, Caje - Cat Cora (of Iron Chef fame), Indiana - Summer Phoenix (sister of River and Joaquin, and wife of ...
baby names, celebrity baby names
January 19, 2011
Mitten Match
This is a easy but fun game you can make at home for your preschooler or toddler. My 4 year old likes to play alone with many mittens but for a toddler I would play with them with only a few. Gather your materials. You will need some fun patterned paper in 2-5 patterns, scissors and a marker if you want to draw and trace the mittens, I admit I am a free hand kind of gal! Cut out at least 2 of each pattern. Like i said for older children do more, younger or those still learning how to sort fewer. You want there to be a challenge but you want to facilitate success so the child doesn't...
Early Learning, Easy Crafts, Fun at home with kids
January 7, 2011
Johnny's On the Go! Babyproofing for a New Era
My nephew Johnny is almost 7 months old, poised to crawl, and probably walk in a matter of a few months. (My sister skipped crawling and started walking around 8 months old, so who knows how soon her little one will be on the move!). Toddlers who are newly on-the-go bring great joy and entertainment (especially for proud aunties who don't need to watch after them every firghtening moment of their curious lives!). They also bring great fear -- what will they fall on, what will they eat, what will they destroy? Oh my. So it's time for my sister to do some hardcore...
Babies and Toddlers, Babyproofing