Educating our Kids

Bendaroos

2009-05-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Wow its been a while, I have had some Computer issues that kept me away from here...but Im back! yaya

So this morning I was watching cartoons with the kids and saw a commercial for Bendaroos. They look awesome so i put in a order....Its the first time I heard of them. Has anyone else used or tried them?

When I get them I will definitly let you know how they are...They look like a great educational product for home and in the classroom :)

Click here to see their site.

Mother's Day Made Easy....

2009-05-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do with my daughter is bake or cook. She loves it and I love doing it with her. I think this is a great way to prepare and celebrate for mothers day. Most of us make dinner plans, have a family supper, or have a momma supper. I found a couple of great recipes that can be made for the special day that are easy for the kids to help out! You might even make them for nanny for Mother's Day!

The first one comes from familyfun.com . Its the "Cool Cake for Mom"!

This is a no bake, no fuss, so simple Dad could make it, kind of cake!

The second recipe is a simple Breakfast in bed For Mom from kaboose.com

Tip: Get some heart shaped cookie cutters and let the kids turn it into a masterpiece.

The third recipe is a batch of yummy Chocolate Cupcakes from mmmtasty.ca

The best thing about cupcakes is you can makes a big batch and have some for the Mother in Law, Nanny, and Mom!

Tip: Let the kids do the decorating! Use icing to mark a big letter "M" on them and call them "M is for MOM Cupcakes"

Cooking with your kids is a great way to bond, have a good time, and fill your stomach with yummy treats.

Cooking with kids helps...

-Build self esteem

-Teach reading, math, and science skills

-Encourage children to try new things. If they help make it they will be more inclined to try it!

-Kids understand different cultures. Try cooking a dish from another country!

-Encourages creativity. No one said you have to stick to the recipe!

-Kill two birds with one stone. You spend time with kids and have supper cooked or yummy treats!

And the award goes to.........

2009-04-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

And the award goes to......Me??? Really? I'm stunned, amazed, bashful, thrilled, honoured, and most of all happy happy happy! :) I have only been blogging a short while and have met some great people and learned lots of new things.

I am honoured to accept the Zombie Chicken Award award from Sweet Words. Thank You, Thank you, Thank you!

zombie chicken award reads:

"The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing blogger's regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy blogger's. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all…"

I know pass along the Zombie Chicken Award to:

1. The How-to Gal

2. Toddler Craft

3. Sunshine 4 Teachers

4. Mama's a Mess

5. Because Babies Grow Up

Come recieve your award ladies!

I Got A New Blog!

2009-04-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Thought I would let everyone know that i started a new blog PINK MOMZ! Check it out let me know what you think!

What have your kids taught you?

2009-04-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
--Angela Schwindt

This is one of my favorite quotes. For me this is true for my own children and the children I teach in the classroom. I'm constantly teaching my children to help them grow into becoming the best person they can possibly be. I teach them with lessons, examples, experiences, and most importantly love. While i feel confident I'm doing the best job as a parent, I know that what they have taught me by far out weighs what I could ever teach them. They have taught me the importance of family and friends, that love is always unconditional, and the value of a mistake! They have taught me life is not about the amount of money you spend but the amount of time you spend, that the simplest thing can be the greatest thing, that kisses and cuddles can solve lots of troubles, its not about how dirty the clothes are but how much fun they had getting them dirty, that the good times far outweigh the bad, that life without my children isn't a life I want at all!
In the Classroom I'm suppose to be their to teach them but what they don't always know is that they are constantly teaching me! Simply put!

Sometimes we don't realize that we are even teaching our children or that our children are teaching us! The simplest thing can have the greatest lesson and impact of all!

What have your kids taught you??

Earth Day Challenge # 5

2009-04-23T16:03:00.001-07:00

With the latest GREEN movement their has become a large abundance of reusable products available and products that were already available are gaining popularity.

-Grocery/shopping bags/tubs
-Coffee mugs/cups
- Napkins
- Christmas trees
-Water bottles
-Zip lock baggies
and many many many more!

The green tubs in the picture above are ones I just got. After purchasing $60.00 in groceries you get one Free and then they $4.99 after that. These are available at Dominion. I love them!

I found a few great sites that have some really awesome ideas for helping moms go green.
http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/
http://www.momgoesgreen.com/

I Challenge you to start using reusable items instead of disposable!

Earth Day Challenge #4

2009-04-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day!

Without trees, plants, flowers, and other vegetation many living creatures would not survive.

I challenge you to grow or plant something!

You may plant or grow:
-Flowers
-Vegtables
-Trees
-Plants
-Grass

All make a huge difference!

Earth Day Challenge #3

2009-04-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Going GREEN saves our environment and can actually save you money at the same time!

The province of B.C released a report showing the savings that are possible if you become more green conscious. These are some of the ideas suggested:

1. Turn down your thermostat 5 degrees saves you 10 per cent of your home heating costs

2. Caulk and weather strip your doors and windows saves you up to 25 per cent of your heating costs

3. Switch to a low-flow showerhead saves you $175 to $190/year

4. Use the warm/cold cycle for laundry instead of hot/hot saves you up to $28.66/year

5. Replace five standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs saves you about $30/year

6. Avoid aggressive driving (fast starts, hard stops, etc.) saves you up to 37 per cent of your fuel costs

7. Reduce highway speed by 10 km/hr saves you up to 10 per cent of your fuel costs

8. Use vehicle air conditioning sparingly, and not in stop and go traffic save you up to 20 per cent of your fuel costs

So I challenge you to save yourself some money and make a difference to our earth by doing any or all of the above!

Earth Week Challenge # 2

2009-04-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

This challenge was inspired by a mommy forum that I enjoy. Its the Clean Up Our Earth Challenge!

This week when your heading outside in your neighbourhood or local park pick up some trash!

GREEN TIP:

- Do this as a family activity and explain the importance of keeping our earth Trash Free!

Earth Week Challenge!

2009-04-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Its Earth Week! April 19-25 & Earth Day is April 22nd. Going green and being Eco friendly is they way to go! So for this week we are going GREEN and I challenge you to go GREEN too! Each day this week I will post a great idea or tip you can use to become GREENER! I Challenge you to do as many as possible! :)

Lets begin with CHALLENGE # 1:

Earthy Crafts:

Any day this week or from now on do crafts that involve recycling at least one object!

-Turn a egg carton cup into a insect or your favorite animal.

-Use a empty coffee tin to create a planter.

-Paint a rock to make a paper weight.

-Use a milk carton to make a bird feeder.

-Take an old plastic container or tub and decorate it to make a recycling bin.

Rock Candy

2009-04-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

I Love Science! This is a experiment that a student of mine did for a science project. I Loved it and so did the other kids so I thought i would share it with you. I found this great video that explains exactly how to do it and gives you all the materials you need!

Tip:
- Add food coloring to make fun colors!
- Make 2 batches and see if one works out better than the other!

My Mom Logic!

2009-04-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Grand Prize: A laptop computer and a new blog design by thepixelboutique.com. PLUS, the Mother's Day lead story spot on Momlogic.com!

2nd/3rd place New blog design and prime space on Momlogic.com on Mother’s Day!

The remaining top ten will also be featured on Momlogic.com this Mother’s Day in our special Mother of All Bloggers feature!

As a new blogger I would love to have a new blog design! :)

Click on the Mom Logic, Mother of All Bloggers Contest badge on the right side bar, Sign up for the Momlogic Community, and then post a comment on my profile wall saying you nominate me!

Grand Prize: A laptop computer and a new blog design by thepixelboutique.com. PLUS, the Mother's Day lead story spot on Momlogic.com!2nd/3rd place New blog design and prime space on Momlogic.com on Moth

Thank Everyone!

Getting Crafty wtih ToddlerCraft!

2009-04-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

If you asked a class of 25 students which subject was their favorite a good few would say Art! Art is a great way for children to express their feelings and feel a great sense of accomplishment. I have found a great new blog that focuses on great craft ideas for children ages 1-7. Toddlercraft.net has really awesome ideas for getting crafty and having fun with your toddlers. The crafts are age approriate, easy to do at home, and have educational lessons! My personal favorite is the Shaving Cream Activity which has a few variations to make it even more fun and educational. I also love the spring Planter craft! Not only do the kids get to paint and decorate their own planter but they can plant something in it and watch it grow! Dad's this is a cool mother's day gift. How great is that?!

Don't Miss
-The homemade play dough recipe

Tips

-- Do the project with your kids! Then you will have two.
-- Put the art on display for everyone to see. This boosts confidence and builds self-esteem!
-- Let your child experiment. They may decide they like to do it another way and thats ok
-- Intergrate crafts with books. Read a spring book and then do a spring craft!

Homework Hassle!

2009-04-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

As a teacher and after a long conversation with my best friend who has a school age child, I have come to realize how controversial the issue of homework has become. Recently in our province new homework regulations have come into place. The policy states “guidelines for Kindergarten students are roughly ten minutes, primary 30 minutes, elementary 40, intermediate an hour, and high school students one to two hours. Further more, homework should not be assigned over holiday breaks and cannot be assigned as a form of discipline."
Do you like or dislike? Would you want this policy in your area?
As a teacher the number one complaint of parents and students is either to much homework or how frustrated parents are with trying to get their children to do homework without a fight! I have developed a homework contract that is a great method and step in creating a less frustrating homework experience.
The homework contract will:
--make children/students accountable
--make children/students feel that they have had a say or control over the way homework will be done
--provide structure and routine
--provide positive reinforcement
--provide written documentation of your agreement
--allows you to customize it to individual child's needs
Go ahead, give it a try and reap the rewards!
--give structure to

Tips
--Allow child to come up with rewards and penalties.
--Try and give one day homework free. Kids will love this and it gives them a free day to look forward too.
--Agenda or planners can be a parent and teacher's best friend.
--Communicate with teacher so you are aware of assignments.

BELOW IS A HOMEWORK CONTRACT THAT I DEVELOPED YOU MAY USE! ENJOY!

Homework help......

2009-04-11T17:00:00.001-07:00

Homework Contract

I ________________ &_______________ Have mutually agreed to the following terms regarding our homework policy.

Homework Schedule:

Monday ________________ ______________

Tuesday ________________ ______________

Wednesday ________________ ______________

Thursday ________________ ______________

Friday ________________ ______________

Saturday ________________ ______________

Sunday ________________ ______________

Failure to follow the terms of this contract will result in the following penalty _____________________________________________________________
Following the terms of this contract for a________________ will result in a award of _____________________________________________________________

___________________ (parent signature)

___________________ (student signature)

___________________ (other parties signature/teacher)

**A general rule for homework length is 10mins for grade one students and then an extra 10 mins for each additional year of schooling. High school students should be approximately 1- 2hrs.

Homework Rules

Together, come up with no more than 5 rules to help accomplish homework and make it a positive experience.

FREE AD SPACE GIVEAWAY!

2009-04-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Im offering a free 125x125 add space giveaway for as long as I have this blog!

Advertise your blog or products or anything you want!

To enter all you have to do is become a follower and add a comment to this post!
If you are already a follower just add a comment to this post!

Draw will take place on April 24th

Let the Hunt begin.....

2009-04-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well easter is only a few sleeps away and if you havent got all your goodies, well, I pity you. Its slim pickings out their now! I just finished picking up the last few things for my daughters baskets. I like to create my own, that way I get what I want! Being frugal I took at trip to the local dollar store and found some great stuff. I am a book lover and found these 3 great childrens books for a buck each (now thats a steal)! I added in some arts and crafts supplies, some flash cards, package of underware (toliet training, shes a big girl now..lol), and of course some chocolates!

Spring is in the air...

2009-04-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

5 things to get your kids outside...

1. Nature Walk
Now that spring has arrived put your rubber boots on and go on a hike. On your way collect any interesting items like rocks, sticks, leaves, pine cones, flowers etc.
Use them to make a nature wreath for your door.
2. Plant a Tree
Do your part for the environment and create a learning experience by planting a seedling on your yard. Your kids will get to see it grow as they do!
3. Spring Cleaning
Get your kids motivated to help you with spring cleaning, Have a yard sale! If you let them keep the earnings from stuff they sell they just might clean that room.
4. Playground
The weather is getting nicer and playgrounds are open. Go for a swing and climb those monkey bars.
5. BBQ and Campfires
Break out the BBQ that has been locked away in the garage and cook up some hamburgers and hot dogs. The evenings are warmer and perfect to get out and have a campfire. Roast some marshmellows!mmmmmm

Educating a toddler....

2009-04-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have a 2 1/2 year old who loves toys, television and the outdoors believe it or not, all great benchmarks for leaning. I try to be toy cautious, choosing toys that mostly have an educational purpose. BLAH right! Not really there are so many great products out there now kids dont even know their learning...hahah tricks on them. Here are a few of my personal classic favs...and the kids love them too!

Animal Barn
Great for leaning animals and sounds
Alphabet Fridge Magnets
Makes learning the alphabet fun!
Foam blocks
Learn colors, shapes, and build fun stuff!

Its a kiducation generation.....

2009-04-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Educating our kids is one of our main purposes as a parent. We are living in a generation where highschool education is simply not good enough and post secondary is becoming more and more of an essential. The amount of students that go on to college or university in this generation is far more than previous ones. We want our children to succeed and be as successful as possible!

Kiducate!!

2009-04-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

Kiducate
- Teaching kids in a fun way
- Kids teaching us & us teaching kids!