-
Nickelodeon Veterans Create “batteryPOP” Video Network for Kids
Today’s post is brought to you by batteryPOP but all opinions are my own. BatteryPOP is a new cross-platform video network created by Nickelodeon veterans with kids’ safety and agency in mind. With batteryPOP, programming duties are handed over to the viewers themselves. You sign up and the first thing they ask you is to pick an adjective and then pick a noun. And then you pick your Avatar which could be a silly looking kid, alien, robot or a few other choices. This is your character so every time you visit the network you sign in and start having some fun. I really like that it was created for…
-
The Ups and Downs of Homeschooling: A Newbie’s Perspective
More than one million children are being homeschooled in the United States, and it seems that number is growing. While the motivation for homeschooling varies from one family to the next, there’s no doubt that it is becoming more common, and more accepted. I have a son in kindergarten that is lucky to be at one of the best schools in the district. However, as our experience with the public school system grows, we are leaning closer to the decision to homeschool in the fall. So what are the benefits and disadvantages of homeschool? As I dig deeper into my research I find that the biggest disadvantages are determining…
-
The “Decide to Drive” Program Increases Awareness About the Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted Driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. ~National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Lately I have been thinking a lot my driving – especially while driving around with my daughter in the car. A good friend of mine was driving her four kids and turned her head back to look at them for one moment and the next thing she knew, the wheel went up onto the curb and the car flipped on its’ side. Thankfully everyone was okay but her story demonstrated to me how it can only take a moment of distraction for an accident to occur. I put my cell phone in my…
-
Be The Person You Want Your Daughter To Be
A Kick In My Gut One afternoon, my six-year-old wanted to go outside to play. It was unusually warm outside so I sent her to her room to change into shorts. It seemed like a simple task but when I went to check on my daughter and found her aimlessly searching through her drawers I was impelled to ask, “Why is it so hard to pick out shorts?” Her answer was a kick in my gut. “I don’t like my legs.” She said it so matter-of-factly, I asked her to repeat herself. No, I was not mistaken. The child I have tried so hard to shelter…
-
How to Host a Baby Shower for Adoptive Parents
Image courtesy of Flickr How to Host a Baby Shower for Adoptive Parents According to Adoption Statistics of 2013, 15 percent of the adoptions in the United States were of children in the age range of newborns to 4 years old. For adoptive parents, the process of adoption can be both exciting and stressful, plagued with lots of waiting and oftentimes unanswered questions. A great way for family and friends to assist soon-to-be adoptive parents is to host a baby shower and provide the support and the essentials they’ll need to care for their new child. Image courtesy of Flickr Invitations Within the shower invitation, express…
-
A Book Review: Where On Earth?
My son was given the book Where On Earth? by Dorling Kindersley (DK Publishing) as a gift from his grandmother after undergoing minor surgery. He loves maps, and so this book was entirely fitting. As a curious soul, he plunged into the extraordinary pages that are full of photo maps (more than 80 of them!) that include both amazing photography and brilliant illustrations. A Perfect Book for Explorers! Each fact-filled page features a map with a unique focus. The book is broken up into six categories: Land, Sea and Air; Living World; People and Planet; Engineering and Technology; History; and Culture.…
