Saturday, November 10, 2012
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Free Interactive Game for Learning Temperature
We are learning temperature in first grade math today. Here's a very simple cute interactive online game to reinforce learning.
Circumventing Impulse Buying at the Dollar Store
I love the dollar stores, but I always seem to end up with more than I absolutely need, and my daughter comes with me every time, which means she wants things. It all becomes a struggle that I would altogether rather avoid.
So, I tried the Dollar Tree online and got 3.5% off my order by clicking through the Bigcrumbs.com shopping portal.
Sunday, November 04, 2012
DIY Straw Mattress
Click on source link above for directions.
We did this! It is actually very comfortable. I used a thick zippered futon cover purchased on ebay and stuffed it with clean straw. Over top, and underneath the bed sheet, is a homemade bed topper(old quilts sewn together) for extra comfort. It's a heck of a money saver and the straw smells wonderful. I mixed a small amount of boric acid powder into the straw to sanitize and bug proof it.
I've had my straw bed since August. I think the straw should be changed out every so often. I'll probably wait to see how long it lasts before replacing it. I will definitely replace mine when new straw comes back to the garden centers.
The first few weeks the straw did shift around, but shaking and flipping it over every few days solved this problem. Now it stays in place and is great if you like a firmer mattress. It helps my back quite a bit. Ours is on a homemade platform bed which is long pine lumber over three attached large beams...very Modern Rustic/Oriental. The lumber is open spaced, rather than fitted tightly together, for air circulation. We got the supplies at a big box store, so the whole bed was very inexpensive!
Our platform bed looks a bit like this:
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Dutch Bedtime Stories
The Last Radicals:Homeschoolers
"There is exactly one authentically radical social movement of any real significance in the United States, and it is not Occupy, the Tea Party, or the Ron Paul faction. It is homeschoolers, who, by the simple act of instructing their children at home, pose an intellectual, moral, and political challenge to the government-monopoly schools, which are one of our most fundamental institutions and one of our most dysfunctional. Like all radical movements, homeschoolers drive the establishment bats..." Read more here.
All my life I've been told I'm too independent. :)
All my life I've been told I'm too independent. :)
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Free Children's Burgess Bird Book Companion Resources
"I’ve put together a list of resources to complement this fantastic book. This companion document is not affiliated with the Burgess Bird Book for Children, it is simply a handy reference to list related links. I’ve linked to the top bird identification sites and to free coloring pages. I couldn’t resist looking up the Audubon plush birds with sound calls, we have a few in our collection."
See here.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Building Vocabulary: Online Vocabulary Quizzes
I just signed up for Vocabulary.com, a free site that gives you quizzes adjusted to your knowledge levels in a game type style with scores and rounds. If you get an answer wrong it provides the definition and allows you to hear the pronunciation. Vocabulary is taken from major news sources and classic literature. You can click on the source of the example sentences for further reading.
I enjoyed it! I worked one round missing the word "legerdemain". I took Spanish in school, and not French. If I had taken French I'd have recognized this word!
This is a great homeschool resource for building vocabulary.
I enjoyed it! I worked one round missing the word "legerdemain". I took Spanish in school, and not French. If I had taken French I'd have recognized this word!
This is a great homeschool resource for building vocabulary.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Free Lecture: Introduction to Logic
See here by professor, Gerard Casey of University College, Dublin." Professor Casey has been teaching logic and other courses in philosophy for over 30 years."
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Advanced Science Opportunities: Citizen Astronomers
According to PCmag.com, "The Planet Hunters citizen science website proved its mettle in a big way yesterday with the announcement of its first confirmed planet discovery, which also happens to be the first planet to be found in a quadruple star system.
Citizen Astronomers
Citizen Astronomers
The Planet Hunters website, which was launched in December 2010, lets the public search for exoplanets—planets orbiting other stars—in data from NASA’s Kepler planet-search project, which images a star field containing some 160,000 stars, measuring each star’s brightness every half hour. The volunteers look at light curves—graphs showing fluctuations in a star’s brightness over a period of roughly a month—looking for transits, brief dips in a star’s brightness that could indicate the passage of an unseen object, possibly a planet, in front of the star. Public response to this project has been overwhelming; more than 170,000 people have registered at the site."
Readable/Printable Online Short Classic Children's Stories
I read this(The Happy Prince) Oscar Wilde story to my daughter last night. It was so nice to snuggle up in the dark by the light of the laptop and read this online before bedtime.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Free Educational Quizzes and Lesson Plans
I just added Free Rice to my sidebar. There are quizzes for English, geography, science(chemistry and anatomy), math, foreign languages, and SAT test prep. Ten grains of rice are donated for each correct answer. Free Rice is an educational website run by the World Food Programme, a United Nations program which is funded voluntarly by world governments, corporations, and private donations,. See here for overview at Wikipedia.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Free Online Newspaper for Children
The New York Times maintains a free news blog geared toward older children. There are special interest pieces and hard news. My fourteen year old reads the daily News Quiz and Word of the Day which proceeds it. Check out the New York Times Learning Network blog here.
Art History Elementary School October Picture Study, French 19th Century
Features:
THE BALLOON— DUPRE
THE HAY HARVEST— JULES BASTIEN-LEPAGE
RETURN TO THE FARM— TROYON
THE BALLOON— DUPRE
SHEPHERDESS KNITTING — MILLET
Click here. Free and downloadable.
More for THE HAY HARVEST— JULES BASTTEN-LEPAGE
More for RETURN TO THE FARM— TROYON
More for THE BALLOON— DUPRE and and here(younger children's composition lesson)
More for SHEPHERDESS KNITTING — MILLET (parent or older child resource: Jean-François Millet, peasant and painter)
More for THE HAY HARVEST— JULES BASTTEN-LEPAGE
More for RETURN TO THE FARM— TROYON
More for THE BALLOON— DUPRE and and here(younger children's composition lesson)
More for SHEPHERDESS KNITTING — MILLET (parent or older child resource: Jean-François Millet, peasant and painter)
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Monday, October 08, 2012
Shopping Dollar General Online
Every few months I shop Dollar General online for their discounts and free shipping. Right now online orders are 10% off, and there is free shipping for orders totalling $40.00 and above. I ended up getting $5.00 off my order, which would have been the same as using the printable $5.00 off printable coupon($25.00 minimum in store only). The difference was that I saved time and gas.
If you don't have a Dollar General store nearby, this is a great way to take advantage of their low prices. The best buys for us have always been the dishwasher detergent, off-brand cold and allergy medicines, and other toiletries. Items that are $1.00, comparable to a dollar store, are a good buy as well.
Check often, as the discounts vary. Sometimes online orders are 20% off.
If you don't have a Dollar General store nearby, this is a great way to take advantage of their low prices. The best buys for us have always been the dishwasher detergent, off-brand cold and allergy medicines, and other toiletries. Items that are $1.00, comparable to a dollar store, are a good buy as well.
Check often, as the discounts vary. Sometimes online orders are 20% off.
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Managing Large Single Payment Bills
How to Budget for Irregular Expenses
Manage large single bill payments like semi-annual or quarterly bill payments with a regularly funded reserve account. We started doing this with our insurance and property tax bills which can be rather large single payments, but manageable if paid with a fund that we have paid into every month. It's much easier if these accounts are funded automatically, so you don't forget. Simply total your irregularly occurring bills and divide by twelve, then add this monthly automatic withdrawal from your checking account to a specially designated savings account to fund your large single payment bill or bills.
This has really helped us to better budget our money month to month.
Manage large single bill payments like semi-annual or quarterly bill payments with a regularly funded reserve account. We started doing this with our insurance and property tax bills which can be rather large single payments, but manageable if paid with a fund that we have paid into every month. It's much easier if these accounts are funded automatically, so you don't forget. Simply total your irregularly occurring bills and divide by twelve, then add this monthly automatic withdrawal from your checking account to a specially designated savings account to fund your large single payment bill or bills.
This has really helped us to better budget our money month to month.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Free Classic Young Children's Fairy Tales for Bedtime Reading
The Rainbow Book of Fairy Tales for Six-Year-Olds by Lisa Ripperton
This is a compilation of vintage stories circa 1924, not dumbed down, full of rich language for children's ears, but also easy to comprehend for a young child, especially if read with affect.
Last night, I was able to read three as bedtime stories without my first grader getting antsy, although she did fall asleep during Rumpelstiltskin, and what better way to drift off to sleep! The font is nice and large for tired momma eyes. You can turn down the lights and read this book on a laptop. There are no pictures, just text.
There are many more free ebooks to browse at this site as well.
This is a compilation of vintage stories circa 1924, not dumbed down, full of rich language for children's ears, but also easy to comprehend for a young child, especially if read with affect.
Last night, I was able to read three as bedtime stories without my first grader getting antsy, although she did fall asleep during Rumpelstiltskin, and what better way to drift off to sleep! The font is nice and large for tired momma eyes. You can turn down the lights and read this book on a laptop. There are no pictures, just text.
There are many more free ebooks to browse at this site as well.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Reducing Energy Usage in the Kitchen
After we got our last electric bill, I decided that we needed to find ways to cut back on energy use. We ultimately decided to forgo a conventional oven in favor of low energy use efficient cooking and baking appliances. We had already cut back in every other area. We began using only three items to cook meals: an electric skillet, an electric tea kettle, and a table top halogen convection oven. These items use up to 80% less energy compared to a conventional electric stove.
Average energy cost for kitchen appliances These 2008 rates are quite low, but at least it gives you an idea of which appliance uses the least amount of electricity. As you can see, an electric stove uses over twice the amount of energy as an electric frying pan. An electric oven uses more than five times the energy of a microwave!
Appliance | Temperature | Time | Energy | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Electric Oven | 350 | 1 hour | 2.0 kWh | $.16 |
Electric Convection Oven | 325 | 45 minutes | 1.39 kWh | $.11 |
Gas Oven | 350 | 1 hour | .112 therm | $.07 |
Electric Frying Pan | 420 | 1 hour | .9 kWh | $.07 |
Toaster Oven | 425 | 50 minutes | .95 kWh | $.08 |
Electric Crockpot | 200 | 7 hour | .7 kWh | $.06 |
Microwave Oven | "High" | 15 minutes | .36 kWh | $.03 |
So far, I've found meals are cooking more quickly with our new appliances, and there is a lot of flexibility with the skillet and halogen oven. The skillet even bakes cakes as long as I line the pan with foil,so they cook evenly and don't burn on the bottom. The electric kettle is so fast! We use this for coffee(French press), tea, noodles, and hot chocolate. I can cook pasta by adding boiling tea kettle water to a sealed container with the pasta. After about ten minutes the pasta is cooked perfectly. I haven't tried this yet, but rice can be made in the skillet as well. All that is needed is to add boiling water, cover, and let it cook on a low setting for about 30 minutes.
The halogen oven cooks our larger meals like roasts and small to medium sized whole chickens. I am able to cook ten pounds of chicken thighs all at once in the halogen oven. It cooks large frozen pizzas in 20 minutes. There are two racks so you can cook your meats and vegetables at the same time. It's not as fast as a microwave, but faster than an oven. Smaller oven safe cookware is safe to use with this oven, so cakes, muffins, casseroles, etc. can be made easily. Larger families would find this impractical because space is limited, but for the four of us, this is efficient. A cake pan fits just fine as well as a medium sized ovensafe glass bowl.
We began remodeling our kitchen this week and got the radical idea of not replacing the worn-out stove, but to stick with these three appliances, and have them serve as our only means of cooking and baking. We plan to stay in this house for many years to come, so having an odd kitchen is not an issue. If we do sell the house, we'll add the conventional items back to the kitchen. My husband is making our new counters himself which will be freestanding with storage underneath(European style), so these appliances will have a custom place of their own.
Our electrical bill is reflecting the absence of the energy hogging stove. I am glad to see it go.
What we bought:
Secura Digital Halogen Infrared Turbo Convection Countertop Oven
Hamilton Beach 7-1/5-Cup Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
Presto 06852 16-Inch Electric Skillet with Glass Cover
Monday, September 03, 2012
School Begins Tuesday!
My son begins ninth grade on Tuesday. It will be much more work this year now that he is in high school. He chose Christian Light Education for its independent study approach. After all these years of homeschooling he has his school routine down pat, and barely needs me to help him. This is, of course, the goal - greater independence and responsibility. I find myself almost out of a job! I still have my daughter's school, but she is pretty easy. I'm using the same curriculum with her that I used with my son, so it's pretty much a cake walk.
I'm afraid my homeschool posts may be boring from now on! YouTube has been filling in a lot of extended learning for my daughter. In fact, the internet is providing a huge resource of free learning opportunities. Finally getting high speed has been a real blessing. I'm not making or planning our homeschool from scratch as much because so much is readily available online, or I am just reusing what we already have at home.
We've been homeschooling since my son was in Kindergarten, nine years now, and so much has changed in this short time. Homeschooling is becoming much more common and resources are abundant. I'll continue to share links, and will add my Pinterest homeschool pins on the sidebar.
I'm afraid my homeschool posts may be boring from now on! YouTube has been filling in a lot of extended learning for my daughter. In fact, the internet is providing a huge resource of free learning opportunities. Finally getting high speed has been a real blessing. I'm not making or planning our homeschool from scratch as much because so much is readily available online, or I am just reusing what we already have at home.
We've been homeschooling since my son was in Kindergarten, nine years now, and so much has changed in this short time. Homeschooling is becoming much more common and resources are abundant. I'll continue to share links, and will add my Pinterest homeschool pins on the sidebar.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Free Young Novel Writer's Curriculum
Three levels for elementary, middle school, and high school - walks the student through writing a novel. This is an amazing freebie.
See here.
Another good one here,Teaching Writing without (buying) a Writing Curriculum
Ht to fivejs.com
See here.
Another good one here,Teaching Writing without (buying) a Writing Curriculum
Ht to fivejs.com
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Great Deal on Cat Litter
Arm & Hammer Double Duty Clumping Litter, 37-Pound
This is $13.98 with free shipping on Amazon.
I just ordered three and there are only 15 left. The prices change on these, so it may not always be this inexpensive. I ordered a 27 pound box for $10.00(now $15.00) last week before I saw this deal. Family Dollar had 14 pound containers of Tidy Cat on sale for $6.00, so this is much less expensive.
I just ordered three and there are only 15 left. The prices change on these, so it may not always be this inexpensive. I ordered a 27 pound box for $10.00(now $15.00) last week before I saw this deal. Family Dollar had 14 pound containers of Tidy Cat on sale for $6.00, so this is much less expensive.
Off-season Hotel Deals
We found a good deal for a short vacation. We are taking it in the middle of the week in October, off-season. We got five days on the beach with a view of the ocean in Atlantic City for $279.00. A super price if you are able to take vacation days during the off-season, and in the middle of the week when business is slower.
We used Hotels.com and stacked two coupons with the 20% discount offered at Hotels.com. Click through Coupon Cactus for 4% off. This can be stacked with another 10% off through 9/13/12 with online coupon code: AUGI:NY2SP7T.
If you get on the Hotels.com mailing list, sometimes they have 24 hour 50% off sales, and offer coupons and rebates throughout the year. After ten hotel nights booked through Hotels.com, you receive one night free. So far, I've liked the deals that I've received and the one night free! We've used them for the past three years for their good rates, coupons, and rebates.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
30 Signs of a Frugal Upbringing
Frugal folks come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some were raised in
typical American families with traditional buying and spending habits
and came to embrace frugality much later in life. Others were raised by
parents or grandparents who made simplicity part of everyday life —
from the way they cooked and cleaned to the way they fixed their cars
and celebrated holidays. For those of us in the latter group, we can
spot another member a mile off...
1. You skip the headlines in the Sunday paper and head straight for the sales inserts.
2. You’ve washed (or seriously considered washing) tin foil to use it a second time.
3. You remember smuggling homemade snacks into the Saturday matinee.
4. You know how to buff your shoes to high shine by adding a bit of water or heat to the polish.
5. You’ll still stop to pick up a penny.
6. You ignore the suggested use or recommended quantity directions on most products.
7. There’s a coupon organizer in your purse or car (extra credit if it includes a calculator).
8. You save rubber bands or twist-ties....
Read more here.
1. You skip the headlines in the Sunday paper and head straight for the sales inserts.
2. You’ve washed (or seriously considered washing) tin foil to use it a second time.
3. You remember smuggling homemade snacks into the Saturday matinee.
4. You know how to buff your shoes to high shine by adding a bit of water or heat to the polish.
5. You’ll still stop to pick up a penny.
6. You ignore the suggested use or recommended quantity directions on most products.
7. There’s a coupon organizer in your purse or car (extra credit if it includes a calculator).
8. You save rubber bands or twist-ties....
Read more here.
Dollar Tree to Accept Coupons
Aug. 22--The Dollar Tree, which has done well during the recession and lagging recovery with its $1 or less pricing, has decided to add another weapon to its retail strategy.
Starting Sunday, the discount retailer will start accepting coupons at its 4,000-plus U.S. location... more here.
I hope they limit coupons per purchase or the shelves will be cleared off!
I hope they limit coupons per purchase or the shelves will be cleared off!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Five Money-saving Tips to Avoid Food Inflation
(MoneyWatch) Severe drought across much of the U.S. is likely to produce steep inflation for a wide array of goods, from gasoline to beef, says Steve Cunningham, an economist with the American Institute for Economic Research.
That's because corn -- a crop that has been decimated by drought -- is used as feed for beef and poultry; is manufactured into ethanol, a gasoline additive; and is cooked into corn syrup, a sweetener in everything from cereals to ketchup. And, of course, that doesn't count corn's simple uses, whether to be eaten alone or made into anything from chips to tortillas....
Stock up on beef and chicken now, because farmers may slaughter more livestock in the next few weeks to avoid the higher prices of feed. That could create a temporary drop in beef prices before prices start to soar this fall.
Avoid processed foods, many of which include high-fructose corn syrup as an additive. Not only is the additive fattening, it's likely to become increasingly expensive, pushing up the costs of all sorts of processed foods.
Eat fruit. The hot temperatures that have damaged the corn crop have been great for fruit farmers, so eat grapes.
Substitute. Oatmeal makes for a healthier breakfast than Fruit Loops, and it's a fraction of the cost. Fish is a healthier alternative than beef, and it's completely unaffected by the drought. Other foods that use simple sugar, instead of corn syrup, are also likely to avoid the big hike in cost that could result from a corn shortage.
Go local. If you don't live in the drought-plagued areas, buying fruit and vegetables from local farmer's markets -- and even livestock, poultry and eggs from local farms -- can save a bundle.
Read the rest here.
Friday, August 17, 2012
North American Bird Identification and Nature Sounds Videos
The Music of Nature
Click on "play all" and it will play through 59 different birds including a few frogs. The birds are up close and identified, and play their songs for a few minutes each. My cats loved these! And my daughter began learning bird names and calls. We listened again later in the evening and read a chapter from The Tale of the Jolly Robin.
HT to Easy Peasy - All in One Homeschool
Click on "play all" and it will play through 59 different birds including a few frogs. The birds are up close and identified, and play their songs for a few minutes each. My cats loved these! And my daughter began learning bird names and calls. We listened again later in the evening and read a chapter from The Tale of the Jolly Robin.
HT to Easy Peasy - All in One Homeschool
Be Scrappy: Scrapping Various Household Items for Cash
This was interesting. A website which helps you learn how to scrap items that you wouldn't want to donate. Maybe they are too broken, odds and ends, or the thrift stores won't take them.
Once you strip the item of metal, if needed, then you take it to a local scrap yard for weighing and a cash payment. We've done this in the past when we added new gutters. We took the old ones to the scrap yard and got back a nice bit of cash. If you Google "scrap metal" you should get a listing of scrap metal recyclers in your area, if any.
Scrap metal recycling keeps metals and alloys out of the landfills. I try to help our local "recycler" who drives by with his truck the day before trash day. When I can, I save all my metal trash for him and his wife. I'm sure he is able to fill a hole in his family budget with this venture. When I have more time, I'll begin taking our household metals to the scrap yard myself. It would require some time consuming work and organization, and the room to store items until we had enough to make a trip worthwhile.
From ScrapMetalJunkie.com: "People love to talk about recycling like it is a selfless act, strictly done out of love for mother earth. That may be the case for those who set little bits of paper at the street in a green bin. But the real recycling is done for money. It is done for cash money, and I’m not talking Washingtons. I’m talking Benjamins. An average person with a truck can make up to $40,000 a year scrapping metal if they work full time. If they scrap part time as a second job, they could easily make $15,000; thats $290 a week. ...
Scrap metal has been one of the biggest exports in North America for the last five or ten years. It has gained popularity in that time due mainly to the increase in demand for base metals. Copper in 2006 was getting scrapped at around $2.80, when, in 2000, you were lucky to get 50 cents. The trend is likely to continue: commodities are going up, inflation..."
Scrap metal recycling keeps metals and alloys out of the landfills. I try to help our local "recycler" who drives by with his truck the day before trash day. When I can, I save all my metal trash for him and his wife. I'm sure he is able to fill a hole in his family budget with this venture. When I have more time, I'll begin taking our household metals to the scrap yard myself. It would require some time consuming work and organization, and the room to store items until we had enough to make a trip worthwhile.
From ScrapMetalJunkie.com: "People love to talk about recycling like it is a selfless act, strictly done out of love for mother earth. That may be the case for those who set little bits of paper at the street in a green bin. But the real recycling is done for money. It is done for cash money, and I’m not talking Washingtons. I’m talking Benjamins. An average person with a truck can make up to $40,000 a year scrapping metal if they work full time. If they scrap part time as a second job, they could easily make $15,000; thats $290 a week. ...
Scrap metal has been one of the biggest exports in North America for the last five or ten years. It has gained popularity in that time due mainly to the increase in demand for base metals. Copper in 2006 was getting scrapped at around $2.80, when, in 2000, you were lucky to get 50 cents. The trend is likely to continue: commodities are going up, inflation..."
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Using Libraries Outside of Your Area
We visited a town "on the other side" of the water today. They have a historic old town area with antique shops, quaint cafes, and historical sites. After visiting the courtyard of a very old Episcopal church with head stones from the Revolutionary War, we stumbled upon a nice library. It was a very old library, located in a historical building, and stocked with great children's books. It had a mix of great older sophisticated books that our local library has long since discarded, books homeschoolers love; and newer high quality books probably donated by the well traveled hip families who have gentrified the area. Anyway, I was happy to learn that as residents of the nearby town, we could check out library books.So now I have a new source of books!
Sadly, inter-library loan is a pain in our area and costs money. For whatever reason, they don't like to do it, and it is greatly discouraged. It is all right with me because I enjoy getting out of town, and depending on how they are set up, children's areas at libraries can be fun places. The one we were at today had lots of toys, games, and some freebie books and local historical printables. We used one in the martitime museum for a scavenger search.
Sadly, inter-library loan is a pain in our area and costs money. For whatever reason, they don't like to do it, and it is greatly discouraged. It is all right with me because I enjoy getting out of town, and depending on how they are set up, children's areas at libraries can be fun places. The one we were at today had lots of toys, games, and some freebie books and local historical printables. We used one in the martitime museum for a scavenger search.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Silent "E" Rule Children's Free Learning Videos
I found this auto-generated channel(list) on YouTube today for learning the silent "e" rule. We've been working on the silent "e" families this past week, and some of these videos were very helpful for introducing and remembering this rule. And of course, they are free, so a great addition to a frugal homeschooling arsenal of learning tools.
A cute one, Magic E song with a Caribbean flavor.
Our favorites are at the end of my early learning favorites at YouTube.
A cute one, Magic E song with a Caribbean flavor.
Our favorites are at the end of my early learning favorites at YouTube.
Mother's Love Good for Children's Brains
School-age children whose mothers nurtured them early in life have
brains with a larger hippocampus, a key structure important to
learning, memory and response to stress.
The new research, by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is the first to show that changes in this critical region of children’s brain anatomy are linked to a mother’s nurturing.
Their research is published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
“This study validates something that seems to be intuitive, which is just how important nurturing parents are to creating adaptive human beings,” says lead author Joan L. Luby, MD, professor of child psychiatry. “I think the public health implications suggest that we should pay more attention to parents’ nurturing, and we should do what we can as a society to foster these skills because clearly nurturing has a very, very big impact on later development.”
Read more here.
10 Ways to Nurture Your Child
The new research, by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is the first to show that changes in this critical region of children’s brain anatomy are linked to a mother’s nurturing.
Their research is published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
“This study validates something that seems to be intuitive, which is just how important nurturing parents are to creating adaptive human beings,” says lead author Joan L. Luby, MD, professor of child psychiatry. “I think the public health implications suggest that we should pay more attention to parents’ nurturing, and we should do what we can as a society to foster these skills because clearly nurturing has a very, very big impact on later development.”
Read more here.
10 Ways to Nurture Your Child
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Frugal Housekeeping - Fuller String Mop
Fuller Brush Wet Mop Complete
More about the Fuller Brush Company, established in 1906.
Sometimes old fashioned is the best. I just bought a Fuller string mop for my hard surface floors. As advertised, this mop catches the dirt and cleans off easily. I use a string mop, but this one is built to last with all metal parts, and a sturdy mop head with tough non-shedding twisted string. The entire mop is about $14.00, and the mop head is replaceable.
More about the Fuller Brush Company, established in 1906.
Friday, August 03, 2012
Underutilized Community Centers?!!
We pay a whopping $20.00 a year per person to use our community center indoor pools, open gyms, and fitness centers. A better bargain I have not found! Oddly, we are the only family using the pool this summer. Summer youth camps come through, but after that we have the pool to ourselves. It has been nice, but I wonder why more people don't take the opportunity for such a bargain.
We'll be using the pool and fitness center for homeschool P.E. high school credit in the coming years. My teenage son will need 240 hours of physical education for his degree, and we just got approval to use the center for credit.
I'm trying to use the pool at least three times a week for my own physical fitness as well, and I'm teaching my daughter to swim. I feel so much better after having fit in an hour of swimming a few times a week this summer. I have more energy now and unlike other work-outs, I'm not drained afterwards.
Check out your community center resources. It's much less expensive than a private fitness center/pool membership. You might have the center all to yourself during the week!
We still have our little above ground pool, but it's no good for laps. I do get in a little exercise in it like stretching and stationary leg and arm work.
We'll be using the pool and fitness center for homeschool P.E. high school credit in the coming years. My teenage son will need 240 hours of physical education for his degree, and we just got approval to use the center for credit.
I'm trying to use the pool at least three times a week for my own physical fitness as well, and I'm teaching my daughter to swim. I feel so much better after having fit in an hour of swimming a few times a week this summer. I have more energy now and unlike other work-outs, I'm not drained afterwards.
Check out your community center resources. It's much less expensive than a private fitness center/pool membership. You might have the center all to yourself during the week!
We still have our little above ground pool, but it's no good for laps. I do get in a little exercise in it like stretching and stationary leg and arm work.
Rebate Directory For New Energy Star Items
Sunday, July 29, 2012
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