Book Review: Show Me Space

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

My 5-year-old Tbomb is absolutely obsessed with space. He loves learning about space. Any time that I see something that is a toy that he would love, an educational item, or a book about space, I jump at it. He even has a light projector that puts the solar system on his ceiling. This book immediately caught my eye and I was beyond excited about the chance to review it. Because he can name all the planets and most of the moons, we will be really diving into space study this next year and I can't wait to take him to the planetarium.

Show Me Space ($7.95), by Steve Kortenkamp, is a book that we will reference quite often in our space study. I absolutely love these My First Picture Encyclopedias. I love having them for the kids, especially when they are something the kids are very interested in, like space and "Safari Animals." They are full of all kinds of facts. The best part about this is that Tbomb is a fact monster, like his mom. He remembers facts and they tend to increase his interest in the particular subject. This one has tons of facts about the solar system and beyond, which will allow him to increase his knowledge exponentially. I love that as we go though our Space study, I will be able to take vocabulary words and concepts from this book to help plan his study. When he can't think of a question for his "Question of the day" part of our homeschool day, I pull out this book and read him a fact- I think sometimes he doesn't have a question, just to read a fact!

Book Review: American Indian Cultures #CapstonePub

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

I have shown how much I love Capstone books. American Indian Cultures ($8.99), by Charlotte Guillain and Ann Weil, is no different. My parents always encouraged us to study Indian cultures because so many of our ancestors were Indian. In fact, my great-grandmother was a cheif's daughter. My kids have cousins that live on a reservation, so my passion for them to learn is even stronger now.

Popular culture tends to make American Indians look to be villains, and tend to downplay "white man's" destruction. In my opinion, this has caused so much of their cultures to be lost and forgotten. This is a tragedy in our great country and I'm trying to change this one homeschool at a time. I am in the middle of planning an American Indian unit study for the kids. I have enlisted some help from family, friends, and books. American Indian Cultures is one of the books that I have added to my arsenal.

American Indian Cultures covers a vast array of subjects on American Indian cultures -- from fine arts to ceremonies, from legends to the culture's global influence.

This book is most suited for grades 4-6, but when used as a read aloud, younger grades can be included. 

Can We Liberate Our Kids From Traditional Schooling?

The last thing dedicated teachers want to think is that they’re fulfilling all the duties of a babysitter and not much else, says educator Mac Bogert.

“I’m often reminded of Mark Twain’s quote: ‘I never let my schooling interfere with my education,’ ” Bogert says. “Learning is among the most exciting and enjoyable experiences we have in life, yet many students and teachers herded into our school systems view school as something to be endured, as if the school day is one long detention.”

Recent findings illustrate the problem. In 2015, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed a decline in math comprehension from fourth- and eighth-graders for the first time since 1990.

“If you want to know how effective schools are, ask a teenager,” Bogert says. “Why do smart kids who enjoy reading and learning find school boring? We don’t need to make people learn, we need to free them to learn.”

Bogert, author of “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net), and president of AZA Learning, which encourages an open-learning process for all participants, says our educational system is outdated. He proposes new methods parents can use to resurrect a love of learning from their kids.

• Ban rote learning. When preparing to teach within a traditional framework, we aren’t stimulating a child’s curiosity. Rather, we’re serving the framework of control. This sort of top-down, listen-without-interrupting teaching is limiting and alienates many types of learning personalities. Instead, foster engagement, which means an open environment where kids feel free to participate.
• Encourage children to sound off. Ever see an interesting news discussion on television? If no one is saying what you want to say, you can become frustrated to the point of turning off the conversation. Students who are shy or otherwise discouraged from engaging can shut down in a similar way. But when they’re included and encouraged to participate in a lesson, their minds stay focused. They feel they have a stake in the lesson.
• Take a cue from the Internet. We’re not starved for information; we’re starved for stories, which have lessons embedded within them. Simply sharing a story invites learning. That’s why you should allow a child’s narrative of inquiry to be more democratic than controlled. Allow him or her to pursue a line of thought wherever it may go, rather than controlled, assigned resources. 

“Ideally, your child will be a participant within a hotbed of ideas, rather than a passive listener in an intellectually sterile environment,” Bogert says. “That may not always be possible at school, but this kind of encouragement at home will help them later in life.”

About Mac Bogert

Mac Bogert founded AZA Learning to encourage teachers and students to become equal partners in the learning process, which he details in his book “Learning Chaos: How Disorder Can Save Education,” (www.learningchaos.net). He served as education coordinator at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts and is still active in the arts for his community.

Bridging The Gap Between What’s Really Important And How We Actually Live

You say you want to spend more time with your family, but instead stay late at the office to get ahead in your career.

You vow to give back to your community by volunteering, but can’t work it into your schedule.

In short, there’s a disconnect between people’s words and actions when it comes to what matters most, says Lee Stoerzinger, a financial planner (www.leestoerzinger.com) and author of “On The Back Burner,” which explores how Americans can align the values they espouse with the values they live.

“In theory, we should all try to live a life that is as close as possible to what we say we care about most,” he says. “In reality, that doesn’t happen.”

Too often, how people think about money gets them off track, Stoerzinger says. They strive for the highest-paying job, an expensive car and a luxurious house.

As a financial planner he understands the importance of money and how crucial it is to manage it wisely.

But as a family man who adopted two Haitian children orphaned by a 2010 earthquake, he also knows a person’s legacy shouldn’t be limited to material goods bequeathed to family members.

“When you think about it, defining your values should be easy,” Stoerzinger says. “It’s what you believe about God. It’s how you want to raise your children. It’s what you want to spend your free time doing.”

The trick is to create a mindset that helps you give greater weight to what matters most and inspires you to act. Anyone can take steps to get thinking and acting in the right direction, Stoerzinger says, such as:

• Focus on family activities. Create a new family tradition, such as organizing a monthly game night, buying tickets to a baseball game in the summer, or taking an annual road trip. You could have donuts the morning of your kid’s birthday, start a family book club or visit a shelter once a month to fee the homeless.
• Connect with nature. Go birding, take canyon hikes with your dog, go shelling at the beach, go kayaking on the lake, paint outdoors, see the bigger picture and look at the sky. “The world is full of wonders to de-stress and bless us,” Stoerzinger says.
• Give back. Consider how you can be a servant in your community without donating money. Who has needs you can meet? Think about your true passions in life. Who can benefit from your skills?

“We can continue complaining about money, stress and schedules,” Stoerzinger says. “Or we can admit that we need to step back, define what’s important to us and live our lives with dedication to those things.”

About Lee Stoerzinger

Lee Stoerzinger, CFP®, has practiced wealth management since 1993. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1992 with a bachelor of arts in cumulative finance, Lee began his career as an independent financial representative at his firm, Lee Stoerzinger, Inc., (www.leestoerzinger.com). Securities and advisory services offered through SII Investments, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC & registered investment advisor. Lee Stoerzinger, Inc. and SII are separate companies.You say you want to spend more time with your family, but instead stay late at the office to get ahead in your career.

Sooner Beats Later When Planning Who Gets The Family Business

When it’s time to pass the family-business torch to the next generation, thorny issues can arise such as sibling rivalries and tax implications.

Yet despite these potentially knotty complications, 73 percent of family business owners say they don’t have a documented succession plan in place, according to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
And attorneys say that’s unwise.

“There are a lot of aspects to an effective succession plan and varying levels of expertise are needed,” says Bryce Mackay, an attorney with Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward, (www.jdsalaw.com) a firm that includes family businesses among its clients.

He and colleagues Lindsey Weidenbach and Evan McCauley say numerous snags may emerge.

 “One of the biggest issues is that business owners don’t give themselves enough time to implement a plan,” Mackay says. “Succession planning isn’t something you can do in a week or two. To be effective, the client should begin planning years in advance.”

Questions also arise about whether younger family members even want to take over. Just 30 percent of family businesses survive into the second generation, according to the Family Firm Institute.

“The next generation doesn’t always have the same passion,” McCauley says. “In small communities, adult children may have moved to bigger cities and may not want to return.”

Whether the younger generation is ready or not, there’s an upswing in the number of family businesses being sold or passed on to someone else.

“A lot of wealth-transfer planning is happening because baby boomers are reaching retirement age,” Weidenbach says.

The attorneys say any family business considering a succession plan should:

•  Act early. “If you come to us on your deathbed and want to transfer your family farm, we may be limited in what we can do,” McCauley says. For example, it can take years to implement tax structures to reduce tax effects on the transfer.
• Set goals. Who do you want to be your successor? Will it be someone inside or outside the family? Is transferring wealth to family members the goal, or is having enough money to retire the objective?
• Involve everyone. Family members should be involved, of course, but also professionals such as an attorney, a CPA, an investment advisor and active members of the business’s management.
• Choose a succession planner who will be around a while. Succession planning is a long-term endeavor. It’s best to avoid an attorney who’s likely to retire before the plan is fully implemented.

On occasion, a business owner has clear-cut succession ideas. But when attorneys start asking questions that plan might be revised or abandoned.

“Our goal is to determine whether the client’s initial plan will work from a practical standpoint,” Weidenbach says. “We try to steer the client to the best outcome, even if that’s not what they initially had in mind.”

About Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward, P.A.

Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward, P.A., (www.jdsalaw.com) was established in 1946, and has become one of the largest law firms between Seattle and Spokane. The firm focuses on numerous areas of law, including agriculture, construction, employment and labor, estate planning, healthcare, real estate and tax law, among others.

How To Avoid Going Too Far When You Whiten Your Teeth

How your teeth look says a lot about you.

That’s why many people opt for teeth-whitening procedures at the dentist’s office or whitening strips that can be purchased for use at home.

They want a bright smile that can serve them well in a job interview, in meeting the opposite sex or just to impress the world in general.

But teeth whitening can also come with negatives.

For example, many people are choosing to ditch the strips, says Dr. Barry Bartusiak, who has lectured on dentistry throughout the country and formerly was dentist to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“More recently, the concern has been, ‘Do my teeth look too white?’ Because that’s a dead giveaway that they’re unnaturally so,” he says. “Just as most people want hair coloring to look natural, folks also want their teeth to be a convincing shade of healthy white.”

So they are choosing natural ways to whiten their teeth, without drastic measures such as bleaching agents, which can strip the enamel that protects the sensitive core of the tooth from erosion.

“One alternative is a natural toothpaste that uses activated charcoal to whiten teeth, such as Black Is White, (www.curaprox.com),” Bartusiak says. “Activated charcoal has been a recent trend in skin care – since it’s proven to cleanse impurities – and has proven itself to be highly effective in dental care.”

Options to consider in the effort to rid your teeth of yellowish stains and return to a natural, brighter smile include:

• Strawberries and other fruit. Some foods can help whiten teeth. Strawberries, for example, contain acids that help break down stains. Apples and other fruit can do the same. The downside of this approach, though, is that fruit contains sugar and those acids also can erode the enamel if left on the teeth too long, so it’s still important to rinse and brush your teeth after eating them.
• Baking soda. One time-honored option for a toothpaste substitute is baking soda. Baking soda helps with whitening because it acts as a mild abrasive that can remove surface stains from teeth.
• Activated charcoal. It seems counterintuitive that something black like charcoal could whiten teeth, but it does, Bartusiak says. Activated charcoal (a treated and purified form of the charcoal used on grills) can absorb the stains on teeth. While some Americans have experimented with activated charcoal in a do-it-yourself way and reported their findings on the Internet, the Swiss company Curaprox has now introduced its Black Is White charcoal-activated toothpaste to the U.S. market.

“Having whiter teeth is important to a lot of people,” Bartusiak says. “But it’s also important to achieve that goal in a way that’s safe for your dental health.”

About Barry Bartusiak, DMD

Dr. Barry Bartusiak is a Fellow of The Academy of General Dentistry and five-time president of his local Dental Society. He was also a previous board member of the American Cancer Society and dentist to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dr. Bartusiak is a “Hometown Hero” on local media station in Pittsburgh, a published author in the dental field and a national spokesman for Curaprox (www.curaprox.com).

50 Things To Remember To Pack for Kids and Families #ThePalmettoQueenTravels

One thing that I am super obsessive about when going on vacation, or even away for a weekend, is packing. I make a list and check it multiple times. I even have a list in my planner that are the things I tend to forget, but can make a trip miserable without them. I want to share that list, plus a few extras with you!

Some may seem like a "duh!" moment, but all have been forgotten at some point- it is a good list to have in your planner and refer to (I even refer to it for a day trip!)

1. Sunscreen
2. Car Sick Medication
3. Bandaids/ antibacterial ointment
4. Hats
5. Allergy medications
6. Prescription Medications
7. Entertainment
8. Map
9. Umbrella
10. List of important phone numbers
11. Documentation of credit card/ bank information (in case you need to cancel anything)
12. What your child must have to sleep
13. Book for yourself
14. Sunglasses
15. Water (I always forget water and have to run to a convenience store and pay more)
16. Diapers (yes, I have forgotten and had to run out and buy some)
17. Wet wipes
18. grocery bags
19. Stroller (yes, I forgot to pack it and had to carry Kodabug all day)
20. Swimming necessities
21. Water bottle/ Water Bean (This is an absolute for me to stay on track of water)
22. Coffee- hotel coffee is weak- we take extra
23. Planner- never leave home without it, but it is easily forgotten amongst chaos
24. Notepad- you never know when an idea is going to strike
25. Quiet time necessities- movie/ tablet/ etc- for when the kids need to wind down
26. Extra outfit
27. Jacket and Jeans- you never know when a cold snap is going to hit
28. Camera
29. For me- voice recorder (never know when your room might be haunted)
30. Night Light
31. Favorite movie for the kids
32. Something dressy
33. Extra shoes- my brother lost a shoe in quicksand at some gardens once
34. Hairbows
35. Toiletries
36. Glasses
37. Birth Control
38. Feminine Products
39. First-Aid Kit
40. Car Emergency gear (tire pump, battery charger, etc)
41. External battery pack for devices
42. Picnic Blanket- we use ours all the time, even for the kids to play in a hotel floor
43. Headphones (for kids and adults)
44. Special Needs Items (SPD, ADHD, Etc kids need certain extras)
45. Snacks kept handy
46. Special Lovey for littles
47. Each kid their own bag for their toys/ entertainment- make your children responsible for this (with help, even my 2-year-old does this)
48. Hand Sanitizer
49. Safety Items (if lost bracelet, child leashes, play pen, etc depending on the vacation)
50. Mosquito repellant

There are many more things on this list- these are the things that we as moms can easily forget. What items would you add to this list? 

Book Review: United States of America

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

I was raised to love the country I live in. Along with this comes saying the pledge, knowing the national anthem, respecting the flag, respecting the soldiers, and voting. These are values that were instilled in me as a child and I want to pass on to my children. My grandfather was a career Air Force man who loved his country. My mom traveled the world with her father and there was no place like home. She loves the country her dad fought for and taught us the same. So many children are not learning these values and so many are not learning what our country stands for and the things that make the United States the greatest country in the world.

I think Countries Around The World: United States of America ($8.99) is a perfect introduction to our wonderful country. I really want to put more focus on learning about where we live in school this year and this is a perfect resource for that. This book provides complete coverage of this wonderful country. It includes history, geography, wildlife, infrastructure, government, and culture. It even includes a traceable flag for your student. There is also a detailed fact file, maps, and charts. This book is aimed at ages 8-11, but it is a great way to introduce your child to the country, even if younger than that.

As we dive into learning about our amazing country, this book will be kept handy and refered to often- I'm sure it would in your classroom as well.

Book Review: An Illustrated Timeline of U.S. States

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own. 

I'm a bit of a history nut and I want my kids to love history like I do, especially the history of the wonderful states we live in. I have always soaked up facts like I'm a sponge as well. Tbomb is the same way- he pretty much remembers something once he hears it. In fact, he learned his alphabet in less than a week when he wasn't even 2 yet- simply because he soaks up everything. Kodabug is a bit different- she is a much more visual learner. That's why An Illustrated Timeline of U.S. States ($7.49) is such a perfect book for us. It is a visual representation of our great states and full of facts for the Tbomb.

In May, we are going on a trip to Florida, and in preparing activities for the kids on the trip (neither are good riders- Kodabug does not like being in the car and Tbomb gets Car Sick and bored), I realized that it would be a great time to introduce some states to them. Also, my mom has been to every state except Washington and Alaska and the kids love hearing about the states and countries she has been to. When I got the opportunity to review this book, I was beyond excited. I knew that it would be a perfect fit for our car activity bag. When they start to get bored or need a break from one thing, I can pull out this book and give them a fact about Georgia or Florida, depending on which state they are in. When they ask their Grani questions about where she's been, I can add in facts about that location as well. I'm pretty excited to have it or the trip!

An Illustrated Timeline of U.S.States guides your child through the United States becoming a nation, then through each state and territory joining in. The facts along the way give this book another facet for learning. I'm very impressed with this timeline and know that it will be used for years in our homeschool!

Book Review: Pattern Play

Disclaimer: I received a product to review. All opinions are my own.

I love books. I love crafts. I love kid crafts. Well, this book I was recently sent wins them all. I even think that it will be perfect on our upcoming trip. Pattern Play, by Nghiem Ta and illustrated by Danielle Kroll, is the perfect book to keep kids busy!

My kids love animals, so this is even better. Tbomb has been getting better at cutting and folding with lines and directions, so Pattern Play has been an amazing challenge for him. He loves cutting them out and then folding to see what they create. The stickers for the animals' features definitely add to the fun!

Kodabug is my future zoologist. She is obsessed with giraffes, but loves animals in general, so I knew she would love Pattern Play. I cut the animal out for her and then put the stickers on because she is only two. She loves studying the pattern and then playing with the animals and acting out their activities. She will even fold and then unfold them.

One of my favorite things about this book, besides the variety of animals included, is that there is a section on what to do with the scrap paper from cutting out the animals. We are not a fan of waste and this book has inspired me to start a scrap box. Mom always had one in her craft room where she would put scrap paper, cloth, yarn, extra buttons, and all kind of other goodies. We would visit the scrap box when we had a project, wanted to create, or had a craft to do. That box was well used. Now, our scrap box has been started with gorgeous paper that will be fun for paper mache projects, collages (especially as Koda is learning her colors),

I think this book is going to be a great addition to our road trip activities. However, I think I may cut the animals out ahead of time and let the kids fold them and put the stickers on them in the car- then they can play jungle together.

Pattern Play has the paper and stickers for 19 3D animal models. There are 48 pages. Each model page includes directions and quirky animal facts. The book is most suitable for ages 3-6 and can be purchased for $14.99.

Entertaining Kids With A Notebook

Disclaimer: This is part of a content series for Oriental Trading. I did receive products to create projects with. All opinions are my own.

One of the simplest ways of keeping kids entertained and occupied that I have found is a notebook. I know that it may seem too simple, but there is some prep involved, but Oriental Trading can definitely help. 

What You Need:

1. Notebook- You can use a brad folder or a binder, just one that you can add pages to. 

2. Sheet Protectors

3. Printables

4. Dry Erase Crayons

It really is simple. Just put the book together and the kids will be entertained for quite a while. 

Tips:

• Use a mix of fun pages and educational pages
• Dry Erase crayons clean off the sheet protectors better, are washable, and make much less of a mess if dropped. 
• Mix printables with coloring pages and workbook pages
• Going on a road trip? Use pages for the states or cities you are going to. We are driving to Florida, so I used pages for South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. I also included a United States Map.
• Include some sheet protectors with blank pages for scribbling use. 
• Includes lined pages as well for practicing homework. 
• There are blank printables for just about anything- dots for playing games, graph paper, music paper, etc. Does your child have an interest or hobby and would enjoy one o these? Include them. 
• I included for Kodabug: the maps, her name, the alphabet, numbers, and shapes- catered to her learning level. 
• I included the same for Tbomb, but also included math pages, vocabulary words, a 100s chart, and a few other things that are review. 

The best part of this project is that you can design it to fit each child's needs and learning abilities/ level- you can even adjust the pages as needed. You can use it in the car, at games, at a restaurant/ church, and even at home to keep the kids busy while you make phone calls. Easy and multiple purposes! 

4 Steps For Raising Happy Children

If you ask young parents how to best raise children, they’ll give a variety of answers.

But ask them what they ultimately want for their children, and the answer is always the same. Parents want their kids to be happy in life.

“Raising children to be happy later in life is not about the luck of the draw,” says Rabbi Roger E. Herst (rogerherst.com), who regularly engages with parents on the subject. “Happy adults are people who make good decisions. Therefore, if you want your kids to be happy, encourage them to improve their decision-making so they can develop into happy people.”

Herst, author of “A Simple Formula for Raising Happy Children,” offers tangible steps parents can take on the matter.

1. Never make a decision children can make themselves. If parents want children to make good decisions that yield success and happiness as an adult, they must let them practice trial and error. Unilateral decisions made by parents obstruct the decision-results perspective for kids, who need practice. Don’t worry about sheltering them from failure, which work best as lessons when a child is able to own their decisions. 

2. Lead and show by example; kids imitate more than they listen. For young parents with very small children, it may not have dawned on them that the “Do as I say, not as I do” idiom doesn’t work for child rearing. “Eat your vegetables because they’re good for you” doesn’t work alone. However, a father who participates in vegetable eating, and shows approval when a child eats them, will see more veggie consumption.

3. Ask your children for their advice. This is an exercise to encourage independent thought. Asking children for their advice lets them know you care about and respect their perspective, which tells them that their voice matters. It also lets them know they are responsible for their opinions, which have impact on the real world, and not just in their minds. 

4. Practice negotiation. A child often doesn’t play by the rules of gentlemanly negotiation, which feature an adversarial element. The younger they are, the less they think that their parent’s interests are the same as the child’s interest. Start by offering an alternative to their wish if you’d prefer an alternative to their request. If they don’t like your suggestion, ask questions to yield a sensible middle ground. Good parents are not tyrants.

“I recommend encouraging a child’s decision-making as their personalities start to emerge – perhaps in the first year of life,” Herst says.

About Roger E. Herst

Roger E. Herst, author of “A Simple Formula for Raising Happy Children” (rogerherst.com), is an ordained Reform rabbi with MBA and doctorate degrees. A father and grandfather, Herst regularly engages with parents in the form of Platonic dialogue – a cooperative Q-&-A approach meant to stimulate critical thinking – to yield logic-based solutions for raising happy children.

10 Easy Popsicle Puzzle Ideas

Disclaimer: This is part of a content series for Oriental Trading. I did receive products to create projects with. All opinions are my own.

I have been wanting to create some popsicle puzzles for the kids for quite a while, but I don't usually keep the large craft sticks on hand and we use popsicle sticks for so many things that I'm usually out of them quick. Another road block for me has been that I am not a very good artist AT ALL!

With the help of Oriental Trading, I was able to create some fun popsicle stick puzzles for the kids and can't wait to make even more. I even stepped it up a bit and added Xyron magnetic tape to the back sides of them for use on their activity trays.

Here are 10 Easy Ideas for DIY Popsicle Stick Puzzles and Activities (Even for non-artists)

1. Numbers- use 10 sticks and number them 1-10, then add the appropriate number of dots or other shapes to the sticks. 
   
2. Use the appropriate number of sticks and write the child's name on it. Then, draw a simple picture. Once the letters are in order, the picture is complete!
   
3. Decoupage a photo onto the sticks and cut them with a craft knife to separate 
4. Use stickers to make a scene and then cut with a craft knife
5. Create a matching game using letters, numbers, colors, or shapes and clothespins
6. Have kids create shapes out of the sticks. Color code them and write the name of the shape
7. Write trivia or jokes, including the answer on the back
8. Let kids color a picture on the sticks and make those the puzzle
9. Create activity sticks by writing different activities on the sticks and letting them choose
   
10. Are you going to see a family member you haven't seen in a while, that your child may not remember? Decoupage a photo of them to the popsicle sticks, cut with a craft knife, and let your child get acquainted before you arrive. 

Here are some tips I've gained from trial and error:

• Don't make them too complicated- you will only get frustrated
• Tape the sticks together with painter's tape before drawing to keep them lined up and then remove the tape when done. 
• Use markers that do not bleed- this is very important. 
• Have plenty of extra sticks on hand for errors!
• Make puzzles that will be good for travel and home- bonus points if they can be used for a variety of "lessons"
• Add magnetic tape to the back, especially for little ones- it is easier for them to line up
• Have fun!

Schedule Road Trip Fun With #OrientalTrading

Disclaimer: This is part of a content series for Oriental Trading. I did receive products to create projects with. All opinions are my own.

In the past, I've picked up a few activities, a few cheap toys, and a prize toy for each kid when we are going to be on the road. Well, this will be a 10 hour road trip to Panama City, Floriday. This is a different kind of trip, so I will be scheduling the activities and toys to be passed out. The prize toy will be saved for the room (it is usually a flashlight or something they will like to have in the room, while sometimes it is a pool toy). I want to share some tips I have picked up and come up with for scheduling your fun while on the road. 

The first step is deciding how you are going to divide the activities and toys. You can either break it in to time slots and purchase/ gather appropriately. You can also pick up a number of toys and activities and divide the time up according to the number of items you have. 

10 Tips For Scheduling Road Trip Fun:

1. Alternating between activities and toys to keep the action going. 

2. Have some prizes available for extra special behavior/ sharing/ or possibly pop-quiz winners

3. Include snacks in the scheduling- it will make the ride smoother and stretch out the activities.

4. Don't forget to schedule stops for bathroom, eating, and to work off energy. Bring a ball, frisbee, or bubbles along for an impromptu stop at a park. 

5. Alternate activities between challenging and easy. 

6. Get a couple extra activities in case others are a total flop.

7. It is okay to add a movie in to the mix. Be sure to make it a favorite and know your child's limits on staying focused on a movie. 

8. Whether you homeschool or not, consider adding in something that correlates with what the kids are learning or have learned in school.

9. Workbooks make great activities or road trips!

10. Remember the supplies for the activities (dry erase, crayons, all the pieces, etc). You don't want to hand the kids a fun coloring page only to realize that you forgot the crayons. 

Bonus Tip: Make activities for the kids as similar to eachother as possible while sticking to their levels of ability and interest. 

The Beginning Of Our Road Trip Fun Supplies:

1. Bug Finger Puppets
2. Alphabet Dry Erase Cards
3. 10 Commandment Spinners
4. Magic Scratch off Sheets With Stencils
5. Puzzle Cubes
6. Water Games
7. Warewolf Hair Games (Tbomb thinks they look kind of like Bigfoot ha!)
8. Workbooks (prong folders with worksheets in sheet protectors)
9. Dry Erase Crayons
10. Magnetic Activities
11. Popsicle Puzzles

Product Review: 2 Pack of #BYB Headlamps

Disclaimer: I received a product to review. All opinions are my own.

As many of you know, my husband and I are bigfoot researchers. We are also lovers of all things outdoors. We love taking the kids camping, hiking, fishing, and just to spend the day at the river. We have been searching for headlamps light enough for them, without spending a fortune. I knew these BYB headlamps ($7.99) would be perfect. What I didn't expect was that they would work for us as well.The features on these headlamps are phenomenal. Let's start with the anti-slip head strap. This is perfect, especially for the youngest- she won't be trying to keep it on her head while playing and end up falling. The strap is also adjustable, as is the angle of the light.

Each headlamp requires 3 AAA batteries (not included) and are good go go for quite a while. We use cheap batteries and they last quite some time. The lights have 3 modes, 2 red lights for emergency, making them perfect for any night time outside activity. They are also waterproof and shock proof.

Book Review: Little One, God Loves You

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

In Little One, God Loves You, by Amy Warren Hilliker, toddlers learn about God's Love. The 5 purposes of The Purpose-Driven Life are retold to children in such a beautiful way. The book even includes a letter to parents by Rick Warren. Although it is written for those 4 and under, all ages can appreciate the beauty within. 

It is so hard to teach about God's love to little ones. When they are in a Christian home, they can feel God's love, but putting it into words and expressing exactly what it means to have God's love can be difficult. This book makes that a little simpler. Amy takes Rick Warrens's 5 purposes and tells them to children in a way that is amazing to this mom. Through a beautiful rhyme, the children learn that God loves them just for the purpose of loving them. What a beautiful concept!

Book Review: God Bless Our Country

Disclaimer: I received a book to review. All opinions are my own.

God Bless Our Country, by Hannah C. Hall, is a beautifully illustrated book that is full of awe. This book takes you across the country seeing different animals and how they celebrate summer. While reading this book, see all the things that make America the greatest country on earth. 

It is important to teach children to love God and our country from an early age. This is something that can get lost in the every day teaching, especially in a homeschool environment. It is one thing to teach history and Bible Stories, but teaching to love God and love our Country is a different lesson in itself. When books can show the magic of both, it is definitely a win. Both of my kids love this book and I will treasure it forever.

Lewo 60 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles/ Tanagrams: Homeschool Tools

Disclaimer: I received a product to review, all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed doing tanagrams as a kid, but absolutely fell in love with them during my student teaching days. I think they teach a variety of skills, including problem solving. I've been looking for a set for my kids and most of them have one puzzle or are entirely too expensive. When I had the opportunity to review these for Lewo Toys, I was excatic. These are even wooden, guaranteeing years of fun!

These Lewo Toys Tanagrams ($9.48 on Amazon) are basically an all inclusive set. With the right tools, you could even create your own puzzles with them. You could either do it on the computer and print them, or trace the shapes on to construction paper.

This set includes 60 pieces, and a wooden box for storage. The shapes are wooden as well! Not only will this amazing set create hours of fun, but an educational experience for kids aged 3 to 12. These wooden piees have no splinters and seem to be painted with lead-free paint. (From what I have read, everyone has had negative results with lead tests, although I do not have a tester.)

The quality of the Lewo Toys I have used is incredible, this set is no different. I love the kids having wooden manipulatives, as apposed to plastic or foam, and they last longer.

While I do use some montessori techniques with Tbomb, he learns in a way similar to mine, smany times, I can tell him something and he remembers. With Kodabug, I can already tell that she is more of a hands-on learner, which means that I will be doing a lot more montessori techniques with her. I love these because while they are great for Tbomb, they will be neccessary for Kodabug!.

Lewo Magnetic Game Board: Homeschool In A Box Resource

Disclaimer: I received a product to review. All opinions are my own. 

Because of our living situation, which I'm not going into the story now, we do not have a classroom. However, because homeschooling is so important to us, we do what we have to do. We do not have a wall to dedicate to homeschool, so we make do and I'm working on some projects to fix the situation. Currently, we have a bookshelf out of the way to store our school items on and we use a file box for our daily work.

I have always loved felt storyboards- I think they really help teach concepts and reading comprehension- and I have been wanting to create one for the kids, but I'd rather go with a magnetic one. I hadn't found a solution yet, so when I had the opportunity to work with Lewo toys, I jumped at the opportunity and this has solved several of our problems. This Lewo Magnetic Game Board with Puzzle Pieces ($18.00 on Amazon) has given us a chalkboard, dry erase board, storyboard, puzzles, and storage box that can slide in our school box. What a solution!

This by itself offers amazing activities for your children, whether you homeschool or not. The package includes a wooden box, magnetic board with chalkboard on one side and whiteboard on the other side, dry erase marker, eraser, and chalk. It also includes several magnetic puzzles and a booklet to assist with putting the puzzles together.  It is about the size of a notebook. (The board just lays in top of the box, so if you will be standing it to store, put a band around it). The box has 3 different ways to allow the magnetic board to stand. The creation and concept of this set is awesome!

Tbomb loves it, because we will take turns displaying the story while we read. Kodabug loves putting the puzzles together and writing on it. She also uses it while we do school with her letter of the week curriculum. I'll pull a puzzle out that goes with our theme, and she loves it. I did something a little different with this set. I put all of the puzzles together, flipped them over, and wrote numbers on them. This accomplishes two different things- the kids can match numbers and then put them together, and it also helps me when preparing for lessons. I put the number for each in the book as well- I just look through the book, find the number I need, and pull those magnets out!

This has been an awesome addition to our homeschool resources and it fits nicely in our homeschool box! Thanks Lewo Toys!

Create Magnetic Activities From Anything #OrientalTrading

Disclaimer: This is part of a content series for Oriental Trading. I did receive products to create projects with. All opinions are my own.

I pride myself in my frugality. I am always looking for a good deal and I take it a little further. I try to make things to entertain the kids and for homeschool rather than spend extra money. I look for the simplest way to do this. Something that takes me a week to put together isn't really saving me money. I'd been looking at different magnetic games and activities. While I found some pretty cool ones, I knew I could do this on my own and today I'm sharing a way that you can do this in very little time.

What You Need: 

• Cookie Sheet or another magnetic surface (If these will be used at home, a refrigerator will be sufficient. If they will be used on the go, you will need a magnetic board, cookie sheet, or metal clipboard). 
• Xyron Magnet Tape- this is by far the best I have found for these projects- it is thinner than most. If you will be using heavier items in your activity, you can use other varieties- Oriental Trading has some great options. 
• Activity Items: Stickers, sticker scenes, popsicle sticks, pictures, puzzles, etc. Anything you want to make an activity or game with. Construction paper may be needed. 

What You Do: 

1. Basically, all you do is add the magnetic tape to the items. With some there may  be another step involved: see below. 
2. If you are working with stickers or sticker scenes, you will need construction paper, then cut it out before you add the magnet. I did a set of each activity I did for each kid. Because I did this, I color coded the construction paper, so that if they got mixed up, I could easily separate. 
   
3. For slick items, you may need to sand the back a little before applying the magnet- depending on the magnets you choose and the material you are sticking it to. 
4. Separate the items into zip baggies and you are ready for some kid entertainment. 
5. Go on a road trip, get some work done, cook dinner, or anything else and the kiddos will be quite entertained! 

I really had fun doing these activities and have actually done several since I first started. I'm constantly deciding to make our homeschool games and activities magnetic. here are some that I have put together:

• Paper Dolls (These are actually foam paper doll stickers from Oriental Trading- I made a boy and a girl set for each kid)
  
• Sticker Scenes- Space and Jungle. I didn't use the smaller of the stickers, they would only get lost, but there are enough to have fun with. 
  
  
  
  
• Cardboard Stickers- I used a princess set and a Spiderman set (these will be a special treat). 
• Popsicle Stick Puzzles- these were fun and I will have another post about these this week. 
  
• Since I completed this project, I've done number puzzles, alphabet puzzles, greater than/ less than, shape matching, and I'm sure there will be even more. 

These are going to be great individual work while we school and I'm working one on one with one kid. They will also be great for when I'm on a business call. Most of all, these will keep the kids entertained while we are on the road for 10 hours in May. 

Book Review: Too Many Carrots

Disclaimer: I received a sample to review. All opinions are my own.

As I have mentioned many many times before, I adore children's books. Even before I had kids, I gravitated to them and they never got old. Of course, I have my classic favorites, but the new ones always draw me in too! I've always liked seeing the lessons portrayed in children's books. The lessons are generally much bigger than the book is!

Too Many Carrots is one of those that teach a big lesson. Rabbit has a problem. Rabbit hoards carrots. He collects them everywhere he goes and just cannot have too many, or can he? Soon Rabbit is crowded out of his own burrow. His friends offer to help, but their homes are especially built for them and do not have the room for Rabbit and his many carrots. Soon, Rabbit learns a valuable lesson about sharing! 

This book is a great addition to Easter and Spring reading, as well as any other time!

How To Thrive In A Marriage To Your Opposite

People are now waiting longer to marry – if they marry at all, according to Pew.

More couples are opting to cohabitate without making their relationship official. Better birth control is preventing unwanted pregnancies and resulting in fewer marriages, so if and when couples split it doesn’t show in statistics.

“Marriages and other long-term relationships can be difficult for many of us, despite mutual love and affection,” says D. Scott Trettenero, author of “Master the Mystery of Human Nature: Resolving the Conflict of Opposing Values” (www.masterthemysterybook.com).

“There will surely be conflict with our differences in temperament, values, goals and much more. It’s no secret that life-long marriages aren’t guaranteed.”

Trettenero lays out the nature of marital relationships, and how couples may be happier together.

• Understand how you are different from each other. The honeymoon phase of a romantic relationship can blind couples to the differences that may later be problematic in a marriage. As time lapsed in his marriage, Trettenero realized the extent to which he and his wife dealt with conflict differently. She processed much of her experience through her feelings, whereas he filtered life through logic and reason. Communication was difficult. But simply diagnosing this difference began to tremendously improve their marriage.
• Compromise is essential. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Life at its best is a creative synthesis of opposites in fruitful harmony.” The opposite is equally true: “Life at its worst is the destructive division of opposites fighting for their points of view.” Whether considering conflict within a marriage or diplomacy among two countries, the ability to compromise is essential. Otherwise, your marriage and the world may face its demise sooner than later.
• Learn to appreciate how your partner's temperament complements yours. We are all born with our individual set of strengths and weaknesses. When we accept our partner’s point of view that differs from ours, it can expand our own understanding and lead to personal growth. We have an opportunity to develop new skills in life when we can place another's concerns above our own.
• Competition is not always bad – but it's not good for a relationship. Competition and conflict are not just a reality of our world; they are often a good thing. But competition for control and supremacy over your spouse in order to get your way is a recipe for disaster. A healthy relationship occurs only when both feel fulfilled in their wants and needs. In marriage, you must be committed to respecting and listening to your partner, and then accepting their differences as a challenge to your understanding, rather than another reason to fight over who is right and wrong.

About D. Scott Trettenero

D. Scott Trettenero is a practicing solo dentist and student of human temperaments, the latter of which formed the basis for his first book, “Unlocking the T-Code.” His recent book, “Master the Mystery of Human Nature: Resolving the Conflict of Opposing Values” (www.masterthemysterybook.com), helps readers learn about themselves, others and how the world works because of our differences.

INDULGE IN THE SOUTH’S ULTIMATE EPICUREAN WEEKEND JUNE 2 – 5, 2016 IN ATLANTA

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 18 WITH 

EARLY BIRD PRICING THROUGH APRIL 15

ATLANTA – In the company of more than 250 chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, pitmasters and artisans hailing from Texas to the District of Columbia, the sixth annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to Midtown Atlanta June 2-5. Promising to surprise and delight attendees once again, the four-day weekend showcases the rich food and drink traditions of the South through a variety of Learning Experiences, Tasting Tents, Dinners & Events and Masterclasses - all designed to educate and entertain guests from the novice to the connoisseur.

“The vision of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival was born from a passion for great Southern food and drink, and a desire to learn from the talented professionals who are shaping the future of our region’s food-ways, while also embracing the traditions and history of the past,” says Dominique Love, Festival Co-Founder. “Our event is part conference, part party and is designed to teach guests about the past, present and future of the region’s food and drink scene. It is as informative as it is decadent.”

Among the many returning Festival favorites, the 2016 event will feature a number of new additions including:

A Series of Masterclasses

For the more serious and seasoned food and drink lover, the Festival’s new Masterclass series will offer expanded learning experiences. These two-hour sessions delve into topics ranging from in-depth wine pairings led by Master Sommeliers to a class on rare bourbons and country hams.

An Expanded Advisory Council

Guests will see a number of new faces on this year’s Advisory Council, an illustrious group of chefs and beverage experts from across the South.  “Each year, we challenge our Advisory Council to develop educational, entertaining, and fulfilling classes to give our guests a real sense of our food and drink history and future,” say Love. “The process takes a few months and has become quite competitive among council members, with each member developing a series of class and event concepts.”

Destination Delicious: The Ultimate Road Trip Party

Located in The Stave Room at American Spirit Works, this year’s kick-off party, Destination Delicious presented by The Local Palate, will take guests on a virtual road trip through some of the South’s top food and drink destinations. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

Sunday Brunch

In 2015, the Festival hosted a Sunday brunch event with service inspired by Chef Kevin Gillespie’s Gunshow restaurant.  The event was a tremendous success and will now be the featured activity on Sunday morning.  This year’s Sunday Brunch will include a VIP brunch at Vineyard in the City and a general admission brunch at the Loews Atlanta Hotel, food and drinks by more than 15 chefs and mixologists, and live music.

Tasting Tents

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival’s coveted Tasting Tents are an all-you-can-indulge experience, featuring the best flavors of the South.  Located in the Greensward Promenade area of Piedmont Park, the new Tasting Tent location offers ample space and seclusion. Lots of outdoor green space and a gorgeous fountain provide a haven for sommelier and mixologist lounges, a Pairings Tent, live music, tailgating areas outfitted for barbecuing and relaxation, and a pick-your-garnish cocktail garden. The curated Tasting Tents allow guests to delve deeper than ever into interactive experiences, featuring a number of themes, such as Southern Staples, Southern Around the World, Southern Tailgating and Southern Provision. Friday’s Tasting Tents will take place at nighttime this year, giving guests the ideal end to their work week.

Vineyard in the City

The first of its kind in the US, the Festival’s pop-up vineyard and event venue will provide a unique backdrop for Masterclasses and events during the weekend, including a “Grapes from A to Z” Wine Luncheon with Master Sommeliers and a VIP Sunday Brunch. Located in the former Atlanta Symphony Hall lot of 14th Street, Vineyard in the City is hosted by Boymelgreen Development and presented by PNC Bank. The pop-up vineyard will remain open after the Festival until July 14 for community use.

Through the ticket packages, interested enthusiasts can customize their experience at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival by making it an afternoon, a day or a full weekend endeavor!


Individual Tasting Tent Pass – NEW LOCATION! – Designed to take guests on an epicurean journey through the South, the Festival’s Tasting Tents are not the typical festival tasting experience. The all-you-can-indulge layout allows guests the opportunity to eat, drink and explore the region’s top food and drink products and chef creations while also celebrating international influences that have shaped our region.  $100 per Tasting Tent ticket ($80 – early bird)

Day Pass – Day Passes are ideal for curious food and beverage enthusiasts who want to eat, drink and learn. They include access to Learning Experiences, the Festival Tasting Tents, and class intermission sips and snacks presented by Ballard Designs. Friday-only includes access to Toast, the Festival’s kick-off event. Day Pass holders also receive a Festival gift bag. $190 per day ($160 – early bird)

 3-Day Pass – If one day isn’t enough (and when it comes to Southern food and drink, one day is never enough!), the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival offers 3-Day Passes for guests looking to expand their tastes and minds. 3-Day Pass holders will experience Toast, the Festival’s kick-off event; Learning Experiences on Friday and Saturday with class intermission sips and snacks presented by Ballard Designs; Tasting Tents each day; Sunday Brunch; access to Destination Delicious kick-off party on Thursday evening; and invitations to exclusive sponsor events. 3-Day Pass holders also receive a Festival gift bag. $575 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday ($485 – early bird)

Connoisseur Experience – Created for the serious food and drink lover who wants the best the Festival has to offer, the Connoisseur Day and 3-Day Passes are the perfect indulgence.  Connoisseur pass holders will enjoy unique benefits, including access to the exclusive Connoisseur Lounge, which is a favorite gathering spot for the Festival’s Advisory Council and features breakfast, food and beverage service throughout the day by award-winning talent. The Connoisseur Experience also includes access to Connoisseur-only classes; priority seating at Connoisseur Dinner Series events that are curated by Matt Lee and Ted Lee; fast-track entrance into the Festival Tasting Tents and a Connoisseur hospitality area in the Tents designed by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. New to the Connoisseur experience in 2016 is a VIP Wine Luncheon and a VIP Sunday Brunch in the Festival’s pop-up Vineyard.  The Connoisseur Day pass includes one dinner and the Connoisseur 3-Day pass includes three dinners.  All Connoisseurs receive a Connoisseur Gift Bag.  $725 ($600 – early bird) Connoisseur Day Pass and $2,000 ($1,700 – early bird) *Connoisseur ticketholders may choose reserve seating for general classes in lieu of attending Connoisseur Learning Experiences.

Dinners & Evening Events – The Festival experience continues into the evenings as chef’s, sommeliers, and mixologists come together to curate dinners and signature parties for guests. The Dinners and Events are peppered throughout the city at private homes, restaurants, and unique Atlanta venues and showcase the South in unique and intimate atmospheres. $45 - $300 per person, per dinner/event (no early bird pricing)


For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com as of Friday, March 18.

Additional information is also available in the 2016 Festival Guided Tour at www.360media.net/pdfs/afwf16_mediaguidedtour.pdf and photos for media coverage can be requested from 360 Media, Inc. at info@360media.net.

About Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Launched in 2010, by Atlanta entrepreneurs Dominique Love and Elizabeth Feichter, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is a four-day culinary experience celebrating the South. With an Advisory Council of more than 80 award-winning talent from 13 Southern states and the District of Columbia, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival offers carefully-crafted programs and events to entertain and educate consumer about the rich food and beverage traditions of the region.  The Festival also celebrates the flavors of other Southern regions around the globe including Southern Europe, South Africa, South America, Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) and South-of-the-Border for Mexico. Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to Midtown Atlanta Thursday, June 2 – Sunday, June 5, 2016. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com. Follow Atlanta Food & Wine Festival on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  #AFWF16 #KnowTheSouth

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Concord Leadership Group Releases New Nonprofit Sector Leadership Report

Survey results pinpoint major pain points for nonprofit leadership

Greenville, SC (March 15, 2016) Most nonprofits are struggling to grow leaders and retain donors — threatening their very existence and the services they provide to the communities they serve.

Recent research shows that nonprofits are struggling in three areas: basic strategic planning, communicating their story, and regular performance evaluations.

Concord Leadership Group, in partnership with Bloomerang, the Utah Nonprofit Association, Nonprofit Hub, StratusLIVE, Blackbaud, DonorSearch, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, published the results of a survey of more than 1,000 nonprofits across North America. The report analyzes structural systems such as leadership development programs, attempts at creative recruitment of staff, and generational diversity in the workplace; and it highlights how nonprofits are losing opportunities in today’s turbulent nonprofit sector.

“Nonprofit leaders often are surprised by the conflicting pressures on their time,” says Marc A. Pitman, CEO of Concord Leadership Group. “They tell us they feel they’re ‘building the bridge as they walk across it.’ We wanted to test their assumptions and get a snapshot of the state of leadership in the sector.

“Surprisingly, the data shows many nonprofits really are flying by the seat of their pants,” Pitman says. “The data also indicates some ways to stabilize their organizations.”

Key findings include:

1)   49% of nonprofits are operating without a strategic plan — even one in five of the largest nonprofits.

2)   61% of nonprofit CEOs are not getting their performance reviewed by their board.

3)   Despite 10,000 Baby Boomers reaching retirement age every day, 77% of nonprofits do not have a succession plan.

“The study tells us what true leaders have already accepted: not planning strategically is just tempting fate. Without a plan, you are betting other people's future on your continued dumb luck,” says Bill Tedesco, CEO of DonorSearch. “Unfortunately, as this study shows, even large nonprofits are not doing this basic strategic planning. Nonprofits are currently putting themselves unnecessarily at risk.

“Nonprofit leaders need to share this study with their team and make this report part of their organization’s professional development,” Tedesco says.

"This study is the type of research our sector has been needing for decades,” says Jay Love, CEO of Bloomerang. “Insecure leadership is harming nonprofits; this study holds the keys to help leaders rebuild confidence — within their teams and with their communities."

The free report is available for download at concordleadershipgroup.com/report/

About The Concord Leadership Group

The Concord Leadership Group LLC helps nonprofit leaders navigate the challenges of leading in the 21st century. We’ve helped CEOs increase employee satisfaction by double digits, nonprofits grow revenue by an average of 40%, and boards fully engage with their nonprofit in ways that streamline unproductive busy work while increasing organizational effectiveness.

NFPA and State Farm announce 2016 Wildfire Preparedness Day award recipients

Funds to support community wildfire risk reduction projects during May 7 event

March 15, 2016 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and State Farm® today announced the final recipients of the Wildfire Preparedness Day Project Award. A total of 125 projects were selected from nearly 300 entries that spanned 40 states.

The project funding awards, in conjunction with NFPA’s third annual national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day event on May 7, 2016, were started to help raise wildfire awareness, promote collaboration, and bring neighbors together to work on projects that can help protect homes, neighborhoods and entire communities from future wildfire risk or current post-fire impacts.

As a co-sponsor of Preparedness Day, State Farm, with its long history of providing proactive wildfire safety education to its policyholders in high-risk regions, will provide monetary awards of $500 each to help fund these winning community projects.

To be eligible for a funding award, residents provided a brief description of the proposed project and how the State Farm award will fund the project that will begin or be completed on May 7, 2016. Descriptions included how groups or individuals would work toward reducing the risk of wildfire or impact of a recent fire, and/or advance preparedness for wildfire in the community.

Wildland fires are a serious threat to lives and property. The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) cites more than 72,000 U.S. communities are at risk from wildfire. The combination of drought, mild temperatures, high winds and an excess of dried vegetation in forests and grasslands has made fire seasons progressively worse over the past 50 years.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), more than 68,000 fires burned over 10 million acres in 2015, now considered one of the worst fire seasons in decades.

For more information about national Wildfire Preparedness Day, please visit www.wildfireprepday.org. 

About State Farm®

The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto, home and individual life insurance in the United States. Its 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve more than 82 million policies and accounts – nearly 80 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 41 on the 2015 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

What Socrates Can Teach You To Teach Your Kids

Moms and dads determined to raise children who love to learn and who respect others might do well to skip the latest parenting guides and turn instead to Socrates and Confucius.

They and other great thinkers who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago still offer surprisingly relevant advice that one generation can pass on to the next.

“The search for knowledge and how to lead a meaningful life is nothing new,” says Dean Chavooshian, author of The Pursuit of Wisdom (www.thepursuitofwisdom.net), which explores more than 80 great thinkers in philosophy, religion and science.

“If parents introduce children to these ideas from the past, they will have a better understanding of how to live, think and make decisions in the world today.”

Of course, skeptical young people might doubt that anyone who predates the Internet has much to offer in the 21st century.

They are wrong, Chavooshian says.

“These ideas are relevant whether people are wearing togas or jeans,” he says, “and they have practical applications that can help all of us.”

Examples of everyday advice these extraordinary minds left us include:

• Ask questions to understand other viewpoints. When people hear an opinion that differs from their own – whether it’s about politics, religion or the merits of a favorite entertainer – their immediate reaction is to argue for their side. But Socrates’ favorite method for weighing the validity of someone’s argument was not to counter with his own arguments. Instead, he posed questions. Lots and lots of questions – hoping to lead to a broader understanding of issues.
• Treat others well. Good manners aren’t just empty gestures you reluctantly agree to because your grandmother expects it. Roughly 2,500 years ago, Confucius stressed the importance of paying attention to rules about politeness and decorum. How you treat others really does make a difference in how they treat you. Confucius’ disciples marveled that he made his point “by being cordial, frank, courteous, temperate, (and) deferential.”
• Nurture your curiosity. The world is filled with endless topics to study. You should never stop learning. Chavooshian suggests young people look to Leonardo da Vinci for inspiration. “He was fascinated by just about everything,” Chavooshian says. Da Vinci’s journal pages were practically an encyclopedia of conceptual inventions and observations in the fields of architecture, engineering, astronomy, zoology, biology, geology and hydraulics. Somehow, he also found time to paint “The Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.”

“We all have a hunger to unravel the mysteries of life,” Chavooshian says. “But it’s important to remember that you don’t have to start from square one. A lot of wonderful thinkers have already laid an excellent foundation for us.”

About Dean Chavooshian

Dean Chavooshian is author of The Pursuit of Wisdom (www.thepursuitofwisdom.net). After earning a degree in Theology/Philosophy, Chavooshian received a Master’s Degree in Architecture and over 30 years worked with prominent New York architectural firms and international real estate developers.