Clark Howard, SDF and community partners help Georgia’s foster children
Image by Georgia National Guard
MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 9, 2012 – Members of the Georgia State Defense Force and the Georgia National Guard volunteered this weekend to gather toy donations for Georgia’s foster children. The event was in support of the 22nd annual “Clark’s Christmas Kids” campaign, hosted by Atlanta radio and television personality Clark Howard.
Every year, “Christmas Kids” partners with the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) to provide gifts for foster children across Georgia. As a member of the Georgia State Defense Force himself, Capt. Clark Howard encourages other service members to participate in running the toy drive.
“This is the sort of thing I signed up for,” said Warrant Officer 1 Seth Stuck of the Georgia State Defense Force Public Affairs Office. “Beyond the fact that this charity reminds us of the true spirit of the season, this event was special to me, personally, because I joined the SDF to help those in need here in Georgia. What made it even more special was to have my wife and sister-in-law here to share the experience. By far, this is the most fun I’ve had in months.”
Gretchen Buzzell of Marietta was driving that morning when one foster child’s story brought her to tears.
“I have four grandkids who always get the world for Christmas, so when I heard on the radio about a child who was simply asking for a box of crayons it broke my heart,” said Buzzell. “I had to come over right away to donate. When I did I was just overwhelmed by the magnitude of the giving here today.”
For full story: gadod.net/index.php/news/ga-dod/current-stories/691
Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry, Public Affairs Office, Georgia Department of Defense
As we all know that the internet is the widest resource of knowledge these days. Whenever you may need to gather any knowledge on any topic there is no better option that the internet. Therefore the internet can be a great help for your kids. Moreover, there are several kids websites on the internet and these websites are some of the real help for the mental development for your kids. The kids websites offers several online games and many other free games which really are great items for the entertainment for your kids. Not only that these kids websites also offers several educational features in their site which are really of great help for the better learning for your kids. Whenever your kid needs some entertainment along with learning and lots of fun these kids websites are the best friends for your kids.
Of course there are some parents who are of the opinion that these kids websites with all those free games and online games are not much of any help for their children, rather they help in spoiling them and more to say that they thing these websites hampers their studies. But the fact is that which these parents should understand that the best way to make your kids learn better is to make the educational system entertaining. You may have noticed that children favors colorful books better than plain books. And the reason is that the more entertaining the book is the more a child is attracted to it. And this is the reason the kids websites prove to be a better teacher for your kids as they make the learning system more interesting and therefore the games which offer learning elements for your kids can be a better teacher than a plain and simple book.
However, it is a serious concern for the parents that along with educational items the internet is also the source of several such items which are not much of help for the kids. Rather these materials can prove to be really harmful for your kids. Therefore, you should choose to keep these things away from your kids. And for that the parents should take the necessary steps so that the kids may not come in contact with this kind of things. You should rather block those websites which may prove to be harmful for your kids. It is always your concern how you shall deal with these things so that your kids may not views those sites which are harmful for them. You should always remember that the internet can be both helpful as well as harmful for the kids. Now it depends on the use of the internet how you choose to use it. The internet is the best source of knowledge when you choose to use it in the right way but on the other hand the wrong usage of the same thing can really be harmful.
However, when your kids are engaged in the kids websites there are smaller chance for them to go anywhere else. The online games and the free games offered in these site are so engulfing that they hardly think of getting out of them.
As a mom you have always wanted nothing but the best for your children. Then why compromise with their learning programs? At present there are a number of learning DVDs in the market that claim to make your kids smarter from a very tender age. But not all the DVDs have the same quality learning programs in them. Some of them are not even close to what you want your kids to learn. Therefore, you always need an expert when you are dealing with your kids’ knowledge. The quality DVDs come for a hefty price that is not always possible to pay. But if you have DISH Network at home, this problem won’t remain a problem altogether. You will have a great time watching your kids learn and grow with the DISH Network channels that are dedicated to the kids and their growth.
DISH Network is one of the most well known satellite TV provider that offers you nothing but the best entertainment. However, other than entertainment there are a number of other things on offer with DISH Network as well. The satellite TV provider brings the best satellite TV experience even for your kids and toddlers. Yes, that is true. The satellite TV provider has special channels dedicated for the kids of different age groups. You will get to see channels for the pre teens, pre-schoolers and even babies and toddlers. Each of these channels has special content for the kids’ age group they are targeting. This way they can provide a complete entertaining as well as knowledge enhancing experience to the kids.
Take the example of Baby First TV – the satellite TV channel dedicated to the babies and toddlers. You will be surprised to see such a great entertaining channel for kids of such tender age. Apart for providing entertainment the channel also imparts considerable knowledge to the kids. The knowledge includes learning about shapes, colors, objects and much more. This commercial free channel has the kind of content that can only be found in a baby DVD. However, this DISH Network channel is not as expensive as the baby DVDs and can offer you more entertainment than a DVD. You are surely going to have the best of TV experience with this satellite TV channel and can also help the kids learn things via the simple color coded messages that appear on screen in this channel. These messages contain valuable tips on parenting. This way the channel is a complete learning experience not only for the kids but also for the new parents.
The pre-schoolers can have a wonderful time watching the amazing programming on Disney channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. These channels offer quality entertainment to kids of different ages. Your kids are surely going to love this experience on TV. They can also learn from channels like Discovery kids that explains the wonders of science and its innovations in a kid-friendly manner. This channel can help them enhance their knowledge and to have the best ever experience on DISH Network.
About the Author
Enjoy the best ever satellite TV experience for your kids with the DISH Network channels that offer specially designed content for the kids that will help them to learn and to grow. These channels from DISH Network are sure to offer a learning experience to the kids.
Close Group of Country Kids
Image by Okinawa Soba
From a Sample Set of Classic Meiji and Taisho-era Japan Stereoview and Lantern-Slide images by Japanese Photographer T. ENAMI (1859-1929).
The richly printed image of children above is taken from 1/2 of a raw stereoview contact print.
FUN FUN FUN Music Video I directed of Kyle Puccia’s recreation of FRIDAY by REBECCA BLACK. Enjoy it Kids! I was introduced to Kyle by a good friend, told him my idea to make the video, he made the song in a few hours, and boom. From making the song, shooting, cutting and uploading it to YouTube was all within a 12 hour turn around. COVER BY: Kyle Puccia DIRECTED BY: Dan Dobi ORIGINAL SONG BY: Rebecca Black Co-Producer: Charlie Capen We did this for fun… Please don’t take this seriously and get all butt hurt. We’re not making fun of Rebecca, we’re just covering the song. Get a free download of Kyle Puccia’s acoustic cover of Friday at www.kylepuccia.com Check out more of Kyle’s AWESOME music at: www.twitter.com Follow me on that Twit-TarTar at www.twitter.com www.facebook.com/dandobi FRIED EGGS FOR LIFE! Thanks to Andy Chen for helping out on the shoot!
Many of us may have often heard the saying failures are stepping stones to success. Has not every one of us failed at some point or the other in our relentless efforts as a student, parent, guardian or any other role in life we play? There are many kids today whose functioning and social and emotional reactions to situations gets affected by the mere inability to deal with difficulties that they face in subject like Statistics and others as well. Many studies indicate that there are some students who may even undergo rejection or be simple ostracized from peers who may be doing well in the subject. If this is what your kid is facing then why hesitate to ask for help or seek help from a professional like Statistics homework help for Australian kids whose sole aim is to be of maximum help to such kids.With the help of Statistics homework help for Australian kids many students have been able to get back on track with the rest of the class and made the most out of such classes. There are constructive study programs and memorizing techniques used by Statistics homework help for Australian kids to help kids learn at a pace that is convenient to them. They often take up tasks related to kids who are really doing badly in Statistics as a challenge and have proven that they know what it takes to count to convert failure to success. The psychologically based development study processes are designed to encourage kids and develop an interest in Statistics which can easily become boring otherwise.In fact many queries that are often raised by parents and guardians regarding the successful techniques have been useful to help them make a decision as to which service provider to go with. Statistics homework help for Australian kids makes it easy for you when it comes to recovering from a back log that most kids face in relation to Statistical methods and data interpretation. The ways used Statistics homework help for Australian kids have motivated many kids wherein they have also been able to regain their lost confidence levels and develop a better grasping power. The steps involved in teaching are almost those that can be applied by kids to learn other subjects as well.As a parent your stance regarding seeking help from Statistics homework help for Australian kids can make the difference in your kid becoming a success from a failure or getting better grades and scores. The experts in order to develop a good rapport with kids especially to facilitate a better interaction use an optimistic approach as each kid takes his or her time to learn and grasp fundamental concepts. Verify yourself; contact Statistics homework help for Australian kids NOW!
About the Author
Racon Hark is a famous author who writes on topics like Statistics Homework Help, Assignment Homework Help and other related topics. For more information on http://www.statisticshomeworkhelp.org
Traditionally dressed kids
Image by NeilsPhotography
So this was taken on day one of three for my friends grandfathers funeral. The Children were in traditional dress to welcome the 500 strong guests into the welcoming house, specially built for the event.
Kids are feeling the effects of the economy, too. How you can ease their fears. Plus, got a small space? Better reveals the top five design mistakes many people make and how to fix them. Video Rating: 1 / 5
I’ve been a committed single dad of beautiful twins (Jack and Vanessa) for a number of years now. During that time, all my focus has been on doing whatever it takes to put a great roof over their heads, bread on the table and making each and every day as happy as possible.
That’s me in a nutshell – the Renaissance single dad – raising my kids amidst life’s eternal balancing act and I’d like to give my thoughts on what I perceive to be positive parenting in today’s modern-day, me-first, media-driven culture, specifically as it relates to being a single parent on Long Island.Building positive relationships with our kids and learning new and inventive ways to parent can help us connect with our children and develop more peaceful and interactive households. With all the extracurricular distractions out there, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find quality time with our kids. Between sports practices, homework, video games, play-dates, and a steady diet of chauffeuring, the actual face-time we get with our kids is less than it has ever been. This is a fact that faces all parents – both single and married. With the current state of the economy, longer work hours, and competitiveness of Academia, there is just a lot less valuable time spent with our children. Call me unorthodox, but the perfect solution lies at our fingertips, is all around us, and is becoming the de facto mode of communiqué for everyone both young and old. Our social and occupational lives revolve around it and our kids are the first generation that grew up with it. You guessed it – the Internet. To be an effective parent to an adolescent, we need to know what is really happening in their child’s life. At an ever-increasing rate, their entire social landscape is documented online in some way or another – Instant Messaging, Social Networking, Virtual Worlds etc. Their connected at school, at home, and even some with mobile devices like phones and PDA’s. This brave new world of real time communication is not going away and it’s becoming a very strong part of our children’s adolescence. So in my view, parents need to know about it and understand it so that they can be there to guide their children through it….The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games. Kids who are old enough to punch in a few letters on the keyboard can literally access the world.But that access can also pose hazards. That’s why it’s important to be aware of what your kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves online. Just like any safety issue, it’s wise to talk with your kids about your concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and keep a close eye on their activities.Online tools are available that will let you control your kids’ access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. No option is going to guarantee that they’ll be kept away from 100% of the risks on the Internet. So it’s important to be aware of your kids’ computer activities and educate them about online risks.Many Internet service providers (ISPs) provide parent-control options to block certain material from coming into a computer. You can also get software that helps block access to certain sites based on a “bad site” list that your ISP creates. Filtering programs can block sites from coming in and restrict personal information from being sent online. Other programs can monitor and track online activity. Also, make sure your kids create a screen name to protect their real identity.Aside from these tools, it’s wise to take an active role in protecting your kids online. There are a few great websites out there that are geared to helping parents better communicate with their children online. They are designed to be kid-tested and parent-approved and do a wonderful job of creating a safe, easy environment to introduce our children to the wide world of computing over the Internet.My children are incredibly computer savvy and are usually tough critics when it comes to anything I recommend, especially when computer-related. However, there is one website that resonates with my family and probably transcends the fabric of every family. It’s called Scallyroo (www.scallyroo.com) and is the perfect website for parents with adolescent children, (tweens and teens).
Scallyroo is a free website, exclusively created to better bridge communication between parents and kids online by offering many tools intrinsic to the lives of our children, which we parents can monitor. Kids can set goals with their parents and parent can set goals and tasks for their kids, such as “If you do this, I will reward you with that”. This is extremely handy when motivating your kids to achieve something, or when getting them to learn responsibility. Oftentimes, I set tasks for my children using Scallyroo (like cleaning their room) and incentivize them with a reward for doing so. Scallyroo also enables parental oversight for many site features that kids come to expect with the advent of social networking websites like Facebook, although their package is a far more sterilized version, with privacy and safety being of paramount importance. Parents can peer into their child’s profile and help manage their account, such as accepting/rejecting friend requests and overseeing their daily calendar. The site also allows parents to merge their personal calendar with their children’s Scallyroo calendar, so their always on the same page. Parents can add or create events for their child’s calendar and can also grab events from their child’s calendar. It’s super-simple to use and keeps family life aggregated.This site really strikes the balance between what’s cool for kids and what parents want as far as online safety is concerned. Being a single parent, this site is a godsend. It allows me to monitor my two kids both on and offline and does it in a non-invasive way that’s critical to their ‘growing up.’Other good websites for parents and kids do exist, but none are able to strike such a delicate balance between what kids want and what parents need. Single Renaissance Dads or Moms the world over should look online to sites like Scallyroo.com for the unique parenting tools it provides, but also for teaching tools and fun activities it imparts on our children.
About the Author
Geoffrey is a security, privacy and cyberspace lawyer, as well as an author, columnist and child advocate.
The Offspring-The Kids Aren’t Alright When we were young the future was so bright, The old neighborhood was so alive, Every kid on the whole d*** street, Was gonna make it big, And not get beat. Now the neighborhood’s cracked and torn, The kids are brought up but their lives are worn, How can one little street, Swallow so many lives? Chances thrown, Nothings free, Longing for, What it used to be. Still its hard, hard to see Fragile lives, Shattered dreams. Jamie had a chance, well she really did, Instead she dropped out, had a couple of kids. Mark still lives at home cuz hes got no job, Just plays guitar, smokes a lot of pot. Jay comitted suicide, Brandon od’d and died, What the h*** is going on, Cruelist dream reality. Chances thrown, Nothings free. Longing for what it used to be. Still its hard, hard to see. Fragile lives, shattered dreams. (repeat) Video Rating: 4 / 5
As a working mother you may not have a great deal of time in hand to spend with your kid. However, you should try spending a quality time with them so that they do not feel neglected. Although it is not always possible for a working woman to spend so much time with your kids, you can at least make them happy. The best way to make them happy is to keep them engaged in an act that they can enjoy thoroughly. TV watching is one such thing which is liked by almost every kid. With the emergence of satellite TV there are wide arrays of channels available for the kids. You can let your kids watch these channels and keep them entertained round the clock. There are different types of content that you can let your kids watch.
When you are busy with some household work or some other official work for that matter, you can allow your kids to watch their favorite cartoon channels on DISH TV. The cartoon channels are a great way to keep your kids entertained and engaged. Be it Cartoon Network or Disney Channel you kids are going to love the highly entertaining kids’ programming on Dish Network. If can keep your kids seated in front of the TV set for long hours with the Popular kids shows that are broadcasted through the show. If you have a HDTV at your home then you can enhance the TV viewing experience of your kids with the HD quality kids’ channels.
Let your kids watch their favorite kids’ movie on DISH Network. The kids’ channels often bring high quality kids movies that can keep the young people entertained. You can also find some high quality kids’ movies in premium movies channels like HBO and Showtime. To find out these movies all you need to do is to access t eh electronic program guide and find out the kids’ movies available in different channels. You can also let your kids watch the highly engaging children movies available on these channels.
Want your kids to be knowledgeable and smart? Then you need to tune in to any of the channels that will bring you in dept knowledge about country, culture, history, geography and science. While the Fox History Channel will give them adequate knowledge about the history of the world, 2with the National Geographic channel they can see the world and get introduced to people of different country and culture. This will help them broaden their mind. If your kids are interested in science and environment then you can let them watch the Science Channel where they will get to know about the latest discoveries in the field of science and technology. Discovery channel is another channel that can help your kids stay informed and entertained. These channels also help in the mental growth of a kid.
With so much on offer your kids will never have a boring time while watching DISH TV. You can carry on with your office work while letting your kids enjoy DISH TV for long hours.
About the Author
Enjoy a wide array of Dish TV channels for kids’ keep them entertained. These Dish Programming Packages are a great way to enhance the mental growth of the kids.
Educational kids movies can be a good developmental tool for your child. There are plenty of educational kids movies out there and many of them are available as free downloads. There are several sites on the Internet offering educational kids movies for free and at discount prices.
One of these sites is Watch Know.org. Watch Know offers educational kids movies for children from the ages of three all the way up to eighteen. They cover subjects ranging from English literature, math, history, science, social studies, languages, physical education, health education, arts, computer technology, life skills, ethics, philosophy, religion, to hobbies and crafts. Watch Know even provides educational movies for teachers and parents. It is truly a good site to find educational kids movies on a wide variety of subjects.
Brain Pop is another good site for finding educational kids movies. This site is a little more child friendly and features graphics and interaction designed for younger kids. Brain Pop provides animated curriculum-based lessons. Brain Pop is used primarily to support educators with movies, experiments, timelines, and activities for children.
Safe For Kids is a good site for parents to locate and purchase educational kids movies and entertainment rated safe for children. There are many options at Safe For Kids that allow you to choose from simple entertainment to educational kids movies. There is also a section featuring games, activities, and crafts.
The modern educational kids movies are different than the ones you might have grown up watching. Much more research has been put into modern educational kids movies than ever before. Because of this, exposing your child to educational kids movies at an early age can be tremendously helpful in their development. Even if your child is too young to read, he or she is not too young to benefit from educational kids movies. Such movies help them to absorb beneficial information in a fun, fascinating manner.
One of the best sources for educational kids movies is Public Broadcasting. Besides Sesame Street and other well-known kids television, PBS often broadcasts educational kids movies. These movies are usually available on DVD so you can play them anytime at home for your children. So, don’t forget to look for PBS produced DVDs when searching for educational kids movies for your child.
Online, Amazon and other book retailers are often a good source for educational kids movies, as well. Many online stores like these offer entire sections of educational DVDs for children.
Educational kids movies do not always teach a subject or curriculum. Sometimes they teach a life lesson. These sorts of educational kids movies can be very profound in teaching children lessons in life and inspiring them to do special things and achieve exceptional goals.
When choosing educational kids movies, you probably want to do a little research first. If possible, watch the movie before you give it to your child to watch. If reviewing the movie yourself isn’t practical, go to the Internet and look for comment on chat sites and blogs about the movie. You can often find professional reviews and commentary by parents and educators simply by Googling the title.
However you decide to go about your search, remember that educational kids movies can be an important part of your child’s progression and a way for them to discover that learning can be fun.
Alphabet blocks offer many potential benefits to young kids. While they are among the simplest of all toys, they are also among the most beneficial in many ways.
One of the great things about alphabet blocks is they come with no rules and no instructions. Kids get to make up their own rules and play away. The sky is the limit for what they can do with them and how much they can learn. The blocks encourage open-ended explorations.
Alphabet blocks are available from several manufacturers including Citiblocks, Schylling and Melissa and Doug. All of these brands provide blocks that are safe and educational. To prevent any risk of lead poisoning, blocks are painted or stained only with non-toxic paint or stain, as children will undoubtedly put the blocks in their mouth! Brands like Melissa and Doug have designed their entire product line just for the younger kids, kids that would use alphabet blocks. Melissa and Doug is proud of their safety record of zero incidents of any problems and no needs for any recalls in over 20 years of business.
Alphabet blocks allow for social and emotional development among young children in two ways. First, when playing with other children, they learn to negotiate for the items they want to use and also to respect the ideas and opinions of others. Open-ended block play gives kids an opportunity to explore social behaviors and emotions in a safe environment. These benefits will transfer to other areas of the child’s life, such as when they are playing with friends!
Blocks also provide physical development for children. Playing with blocks will improve both the child’s gross motor skills and fine motor skills. As children pick up the small blocks, carry them from place to place, and position them, their small muscles will develop. Even seemingly “small” motions will provide benefits. When children stack blocks, they will improve their hand-eye coordination as well as their balance.
Standard wooden alphabet blocks naturally appeal to children. Wood that has been sanded and polished feels good to the touch. Their symmetrical shape is naturally pleasing.
Blocks allow cognitive and intellectual development for children. Blocks help children develop a concrete understanding of the world around them. They will learn about sizes, shapes, numbers, orders, area, length, patterns, and weight as they build with and put away the blocks. Blocks also help children to think abstractly. Children form mental pictures as they interact with the world around them. When they play with blocks, they can recreate these pictures in concrete form.
Finally, blocks allow for language development in children. Children love to talk about the scenes they have created, and when an adult asks questions or shows a genuine interest, the child will be learning to create a description of what they see. When adults provide a new word to describe their creations, they will be expanding their vocabulary. They can even develop their writing skills when they make signs for their buildings.
Alphabet blocks can help kids develop the skills they need to become strong and healthy physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively. Perhaps best of all, they don’t cost nearly as much as high-tech electronic toys. In fact, brands like Melissa and Doug have found ways to distribute high quality blocks around the world at very low prices.
About the Author
Joe Kanooga is a successful business owner and the author of numerous articles about Melissa and Doug and other educational toys. Click here to download our free alphabet blocks guidebook filled with helpful tips, ideas and information.
This week our host Ed Crasnick explores all things comic with Mixologist duo Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark, as well as Trevor Moore and Sam Brown of the Whitest kids U’Know. Julie Mitchell brings us the comedy news, and Vicky Pezza updates us on the comedy calendar. For more information, show notes and an upcoming schedule, go to thisweekin.com
Moving impacts everyone in the household, and it can be especially unsettling for kids. Kids tend to be comforted by consistency of surroundings, and moving eliminates much of that consistency. Here are some general tips on making the transition easier:
1. Be sure to talk to your kids about moving, what the new place will be look, and what they should expect. Trying to keep it a secret is almost never a good idea.
2. Be reassuring- kids will pick up quickly on the fact that everyone is feeling the stress of the upcoming move. Be honest in telling kids that things will be a bit stressful and “up in the air” for a short period of time, but that things will settle down and feel normal again after the move. Remind them of things that won’t be changing, whether that involves possessions, daily activities, family members, etc.
3. Let kids participate in age-appropriate activities prior to Moving Day, whether that’s marking boxes, packing their toys or stuffed animals, organizing their belongings, etc.
4. Get a children’s book on moving for smaller kids. Consider “The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day.”
5. If appropriate, let children pick their room in the place.
6. If possible, let kids pick a decoration (poster, light switch, name banner, etc.) for their new room. If that doesn’t work, let them pick from two or three different paint colors that you pick out so that they “get a vote.”
7. Pack a kid’s sized suitcase and let each child pick out a special toy to keep with them and a special outfit to wear on “new home day.”
8. If the child has a special dish or cup, include it in the kitchen “Open Me First” box so familiar items await them at their new place.
9. Consider unpacking the kids’ rooms first, or at least their “Open Me First” boxes to help them settle in.Following these simple guidelines can remove a lot of stress in packing yourelectronics. For more information, please visit our free moving checklist and moving tips at http://www.movers-edge.com.
For more FREE moving resources, please visit the following:
* Moving blog with free tips and advice
* More FREE moving resources
From our homepage, we offer even more FREE moving articles and tips.
* Finding great movers and moving companies
* Truck Rental (Moving) in 4 Easy Steps
* 101 Best Moving Tips, organized by category
* The Ultimate Moving Checklist, including priorities
About the Author
Timothy S. Clendaniel is a former consultant to Fortune 100 corporations on database marketing and data mining. He is now the webmaster for http://www.Movers-Edge.com and a frequent writer on moving and relocation.
Free Kanye & Charlie Bit Me ringtones: thegregorybrothers.com (under the Music tab) Original Charlie Bit Me video/channel: www.youtube.com www.youtube.com A remix ATTN #2 with the melodies of cherubic children and cherubic Kanye. Who is the best unintentional singer?! You tell us. Here are your choices– Kanye? Harry (Charlie’s brother)? Charlie? Child with banana? Child trying to steal banana? Balloon Boy? Video Rating: 0 / 5
