Mom and dad, you can make a big statement and purchase your children a custom made personalized slumber bag that will last for years. Looking for a high quality and washable bag is easy with the help on the online stores. The interior lining is often made in flannel, fleece, or minky dot fabrics and these are perfect for that soft and cozy feeling that girls love. These are great for indoor sleep-overs and slumber parties. Washable products are a must because chances are it will get dirty. It is nice when they can be tossed into the washer and comes out looking brand new. That's the type of quality you receive from the brands of Fireside Comforts and Cricketzzz. Fireside Comforts is a premier maker of textiles and their value is exceptional. If you want a one of a kind item then you should consider having a custom bag made by Fireside Comforts. Fashion-appeal is exactly what their products say and if you want a fun, unique slumber bag you have to research this famous maker. There are other companies like Cricketzzz that create a luxurious slumber bag in the USA with attention to details in every product produced and sold. Sleeping bags from these well-known makers start around $100.00 and up.

If you are looking for an inexpensive bag that is a good quality take a look at the brands like Wildkins and Bazoongi Kids. Their bags are mass-produced and on hand in plenty of store across the country. Both brands present fun prints from sports themes to horses and of course lots of pink sleeping bags. Wildkin and Bazoongi Kids are normally priced around $56.00 and up with many stores offering free shipping.

You can easily find sleeping bags priced from $50.00 to $175.00 depending upon the options and fabric selections. Big designs, patterns and fabrics are easy to view online because of the selection.

Finally, designers are creating products that appeal to teenage girls and boys without looking childish. Practicality and durability ought to be the first priority but fashion has taken over. There are so numerous styles that are dazzling and fashionable as a result, teenagers do not have to settle. With the right sleeping bag in hand they will be geared up for any sleepover!

Dianna, is always offering safety and education tips to parents and caregivers. She is also the Founder of Best Price Toys, a leading children's playground store, and educational toys website were the focus is on outdoor play and exercise for children.
You can visit her store to learn more about Sleeping Bags and Slumber Party's for Kids.--> http://www.bestpricetoys.com/Kids-Sleeping-Bags-Kids-Slumber-Bags/

By Dianna Boris

A well rested child has more energy, can perform better academically and can concentrate better. A rested child will have a more positive attitude, be in a good mood, a stronger immune system and is more likely to stay healthy. Without a good night's sleep, a child more easily forgets what he learns, may be grumpy and can be less patient with others, including friends and siblings. Those repetitive frustrations can eventually impact the unity of the family and your child's well being.

So as a parent how can I help my child to have a good night's sleep and be well rested?

Make sure to create a bedtime ritual. Too many extra-curricular activities can push back dinner time and bedtime. Your child needs a true balance between active time and relaxing. We are a generation that is rediscovering the vital importance of relaxation. Relaxing is especially important right before going to bed. Some parents may find that children can easily enjoy a warm shower or bath before going to bed, and that can offer a perfect relaxation in preparation for bed. Other parents may find a 20 minutes reading and winding down time to be very beneficial. This can also be a perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your child and discuss any subjects you did not have time to discuss during the busy day. For younger children, this time can be replaced by a calming bedtime story or relaxation CD. Whatever works best for you, make sure your child has this vital down time and goes to bed at approximately the same time every night. Your child will be better rested because of it, and the relaxation helps quietly transition into natural, stress-free deep restorative sleep.

Make your child's bedroom conducive to quality sleep (firm mattress, low light, no loud noise, comfortable temperature). Make your child's room inviting and calm. Learn more about the art of Feng Shui to create a healthy and harmonious environment for your child by arranging the bedroom living space. According to the ancient but increasingly popular art of Feng Shui, having a view of the door without being too close to it gives your child a sense of security. Keeping your child's bedroom clutter-free and making sure the room is used only as a bedroom - no TV or computer in the bedroom, is also good Feng Shui. Choose balanced and relaxing colors and help your child choose posters and art carefully as they will carry these images and stimulation into their nightly dreamtime.

Avoid TV, computer, internet, any type of sugar snacks and caffeine around the end of the day, but especially right before bed. Caffeine can be found in surprising places such as chocolate and iced tea. Also, avoid big meals and snacks before bed time as it inhibits deep and restorative sleep as the body continually works to digests and therefore does not completely relax as needed for deep sleep. This can also be problematic for many young people as it can lead to nightmares, repeated waking up and more movement than usual during sleep. So for a good, peaceful night's sleep - no snacks before bed.

Listening to relaxing music will help your child prepare for a more reparative sleep. The sound of relaxing music induces a state of calmness and peace which is excellent preparation for the night ahead.

Playing guided imagery relaxation audios or CDs will also help a calm transition into sleep time and dreamtime. Guided imagery gives the mind something positive to focus on and helps release anxiety and stress while helping your child to recognize the amazing wonder that he or she is. These are especially helpful if your child imagines scary images or has negative thinking before going to bed thus causing difficulty to sleep or stay asleep.

So help your child sleep better tonight by implementing some of the easy solutions given above. Your child will rest so much better and wake up feeling refreshed and wonderful!

Mellisa Dormoy is the founder of ShambalaKids Relaxation CD's for kids and teens. Mellisa specializes in guided imagery and children and teen's self-esteem.

You can find more information about Mellisa and her work, including more articles and resources at http://www.ShambalaKids.com

By Mellisa Dormoy

This is for all mothers, or parents, 'going though' adolescence with their daughters. You might have heard about it being a tricky phase - now you can 'phew' in agreement! It calls for special nerves to handle the on-set of this metamorphosis.

The 'sugar and spice and all things nice' goes for a toss as turbulent hormones shift bringing on physical changes. 'These' are easy to deal with, and you might even have your daughter elated about the fact that she'll soon be a young girl, like her favorite icon. It's the psychological changes that take you for a spin and call for your best tack!

Relax your hold

Suddenly, you feel your control slipping away as she begins to assert her new found reason. The situation might be as simple as why she cannot wear a dress that you feel is inappropriate for a place or occasion: or why it is that she has to eat what you make at meal times.

However, unless 'her way' is completely beyond parental standards, it is fine to let her try her terms. You have to remember - your child is emerging as an individual. It requires for you to release your hold (and saves you washing out energy on a pointless argument!).

Guide tactfully

With that said, this is the 'cannot-escape' time in your life as a parent, when you have the huge responsibility of navigating your daughter to her right route with the right attitudes and principles. She might not appear to pay much heed to your experience, thoughts, and counseling, but rest ensured that it is all being stored in her memory data. Haven't we done the same as we were growing up? The firmest of principles that we hold today are ones that we shirked from hearing while our Moms talked.

However, the right time to guide your daughter about the right conduct or values is when she is in the 'talk mode' and wants to share. Be the friend that she wants you to be and share but not dictate your beliefs.

Listen to what she has to say

Their intellect has reached the stage of measuring, evaluating, and judging their world. Grown out of the 'why and how' phase of childhood, your daughter now is full of ideas and beliefs that she wants to share. This is also the time when her self esteem is at its vulnerable best. Your reaction to her individual thought has more capacity to impact her self esteem than you know. Positive statements and attitudes work wonders to help her in developing a healthy outlook, and are definite confidence boosters.

Despite the havoc she might stir asserting her own, she needs you more than ever. Find ways to ward away confrontations. If it means giving up on your long-held opinions to give way to hers, do it. That is the first step up in creating a healthy friendship with your daughter

By Manu Verma

For kids, learning to ride a bike can be very hard since they have to learn about the coordination of balancing and pedaling at the same time. To help your child have a good coordination in riding a bike, you may resort to some balance bikes available in the market today. With traditional bikes having stabilizers or training wheels, your toddler will learn all the necessary steps to ride a bike at once. You can start training him with a balance bike like Strider.

So what exactly are the advantages of a Strider Prebike? Strider teaches your child balance, coordination and self-confidence while traditional bikes put so much emphasis on learning how to pedal trumping the development of your child's motor skills. It is very essential for your growing child to develop motor skills. Also, learning balance and coordination jump-starts your child's growth and development. It would be a breeze riding a bike for your child if he first learns the basics and safety of biking.

Strider Prebike focuses on sheer simplicity. It has no cables, chains, sprockets, pedals or protrusions that could harm your child. There would be no hassle adjusting so many things on the bike before your child can even start riding it. The design of this bike should also not be your problem. It has a durable steel frame and puncture-proof tires which makes it capable to be used off-road. Your child would not be only limited to the pavements around your house.

The coordination, motor skills, balance and strength of your child will all improve as he continues to ride the Strider balance bike. It was designed to enable children to push their way along on the bike on all kinds of grounds. It also allows the children to use their body weight to make the bike frame upright.

Important things parents need to know

Strider Prebike is best suited for children between the heights of 20 to 44 inches but the seat can be adjusted. It can be modified depending on your child's length, from 11 to 16 inches. The whole bike only weighs seven pounds, enabling relatively easy navigation. This bike is extremely lighter than the traditional bikes.

In order for your child to fully enjoy this balance bike, you need to adjust the seat and handlebars to meet the regular height. The handlebars should be comfortable to your child's arm length and your child needs to be seated firmly with the knees bent at a slight angle. The helmets and paddings should also be adjusted properly to fit in your child's head and body. The helmet should be two fingers from the top of the head of your child to the level of vision and it should not tilt forward or slide back.

By Elliot Ross

If you want your child to learn how to ride a bike when he reaches two to five years old, then you may opt for balance bike or LIKEaBIKE Jumper. It is the best way to train your kid and have his first biking experience. It will provide your child the fastest, easiest and safest way to ride a bike and would also help him in the advanced level of pedal and steering bikes.

The concept of LIKEaBIKE Jumper bike was to provide an excellent biking experience for little kids without the hassles of pedals and balancing. The manufacturer had this idea in 1997.

This balance bikes are lightweight and have a special steering limiter which prevents incidents of sliding. The frame is made from aluminum and will never rust. The limiter is removable and is very ideal for small kids. Also, the seat pole is adjustable from 13 to 19 inches. The seat is also embroidered to make the kid feel comfort and allows tilt adjustment. In a large scale, the bike weighs only 7 1/2 pounds and it can be assembled in minutes.

Why purchase LIKEaBIKE?

The LIKEaBIKE Jumper bike has no pedals which sways your child from distractions of pedaling. Instead, your child will only focus on balancing and steering which are important skills to ride independently. This balance bike teaches those skills at an earlier age than the traditional pedal bicycles where it still has stabilizers or training wheels. Pedaling is the last skill that your child should know in riding a bike.

It would also teach your child to study the bike on their own. They will know how the bike works, how to keep their balance, and how make it move faster. It can also develop your child's unpolished motor skills, which in turn may develop his self-confidence.

Meanwhile, when you have already decided to purchase a balance bike, you need to consider a few things. The first thing to consider would be whether to choose a wooden frame or metal frame bike. Your choice would depend on your preference and budget. On average, metal frame bikes are more expensive by about 10 percent than wooden frame bikes. Next factor to look at is if it would be for limited or unlimited steering. There are bikes that have handlebars that rotate in full circle or 360 degrees while some limit it only to 30 to 40 degrees. The 360 degrees handlebar is very difficult to manage especially for beginners while the 30 to 40 degrees steering wheel would be held back by the limited steering.

When your child tasted the feeling of being independent, it is something that they will never forget. Just learning to ride a bike is already a milestone for him. It's the start of his journey - learning coordination, balance and agility to the real world so support him to learn this now.

By Elliot Ross

"Don't just do something. Sit there." Thich Nhat Hanh says - which is the opposite of what we are usually told to do. We are so busy out there getting somewhere, doing something that we do rarely take time to just sit.

We have dragged our kids into this non-ending, running-in-circles marathon.

I think they are revolting.

The following is not to suggest that ADHD is not a neurological issue. It definitely is. Yet, one has to wonder, how else will our children adapt to the inssesant schedules, information, inundation of more, more and more without any filters? They have to process information more rapidly or they won't survive.

We schedule them, us, and some families are so busy they eat in their cars and have a change of clothes in their cars and have to change as they go from one place to another. It's no wonder kids update their status on Facebook, they're so busy, they don't have time to talk in person and forget trying to schedule a playdate. Between each of the child's schedules, working parents, homework, baseball, soccer, practice, PTA meetings, Girl Scouts, church, birthday partiies, mom's workout at the gym, Dad's golf game and possibly mom and dad's date night, where is the time?

There is no phone app for this.

Although, I believe there is one to remnd you to pee. Thank God. I don't know about you but if I sit still for too long, I start to feel guilty. Like there is something I absolutely must do. This may or may not be true, but if I feel like this - I am certain I am communicating this to my children.

This is not good.

It's time to re-evaluate how we spend our time and how we spend our children's precious time. What would it look like if we took a day, OK, who am I kidding? How about an hour and just did nothing. What if we planned nothing and just see what happened? What would it look like if we just were hang'in with our kids...no phones, lists, computers, or tasks? Yea, it'd probably drive us nuts at first. We would most likely suffer some sort of withdrawal. Yet, I think in "time", we might actually enjoy it, ourselves and our children just a tiny bit more.

Our children do not need more to do. They need more of us.

"Don't just sit there...do something!" We're running out of time.

To learn more about making the most of your time with your child, download a FREE copy of "The Life Survival Guide" www.monsterproofyourchild.com/info/

Lisa Smith is a the founder of www.monsterproofyourchild.com, certified neurotherapist and neurodevelopmentalist and mother of five, including a child who has been cured of autism! Using tips from twenty years of professional and personal experience, coupled with a degree in child and adolescent developmental psychology, Lisa provides tips for raising "whole" children who are equipped for a world full of "monsters."

Attention editors, publishers, marketers, bloggers and webmasters:
Feel free to copy and paste this article. You must include attribution to the article and it's author (s) and the following short paragraph in the same font size and visibility as the main article: This article appears courtesy of Lisa Smith's "Tattle Tails" - a weekly newsletter from monsterproofyourchild.com. Linking monsterproofyourchild.com to this website.

By LisaMarie Smith

Pirate costumes will be very much in demand for this Halloween celebrations.

Applying pirate style makeup for pirate girls costume can complete the outfit to perfection. By using a makeup technique of smoky eyes and bronze eye shadow, you can give a pirate costume just the right combination of darkness and mystery. The older girls can use fake eyelashes, dark makeup and heavy eyeliner to complete the pirate makeup look this Halloween party. If you want a more genuine pirate look, try going for the "dirty" face look. Smudge your face with some of the darker makeup, bronzed, or kohl is fine for this. Become a makeup artist! Tie your hair back with a dark or red colored scarf, bandanna. A pirate hat gives a really sophisticated look, or can cover up your hair if you aren't happy with the final look without the hat.

Pirates look best wearing some sort of belt, usually large belt buckle, a scarf or sash for the little pirate girls. Off the belt you can hang a plastic dagger or pistol, or even a replica sword for the older kids.

The accessories and make up are what finish the costume so it really comes together. Depending on the type of pirate you want to transform into for the night will determine how you wear your Pirate makeup and accessories. You can either go as a pretty, scary or even sexy pirate.

As far as the pants go, wear a dark color, and the top or shirt with a collar and with stripes. No other costume says "pirate" like a black and white striped shirt with a wide neck. If you don't have dark stripes, red is good, but pretty much any stripes will do,( pirates aren't that picky you know!).

Accessorize, because even shiny jewellery looks good on a sassy, cheeky pirate girl! Pirates love to display their booty as much as they love to plunder it, so load your arms with bangles and bracelets and your neck with pearls or silver beads. Find as many cheap rings as possible, again in silver, and wear them on both wrists. To top off the authentic pirate look you can buy a cheap eye patch or make one in material to complete the accessories. All eye patches must be black.

Most popular pirate costumes are Captain Jack Sparrow, then followed by Blackbeard and Captain Hook. It really depends on your personality and your budget. If expense isn't an issue, then pirate costumes often include a jacket, skirt or pants, boot tops and shirt. Remember the accessories as these are very important. Such things as Pirate makeup swords, muskets, belts, bangles, earrings,dreadlocks, pirate boots and eye patches. To make your costume a winner, you just need to spend some time on the important finishing touches. This will bring your costume together beautifully.

If you need to buy some outfits because you can't make your own, or you don't have time, see below....

Choosing and then putting together a fun and exciting Pirate costume for girls can be a challenge. Look around online to find some great ideas. Images give you good ideas. There is plenty of information available to help you.

Visit
http://piratecostumesforgirls.net to get more ideas to make your pirate costume a winner for this Halloween.

By Cat Koz

The Razor Pocket Rocket electric motorcycles are for those parents who want to give their child something really different! It gives your child ample thrill when they ride from Pocket Rocket electric motorcycle.

This model of Razor motorcycle runs on electricity but is similar in its features to perfect racing pocket bike. The Pocket Rocket can travel 15 miles per hour and runs on a battery which can be recharged and can give 45 minutes drive on a single charge.

This Razor Pocket Rocket electric mini-bike is great for riding short distances- such as going around the park or nearby grocery. However this is not meant for riding on areas where there is vehicular traffic.

The swanky blue Razor Pocket Rocket Electric mini bike is the best among all the other electric racing bikes. With its unbeatable design and durability, the model Pocket Rocket 200 is the best gift for children aged above twelve.

The most important features of this bike are its safety kick stand and tools. It boasts of a torque motor and 40 minutes of drive on a single charge. The battery provides a 40 minute ride on a 12 hour charge. I would be convenient to re-charge after every 30 minutes. So, this would automatically limit the amount of time your child is going to play on it. This aspect will create more and more interest among kids.

There are many advantages of owning the Razor Pocket Rocket. The first and foremost of them is the safety it provides. The speeds are very low and well within the constraints for kids so that they do not get injured. Secondly, the spare parts of this bike are easily available in all stores.

This is a good investment for kids. Every kid in your neighbourhood would obviously envy your new scooter.

Initially the child may need adult supervision. For safety sake, the child should wear safety gear, Special tires are available which are needed to be set up for racing on streets. The riding can be easily mastered within a matter of days. That is the specialty feature of the Razor brand of products.

Remember this Pocket Rocket from Razor can only hold up to 150 lbs. So avoid loading it beyond that. Beyond that weight, the bike might have a little difficulty pushing through and your child could risk getting injured. It would it be possible for a teenager to ride this bike so long as the rider does not exceed 150 lbs.

Another safety factor to consider is that care must be taken while riding this bike, you should only ride it only on smooth surfaces.

As a perfect replica of a real bike, for a child this is in fact the best buy. Children will not experience this much fun with their other riding toys. This is the major reason many people continue buying it. This bike also helps kids to learn to ride two wheelers at a very young age.

Razor Pocket Rocket electric motorcycle is thus the perfect stand-in for a real motorcycle for your kid.

By Mark R Simmons

When I was a child the argument was 'how many phone calls can I make and how long can I spend on a call'. I can still hear my mother's voice saying 'how on earth can you spend an hour talking to someone you just spent six hours in school with, what can you possibly have left to say'. Of course there was always lots to say.

Now the argument is 'when will I be old enough to have my own mobile phone, why can't I have a laptop, I haven't been on the Xbox for hours..'

There's a lot more texting than talking, no more excitement waiting for the letter to arrive from your French pen pal, or the gang you met in the Summer camp, it's all Facebook and email, and you know it's not a bad thing, it's easier to stay in touch with old friends, and when your child does become more independent and begins going places with friends unaccompanied by adults, there is such peace of mind knowing they are reachable at all times via mobile phones.

The World Wide Web is a fantastic source of information, inspiration, and fun, but unfortunately it also opens our homes to predators in many forms and it's our job as a parent to ensure that our sons and daughters are safe, so we need to get the balance right between monitoring their usage, while allowing them some privacy.

When we moved to our family home I was so excited to have my own office, with a beautiful cherry wood large corner desk, and leather swivel chair. When I needed inspiration I would gaze out the window at the wonderful views, fields with sheep and cows grazing, and in early morning I would see rabbits and hares, sometimes a fox. It was my little sanctuary.

When my eldest son became interested in using my computer I was so happy to see how quickly he picked up how to log on, and how to use the net, and in no time he was surfing away, without needing my help, and as he began spending more and more time on the computer a realisation dawned on me. He was totally unsupervised, away from the family with no monitoring unless one of us popped upstairs to check on him.

Yes we had all the securities and blocks in place but are they enough? There is no substitute for parental supervision. At his age, I did not allow my son to walk up to our quiet, sleepy village alone, I certainly wouldn't have sent him into the city with a few words of warning about not talking to strangers, yet he had the whole world and all those in it at his fingertips on the internet.

I knew there was only one solution, the cherry wood desk went on eBay, replaced by the mini gym my husband had wanted, and furniture was dragged, lifted and rearranged to fit a small flat pack desk in the corner of the family room, the new home for my computer. From then on when my sons where using the computer we were in and out, keeping a close watch on what they were logging onto, not in an obvious way, but in a natural way.

When I caught my 'seven year old' and his highly embarrassed friend Goggling 'sexy babes' I knew my small sacrifice was the right decision, (at the time I didn't think he even knew how to spell sexy).

For all sorts of reasons, from cyber bullying to child predators we need to keep our children safe on the net. Don't expect a computer programme to take the role of parent. There is no substitute for parental supervision. Follow my lead, place the family computer in the family room and ensure that you are the one monitoring your child's time on the net, and indeed your teenagers too.

Our children are our most treasured possession, keep them safe. http://www.tirnanogchildcareandmontessori.com

By Vera M Baker

1) Be A Proactive Parent: Children with proactive parents are more likely to excel academically. So what does it mean to be a proactive parent? Well, you are either a proactive or reactive parent. Taking a proactive approach to your child's education means that you are not waiting until the report card conference to find out how your child is doing. You are actively involved throughout the school year, and you are actively inquiring about your child's performance in the classroom.

Have you ever experienced a situation when there was a problem at your child's school and you asked "Why am I just hearing about this?" or "Why didn't I know this was going on?" If so, then you were reactive in that moment. I'm sure once the issue was brought to your attention, you reacted immediately to resolve the problem. However, by the time you heard about the situation it may have escalated into a major issue.

You don't want to wait until the report card conference to check up on your child's performance because the report card conferences are often 3 to 4 months into the school year. So if your child is having some type of problem in school, you definitely don't want to wait 3 to 4 months to hear about it. It's best to nip it in the bud as soon as the problem begins.

So how do you become a proactive parent, especially if you have a busy work schedule? Well, simply sending an e-mail to your child's teacher is a great way to stay in the loop. If the teacher does not send home weekly or bi-weekly reports, I suggest sending an e-mail to your child's teacher every other week to inquire about your child's academic performance. You also want to inquire about any behavioral or social concerns.

2) Create A Goal Plan With Your Child: Let's say that you are about to take a road trip, but you don't have a destination in mind. Without a destination who knows where you'll end up. The same concept applies to academic success. If your child doesn't have a goal to work towards, who knows what grades your child will receive? This is why I suggest sitting down with your child at the beginning of the school year to discuss goals. Speak with your child about the subjects he/she is taking and ask your child what grades he/she would like to receive in each subject.

So let's get back to the road trip. Now you have a destination in mind. If you've never been there before, how will you know how to reach your destination? Maybe you can use a GPS. So what does the GPS do? It gives you step by step instructions on how to reach your destination. If you want to see your child reach his/her goals you will need to sit down with your child and discuss step by step instructions on how to reach those goals; such as determining how many hours your child study for each subject per week. Anyone can set goals, but not everyone will reach their goals. The ones who reach their goals are the ones who implement the GPS concept and outline the steps needed to reach their destination (goals).

3) Identify Your Child's Learning Style: So what is your child learning style? Not all children learn the same way, so knowing your child's learning style will enable you to help your child excel academically by implementing strategies to support your child's learning style. There are a variety of learning styles that can be condensed into 3 basic categories:

1) Visual
2) Auditory
3) Kinesthetic.

I encourage you to discuss the 3 learning styles with your child to determine what learning style suits your child best.

Visual learners comprehend and retain information by seeing it. Visual learners remember information by capturing words and pictures in their minds. If your child is a visual learner, you can support your child by getting flash cards, purchasing educational DVD's, getting highlighters for your child to color code his/her notes, etc.

Auditory learners comprehend and retain information by hearing it. If your child is an auditory learner, you can support him/her by purchasing an audio recorder. Your child can read class notes into the audio recorder and play it back as a study technique. If your child is not too old (or thinks he/she is too cool for this) you can even create songs to help your child remember the information.

Kinesthetic learners are "hands on". If your child is a kinesthetic learner he/she comprehends and retains information when engaged in physical activity such as science lab. At home you can support your kinesthetic learner by creating teachable moments through every day activities. For example, you can teach your child about measurements while cooking. Supporting your kinesthetic learner will require some creativity.

For more great tips to help your child have a successful school year, visit: http://www.BFG-youth.com

By Tamara Shirer

When exam results are out and new school terms are beginning, for some it will be a time of celebration, for others it is anything but. I am all for getting a good education, in all senses of the word, and I can see the value in getting exams too. I do think we need to keep some perspective when it comes to formal examinations though.

Not passing an exam comes down to one of three things. Either
   1. you didn't understand the subject in the first place
   2. you didn't work hard enough or
   3. you just don't have a good recall and exam technique.

The good news is that in all three cases you can do something about it! If you don't understand something, it is your right and your responsibility to ask questions and to seek and receive help. It may be you were unfortunate enough to have an uninspiring teacher who didn't teach you in the way you learn best. It happens, deal with it and move on. Today more than ever, you have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal and if you can't get help from your teacher, look online or find someone else in your life to help you. We might appear to know very little, but many of us adults know lots of stuff and would enjoy sharing if you only ask!

Not working hard enough. Well, do I really need to say more about that? Just think about why that might be and who you are really affecting. Playing up in class may make you feel cool at the time and make you more popular than your more book wormy class mates, but who will pay the price long term? It won't be your teacher. They might suffer whilst you're in their charge, but in a short while you'll just be another kid they used to teach. Your 'swotty' mates might envy your coolness now, but if they keep working hard, you can bet they'll have the last laugh when they're earning so much more than you and have a better car, house, new pair of shoes etc It won't even be your parents. Lots of us rebel at school because we want to get our parents attention, but again, guess what, it's only you who loses out in the long run!

The third reason, poor recall and exam technique is also not fatal. Your memory can be trained to make it more efficient and there are many ways to help make your revision more effective. Work out how you learn best (visually, by listening, or by walking through things in some way) and use it to your advantage. Your mind is the most miraculous machine if you only learn how to use it more efficiently. So you didn't do so well in your exams. It doesn't mean you are stupid or that you'll never pass an exam. It doesn't mean you are bad or hopeless or doomed to a miserable life. It just means you didn't pass this time, don't let it define you and how you think about yourself. Pick yourself up and then ask yourself some key questions and answer them really honestly. Write your answers down, it will make you think harder.

1.     * Why didn't I pass?
2.     * Which one of the three categories do I fall into?
3.     * What can I learn from this?
4.     * What could I do differently next time?
5.     * What will I do differently?
6.     * Who can help me?
7.     * What am I good at?
8.     * How did I learn to do that?
9.     * How can I use that way of learning for other things?

Don't waste your own time by lying to yourself about the answers. You want to be treated like an adult I imagine, so react like one. Take responsibility for your learning and for what you are going to achieve because I can guarantee you, if you do, you will learn and achieve far more than if you see it as someone else's job.

Your time in education is your time. It's the only time in your life when people are on hand to help you (even if they don't really want to!) without you having to pay them for their time. They are giving you stuff for free every day and the stuff they give you, knowledge, you can use to make a great life for yourself.

Work out where you want to go in life and work out how to get there. If you need exams, resit them, it's not the end of the world and a year out of your life now is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Look at other people who are successful and see what you could copy from them. There are lots of really successful people who didn't do well at school but they believed in themselves and that carried them through. Believe in yourself too and make sure you have good self esteem.

If you don't know what you want to do, don't worry about it! Speak to someone sensible and pick subjects you can do well in and that will give you a good overall grounding and maximum choice.

For me that's what education and exams are all about, choice. Doing well will give you more choices when you are ready in your life to make them. I don't know anyone who at 16 was ready for the big life choices, so give yourself the widest selection possible. Exams do not make you a good person, or define you, but they will be used as a benchmark and to funnel your options. Doing as well as you can will just make sure the funnel is as wide as it can be.

Above all, stay positive and do it for yourself.

I am a Master Practitioner of NLP, Time Line Therapy and Hypnosis, a mother of two and the author of The Self Help Bible series.

The Self Help Bibles are short, practical books designed to help you harness the power of the mind and create the life you really want.

Please visit my website http://theselfhelpbible.com for information on personal development, self help and self improvement or to check out the free resources available.

Why not join me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheSelfHelpBible for the latest news and to join in the discussions there:-)

By Amanda Ollier Nee Ball

Birthday parties do not have to be the same old dull and boring routines every year. As your child gets older it is important for them to have the kind of great birthday party that is talked about for weeks because it was so much fun. There are many birthday ideas and they don't all have to cost an arm and a leg. Here are a few ideas.

· If the children are old enough to be good swimmers, consider having a beach or pool party. While you may need a few extra supervisors the activities will almost take care of themselves. If you want, you can organise swim races or diving competitions. For good swimmers you could hold a mini swimming Olympics theme party.

· A backyard sleepover. Most kids go through the sleepover stage so incorporating one into a party is a good idea. Tents and sleeping bags in the backyard along with a supervised campfire, storytelling and roasting marshmallows will all make a great party experience for your child and all the others.

· Having a clown come to the birthday party and do special tricks will delight many children, especially if some of the activities can be interactive.

· A simple party in the park gets everyone outdoors and you can depend on the swings and slides to provide the games. You can invite the parents to stay and help keep an eye on the kids. This is more suited to the younger children who do not yet want anything more sophisticated.

· Older children will enjoy an evening at the cinema as their party treat. They can have supper of birthday cake afterwards.

· Visiting a local tourist facility is often a hit for a birthday party. Many offer group discounts. You may want to limit the numbers for such a treat as a crowd of children may be harder to keep track of.

· Ice-skating rinks, bowling alleys and similar activities all make great birthday party venues. The idea is that the supervisors don't actually have to invent and instigate games because the children participate in those provided.

· Older children or teens may love to take a few of their best friends out for a formal dinner at a restaurant. This could be combined with the movies, a show or another entertainment, but is often enough just on its own. Most venues allow you to bring the birthday cake along. Sparklers are a nice change from birthday candles on the cake for those who think they are too old to blow out candles.

· A craft birthday party is often fun as children can each choose and take home their own piece of craft. This can be painting, ceramics, scrapbooking or balloon sculpture or anything else that is offered in your district.

· Pony riding picnic. If there is a riding facility nearby you could organise pony rides and a picnic to finish it off with.

When choosing a different kind of birthday party make sure you take into consideration the child's age, likes and dislikes. For instance, if they dislike animals, you wouldn't want to inflict a pony riding party on them.

Enhance your next childs birthday with a clown, Bananas has been in the Perth Clowning business for a long time and brings laughs to children of all ages.

By Rich McPharlin

Kids are always in for the fantasy world; they love coloring activities and participate in various drawing contests. These days in general there is a scope to indulge in online coloring activities. Animated coloring pages are the best option to choose for your kids learning and fun activities. Verily colors are the main element of kids' daily routine; they spent a lot of time in drawing cartoon characters and other new things which interest them related to colors.

Cartoon characters are very popular among kids and yet even gaining a lot of fans across the globe. Kids have a liking for cartoon characters that is the reason why you will find cartoons in kids apparels, toys etc. It's obvious that cartoon printable coloring pages can be an exciting pass time for kids, filing the colors of choice, drawing characters, and other things excites the kids at peak. Parents generally like when they find their kids engaged in a coloring book or coloring worksheets, they felt a sense of relaxation after seeing their kids' involvement in online how to draw activities. Whilst doing this kid gets the chance of exploring their imaginations on the paper or canvas, simply coloring pages invoke the imagination of a kid.

Who are the most popular animated characters for online coloring activities?

Aladdin coloring pages- Aladdin, a street urchin is the main character of "The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights". In the series, Aladdin is in love with a princess Jasmine who is also a popular character available online for printable coloring activities. Almost every kid and adults are fan of this series and loved the apparels of princess Jasmine, Aladdin, Genie and Abu etc.

Tom and Jerry coloring pages- One of the oldest American classic cartoon series very popular in all over world. It's a colorful cartoon series we all must have aware about. Kids love usually Tom and Jerry coloring books because of its humorous appeal. Every of the child is aware with the Tom and Jerry show which is telecasted in T.V. They do love these characters and this would help them here to enjoy as well as learn. This would be a fun with gaining knowledge about different colors.

Mermaid coloring pages- A beautiful fantasy character created by John William Waterhouse, Mermaid apparels is fascinating, beautiful and well designed. Mermaid resembles colorful aquatic creature of the fantasy world.

Cinderella Coloring pages- It is the most demanded drawing pages online because it's full of vibrant colors and the apparels of the main character Cinderella is full of variety. The Disney Princess characters are favorites of little girls everywhere.

Choosing what to color can be fun as well, even though most drawing books are marketed for children and include characters like Disney princesses, Cars and even Dora the Explorer. Don't be ashamed to pick up one of those if you can't find anything online to suit your coloring theme. Else you will get the coloring worksheets available online for your free time fun.

By Caira Scarlett John

Ever wanted to get your kids to do their share of the chores around the home? It can seem like an almost impossible task at times, so here are a few tips on how to not only get them to do the chores you want done, but they will actually want to do them for you. This is not magic, although the results may seem like magic these tips are proven effective ways to motivate your kids to do chores around the home.

The first tip is to identify what your kids' personal motivation is. Not all kids have the same attitude to working at home and not all kids want the same things. So the first step is to identify what makes your kid tick. To do this all you need to do is sit down with them and discuss money. Not just any money but their money, their monetary goals, their spending requirements and their long term plans. You see we are all motivated to some extent by what money can do for us. Not so much how much we have but what we can do with the money we do have or the money we can earn. Your kids are the same.

However, before you do this it is a good idea to identify how your kids get money today. Do you give them an allowance or pocket money? Do they get money from working? Do they get their money from gifts from family members? It is important to know just what they do to get money. I will make an assumption here that like most parents you give your kids money either as an allowance or pocket money or as they need it. If so, please stop. Stop giving them money just because you can. Why, because if they grow up thinking that money comes from a hole in the wall or mum or dads wallet then when will they learn to earn it. Instead agree with them that they will receive a minimal allowance based on their needs but that they will have to earn the rest.

Once you have identified how much money they will need for their goals sit down with your kids and identifying the chores around the house that they can perform and for which they can receive a payment. This will prove to be good for you and good for them. They will learn that money is earned and not just something that is free. The more they then want to spend the more work they will need to perform to do so. This is so powerful a tool that you need to be aware of the work you want done and the rate of pay you are willing to pay for it. Remember thought that some of this payment is in lieu of their allowance or pocket money. Money you would have given them anyway. The benefit to you is not only the fact that you are empowering your kids with financial skills but you also get back the time you would normally spend doing the chores they are now going to do.

Once you have identified the chores you want done and your child has agreed to do the work for an agreed amount of payment then the next step to keep the motivation going is to set goals with them. Identify with them what they will do with the money and when they want to do it. For example, let's assume that they want to go to the movies with their friends and let's say it costs $10.00. Now they may be earning $2.00 per week in combined pocket money and payment for chores so it will take them 5 weeks to earn the $10.00 they need for the movies. If this is the case, simply put a chart on the fridge door or somewhere where they can see it and list their savings each week. If they can see the target is $10.00 and each week they are getting closer they will stay more motivated to complete their goal.

One other way they can get to their goal sooner is to do more chores or as some enterprising young people do they can start their own little business and do work for others in the family or neighbourhood. Naturally, age has a bearing on the types of chores and the amount of money paid. Teenagers can be expected to do more chores than say and 8 or 9 years old. Whatever the age, the opportunities to earn money both within the family and outside are too numerous to list here. Suffice to say that most kids can find some form of activity that they can do to earn some extra pocket money. The more they earn the less burden is placed on you to provide the simpler things they will provide for themselves. Empowering your kids financially is not about giving them money, it is about teaching them about money. There is an old saying that goes like this, "You can feed a man a fish and he will eat but for a day or you can teach a man to fish and he will eat forever".

David is an experienced financial adviser and entrepreneur with a passion for helping people realise financial independence through structured learning. As a regular contributor to http://www.MoneyToolkits.com, a site designed specifically to teach kids about money, David is able to share his knowledge and skills with people of all ages from 8 to 80.

By David H. Nolan

During the summer holidays, one of the most heard phrases amongst parents is 'I'm bored', with children across the world showing their feelings. With many kids having up to six weeks off school, that leaves them with an incredible amount of free time. This means that parents have to come up with various ideas to entertain their children. This can be tough and gruelling with little resources or imagination but it needn't be with the right amount of preparation.

A lot of children tend to spend a lot of time indoors nowadays, however when the weather is nice they should be encouraged to go outside. People respond positively to natural light and children are no different. An activity that blends this with arts and crafts is making wind chimes. It is quite simple and children of different ages will be able to take part.

First, you will need to gather some hollow wood like sumac or elderberry. If you're unable to find any in your garden, you may have to visit your local park. Using your imagination, you can turn the collection of materials into an adventure for your children, improving observation skills and working as a team to create something. The number of chimes you want to have will determine how much wood will need to be collected, so keep this in mind when on the hunt.

After collecting the wood, you will have to cut each piece to the length you desire, and this should be somewhere between a few inches to six or seven at most. Children should be kept at a safe distance whilst the cutting is taking place to avoid any accidents. Using a tool like a hand saw is ideal for this task, although other sharp implements can be used if necessary.

After cutting the individual pieces, using a straightened coat hanger; you will have to push the pith out of the centre to make it hollow. Your children may be able to help with this task but it would depend on their age. The next task can involve children of all ages and that is the issue of peeling off the bark from each piece.

Following this, small holes will need to be inserted for string. For softer wood, you will be able to use a wired coat hanger again but for harder wood, you may need to use a screw. The holes should be of the same distance from the end and should be no further than a centimetre away. After placing holes in each piece, string must follow. This will allow you to attach the pieces to a longer branch from which they can hang from. The last task would be to then attach another piece of string to each end of the branch allowing you to hang your wind chimes from a suitable fixture.

By Paula T Hanson

Over the years, Razor scooters have evolved from a fun yet simple aluminum Razor scooter to a more exciting, motorized Razor e300 scooter. The original foldable Razor scooters were all the rage back in 2000. Kids of all ages and even adults wanted to get in on this craze. For months, retailers were sold out of these timeless scooters.

Now in 2011, kids are still using these classic aluminum Razor scooters. You see them gliding down your neighborhood sidewalks, hopping onto carubs, and riding together with their friends. However, these scooters remained the same for years, and for scooter enthusiasts out there, change was needed. The answer to their needs is the Razor e300 scooter, which can hits speeds of up to 15 miles per hour thanks to its high-performance, chain-driven motor.

This is a completely different Razor scooter. It's perfect for those short trips around the neighborhood where there's nothing to experience but the smooth cruising. With each full charge, riders can enjoy up to 45 minutes of continuous action.

So is it hard to operate the e300 scooter? Absolutely not. After charging the battery completely, turn on the e300, hop on, and let things rip by simply twisting the handlebar throttle control. You'll be gliding down the streets in no time. In order to make the ride as smooth as possible, Razor engineers implemented wide 10-inch pneumatic tires that were meant to absorb the small bumps you might encounter along the ride.

Stopping is a piece of cake with the easy-to-use handbrake setup. When you're ready to call it a day, the Razor e300 can be folded up for painless storage in your garage or trunk.

Were you a fan of the original aluminum Razor scooters and are seeking a bigger thrill? Do you want something faster? Do you want that scooter that'll take your riding to another level? Then the Razor e300 is just for you. Forget not being able to ride smoothly down pathways, sidewalks, and roads that are too rough for a normal scooter. With the e300, you'll feel like the king or queen of whatever terrain you happen to encounter.

When the original scooters came out years ago, they cost not much less than the e300 does today. So for it's price, this Razor motorized scooter is a lot of bang for your buck. Also, if you have a really short commute and don't see the need in shelling out thousands of dollars for a car, then the Razor e300 is all you really need. Talk about a bargain.

There are many reasons to give the Razor e300 scooter a shot. You're bound to have a blast with this ride. Jump aboard before they sell out!

By Mark R Simmons

Looking for ways to get kids interested in being healthy?

I've been blessed to raise a gaggle of kids and I learned a couple of tricks along the way that worked really well.

Set An Example

Nothing will do more to help your kids get interested in being healthy than fostering a healthy and active lifestyle as part of your family culture. Kids learn by example. There are a lot of great activities that lend themselves to the family and from an early age you can lead the way by planning family time around group activities.

This extends to nutrition as well. Stocking the house with healthy food and snacks that the family enjoys are great ways to get your kids interested in being healthy.

This is a win/win for parents as well since a healthy and active lifestyle reduces stress and makes you more productive.

Join Their Team

Kids will gravitate toward the activities they love and your best bet is to join the team.

I raised my kids around bicycles. From their earliest years they rode in a trailer and later their own bikes. As a family we competed many 25 and even 50 mile bike rides before they reached the age of 8. But something funny happened along the way: They developed their own tastes.

For my oldest it was hockey. We lived in Las Vegas while my kids were growing up so there wasn't an ice rink on every corner but we did invest in a net, sticks and in-line skates for the family.

My second boy became active in cheer-leading. I have to admit that this seemed strange to me at first but as he trained relentlessly to perform the maneuvers I could see the conditioning and team-building skills he was developing. We couldn't get on the court with him but we did support him by attending his activities.

My youngest son started running cross-country and then ended up playing volleyball. Again, we couldn't get on the court with him but we made sure he knew we supported him.

My daughter, the youngest, drew from the examples of all the family and though she ended up in the marching band she also ran cross-country, played volleyball and even raced bicycles competitively for a couple of years.

All of my kids are adults now and have carried these habits into their own family culture. Those small seeds we planted early and the effort we made to include them in the activities we loved and support the ones they loved have paid huge dividends.

It may not be easy to get kids interested in being healthy but it is simple. Just set the example and support them in every way you can.

Tom grew up as a 'fat kid' and struggled with weight and self image the whole time he was growing up. A healthy lifestyle for kids needs healthy nutrition. Get the latest in kids nutrition from Tom's Healthy Kids Newsletter.

To be the example mom & dad need to, well, be the example. Have some weight you want to lose or need help making good nutritional choices for your family? Tom's Easy Diet Coach Newsletter will make it easy for you. Subscribe now at EasyDietCoach.com

By Tom Bradley

In the twenty-first century the internet has become a necessity, it is considered a basic need, as it plays a major role in our daily life. It has taken education to a whole new level and has greatly improved the social lives of many. But this increased use of the internet is posing a deadly threat to our communities and our children particularly.

It is also being used as a medium by people to carry out their evil deeds. This has created the need to protect our children and ensure their safety. Pedophiles, along with child molesters and other children predators are on the rise, the internet is being used to lure children into their devious plans. These people pose as fellow children and chat children up slowly and surely to the point that the children trust them and give them personal information. This continues to the point that the child even plans on meeting his/her pen pal, which provides the perfect opportunity to ensnare the children.

There have been stories in the media on how children have been raped, murdered, kidnapped for ransom and even abducted, never to be seen or heard from again. The most unfortunate thing, however, has to be the fact that most kids who encounter these predators online do not report this to their parents even when they are exposed to sexually explicit content.

The journey to protect our children has resulted in the development of parental control software, which enables parents to monitor and control what their children do online. The features of these software's vary from manufacture to manufacturer, but the main aim is the same, that is to keep our children safe and secure. Some of the common features among this parental control software are the fact that you can block dangerous sites that you would not want your children visiting, they also enable you to limit the time your children spend online and also enable you to record many of your child's chats, emails and instant messaging. This software also enables parents to block searches for unwanted adult content; they have alerts that notify parents when they are not doing their schoolwork, but instead, are searching for adult materials or websites.

Even with all the parental control software on the market, it is very important to talk to and impart knowledge on our children, this will go a long way to protect them and help them to be cautious. You can teach your children how to chat with strangers without revealing their identities or location. You should, especially, talk to your teenagers as they are the most affected by the social networks evolution, such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and many other social networks.

Lastly it is important to keep watch on your kids' behavior with their friends, as this can help you identify any internet abnormalities in usage.

Rocco Sarracino is a martial arts instructor and self defense expert with over 30 years experience teaching individuals and businesses to be more aware and protected from crime. He is the founder and owner of AMERICAN SAFETY 2000; an online store specializing in self-defense and surveillance products such as stun guns, pepper sprays, Mace products, hidden cameras, home security and much more.

By Rocco W Sarracino

In the work that I do with parents, and also in my own personal life, I have noticed that children are different today than they were 20 years ago. Children are getting overwhelmed, stressed out and are shutting down more than ever.

Life has sped up and school and sports are asking for more. We keep our children very busy. It is important that we be conscious about whether or not the lifestyle and pace that we are creating is healthy for our children. It may work just fine for some, and not for others.

I thought I would share some insights on how to support our children in this time of life, and meet them where they are. After all, if their childhood is full of stress and overwhelm, that will be what is familiar and seemingly "normal" to them when they are creating their life as adults, raising their own children. Not a pretty picture.

#1 ~ Observe your children. Are they calm, happy and joyful? Or are they stressed, overwhelmed and shut down? Children are naturally playful, full of laughter and live "in the moment." How are your children showing up at home, school, in sports, and in other areas of their life?

#2 ~ Talk with your children. Be sure to check in with your children regularly (daily would be great). It's important not to interrogate them, but to be interested in them. There is a huge difference (and they will let you know that). How are they keeping up with school? Are they excited about anything? Do they get to explore hobbies they enjoy, and things they are passionate about? Do they have friends? Do they smile? If there are issues and you see that they are shutting down or seem unhappy, you want to be very sensitive when you explore those areas. It may be difficult for them to pinpoint what is not working for them.

#3 ~ Support them. You are the #1 advocate for your children. No one else is going to step in and support them, comfort them, and clear the way for them like you do. If you don't do it, they are left vulnerable and alone. Knowing what to do will come from building a relationship with your children through conversation, modeling and quality time. This builds trust and creates a safe haven for them. They need that; we all do.

If your children are coping well, keep those lines of communication open, continue to observe them for quality of life, and be their advocate. Every school year and every age bring new challenges and new successes. Be present with your children in every stage.

If your children are not coping very well, it can be a simple fix (although not always). The sooner you begin actively addressing it, the more quickly it will resolve, and the easier it will be to adjust when future stresses arise. Success builds upon success.

To create a healthy tomorrow, we need to create a healthy today. To gift our children with freedom, choice and passion throughout their lifetime, we must be present in these developing and crucial years. It's not about control and it's not about giving them complete freedom. It's about guiding, training, communicating and supporting. We are building relationships and we are teaching them how to do the same.

Remember every child is an individual. What works for one, may not work for another. Some children are more sensitive than others. Some are more bossy than others. Some are leaders, others followers. Who is your child? How can you support him/her today and in the coming year? You are their #1 advocate and you are creating their future with them right now. What an opportunity to love another human being!

Traci Carman is the Founder and CEO of A Loving Way ~ How I Parent Makes a Difference. She is a Parenting Coach, Speaker and Author. She is also the creator of the "Who I Am" Energy Cards. For more information about our mission, philosophy and parenting services, or to sign up for our free monthly Newsletter, visit us at http://www.alovingway.com. You may also reach us at 800-647-1171 or tracicarman@alovingway.com.

By Traci Carman

It's a special skill to do art with crowds. Here's how to do GIANT MURALS with crowds!

Cooperative Art is so much fun! You just don't know what the end result will be! Hook into the Big Creative Energy that exists among us! You can do these creative collage murals with a scout troop, at a party, a family reunion, or a Fair. A small group gathers around and develops a mural all at once, or it can grow in the course of a day...

THE ART: Pick a theme for your giant mural!

For a big fair, pick the fair theme (FOOD?) or anything fun: circus, zoo, space aliens... what do YOU like.

Plan to do several murals so you can have more themes!

MATERIALS

Scrounge, get free scraps from various companies, save leftover materials from earlier projects - keep it inexpensive!

LARGE cardboards- I would get them from a big store like CostCo... the big cardboard that lie flat between the products on a pallet.(call early in the morning, talk to the back room...)

Large colored papers for the background color.(teachers get this paper to cover bulletin boards in the classroom)

Collage materials: scraps of any kind of paper, feathers, shiny papers, fabric scraps, straw, and materials that lend themselves to your theme.

Scissors
Colored marking pens
Glue of several types. Basic white glue and some fabric glue will do you.

DOING A MURAL
-I'll pick a FARM theme as an example.

Set the scene: I cover the big cardboard with colored paper. Top third-blue for sky. Bottom 2/3-green for ground. Yellow or brown if you have a desert theme. Make your horizon line curvy. Maybe stick on a few purple mountains in the background, on the horizon. Maybe a creek wandering across the bottom (front)...
I cut out and glue on a good sized red paper barn,with the doors flapping open. Maybe a big tree too. That's it! The theme is set!

Special Materials good to have for a farm THEME: are fur fabric scraps (animal bodies), straw, cotton balls (lambies! Clouds!) some dried corn(chickens need food, yes?)

The rest will happen! You want to direct people to make something-maybe on a side table, then bring it over and attach it onto the mural. When you have lots of people coming and going, this lets more people participate at once.

You may have to do a little hinting: "What do you think is on a farm? Would you like this to be a kangaroo farm? Well, don't be afraid to be silly! Have fun!" That lets the kids feel free to create!

Be organized!

Keep the materials sorted in bins, baskets, jars. Keep putting the scissors and pens back in their boxes, ready for the next young artists to use. Tape trash bags to hang off the tables so kids are not confronted with a big mess.

HOT TIP! Big messes become bigger messes and don't help people do art.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE MURALS?

At a very large fair, we were working on about ten murals at once, and ended each day with a lot of murals. They've been on display all day. No, you can't keep them.'

SO, during the day have a sign: if you want to take one of these home, come back at 5 pm... we will draw names out of the hat! Do that. Spread the art joy!
In sum, collaborative art is a warm wonderful way to create a feeling of community as well as art! Using recycled materials makes it an inexpensive way to entertain the multitudes!

Author Melinda P Wallis

Author Melinda P Wallis
"Kids Art Goddess"

For 20 years, we've been doing art with crowds at fairs, festivals, malls, camps, parties library programs, and yes, even some creative schools!

Since 1989, I've been inventing creative projects for kids, to give them the thrill of using materials that they often don't get their hands on otherwise! REAL clay and clay tools, colored tumbled glass bits, leather, yards of windsock fabric, outdated phone equipment to make robots with... tons of interesting recycled stuff! Doing art with crowds is a FINE art in itself, and HAVE ART WE'LL TRAVEL knows how to do it!

Personal advice is available to you soon at my blog. Specific help for your special event or activity including the many tips for success that we learned from experience. I'm excited to share my experience with you! soon...

By Melinda P Wallis

Bullying (one teacher's perspective)

Bullies intimidate or mistreat a weaker person. It is the process of taking advantage of someone who may be in a vulnerable position.

How many incidents have we heard of that involved a child being bullied? There have been too many instances and it continues to occur daily. I have had the displeasure of encountering bullies, perhaps you have too.

No one knows all of the reasons why it happens. Maybe the bully has grown up in a horrible environment and their inner anger is taken out on others. It could be a dissatisfaction with a situation that is beyond their control. The loss of a parent, divorce, verbal or physical abuse, lack of guidance, or other disruptions within the family unit could trigger these behaviors in some children.

Whatever the cause, most of us would agree that the child has feelings of low self-worth and unresolved anger issues. The bully picks those who are easily overcome or defeated. The act of overpowering,threatening, or mistreating others may give them a feeling of contentment. It may give them a feeling of sudden power that they feel is lacking in their lives.
It has been my experience that the bully does not usually exhibit his behaviors in the classroom or in a closely supervised setting. They will approach kids in the hallway, cafeteria, bathroom, stair way, sidewalk, on the school bus, playground, or outside of the school environment. This makes it difficult for the teacher, staff, or administration to catch them in the actual act. Many times if the incident is reported to the principal, their hands are tied if there are no witnesses. Schools have procedures to follow. This leaves a feeling of helplessness for the victim, parents, teachers, counselors, and the school. The incidents may fall through the cracks. No one wins when this happens.

In a perfect world, no one would ever become a bully or have to deal with one. The reality is that this behavior exists. What can individuals do to resolve the issue of bullying?
That answer may be found within the individual families of the victim and the culprit.

1. Parenting: Each parent is responsible for creating a healthy home environment for their children. Communicate with the child daily and be aware of any changes in their behavior. Speak to your child's friends to see if anything has upset them. Provide your child with a journal. They may prefer to write down on paper what cannot be said aloud. Let your child know that you love them and will help with this problem.

2. Stay in contact with your child's school personnel. Counseling from the schools may be able available to assist with the problem. Keep in mind that many school counselors have enormous case loads and may not be able to give "one-on-one" time. There may be services in your community that can help. Non-profits, churches, community organizations, or support groups may be available to provide support.

3. Provide books or e books on bullying for your child to read. Read the books with them. Discuss the information and ask questions to ensure their understanding.

For the bully:
1. Recognize your pain and where it came from.
2. Know that everyone has problems in their lives. Hurting others will not erase those problems.
3. People are there to listen to you. Talk about it. Ask for help.
4. Decide if you want kindness or misery to be your friend.
5. Write down 3 things that you like about yourself.
6. Begin loving yourself.
7. Anger is a monster. You have to control it.

By Marie Brewer

This article is directed to the children in your family. I sit down and talk with my children often. It dawned on me that it might be nice to sit down and talk with yours too (with your permission, of course).

When I was in my 30's, I remember starting to get a glimpse of what my mom and dad had done for me and our family when I was a child. In the moment, I had no idea. It took me 30 years to see it.

With my kids, I love to give them insights into my world and how they can support me and bring a smile to my face. I like to give them insights into the future, and give them information about things they don't know, but might later wish they had known. I felt bad when I realized how much I didn't know to appreciate my parents. I didn't want my kids to look back and say, "If only I had known."

Sometimes we think it is "obvious" how our kids can help us, or not fight, or just do their homework without arguing, etc. But, kids don't know what they don't know. They only know the now. And in any given moment, their now usually consists of a desire to play, which is natural. We can't fault them for that. However, we can empower them, and give them a peak into our world, so that they can cultivate empathy, compassion, and gratitude at much deeper levels.

The rest of this article is for children who would like to make a difference at home.

Okay, kids, let me ask you three questions:

1. Does your mom or dad ever get upset with you, seemingly "out of nowhere"?

2. Does your mom or dad seem tired, stressed, frustrated, and/or not "interested" in you sometimes?

3. Are the holidays stressful and not as fun as they used to be, or as fun as you think they could be?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, I have great news for you!

YOU can make a difference.

People only know what they know. That means they don't know what they don't know. Our life experience as children and as adults is limited to what has happened in our life. You won't understand what your mom and dad are going through, as far as all of the things they have to do (work, dishes, laundry, cleaning, paying bills, mowing, etc.), until later in your life. At some point, you'll realize what they did for you and say, "Oh, now I get it. Wow, they did a lot! I wish I had known then."

My philosophy is, "Why not give our kids some insight into the future? Why not share with them what is happening in our life, and allow them the opportunity to care for and appreciate us NOW?" Would that be valuable to you?

As children, we go through life doing what we're asked to do (or not), going where we need to go, and trying to have fun and play every possible moment in between. I love that! I wish more adults would do that too, including myself. Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Responsibilities take over, however, and we get into habits that create a life of work and heavy loads (some of that is necessary). You are protected in many ways from that experience. Depending on your age, you may be starting to do more around the house, or you may be taking it easy. In either case, wouldn't it be really nice to know how to make a difference for your mom and dad?

First, know that they love you more than you could ever know. When you have children, and only then, will you even have an idea of how much; really.

Second, know that what your parents are doing with work, cleaning, cooking, driving you here and there, and whatever else is on their plate, is what they feel is necessary in order to meet the needs of the family. It isn't "instead of" being with you, it is "because" they care about you.

Third, it comes out of love and necessity, but it is not always easy. Mom and dad get tired. Their tanks get empty.

Here are some ideas that just might put a smile on their faces (especially you mom's):

• Hug them for no reason
• Say "I love you" just because
• Offer to wash the dishes, take out the trash, mow the lawn, or help younger siblings with homework
• Make them some tea
• Surprise them with dinner, or breakfast in bed (orange juice and toast is great)
• Vacuum
• Dust
• Clean a toilet
• Sit down to do your homework without being asked
• Make your bed or clean your room without being asked
• Read them a story, or bring their slippers for snuggle time
• Do anything that surprises them!

Moms and dads need love and attention too. They give a lot to many people.

Traci Carman is the Founder and CEO of A Loving Way ~ How I Parent Makes a Difference. She is a Parenting Coach, Speaker and Author. She is also the creator of the "Who I Am" Energy Cards. For more information about our mission, philosophy and parenting services, or to sign up for our free monthly Newsletter, visit us at http://www.alovingway.com. You may also reach us at 800-647-1171 or tracicarman@alovingway.com.

By Traci Carman

Starting out with the horse and buggy the wheels were of great importance to the future of nearly all modes of transportation. The wheel gave way for many kids toys as far back as the late 1800's, maybe even earlier. Children always loved rolling along with all the energy and imagination they could come up with. They could take a ride on the wheeled stick horse for a start, then forward to mimicking their parents, in their very own ride on or pedal car.

Plain, simple, fancy, wood, plastic or metal, the kid car was a hit, no matter the age. Proven through time ride on power has given lots of young folks a chance to imagine being all grown up and having a blast taking their own car on a trip. This ageless toy took the child, as well as the parent, on a fun joy filled day without a lot of added expense, maybe a snack, water or juice break. Play time was, and is, a very important developmental stage in the life of a kid. There should be play time set aside each and every day to put that foot power to use, burn that energy.

When pedal cars headed into the 30's, 40's and 50's they were picked up by anyone that had the money to spend and if lucky enjoyed by friends and other family members, also. The cars survived and became a little more sophisticated as did the adult version. Bright paints, splash of the decal, chrome accents, windshields, lights that worked, wheels and steering wheels that turned, all of which improved with time. All the additions, flash and sound gave the vehicles a true sense of real. From the beginning, feelings and expressions burst out in giggles, laughter, and sharing of fun. The pedal power car was just what the doctor ordered. Hopefully, making life a road to better health with the exercise, being outdoors, joy and laughter. It is amazing what good can come from these toys for kids, and their families.

There are many of the loving automobiles that are passed on to future generations because of the durability and access of parts, which helps keep them in usable condition. Memories make the all time favorite toy car exciting for the children as well as the adults. Hope you enjoyed your ride down Memory Lane and will take time to enjoy your children, grandchildren, or young friends every moment you can. As we see, time flies so very fast and even faster when you are having fun! Foot power, whether ride on or pedal, will be part of the fun of the future and will take the families into the same fulfillment felt by those from the past.

Judy Durrett is the owner of http://www.ridepedalcars.com and fully relies on God, is a wife, mother, and a grandmother. She is a lover of pedal cars and ride on toys, believing they bring fun, smiles, exercise, imagination, learning and skills to each and everyone.

By Judy C Durrett