Coloring Books Aren’t Just for Kids

Think back to when you were a child. Did you spend time happily coloring the pictures that were in your coloring books? Today, many adults are rediscovering their love for coloring. There are several different types of detailed coloring books out there which are intended for grownups to use. Coloring is fun. It’s something that people first learn how to do when they are in preschool or kindergarten. Little kids can improve their fine motor skills by grasping a crayon and using it to color a picture. They find it rewarding to color a picture all by themselves and are … Continue reading

How to Save Money on School Supplies

Tis the season for back to school supplies. Parents everywhere are facing this time with a mixture of joy and dread. The summer will soon be over, and how on earth will they pay for all of the stuff that there kids need? If they are smart, budget-conscious consumers, they may try using the following strategies to bring the cost of needed school supplies down to just pennies on the dollar. Shop Multiple Stores Retail stores are fighting hard to get your back to school dollar, but not all sales are created equal. That is why if you want to … Continue reading

The Preschool TV Battle is Heating Up

Your preschooler may be more powerful than you think. At least when it comes to watching television. According to Nielsen Media Research, children ages 2 to 5 spend an average of 32 hours in front of a TV each week. For cable networks this means big business.  In the past five years, a slew of channels dedicated to preschool programming have inundated the market.  Since 2000, Nick Jr. has continually garnered the highest Nielsen ratings.  The Viacom-owned channel is dedicated solely to preschool children and is home of the mega-hit show “Dora the Explorer.” Riding the wave of popularity with … Continue reading

Don’t Let Your Finances Hold You Back from Your Dreams

Stuck in a rut? Want to embark on a new career, become a stay at home parent, go on a fabulous vacation, buy a new home? Whatever your dream for yourself and your family, don’t let financial trouble get in the way. You can fulfill your dream despite poor finances if you stay focused, have a plan and spend your energy on working toward your dream. The first step is really make your dream a real goal. Write it down, tell others about it, find a picture that represents your dream and paste it in a prominent place. Next, figure … Continue reading

Homeschooling on the iPad with Dew Learning

  What is Dew Learning? Dew Learning is first and only K-12 Christian Curriculum for the iPad and accessible through any internet device.  Exciting news for online learners and even more exciting for iPad owners who can take their entire curriculum with them wherever they go. Non-traditional schooling is just that…non-traditional.  Education takes place on the road, while swinging in the backyard, at the dinner table, library or a restaurant.  Now you never have to leave books behind or break your back trying to carry it all.  Dew Learning comes on the most portable device on the market to give you ultimate … Continue reading

Mickey Mouse is Back: New Shorts to Air on TV

Mickey Mouse is back.  Whether this is the reinvention that Disney execs promised years ago remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Disney’s most famous character is going to be a star yet again.  Mickey’s returning to his roots, in a series of animated shorts to debut on the Disney Channel and Disney Online this June.  Entertainment Weekly has the details. Disney Television Animation has been hard at work creating 19 new shorts starring the famous mouse, his girlfriend Minnie, and surely many of his other most popular cohorts, all to reintroduce Mickey to fans young and old.  … Continue reading

Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money? {Part 3}

In, Can Your Homeschool Blog Earn Money?, Part 1 and Part 2, I discussed the background information you need before starting a blog that has the potential of earning you a profit.  If you missed those two posts, please take time to read them as blogs without a proper foundation do not earn profits. Not all profits can strictly financial but we all want to know now to earn cold hard cash.  There is no easy answer but there are avenues you can take to drive your blog to the bank. Here are some of the most popular ways to … Continue reading

Your Back to School Savings Strategy

The average parent spends $600 to get just one child ready for school in the fall. You can greatly reduce this cost if you follow our step-by-step back to school savings strategy. 1. Make a list Most schools post their school supply lists online to make it easy for parents to shop ahead. If yours doesn’t contact other parents to get an idea of what your child will need to bring to school in terms of pencils, notebooks, crayons, etc. Do the same with clothing. How many shirts, dresses, pants, socks, shoes and other clothing items will your child need … Continue reading

Books To Inspire Homemaking

I’m loving the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder these days. I have always loved them, and my copies show it. The Little House in the Big Woods book is quite close to falling apart. This time, I am reading them with my seven-year-old daughter. We tried this a couple of years ago, to very little interest. This time, she is enchanted, and it is lovely. No matter how tired we are before bed, we read an entire chapter. The simplicity and do-it-yourselfness of life back then is what is enchanting about these books, as are the close family … Continue reading

Backpack Overload

If your kids are complaining that their backs hurt this weekend, it may be more than just a ploy to get out of chores. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), an alarmingly number of children is carrying way too much in their school backpacks. What’s more, the overload is resulting in serious injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 13,700 kids aged 5 to 18 sought medical treatment for backpack-related injuries last year alone. While backpacks are essential in helping students carry books and other supplies, doctors say parents need to teach their … Continue reading