Thursday Thought

"Don't worry that your children never listen to you,
worry that they are always watching you."
-Robert Fulghum

Free Kids Lego Magazine

Get a free 2-year subscription to Lego Club magazine (a $7.95 value) for kids. Click on your child’s age to subscribe. Children ages 6 & under will automatically receive the Lego Club Jr. magazine. They will send a free issue to you every other month. 

Have you got more than one child at home who would love to get their own Lego Club magazine? The limit is two free memberships per family. They say it will take 4 to 6 weeks to get your first issue. 

Friday Fact - Secrets of Happy, Healthy Families

According to Parents.com the happiest, healthiest families...
*make healthy fun
*snuggle
*enjoy music
*maintain balance
*snack smart
*cook together
*make kids important contributors
*reward good behavior
*take 10 minutes to read, talk, etc. with each child
*stick to a schedule
*celebrate one another
*garden together
*read food labels
*read and write together
*don't stop at "I'm Sorry"
*bring games to the table
*laugh a lot
*make sure everyone feels valued
*keep the spark alive

To read more about each habit click here.

Thursday Thought

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to leave the world a better place, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday Fact - Television Viewing

Did you know that the average child watches 6,240 hours of television before entering first grade?  That comes out to be about 2 hours and 45 minutes per day!  There can be significant consequences for watching this much television…

It has been shown that children who watch television more than 10 hours a week suffer negative academic effects (www.cybercollege.com).  This could be the reason why:

• Viewing television is a two-dimensional activity, because it has a flat screen.
• Watching multiple hours of television per day can impact the eye’s ability to focus correctly.
• Our eyes are designed to adjust focus at many different angles and ranges.
• When children are playing around, their eyes are constantly refocusing.
• When they watch television, their eyes are sustaining focus at only one range.

The long-term effects of too much television watching can be harmful.  A child’s eyes may:

• Struggle keeping near objects in focus (such as worksheets, reading materials, and other deskwork).
• Have trouble focusing quickly, and accurately, between near and far objects (such as the desk and board when taking notes, doing a worksheet, or working on a class project).

Source:  Minnesota Learning Resource Center

Thursday Thought

We teach our children all about life...
They teach us what life is all about.

Borders Book Stores

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Free Magazines

Sign up for a free six-month subscription to American Baby magazine.

Sign up for a free one-year subscription to BabyTalk magazine.

Friday Fact - Family Meals

Research has shown that from the time children are very young, making the effort to establish a family meal habit (sitting down together with no tv, cell phones, etc.) is an investment in their future as students, athletes and overall participants in their community.  Statistics show the impact is evident in grades, behavior and overall success.
-Family Dinner Book by Laurie David

Thursday Thought

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is yet to come. We have only today.

If we help our children to be what they should be today, they will have the necessary courage to face life with greater love.

-Mother Theresa