The back-to-school season means some children will become “Latchkey” kids, whether due to cuts for after school and sport programs, expensiv...

The back-to-school season means some children will become “Latchkey” kids, whether due to cuts for after school and sport programs, expensive childcare, or they're at an age parents feel they can be home alone for a few hours.

But rather than allowing a child to set his or her own after-school schedule, parents can create a teachable moment.

To show how parents can easily build their own after-school programs, Gregg Murset, co-founder & CEO of BusyKid, shared a few guidelines to help children benefit from the “teachable moments” to start them on the path into responsible young adults.

Set Expectations with Goals, Rewards & Penalties

No matter the age of your children or what you are trying to teach them, it’s important to set real goals, rewards for a job well done, and penalties if something goes wrong.

By having clear goals, rewards and penalties, children of all ages can understand the benefits of following directions and weigh the consequences of any bad decisions.

Determine the “Trust Factor”

On a scale of 1-5, how much do you trust your child to be home unattended?

If the number is 1, you will need to keep your child busy, and possibly, set some high penalties if something goes wrong. If the number is 5, give your child enough tasks to remain productive or possibly in charge of others.

Communication Is Key

Make sure your children understand that there is no such thing as over-communication throughout any time home alone and that you actually demand regular updates.

Set times to get short updates and then have full “downloads” when you get home. Use dinner or breakfast as the time to catch up or discuss what’s coming up.

Fill Time By Doing Projects

Set a schedule for your children so that each day there are different chores to do and that the chores fit the proper ages. Make sure the chores fill enough time and can be finished by the time you get home.

Also, build in some short breaks so your children have time to unwind from a tough day at school. Again, depending on the age and “trust factor”, the amount of time that needs to be filled can vary.

Follow Through

No matter whether your children do a great job or a poor one, you need to follow through with the rewards and penalties. Kids are smart enough to know whether parents will stand by their word or not and whether there is any bite behind that bark.

While this is about keeping your kids safe and active, it’s also about teaching them work ethic, responsibility, and accountability. So, praise and reward them for a job well done and remain strongly committed to the penalty you set for failing to meet expectations.

This year add some personality and make getting school supplies more exciting by personalizing the essentials your child needs with Shutterf...

This year add some personality and make getting school supplies more exciting by personalizing the essentials your child needs with Shutterfly.

Note: I was invited as media to this event. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

There's many creative ways to personalized back to school supplies for kids, but here are a few ideas I saw while at a Shutterfly Products preview.


Notebooks

Jazz up plain notebooks by getting ones with customized covers. Kids can find a custom notebook design they love and make it their own by adding favorite quotes, sayings, and pictures to create their own one-of-a-kind back to school supplies.

Pencils

Kids won’t need to worry about getting their standard #2 pencils mixed up with someone else’s when they have their name or nickname put on them. Custom pencils are a great way to add style to your back to school supplies and get your kids excited to learn. With such stylish, personalized school supplies, there will be no room for guessing who they belong to.

Water Bottles

Create a one-of-a-kind water bottle your child will be excited to use every day. Personalize with their favorite designs, photos and/or their name for easy identification. Bottle is made of white-coated stainless steel with a gray straw top, designed to help prevent leaks.

Lunch Boxes

Carry your lunch in style with custom lunch boxes from Shutterfly. Upload your child’s photos or choose their favorite colors and characters to make them smile each time they reach for their lunch. Made to last with high-quality materials, Shutterfly’s custom lunch box collection features themes to make your child’s new lunch box a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Laptop Case

Protect their tech on the go with style and ease with personalized laptop case. Offered in two sizes, with front personalization they'll be sure to stand out!

Customizing with Shutterfly

The best part about designing custom school supplies with Shutterfly is that you can use the same designs on different products.

Customize the back to school supplies with their monogram, favorite colors and designs or unicorns to dinosaurs. You can even upload a favorite photo to feature on your designs, so all of your custom school supplies are instantly recognizable.

Personalized school gear makes the best kids gifts. From lunch boxes to laptop cases to water bottles, your kids can find both big and small ways to express themselves at school.

Learn more, visit - www.shutterfly.com

It's once again that time to prep for back-to-school. But during this time some might have jitters about starting a new school year, inc...

It's once again that time to prep for back-to-school. But during this time some might have jitters about starting a new school year, including kids, teens, and even parents.

Returning to middle, high school or even starting a new school, as a teen can be both exciting and challenging at the same time. It's during this time that social interactions with peers play such an important part of a teen's life.

Additionally, there is the pressure of preparing oneself to apply to college that is always looming in the back of a teen's mind.

To help families, I'm sharing a few tips from Josephine Atluri, host of the podcast Responding to Life, and the author of Mindfulness Journal for Parents: Prompts and Practices to Stay Calm, Present and Connected (Rockridge Press, July 13, 2021).

Mindfulness Journal Parents Book Trailer Josephine Atluri



Josephine's tips can help parents and teens manage their back-to-school anxieties, and provide some simple techniques she teachers her own school age kids.

3 Tips for Back-to-School Jitters for Teens (and Parents)

Create a safe space

Make it known to your teen that you are always there for them whenever they need to be a listening ear offering advice when needed if at all. Teens tend to come to you at times that are convenient for them but not necessarily for you.

So while they adopt the understanding that they can come to you as a safe space, as a parent, it would be beneficial to remember the concept of dropping everything to listen. This tactic reinforces the idea that your teens' feelings and needs are valued and supported in your household.

Mindset shifts

Help your teen remember how amazing they are before school starts. Just like you would gather school supplies for your little children, gather words of affirmation, positivity, encouragement for your teen to keep at the ready for whenever they start to doubt themselves or fall prey to the harshness of other teens.

Model calming techniques

Your teens can these techniques at their discretion to navigate stressful situations at school. For example, breathing techniques like the square breath (4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds exhale, 4 seconds hold, repeat) or an extended exhale (inhale 4 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds).

Another technique to model is positive self-talk or taking time outs when you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or anxious.

Hopefully these tips help your teen feel supported, calm, and confident as they begin another school year.

Learn more, visit - www.jatluri.com/mindfulness-parents-book

Lots of families are making travel plans this time of year. But if you're a family with a young child, you might want to hire some take ...

Lots of families are making travel plans this time of year. But if you're a family with a young child, you might want to hire some take along help, like a travel nanny!

A travel nanny should be an experienced professionals with lots of infant knowledge and are excited to be part of a trip with your family. They can engage with your baby and do all the things you would do at home (feed them bottles, diaper changes, read to them).

You can explore the city and take all the adventures you want knowing your child is safe and happy back at the hotel.

To get more information about hiring a nanny for childcare while traveling, I connected with Brooke Barousse, household expert and founder of Lexington Nannies. Here are a few tips Brooke shared!

Tips on How to Find a Summer or Travel Nanny

Make a wish list of all your needs.

Ex. how many bottles, diapers, change of clothes, do they keep a journal to write down sleeping/eating/pooping notes. If you are hiring someone, then use this list based on what you've been doing, so the hired nanny knows how the parents like things done throughout the day.

Parents know if they want someone to track everything, stay super organized, give thorough descriptions or if they are more easy going. This will help you create a job post and know what to tell your friends or a nanny agency, so they can help you find your perfect Summer or Travel nanny.

Categories to cover include: the schedule you're seeking; whether they will be watching all your children or only some of them; job duties; pay range you can offer (it's a competitive nanny market); what hasn't worked with nannies you've employed in the past; your childrens' interests; your household personality (busy, chaotic, calm, loud, etc.).

Check During the Interview

When interviewing Professional nannies, look for reliability, strong excellent references, a friendly personality, CPR certification, willingness to go through an extensive background check, and a true passion for working with children.

Red flags to look out for: They don't smile when they talk about children. Showing up late to an interview. Are there gaps in their resumes that they can't explain? It's understandable in life to have gaps, people try new careers, take care of their own children, travel, etc.

Traits to look for in a nanny- I would look for nannies that have valid passports, an active and fun way about them, adaptability, and are strong swimmers. Make sure they are vaccinated for Covid and check the current mandates for the particular country you're going to visit if you’ll be traveling internationally.

Use an Agency

Using an agency eliminates having to search through tons of resumes, interviewing and doing background checks. We do all that for you! You just need to tell us about your kids, family personalities and activities your children enjoy. We are matchmakers, so we're looking for a great fit based on your wishlist.

Since 2006, Brooke has been a nanny whisperer, known for her highly individualized selection process to match nannies and homes—get a modern day Mary Poppins at your door!

Learn more, visit - www.lexingtonnannies.com

March 4th is National Day of Unplugging. It's a time to take a bit of a break from technology in our lives to enjoy better mental health...

March 4th is National Day of Unplugging. It's a time to take a bit of a break from technology in our lives to enjoy better mental health. But unplugging doesn't have to be all or nothing. It's more about becoming aware, reflecting, finding balance, and having fun!

National Day of Unplugging provides a great reason for us to connect with people in personal ways, engage in non-tech activities, and try new tech-habits that we can use long-term to support our tech-life balance.

Here are five easy ways to disconnect on the National Day of Unplugging, from digital wellness expert Taino Bendz.

• Manage Device Notifications. Which notifications do you really need? Turn the rest off! So simple, yet so powerful to take control of your attention.
• Take the Day Off Social Media. Let friends & family know in advance how to reach you. Replace your freed-up time with activities that you enjoy.
• Have a Device-Free Evening. Read a book, play games, cook a nice meal, exercise.
• Reflect and Talk to Someone About Technology. What are the positive sides? What are the negative? What would you like to change?
• Consider Your News Diet. With everything going on in the world it can be important to stay on top of the news, but it also takes a toll on our mental health if we do it constantly. Decide how often you want to get news updates. Think about what you do with the information received. And don't forget to use high credibility channels, check sources, be critical, and be aware of fake news.

We need to reflect on our technology use now more than ever. Because the more dependent we get on technology, the more vital it is to have a balanced relationship with it.

Taino Bendz is the founder of Phone Free Day and his own consulting business, and his message on mindful and intentional technology usage has reached and inspired hundreds of thousands of people around the world. He is a public speaker, workshop facilitator, and conducts research on digital technology usage.

For more info about Taino's upcoming book on Tech-Life Balance, visit - www.tainobendz.com/book

For more ideas, resources and to take the pledge, visit - www.nationaldayofunplugging.com

The end of the year is a fun time to take holiday photos. But sometimes capturing all the "moments" can be a challenge. To better ...

The end of the year is a fun time to take holiday photos. But sometimes capturing all the "moments" can be a challenge. To better capture holiday moments, I attended an Apple hosted event to learn about the advanced cameras of the iPhone 13 smartphones.

Note: I was invited as media to the event. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

During the event we visited different stations for holiday related activities including decorating cookies with Akim Vann, crafting ornaments with Caroline Kaufman, and customizing holiday cards with Josh Cochran.

While the kids took part in the activites, the adults learned how to use the iPhone 13 camera and video setting, including Photographic Styles to help personalize the look and feel of photos, capturing detailed close-ups with macro photography, taking videos with the Cinematic mode, and more!

I was able to quickly learn the settings and how best to use them when taking photos and videos. With a few simple adjustments, I was able to get clear photos with amazing effects.

While I had the iPhone 13 Pro for the event, and primaily use that for my photos and videos, most of the tips and features can be used on all iPhone 13 models.

iPhone Tips to Capture Holiday Moments

Cinematic mode (available on all iPhone 13 models)

With Cinematic mode, anyone can capture cinema-style moments in video. It allows you to switch your focus among subjects, while creating a depth of field effect for a new dimension in video, giving the user the ability to even choose the extent of the background blur before, and even after capture (which is only possible with iPhone).

• Cinematic mode will automatically rack focus to the most prominent subject in the video.
• For full control, tap to move the focus point while recording, and double tap to track a subject.
• Choose the level of background blur, before or after you shoot by tapping the f in the upper lefthand corner.
• Cinematic mode works on the Wide and Telephoto cameras on the rear, and the TrueDepth camera on the front.
• Note: Cinematic mode records in 1080p resolution at 30fps.
• The depth of field effect, including the level of bokeh and where the focus is applied, can also be edited after capture.
• Note: Cinematic mode can be edited in Photos, iMovie, and Clips for iOS, and on Mac with Photos, iMovie and Final Cut with macOS Monterey.

Portrait mode (available on all iPhone 13 models)

Portrait mode is perfect for capturing family and friends this holiday season, while creating a beautiful background blur effect with decorations like pine trees and string lights. You can adjust the bokeh or blur effect by tapping the f in the upper lefthand corner, either as you’re setting up the shot or in post.

• On iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, Portrait mode is available on the Wide and front cameras.
• With iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, Portrait mode can be used with the front, Telephoto and Wide cameras.

Macro photography (available on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max)

Macro photography and video, powered by the new Ultra Wide camera, comes for the first time natively to iPhone, letting you get even closer to subjects with incredible detail, as close as 2cm. Macro offers a stunning option for capturing the fine details and textures of holiday decorations and treats.

• Place the primary point of focus near the center of the frame, as that’s where the sharpest focus is when shooting in macro.
• Although enabled by the Ultra Wide (.5x) camera, try shooting at 1x for tighter framing—iPhone will automatically switch cameras as you get close while maintaining the 1x framing.
• Macro focus works in video, including time-lapse and slo-mo.
• Note: when shooting slo-mo at 240fps, focus locks when you start recording so ensure iPhone 13 Pro is in position before hitting record.
• Tap to focus works for macro photos and videos to set a specific focus point.
• Note: tapping to focus in video before recording will lock focus once recording begins.
• When shooting in macro, ensure your hand or iPhone don’t block your lighting source.
  

Let Memories in the Photos app do the work

Memories introduces a new interactive experience with a new look and combines Apple Music tracks to personalize your memory with.

For a quick and easy way to rediscover special moments with your loved ones, use the Memories feature in the Photos app on iPhone, iPad or Mac to automatically transform a collection of photos and videos of your library into a mini movie.

Using machine learning, the Memories feature will recognize significant people, places, or events in your library, then presents them in curated collections, edited for you and set to music.

To personalize your memory, tap to bring up controls, then tap the mixes button and swipe to quickly audition different pairings of song suggestions and a cinematic film look to add a mood that elevates each memory.

About iPhone 13 Line

A Guided Tour of iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Pro | Apple



Earlier this year, Apple introduced iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max which are equipped with the most advanced camera systems ever on iPhone, perfectly versatile for capturing all of your special moments.

iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini boast an advanced dual-camera system with a new Wide camera with bigger pixels and sensor-shift optical image stabilization, offering major improvements in low light photos and videos.

iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max bring new camera lenses and sensors for all three rear cameras —Telephoto - 77mm (3x), Wide - 26mm (1x) and Ultra Wide - 13mm (0.5x) — offering massive improvements and new capabilities to photo and video.

iPhone's ease of use, unobtrusive form factor and universal familiarity allows the technology to melt away, creating a connection between the subjects and those behind the lens.

Learn more, visit - www.apple.com/iphone

During an Apple learning event, we took a lot of photos! While it was nice to use the iPhone 13 Pro to capture holiday moments, the fun didn...

During an Apple learning event, we took a lot of photos! While it was nice to use the iPhone 13 Pro to capture holiday moments, the fun didn't end there.

Note: I was invited as media to the event. Views expressed are always 100% my own.

We also learned how to use the iPad to get creative and personalize our photos to make holiday photo cards.

My son decided he should be the one to edit our holiday photo on the iPad. Since he tends to do a lot of digital drawings, I passed the Apple Pencil over to him and just took all the photos. HA!


My son easily imported the photo into the Procreate App on the iPad, where he was able to draw and write on the photos. He could quickly adjust colors and lines using the menus in the app.

He could even add animation, but I asked him to keep our holiday card simple....cause we already look cute together. HA!

Making Holiday Cards on iPad with Apple Pencil

While we kept our holiday card simple, I could tell there's more that creative families could do using iPad, Apple Pencil and different apps including Procreate.

So I wanted to share these tips from Josh Cochran, an illustrator and muralist.

• Open Procreate. Start with a colored background or with a photo.
• You can zoom in, using the selection tool to incrementally tap with the pencil to create precise selections.
• Make your own textures by shrinking or enlarging your brush size and drawing on top of your selection.
• Try different layer mixing modes to find an unexpected color combination.
• Hold the Apple Pencil a little further back from the tip.
• You can also “draw” with the eraser.
• Try different things on different layers! You can always turn off a layer if you don’t like how it looks.
• Use a lower layer opacity under a new layer as a way to trace.
• Create something with feeling. For example it can be happy, sad, funny or even angry.

Creative Apps for iPad

Procreate

Offering hundreds of handmade brushes, a suite of innovative artistic tools, advanced layer system, and the lightning fast graphics engine — Procreate is a great app to create expressive sketches, rich paintings, gorgeous illustrations and beautiful animations.

Bring your cards to life with Animatic

Create hand-drawn animations. Simple enough for a beginner, powerful enough for a professional, Animatic was designed to offer creators an elegant experience in bringing their ideas to life through moving image.

Create holiday highlight reels with Clips

Create special one-of-a-kind video stories for your loved ones with the Clips app on iPad. With Clips, you can pull existing videos and photos from your Photos app or create all-new memories by recording them directly in the Clips app. You can then rearrange and edit your clips to create a story. You can add even more personality to your video by adding emoji, filters, text, stickers, live captions, a custom soundtrack, and Memoji. And when you’re done you can share your heartfelt creation through Messages, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and more.

Develop photo and video slideshows with Photoshop and iMovie

The holiday season is all about sharing sentimental moments with family and friends. Photoshop and iMovie on iPad make it easier than ever to create photo and video slideshows to share memories. Below are some helpful resources consumers can incorporate into their workflows on iPad:

• Use selections to make a composite on your iPad
• Make a composite with layers on your iPad
• Create a composite with layer masks on your iPad 
• How to create a new iMovie project
• Edit in iMovie
• Use effects in iMovie

The start of Fall means changes to our sleep schedule. Whether for back to school or the seasonal time change, making sure we get enough sle...

The start of Fall means changes to our sleep schedule. Whether for back to school or the seasonal time change, making sure we get enough sleep is key to our well being. Especially for kids and teens, who try to delay sleep as long as possible.

To help kids and teens develop better sleep habits, here are a few solutions + tips.

Sleep Tips for Kids and Teen Students

• Instead of scrolling through social media, listen to soothing music or do other relaxing activities to wind down at night. This will signal to your mind and body that it’s time to rest.


• Avoid bright light exposure at night, especially blue light. Electronic screens emit blue light, which affects your internal clock. Use blue light filters or invest in a pair of effective blue light blocking glasses like Swannies.


• Keep a consistent bedtime. It’s not always easy but do your best to get in the habit of going to bed at the same time every night, at least 8 hours before your regular wake-up time.


• In the morning, expose yourself to daylight. Try combining this with physical activity, like taking a walk in the sunshine, to feel more alert during the day and sleep better at night.


• Exercise does wonders for your health and mood, but for the sake of your sleep try to avoid exercising late in the evening. Being active will arouse your body, when you should be winding down.


• Keep in mind that caffeine takes hours to leave your body. To prevent caffeine from interfering with your sleep, stop consuming it by 2pm or use non-caffeine tea.


• Eating close to bedtime keeps your body busy digesting food, which can disrupt your sleep. If you really want a bedtime snack, keep it small.


• Use the SleepScore App to become aware of your own sleep patterns and get personalized recommendations for improving your sleep.

Another tip to consider is possibly delaying the school starting time.

According to an article on the SleepScore website:

The Latest Sleep Research: Delayed School Start Times and the Impact on Children and Teens
www.sleepscore.com/blog/later-school-start-times-and-the-impact-on-children-and-teens

Chronic sleep deprivation is a critical threat to the mental and physical development, academic potential, and safety of children worldwide. Delaying school start times (no earlier than 8:30 AM) has been identified as an essential modifiable public policy that can improve childhood learning, development, and health and wellness.

By requiring students to go to sleep early and wake up early for school, we are placing them in a perpetual “social jet lag”’ – teens’ internal clocks do not match up with their social time.

Teens will often fall asleep late (1 AM) and wake up early (6 AM), thereby restricting their total sleep time and worsening their sleep deprivation. Since teens require at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night, there are cascading mental and physical consequences to this social jet lag.

With less than 20% of schools starting at 8:30 AM or later, recent research looked at the feasibility and effectiveness of delaying school start times to improve sleep in adolescents and children.

To learn more, visit - www.sleepscore.com/sleepsense

Facebook - www.facebook.com/sleepscore
Twitter - www.twitter.com/sleepscore
Instagram - www.instagram.com/sleepscore

As families prepare for the end of the school year, they are also preparing for summer family travel. To help make it smoother for families ...

As families prepare for the end of the school year, they are also preparing for summer family travel. To help make it smoother for families planning for trips, I'm sharing these techniques by Debbie Ausburn, author of Raising Other People's Children.

Follow Their Interests (But Stretch Their Boundaries)

Of course, you have to pick activities suitable for your kids’ ages and interests. At the same time, children typically don’t have enough life experience to know when they are missing out.

One brilliant technique that I learned from a friend is to give each child responsibility for planning one or more days of the trip. Parents have veto power in regard to safety issues, but no one can complain about anyone else’s choices for the day.

Tap Into the Power of the Pack

We always encourage our older kids to bring friends along. We did not have nearly as much responsibility for entertaining everyone because the friends tended to take over that job. As our kids grew older, we could send them out to the beach or on hiking trails (in groups) and stay inside relaxing.

Of course, you need to watch for differing group dynamics. Like all of these suggestions, adapt the principle to fit your particular situation.

Send Kids On Their Own Vacation

Summer is traditionally a time for kids to go to camp, and that tradition is strong for very good reasons. Camps are an excellent time for kids to learn new skills, test their independence, and make new friends. Find a camp that you can trust that’s within your budget and send all of the kids off. It will be a good opportunity for them to learn to get along without you there to referee, and common experiences create strong bonds.

Opt for Homes/Condos Over Hotels

We always rented homes instead of hotels whenever we could. That layout allowed the children (and us!) to have some privacy in their own rooms. At the same, it did not separate the family in the way that multiple hotel rooms might.

Plan Ahead for Approval

If you are raising someone else’s child, then there is always someone else who has to sign off on your plans. Extended trips with foster kids usually require permission from their case worker. Stepchildren under 14 cannot get a passport without both parents’ signature, and many court orders require both biological parents to agree to out-of-state travel. Get these details pinned down early, before anyone gets their hopes up.

Cheap Can Also Be Entertaining

Not every vacation has to involve Disney World. Some of my strongest childhood memories are roadside picnics. The food was our usual fare, but changing its location to a concrete table in a park was magical. A “staycation” with day trips to nearby public parks or national recreation areas can be just as entertaining for your children as an expensive getaway. You probably have several free parks or reasonably-priced attractions nearby that you haven’t taken the time to visit. Once you start looking, you likely will be surprised at what you can see in a day trip.

Plan Some Down Time

Our final suggestion may be the most important—don’t commit all of your time. Leave plenty of time for rest or spur-of-the-moment visits. Leave plenty of time for afternoon naps or unstructured time.

There are plenty of other techniques that can work for your family; these are simply ones that we've turned to most often. Just remember that the point of a family vacation is for the entire family, including you, to have a break, and for the family to build stronger relationships.

About the Author

Debbie Ausburn is a social worker, foster parent, criminal prosecutor, and civil trial attorney. She blogs about parenting issues at www.otherpeopleschildren.org

Raising Other People's Children ($15.00 paperback)
Written by Debbie Ausburn
Foreword by Natalie Ford, PhD
Published by Hatherleigh Press.
Distributed through Penguin Random House.

To learn more, visit - www.hatherleighpress.com

This weekend on March 14 was daylight saving time and clocks turned ahead one hour. If your family wasn't properly prepared, the time ch...

This weekend on March 14 was daylight saving time and clocks turned ahead one hour. If your family wasn't properly prepared, the time change can negatively affect productivity, concentration, and both physical and mental health.

The impact is even more significant for kids and teenagers because their bodies and minds are still growing, and because sleep directly impacts their academic performance, says Patrick Quinn, a parenting expert at Brainly.

To help families adjust their bodies and sleep schedules to the time, Quinn has shared these top five tips:

Start getting to bed earlier.

You can ease your body into the time change by starting your nighttime routine 15 minutes earlier in the days leading up to the start of daylight saving time. This can be especially helpful for small children, who often feel the effects of the time change more than adults. 

As families go into a year of distance learning, some parents, teachers and students are struggling to make things work successfully. To...

As families go into a year of distance learning, some parents, teachers and students are struggling to make things work successfully.

To help families be more confident with homeschooling and remote learning, Lisa Collum, Educator, author and mother of four (ages 3 to 14), is sharing tips on how to make it through.

Designate space and prep

Designate a space for “school” where you keep all of the supplies, books, and other school-related items. Even though we want kids moving around throughout the day, it is nice to have one central location where everyone knows where to find everything for school. Another great idea is to designate space around the house and outside for various subjects.

For example, have the dining room as the math area and the living room as the reading area. This gets kids moving around and changing environments frequently throughout the day. Prep these areas each day so children have everything they need to get all of their assignments and activities that day.

Give yourself grace

You do not have to be perfect. Learning happens in a variety of ways. Don’t stress about if you’re doing everything the schools are doing and if your child is falling behind. Enjoy the opportunity, take advantage of the time, and seize the moment to be able to teach your children.

It may look completely different than what they’re learning in school and that’s okay. There is a world of learning available and it looks different for everyone.

Create a schedule

Create a daily schedule that outlines the entire day. Set aside times for breakfast, school, breaks, free play, lunch, and even after-school activities. It helps to break down the school hours by subject, so children know when it is math time and reading time. Everyone, including children, thrives off routine, and it is important to make sure there is a set schedule clearly posted somewhere.

Use resources available

There are tons of resources and programs available at your fingertips! Do not be afraid to use them. Don’t feel like you have to be the lead teacher for everything. There are tons of teaching videos and learning programs for various subjects available. Sometimes the differentiation helps children with learning. The different programs can make it fun.

There is no right or wrong way

Find the way that works best for you and your family. That may look like starting early in the morning and being done with school by noon, or it may look like starting in the morning and taking breaks throughout the day. It may also look like doing some online learning and some independent learning in books. Figure out what works best for your family and stick with it.

Thanks Lisa for providing these tips for families.

To learn more, visit - www.lisacollum.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/lisacollumceo
Instagram - www.instagram.com/lisacollumceo

Looking for a way to pamper skin during cold weather? Zoey Naturals is great for those that love natural products with a gentle scent. While...

Looking for a way to pamper skin during cold weather? Zoey Naturals is great for those that love natural products with a gentle scent. While it's a baby's skincare line, many parents find benefits of using it also.

Here are 3 ways families can use Zoey Naturals

Pick a Great Lotion!

Moisturizing lotions can be extremely helpful in preventing and treating a baby's dry skin. For best results, apply moisturizer generously after a bath. This is when your child’s skin is still slightly damp and can fully absorb the lotion. If your child has very dry skin, use twice daily.

Zoey Naturals Soothing Lavender Lotion is free of harsh chemicals and provides hours of hydration to the skin. Paraben and phthalate free, our lotion is ideal for those with sensitive skin.

Indulge with Body Butter + Body Oil

Parents love the Zoey Naturals body butter so much that they use it for themselves! It's great for dry, irritated skin such as cradle cap and also assists in preventing and minimizing the appearance of stretch marks.

Zoey Naturals Soothing Lavender body oil is free of harsh chemicals and provides hours of hydration to the skin. Mineral oil and preservative free, this is the ultimate treat for your baby's skin.

Don't Forget the Hand Sanitizer!

Highly effective and with a great scent...don't forget the hand sanitizer! NEW lemon scent! This Lemon Squeeze hand sanitizer effectively kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria. It has been formulated without the use of harsh chemicals and deeply cleanses without the use of water.

To learn more, visit - www.zoey-naturals.com

There are many options when it comes to presents that show how much you care. So when it comes to giving, find meaningful gifts for your lo...

There are many options when it comes to presents that show how much you care. So when it comes to giving, find meaningful gifts for your loved ones.

Gifting is more than just the physical exchange of objects — it’s a way to communicate. When you put thought into it and choose a meaningful present, the gift becomes a wish for someone’s happiness.

Anyone can give a thoughtful present — all it takes is a little perceptiveness and creativity.

To help you with this, I'm sharing three tips from NOVICA "Mastering the Art of Meaningful Gift Giving"

Give Creatively

Unique gifts that you make yourself are especially meaningful because they show your loved one that you used your time, energy, and creativity to get them something nice.

The possibilities for do-it-yourself gifts are endless and you can take inspiration from almost anywhere, including handwritten letters or poems, handmade baked goods or clothing, or even a pretty box full of nice sayings and memories you’ve made together.

If you’re giving DIY gifts, though, it’s very important to be observant and remember who you’re gifting to — one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to giving.

Give by Observing

The number one rule of meaningful gift-giving is observation: pay attention to what friends and loved ones say and what their interests are.

People are constantly dropping hints about what their likes and dislikes are, often when you least expect it! Would they like something useful, or something decorative? Something for the house, or something for themselves?

Thoughtful gift-givers also understand the circumstances of their recipients. People don’t always ask for what they want — or even realize that they need it — but by paying attention to what would make their life easier or what they need replaced, you can almost always pick the perfect unique gift.

Give for a Good Cause

Everyone knows at least one impossible-to-shop-for person: they’re either a minimalist who desires nothing more, or someone who already has everything.

Well, it doesn’t have to be. Give them a gift that supports a good cause, or make a donation in their name to a cause or charity that’s dear to their heart.

If you’re not sure where to start, why not give them a Kiva gift card that provides microfinance opportunities for deserving entrepreneurs and let them have the fun of choosing their recipient, tracking the loan, and receiving feedback along the way.

If they’re a culture lover with a passion for handcrafted goods, send them a NOVICA traditional handmade gift, that supports an artist and their family.

NOVICA Handmade Gift Ideas

Unique Facemasks

During COVID19 pandemic, many artisans turned to handcrafting unique face masks. You will be amazed by NOVICA collection of face masks — masks that give back.

The fabrics, colors, designs, and inspired messages will let you put your best face (mask) forward as we walk, work, and live through these challenging times together. Innovative designs crafted in comfortable fabrics display the amazing fortitude and resilience of artisans.


Eco-Friendly Body Care

Bliss Belladonna Soap and Shampoo - An eco-friendly alternative to liquid shampoos. These sassy bars are biodegradable and made with all-natural ingredients that protect hair from damaging chemicals. Their b3 bar shampoo is pH balanced to soothe the scalp, improve circulation, and fight the flyaways. It’s multipurpose too – use it for shaving or shower soap!


Hand-blown Drinkware

Drinkware is something that we all use for every meal, and in between meals, all year-round. Why not get something special and hand-blown. Due to the nature of glass-blowing, all pieces are as unique as snowflakes.

NOVICA offers a variety of hand-blown glassware ranging from everyday tableware to beer mugs.

To learn more, visit - www.novica.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/novica
Instagram - www.instagram.com/novica

At LEGO Education, they want to continue inspiring educators and parents to bring STEAM learning home with whatever time, space or toys they...

At LEGO Education, they want to continue inspiring educators and parents to bring STEAM learning home with whatever time, space or toys they have access to.

Inspired by the amazing creations being shared by people on social media, the LEGO company dug deep into its archives and assembled LEGO designers, creatives and play experts from across the organization to come up with new ways to help families stay creative and connected while at home.

Check out these 10 tips for at home learning with all ages and types of learners in mind. From creating a scary monster to creating a chain reaction and seeing what happens, with a bit of creativity everyone can bring STEAM learning from the classroom to their living room.

• Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a chore! Make it a playful learning opportunity – sort, label, count, and categorize as you go. You can sort by a different method each time such as color or size. Make it a race or slow things down and discuss the function of each piece and how it was or could be used as you pick up.

• Need to transport your child’s amazing creation? Reuse a cardboard box or lid from a storage bin!

• Create a STEAM at Home Space where you and your student can explore these fun and exciting subjects!

• Build with your student! It’s a great family activity and can be relaxing for adults too! You might even learn something new yourself!

• Create an engineering or design notebook for your child! Document all of your hard work step by step. Record the problem, the design challenges, or things you need so your child can reflect on whether final solution provides a great resolution to the original problem.

• Take a Brain Break! Complete quick builds with students as a break from other work or when your child needs a few minutes to get hands on. Try it with the LEGO Six Bricks concept.

• Make sharing part of the process! Have your child talk about their creations and ask “W” questions: “Why did you use that piece?”, “What decisions did you make?”, “Where did your run into challenges?”, and “How did you overcome the challenges?”

• Challenge your child to think in a new way! “What would happen if you removed all bricks that have more than 10 studs?” "How could you overcome this challenge?” “How does it change the build or design of the model?”

• Become a storyteller! Challenge your child to create a story to go with their creation, and allows the build to come to life in new ways.

• Get inspiration from others. Utilize our various videos to spark your child’s interest and challenge them to go even further with their learning. https://www.youtube.com/user/LEGOeducationUS

Learning at home doesn’t have to mean learning with limitations. Whether it’s buckets of bricks or cardboard boxes and craft supplies, with a little imagination you can bring STEAM learning home! Gather your materials and get making with our fun lessons for inspiration.

Daily play challenges, new play ideas and live build-a-longs will be shared on social media using the hashtag #letsbuildtogether and at www.lego.com/letsbuildtogether.

As part of this initiative, a $50m USD donation from the LEGO Foundation will provide vulnerable children with essential supplies and learning through play support.

To learn more, visit - www.education.lego.com

Spring is a great time to start planning your travel for the year. To help you get started, I'm sharing 3 ways you can use Apple Maps fo...

Spring is a great time to start planning your travel for the year. To help you get started, I'm sharing 3 ways you can use Apple Maps for easy travel planning.

Did you know, you can use Apple Maps for more then just looking up directions?

Apple has redesigned Maps with faster and more accurate navigation and comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls and more, making it easier and more enjoyable to map out any journey. Building on the new map, iOS 13 introduced many new features that help users navigate and explore the world with a simple tap.

Create a Collection for your next vacation.

Collections are a fun and easy way to build lists of the places you love and share them with friends and family. You can create collections of places you want to visit around the city, your favorite restaurants, or create a collection of all the places you want to see on that next exciting vacation.

How to? Click on Maps > New Collection > Select Location > Tap the “Add to” button

Keep track of live transit updates with Share ETA.

Share ETA offers a way to share your estimated time of arrival with family, friends, or coworkers. Maps will even update those who received the original message should a significant delay occur, or notify them when you are arriving.

How to? Click on Maps > Directions > Go > Tap the grey line > Share ETA

Use Indoor Maps for convenient identification.

With indoor maps support for major airports around the world, you can breeze through to your gate, find the closest restroom, duty-free store, or strategically map out the best food options to make the most of your time in transit. Simply fire up the Apple Maps app, see what level you’re on and start exploring your terminal, from the check-in counters to your gate.

With Indoor Maps support for malls across the country, you can quickly identify just the right stores you want to check out to optimize your shopping time during the busy shopping season. Search by floor, category of store and even check out hours, right in the Maps app.

Maps and Privacy

Apple is committed to keeping personal information safe and has built privacy into the core of Maps. With Maps, no sign-in is required and it is not connected to an Apple ID in any way. Personalized features, such as suggesting departure time to make the next appointment, are created using on-device intelligence.

Any data collected by Maps while using the app, like search terms, navigation routing and traffic information, is associated with random identifiers that continually reset to ensure the best possible experience and to improve Maps.

Maps goes even further to obscure a user’s location on Apple servers when searching for a location through a process called “fuzzing.” Maps converts the precise location where the search originated to a less-exact one after 24 hours and does not retain a history of what has been searched or where a user has been.

For the next few weeks, I'll share different tips and info on how iPhone, iPads, etc can enhance families lifestyles, so stayed tuned.

To learn more, visit - www.apple.com/ios/maps

I confess, for a while now family and friends have tried to get me on #TeamiPhone. So I've added an iPhone to my lifestyle and it been i...

I confess, for a while now family and friends have tried to get me on #TeamiPhone. So I've added an iPhone to my lifestyle and it been interesting.

Yes, it took me a while to figure out some things, but once I did, I could see some cool ways to use an iPhone and other iOS products.

So I want to share how different tips and info about iPhone, iPads, etc can enhance families lifestyles.

To get started, I'm sharing a few different ways you can use Siri to get things done faster and more efficiently, while on the go and at home.

For many, talking to Siri is a quick way to get things done. The more you use Siri, the better it knows what you need.

So how can you use Siri?

• Search Photos from your last vacation: Siri makes Searching in Photos simple. You can just ask for what you want. For example, “Hey Siri, Show my photos from palm springs!”

• Translate on-the-go Use Siri to translate English to 9 languages: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese and Arabic.

• Control Music Seamlessly: Whether you’re on a run with your AirPods, in the car with CarPlay or at home with HomePod, you can play and control music from Apple Music. And Siri can now play music through third party apps like Pandora and Spotify. For example, "Play Smooth Jazz on Pandora.” You can also say, “Turn it up”, “Play the next/previous song”, “Pause”, ”Resume”, “Shuffle songs”, ”Repeat.”

• Perform tasks on Apple Watch: New Siri features on Apple Watch include Shazam, and now, you can ask Siri to do a web search on your Apple Watch.

• Set the mood with Home control: Control your HomeKit accessories using Siri on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, CarPlay and/or HomePod. For example, you can ask Siri to set the “I’m Home” scene while you’re driving. When you arrive, your house will be bright and warm, waiting for you to settle in.

• Keep track of what’s important with Find My: Find your devices and friends using commands like, "Hey Siri, ping my AirPods” and “Hey Siri, where is Daren?”

• Take advantage of Live radio: Siri is your own personal DJ and can now play 100,000 stations globally. So you can just say, “Hey Siri, Play Z100.”

• Control your Apple TV: Control the TV using the Siri button. For example, “Find good movies to watch with kids.” You can also add shows to your Up Next while on the go using your iPhone and they will appear on your Apple TV home screen. Finally, if you didn’t catch a line of dialogue in a show, you can ask Siri, “What did she say?” And Siri will rewind and play the last thing said with subtitles.

These are just a few ways I've learned about, but there's many more ways to use Siri. Try it out and discover what works for you.

To learn more, visit - www.apple.com/siri

Between my nieces, nephews and my own son, I'm surrounded by kids seeking an education from preschool all the way to high school. While ...

Between my nieces, nephews and my own son, I'm surrounded by kids seeking an education from preschool all the way to high school. While each child has a different learning environment, all "my" kids needs to feel confident in their learning ability.

I'm sure many families feel the same as I do. But how can we support and encourage our kids while they learn?

To get some advice I turned to LEGO Education's president, Esben Jørgensen, who I met during a new product launch event. More on that later. But during that event, I learned that Esben has a strong belief in building confidence in students.

As an expert in STEAM education and a parent himself to two sons, he has found ways to help parents understood how to build confidence in their children this school year.

And here are Esben "Tips to Help Kids Build Confidence in Learning"

1. Stay connected and involved

This looks different for every family, but there are many ways parents can be involved in their child’s learning. Whether you volunteer and help out, attend PTA meetings or ask your child open-ended questions about what they’re learning, parent engagement can play a key role in supporting learning inside and outside the classroom.

While it’s easy to focus on the grade or result, it’s important to help kids feel confident regardless of the outcome, knowing they will be equipped with the skills they need for lifelong success.

2. Help them find the freedom in failure

Failure is essential to learning – without failure no one would ever learn what doesn’t work to know what does. The idea of “failing fast” to innovate has become popular in the business world, but in education we often still hear failure as a negative word – in fact, 47% of students avoid subjects where they have failed before.

Yet 90% of teachers agree that students need to learn to fail to become more confident and succeed in school. Confidence is having the belief in your ability to learn, to accomplish something with what you know. It’s being comfortable trying something you’ve never done before without worrying about a right answer.

Make sure you’re teaching your kids it’s okay to not get it right the first time. Try sharing an experience with your student of a time you failed and how your confidence helped you overcome a challenge.

3. Sign up for STEAM and robotics teams

Similar to team sports, after-school STEAM or robotic programs can be a great way to help students build confidence and camaraderie, while also developing their skills for the jobs of the future. There are various STEAM and robotics teams around the world that give kids from kindergarten through high school the opportunity to work in teams, learn to code and even compete in national competitions.

With a real-world STEAM problem to solve, these after-school programs teach technical and academic skills, as well as critical soft skills that kids will need throughout their lives. Find a program near you or get involved and start your own team as a coach or mentor.

4. Get them hands-on

Over 90% of teachers agree that hands-on learning builds students’ confidence and encourages them to learn new things, and students say they tend to remember topics longer when they learn through hands-on projects. Yet few schools make time for it regularly.

Use your voice to advocate for more hands-on learning in your child’s school. With a variety of hands-on learning solutions and lesson plans that are designed and aligned with standards, your student can get the best of both.

5. Don’t be a fixer for everything

When kids face a roadblock, such as a math problem they can’t solve, parents naturally want to jump in and find a solution. Only 57% of parents globally say they let their child fail before intervening.

Instead, use these moments to help them develop real-world skills such as creative thinking and effective communications, in addition to new academic skills. These are crucial learning that will follow them beyond childhood and set them up for lifelong success.


I hope these tips help you find various ways to build confidence in your kids so they can enjoy learning.

To learn more about LEGO Education, visit - www.education.lego.com

As parents it's important to check our child’s devices including their smartphone, computer and tablet on a regular basis to make sure n...

As parents it's important to check our child’s devices including their smartphone, computer and tablet on a regular basis to make sure no inappropriate content is being sent to them.

While many kids app looks age appropriate and harmless, sadly predators can find ways to infiltrate and exploit them. So parents need to take steps to safeguard their children.

One common mistake parents make is allowing their children to create a username that incorporates their name, information about their age and location or interests.

These small pieces of data are enough for a predator to start piecing together a profile of a child and give predators tools that can be used to find more information to manipulate kids.

By following these 5 simple guidelines, parents can help make sure online predators are not targeting their children.

5 Tips to Safeguard Kids Tech Devices

Stop Kids from Duplicating Usernames

Just like recycling a password is a bad idea kids should not use the same username to log into different online accounts. Having one common username across accounts just makes it easier for criminals to search for and find details about a child’s life.

Keep Personal Details Private

If an app or website requires kids to fill out a profile do not let them enter personally identifying details like their full name, birthdate, age or address.

If they cannot use a site without supplying these details either supply a false answer to the questions or do not allow your child to use that site/app.

Email Addresses and Usernames Do Not Mix

Linking a username with an email address can simplify a predator’s search for personal information.

Using trial and error a criminal can add common email providers to a username, run a search and pull up social media accounts and any other sites where an email address was used to create a profile.

Create Unique Email Addresses for Each App/Site

Some email providers including Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo allow users to alter their email address into infinite number of disposable addresses.

For example if your child’s email address is kidsnametips @ gmail.com and he/she wants to sign up for a new gaming site you can alter his/her email address just for that site by adding an identifier to it such as kidsnametips+ABCGamingFun @ gmail.com.

This keeps your child’s actual email address private and can help stop criminals from being able to track online history simply by searching for an email address.

Stay Vigilant

Regularly checking what apps your child is using and what websites are being visited is the first line of defense. If anything looks suspicious or if you are unsure what something is, ask your child. If he/she cannot explain to your satisfaction what the app is then delete it and block it.

About SNDR

SNDR™ is a new app that combines all the ways you already communicate into a single platform. You can text, email, share files and use social media all from one app. And, every message is encrypted and completely secure.

For more about security and privacy online, visit - www.sndr.com

We're CHARGED UP and getting ready for a Power Rangers Halloween after receiving a package from Costume Express filled with awesome Dino...

We're CHARGED UP and getting ready for a Power Rangers Halloween after receiving a package from Costume Express filled with awesome Dino Charge products!

Note: I'm part of Saban’s Power Rangers Parents program and will share monthly information and news about their products. Product samples provided for review purposes. Any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.


My son is ready to tackle trick or treating in his Power Rangers Dino Charge Red Ranger Kids Costume ($49.99). This Red Ranger Kids Costume has a muscle chest jumpsuit with attached belt, detachable shoulder piece and mask.


For the younger rangers, Costume Express also has Power Rangers Dino Charge Toddlers Costumes for Pink Ranger ($34.99) and Red Ranger ($29.99)


Power Rangers Dino Charge Party Supplies ($11.42): Make planning your party simple. You will receive action-packed place settings for eight guests in one convenient package.

Power Rangers Dino Charge Glow Sticks ($7.98): Light up the party with these cool Power Rangers Dino Charge Glow Lanyards that allow you to keep track of your mini Power Rangers in the dark when trick-or-treating! Set of 4 (one each of red, white, blue and green)



Power Rangers Dino Charge 5” Action Figure ($9.99): Every detailed 5-inch figures figure has multiple points of articulation and includes two battle gear items to help in the fight against the villains!

Our package of Halloween goodies came from Costume Express, the family-friendly internet retailer of costumes and costume event décor, and the place to shop for year-round costume and dress up needs.

To see more costumes and party items, visit www.CostumeExpress.com

On Facebook - www.facebook.com/CostumeExpressOnline
On Twitter - www.twitter.com/costumeexpress


Now we're almost ready. But before you leave for a night of fun, watch the Power Rangers Dino Charge Halloween safety video!


The cast of Power Rangers Dino Charge including Brennan Mejia (Red Ranger), Camille Hyde (Pink Ranger), James Davies (Black Ranger), Michael Taber (Green Ranger), Yoshi Sudarso (Blue Ranger), Davi Santos (Gold Ranger) and Claire Blackwelder (museum director, Kendall Morgan) have teamed up for a new mission – to keep kids safe as they prepare for a night of trick-or-treating! 

Summer is almost here, which means planning for little league, vacation, play dates and camps. With so much to plan for, many of us use tech...

Summer is almost here, which means planning for little league, vacation, play dates and camps. With so much to plan for, many of us use technology to help keep everything organized and clutter free. But are we also organizing and decluttering our technology and digital lives ?!

To help you (and me!) keep our digital lives decluttered, Microsoft is sharing "5 tips for ways to keep our schedules and emails organized":

1. Cleanup that schedule. When you write something down in a paper calendar, you don't have much choice about how it's done. You take your pencil — or your pen, if you're brave — and you write it down. Simple. In Outlook you have choices: between meetings and appointments, for example, or between once and repeatedly. You can mark scheduled time as busy, free, or tentative. And if you choose, when it's time to pick the kids up, Outlook will remind you.
2. Manage inbox clutter with conversation view. With Outlook, you can condense several conversations into one view for easy-to-follow dialogue with friends and family. You can also arrange email by date or individual. This will allow you to create a system of organization that rescues email you want from the clutter and reduces the likelihood of missing important conversations.
3. Don’t procrastinate. Many people get overwhelmed by too many incoming emails. So, rather than deal with them, they ignore them instead. Procrastination can hinder your inbox organization. Take time to respond, file or delete email as it arrives. The longer you wait, the more it piles up and the bigger the clutter problem becomes.
4. Schedule and commit to uninterrupted organization time. With so many distractions, it’s important to establish a time each day to process mail and ensure a clean and organized inbox. Commit to a regular schedule that is free of distractions (such as Facebook and Twitter) so you can deal with messages that need your immediate attention and purge those that don’t.
5. Make a clean sweep. Outlook’s “Sweep” feature allows you to manage email clutter. With one click you can get rid of all chosen mail in your inbox. You can also sweep future mails. For instance, incoming newsletters can be directed to an assigned folder, while email you know is junk can be sent directly to the deleted folder. The feature also lets you block emails from unwanted senders.

Hopefully by using these tips digital families like mine can enjoy a clutter free summer!