Free Summer Fun for Families

Posted on June 3, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image by Alaskan Dude via Flickr

$50…the cost to fill up my little Hyundai Elantra!

$42…the cost to take a family of four out to popcorn and a movie!

$207…the cost to take a family of four to a Six Flags Amusement Park…and that doesn’t include any food or drinks!

$208…the cost to take a family of four to a Red Sox baseball game…that is just for the cheapest seats and again, no food or drinks!

How about some ideas for Free Summer Fun for your family?

1. Check out your local paper, either the print copy or online…most have a “GO” section where special events are listed…many of them are free like concerts in the park. Here in Colorado Springs, we have a great FREE event coming up on June 11 from 10am to 2pm in Acacia Park sponsored by PBS. The PBS Fun Fest will feature Clifford the Big Red Dog and Curious George plus lots of entertainment and many booths that will offer a variety of crafts and activities for children. I’LL BE THERE…CRAFTING WITH KIDS AND HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME! If you are local to Colorado Springs, please stop by and say hello!

2. Check out your local library. Most libraries offer many programs, presentations and activities for children…and they are almost always FREE! A library card is one of the most precious gifts you can give to your children…another FREEBIE!!!

3. Check out one of our fabulous National Parks…there are several days during the year when admission is FREE…the first day of summer, June 21, is one of those. A fellow blogger has some great info in her a recent post.

How do you stay within your budget during the summer while still providing fun-filled activities for your family? Please share…your ideas might be just perfect for another family.

The next few weeks will be pretty hectic for me. My daughter, son-in-law and grandson arrive today from New Hampshire and will be spending several days with us. So far our plans include teaching our 2½ year-old grandson how to fish, spending a day at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and hiking in Garden of the Gods. I’ll be sure to post some photos.

Then on June 11, I’ll be crafting at the PBS Kids Fun Fest at Acacia Park in downtown Colorado Springs.

And, on June 18^th from 11am to 1pm, I’ll be crafting with kids at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument, CO as part of a FREE town-wide festival for children called Summer Soul-Stice.

Still wishing you had some great activities that are easy, inexpensive and fun to do with your kids. Please go to my website where you can buy a copy of my book at 50% off the cover price during the JUMP INTO SUMMER SPECIAL.

Are Children Putting a Strain on Your Marriage?

Posted on May 29, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

A recent study of couples found that 90% were less happy with their marriage once they became parents.

90%…THAT IS REALLY SCARY!

Here are some of the possible reasons for the lack of satisfaction in these marriages.

Lack of sleep
Fragmented attention
Strained finances
Disagreement over how to raise the children
Any or all of the above

What can couples do to reverse this trend?

1. Spend time together…just the two of you…to keep the romance alive. It can be a walk in the park, a night out or just a quick lunch while the kids are in school.

2. Spend time alone…to remember who you are…you are not just a mom or dad or husband or wife. Go for a solitary walk, take a relaxing bubble bath when no one else is home or sign up for an adult education class that meets once a week.

3. Spend time touching each other…and I’m not talking about sexual foreplay…as enjoyable as that may be. 🙂 It is so important to reach out and express your love by holding hands, remembering to give a loving caress on head or cheek as you pass by and making eye contact…your eyes are the windows of your soul.

Paying attention to these three things will go a long way towards keeping the flame alive and the relationship fresh.

There will be an added benefit as well…children tend to model themselves after their parents. Parents who are loving and respectful of each other are great role models for their children.

Is the question of how to fill all those summer hours of children home and nothing to do also putting a strain on you? Head over to my website and purchase a copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, NOW ON SALE FOR 50% OFF THE COVER PRICE. Filled with 100’s of simple inexpensive craft projects, cooking activities and picture book story suggestions and summaries, this award-winning book for parents and teachers does all the planning for you and will keep you and your kids busy and happy all summer long and beyond!

Have you been caught reading lately?

Posted on May 25, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

Does your child love books?

How often does your child see the adults in your home reading?

Do you read to your child every day?

Just 15 minutes a day is all it takes to read a picture book story to your child.

IMPORTANT TIP: those might be the most important 15 minutes of your day.

Reading to children accomplishes amazing things:

Builds self-esteem!
Develops pre-literacy skills!
Engages your child in the story between the pages!
Encourages your child to relate what happens in the story to his or her own life!
Provides an opportunity for you to discuss sensitive topics with your child that may be difficult for you to talk about!
Creates a life-long parent-child bond!

Here’s a wonderful story that helps us (and our children) realize that we are all special and have unique qualities and talents to share with others.

ZARA’S HATS written and illustrated by Paul Meisel

Zara is a young girl who helps her parents decorate hats in the family hat shop. Disaster strikes when their supply of feathers is depleted and they cannot obtain any more. Zara’s father goes abroad to buy more feathers and, while he is away, Zara begins to decorate the untrimmed hats with fabric flowers and paper mache animals and fruits. Her hats are an immediate success! When her father returns without any feathers, the hat shop continues to feature Zara’s amazing hat creations.

Positive Parental Participation Note:

What lessons can we learn from this story that can be implemented with our own children to help them develop a positive self-image? Zara and her parents participated in many activities together. They allowed her to help in the shop. In addition, they encouraged her creativity and gave her positive feedback when she tried new ways of decorating the hats.

Of course, we don’t need to open a hat shop in order to build our children’s self-confidence. By focusing on their special gifts and talents, we can make our children feel special at home every day!

Do you want to choose the right books to read to your child? Pick up a copy of Show Me How! Story summaries of 100 of the best picture books every young child should hear are provided…along with an easy craft activity and a simple recipe for each book. Go to my websiteto take advantage of the 50% off sale!

Summer is coming…don’t get caught with nothing to do with your little ones. You can check out one of the latest reviews of Show Me How at The Mom Writes. You’ll see why every family with young children really needs a copy of this great resource.

Don’t have little ones of your own? Grab a copy for a friend or relative who does…they will be forever grateful.