What To Bring To A Marching Band Competition When You're A Spectator

My teenager decided to join the Marching Band this year and I'm thrilled! Not only is he having fun, but he's getting exercise, making new friends, is learning military-style discipline, and is using the $600 clarinet we bought him years ago. But the world of Marching Band, football games and competitions is new to me. If it's new to you, too, here's what I've learned:  

What To Bring To A Marching Band Competition When You're A Spectator

1. Cash – Schools do not take credit cards. Admission thus far has run the gamut from $8 per adult to $12 per adult with kids' rates much lower, so pack cash. Also, the Host Band usually sells snacks to raise funds for the band; it's always nice to buy a snack or two to support them.
   
   
   
   
2. Water And Food – Yes, I know I said to support the Host Band, but these competitions can get expensive! And the food they sell isn't always the most nutritious. I pack a bag with dinner (sandwiches, chicken nuggets), water, and dessert (apples, cheese, grapes). This way, my husband, daughter, and I are getting healthy food and if my daughter wants a snack later, at least she's had a good dinner. 
   
   
    
3. Stuff For Siblings To Do – Competitions can last many hours and the show doesn't always captivate younger viewers. Keep them entertained and ensure that YOU get to watch the show by bringing a coloring book and crayons, books, etc. 
   
   
   
   
4. A Blanket – The Northeast gets COLD in the fall and there's nothing like snuggling under a nice, warm blanket while you're watching the bands perform.
   
   
    
5. Stadium Cushions – I've talked to other band parents who are touting expensive stadium cushions complete with backs on them. As the person sitting behind those people, I can tell you that those seats hang over the bleachers and are a pain for the person behind you. I just ordered these cushions from Amazon and I expect they'll keep our tushies from turning into buttsickles.
    
   
   
6. Extra Warm Clothes - As I said, these events are LONG and temperatures drop.  Bring that extra sweatshirt, wear warm socks, and snuggle under the aforementioned blanket.
    
   

Obviously, it's important to remember your manners at Marching Band Competitions. 

Spectator Etiquette means:

• Support ALL of the bands, not just yours. Applaud and cheer when they do a good job (and applaud even if they don't – they're trying, after all).
  
  
• Don't leave or enter the stadium while a band is performing. It's disrespectful and distracting. 
  
  
• Avoid unnecessary talking during performances. Show some respect for the performers!
  
  
• Silence your cellphone or set it to vibrate and NEVER talk on your phone while a band is playing. It's just downright rude!
  
  
• Don't obstruct the view of others. Everyone wants to watch.
  
  
• Don't let younger children play in the stands or distract other spectators. If your child can't sit still or behave, take them to another area.  And remember that YOU'RE responsible for watching YOUR child.
  
  
• Support the Host Band financially (within reason) by visiting their concession stand.
  
  
  
  

Lastly, ENJOY THE SHOW! Each time I go to a competition, my breath is taken away not only by my son's band, but by the music, choreography, costumes, and flags! These kids put hours and hours into their performances. They work hard and as parents, we've worked hard to support them. These competitions and games are the fruition of their hard work and dedication.

ENJOY THE PAGEANTRY OF MARCHING BAND COMPETITIONS!

Have I missed something? Please comment! 

And as always, thank you for visiting my blog!

10 To-Dos Before School Starts

Okay, so the back-to-school commercials were out before the kids here in the Northeast were even OUT of school (and, by the way, Halloween merchandise has been in the stores around here for at least two weeks). But with tomorrow being August 1^st and many institutions of higher learning starting before Labor Day, it may be time to turn a tiny portion of our parental brains toward the first day of school because many things will not wait until that fateful day. 

 

So here are 10 suggestions of things you might want to handle on sooner rather than later:

1. Scheduling the kids yearly physicals and eye exams. If you haven't made an appointment with your pediatrician, you're behind the curve already! According to my doctor's office, phone calls started flooding in back in Spring, so bite the bullet and schedule one for your child today. I usually wait until Fall anyway so I can get the kids their flu shots with their physicals. Eye exams tend to be less pressing, so I never have trouble getting them in to see our beloved optometrist; the problem then becomes fitting the appointment in with the kids' busy schedules.
   
   
   
   
2. Check your school supplies closet/drawer/basket – whatever. I've wasted plenty of money buying supplies I already had (what am I gonna do with 50 Office Depot erasers). Make a list of what you already have so you can bring it when you go back-to-school shopping. 
   
   
   
   
3. Clean out last year's backpacks. In June, my children gleefully throw their backpacks into the closet and don't want to see them for the next two months. Sneak a peak and see if you can salvage any old supplies. I grab any notebooks containing blank paper and I use them for my writing and lists; pencils and pens go into pencil cups around the house; markers are placed in Ziploc bags for arts and crafts projects; and old smocks get washed for use next year. As for old, broken crayons, there are thousands of websites on the Web with ideas for how to re-use them (ThriftyFun is one), but even if you're not crafty, you can send them away to the Crazy Crayons where they'll be recycled and not wind up in landfills.  Oh, and if you need guidance on how to choose a backpack for the upcoming year, read this.
   
   
   
   
4. Inspect old backpacks and lunch sacks. I bought these reusable sandwich/snack bags (see below) at Walmart last year. They're washable and can be used from year to year. Similarly, unless a lunch sack has last year's favorite TV character or band, see if you can sell your kid on the concept of re-using it by updating, perhaps by letting them draw on it or adding a glue-on patch. Honestly, with my kids living in their backpacks throughout the school year, their old backpacks aren't usable from year to year, BUT they do make great library bags, gym bags, and can be hung in their rooms to hold stuffed animals, etc. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Take look at their Fall clothes. In my area, it's HOT the first few weeks of school. No matter what the commercials on TV show, they do not need new sweaters on the first day of the academic year. Sure, I'll buy both kids new sneakers (because they ALWAYS need them) and will buy Diva one new shirt just to make her feel special, but otherwise, they're not getting new outfits unless they really, truly need them.
   
   
   
   
6. Make any before-chool purchases you need to. Sometimes you need to pre-order lunches and supplies. Check your school's website for information.
   
   
   
   
7. Send any musical instruments out for tune-ups (pun intended). My son plays the clarinet and every year we have it sent out for cleaning. That way it's pristine for Band in the Fall. Oh, and if your child will be starting to play an instrument, now is the time to shop around for the best rental price.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Document the Summer while it's fresh in your mind. If you're waaaay behind in your scrapbooking like I am, make a list of what the kids did this summer so you can remember when you finally do get around to ordering your photobooks (or doing it by hand like I do). It's too easy to forget the nuances of the Summer.
   
   
   
   
9. Stock up on anti-lice shampoo and/or conditioner.  Kids come back from camp with those critters and even if your kids haven't gone, there's ALWAYS a lice outbreak every fall. I swear by Fairy Tales conditioner! My daughter has long, lush hair and even when she was exposed to lice by a neighbor's kid who literally had bugs crawling in her hair, Diva never contracted it. Fairy Tales smells like amazing; it contains rosemary, citronella, tea tree, lemongrass, peppermint, sage. School nurses SWEAR by this stuff and so do I!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
10. Stock up on clothes and footwear for next Summer. This stuff is on sale now to make way for Fall and Winter merchandise. If you have a sense of how much your child will grow over the course of the year (the Teen is a crapshoot), now is the time to buy flip flops and bathing suits in a bigger size.
    
    

And, of course, enjoy the rest of the Summer!  Your children will never be younger than they are now. All too soon, they'll be out on their own. Have fun with them while you can and cherish almost all the moments (because, let's face it, not all are rainbows and lollipops) with your kids.

Happy Rest Of Summer! 

Thanks for reading!

Here"s An Invention That Truly Excites Me: A Hand-Held Washing Machine!

 I'm starting to think about what I want for Mother's Day.  On my wish list is a portable washing machine.  You know, to get the boogers, drink stains, and almost anything that I encounter that winds up on my clothes, clean. 

Now there actually is one!  Drumroll, please...

Meet: COTON, the world's smallest portable washer machine, designed to remove stains anytime, anywhere.

Hairspray? No!  WASHING MACHINE!

A Chinese manufacturer has invented a machine roughly the size of a can of hair spray, that will wash clothes on the spot.  It removes stains in as little as 30 seconds. And since it only weighs 4 ounces and is 7 inches long, it will fit into your purse or briefcase. With its specially-designed nozzle, it provides a similar effect as drum-style washing machines. Using 1 tablespoon of water and a little soap or detergent, the nozzle beats 700 times a minute to squeeze out dirt and eliminate stains.   The caveat is that for best results, you should wash the clothes in a traditional-sized washer after using Coton. 

 

The Coton Handy Washer was just released in Japan at a price point of $92. And although the company says it has no intention of bringing it to the US any time soon, just wait: you know that eventually it WILL make it here somehow.  And when it does, I'LL BE WAITING FOR IT!

 ***********

As always, thank you for reading!

Please note that a variation of this post appears on www.thegeekparent.com.

Happy Housewife's Day - So What DOES A Housewife Do?

With today being Housewife's Day, granted an archaic term because no one is the wife to a house, I thought I'd touch on what exactly a stay-at-home spouse and/or parent does. 

A housewife does NOT watch soaps & eat bon-bons all day!

As the mother of two, with both children in school, I can attest to the fact that the image that we do nothing but watch soaps and eat bon-bons is a load of crap! 

I'm busier most days that many people with office jobs. Some of what I do is:

• Clean the house
  
  
• Organize the house (closets, basement, store room, etc.) and KEEP them organized in spite of my family
  
  
• Cook (or in my case, burn food)
  
  
• Shop for food, run errands for the family (go to the pharmacy, pick up birthday gifts, go the dry cleaner, take the car in for maintenance etc.), and call/wait for contractors
  
  
• Research purchases and family-related matters (diet, medical conditions, contractors, etc.)
  
  
• Phone and argue with insurance companies over legitimate claims that are disallowed

• Volunteer at the school
  
  
• Prepare my lesson plan for the lessons I teach at Sunday school
  
  
• Visit elderly relatives
  
  
• Catch up on the kids' scrapbooks (I'm only 1 year behind now)
  
  
• Do home repair (painting, masonry, etc.)
  
  
• Am on-call for sick kids
  
  
• Patch clothes/turn stain garments into wearable ones
  
  

Once the kids arrive home, there's making sure homework is done, scheduling/supervising playdates, chauffeuring them around (to playdates, activities, doctors'/dentist appointments, etc.), making snacks/lunches for the next day, filling out school forms, and supervising chores. Oh, and obviously there are no sick days or personal days in this job.

Sure, I take care of myself and exercise and, yes, I occasionally sit down to read a book, but most of what I do is for the family. Add to that “looking for a part-time job” (we can always use the extra money) and the fact that I write two of my own blogs while contributing to two others, and I'm darn busy. When my daughter was home, as any stay-at-home parent knows, the task of caring for another human being was all-encompassing and exhausting.

I am not the wife to a house - I am a stay-at-home spouse

Could I do all that stuff if I worked outside the home? Yes, but like those of you who do work, I'd be rushed and wind up doing many of those tasks on the weekend. As it is, because I do stuff during the week, my family is able to spend quality time together without scattering to do errands on Saturdays and Sundays. (Honestly – my undying admiration is with all working parents!)

All of us get one shot at raising these kids and I'll be damned if I'm going to screw it up! The Teen is growing up waay to fast and will soon be in college. When my kids come home, I relish the time I have with them, even as I get one ready for gymnastics and chauffeur the other to his own activities. I want to be home for my son as he struggles through puberty. I want to SEE who he's hanging with, where he's going, and what he's doing.  I want to be on call for when he finds himself in a situation he cannot handle.  Similarly, I love volunteering at the school and catching a glimpse of my daughter. She lights up when she sees me because she knows I'm there purely for HER.

The Teen needs more supervision NOW when the temptations to get into trouble are at their peak!

Being a stay-at-home spouse is certainly undervalued by society. Those of us who don't earn money are often paid lip service (“Oh, I could never do what you do” people say condescendingly) by those who do. “Money” equals “value” and those who don't make money are seen as being of less value. I even had one guy call me a “freeloader” for not working! 

Those of us who stay-at-home DO work and what we do is important.

We are busy, productive members of society. It's time to be proud of being a “housewife.” Happy Housewife's Day to all of my fellow stay-at-home spouses! 

Read more about “What A Mom's Work Is Worth” here (http://www.salary.com/mom-paycheck/) at Salary.com.

~~

Thank you for reading!  

Why I WON'T Buy Back-To-School Clothes

Cry on, Kid.  Not happening.

In case you hadn't noticed, the ads for back-to-school clothing are in full swing on TV. Some of them are pretty aggressive, telling kids the “must-haves” they need to look good come September.  The commercials insinuate that the success of your whole school year is determined by what you are or are not wearing.  My daughter is taking more copious notes than she'll ever take any semester and even the Teen is occasionally looking up from his iPad to catch a glimpse of the latest fashions.

They can look all they want. Diva can plead with and eventually scream at me to take her shopping until she turns blue. I do not buy back-to-school clothes. Here's why:

1. My kids have plenty of nice tops and shorts to wear. They don't need any new clothes. At least yet. 
   
   
2. Their clothes have not been placed neatly in their drawers as I've asked them numerous times to do. Garments are strewn all over the kids' rooms, hanging from drawers, littering the floor. Since my children are not taking care of the clothes they have, they do not deserve new ones. 
   
   
3. The weather is my part of the country is presently cool; too cold, in fact, to go to the pool this past week. It will stay cool through the next few weeks and go back up into the high 90s just AFTER Labor Day. That means any of the woolen/corduroy/heavy-cotton garments currently being sold will be too warm for the kids to wear, probably for many weeks.
   
   
4. They are both due for growth spurts sometime between September 1^st and October 15^th. I'm not kidding. It happens every year and is most prominent in The Boy. The sweatpants that fit him perfectly in early September look like knickers by mid-October. And the shorts that looked great on Diva that first day of school will be inappropriately short a mere few weeks later.
   
   
5. She especially will be influenced by peer pressure and change her mind about what she wants after she sees what her richer friends are wearing. So even if I bought clothes now, she'd want different ones after the first week of teaching ends.

Now don't get me wrong: I'm not depriving my kids of new clothes. But there's a massive difference between WANTING a new wardrobe versus NEEDING one. Do I want them to be social pariahs? No. But as I said, they have nice clothes, fashionable clothes, ones they chose in the Spring after their last growth spurts. I'm not asking my daughter to wear saddle shoes and poodle skirts or my son to wear cardigans. My brood will get new attire when the time is right and I decide, not a bunch of marketing executives circling my kids like sharks pressuring them to pressure ME to buy the latest merchandise. “Must-haves?” I know what my kids must have and when. Not advertisers. 

May you, dear reader,  always be able to resist the temptation of marketers...

Thanks for reading! 

Gift Suggestions For A Woman Going Through Menopause

Menopause can be a particularly stressful time for a woman. Much as in adolescence, her body is doing some crazy, unexpected things and her hormones are, shall we say, wonky.  So what can you get her that, hopefully, won't get you hit with a 2'x4' or worse? Here are some suggestions:

1. A LARGE reusable water bottle. Hot flashes may come fast and furious. Those of  us in this phase of life get thirsty! A pretty, easy-to-clean water bottle is a practical, thoughtful gift that doesn't scream, “Hey, Honey! I see you're going through The Change.” Everyone drinks water these days and this gift is just plain thoughtful. I
   

   

   These re-usable water bottles are pretty & practical!

   found the ones in the photo in my local grocery store.
   
2. Green Tea With Gingko & Ginseng. This phase of life can make a woman a bit forgetful. Various studies have indicated that green tea is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink and Salada's Brain Boost tea contains ginkgo (which is supposed to be good for memory) and ginseng (which allegedly boosts energy). I buy it at my local grocery store but Amazon also sells a similar product.
   
3. Fitness Equipment. Exercise is great for all aspects of health, so give her a piece of equipment she'll like. Just be sure to emphasize that you're giving her the equipment for the health benefits since she's already at the perfect weight. Honestly, I'm asking for WiiFit this holiday season because I'm tired of the few pieces of equipment I have.  It will also be be good for the whole family.
   
4. Something With A Lavender Fragrance. Whether it's a cologne spray, oil, or moisturizer, lavender has been proven to have a calming effect on the nervous system. Try getting her a small bottle of moisturizer and if she likes it, buy her more – stat!
   
5. A Small, Portable Fan. As I said, hot flashes can come at any time. Having a small, hand-held fan at the ready is mighty nice. When giving it to the lady, explain that some environments, even in the winter, can be warmer than others and you want her to be comfortable, no matter where she is.
   
6. Food. Unfortunately, the same foods one craves during menopause (like caffeine, alcohol, and sugary and spicy foods) can trigger hot flashes. You do not, however, want to get between a female and her craving! Buy her an “emergency” basket of coffee and/or chocolate that she can munch on at will.
   
7. Clothes made from moisture wicking material. When your temperature varies, having clothes that you can wear in layers that also carry moisture away from your skin help. To learn more about fabrics that wick moisture, visit www.wisegeek.com/what-is-wicking-material.htm. You can find clothes with this material at stores like Dick's Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, and even Sears.com which carries some office-worthy pieces. For moisture wicking night gowns, visit www.onestopmenopauseshop.com/product-category/gifts-fro-menopausal-women.
   
8. Tickets to Menopause The Musical. There's a reason this “celebration of women and the change” is a worldwide hit. Whether it's a professional or amateur production, buy her tickets and give her the option of going with friends or with you. Learn more at www.menopausethemusical.com.

In researching products for this post, I came across several sites that carry “humorous” gifts for the menopausal woman. I didn't include them in the body of the post because my goal is to help you choose a gift that won't cause a rift between you and the lady in question and because I wanted to list thoughtful items that, hopefully, won't get you hurt. Some of the sites contain genuinely cute things, but personally, I wouldn't want to advertise to the world via a t-shirt that I was going through The Change. Nevertheless, if you'd like to take a look at some of this merchandise, the links are:


http://www.cafepress.com/+menopause+gifts
http://www.zazzle.com/menopause+gifts
http://www.minniepauz.com/merchandise.html


There are also sites that list various “remedies” for menopause; one of them is www.wellbaskets.com/mehe.html. Amazon sells a similar basket at www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Menopause-Gift-Basket-Women/dp/B00147R2MM.


Again, if you're choosing a gift to address this phase of a woman's life, present while you let her know you're honestly trying to help. Be gentle and loving. Happy gifting!


–


Thank you for visiting this site! Please come back again soon!