10 Things To Do Before The Kids Go Back To School

Although no one, except retailers, wants to think about the end of Summer, it's only 7 weeks until my kids go back to school. And there's still SO MUCH to do! Here's a list of things you might want to accomplish before sending the minions off with their backpacks to another year of higher education:

1. Make a list of places/activities you want to see/do before the Summer ends. These are things you will regret if they're not done. For us, there are some water-parks we want to visit, friends we need to see, etc.  Try to end the Summer with no regrets!
   
   
2. Buy bathing suits and Summer-related items now, while they're on sale. Stores are busy stocking up for Fall and Winter and you can get some great buys now. I know Diva is going to be at least one size larger next year (all bets are out on the Teen who might wind up being 8' tall by the end of August), so buying bathing suits in a Large is a no-brainer. 
   
   
3. Take inventory of your in-house school supplies. It's time for me to empty out the old backpacks and put away any supplies the kids have sent home. Then I'll take stock so I can replenish our School Supply Cabinet in anticipation of the coming year.
   
   
4. Evaluate backpacks and lunch sacs to see if the kids will need new ones. By September, the stores will probably be low on both, so seize the moment!
   
   
5. Make sure you've gotten any necessary doctors' visits in. I dropped the ball on this one and now the kids aren't getting their physicals until the second week after school starts. That's not altogether bad, since they'll be able to get their flu shots at the same time.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Make a list of the projects you plan to accomplish in the Fall after they're in school. Mine include some painting, re-grouting, and a Momvacation Day at the beach.
   
   
7. Send musical instruments in for tuning and cleaning.  Every year while we're on vacation, we send Junior's woodwind instrument in for regular maintenance.  This way, come that first band practice, he's ready to go.
   
   
8. Check school websites for deadlines. The deadline to order Diva's school supplies through the PTA is coming up. Thank goodness I checked the website! Also, Junior has packets he needs done before the first day of high school. Funny how he never mentioned those. Similarly, sports forms are usually due in sometime during the Summer.  Stay on top of this now, so you don't have a sidelined kid in the Fall.
   
   
9. Start filling out your calendar for the Fall/Winter. Putting Back-To-School nights, etc., on the schedule now means you won't forget them when things get hectic in early September. 
   
   
10. Download some free planners at http://www.productiveflourishing.com/free-planners. This site lists all kinds of planners including ones to help you blog, monthly planners, productivity jumpstarters, etc. They can help you with all kinds of projects.
    
    
    Summer is moving all too quickly! Continue to make memories now and plan for the upcoming months. Parenting is hectic enough – get ahead of the game NOW! 

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8 Hersheypark Tips From One Who Just Got Back

I recently posted 8 Tips To Make Your Themepark Visit More Fun (click here to read it) in which I mentioned that we were planning our annual pilgrimage to Hersheypark. Well, we just got back, so I thought I'd share some tips specific to that trip and that particular venue. Here they are:

1. Download the free Hersheypark app from Google's Play Store. It's worth the effort just for the ride wait times and show times alone. I referenced the app many times during the course of our trip, especially since my daughter loves the shows.
2. Before you buy tickets, Google “discount tickets for Hersheypark.” My husband did and somehow got a deal through the Boy Scouts that saved us $20 per ticket; in addition, whatever site he ordered them from made a donation to that organization.   Promo codes for this park are pretty common and you just might find a good deal. One year, we scored tickets through some medical convention that saved us a bundle as well.
3. Take a look at the Preview Plan for admission if you're going to be in Hershey for more than a day. We were able to enter the park at 7:30pm, the kids did all the major rides which were NOT crowded, and then we went back to The Boardwalk the next day plus the kids did the major rides all over again. By the time we left last night at 9:30pm, they were all “Hersheyed out” with no regrets over rides not ridden.
4. Go during the week and earlier in the season, rather than later. We've gone to this park at various times during the summer and this past week was the best! The park was never crowded, we actually got a spot in the shade at The Boardwalk, and even took advantage of discounted merchandise at some of the gift shops.
5. Bring snacks. Yes, there's a “no snack” policy, but Security checked out our backpacks and didn't blink at eye at the Ziploc bags of crackers I brought in.
6. Buy the Souvenir Cup and get refills. When the water bottles we'd brought in were empty (we'd forgotten to bring in empty ones you could refill), we purchased one of the cups and kept refilling it throughout the day with free ice and water plus a few iced teas for $.99 each. We kept our family of four hydrated all day for about $15 total.
7. See The LiveWire show which was really good and definitely the best show we saw there. The Slide Brigade, one of the traveling bands, was also well done. If at all possible, SKIP the Character Quiz Show! I've seen dumb shows in my life, but that one, in my humble opinion, was definitely the worst I have EVER seen. It was actually painful. 
8. Don't mention souvenirs to the kids until the end of the day. I made the mistake of telling Diva that she was on a $5 budget and all I heard all day was, “When am I gonna get a souvenir?” I should have known better.  Please learn from my stupidity!
   
   

   

   Why I go to Hersheypark - The Wave Pool

   
   

Anticipate that there will be meltdowns by various members of your party during the day. Diva had several, my son had one or two, and by 6pm, I was in the midst of my own. It really surprised the kids when Mommy wailed, “I wanna go home!” But we did it. We survived another trip to Hersheypark which, I honestly believe, is one of the cleanest, best-run parks in the U.S. Use my previous themepark tips and the ones above and have a great time at “The Sweetest Place On Earth.”

6 Games For Pool Fun Without Toys

My town has two awesome, affordable pools. The problem is, the kids are not allowed to bring toys into the large, main pool. That stinks! After they've place Marco Polo ad nauseum, they sometimes run out of games to play. So here are six alternatives:

1. Fetch (2 or more players) – Now, toys are not allowed, but goggles and hair accessories are. So one way we get around the rules is to use common permitted items that the kids can dive for, such as goggles (we even keep broken ones for this purpose), hair scrunchies, bracelets, etc. You throw one item and see which kid brings it to the surface first. Note: this can be played with one player if she competes against herself. To do this, time the player and see if she can beat her time in retrieving the object. 
   
   
2. Water Leapfrog (4 to 8 players) – Divide players into two teams. Each team is on opposite ends of the pool, standing in chest-high water with their legs spread apart. The last player has to dive and swim through the legs of his teammates and spread his legs. Then the next player goes. The team that reaches the other side of the pool first wins. 
   
   
3. What Time Is It Mr. Fox (3 or more players) – This is a variation of a game my son learned in preschool and it's awesome! One person is designated Mr. Fox and stands at the end of the pool while the rest of the players are on the other side. The kids call out, “What time is it Mr. Fox?” Then Mr. Fox says a time and the kids swim that number of strokes toward him. This goes on until Mr. Fox calls out, “Midnight!” Then all the kids swim back to the starting line while Mr. Fox tries to tag one. If Mr. Fox succeeds, that kid becomes the new Mr. Fox. 
   
   
4. Contests (2 or more players) – Which kid can dive into the pool: the furthest from the edge, make the smallest/largest splash, can do the funniest dive, can jump the highest into the pool, etc.
   
   
5. Sharks & Minnows (3 or more players) – One person is the Shark and stands in the deep end of the pool while the other players are on the side. The Shark yells “lunchtime” and the players standing on the side of the pool have 30 seconds to swim to the other side of the pool without being tagged. Anyone who is tagged has to join with the Shark and try to tag the remaining player(s). This goes on until either all of the kids are bored with playing or everyone has been tagged. 
   
   
6. Freeze (3 or more players) – Players gather in the shallow end of the pool with adults or bigger kids on their knees. Players define the physical boundaries of the game so that everyone can stand up. One person is It. At the signal, It has one minute to tag as many other players as possible. Once tagged, a player has to stand “frozen” and raise his hand. Before a frozen player can return to play, an unfrozen player must thaw him out by diving under water and swimming through his legs. A player can't be tagged as frozen while they're under water. At the end of the minute, count how many people It has frozen. Then choose another player to be It. Keep going until everyone gets a turn being It. The winner is the person who has frozen the most people while they were It.

Not being able to have have toys in the pool makes playing games hard, but not impossible. Use the activities above and challenge your kids to come up with even more variations of games they play on the playground. Most of all, remember to cheer the kids on and give positive feedback. This Summer, like all, is unique. Enjoy it! 

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Thanks for reading!  Please come back again soon!

6 Rules To Help The Teen & I This Summer

The loves of my life!

 As Summer Vacation begins next week, my thoughts are turning, ironically, to rules. Although my 13-year old son will be spending his mornings working as a Counselor-In-Training at our town's day camp, much of the rest of his days will be spent with his buddies. Sure, they'll spend a bit of time here and at their houses, but a good portion of his Summer will be spent out...in the wilds of our town...away from me....his mommy (Sob! Sob!). For my sanity, and his safety, he and I have agreed to the following Summer Rules:

1. He must tell me where he's going and check in with me periodically. No “walking the town” or hanging at the 7-Eleven. I should know his route, method of travel (on foot or bike), and destination.  Fortunately, Junior is really good at this.  Unfortunately, his friends can be a bit ditzy and he may get distracted. 
2. He must have his cellphone on him at all times. Said device must be ON, charged, and he's got to answer it. If I cannot reach him, with the understanding that I will not call him incessantly, I will search for him at his friends' houses and his usual hangouts. I will bring with me his loud, annoying little sister (who lives to torment him) and baby pictures of him; I will also have my hair in curlers and, possibly, cold cream on my face. In other words, if I cannot find him, I will hunt him down and embarrass the crackers out of him, all in the name of safety and love.
3. He is to pay for the bulk of his own entertainment. Last year, he expected me to be his bank account. Sure, I'll give him some money, but the bulk of his excursions will be funded by him. Now, dear Reader, before you feel sorry for the boy, I will tell you that the kid made a good amount of money umpiring for our local Little League and pulled in more income than I, his freelancer Mother, made all year. He can afford to bankroll his Summer.
4. He is to figure out and pack whatever he needs. Water bottles, sunscreen, a swimsuit, towels – these are for him to bring. I will not be reminding him or packing a backpack.
5. His friends are welcome to come over, but there must be an “ending time” to their visits. Last year, we had several kids who came in the morning and didn't leave until well into the night, despite being told what time their parents should pick them up. I love his friends, but the shear number of those open-ended visits threw the family off.
6. If he makes future plans, I must know about them. Summertime is still, to some degree, family time and we'd like to see him, especially on the weekends.

I know the kid needs his independence and that it's normal that he's going to want to spend time with his friends. And I know that hanging with Mommy and his little sister aren't that much fun. But I'm also aware that Junior is going off to college in a mere four years and that my time with him is precious and limited. Hopefully, the rules above will give us both balance and help to make the next two months fantastic.

Good-bye school! Hello Summer Vacation!

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Thank you for reading!  Please visit my other blog, Mom's Crayon, too!

What To Bring To The Pool This Summer

We went to a party yesterday at our town pool. The facility isn't “officially” open yet and I'm not in Summer Mode yet, so I struggled to think what to bring, especially since, obviously, my kids are at a different age than they were last year. So, while they're still at school and I have functioning brain cells, I thought I'd share my list of what to bring to the town pool this summer:

1. A pool bag. Sure, this is obvious, but what isn't is the fact that you don't have to go out and buy a fancy one. I've been using an old diaper bag that served me well when my kids were little. The inner compartment is insulated, so it's great for keeping things cool, if needed, and it has tons of compartments.  Plus, it has sentimental value:  one of the babies it helped with is getting ready for high school...(deep sigh)...
2. Goggles. My son cannot live without these and you never know when one of my son's or daughter's friends will need an extra pair. For that reason, I buy extras every time I see them on sale. Oh, and this is one of those items you don't want to skimp on since quality counts. The cheaper goggles tend to fall apart. Again, get the good ones when they're discounted.
3. Pool badges. I punch a hole in ours and stick them on a lanyard. If my teen needs his to go off on his own, I put his on a key ring so he can easily stick it to a shoelace worn around his neck.
4. Towels.
5. Sunscreen and bug spray. We use spray and stick sunscreen.  I learned yesterday that the bugs are biting mighty fierce this Summer, so I'll be packing either a spray bottle containing white vinegar diluted with water or real bug spray to keep those bloodsuckers at bay.
6. A ping pong ball. Silly, but our facility charges $.25 for a ball every time you play. It's cheaper to go to the Dollar Store and buy a pack of these for $1.
7. A blanket. Actually, I re-purpose my yoga mat for the kids to sit on at the pool. Chances are it'll be only my daughter and her friends this summer since the Teen is too cool to sit with Mommy. A yoga mat is easy to clean, has a little padding and rolls up compactly.
8. A folding chair. If I'm hauling kids, I'm going to be comfortable. Momma needs a chair.
9. A small cooler with a shoulder strap. This puppy gets packed with plenty of water on ice and ice Fla-Vor-Ice freezie pops which are not only great snacks, but add extra cooling power. I also bring fruit and cut up vegetables, not for them, but for me. One year I put on weight

   

   This type of cooler works well for excursions to the town pool.

   munching on the kids' snacks. I'm not doing that this year!
   
10. Playing cards and chalk. When Diva needs to dry off, she'll need something to do. A game of War or Spit or drawing on the sidewalk with chalk passes the time until she's dry.
11. A plastic grocery bag for wet suits.
12. Junk food. Yes, I tried to get my kids to eat “healthy” snacks at the pool. Know what happened? They passed on my snacks and wound up eating their friends' Pringles! I now back “healthier” stuff like pretzels and popcorn, but sometimes buy Pringles just so they won't “jump blanket” to someone else's camp. I also bring protein bars which fill up hungry teens.
13. Changes of clothes for everybody. Summertime means impromptu plans. If one of my kids decides to go home with a friend, he/she is going to need a change of clothes. Bring shirts, shorts, and don't forget the underwear!
14. Money. Once or twice a week, my troops are allowed to buy ice cream at the snack bar. $10 usually suffices.
15. A tennis or splash ball. Our pool also has a splash pad. Balls come in handy for games with friends.
16. A compact purse containing my essentials (driver's license, etc.) and my phone.
17. A small First Aid Kit. It's easy to scrape your foot on the bottom of our pool. Sure, the life guards have these, but sometimes it's easier to just give your kid a band aid than to have them limp to the First Aid Station like Tiny Tim. One year, Diva scraped herself so many times that the life guards knew her by name.

Making a list now means less work when I'm distracted trying to rally my troops to go to the pool. It also means that I'm happily getting ready for the school year to end and am getting excited to  spend time with my rapidly-growing-up children. Let Summer Vacation begin!

The 5 Best Sprinklers To Keep Kids Cool

I am still mourning the demise of this toy!  RIP Mt. Tiki-Soki.

My kids are mad. We don't have a pool and, quite frankly, will not be getting one - ever - for a variety of reasons. So, unless someone drives them to the town pool this Summer, they'll be running their cute, little bodies through the lawn sprinklers after they get out of camp. 

A few years ago, I purchased a wonderful unit called Mount Tiki-Soki. It was a cute, volcano sprinkler with eyes that opened when the water pressure built up and the exploded, shooting water a good 6 feet up into the air. It was so much enjoyable that the neighbors made fun of me for going in it sans kids. We put beach balls onto that thing and watched them shoot into the air when the volcano exploded. Sadly, Mount Tiki-Soki died and Hasbro no longer makes it although you can get in on Ebay for $79 and up. Anyway, I've been looking for a fun, replacement ever since.

After asking around and doing my own research, here are my 5 picks for the best sprinklers for kids. Note that not all of them are toys, per se, but they, obviously, will get the wee folk wet. 

1.  Dramm 15076 ColorStorm Spinning Sprinkler – Found in the Patio section of Amazon, this unit works even with low water pressure and creates a fine mist which is perfect for kids. No, it's not a “wild” or “wacky” sprinkler, but it gets the kids saturated which is really all they care about anyway.

2.  Banzai Wiggling Water Sprinkler – This unit has 15 “water wiggles” or hoses which spray water all over. You control how wildly they wiggle based on the water pressure, so you can adjust it to be gentler with little kids. It attaches to any hose and is so easy, my 8-year old can set it up on her own. And the sprinkler extends about 8 feet, so it can get lots of kids wet at once.

Fire Hydrant Sprinkler

3.  Fire Hydrant Garden Hose Sprinkler – Almost as much fun as my sadly-missed Mount Tiki Soki, this little (8”) toy can shoot water as high as 15 feet, depending on your water pressure. Let the 

kids see if they can balance a beach ball on the spray (it actually can be done).

4.  Orbit 91594 Stainless Steel Ornamental Sprinkler – This unit comes in three lovely designs (butterfly, dragonfly or hummingbird) and is a wonderful sprinkler with coverage of up to 30 feet. It spins in a beautiful design with rings that rotate in opposite directions and even when it's not on, is attractive with its copper-plated finish. The fact that it's on a stand, means little kids will get rained on.

5.  SwimWays Hover Ball Sprinkler – This cool-looking sprinkler shoots water out of funnel-shaped fountain and spins a ball (there are several models using Disney and Marvel characters) in the air. It's an intriguing toy as long as your kids can share. The potential exists for one kid to run away with the ball which, obviously, would create fights. Otherwise, the Hover Ball Sprinkler is oodles of fun.

Orbit Sprinkler

There's much to be said for good, old-fashioned fun like kids running through the sprinklers set up on the family lawn. And let's face it, sprinklers are far less maintenance than swimming pools. As mad as my kids are now, I know that with any of the units above, they and their friends will have some wet fun this Summer!

My Picks For The 5 Best Websites To Prevent Brain Drain In Teens

There are only 14 weekdays until my kids begin Summer Vacation and, inevitably, the knowledge they've acquired the previous 10 months will almost immediately begin to seep slowly from their precious brains. Usually I buy a workbook, but educational websites work just as well.

In my previous post, I listed my seven favorite learning websites for kids in 6^th grade and under (in case you don't want to scroll down, click here: http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2014/05/7-free-learning-websites-to-prevent.html). As promised, here are my 5 recommendations for educational websites for kids in 6^th grade and up:

1. Coolmath.com (http://coolmath.com) – Billed as “an amusement park of math and more” these games are “designed for fun.” Now, as a math-hater, I was skeptical, but this site actually makes math enjoyable. It covers pre-algebra/algebra, pre-calculus/calculus, geometry, fractions, fractals, finance, and more. New to the site are reading, spelling, and geography games.
2. Sheppard Software (http://sheppardsoftware.com) – This massive site covers preschool through COLLEGE and extends into a section for adults. Subjects include chemistry, geography, SAT prep, and medical terminology with oodles of games, activities, quizzes and articles. A colossus of a site!
3. EdHelper.com (www.edhelper.com) – Not as big as Sheppard, but it's got some unique stuff like weekly high school writing prompts, skills reviews, literature units, poetry, and an American Government section. Definitely worth a look.
4. Kids.gov (http://kids.usa.gov/teens) – A teeny weenie place that also has some things for bigger kids in 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades. Explore different jobs, music, art (including photography), and online safety. Play games and watch videos as well. The government takes a lot of flack (justifiably or non-justifiably), but this is one of it's better endeavors, folks.
5. HowStuffWorks.com (www.howstuffworks.com) – Though not a specifically academic site, it does pack a lot of learning into one web location. I go on this site because it's so interesting! Pique your teen's interest in just about anything. I especially like their technology section which contains fascinating articles like “10 Nightmare Scenarios From the Internet of Things.”

Hey, if our screen-addicted kids are going to go on the Web, at least make it interesting! And, let's be real, chances are that high schoolers are going to have packets of school work to do over the Summer. Still, the websites above will keep them ensconced in much of academia without it seeming like a chore. Perhaps gently suggesting these sites might intrigue them enough for them to log on. It's worth a shot.

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Thanks for reading!!!