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7 Tips for Keeping Students’ Minds Sharp This Summer

Contributor — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:37:33 +0000

Children love summer—mostly because it’s a break from school—but that doesn’t mean learning should come to a halt. ‘Summer Slide’ is a phenomenon where skills that have been acquired during the school year start to slip away due to lack of practice. Yet, summer presents some of the best times for practical math lessons. Here are some ideas for keeping students’ minds as active as their bodies this summer:

Transform Routine Activities into Mini Math Lessons. Teach your children the practical side of math by incorporating it into your routine activities, giving it an outside-of-the-classroom appeal. Try giving the kids a budget for grocery shopping, letting them keep track of the cost of items as you add them to the cart. Determine the total amount you’ve spent and how much money you have left over. Depending on their age and ability, you can ask them to multiply your state’s tax percentage and add to the total. Be sure to check their answers with your check-out receipt.

The (Dreaded) Semen Test: How it Works & What to Do

Contributor — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:10:59 +0000

When I think back to all of the experiences I expected to have in life, this never quite made the list. After years of avoiding fatherhood, here I am, trying to conceive with the missus. Thus far we haven’t had any big news to break to the folks, and avoid it as I may, the time has come to check things out with the boys downstairs.

With one in six couples having infertility issues – and half of those diagnoses attributed to the male – there is a possibility that I may be a contributor to our current situation. Luckily there are simple options to privately solve that mystery. Unfortunately, they involve the slightly demoralizing action of ejaculating into a cup. But with Tom Arnold and Chef Gordon Ramsay going public about their low sperm count, it appears that this issue is no longer kept in the closet.

Four Set-And-Forget Summer Dinner Parties To Celebrate Mom’s Birthday

Contributor — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:45:25 +0000

It’s nice to be able to do something special for your wife’s birthday and sometimes the best birthday gifts for mom are the ones that let her forgo her day-to-day household duties and take a break. Dinner parties can be a great way to take the pressure off of your wife on her birthday, and summer is a great time to throw them. There are many different ways to throw a dinner party, even for those of us with less than adequate cooking skills. Here are just a few suggestions that you can try out if you're nervous in the kitchen.

Top Five Safest Cribs

Contributor — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:41:19 +0000

Babies are very intuitive and they are influenced by anything they come in contact with including their parents, siblings, and possessions, including cribs, clothes, and bedding. Often parents shop for a nice looking crib within their budget neglecting other important quality concerns. Organic cribs are considered the safest for babies, but these are undoubtedly more costly than the average non-organic cribs. Natural cribs are equally good as they are made of high quality wood and non-toxic finishes. Choosing a natural or organic crib helps reduce health concerns to a minimum and you can be assured of your baby’s safety. Here are some of the best cribs for concerned parents.

Last Minute Shopping Tips

Contributor — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:00:29 +0000

Don’t Cry or Pout. Last Minute Shopping Doesn’t Have to Stress You Out

The holidays can be a wonderful time or togetherness and celebration and it can also be a time of stress and anxiety. Don’t let the rush and excitement of the season allow you to overspend or be careless with your money and purchases. Here are a few last minute shopping tips to help you keep your sanity.

Stocking Stuffers

Don’t forget stocking stuffers – when creating your holiday budget, stocking stuffers are usually not in the budget. To avoid blowing your bank account at the last minute, look at the dollar store for trinkets. Another great place to look are the dollar shelves at your local retailer.

Dads taking over as carpool kings

Contributor — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:51:31 +0000

I'm surprised this appears to be a national trend, but it sure is true at our house. My wife works at a traditional job downtown (with no parking). I work at home and supposedly have lots of time to take breaks and drive kids all over town to the doctor, soccer, and assorted playdates. I have to say it's a part of parenting that is the least ennobling to me. I know some moms and dads say it's a special time where they actually get to talk to their kids, and maybe I'll feel that way when they are teens and I'm glad for any time I have to plug into what they are doing. But right now, it feels like underpaid taxi work

Damn scientists making me look like a fool in front of my son

Contributor — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:00:27 +0000

Just a few short weeks since I told my son emphatically that there could never be a planet with 2 sons, NASA comes along and discovers one.

The simulation is fascinating in that the reporters talk about a planet that "revolves around two stars," which seems clearly impossible without defying all law of physics. In fact, one of the suns is simply orbiting around the larger sun, with a planet on a an outer orbit ring. Still, it would be pretty amazing to see the light of two suns ever changing in their tandem sunrises and sunsets.
The planetary system is only 200 light years away, so not in a galaxy far, far away, like that of Tatouine, the birth planet of Luke Skywalker, which is where my son got this wacky notion in the first place.

Review: Cybex Aton Carseat

Contributor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 01:21:35 +0000

The first thing I noticed when unpacking the Cybex Aton is how impossibly light the carrier and base are. At only 8.8 pounds, the Cybex Aton is one the lightest carriers on the market. I’ve really come to appreciate this after making numerous trips up and down the two flights of stairs to our house.

Father’s Day ideas from radio’s Ernie D

Contributor — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 01:29:41 +0000

My first Father’s Day…its always special because in most cases you still have a “baby." There was no real extravagant gift that I got that day, but just the fact of knowing that it was my first real father’s day made it special for me. Whether it's his "first" father's day, or his 20th, here are father's day ideas all dads can enjoy.

Last year, I had been talking all spring and summer about going to the beach. So my wife, on a small budget went out and got a beach pack for me for Father’s Day. The kids and wife had spent all morning making a quiche, which is one of my favorite breakfasts, and we packed up the car with food, my gift and headed off to the beach. There I opened my gift and found a bunch of stuff that I had been excited about using. A boogie board, some new flip flops and my own goggles and we spent the entire day at the beach together building sandcastles, boogie boarding and having fun!

Mother’s Day ideas for new or pregnant moms

Contributor — Fri, 06 May 2011 23:54:19 +0000

Planning your wife's very first Mother's Day may seem like a huge task, because you may not be used to planning something like this and it is definitely NOT like getting something for your own mother. Sometimes it is just simple things that will make her the happiest.

1). Make a DVD of pictures or videos and use some of her favorite music or meaningful songs in the background. Use pictures from the time she was pregnant, to the hospital, baby's firsts and everything special in between. A gift like this is priceless and always works!