Your Family, Unplugged

Far too much of our lives are spent in front of a screen. A recent statistic suggested that over 20% of people with a mobile device participate in ‘second screening’ on a regular basis. This is the process of using a laptop or another mobile device at the same time as watching TV. Given that the majority of us spend around 8 working hours a day looking at a computer screen, it is somewhat terrifying that we go home only to look at another two! It is time to find ways to occupy your family without a screen before the time arrives when we have forgotten how to.

Face to Face
People have an intrinsic need to collaborate and cooperate, face to face. Regardless of society and work, children are born with an innate need to socialise and bond with other humans. Cooperation is an essential element of forming relationships and developing emphathy. Family games can utilise school supplies to integrate learning into the time spent away from the TV and computers.

Please Cooperate
Sharing is essential for development, but that does not mean that it is an easy skill. Sharing toys is the first step, and the mantra of ‘please cooperate’ is one which all parents know only too well. The following list of educational games is classroom-tested and provides good opportunities for developing the skills of sharing away from computer screens with basic teaching supplies.

Science at Home
Science in school has had all of the fun taken out of it. There is a distinct lack of experiments in today’s classrooms because of large class sizes and health and safety concerns. At home it is far easier to make science exciting without the risk of injury and it provides the perfect opportunity for an educational and fun activity for the family.

Experimentation
Household goods can be tested for a wide variety of properties. The exploration of what floats or sinks and what is translucent or opaque can provide children with a deeper insight into the world around them and help them to develop their communicative skills. Get them to engage in the transfer of ideas to enhance learning.

Stimulation of Senses
Stimulating senses, such as smell, can help to reinforce the understanding of what we eat, cook and experience. Try getting children to identify the smells and ingredients of the foods they eat.

Create a Vegetable Garden
It is remarkable how many children fail to comprehend that vegetables grow in the ground and that meat comes from animals. In order to live a balanced and sustainable life, this is a distinction which needs to be made. Planting and tending a small garden with your family will help to enforce the understanding of our lives.

Outdoor Play
In addition to the obvious health benefits, outdoor games promote the development of teamwork and motor skills within young people. Games such as football and rugby will help to develop leadership, teamwork and many more skills.

Artful Collaboration
Household jobs such as repainting a room or building a new piece of furniture can be used as great ways to teach collaboration and practical skills. Decorating a bedroom can be a fun experience if it is carried out together and in the right spirit. Approaching it as a fun exercise will ensure it is enjoyable.
/image:www2.slac.stanford.edu/

Read more...

Monday Post

Happy Monday and new month, every one!
We go no where last weekend. I have several online jobs that I must finish. Since I was in my slow mood, it took hours for me to write +400 words articles. I need a brain booster treatment, hehehe. My husband and I have decided to move our eating place location. Fortunately, we’ve paid rent fee for only three months; therefore we didn’t face a bigger loss. Running a business is really not an easy thing, though we take a retreat step right now, I hope this step will lead us to far better progress ahead. I believe that we can learn from any experience, even it’s a bitter one.

Anyway, for Blue Monday, I want to share our home telephone here. Along with the huge increase of mobile phone usage nowadays, are you still keeping your home telephone? We still keep ours, though we more often use mobile phones to communicate. Once in a while, I use the home telephone to contact my brothers in the night, weekend or holidays. I’m glad that we don’t stop subscribing the telephone service from the national telecommunication company, as their home internet connection are more stable than others that I’ve tried before. So, how often do you use your home telephone?

Read more...

Planning Your First Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party is fun, but preparing for it can be nerve-wracking and stressful. If this is your first time organizing one, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. Organizing dinner parties shouldn't have to be a negative experience, especially if you know how to approach the planning. A lot of it involves common sense and knowing what you want.

The Five W’s of a Dinner Party

This is the time to decide the five W’s of a dinner party: what, who, when, where and why. Decide what kind of dinner party you want to hold and who you would like to be there. Establish if you want to hold a formal sit-down dinner or a more informal potluck party, and if it is a birthday party or celebration for someone else, don’t forget to invite all their special school or work buddies. If you are planning the party around a special guest, make sure well in advance that they don’t already have plans that day. It is generally recommended to invite your guests two weeks in advance of the dinner date, to give them ample notice for scheduling it into their busy lives.

Once you know these fundamental details of your dinner, you can go ahead with planning the "how".

Invite Your Dinner Guests
A lot of invitations are made over social networking sites these days, but it is still considered best practice to send invitations by mail or email for formal dinners. Of course, calling your guests and inviting them directly is still the best way of getting immediate responses, RSVPs and other important information like allergies and food sensitivities or preferences.

Decide on the Finer Details

Now that you have set the ball rolling with your invitations, it is time to sit down again and think about the finer details of your party, such as surprising your special someone with birthday flowers or other gifts during the party. When it comes to food, steer clear of food that is complex or fancy if you are uncomfortable in the kitchen. Instead, you could consider catering as a viable option if you are less than kitchen confident. Place settings and decorations are other important touches and can be a great way to set the atmosphere at your party.

Establish a Timeline and Stay Organized

Find out how long it will take you to prepare and cook each dish on the menu ahead of time, and prepare what you can before the party starts so that you can play host instead of chef. If you have dishes you can make a day or two earlier that will keep well, such as desserts, this will minimize cooking time. Make shopping lists of all the supplies you'll need and a schedule of when you will get them. If you are planning to have things delivered, like flowers, make sure you order them well ahead of time. Ideally, you will want almost everything prepared, including dinner, by the evening before, except for things that need to be prepared fresh. This will leave you with time to relax and prepare yourself before your guests arrive. No party needs a stressed-out host or hostess!
/image:clipartof.com/

Read more...

Hamsters

I saw these cute hamsters at a pet store a few days ago. Sorry for sharing a blurry pic, I captured it through the thick glass window and I didn’t use my pocket camera. They are really cute. I’ve never had hamsters as pets; how about you? Is it fun to take care of them?

Camera Critters

Read more...