Kids and Their Money

While flying to Tampa, Florida for a quick Spring Training Baseball and beach getaway last month, I found myself mindlessly flipping through the Skymall catalog in the seat-back pocket in front of me. If you have never seen this in-flight catalog, it is kind of like a regular mall on the pages of a magazine you read in the sky (hence the name). The color pages are filled with hundreds of products, from dog beds to language course programs, elaborate outdoor water fountains to an escape ladder for use during a house fire (which I always joke about buying, even … Continue reading →

Google Earth

Gather the kids and spend tonight in front of the computer…yes really! There is an article headline I never thought I would write, but Google Earth made me do it! I am helpless to its power. This geographical tool from Google is flat-out remarkable. It is an amazing experience, to see the world in this manner, and should fascinate every child and his or her parent(s) for hours on end. With Google Earth, your family can easily zoom across the globe from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Mount Kilimanjaro or Toronto, Ontario to Tokyo. What an amazing learning tool, to be able … Continue reading →

The Sunday Times

About a year ago I abandoned my local Sunday newspaper and took comfort in the arms of the grand old lady, The New York Times. I pay a small fortune for the privilege of receiving this beefy two-part Sunday paper, double bagged and waiting for me at the end of my driveway each weekend morning, but it is worth every penny. Much like getting the mail each afternoon, seeing the The Times lying there, just waiting for me to slip it out of it’s slightly transparent blue baggie, makes me as happy as schoolboy. To pile up the pillows and … Continue reading →

Celebrating Black History Month

February is black history month and it is wonderful opportunity for any family, regardless of race, to enjoy and have fun learning a bit about African American History. I have a few plans, that center around food and music mostly, but also look to build off the lessons and events surrounding the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the day of service organized last month in his honor. I intend to serve my wife and daughter a diverse menu this month, featuring some soul food: ribs, pulled pork (barbecue), sweet potatoes and more. We are going to talk about … Continue reading →

Visit A Local Museum

Most cities across the country, even the smallest rural or suburban communities, will have a museum, historic house or some another special place set aside to pay tribute to the history and legacy of that particular location. Many folks think of historic house tours and museum visits as vacation-only activities, but you may be missing out on some amazing discoveries that lay in wait for you right around the corner! I used to all but ignore the local history that surrounds me, yet at the same time be fascinated by the special places and museums in other cities, states and … Continue reading →

Teaching through Song

One of our roles as parents is teaching our children things that we feel are important. It begins by helping them learn about the little world around them when they are tiny and expands into teaching them about the great big world out there as they grow. Soon, we’re helping them get ready to start school and before long, helping them with homework. Memorizing facts, and especially lists, can often become monotonous. One of the great ways to make memorization more fun -not to mention more effective- is to make up little songs. I remember being taught this way in … Continue reading →

Are Your Kids Home Today?

Many schools across the United States are closed today in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is now a national holiday, established to honor the memory of the Civil Rights leader. If your children have the day off, you might find it interesting to share the history of this day with them to teach them why it is celebrated. Did you know that it took 15 years for this holiday to become official? It was proposed repeatedly until finally being confirmed as a holiday by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The original date it that was proposed was … Continue reading →

The Long and Winding Road of a Dollar Bill

Ever wonder where a dollar bill goes once it leaves your wallet? Have you ever found yourself wondering what cool places a bill has visited before it lands in your hand as change from lunch? Up until recently, there was no way to get answers to these questions, but with the combination of the internet and some equally curious and technologically brilliant individuals we all can watch, virtually, our currency traverse the United States, and conceivably, the world from the comfort of our own home. The web site WheresGeorge.com allows anyone to participate in this currency tracking experiment assuming you … Continue reading →