Simply Moms Articles

by: Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D.

Now that the summer solstice has given us more time between sunrise and sunset, Americans are officially in summer mode – using the extra daylight hours to spend with the family. But unemployment rates are above 10% in many states and the recession isn’t showing signs of an early end. A lot of us are cutting way back on expenses. The Auto Club estimates that the traditional vacation costs an average of $244 per day for two people just for lodgings and meals. With plane fares, the kids’ expenses and other costs thrown in, the price of a weeklong family vacation could reach $10,000.

With the effects of the recession hitting government agencies as well as individual families, are you wondering how to entertain your kids this summer? Many cities are cancelling summer school, county governments are cutting down on various services and some state parks are closing. So if you need to engage your children this summer, here are some tips to help you take advantage of free and low-cost alternatives to expensive summer activities – the emerging trend of “staycations:”

1. Make good use of your local library. The hours may be cut back but the library is still a good source of fun for the kids. With a library card, you can take out DVDs and CDs, as well as books, rather than buying them. And many libraries are still sponsoring programs that are informative and interesting for the whole family. Why not create a summer book club for your children, teens or yourself? You can decide to read “beach books” or some classics, settle on best-selling non-fiction, beautifully written novels or award-winning titles. The choice is up to you. Your weekly discussion groups will be engaging and fun for everyone.

2. Check out the museums in your area. Many of them will likely have admission-free days, particularly for local residents. Plan your schedule around these days so that you can introduce your children to art, history, nature, music and crafts. The bonus is that you, too, will learn something from these visits and enjoy the time you spend there. Visit a water park, zoo or aquarium that offers shows for the kids. They’ll find out first hand about the habitats and lifestyles of many species.

3. Enjoy free concerts in the park, community festivals and low cost theater productions. Check the local papers for notices about events near you. You and the kids can informally experience all kinds of ethnic celebrations. Search out public tours of civic buildings and corporate businesses. Educational day trips to government offices and companies give you the chance to view beautiful art work and learn about what goes on behind usually-closed doors. Community playhouses often have revivals of classics, musicals or innovative avant guard shows at reasonable costs. You can explore small theaters in your city or line up for rush, discounted tickets at more well established ones.

4. Go outside with the kids. Locate maps of your community and hike in the hills, walk in areas you haven’t explored before or bike in the flats around a lake. A trip to the community swimming pool is fun for everyone. Plan to picnic on the grass at home or camp out overnight in your own backyard. Take in a baseball game, sitting in the bleachers. If you can, take a drive to a lake or the ocean and spend time with the family enjoying the vastness of the waterscape, the warmth of the sand, the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of sunscreen, the open blue sky. Or drive to the hills or mountains for full days of hiking and camping in the simple beauty of nature. Park Rangers may be available to give you informative talks about the flora and fauna you are seeing.

5. Do some cooking or baking together. It’s always fun to hang out in the kitchen together, even in the summer. Make some tried and true favorites like chocolate chip cookies. Teach the kids some of your old family recipes or try out an interesting new one. Summer can be the time to schedule potluck evenings with family friends. Everyone can pitch in to keep down the costs and create a diverse menu. Bring the recipes to share and you have new dinner ideas to use during the coming year. Cap off the evening with charades and team games or you can set up tournaments for board games, based on your children’s ages.

6. Explore a new area or hobby with the kids. Summer might be just the right time to finally get going on that interest that has been percolating on the back burner. Have you wanted to start a family tree? Now, take the time to get on the Internet and start researching. Organize your snapshots? Get out those photos and arrange them in an attractive scrapbook or e-book. Learn about the universe and star gazing? Visit a planetarium, observatory or the library. Buy an inexpensive fish with the kids – and then teach them how to clean the bowl, how often to feed their pet and even about the life cycle of fish.

7. If you can, include some staycation plans solely for adults. Schedule a joint massage for you and your partner at a local spa. Take a day cruise or a short train ride – just you two. Splurge and stay at a nearby bed and breakfast. You’ll find that the time alone for a romantic getaway refreshes you and your relationship.

Planning and taking a real staycation gets you out of your everyday rut and creates memories for your family to share throughout the year. Now that you have heard lots of good ideas for taking a staycation without draining your funds, get out there and enjoy yourselves! And don’t forget to take lots of pictures so you won’t forget any of the delightful details.

© 2009, Her Mentor Center

By:Jennifer Gove

Let’s get dressed!

The most important aspect of winter dressing is layers. They are proven to keep you warmer and dryer. The inner layers job is to wick moisture away from the skin. My children love long johns and for the harsh cold winters these are a must! The second layer should trap air space. Fleece and wool are great for this my children how ever tend to grab a jogging suit with a long shirt under it. Then Snow pants and a good water proof coat. We are huge fans of the system coats with a zipped in fleece coat. That way if you are to warm you can separate the coat and just wear a portion of it. Top it off with a hat it is proven most of your body heat is lost through your head. A good pair of water proof gloves or mittens and boots.

Now for the fun!
Snow man kit

If your child likes to make snow men put a kit together for them. In a small box place a few carrots (the nose). Some funny hats(The funnier the better). Some old mittens (Mismatched are fine) Some bright red yarn (makes a great mouth!) Some dark medium sized stones, large buttons ect (for eyes) Be creative.

Snow Painting

My kids love to paint the yard. We fill spray bottles (We bought ours at the dollar store) with water and about 15 drops of food coloring depending on how bright you want your “spray paint” Then they go out and spray paint all the fresh white snow. We end up with a very colorful yard!

Winter beach

So are all the beach toys tucked away? Bring out some buckets, shovels and sand castle shapers and declare it a beach day! My children think this is the best treat! Can you make a snowman laying on a beach towel? Decorate a snow man with dads old sun glasses and a beach towel draped over his arm? Who can make the biggest snow castle? It’s a day at the winter beach!

Bring some cocoa

Warm up the winter fun with a thermos of cocoa .Bring disposable cups and mini marshmallows and warm up those tummy!

Winter brings with it a whole new world of fun! So go on. Get out there and enjoy it together!

By Jennifer Gove

At some point every child asks that all time famous question. “Can I have a pet?” While owning a pet fosters responsibility and compassion, some children are just not ready to help take care of a pet. It is a huge responsibility and one that must be given careful thought.

There are many things you should consider as a family.

What kind of pet?

What kind of pet would fit into your life style best. There are many options from large dogs to little fish. You should carefully consider the needs of each and what you think will fit into you life style as well. The happiest pet is one with happy owners that don’t feel stressed by its care and needs. You should study into types as well as breeds so you know exactly what to expect breeds.

Can you afford the addition of a pet?

Now that you have decided on a type of pet. You need to consider the cost of owning a pet. Pets even if you are given on free are very expensive. If you have a dog or a cat there will be vet visits, food, licensing, toys and supplies and if your pet should become sick there are medications they may need. Owning a pet is very expensive.

Do you have the time?

Animals require attention just like we do as human beings. The need to be feed, groomed, walked, played with. They need to know they are loved. With out proper care they will suffer. Families that are going threw major changes such as a move or birth of a child or that work long hours may just not have the time.

My home

Do you live in an apartment? Is a pet ok with your landlord? Will you have to pay a separate pet deposit? Do you have the space? Is there room in the back yard for a pet to roam? Are there laws in your area regarding scooping and licensing? What are they?

My child

Is he or she ready? Owning a pet is a family matter. Never surprise your child with a pet they are not expecting. Expectations about the pets care and exercise should be laid out clearly. Many children loose interest in a pet after the first few weeks and leave mom and dad to care for the pet. Pets require gentle handling and understanding do you think your child is ready for that? How do they react to animals you see out in public? Are they rough, or afraid? It may be better if they learn some animal care before you add a pet to your home. Visits to the local animal shelter are a wonderful start and often the staff is willing to teach basic animal care to children.

Remember

A pet is a huge commitment. Many pets live for at least 15 years with proper care. Will you still want this commitment then? Puppies, kittens and such are cute, but they grow and have needs that must be met.

© 2003-2004
Jennifer & Gregory Gove
All rights reserved
You may not copy or redistribute without prior permission
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Written by: Jennifer Gove

As a parent, I am always looking for ideas for family time. Not only is that time often hard to carve into a day, it can also burn a hole in your pocket. So I set out to seek activities that we could do as a family, and sure enough found many things that were either free or cheap.

Family Game Night

Turn off the television, turn up the music and pull out those family games! Many of the old stand bys such as Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble are very affordable these days if you don’t have them already. If you have younger children, games such as Candy Land and Memory are great choices. Take turns letting family members choose the game and invite extended family over to bring their favorite games. You will be creating a memory your kids will cherish!

Weekly Library Adventure

Many parents over look the most useful and fun place in their area. I remember as a child my mother taking my sister and me to the library every week. It was always a fun trip. Many libraries now offer more then just books. You can borrow music, videos, and often times even games. Find a book you can share as a family, taking turns each night reading a chapter. Not only will you and your family be entertained but your children will be learning the love of reading!

Pajama Run

There are nights after we tuck the kids into bed that we surprise them with a pajama run. Once they are all tucked in and quiet, and moments have passed, we will yell “PAJAMA RUN.” This means they jump out of bed, put on their coats and slippers and pile into the car. We then drive to the local ice cream shop and treat them to a cone. We all sit there in fits of giggles eating our cool treats. The kids have grown to love this surprise more and more over the years.

Museums

Many local museums have times when admissions are free. Call around and you may be surprised! We were amazed to know our local Children’s museum in Portland, Maine offers free kids nights once a week. It was always an amazing experience for the children to go there to play and to learn, and we as adults had a great time as well.

Family Hobby

Hobbies are a great way to bring a family together even if it is just some thing simple. One idea we explored with the children was making wooden blocks. Many times stores like Home Depot will let you have the end pieces of wood cuts they make. Grab as many pieces as you can or buy a 2×4 and cut it up the way you would like to (an adult must do this). Sand first and then paint them. Children and adults could paint small pictures on them or letters and numbers could be stenciled on. Then polyurethane the wooden blocks to preserve the paint. If you feel your child may chew on these, this is not a recommended craft unless you make sure ALL materials used are non toxic. Also, never use pressure treated wood. My kids had a blast with this family hobby and now have a cherished set of blocks. There are so many crafts out there just waiting for you!

There are so many things out there beach trips, picnics at the local park, a Sunday drive to the country…..The options are endless.

© 2003-2004
Jennifer & Gregory Gove
All rights reserved
You may not copy or redistribute without prior permission
E-mail Administration