Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Movie Review- Nims Island
Movie Title- Nims Island. Adventure. Rated PG. Movie based on a book. This is a fun movie, but I found it rather disturbing that a father would leave his eleven year old daughter alone on a deserted island for two nights. What happened if an earthquake occurred or she got hurt? Basic plot- A widower and his daughter, Nim, live on an island nobody knows about. The father is a scientist. He has to go away to find an eco-specimen for two nights. His daughter is left by herself with some pets. There is a big storm and she needs help. Her father can’t help because he’s on a boat which is wreaked in the storm. All communication is lost with his daughter. Nim emails someone her father knows, an author of a book she likes. I’ll leave it there in case you want to watch the movie. Jodie Foster does a nice job as the writer who has border line agoraphobia.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Make an Erupting Volcano
Make an Aluminum Foil Volcano which really Erupts!
I’ve done this science experiment with kids at least three times for school projects. It’s always a hit because kids like seeing the volcano erupt. Simple explanation for how it works: Baking soda is a base substance whereas vinegar is an acidic substance. When the two are added together it causes a reaction. In this case an erupting volcano.
To make a volcano fit for a science fair you might want to make it more life like, like painting it brown. Or making your volcano out of Paper Mache or clay. To make this basic volcano you need: Two paper cups, paper plate, aluminum foil, pen, masking tape, scissors, two tablespoons of vinegar, tablespoon of baking soda, one and half tablespoons of warm water, old cookie sheet.
This experiment should be done with an adult present.
1)Place cup side up on middle of plate. Keep it place with masking tape. Now totally cover cup and plate with aluminum foil. Tape extra foil under plate.
2)Using your pen, poke hole through aluminum foil in very middle of cup. Using scissors inside cup, cut four slits in aluminum foil from poked hole to edge of cup. Fold aluminum foil down inside cup and tape securely.
3)Place your newly made volcano on the cookie sheet. Put one tablespoon of baking soda in middle of volcano (cup). Add one and half tablespoons of warm water to this. Mix gently. In another cup put in two tablespoons of vinegar. (If you were taking this volcano to school you should carry needed vinegar amount in a small container or leave in bottle. Every time I’ve done this project kids like to see the volcano erupt over and over, so bring enough ingredients to erupt volcano at least three times.)
4)Get ready for an eruption! Pour vinegar into middle of volcano cup. Up comes the lava.
I’ve done this science experiment with kids at least three times for school projects. It’s always a hit because kids like seeing the volcano erupt. Simple explanation for how it works: Baking soda is a base substance whereas vinegar is an acidic substance. When the two are added together it causes a reaction. In this case an erupting volcano.
To make a volcano fit for a science fair you might want to make it more life like, like painting it brown. Or making your volcano out of Paper Mache or clay. To make this basic volcano you need: Two paper cups, paper plate, aluminum foil, pen, masking tape, scissors, two tablespoons of vinegar, tablespoon of baking soda, one and half tablespoons of warm water, old cookie sheet.
This experiment should be done with an adult present.
1)Place cup side up on middle of plate. Keep it place with masking tape. Now totally cover cup and plate with aluminum foil. Tape extra foil under plate.
2)Using your pen, poke hole through aluminum foil in very middle of cup. Using scissors inside cup, cut four slits in aluminum foil from poked hole to edge of cup. Fold aluminum foil down inside cup and tape securely.
3)Place your newly made volcano on the cookie sheet. Put one tablespoon of baking soda in middle of volcano (cup). Add one and half tablespoons of warm water to this. Mix gently. In another cup put in two tablespoons of vinegar. (If you were taking this volcano to school you should carry needed vinegar amount in a small container or leave in bottle. Every time I’ve done this project kids like to see the volcano erupt over and over, so bring enough ingredients to erupt volcano at least three times.)
4)Get ready for an eruption! Pour vinegar into middle of volcano cup. Up comes the lava.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Sand Box Tip for parents
Before letting your wee one play in a park's sand box make sure there isn't any cigarette butts, cat poop or broken glass in it. Note: Cigarette butts are dangerous for dogs. Don't let your dogs eat them.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Movie Review: Tangled
Movie Title: Tangled. Rated PG. Animation. Disney film. Some songs. But they are only just okay. A twist on the fair tale Rapunzel. In this tale a princess is stolen by a witch to keep her young looking. As the princess sings you touch her hair then you become younger. The witch keeps the girl locked away in a very tall tower. She has no idea she is a princess. Every year on the princess’s birthday the king and queen and the villagers light lanterns. They let them up in the air hoping she sees them and comes home. This young girl with very long hair wants to see the lanterns lit and released but her pretend mother says she can’t leave the tower. A thief ends up the tower and the girl persuades him to take her to see the lanterns released. The witch finds out the girl is gone and searches her out. Funny dialogue. Great animation.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Over Generalizing and Kids
Why Kids Over Generalize- Stop the Power Play
Why, oh why do kids over generalize?
1) To get their way now.
2) To get their way in the future.
3) As a way of justifying what they want or what occurred.
4) To gain sympathy.
All these reasons have one thing in common. They are a Power Play. A child will use power play to maneuver you to where they want you. Their mission: To get you to agree with them. That they should have such and such, or what they did or did not do was acceptable.
I am sure if you have children you might have heard something like this at some point, "Why can't I do __________ (fill in the blank)? You let me do it yesterday." To a child this is a sound argument. And it might be, except for five years now you have never let your child have a soda and a piece of pie right before dinner. Yesterday was an exception. Your sister that you have not seen for six years was in town with her daughter. But now your child is trying to make out like having pie and soda before dinner should be the standard. This is over generalizing something. Doing something once does not mean it is going to happen every day.
Stop a power play before if can occur. Before you make an exception to a rule you should explain to your child that this is an EXCEPTION, a special treat. It is not going to be a normal occurrence. This goes for staying at a friend's house later usual, staying up two hours after bedtime, not doing a certain chore, the list goes on. Do not think, "Oh but they will understand." Even the best of kids try over generalizing. Hey it might work they figure. Do not buy into it. Or they will try it again. And again. And why not if it worked before? To avoid any misunderstanding or an argument later tell your child upfront X is an exception. I highly recommend you do this if you have a child who argues.
Kids can also use the words "always" and "never" to over generalize a point. Have you ever heard this from your child, "But Dad always lets me do it!" or "Mom never makes me do that." With divorced parents having kids over generalize can be particularly aggravating. Let's say you make your ten-year-old son wear a helmet when he rides his bike. But he does not want to this time so he firmly states, "But Dad never makes me!" Instead of bad mouthing your Ex. in front of your son by saying, "Well your father has no sense," stop and think. Maybe only once did your Ex not make your son wear his helmet and that was because he forgot it somewhere. Calmly tell your child just because their father lets them do something at his house does not mean they can do it at yours. Then at another time ask your Ex. what is the norm at his house about riding a bike and wearing a helmet or whatever the issue is about. It is great when both parents agree upon rules, but I understand that is not always possible when parents live apart. But think of this, if you do agree upon rules there will be less power play by your child against the both of you. Divorced or not, do not let your child get away with pitting one parent against the other.
Let's take another scenario. John wails to his mother, "Tommy hit me! He always hits me!" Just because Tommy hit his brother, John, once or even four times during their life together does not mean Tommy always does it. But John wants sympathy. He is making a power play. He thinks he can control the situation if he can enlist your support. He thinks by saying this he can influence your reaction. Dodge the power play. John is making a sweeping generalization which is not based on true evidence. Yes, you should give Tommy a consequence for hitting his brother, but you should also tell John that Tommy does not hit him all the time. And if he makes untrue statements like this people will not believe him when it counts.
Why, oh why do kids over generalize?
1) To get their way now.
2) To get their way in the future.
3) As a way of justifying what they want or what occurred.
4) To gain sympathy.
All these reasons have one thing in common. They are a Power Play. A child will use power play to maneuver you to where they want you. Their mission: To get you to agree with them. That they should have such and such, or what they did or did not do was acceptable.
I am sure if you have children you might have heard something like this at some point, "Why can't I do __________ (fill in the blank)? You let me do it yesterday." To a child this is a sound argument. And it might be, except for five years now you have never let your child have a soda and a piece of pie right before dinner. Yesterday was an exception. Your sister that you have not seen for six years was in town with her daughter. But now your child is trying to make out like having pie and soda before dinner should be the standard. This is over generalizing something. Doing something once does not mean it is going to happen every day.
Stop a power play before if can occur. Before you make an exception to a rule you should explain to your child that this is an EXCEPTION, a special treat. It is not going to be a normal occurrence. This goes for staying at a friend's house later usual, staying up two hours after bedtime, not doing a certain chore, the list goes on. Do not think, "Oh but they will understand." Even the best of kids try over generalizing. Hey it might work they figure. Do not buy into it. Or they will try it again. And again. And why not if it worked before? To avoid any misunderstanding or an argument later tell your child upfront X is an exception. I highly recommend you do this if you have a child who argues.
Kids can also use the words "always" and "never" to over generalize a point. Have you ever heard this from your child, "But Dad always lets me do it!" or "Mom never makes me do that." With divorced parents having kids over generalize can be particularly aggravating. Let's say you make your ten-year-old son wear a helmet when he rides his bike. But he does not want to this time so he firmly states, "But Dad never makes me!" Instead of bad mouthing your Ex. in front of your son by saying, "Well your father has no sense," stop and think. Maybe only once did your Ex not make your son wear his helmet and that was because he forgot it somewhere. Calmly tell your child just because their father lets them do something at his house does not mean they can do it at yours. Then at another time ask your Ex. what is the norm at his house about riding a bike and wearing a helmet or whatever the issue is about. It is great when both parents agree upon rules, but I understand that is not always possible when parents live apart. But think of this, if you do agree upon rules there will be less power play by your child against the both of you. Divorced or not, do not let your child get away with pitting one parent against the other.
Let's take another scenario. John wails to his mother, "Tommy hit me! He always hits me!" Just because Tommy hit his brother, John, once or even four times during their life together does not mean Tommy always does it. But John wants sympathy. He is making a power play. He thinks he can control the situation if he can enlist your support. He thinks by saying this he can influence your reaction. Dodge the power play. John is making a sweeping generalization which is not based on true evidence. Yes, you should give Tommy a consequence for hitting his brother, but you should also tell John that Tommy does not hit him all the time. And if he makes untrue statements like this people will not believe him when it counts.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
To get rid of oil spots on driveway.
I've tried this remedy myself many times. For fresh oil spots on asphalt driveways.
1- Get to oil spot as soon as possible.
2- Pour liquid dish washing soap on the oil spot.
3- Use an old toothbrush and scrub spot.
4- Wash with spray hose.
5- Clean spot again with liquid soap.
6- Scrub.
7- Rewash.
1- Get to oil spot as soon as possible.
2- Pour liquid dish washing soap on the oil spot.
3- Use an old toothbrush and scrub spot.
4- Wash with spray hose.
5- Clean spot again with liquid soap.
6- Scrub.
7- Rewash.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Movie Review: National Treasure
Movie Title: National Treasure. Adventure. Rated PG. Nicolas Cage plays Ben Gates, a treasure hunter. With a group of other treasure hunters he sets out to find the Treasure of the Knights Templar. Ben discovers that a map to the treasure could be on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Some of the treasure hunters want to steal the document, but Ben won't do it, so he's betrayed. Ben and his friend Riley try to warn officials that the Declaration of Independence will be stolen. They aren't believed. In order to keep it safe Ben hatches a plan to steal it himself. With a cute museum employee in tow Ben and Riley dodge bullets and bad guys to preserve our founding father's document from getting into the wrong hands. Good plot. Nice adventure flick. Worth renting.
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