Halloween Gorilla Prank

I love Halloween!  I’m never a clown—I’m usually a witch for October parties.  At school I wear black pants and a black turtleneck with a sandwich sign that looks like a math flashcard.  I tell people I’m a basic math fact and if you don’t memorize me I’ll come back to haunt you!  Scary, huh?

My favorite Halloween prank of all times was when I wore my gorilla costume and sat on a lawn chair on my front deck.  My plan was to let the kids come really close and then I’d jump up and growl at them.  My theory was that they’d be so scared they would scream, drop their candy, and run away.  Then I would get to eat all of their candy.  Bwah-hah-hah!

Oh yes, they approached the house.  I could hear them debating whether I was real or not.  They bravely got closer.  I put my plan into action, jumped up, and roared at them!  They screamed and ran away—with their bags of candy clutched in their little hands.

That was the one thing I didn’t consider—the vise-like grip on their bags of candy. 

Oh well, it was fun anyway.  I’ll have to come up with another plan for next year.

Crosswalk Smarts

Getting hit by a car is no joke. Crossing the street safely and responsibly is serious. Remember that drivers can’t always see you and/or they may not be paying attention.

Also, cars can’t stop quickly. A car is about 1,000 pounds. At just 30 miles per hour a car needs about 90 feet to stop. Do you know what 90 feet looks like? Go outside and find a safe place to walk 90 short steps in a straight line. That’s about 90 feet.

You are not built to be a speed bump. You need to be extra careful at all times near the road. Obey the pedestrian laws and you’ll be safer as a result. Click HERE for the AAA website that has traffic safety activities for really young kids.  Click HERE for a website with activities for older kids who can read.

Remember your health and safety is your job. Stay safe. The life you save may be your own!

Magic Words

Did you know there are magic words? I’m not talking about abracadabra or hocus-pocus. My favorite words are ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ People are more likely to do something for you if you ask nicely and say please. It should always be followed up with a polite thank you.

‘Excuse me’ is an important phrase that you need to know. You say this when you burp, you need to get by someone, or if you need to interrupt a grown-up for something really urgent.

According to an article on Oprah.com, “when talking with others, always use a form of thanks and the person's name in the first 12 words you speak ("It's good to see you, Mary," or "Thanks for picking me up from soccer, Dad.") By following this rule of 12, people will want to continue to do nice things for you.”

Remember the “Golden Rule?” (Treat others the way you want to be treated.) Being polite and using manners not only makes you a better person, it makes the world a better place. Go for it!

What do you think? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Grocery Games

Have you ever had to go to the grocery store and you really didn’t want to? Sometimes kids get dragged along because they can’t stay home alone. But there are ways to make an adventure out of everything!

• If you’re old enough, perhaps your mom or dad could send you on a mission to find an item on the grocery list. 

• Bring a pad of paper and a pencil and go on a scavenger hunt. You can stay right with your parents while you search the shelves for items beginning with the letters of the alphabet A-Z. 

• Have you heard of unit pricing? Look at the little tags on the shelves and try to find the most expensive unit priced item and the least expensive. 

• A lot of food on the shelves is imported from different countries. Make a list of the countries that the food comes from. 

• You can play “I Spy” with a brother or sister, or you mom/dad as you shop. 

• It’s fun to guess how much some fruits or vegetables weigh and then use the scale in the produce section to see how close your guess was! 

• Look for the most interesting and different foods that you find—pretend you’re having a party and make a list of the foods that you would like to serve you guests! 

The most important thing about going somewhere with your parents is to make the best of it. Remember to be respectful of the other shoppers. They really don’t want yelling kids running around. Nobody likes a brat and somebody could get hurt.

What do you think? Do you have any strategies for when you go to a store with your grownup? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Treasure Trove, Packrat Pile, or Clutter Collection?

Are you always searching for things in your room?  Do you barely make the bus in the morning?  Have you ever gotten to school only to find out that you forgot something important that you needed for that day?  If so, you may suffer from unorganization.  But don’t panic!  There’s a cure.  It's called being organized.

Organization is a big word but it takes just some small, simple steps if practiced every day they become good habits for a lifetime.  Where to begin?  Let’s start with your room. 

Who cleans your room?  If someone else cleans your room you might not know where everything is.  If you clean your room then you’ll be able to find things in a jiffy.

Is your room really cluttered?  The first thing to do is to set a timer for fifteen minutes and go through all of your things.  (Go ahead, I’ll wait here.)  Sort them into piles.  

Have three piles to start with:

*Keep—any toys and clothes that you are currently using/fit.

*Donate—any toys and clothes that you are not using and/or no longer fit you.  These can be donated to a younger brother or sister, cousin, neighbor, or taken to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other local charity.

*Throw away—anything that is broken or worn out.

Ding!  Good, you’re back.  How’d you do?  Now set that time for another fifteen minutes and go put all of the Keep items away neatly.  (Go ahead, I’ll wait here.)  Put the Donate/Throw Away items in boxes or large plastic garbage bags and ask a grownup where you should put them.  

Ding!  Wow, that was a fast fifteen minutes.  How’d it go?  How’s your room look?  Now the tricky part is to keep it neat by putting things away immediately after you’re done with them.  That way your room will stay looking nice.  Oh, and another thing, I like to put on some really upbeat music when I’m cleaning/organizing.  It helps me focus and keep working!

How do you stay organized?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Home Alone

Do you stay home all by yourself?  Do you enjoy it?  Some people like to be home alone, some don’t.  My mom was a stay-at-home mom when I was growing up so Mom was usually home when I got home from school.  If I didn’t see my mom, I would walk through the house yelling, “Mom!  Where are you?”

One day I looked all over the upstairs and even in the yard.  No mom.  Then I heard the washer in the (gulp) cellar.  (I was afraid to go down in the cellar but that’s a story for another day.)

I walked down the rickety steps, ran over to mom, and tapped her on the shoulder.  She practically jumped out of her skin!  See, she couldn’t hear me due to all the noise the washer was making.  She gave me a hug and we had a good laugh!

My younger sister Marcia did not like staying home alone.  She would call the operator and ask what time it was.  That was back in the days when it didn’t cost anything to call directory assistance.  Finally the operator got fed up with Marcia’s frequent time inquiries and said, “Little girl, learn to tell time and stop calling me!”

If you’re going to be home alone, this information should be posted near the phone:

• when to call 911
• your address and phone number
• the name, location, and phone number where your mom or dad works
• the name, phone number, and address of a trusted neighbor
• the name, phone number, and address of another emergency contact person, such as a grandparent or family friend

Are you bored or lonely when you’re home alone?  After you’ve done your chores and homework, perhaps you could try some of these:

• Read a book or magazine.
• Work on a hobby or try a new one.
• Listen to music, sing, or play an instrument.
• Write a letter or phone a friend.
• Write a story full of made-up adventures of what happened to you when you were home alone — and don't forget to give it a happy ending!

The important thing about staying home alone is to be safe.  Make good decisions and you’ll be fine.

Do you stay home alone?  If not, would you like to?  Do you like to stay home alone?  Why?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!

Haircuts

Do you like getting your haircut?  The worst part is all the little hairs that trickle down your neck and make you itch like crazy until you take a bath or shower!  Ugh!

Do you like sitting in those uncomfortable chairs waiting forever for your turn?  Suggest to your mom or dad that they make an appointment, if possible.  Or bring a book to read to help pass the time.

Does your hair always come out the way you expect?   Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the stylist what you want in a hairstyle.  You may want to look through magazines, find a few pictures of some styles you like, and bring them into the salon.

Do you like spending hours fixing your hair?  The stylist is a professional; they will know which style will look best on you.  They will give you good advice as to what is the easiest to maintain.

And most important of all:  don’t cut your own hair!  It could be a total disaster, unless it’s Crazy Hair Day at school, of course.

Have you had a haircut disaster?  Please leave me a comment.  I’d love to hear from you!