Summer Camp For Kids: Pros And Cons

You might be in doubt on whether to permit your child to go to the summer camp or not.  To help you decide, here are a few pros and cons.

Pros Of Summer Camp For Kids

Independence and Creativity – Through the tasks they are given, children will be able to figure out solutions on their own. At camp they are not trated by like babies, they are taught to be independent and the activities foster skills such as, leadership, self-confidence, critical thinking, and a sense of accomplishment.

New Experiences – While the tasks provided to them can lead to autonomy, the experience they will have in camp contribute greatly to maturity. It helps them to grow as people when they are exposed to the culture that is typically seen in camp and all the new experiences that they will encounter.

Socialization – It starts with them getting acquainted with positive role models in the form of counselors.  These are the people whom they can identify with and will display a far different approach to dealing with them rather than your parenting style.  It moves to their meeting new friends from different schools with different nationalities.  This provides for the knowledge of diversity and that there is more to the world than your child has ever thought of.

Life Long Friendships – Many times camp is a place where kids develop life long friendships and bonds.

Values – Perhaps the most important benefit of summer camp is the development of new values in kids.  They will see that there will be others who share a similar hobby, who are better than them in certain aspects of school life, and different cultures.  Through the tasks they perform, they will be able to exercise principles of accommodation, resilience, and assimilation of the values learned throughout the camp.

Cons Of Summer Camp For Kids

Separation Anxiety – Summer camp is a form or weaning.  Some children manifest homesickness while away from you.  This is called separation anxiety and it is a normal response to being away from one’s parents. You will also miss your kids. But, this can be a positive experience in learning how to separate and letting them be individuals.

Worries – Of course you will worry while your kids are gone and maybe even feel guilty at times. This is all normal and a part of letting them go out into the world. You might find some comfort in the fact that there are other parents out there feeling the same way.

Budget – Often the best camps will cost quite a bit, and many families cannot afford such high rates. One idea is to check with local church groups or Jewish agencies, often times these organizations offer financial help and camp scholarships.

photo by: Glasto_2009

Blendtec Giveaway

Welcome to the Blendtec Designer Series Wildside Blender giveaway!

I have teamed up with Kate n’ Kaboodle to celebrate the final giveaway in her Funtastic Summer Event. The Funtastic Summer Event started June 10th with dozens of fun, summer themed giveaways! You can find all the giveaways here!

The Blendtec Designer Series Wildside Blender is the Swiss Army Knife of Blenders because it can do the job of many appliances. It’s a whole juicer, a meat grinder, a latte machine, a bread mixer, an ice cream maker, a grain mill, coffee grinder, milkshake mixer, and a blender all in one!

The sleek design features an illuminated, easy to read, touch screen with universal icons. This enables effortless selection of blend cycles. Blendtec created pre-programmed blending cycles to to produce optimum results for a wide range of blending tasks. Making a smoothie is as easy as a touch of a button! Just add your ingredients and press the “smoothie” icon!

Want total control? The revolutionary new slider interface gives you absolute control over your blender’s speed. Touch anywhere on the slider to jump right to any speed, and slide your finger up and down to fine tune your blend.

The Wildside Jar is BPA free and has a total volume of 90 fl oz. Clean up is a breeze with the flat, sealed, touch area and smooth motor base design. Just wipe it off with a damp cloth! No more messy buttons! The small, sleek design allows the Blendtec Designer Series Blender to fit under most cabinetry so it is easily accessible.

This blender is more than a pretty face! With over 1500 watts of power, the commercial grade motor is the most powerful motor available for home use. The Blendtec blender is build for speed and power! The precision-machined socket connects directly to the motor, resulting in a finely-balanced motor assembly. This reduces vibration and noise, which is critical at the motor speeds you will see with the Blendtec. The air-flow design keeps the blender cooler enabling the blender to have a longer life.

Want to see the Blendtec Blender in action? Check out all Kate n’ Kaboodle’s Blendtec reviews!

Make sure you also check out all the giveaways in Kate n’ Kaboodle’s Funtastic Summer Event!

 

Connect

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Buy It

The Blendtec Designer Series Wildside Blender can be purchased on the Blendtec site for $499.95.

Win It

One very lucky reader is going to win the Blendtec Designer Series Wildside Blender, a $500 value!

Open to U.S only.

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Keeping Your Kid’s Teeth Healthy

Parents often make the mistake of forgetting a child’s dental health. Keeping a healthy set of teeth is incredibly important. This is especially true for kids and teenagers, who are significantly more prone to tooth decay and gum disease. Here are some of the reasons why:

  1. Bad looking teeth often lead to ridicule among the child’s friends and peers. Eventually, this will result in low self-confidence and social awkwardness. Some children with low self confidence will either end up being part of the “losers” or the “misfits.”
  2. Pain while eating and drinking. While this might not be much of a problem short-term, eventually this will lead to loss of appetite and unhealthy weight loss.
  3. Constant discomfort. This will result in sleeplessness, constant fatigue, and irritability.
  4. Bad breath. This is often caused by too many germs or bacteria in the person’s mouth.
  5. Lingering bad taste in the mouth. This is often caused bytoo many germs or bacteria in the persons mouth, or by several types of gum disease.

Not to worry though. There are actually several things you can do in order to avoid all of these problems. While these solutions might mean giving up a few comforts and luxuries, having a healthy set of teeth and gums is defintely worth the effort.

  1. Eat healthy, It’s important to eat a healthy and nutritious diet in order to have good teeth. Encourage your kids to eat healthy from all the major food groups.
  2. Discourage sweets. While this might be the most difficult thing to do, making your kids minimize their intake of candy bars, chocolate, and carbonated soda is very necessary for a healthy mouth.
  3. Brush at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.
  4. Visit a competent dental clinic like Brewer Dental Center. Do this at least once a year to get a check up and cleaning.

Walker Edison Bunk Bed Giveaway

Here is a great giveaway for something I need, bunkbeds!  It would save so much floor space if I had a bunkbed in my son’s room, plus he would love it.  This giveaway runs from June 20th until July 10th, and is sponsored by  BunkBedsAtoZ  and hosted by Children Teaching Mama. The lucky winner will receive a Walker Edison Bunk Bed worth $549!  Please fill my blog name in the Rafflecopter widget as the referring blog, A Mommy’s Ramblings.  Good Luck!

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Stunning Wedding Jewelry To Celebrate An Old Wives Tradition

Ideally, our wedding should be a once in a lifetime thing. So, what more to symbolize one of, if not the most significant occasion in our life than by wearing the most precious wedding jewelry, most specifically, the perfect wedding ring. Every wedding needs a little sparkle here and there, and who needs more of that than the beautiful bride. Of course, theres nothing more perfect than matching that white, flowing gown with a flawless set of wedding jewelry.

Whether diamonds, pearls or white gold, there will always be perfect necklace, bracelet, earrings or even a studded tiara to make a truly beautiful bride, just like in every girls fantasy. Moreover, nothing can easily translate the old wives tradition of something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue more easily than the bride and grooms wedding jewelry. When it comes to adding a touch of something new, then you may opt for a set of platinum wedding jewelry. This may be pricey but its sure to last you a lifetime. Diamond studs usually ranging from 3 to 5 karats, splashed across a simple platinum band, can make an excellent engagement or wedding ring.

A solitaire cut for a diamond ring may be a popular choice among women but if youre a groom that wants some edginess to your soon-to-be-wifes engagement ring, then her favorite colored diamond, set amidst studs of white diamonds on a platinum band will surely impress your bride. When its something old that youre looking for, vintage wedding jewelry will just do the trick. The old, polished look of these dated jewelry will set the tone for a wedding thats both classic and with pure sophistication. Something borrowed may be the easiest one. If youre a groom, then maybe you can just rally for your mom to give you her heirloom of a wedding ring thats handed down from your great, great grandmother, right? Not only would that be convenient but would also cost you nothing.

If you desire for something blue, theres the blue collection jewelry, usually made of studded blue diamonds or blue fancy pearls. Blue studs would definitely look good on either a plated white gold or a platinum base for a subtle yet stunning effect. But if you want true elegance and skys the limit in terms of your budget, then lavish yourself with a blue sapphire diamond on a gold base to highlight the color. Youre sure to turn heads on this one. Make your wedding special with the perfect wedding jewelry. Although there are so many, its not that difficult to choose as long as you have the imagination, the artistic eye and most importantly, it is within your budget.

Summer Patio Retreat Giveaway

I am planning some great backyard get together’s this summer, how about you?  If you need new furniture for your patio or deck check out this great giveaway, and enter to win!

 Welcome to the Summer Patio Retreat Giveaway Event brought to you by Mom to Bed by 8 the ‘Iowa-Mom’, Powered By Mom and Mommy and Baby Reviews and Giveaways!

We would like to thank our special co-hosts Another Cent Saved, Giveaway Bandit, To Sew With Love and Opinions of a Moody Mama for joining us for this special event.

Strathwood Brentwood 4-Piece Outdoor Furniture Set

Gather friends, family, and refreshments and a enjoy a little patio retreat fully furnished with this four-piece set from Strathwood. The Brentwood collection includes two arm chairs, a coffee table, and a loveseat. Designed to withstand the elements, the furniture’s frames are constructed of powder-coated steel in an attractive black with bronze flecks. Powder coating gives the furniture great protection against rust. Comfortable, durable seat cushions are upholstered in a polyester fabric designed for outdoors.

Cushion Care and Cleaning: Gently brush off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabric and wipe up any spills as soon as they occur. Gently spot clean only with mild soap and cool water using a sponge or soft brush, then air dry cushions in a sunny location. Bring cushions indoors during inclement weather and store in a dry place when not in use.

Strathwood furniture has quality, ease of use, and casual elegance at its core. Each piece is rigorously tested for durability, and assembly instructions have been standardized for simplicity from start to finish. Strathwood furniture is sleekly designed, handsomely finished, and built to last. This classic style and reliable craftsmanship will weather ever-changing trends and regular use for years to come.

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Ben 10 Party Favors for Fabulous Themed Parties

Ben 10 themed parties are famous amongst kids these days. The most popular thing that kids love about this theme party is the Ben 10 kids party favors that are associated with them. There are a lot of things that can be purchased at party favours and distributed to the kids. You might come across many online stores that sell different varieties of party favors at reasonable prices.

Kids love to play with fizzy balls that dissolve in water revealing the alien creatures that are hidden within the balls. These Ben 10 favours come with instructions on how to use these balls along with safety rules and guidelines. You can choose from different Ben 10 characters according to the taste and preferences of your kids.

We all know that Ben 10 is famous for changing into different alien forms with the help of his famous Omnitrix watch. If you have the money to spare, you can easily purchase Ben 10 filled boxes party favour that come with colourful wristband bracelets and masks and are sold in 4 different packages suitable for all age groups.

If you have toddlers or preschoolers attending the party, you can give out Ben 10 activity or coloring books, along with stickers and blowouts for the kids to enjoy. These Ben 10 themed party favors are not only addictive, but also help in enhancing the creativity skills in your kids.

You can even buy empty party favor boxes and fill them up with goodies and Ben 10 toys of your choice. These loot bags can then be wrapped in colourful paper and have thank you notes attached to them. You can make use of different accessories such as green and white ribbons, Ben 10 stickers to make the favors more attractive in the eyes of the kids. Kids on different ages really likes to have ben 10 party favors every theme parties.

photo by: pasukaru76

Kitchen Aid Mixer Giveaway

This is an awesome giveaway for something every household needs, a Kitchen Aid Mixer!  I have had one for about 10 years and I love it, and use it almost every day!  So enter to win!

We’ve teamed up with 2 Kids and a Coupon and a great group of bloggers to bring you the “Mix It Up!” giveaway. One lucky winner will win the Kitchenaid Mixer shown above (ARV $350 at Bloomingdales) provided by American Family,

See below for how to enter, and join here to get a free e-cookbook of gourmet brownie recipes courtesy of American Family.

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Backyard Escape Giveaway

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The Backyard Escape is finally here!!!  Thanks to Crazy House Reviews,  Raising My 5 Sons and The Jackson Five Family Blog along with 50 additional bloggers, one lucky winner from one of our sites will receive their choice of a swimming pool, trampoline, bounce house, swing set or water slide!   This giveaway would not be possible without the awesome people from Tokii who are sponsoring the prize!!!!

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Tokii is a self-help relationship site specifically designed to enrich and strengthen all types of relationships through interactive games, moods, quizzes and trading. Tokii tools positively impact relationships by inspiring, re-engaging and reminding couples why they fell in love in the first place.  They have over 250 games you can play and more than 120 moods that you can send to your partner.  You can also discover how you want to be loved by filling out the LoveZones quiz. You can connect with your partner at any time from anywhere via the Tokii app or on www.tokii.com. We think relationships are fantastic and Tokii helps everyone make the most of theirs!!!
Fill out the easy Rafflecopter form below to enter this fabulous giveaway and then be sure to share the giveaway and Tokii with all of your friends! It’s nice to share!

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Safe Co-sleeping with Babies and Toddlers

As attachment parenting seems to be becoming the norm rather than the exception, more families are now sharing a family bed instead of insisting that the children stay in separate rooms. Parenting experts say that co-sleeping does seem to promote better parent-child bonding. For moms who choose to breastfeed, the family bed also makes things easier, as it eliminates the need to get up for feedings through the night.

For families that co-sleep, safety issues for babies and toddlers are very important. At these ages, children need to be protected against possible harm such as smothering, falls, or sprains. The following are some safety guidelines for safe co-sleeping with babies and toddlers.

  1. Make sure that the bed is large enough. Each family member should be able to lie on his or her back, elbows bent, and hands behind the head without touching anyone else. The length of the bed should be at least four inches longer than the tallest person.  If you have more than one child, it really is worthwhile to invest in a durable yet cheap superkingsize mattress. If this is still not enough room, you can also use zip and linked mattress to create even wider bed surfaces.
  2. Ensure that the mattress is firm enough to enable your baby or toddler to easily change sleeping positions throughout the night. A mattress that is too soft may prevent your child from turning on his side or back without assistance. This could cause your child to be stuck in a position that prevents him or her from being able to breathe or move freely.
  3. Avoid too many pillows, soft toys and other unnecessary items in the bed, especially if your child is too young to be able to get them off his or her face or chest.
  4. Make sure that your beds and mattresses do not include any materials which can be toxic or irritating to any family member. Keep in mind certain allergies to latex mattresses, or dust mites, or wool fills, among others.
  5.  Never allow anyone who has taken stupor-inducing substances to co-sleep with your child. Such substances include, but are not limited to: alcohol, pain medication, sleep medication, sedatives, tranquilizers, and the like.
Co-sleeping worked well for me, and I hope more parent’s give it a try!

 

 

photo by: fabrisalvetti