Teach Your Kids How to Spot Fake News

Parents should give their children the tools they need to safely navigate their way through the plethora of information that can be found online. Teach them how to spot fake news. Fake news is an article, website, or social media post that was created with intentionally false information. It is usually designed to evoke a strong emotional response – which urges people to share the fake news on social media. Example: Someone made a Twitter account that used what looked a lot like the icon for the BBC. The fake account used a photo of the Queen of England and … Continue reading

Tips for First Time Hosts of Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is celebrated with family. It always includes a big dinner with tons of food. This can be overwhelming for first time hosts of Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t panic! Try these tips to help calm your nerves and make your first hosting a successful one. There are two things that can make a person who is hosting Thanksgiving dinner nervous. One is that the guests are going to expect specific foods that are made exactly the way that mom or grandma used to make. Their big expectations can be hard to live up to. The other difficulty, of course, is that … Continue reading

Invest Your Time Wisely

“Time is money” is an old saying that is meant to convey the urgency of rushing ahead because any time wasted could be time spent earning money. Many times in our frugal lifestyles, we trade off time in order to save money, such as cooking from scratch instead of going through the fast food line, taking out the time to create a grocery list and clip coupons before shopping, etc. Most of the time these are good choices and have a secondary benefit. The time I spend hanging laundry means saves some money, but it also means that my kids … Continue reading

Hotels Helping Guests Avoid Expensive Mistakes

Typically, I don’t sleep the night before an early morning flight. I simply don’t trust myself to wake-up on time. What’s more, the cost of missing my flight would keep me up for months, so I simply remain awake at night and sleep on the plane.  This is true if I’m departing from my home or a hotel, though the latter is debuting some new practices to help heavy sleepers like me avoid the costly mistake of missing a flight or an important business meeting. Properties like The Wolcott Hotel in New York are going the extra mile so guests … Continue reading

Fun with Father’s Day Photos

No matter where you plan to spend Father’s Day, don’t forget to take your camera along to document the memories.  The photos you snap at the beach, park, pool or right in your backyard can be transformed into touching mementos of Dad’s special day. Take aim at Dad and the kids frolicking in the waves, burying each other in the sand or searching for bugs along a nature trail.  Shoot from unique angles rather than traditional ones and don’t be afraid to experiment with different exposures.  More importantly, ditch the posed shots of Dad standing static with Junior and Jane … Continue reading

Hotels Stealing a Priceless Commodity

Not your Louis Vuitton luggage, your precious tech toys or the treasured stuffed souvenirs you spent three hours trying to win during your trip to the amusement park.  Some hotels are taking something far more valuable from unsuspecting guests–their health. According to a new study, if you are spending the night in a nonsmoking room at a hotel with a partial smoking ban, you are not fully protected from harmful exposure to so-called “third-hand” smoke.  Researchers at San Diego State University discovered that tobacco pollution can easily congregate on surfaces in both smoking and nonsmoking hotel rooms. “Our findings demonstrate … Continue reading

Time Again for the Homeschool Portfolio

  What is a Homeschool Portfolio? A homeschool portfolio is a window into your child’s homeschool experience, achievements, and academic progress, throughout the school year. There are more then on way to keep a portfolio but I will list the core items you will need. However, always check your state laws, homeschool co-ops, and with the evaluator, on what materials are required. The Basic Supplies 3 ring binder {3 inches or more thick} dividers page protectors Sharpies computer paper to print out basic forms samples of your child’s work photos {optional} Forms to Provide Attendance Form: List of Curriculum and … Continue reading

Free Vacations for Teachers

  It’s said that teaching is among the most underpaid and underappreciated careers in the world.  The men and women who help shape our children’s futures are often overworked, and in a time when the economy is incredibly dismal, the idea of an educator spending precious cash on a luxury vacation is almost laughable. Well, if you are a creative leader in the classroom, who has always dreamed of traveling to the ends of the earth, get ready to smile. Thanks to Hilton HHonors, you can jet-off on a vacation to remember for FREE.  This year, the company is giving … Continue reading

Senator Rubio Resigns to Spend More Time With Family

California Senator Michael Rubio, a Democrat, has resigned his position. The main purpose for doing so appears to be an interest in being able to spend more time with his family. He and his wife have two daughters, one of whom has Down Syndrome. The former Senator has taken a job with Chevron. I imagine that it would be quite difficult to be a Senator and to find a way to balance that with family life. I am certain that parents, of any profession, face that same challenge. However, when a parent who is not a public figure changes jobs … Continue reading

Typical Peer Program Teaches Skills and Acceptance

An elementary school in Indiana has started an interesting program. It’s called the Typical Peer Program. It puts a couple of students who do not have special needs into a classroom with students who have special needs. The “typical” peers model behavior, and everyone learns to accept others who are different from themselves. J.B. Stephens Elementary School, in Greenfield, Indiana, has started an innovative preschool program. It is called the Typical Peer Program. I have not heard of any other schools who are doing this. The program is specifically directed to helping children who have special needs. At the start … Continue reading