Something for All

Here are some great magazines and websites that are family friendly. I can recommend them from personal experience. You can find many of these titles at your local library as well. Many of these publications have age specific levels. Several also have websites that feature many of the articles and activities from their magazine or have supplemental information to go with the magazine.
http://familyfun.go.com/
http://www.highlights.com/
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
http://www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx
http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Your-Big-Backyard.aspx
http://www.sikids.com/
http://www.zoobooks.com/
http://www.cricketmag.com/home.asp

Something for Boys

The boy I nannied for really liked Boys Life magazine. It is the official magazine of the Boy Scouts but you don't have to be a Boy Scout to subscribe. It's full of stories about real people doing amazing things. There are features on sports, science, careers, along with fun activities. Some of the content is about scouting but any boy can relate.
Check it out at http://boyslife.org/.

Enjoy!

Something for Girls

Both the girls that I've nannied for really enjoy New Moon magazine. There is also an online New Moon connection for girls. Typically 8 years old and up. They outgrew the magazine as they started high school but up until that point it was something to look forward to. They were also very involved in Girl Scouts. New Moon was another "girl power" experience for them. If you have girls you may enjoy exploring the website and maybe subscribing to this magazine for them.
http://www.newmoon.com/

Legislative News

Regarding Nannies Blog posted this information about current legislation that is very informative and nanny industry related. To view the post use this link http://regardingnannies.com/2010/10/legislative-news-you-can-use/.

TCPN Conference Saturday - Registration Deadline Extended

TCPN's Nanny Conference Day has extended it's registration deadline to Thursday, October 21! Don't miss this opportunity to join other nannies and child care providers in a day of professional development.

SWEETER REWARDS

9th Annual Nanny Development Conference and Member Meeting!
Saturday, October 23
8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Breakfast Goodies and Lunch Included in Registration

Twin Cities Professional Nannies, a nonprofit organization, presents a day of professional and personal growth. This is an open event – great for parents, nannies and other childcare professionals alike. Inviteyour friends, family, and nanny peers. The day will include Amazing Speakers, Roundtables,Member Meeting, Networking, Door Prizes and More!

Local Resource

     I attended meeting at the Behavioral Institute for Children and Adolescents in Roseville recently. I was interested to see a very extensive library of resource information focused on helping professionals and parents who work with children with emotional and behavioral challenges. The topics were wide ranging and impressive in depth which included ADHD, autism, sensory processing issues, self-esteem, postitive behavior, early intervention and cultural awareness. 
     The BICA also has a very nice book shop. Many books are written specifically for children of all ages dealing with a variety of topics including grief, loss, divorce, agression and bullying. They also have games and other multimedia materials.

How Do You Partner with Your Child's Teacher?

It's Parent Teacher Conference time and it got me thinking about how we partner with schools and teachers. I love to check out other blogs and online sites. This posting came up and you may also find it interesting. As a nanny I was also part of the teacher-parent partnership - volunteering in the classroom, going on field trips, supporting the child with their homework were just some of the ways I was involved. This article is just one parent's perspective.



How Do You Partner with Your Child’s Teacher?

From Blogger Jolene

I’m a big believer in my kids’ education, and I’m also a big advocate of partnering with my kids’ teachers. Sometimes, however, it’s a challenge to partner with a teacher.

Fortunately, I have a lot of friends who happen to be teachers. I have a sister who is a teacher, and my mother and grandmother are retired teachers, so I feel lucky to have inside information about what teachers say about working with parents. When I hear their stories, I then understand why it’s sometimes hard to partner with a teacher.

Because of budget cuts,

Costume Inspiration

Need some inspiration for halloween costumes? There are always commerical costumes available, but maybe you are looking for something unique and fun to create yourself. Check out these sites for ideas!

http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm
http://crafts.kaboose.com/costumes/homemade-halloween.html
http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-kids-costumes/
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/halloweentheme/a/091399.htm

Help for Picky Eaters

Have a picky eater at home? Looking for some helpful tips? Check out these articles and recipes from parenting.com.
http://www.parenting.com/new/picky-eating-tips-recipes-sneaky-chef?cid=tw

Gender Characteristics and Research

When I taught in a lab school child care center for infant through pre-kindergarteners it was emphasized that we “maintain a gender neutral classroom at all times.” So toys, activities, curriculum, room décor, color choices, etc. were all scrutinized to maintain the gender neutral directive. The concept was that if offered the same choices and activities children would not show gender preferences. Research was pointing that gender choices started early and were due mostly to expectations of parents, teachers and the child’s environment.

Now the research is pointing to many gender differences being hardwired and evident from birth. Researchers followed newborns through to the preschool years, observing behavior under a variety of circumstances. This is just a few of some of their recent findings.