Thursday, May 2, 2013
Local mothers exchange childhood toys, clothing and accessories using social media.
Moms have to do it all. From getting the kids to soccer practice, to scheduling every doctor, dentist and eye appointment, from school homework to dance recitals, it just never ends. Moms over the years have developed some unique ways of organizing it all. Thankfully, with tools like smartphones, Google calendars, and alarmed reminders, there are multiple tricks of the trade these days. Some mothers in Montgomery County have found a way to even use social media to their advantage, too. With Facebook, some 502 moms have found a way to consign online. It can be difficult to get around to all the sales, find clothes and toys on a budget and make the family dollar stretch, but with Montgomery County Kids Online Yard Sale, the sale is always in…
Sunday, February 17, 2013
How do you keep your tots in bed for the entire night when bad dreams come?
The boogey man. The monster under the bed. Vampires. Zombies. Witches. Spiders. At one time or another, one or many of these things have been after my children. Thankfully, they woke to find they were only dreaming. Our house seems to run feast or famine on nightmares these days. The main problem: We’re never quite sure when to “believe” them. Since the day they were born, (OK, more like the day they were out of a crib) the rule in the house has been simple. If you have a bad dream, you run to find mom and dad. The kids used to be small enough to squeeze in between the two of us in a queen-sized bed. These days, that is getting tougher and tougher. Typically, my husband has gotten into the (likely bad) habit of getting up and moving to the…
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Lesson Advantage, an interactive, systemized approach to teaching young kids how to play guitar, is offered at DeLuca Music in Hatboro.
Michael Forget is learning to play guitar to a popular Adele song that has no guitar instrumentation. No matter for 9-year-old Michael, or his instructor, Jordan Strauss, director of Lesson Advantage, a systemized, interactive method of teaching kids ages 7 to 12 to play their favorite songs on guitar. Using an iPad and a Mac computer, Strauss, 30, of Hatboro, slows down and simplifies popular songs, like Adele’s “Set Fire to Rain,” claps out the beats, has his students play along, one riff at a time and adds plenty of positive reinforcement throughout. “I’m trying to completely break the mold,” Strauss said after a recent lesson with Michael. “Everybody should have the opportunity to succeed at a musical instrument.” Typically when …
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Montco Mommy reflects on her childhood and the things our children may never understand.
We’ve all heard it from our parents. I used to walk to school, barefoot, for 12 miles, uphill both ways. Every generation has its hallowed tales of how tough it was when they were a kid. In our family, we often talk of the things our children will think odd that we lived without as youngsters. For example, I can recall getting our first microwave. It was a really big deal to heat up food and make popcorn without a stove or oven. I remember the first computer I’d seen in a classroom wasn’t until after fifth-grade. Even then, all we could manage on it was to play Word Munchers or Oregon Trail. (Man, I loved those games.) I’m sure most parents our age have identified the obvious. Our kids will wonder how we ever remotely functioned without …
Friday, October 26, 2012
Make sure your child trick-or-treats safely in Hatboro and Horsham with these tips.
Trick-or-treating is the perfect way to make magical memories with your children on Halloween. But it's not all fun and games—you also want to keep your kids safe. Hatboro and Horsham do not set specific trick or treat days or times, but there are a number of Halloween events scheduled leading up to Oct. 31. Mom Kim Estes makes it her mission to help parents keep their kids out of harm's way all year round. Estes, a certified child safety educator and sexual abuse prevention specialist, founded Savvy Parents, Safe Kids to teach parents strategies for how to be prepared and protect their children as much as possible. Estes said parents should make sure that costumes are safe from hazards this Halloween by making a few easy modifications. “…
Monday, October 15, 2012
Bestselling author James Patterson gives tips on making your child an avid reader. Plus, here's a great reading list for the fall to get you started.
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Monday, October 15, 2012
At Patch we're always trying to pull together into one place all of the best local resources on every topic, including books and reading. We have the good fortune to be working with a best-selling author James Patterson in this endeavor, and we'll be continually sharing his reading list selections for every age here on Patch. Plus, we'll showcase reading lists from our local librarians, bookstores, and you—our readers. Here's an open letter to moms and dads of reluctant readers from James Patterson. Dear Moms and Dads, I’ve had the good fortune to meet hundreds of teachers and librarians around the country. They always wow me with their tips and tricks to get kids into reading. I thought it was time to get these great ideas out in the open…
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The social-networking site is apparently mulling over the idea of children under 13 being granted use of the site.
Facebook is developing technology that would allow younger kids to access the site under parental supervision, a move that could help bring in a sea of new users for revenue but that could also increase privacy concerns, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The technology being tested would allow children's accounts to be tied to their parents' accounts so parents would decide whom their children could "friend." New kid-friendly features also could allow Facebook and its partners to bill parents for games and other entertainment accessed by their kids. Currently Facebook bans those under the age of 13. But several studies show that many kids use Facebook despite the ban, often with their parents' consent. For example, a 2011 …
Monday, June 4, 2012
The YMCA is offering free swimming and water safety lessons for area kids this week.
Its name says it all: Splash Week. From June 4-8 the Hatboro Area YMCA is offering free swimming and water safety lessons to help children and families learn how to exercise caution in and around the water. Topics include backyard pool safety, beach/outdoor water safety and more. Each session is 30 minutes long. Pre-registration is required. See attached flier for a list of session times. Classes are geared for kids ages 3-5 and ages 6-12. A daily family session is also available. For more information or to register, contact the Hatboro Area Y at 215-674-4545
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Montco Mommy's 6-year-old son set his sight on wedding rings for himself and his girlfriend and is planning to propose, marry and start a family.
I knew the day would come. I’m not looking forward to it, and I love my children so much I hate to see them go. But, let’s face it. It is fairly likely someday they will move out. My son said this weekend he is ready for that day. He is going to propose to his girlfriend. They have been boyfriend and girlfriend for almost a year now, so he says it is time. May I remind you, he is now 6 years old. On his day off this holiday weekend, I took him for a special trip to Aronld’s Family Fun Center in Oaks. We had a great time playing laser tag, driving go-karts and playing arcade games. Afterward, we took our ticket winnings to the prize center, as usual. After scouring racks of toys, candy and games, his eyes finally fixed on what he wanted to …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Montco Mommy shares her 6-year-old's thoughts of why she's the best.
What do your children think of you? I don’t often think of what kind of “legacy” I’m leaving, but one of the most important things I know I leave behind in this world someday when I’m gone is what kind of people my children are. While I may not dwell on it daily, it is likely a motivating factor for much of the way I parent. What life skills do they need to have forever? What ways can I best benefit them? When I’m long gone, what will they remember me for? At ages 4 and 6, that is sometimes hard to gauge. But, I have a fairly vocal and thoughtful son, so I know what he thinks most of the time as he thinks it. I’m not sure my daughter is old enough to think of it at all, but this past weekend, on Mother’s Day, I was given a great …
Eugene Smirnov
3:54 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Simple words like "excellent guitar teacher" don't do Jordan Strauss justice. As a student of his, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity he's given me with the guitar. Many guitar teachers tend to push their own views into each lesson, making it less about the student, and more about what the teacher thinks a "good guitarist" is. However, Jordan tailors each lesson to his student's needs. I… more ›