EMBRACE Magazine will give your family something to hold on to
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER
ARE YOUR CHILDREN READY FOR SCHOOL?
BACK TO SCHOOL
ISSUE
TIME FOR THE KIDS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL...
ARE Y
OU
READ
Y F
OR
SCHO
OL?
EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT
A BOOK A DAY KEEPS THE BAD GRADES AWAY
READ READ READ
MAKE THOSE GOOD GRADES
WHEN OTHERS CARE “The Cafe Mom Story”
This is a true story about how the good out weighs the bad in any given situation. I was moving my family
from Southern California to Northern California. Our time was limited therefore we had to move quickly. I
had been speaking to someone over the internet who stated that they had a five bedroom home for rent
and was going to rent to me. She even told me that we could move in early. My family and I were so excited,
because not only were we moving to a nice home, it was furnished. It all seemed to good to be true, but we are
the type who love to give other’s the benefit of the doubt. This woman talked to me via the telephone every sin-
gle day and up until the day that we boarded the Amtrak train. I began to have a funny feeling about this woman
while I glared at the scenery outside of the train and suddenly thirty minutes before we were due to arrive my
cell phone rung. It was her on the other line advising that the partial payment would not be sufficient, which she
had told me the day before that she had deposited, because I had had here then to refund if it was a problem.
Her words to me where, “Oh no, I can’t do that because I deposited it already to pay off another bill.” Here I am
about to embark upon a strange place with my grandchildren with me and had no idea where we were going to
live. We were basically homeless at this point. After hours of phone calls and threats to contact the media and
law enforcement I was finally given my deposit back. I had to rent a room and knew that it was time to get busy
and find a new home. One of my daughter’s is a member on Cafe Mom and she shared our situation with her
Cafe Mom Family and to my surprise they all went to work to gather up money to help pay for our hotel room.
We arrived on Saturday and on Sunday I was on the phone calling about houses. Monday I went to see a home
that is only three years old and I got the home on that day. We should be moving in soon, but I want to say
thanks to those wonderful women on Cafe Mom who stepped up to help when they did not have to do that. It
was such a blessing to know that some people have hearts and do truly care about others, because this woman
who was suppose to rent me her home obviously did not have a heart. She did not care that I had children with
me and we had traveled three hundred miles away to secure a home that she had no intentions of renting to us.
In the end it all turned out well and my grandchildren are happy.
True story by Twana Lawler
A Stress Free Morning Routine for
Back to School
Let’s go! Let’s go! Come on … you’re going to
miss the bus! I don’t know where your favorite
jeans are; it’s not my responsibility. What do you
mean you still have homework? Did you brush
your teeth yet? Let’s go! I’m leaving… NOW!
Oh I hope your mornings don’t sound like that
above. If it does, it’s not too late to turn that ship
around. The key to having a stress free morning
routine is to have a smooth bedtime routine. Re-
member, a routine is something that is followed
regularly, standard procedures. Without the con-
sistency you will have an uphill battle.
Here are some tips to a stress free morning rou-
tine:
• No yelling. Raising your voice, albeit frustrated,
is only going to escalate matters.
• Early to bed, early to rise. That one is simple.
• Showers and baths should be taken at night. You
think you’ll have time in the morning, but you
rarely do.
• Look over all homework for completeness be-
fore bed; don’t assume it’s finished.
• Before bed ensure lunches are made, backpack
is packed and there are no surprise “Oh I need
xxx today!”
• Give singular instructions. Don’t say, “I want
you to finish your homework, eat breakfast, get
dressed, comb your hair, brush your teeth and be
in the car by 8:15.” To a child, that sounds like
“blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.”
One instruction at a time works wonders.
• Provide instructions once. If you’re doing this,
stop: “Johnny, it’s time to get dressed.” Two
minutes later, “Johnny, we’re going to be late if
you don’t get dressed now.” Two more minutes
later, “Johnny, honey, I told you to get dressed.”
“Johnny, Mommy is going to be late, now go get
dressed.” To a child that sounds like “Oh mom
is good for asking about five more times before
she really goes ballistic!” Repeated requests only
send the message that junior doesn’t really have
to do it now.
• Set consequences and stick to your guns. If you
tell your child the car is leaving at 8:15 sharp,
make it happen. Clearly you can’t leave your
child behind, so leaving without her isn’t an op-
tion. Tell her you will be leaving whether she
is ready or not. Sending a 10 year old to school
with uncombed hair, pajamas and an empty belly
might be just the catalyst for change.
You are the parent; you set the tone for the morn-
ing routine. You need to be actively involved in
the morning routine. Follow the steps above and I
guarantee ‘joy will come in the morning!’
Kidney Disease
What is Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?
Chronic kidney disease includes conditions that damage your kidneys and decrease their ability to
keep you healthy by doing the jobs listed. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build to high
levels in your blood and make you feel sick. You may develop complications like high blood pres-
sure, anemia (low blood count), weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage. Also, kidney
disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease. These problems may happen
slowly over a long period of time. Chronic kidney disease may be caused by diabetes, high blood
pressure and other disorders. Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease
from getting worse. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which
requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.
NATIONAL KIDNEY DISEASE FOUNDATION
The National Kidney Foundation, Inc (NKF)., is the major voluntary health organization
dedicated to preventing kidney disease, improving the health and well-being of individu-
als and families affected by kidney disease and increasing the availability of all organs for
transplantation. The NKF achieves life-saving results today through the contributions of a
generous public including participation in NKF signature initiatives such as the Kidney Cars
Vehicle Donation program, Kidney Walks and the NKF Golf Classic. Visit the website to
find out more information about Kidney Disease at http://www.kidney.org/ This is some-
thing that is becoming dear to my heart. I recently found out that I have kidney disease and
in the beginning it was very depressing for me, because I was in so much pain and could not
function. I am now reading up on and learning how I can live a better life so that I can live a
longer life.
Twana Lawler [email protected]
Back to Pre-School Theme Early childhood education activities and lesson plan ideas that en-
hance preschool curriculum during the beginning of the school year and
help young children become familiar with their classmates and classroom
environment. Lots of songs and teacher tips that are especially suitable
for beginning the school year and when “new” children enter your class.
Back to Preschool Activity Theme
The Kissing HandTo ease separation anxiety on the first day of school is the aim of this preschool
activity by Martha R.
Materials: The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, white construction paper, paint,
and paint brushes.
Description: I read the story The Kissing Hand using a raccoon stuffed animal.
After discussing the story with the children, I put a heart sticker (which comes
from previously placed heart stickers in the raccoon’s pouch) on each child’s
hand. This helps preschool children to remember that Mom or Dad loves them. If
they have a problem later in the day, I remind them to look at their sticker and put
it up to their cheek.
After the story, I have each parent to help their child make a hand print and then
make one of theirs on the same paper. It works really well. The children and the
parents enjoy it! I post them in the hallway for parents to admire.
Back to School BookThis early childhood idea by Jackie O. helps teach pre reading skills and helps
preschool children learn the names of the other students in the class.
Materials: Folder with clips inside, clear plastic insert sheets, camera and film,
(Polaroid if possible).
Description: Prior to the children arriving I type a page for each child. On the
bottom of the page in large letters I type “My name is____________. “
Don’t forget to type one for each staff member too. The first day of school I
take each child’s picture. I glue the picture on each child’s individual page and
put all the pages in the folder. On the cover of the book I have a picture of the
class.
Comments: I like to read this book the first few weeks of school during circle.
It only takes a few days before the children are reading it with you. I also put it
on the book rack for the children to “read.”
Wednesday - July 29, 2009
TV PRESS RELEASE:
A New Children's Variety TV Show
A NEW CHILDREN’S VARIETY TV SHOW FOR KIDS AND TEENS
FEATURES CAST FROM ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST
"Kidz Connect" is the children’s version of Saturday Night Live meets 1970’s Electric Company
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 29, 2009: T&T Productions® announced today that it will produce a brand new
television entertainment show for kids and teens across Atlanta and its surrounding counties, called Kidz
Connect ®. The show's format will be similar to the ever popular Saturday Night Live. The Kidz
Connect cast will feature some of the most talented rising stars in music, acting and dance in the Atlanta
metro area. T&T Management & Productions has searched at length to find the very best actors to bring
the Kidz Connect vision to life.
Kidz Connect Cast
We are pleased to announce the talented & diverse cast of Kidz Connect: Sophia Puckett, Cameron
Robinson, Sydney Bell, Oleg Terentieva, Devan Wahl and Tony “T-Rep”Betton
Further details about the upcoming pilot, including cast and projected viewing date, will be
revealed as development progresses. To attend the private screening scheduled early September
2009, please contact the undersigned.
###
For further information, contact:
Tari K. Robinson, QKA, QPA
President, PR
WAYS TO PACK A HEALTHY LUNCH
USE A BENTO BOX
Japanese-style bento boxes and their nesting com-
partments are perfect for kid-size nibbles. Best of all,
when your child pops the lid, the entire spread is at
her fingertips, which puts the carrots on par with the
PB&J and grapes for super-easy grazing. (Find the box
shown above at laptoplunches.com.)
SNEAK IN EXTRA VEGGIES
If the produce in your kid’s lunch is making the return trip home,
consider hiding it. Add finely grated carrots to tuna and chicken
salad, swap lettuce for nutrient-dense baby spinach, or try Hori-
zon’s new Little Blends yogurts, which offer surprisingly tasty
fruit and vegetable combos, such as Strawberry-Carrot and Ba-
nana-Sweet Potato.
How Your Baby Can Learn to Read
Babies have been learning to read for more time than we know of. In the decade, thousands of folks
the world over have been teaching their babies to read. It is easy to do and takes little time.
It is vital to point at the words as you read them. Although you might imagine your baby isn’t con-
centrating, your baby is spotting the written word and its patterns. Through continued reading and
text pointing, your baby is making associations between the words on the page and the words you
are saying.
Babies are able to learn how to read full words by seeing them in an isolated state. It is important to
show babies words without pictures. The words must be a good size. We will not expect babies to
read words at the font size adults read.
Glenn Doman
By exposing your baby to language beginning at birth, through reading, speaking and pointing out
words, your baby will be learning to read. Babies that are taught in this manner can read orally
when they start to speak. They’re capable of reading mentally at a much younger age, however,
their skills are not usually obvious until they read out loud.
There are academic videos available that teach babies language. By viewing these videos constant-
ly, your baby will pick up the patterns of language and learn how to read.
I started teaching my boy to read as an infant. By the point he was 12 months old, he was reading
plenty of words. What started as a game we played each day developed into a crucial life talent. My
son never recalls a time when he couldn’t read.
Written by Kirby Mercado
A New Tool for Back to School
A new website lets teachers post their students’ grades
online in real-time.
Sacramento, CA August 4, 2004 -- As the back-to-school
season nears, Engrade, an innovative provider of online
tools for teachers, announced today the launch of its web-
site http://www.engrade.com. Engrade’s new website is a
free service that allows teachers to post students’ grades
online and allows parents and students to view those grades
online in real-time by logging in to their Engrade account.
With this new service, Engrade seeks to give teachers a tool
to keep parents and students continually informed of their
grades, attendance, and upcoming assignments.
Thanks to educational sponsors, Engrade is a free service.
And because Engrade’s technology is “web-based” it does
not require any installations – all of Engrade’s service are
available through their website.
In the past, teachers’ only method of grade reporting was to
periodically print paper reports. Both teachers and students
found this to be problematic because those paper reports
became out of date as soon as a new assignment was graded
– so students and their parents never knew exactly how
they were performing in class and experienced long delays
before seeing their corrected assignment scores.
Now, Engrade’s new online reporting tools will solve those
problems by continually updating students online grade
reports as soon as teachers enter new assignments into
Engrade’s website – allowing students and parents to be
constantly aware of their class grade and assignment scores.
“We feel that Engrade will really help students - and their
parents - get a better idea of how they are performing in
their classes and increase student-parent participation,” said
Brian Holt, President and Founder of Engrade.
In addition to online grades, Engrade provides teachers with
the option of posting attendance records and upcoming as-
signment due dates online.
Using Engrade’s online attendance reports, parents can see
their students’ real-time attendance reports from work or
from home and teachers can notify the parents of absent
students instantly via e-mail.
With Engrade’s assignment calendar, teachers can post a
list of upcoming assignments for students and parents to see
when they log in, making the old excuse of “I forgot that
was due today,” obsolete.
Engrade’s new website seeks to reshape the way grades,
attendance, and assignments are reported, increasing stu-
dents’ and parents’ participation and improving student
performance.
For more information about using Engrade in your class-
room, visit their website at: http://www.engrade.com/
.
Toddler Backpack Safety - How to Choose the Right Preschool Backpacks
More than 40 million American students use backpacks,
from toddlers to college students. They’re a simple, effec-
tive way to carry around books and other necessary items.
Most people, however, wear and load their backpacks incor-
rectly, which can lead to a lifetime of problems. Incorrectly
worn backpacks can injure muscles and joints, and lead to
back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as posture problems
that can persist for years. In 2001, more than 7000 emer-
gency room visits nationwide were related to backpacks.
All these problems, however, are quite easily avoidable.
Selecting the Right Preschool backpack
The first step is to select the right backpack. Good features
to look for are wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded
back, a waist strap to distribute weight more evenly across
the body. The best backpacks are lightweight and have
multiple compartments so that the weight is not centered in
one place.
You might also consider a rolling backpack, although they
are more difficult to move up stairs and over uneven out-
door terrain.
Talk about Backpack Safety with Your Child
You should also talk to your child about wearing and using
his or her backpack correctly. Tighten the straps so that
the backpack is close to the body and sits about two inches
above the waist. Show your child how to pick up the pack
right, by bending at the knees and lifting from the legs.
Put heavy textbooks closest to the body, and tell your child
to always use both shoulder straps. Kids who wear their
backpacks over one shoulder will lean sideways to compen-
sate, which can lead to upper and lower back pain.
Avoid Backpack Overload
Overloading is another serious issue and source of dis-
comfort. Doctors and physical therapists recommend that
children carry no more than 10-15% of their body weight.
Yet the average student carries close to 25%, and 3 out of
10 wear backpacks with a third of their body weight.
Talk to your children to make sure they aren’t carrying all
their textbooks home every day. Make sure that the school
allows them to make frequent stops at their lockers, and
consider purchasing a second set of textbooks to keep at
home. Let your child know that he or she shouldn’t carry
around unnecessary items such as CD players or video
games in their backpacks.
Ask your child about any back or shoulder pain, and keep
an eye out for signs of discomfort. Heavy, improperly load-
ed weights will pull the children backwards, forcing them to
compensate by leaning forward at the hips or arching their
back. Thin straps can also pose a problem, inhibiting circu-
lation and causing tingling or numbness.
If you are still concerned, consider talking to your child’s
school about educating students about proper backpack use.
Laura Greenacres is a writer for Sleepytime Store.com,
which specializes in unique baby gifts including toddler
backpacks and Stephen Joseph backpacks.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_
Greenacres
Illiteracy isn’t just an inconvenience, according to the National Literacy Institute. It’s a national emer-
gency.
According to recommendations recently made to President-Elect Obama’s education advisors, the U.S.
is facing an unprecedented literacy crisis that reflects a need for the nation to invest in early education
programs and make language development a primary focus of every preschool.
But Micah Linton, author and artist of weebeasts, from Beast Stew/Greenleaf Book Group Press
(www.weebeasts.com) believes that we can help stem that tide by offering children more complex
books for early childhood reading. His premise is that young children are like sponges, and can absorb
more information and concepts than their older counterparts. In addition, by engaging younger children
with more complex stories and concepts, we better prepare them for the more intricate stories they’ll
encounter in their secondary school career.
“Young children are smarter than we give them credit for being,” Linton said. “When we look at how
younger children embrace the larger universes of Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, it’s
easy to see that they can understand stories originally written for much older audiences. So, why not
write similar stories for their reading levels, from early childhood on up? It’s been proven that parents
help their children much more by using plain language with them than they do when they use baby
talk, so why do we feel compelled to ‘dumb down’ what they read in younger years? It’s time we rec-
ognize what researchers and scientists have been proving in studies for decades – that young children
can absorb information at a much faster rate than older children, and they can retain more of it.”
The interesting thing, according to Linton, is that sometimes the marketers seem to know more about
how smart kids are than educators do.
“Although the stories are aimed at older audiences, a lot of the licensing and merchandising is aimed
at younger audiences, and they aren’t just attracted by the pictures and art – they know the characters
and the stories,” Linton said. “They role-play the characters on the playgrounds and in the backyard,
and they understand the contexts. However, young people don’t distinguish between learning and play,
so we can use these entertainment franchises to lead them into stories with more complex themes and
worlds as they get older.”
Linton believes that stories like Star Wars, in which the rebels could be likened to the early colonists
and the empire to the British crown, can even help kids become more interested in their historical coun-
terparts. www.weebeasts.com
Kids Are Smarter Than We Think
Why is parental Involvement Important in Children’s Edu-
cation?
Numerous research has been done to conclude that parents who are involved with their children’s
education are building the foundations for a better educated child. These children will be better ad-
justed to school which can lead to more education. In addition, parents are sending a message to their
children that education is important.
In addition, parental involvement is important because parents who are part of their children educa-
tion will understand the importance of reading. These parents will read to their children beginning at a
young age. Also, this parent will make sure that their child can read on the right grade level through-
out the educational process. Since reading is a big problem in our country, the reading foundation that
the parent are developing will assist the child in its future educational endears as well as life goals.
Equally important, is the fact that parents who are involved with their children will make sure their
home is conductive to education. This means that the home will have plenty of books available for
their children to read. The home will also have several kinds of reference materials and tools avail-
able, such as: encyclopedias, magazines, computer, calculator, pens, pencils, paper, to name a few. In
the home will be a quiet room that children can use to study or concentrate on their school work. Part
of setting up a home conducive to learning, also includes limited the amount of television viewing
throughout the week. Some parents will even make sure that children’s homework is done at the same
time everyday and if there is no homework the parent will create some.
Another important reason parents should be involved with their children, is because any kind educa-
tional deficiencies can be notice quickly. By having parents involved in their child daily education,
they will notice the child’s strength and weakness. This can help parents to work with those weak-
nesses as soon as possible.
Parents who attend their children’s parent teacher conferences, and also volunteer for activities at
school are demonstrating how important school is. Children observe these parents, and they realize
education is important because of parent involvement. Also, the schools appreciate the parents who
are involved in the school which can lead to additional educational advantages for their child.
These parents realize that is takes the entire village to raise successful children. Overall, the parents
that are involved with their children education are building a stronger foundation for their future.
Their children are usually the ones excelling at school and receiving all accolades that are top stu-
dents receive. Parental involvement is not something parent might get involved with it is something
that all parents should be involved with.
http://www.stratesville.org
ILLUSTRATIONS & books by EVELYN
http://sweetiesbooks.com/evelyn.aspx
www.myartspace.com/evelyngresham
LUNCH BOXES
Choose from hundreds of theme lunch boxes that your child will love. Go
to www.platesplus4kids.com to order at reasonable prices.
Waffle Sandwich
1/4 cup low fat salad dressing
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
4 thin slices cheddar, Colby, Swiss or mozzarella cheese
4 slices (about 1/4 pound) deli turkey, ham or roast beef
8 toasted waffles
Combine salad dressing, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Spread dressing
on one side of each slice of bread. Divide meat and cheese and place on dress-
ing side of bread to make 4 sandwiches. Place 1 sandwich in the middle of heat-
ed waffle iron. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes or until sandwich is golden brown and
cheese is melted. Repeat with other sandwiches.
Cut your waffle sandwich into strips for easy dipping in ketchup or sauce. Try
different combinations of meat, cheese, sauces and bread. It’s a great way to use
left-overs!
YOUNG AUTHOR SECTION
Shanquelle is our young author, but this issue she is on vacation in
Louisville, KY therefore she will not be contributing any writings in
this article. She sends a great big Ola to her faithful readers and she
wanted you to know that she will be back the next issue. If you or
someone you know is interested in contributing poetry or short stories
advise that we would be happy to share their work. You can send your
grades, your accomplishments, your artwork and your photography.
Send your email to [email protected]
It’s time for you to go back to school, pick up them
books, do your homework, you know school is
cool. Don’t hang around the bad crowd, get down
in them books, don’t worry about the one who gives
you that nasty look. Education is important and it is
a must, it’s time to go to school, it’s time to get on
that bus. Bring home the good grades and send it to
EMBRACE, we are sure to appreciate you and lift
you up in this place.
Send us your child’s accomplish-
ments in school. They will re-
ceive awards and gift cards from
EMBRACE Magazine.
IT”S TIME FOR SCHOOL
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