RockIt Times AmuseLetter
Pumpkins
and Scarecrows!
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Contents
Quote Of The Month You can learn so much from children, and you can give them so much. ~Nastassja Kinski Editorial Beautiful fall days approach us once again. Living in the Midwest, our days our filled with all the beautiful colors of autumn, making the questionable weather seem less of an ordeal. My children enjoy our local pumpkin patches and apple orchards. They appeal to families with tons of activities for kids, shopping and cooking ideas, holiday gift finds, and delicious foods. What better way to spend a sunny October day? Take the time to open your mind to all the stimulus around you and your child. Ask questions that encourage thinking and reasoning skills.
Something about the cooler weather makes my kids a bit more chatty then usual. I try to take advantage of it by having great conversations with them. It helps to teach conversation skills, such as waiting your turn to speak. I also encourage them to answer my questions in full sentences...a skill that even my 12 year old needs to be reminded of! Plus, it's just great bonding and a chance to show your kids that you are nice to talk to. Enjoy the fall! Do some fall activities, even if you don't live in an area with 4 distinctive seasons. And if you live nearby me, or have a child in one of my classes...well, just keep in mind that Ms. Mari LOVES fall treats! :D Have a safe and fun October! P.S. If you are trick-or-treating for the first time this year, or just would like a refresher on Halloween safety, please check out last year's Halloween issue for a great article on Halloween safety along with some fun activities to do with your child! Reading Rocks! Recommendations
Kid Rock "Party In The Spotlight" Halloween Fun Why wait for a birthday to have a party? Throw some hot dogs on the grill, grab a bunch of little pumpkins for the kids to paint silly faces on and be sure to invite Kid Rock to supply the rest of the fun! With songs like:
your guests are sure to have a spooky fun time! Reserve your party date today! Email to parties@rockitkids.com or call us at 847-961-6584. Craft Of The Month Pumpkin Seed Painting Materials:
Directions:
*If you would like to make your own natural paints, be sure to see the Kids Craft Recipe book that you received when you subscribed to RockIt Times AmuseLetter! If you forgot to download it, there is a download link on every issue announcement letter you receive. Having a party? Don't forget to invite Kid Rock! If you are in our neighborhood, we happily provide stress-free, interactive children's party entertainment for any function. Or, make it a Kid Rock day no matter where you live, with our perfectly assembled gift bags and party favors! Visit the official Kid Rock website at http://www.rockitkids.com/ for more information! Snack Of The Month Pumpkin Seeds The highly-nutritious pumpkin seeds contain zinc and other trace minerals important to the eyes.
*Used courtesy of NDSU Extension Nutrition Specialists March 1989 (Revised April 1995). Music Rocks! Recommendations
Motor Activity Of The Month Follow along with the words of this active and fun scarecrow rhyme! Start of slow and repeat the rhyme a bit faster each time for a bit of added fun and challenge. Scarecrow, Scarecrow, Turn Around Scarecrow,
scarecrow, turn around. Scarecrow, scarecrow,
touch your toes. Special Guest Article Time Management Tips for Busy Moms If you are like most moms I know you think to yourself, at least once a day, "I wish I had more time!" Most of my clients come to me at some point asking how they can get more hours in the day. Unfortunately, the truth is you can't. There are only 24 hours in a day and it is impossible to make more. That being said, there ARE ways you can cheat and create more time for the things you want to do. 1. Prioritize! This one is especially important if you are prone to procrastinating or starting something and never finishing it. Each morning you should make a list, written or mental, of what needs to be done for the day and list them in order of importance. This can be done just as you're getting out of bed or while you're having your morning coffee. If your mornings are already hectic I suggest getting up a mere 3-5 minutes early because that is really all you'll need to make this list. If you're not a morning person you can also make a list right before bed the night before but then I suggest it be a written list so you don't forget anything. When making your list, try and be aware of how your body reacts. When you think of #1, your most important thing for the day, does you body contract? Do you feel nervous or tense? If that's the case then maybe it needs to be broken down into more manageable parts or baby steps. Don't try to do too much all at once or you'll end up getting nothing done at all! You might also consider making a second list of less important things that could be done in 5-10 minutes increments. This way, when you have a few minutes to kill between activities you won't fall into a "black hole" (see #2). Get that little bit of dusting done, throw the clothes into the dryer or make that hair appointment during your down time. 2. Get rid of what I call "black holes" or time wasters. Things like TV, checking your email every 5 minutes, online or computer games, and phone calls from chatty friends can be fun but they are also HUGE time wasters. According to a government census the average adult watches a total of about 70 days of TV per year!!! I bet you can think of a lot more important things you could do with that time. Think about this statistic: the number of minutes per week the average American child (2-11years old) watches television is 1197 but the average number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children is 38.5. Just spending those 70 days playing and relaxing with your children would be time better spent. Think about setting aside time each day where you turn off your TV, phone, and computer and work diligently on your to-do list. Even an hour will increase your productivity greatly. 3. Don't be afraid to say no. So many women and especially mothers have a problem with this. They think they have to do everything and be everything to everyone. They want to be "super mom" and "super friend" and "super wife". Well I bet if you talked to your kids, friends and husband you find out they'd be perfectly happy with you just being yourself. Taking on too much adds more pressure on you then you need and prevents you from working at your best which means everything will take longer to do. You will procrastinate more if you're forcing yourself to do things you don't really want to. You need to protect your time. If you're still finding it hard to say no, it might help to come up with a list of reasons you want to protect your time. What do you want to do with any free time you get? These might include time so you can do things to make progress towards your longer term goals (you do have goals, right?), spending time with people you love and care about and who nurture you, or so you can do things that bring you pleasure and joy like a walk through the woods, painting, swimming or reading a good book. 4. Ask for help. You may be thinking men are the ones with problems asking for help, they won't even ask for simple directions but most of my female clients have problems asking for help as well. Just like being afraid to say no, they are afraid to ask for help because they think they have to do everything themselves. This is so untrue. You are not in this world alone. You have friends and family and even total strangers out there willing to help you and they won't think less of you if you need them. In fact, they are likely to feel honored that you would consider them. Try and plan ahead. If you know you are coming into a time where you plate will be full to over flowing, think about asking for help in advance or even hiring someone temporarily. Or why not hire them permanently? Do you REALLY have to mow the lawn every week or can't you pay a neighbor kid to do it or teach your own kids to do it? Do you find yourself constantly picking your kids up and dropping them off for the same activities every week? Then start a carpool because you must know that you are not the only mom out there that feels more like a taxi then a parent! 5. Energy renewal. Set aside a few minutes or more a day to renew your energy. I know what you're thinking, "I have no more time!" but trust me, the more energy you have the more you will get done in a shorter amount of time. If you are feeling refreshed you will procrastinate less. Managing your energy can be done in just a few minutes at a time. Take a few moments to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and just be in the moment. If you are into yoga, do a few relaxing poses a few times a day or just stretch your body loosen up a bit. You may want to even think about signing up for some yoga or meditation classes or get some DVDs or books about the subject. A great book for beginners is called "The Joy Within" by Joan Goldstein and Manuela Soares. Meditating a few times a day only takes minutes and will do wonders for your mind as well as your time management, but make sure to turn off your phones during these moments! Another book I highly recommend if you're interested in energy renewal is "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. So, if you're up for the challenge, I would suggest you take a few moments each morning or night to make your prioritized to do list. Also, start becoming more aware of what you want more time for and what you are protecting your time for. Make a list of the top three things you want to do with this time and keep those things in mind when you are about to say yes to something you want to say no to or when you start procrastinating or falling into a black hole. Ally Moll is a Life and Creativity Coach located in South Central Wisconsin. She offers one on one coaching to artists and women who want to incorporate more creativity in their lives. Ally helps people declutter their minds and their lives so they can be happier and have more time to do what they want. She can also assist you in becoming more free and independent by helping you start your own small business. To learn more about her and her services visit http://www.allymoll.com or sign up for her newsletter at http://www.allymoll.com/newsletter. Subscriber Talk! Do you have comments or suggestions for us? We love to hear and share what our readers think! Please send your feedback to us at: rockittimes@rockitkids.com Great Links and Freebies Check out these great links for parents and caregivers!
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